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I’m about to say something when the front door opens, and I see Abigail coming in, holding the car seat. “Why isn’t the gate open?” she huffs. “That thing weighs fifty pounds.” She points at the car seat that she put down. Tristan now comes in behind her pushing the stroller and carrying three diaper bags.
“What is all that?” I ask, and he looks over at Abigail.
“It’s plan A, B, and C,” he says as Abigail glares at him. “Because we live four minutes away, and in that time, it’ll be too late.”
“Aren’t you breastfeeding?” Romeo asks. She then turns her glare to him, and he just holds up his hands.
“Abigail,” I say to my sister, “this is Ryleigh, Romeo’s sister.” My sister’s glare turns into a smile as she walks over to her and gives her a hug.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she tells Ryleigh. “Jesus, you’re gorgeous.” She whips her head toward Tristan, who is busy putting down the bag at the door and then walking over to the car seat to check on the baby. “Don’t look at her.”
He looks up shocked. “Are you talking to me?” He points at himself, and she just nods.
“I was literally looking at our child.” He points at the car seat. “Nice to meet you. Please ignore my wife. She is—”
“Wife?” we both say at the same time.
“I’m not calling you my girlfriend,” Tristan huffs. “You just had my child.”
Abigail is about to say something else when the door opens. “Does no one know how to ring the bell?” Romeo asks, and I laugh when I see my cousin Stone walk into the house. His brown hair is pushed back away from his face, and his brown eyes light up when he sees us all there and he smiles big. He’s wearing black jeans with a white T-shirt and a black bomber jacket. The scruff on his face is longer than the last time I saw him, which was at the family vacation.
“Holy shit,” Abigail and I both say at the same time, and he laughs.
“Surprise,” he says, walking over to shake Tristan’s hand before walking over to hug Abigail. I walk over to him and get on my tippy-toes while I hug him.
“Did you come with your parents?” I ask, looking behind him to see if Aunt Zara or Uncle Evan is there.
“No.” He shakes his head. “They don’t know I’m here.” He smiles and then looks over at Ryleigh, and his smile stays on his face.
He introduces himself to Ryleigh. “I’m Stone, and you are?”
“Off-limits,” Romeo grumbles, and everyone laughs.
“You’re shacking up with my cousin.” He points at me. “I don’t see why she would be off-limits.”
“My brother is half wrong,” Ryleigh states. “I’m not off-limits, but I’m also not interested.” She smiles at him, and he puts his hand in the middle of his chest as if she just shot him.
“Ouch,” he says, still smiling, “that hurt.”
“It’ll hurt a lot more if you touch her,” Romeo threatens, puffing out his chest.
“I just introduced myself to her.” He holds up his hand. “If two single people somehow spark a conversation.”
“What do you do for work?” Ryleigh asks, and my head whips around to her.
“I play hockey for Nashville,” Stone replies, and she snaps her fingers.
“Shucks,” Ryleigh says, “I already scratched that profession off my list.” I roll my lips. “Besides, Chicago and Nashville are very far apart.”
The two of them share a look, and I’m about to get everyone moving along when the doorbell rings. “That must be my parents,” Romeo says, and I gawk at him. “Did anyone in your family use the doorbell?”
“You have a doorbell?” Abigail says, joking. I’m about to say something to her, but Romeo opens the door. I take a step forward but not before I see Stone lean against the doorjamb next to Ryleigh.
I make a mental note to tell him to back off, but after saying hello to Tyler and Jessica, a slew of family members arrive. The introductions take forever, but everyone is slowly ushered to the backyard. “Next time”—I hear Jessica say when we are alone—“name tags.”
I give Tyler and Jessica a tour of the house, since my family members have already seen it. We are walking downstairs when the door opens, and my parents come in, surprising me. “Oh my God!” I shout, running down the stairs and into my father’s arms. “You said you couldn’t come.”
“I wouldn’t miss this,” he says, kissing my cheek and hugging me again. He lets me go so I can hug my mother, who kisses my cheek. Then the door opens, and my uncle Matthew walks in, followed by Uncle Max.
