Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
“Bring it on.”
We exit the truck and meet on the sidewalk before heading to the front door. I don’t get more than two steps when Brayden slips my hand into his larger one. For a heartbeat, I stare at the place we’re now connected. As nervous as I am, his strong fingers wrapped securely around mine settle something deep inside me.
When I reach out with my other hand for the door handle, Brayden clears his throat.
I pause when he says, “You know that I’ll be on my best behavior, right?”
Surprise floods through me. Before I can come up with a response, he continues. “I won’t do anything to embarrass you.”
The earnestness of both his words and expression has my muscles loosening.
I jerk my head into a tight nod. “Thank you.”
He gives me a wink and I throw the door open.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sydney
Brayden is a step behind me as we enter the foyer. There isn’t one moment when I’m not intensely aware of his male presence. As soon as the door closes, boisterous voices greet my ears. We are not, nor have we ever been, a quiet family. We’re loud and energetic—sometimes even a little unruly—with a proud Italian heritage. When my grandparents were alive, both my Nonna and Nonno were always here, adding to the commotion.
My mother peeks around the corner of the kitchen at the back of the hallway. As soon as our gazes fasten, the edges of her lips bow up into a delighted smile. “Sydney! You’re here!”
Her excitement has the last of my nerves draining away. You would think by her enthusiastic reaction that she hasn’t laid eyes on me in years, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I was just here last Tuesday to pick up Lucus and take him out for ice cream. It’s a tradition we started when I was sixteen years old after passing my driver’s test, and we’ve been doing it ever since. If my twenty-three-year-old brother has one weakness, it’s for triple chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. It’s the only time we spend together where it’s just the two of us. It’s his chance to tell me everything that’s going on in his life.
“Hi, Mom,” I say in greeting.
Her gaze immediately slides to the guy towering over me. The heat of his large body burns into my backside, making me even more cognizant of his overwhelming presence.
“And this must be Brayden.” Mom steps more fully into the doorway before wiping her hands on a dish towel. “We’ve heard all about you.”
Oh, lord.
I’m going to throttle Court when I get my hands on him.
My father fills the space behind Mom along with two of my brothers. Court beams a wide smile in my direction as if he knows the thoughts currently circulating through my head. When I narrow my eyes, silently promising retribution, his shoulders shake with barely suppressed laughter.
Juliette, my oldest brother’s wife, joins the throng. My nephew, Caden, is held in her arms. He’s two years old and into everything. I’ve babysat for him on several occasions and at the end, I go home more exhausted than if I’d played every minute of a soccer match. I would never say this to my brother or his wife because I love them more than anything, but Caden could be a posterchild for birth control. As adorable as the little demon appears, he’s hell on wheels. That kid is the reason I won’t be having offspring any time soon.
My oldest brother, Ryan, emerges behind his wife.
“Still looking forward to this?” I whisper between gritted teeth so only he can hear. It’ll be a miracle if he makes it out of here in one piece.
“Absolutely.”
The only reason Brayden sounds so confident is because he has no idea what he’s gotten himself into. Just wait a couple of hours—he’ll be curled up in the fetal position, sucking his thumb in a corner. These people don’t care if he’s Brayden Kendricks, Wildcats football stud who will go on to play in the pros. They’ll eat him alive for dinner and ask what’s for dessert.
“Sydney!” Lucus shouts in excitement, drawing my attention back to the growing crowd of family members as he barrels through them before closing the distance that separates us and throwing his arms around me. “I missed you!”
“I missed you, too, bud.” I hold him close for a moment before releasing him and stepping away. I point to the tall guy beside me. “This is my friend, Brayden. He’s here to help us celebrate Mom’s birthday.”
Even though Lucus is only a few inches shorter than Brayden, he tilts his head and sizes up the dark-haired football player silently.
Air gets wedged in my throat. There have been a handful of times when my brother has taken an instant dislike to someone and nothing anyone says or does is able to change his mind. It’s an awkward situation for all involved. I really hope my family prepared him for this.