Jake grinned and shrugged. He didn’t mind. He was happy to meet her family. He wanted to get in good with them. Since he didn’t even know if he had siblings, it was nice to watch a big family who clearly loved each other and got along.
Without being asked, Jade started rummaging through the kitchen cabinets to collect more plates, glasses andsilverware to expand the place settings on the dining room table from two to six.
Despite Jett’s grumbling, no one seemed to have a problem clearing their plates of heaping helpings of spaghetti. As they ate, Jake learned quite a lot about the Ashcraft siblings in general and about Beryl in particular. Everyone pitched in to clear the table and clean the kitchen with the speed of practice. He especially liked Jade, who herded the three brothers out earlier than they’d clearly planned, saying they owed it to their big sister to give the couple some alone time.
As Jett walked out the door, he slapped Jake firmly on the back a couple of times. All he said, though, was, “Great to meet you, Jake.” There was no hint of a stay-away-from-my-sister vibe, for which Jake was grateful.
Once the door was closed behind her siblings, Beryl heaved a sigh, her green eyes big with apology. “Again, I’mso sorryyou had to endure my family unexpectedly this evening.”
“Don’t be sorry, I enjoyed it. I feel sort of like I got a crash course about you in a single sitting. I hope I can remember everything,” he said with a smile.
Beryl stepped closer, her gaze never leaving his. She leaned into him, her mouth brushing his lips in a tender, sweet kiss before retreating, as if worried about how he might react to the kiss.
Jake did not take too much time to think before he leaned close and kissed her back. He was not tender and, after two seconds, neither was she.
They clung together for several long, wonderful moments before Jake released her and backed away, hoping he hadn’t just ruined everything by being too aggressive.
“That was amazing,” Beryl said.
“I agree. Amazing.” Jake had no interest in being cool about this. “When can I see you again?”
“How about tomorrow night? Turns out it’s not family dinner night at my house and I’m free,” she said with a little laugh.
“Maybe you can come over to my house. I don’t know how to cook anything, but I do order takeout really well.”
“Perfect.”
Jake pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Berylhisaddress before he opened the front door. She followed him outside and onto the porch—where they noticed that all her siblings stood in a tight circle behind Jake’s car as if gossiping like old ladies.
Beryl put her hands on her hips. “Hey! Why are you all still here?”
The four looked at them, their expressions entirely unrepentant.
“We were gossiping about you, of course,” Jett said. “We thought you’d be in there longer.”
“Well, you thought wrong. Go home. All of you.” Beryl turned to Jake and rolled her eyes. Then, ignoring her siblings, she put her palms on either side of his face and kissed him goodnight. Again. It was awesome.
There were hoots and hollers from their audience of Ashcrafts, but Jake didn’t care.
Apparently, neither did Beryl.
Chapter Fifteen
Beryl had been more than a little embarrassed that she had totally gotten the dates wrong about her turn to host the monthly family dinner and wound up with her pushy siblings horning in on her date with Jake.
Despite that, the night had turned out not terrible, from her perspective. She was thrilled that her siblings and Jake seemed to get along famously and the spontaneous family dinner was a roaring success.
After she kissed Jake one last time on her front porch as her siblings catcalled from the driveway, she practically floated back into the house.
Well, after ensuring her siblings wouldn’t harass Jake any further. They went their separate ways, as did Jake.
In the time it took Jade to drive home, Beryl got a call.
“No matter what the boys say, they all really like Jake. I wanted you to know that,” her younger sister said.
“Thank you for telling me.” Beryl had figured out that the boys were okay with Jake during dinner. Her only concern was about her eventual future with a human.
As if Jade read her mind, she added, “I know he’s a human, but I really like him, Beryl. He listens more than he speaks and when he does talk, he’s intelligent. He also seems quiet and thoughtful, just like I would expect from an artist—and the exact opposite of some belligerent tough guy who thinks his opinion is the only one that matters. You deserve to be happy,even if it’s not a forever kind of relationship. I think he will be good for you. Let yourself be happy.”
