Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I move to the love seat and sit. Oliver does the same, taking the seat next to me, not once letting go of my hand.
“How long has this been going on?” Dad asks.
“Officially, last night. Dating unofficially, a while.” I shrug.
“What are your intentions with my sister?” Beckham asks.
“Beck!” Mom scolds him.
“What? Blake’s never brought a guy home. I’m her brother. It’s my right to ask.”
“Son, I think that’s my job.” Dad smiles proudly.
“Well, you were taking too long.” Beckham turns back to Oliver. “Well?”
“I’m in love with your sister.” He looks at my parents. “With your daughter.”
“And your intentions?” Beckham asks, crossing his arms over his chest, giving Oliver his best protective-brother glare.
“When she’s ready, I want to marry her.”
The room falls quiet, which I didn’t think was possible.
“Does that mean you’ll make me an aunt?” Brooklyn asks.
Oliver glances over at me, and I smile at him. “She said we’d start with two and go from there,” he answers honestly.
“If you each have two, that gives me six grandbabies. I think I’m okay with that,” my mom replies.
“Six is a good number,” Dad agrees.
“That’s it? You’re supposed to scare him and see what happens. See if he’s man enough to stick around after,” Beckham scolds my dad.
“I don’t need to.”
“What? Dad, we have to make sure this guy has good intentions.”
I open my mouth to yell at my brother, but my dad beats me to it.
“Look at him, Beck. Look at how he watches her, how he’s holding her hand. Who does that remind you of?”
“You and Mom,” Brooklyn answers.
“You’re right, sweetheart,” Dad answers. “And just like I’ve always told you, don’t settle for a man who doesn’t look at you like you’re his entire world.” Dad turns his attention to Oliver. “Take care of my little girl. If there ever comes a time that you don’t, I have eight brothers, a brother-in-law, and a shit ton of nephews that you don’t want to fuck with.”
“Hey, what about me?” Mom asks, laughing.
“The wives.” Dad shudders. “They’d get their stab at you next, and trust me, you don’t want to be on their bad side.”
“Does it help that I have arm porn?” Oliver asks, breaking the tension. My parents burst out laughing. My brother tries to act like it wasn’t funny, but I see his lips twitching, and Brooklyn just rolls her eyes. She doesn’t get it, but one day she will.
“It definitely helps,” Mom tells him, wiping the tears from her eyes. “So, how did it happen?”
I look over at Oliver. “I asked him to be merry with me.”
“Every day, baby,” he says, leaning over and giving me a chaste kiss.
“Dad! He’s kissing her,” Beckham accuses.
“Son, don’t act all innocent. I saw you kissing Tara last night when you walked her to her door.”
“You weren’t supposed to be watching.”
“Turn your head,” Oliver tells him. “I won’t not kiss her in front of any of you. I respect you all, but I love her, and I will never go a single day not showing her how much.”
“That”—Dad points at Oliver—“is a man worthy of my daughter.” He stands and walks over to us and shakes Oliver’s hand. “Now, are you ready to go through all of this again, only a million times worse? You’ve met my brothers and my brother-in-law, but the ladies of the family, my parents, and all of Blake’s cousins will be there.”
“For her, I’d do it every damn day.”
“Awe.” Mom smiles. “Welcome to the family, Oliver.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Kennedy.”
Oliver nods, letting her know he heard her.
“We should head over,” Dad says.
We all stand and help Mom and Dad carry everything to their SUV before getting into Oliver’s and heading toward Kincaid Central. So far today has been amazing. Lunch with his parents was great. They welcomed me with open arms, and my family, well, my parents and siblings took our relationship better than I anticipated. This is turning out to be the best Christmas ever.
“Are you sure you’re ready to be merry with me?” I ask him. “We can be a wild bunch.”
“Forever, baby.”
I’ve never in my life felt more loved or cherished, and that’s saying something with the family I grew up with.
EPILOGUE BLAKELY
One Year Later
Blakely
“You’re cheating!” I toss my cards down on the table and glare at my boyfriend, who is currently getting a high-five from my little brother and cousin Caden. “I’m the Kincaid family Uno champion,” I remind them.
“Sorry, baby, you might be losing that title,” Oliver quips.
“I’m done.” I scoot back from the table and go in search of my mom. I find her and my aunts in the kitchen putting the final touches on dinner.
“Why the long face?” Mom asks.
I point over my shoulder. “They’re cheating.” I pout, crossing my arms over my chest. I even consider stomping my foot for good measure but decide against it. I’m twenty-four years old. Not four.