“I thought you were going to see about getting the night off?” Mom pouts.

“I tried, but a few girls are out with a bug that’s been going around. I should have the entire weekend off though, so maybe we can go do something—”

“Can we go to Gatlinburg?” Kate asks, cutting off Cece with a hopeful smile.

“That would be fun.” Mom beams. “I’ll look for a cabin tonight. A weekend in the mountains sounds like a great idea.”

Cece looks through her girls before saying quietly, “I’ll have to talk to your dad about that, since Saturdays are his.” Damn, I didn’t even think about that and I know looking at Cece’s expression that she didn’t think about it either until that moment.

“But—” Mom starts.

“We’ll find something to do,” Chaz inserts, using a tone I haven’t heard before as his gaze locks with Mom’s.

“Right.” She lets out a breath. “We’ll find something fun to do.” She walks to the girls. “Now, what do you think we should eat for dinner? I’m thinking ice cream or cake.”

“Cake,” Lola and Kate say in unison.

“Ice cream.” Ruby laughs.

“You’re not feeding the girls cake or ice cream for dinner, when I never had that when I was their age.” I roll my eyes. “How about pizza?”

“You’re no fun.” Mom sighs dramatically, making the girls laugh, and the tension in the room disappears like it was never there.

“Too bad.” I walk across the kitchen, pull out the menus from the drawer near the fridge, and hand them over to my mom so she and the girls can look at them. When I turn around, I watch Chaz wrap his arm around Cece’s shoulders and kiss the side of her head. Seeing the look on my sister’s face, tears spring to my eyes, but I fight them back as I walk to Chaz, who holds out his arm toward me. I fall into his embrace and soak in his strength.

I don’t even want to imagine what my childhood would have been like if he and Mom didn’t get together. Unlike Cece, who I know is capable of being alone, our mom needed someone, and thankfully he was okay with falling in love with a woman who had two kids by a man who was absent, and he didn’t mind filling that void. We didn’t take it easy on him, but he never gave up or quit trying to prove to us that he was different and that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“So when do I get to meet the guy you’re dating?” Chaz asks, cutting into my thoughts, and I look at Cece around his broad chest, narrowing my eyes when she laughs.

“Umm…” I glance between him and Mom. “We just started dating. I’m not sure I’m ready to start introducing him to family yet.”

“He’s met the girls, ate dinner with them, and took them out for ice cream,” Cece says, grinning at me, and then she adds, looking at Mom and Chaz, “He’s really nice, like really nice.”

“I want to meet him. What’s he doing tonight?” Mom demands.

“He’s working, and even if he wasn’t, I wouldn’t just spring meeting my parents on him. I need to give him a heads-up and prepare him for that introduction.”

“You brought Sheppard to dinner as soon as you started dating him,” Mom says, and my nose scrunches, because she’s right; I did. But I also didn’t really care about him. I mean, I liked him, but it was just superficial. I knew it would never be anything more than it was. I also had known him for years, and my parents had met him a few times before we started seeing each other, so I didn’t think about it being a big deal.

“It’s that serious?” Chaz asks, and since his arm is still around my shoulders, I have to tip my head back to meet his gaze. “Damn, it’s that serious,” he mutters as his eyes search mine.

Chewing the inside of my cheek, I decide to be honest. “Cece’s right. He’s really nice, and I like him a lot. I want you guys to meet him. I just want to see where his head’s at when it comes to that kind of thing.”

“We’ll wait until you’re ready,” Chaz says quietly, holding my gaze before touching his lips to my forehead.

“I hate that I have to leave, but I need to get ready for work,” Cece mumbles before looking at the girls and stepping away from Chaz. “Get your homework done so you don’t have to worry about it after dinner.”

“Sure, Mom,” Lola says, and Kate sighs.

“Grandma, will you help me study my vocabulary words?” Ruby asks.

“Of course I will.” She kisses the top of her head. “Get your stuff, and we’ll sit in the living room.

“I’m going to unload the car.” Chaz grabs his keys off the counter.

“After I get the girls settled and their lunch bags taken care of, I’ll come out and help you,” I tell him.

“I got it, honey.” He says before he heads for the front door without a backward glance.

While he comes in and out carrying bags, I get Lola and Kate settled with their homework at the kitchen counter while Mom and Ruby sit on the couch in the living room. Between helping the girls when they need it, I unpack lunch bags and clean out containers for tomorrow, and then when it’s time, I place an order for dinner. Cece comes down and says goodbye, and once she’s gone, I send Talon a text to let him know I won’t be able to see him tonight but will call him once the girls get to sleep. He texts back before I even set my cell down to let me know he understands.

Hours later, with the girls in bed and my parents downstairs watching a movie, I crawl into bed with my phone and dial Talon’s number.

“Hey,” he answers on the first ring, his voice rough with sleep.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” I ask, turning off the lamp before lying down.

“No, I’ve been dozing, but my bed isn’t as comfortable without you hogging it.”

Smiling, I inform him. “I don’t hog the bed.”

“You do,” he mutters then asks. “Your parents get in okay?”

“Yeah, they got here right before the girls got home, and they didn’t know about their visit, so they were excited to see them.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah,” I agree then clear my throat. “Umm, Mom and Chaz want to meet you. But,” I add quickly, “do not feel obligated. It’s totally okay if you aren’t ready for that.”

“I’m ready when you are, babe,” he says easily. “While we’re on the subject of family meetings, my mom’s having a thing for my dad Saturday, and she wants you to come. I told her I’d have to talk to you before I agreed to anything.”

“Oh. You told your parents about me?”

“Yeah, that and my uncles told their wives they met you so mom was gonna find out either way.” I hear the smile in his voice. “Are you freaking out?”

“A little,” I admit.

“Don’t. My family is cool, and my mom is the best. You’ll love her. But, baby, it’s okay if you’re not ready for that yet.”

“You say it’s okay, but I don’t know that it is. If your mom and dad know about me, and they know that I know what happened to your dad, I’m pretty sure they might think a little less of me if I don’t show up.”