AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But voicing both of those sounds so possessive that I stop myself.
“That I’m so old I must have met some guy’s parents already?” She cringes.
“Oh, fuck, no, I didn’t mean that at all.” My hands come to her shoulders as if I’m trying to tell her my motives via osmosis. “You know I don’t think about that at all. I just … I was being a total asshole thinking that I love that my family is going to be the only one you ever meet.”
Gabrielle bites her lip in a nervous way, but her voice is all sarcasm. “Who said you’ll be the last guy whose family I meet?”
“If I have any say in it, mine will be.” The look I give her is earnest because we both know this is something more than just casual dating.
Blinking at me once more, she laces her hand in mine and turns to the door with a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
“They’re going to love you,” I reiterate again.
Pushing open the door to my childhood home, I’m greeted with the familiar scents of tomato sauce, vanilla, and the mud from my father’s old rain boots in the front hallway. My eyes immediately go to the nook under the staircase right in front of us, where Alana, Patrick, Evan, and I used to play hide-and-seek as kids. As we walk, I’m greeted by the scratch on the dining room table put there by a hockey stick that Alana flung when she was trying to kill a wasp in seventh grade. After that comes the saloon-style doors on the kitchen entry that Patrick once knocked down by sliding in to them at full speed when we were all playing tag in our bathing suits.
This house holds so many memories that bombard me as soon as I step foot inside. Most of them good, but then there are the ones that remind me of Nonno, and a tinge of sadness creeps in. Putting them out of my mind, we walk farther into the house as noise erupts in the kitchen.
“Ah, there’s my family.” I smirk at her and then roll my eyes.
“My boy, come in here. We were just trying to settle a debate about whose soap box car went faster in the derby when you were kids.” Dad’s voice hits me first as I walk in to my entire family huddled around the island.
Even though Mom and Nonna pretend it annoys them to high heaven that we all crowd in here as they’re trying to cook, I know they secretly love it. It’s always at least five to ten degrees warmer in the kitchen than any other place in the house, and I’m not surprised my dad and brothers are already a beer deep.
“Mine was so good, I calculated its measurements and built it to standard size. Evan’s almost flew off the course, remember?” Patrick all but pats himself on the back.
“All I remember is that Alana was working the lemonade stand and I bought so many I nearly peed my pants.” Warren looks at my sister like she hung the moon.
“Stop trying to make us all look bad,” I chime in, hugging my brother-in-law even though he’s being mushy as fuck. “And you’re all wrong. I won because I spent three months building an exact replica of a soap box car I saw in a racing magazine. Dad presented me with the medal and we all didn’t care which Ashton beat each other because at least it meant those older kids who toilet-papered the house once were losers.”
“Yes! That’s right.” Patrick high-fives me like we’re all back in elementary school, winning all over again for the first time.
“You guys are idiots,” Alana murmurs, and Nonna chuckles as she stirs something on the stove.
“Look who showed up … Miss Murphy.” Evan whistles low under his breath.
I cut him a look like I might murder him if we weren’t about to sit at our mother’s dinner table. The whole room turns to look at Gabrielle, who has been standing behind me in the shadows of the hallway this entire time, and she gives a little wave.
“Hi, everyone. Liam invited me to dinner tonight, I sure hope that’s okay.” Her voice is all nerves.
Cass jumps up to greet her friend, enveloping her in a hug. “Of course, it’s okay. If it means Liam won’t bitch about half the stuff he usually does, I’m all for it.”
“Thanks for the support, Cass.” I shake my head at my sister-in-law.
“Good to have you, Gabrielle.” Patrick hugs her next and raises an eyebrow at me in approval over her shoulder as they embrace.
“It’s not like we don’t all know her.” Alana chuckles, coming in for the next hug.
Sheesh, my family is welcoming her with open arms when they usually bemoan my attitude.
“Well, I don’t.” Dad steps up, and I straighten a bit.
Rationally, I know my father will be nothing but kind to Gabrielle. He learned his lesson with Cassandra when he was less than nice to one of his son’s future partners. But it’s a significant moment, me bringing a woman home to meet my family. What I didn’t tell Gabrielle on the porch is that I’ve never brought anyone home either or met a woman’s family myself. This is a big step, but I didn’t want to put even more pressure on her with that knowledge.
“Mr. Ashton, it’s nice to meet you. Well, formally. I guess I’ve eaten or taken out at your restaurant and seen you around town quite a lot, so?—”
“To you it’s Thomas, none of this Mr. Ashton stuff. We’re so happy you’re here.” He shakes her hand and gives her his best smile.
“Laying it on a little thick, yeah, Dad?” Evan mocks him.
