Page 110 of The Fake Out

Veronica handed the baby back to Emily, and she held out her hand to my older brother. “Brendan, right? I think you’re the only one I haven’t met yet.”

Brendan smiled. “Saved the best for last!”

She laughed. “And Adam, the husband, right?”

Adam gave her a small smile. “You get used to the big family.”

Dad and Julien came around to the table and dropped off coffee for everyone. Dad stopped to hug Veronica.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Why are you all here?”

“To annoy you,” Ayden teased, and I felt him kick me under the table.

Dick.

“We wanted to meet your girl,” Brendan explained.

“Well, most of you already know me. I’m a regular at the bar,” Veronica said.

Michael shuddered. “Let’s not remember how I met you.”

“Learn to knock!” Veronica teased.

I put an arm around her and kissed her temple. I loved that she could dish it out to my siblings as good as they served it to her.

“Actually, it was my idea,” Maja announced. “I figured with the All-Star Break, it was good to get the whole family together.”

“When was the last time we did that?” Dad asked.

It had been a long time since all the Holmstroms were in one room. The silence didn’t last as Eli and Ayden started arguing about a bad call on the ice last night, and then Maja started in by telling them they both were wrong. It didn’t take long for my loud-mouth Philly family to be screaming at the top of their lungs. My new neighbors were gonna hate me.

I shook my head, and Veronica gave me an amused look. I hoped she understood my family was always this nosy, and she needed to get used to it.

I kissed her temple again. “Are you prepared for my family?” I whispered in her ear.

She nodded. “They’re part of you. Plus, you haven’t met my brother’s side of the family. His Abuelita will give you the third degree.”

“Can’t wait to meet them, sweets.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

And of course, my asshole brothers ruined our nice moment by throwing balled-up napkins at my head. “Get a room,” Brendan teased.

“It’s my house, and none of you jerks were invited,” I snapped.

Veronica laughed. “I mean, we could go back upstairs and…”

Ayden laughed. “I knew I always liked you, V.”

“Why? Because I don’t put up with your BS?”

The twins laughed, and Eli shook his head. “Pretty much. Welcome to the family, V. I hope we don’t scare you off.”

She squeezed my hand under the table. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“So, are we allowed to say how much we hated Astrid now?” Maja asked.