Page 110 of Runaway Bride's Guide to Love

stella

Apparently there’ssomething about family gatherings and me bringing over men in my life that go hand-in-hand.

When I officially brought Duncan to meet the family, it was for my parent’s anniversary party. We’d been dating a few months, and even though none of my siblings had dates, it felt right to bring Duncan to meet everyone. Yes, he’d known my dad through the law firm, but it felt big. Monumental even. Granted, that was still early, so he was doing his best to impress everyone. Now looking back, I realize the smiles were fakes. The conversations were forced. His enthusiasm was all an act. It’s amazing how blind I was.

Fast forward to today as the whole family, as well as Emmett’s sister and nephew, have gathered for my dad’s birthday.

The first sign that this was going to be different was that Emmett didn’t even ask if he should come or not. It was “what time are we leaving” and “what can I bring.” When we got here, his hand holding mine, he didn’t hesitate to go say hello to my dad, even though they’ve met numerous times, and firmly shake his hand. Though I think the winning move came when he handed my mom a bouquet of flowers. A bouquet that matchedones he got me this morning after he went out and got us coffee and donuts and brought them to me in bed.

That earned him a well-deserved blow job in the shower.

Now as I watch him interact with my family, I can’t help but realize how natural this all feels. He’s talked to my sisters. Simon’s excited he has a friend to play with. But the part that melted my heart was when Maeve’s son, Jayce, came over and asked him to toss the football around. Emmett didn’t falter. He just gave me a quick kiss then told him to go long.

Which is fine, he can have my nephew, because Emmett’s has taken it as his duty to be my new best friend.

“More?” Jack asks in the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard as we stand at the buffet set up in my parent’s backyard.

“What would you like more of?” I ask as I take his plate.

“Chips!” He says enthusiastically.

“Okay, we can have some chips.” I grab a few, but then load some carrots and green peppers onto my plate. “How about we have some veggies too?”

He shakes his head. “Don’t like ‘em.”

“Oh really?” I say as I scoop on a heaping spoonful of my mother’s famous veggie dip. “But have you ever had them with the best dip in the world?”

Jack tilts his head like he’s trying to decipher if I’m telling the truth or full of shit. “The best?”

“Yes!” I say as I lead him to an empty picnic table. “Would you try one? For me?”

He thinks about it for a second, his jaw ticking back and forth like it’s the biggest decision of his three-year-old life. “Okay.”

I smile and break off a piece of green pepper, making sure to thoroughly coat it in the dip before handing it to him. I watch as he reluctantly starts chewing, clearly wondering what his feelings are. Before I know it, he’s bringing the plate in front of him, soaking every vegetable in dip before eating.

“What do you got there?” Maddie asks as she sits next to her son.

“I hope I didn’t overstep,” I say. “He asked for more chips. I threw on a few but made sure to add in a few veggies. Though now I feel like they are the accessory to the dip.”

“Not at all. I don’t care if he bathes in the dip if he’s eating vegetables. I’ve tried everything to get him to eat anything green. You must be the Jack whisperer.”

I laugh at the complement. “Nope. Just a girl who also hated vegetables as a kid.”

“Well, thank you,” she says. “And not just for performing a miracle with my son’s choice of foods.”

“Oh,” I say, a little confused. “What else did I do, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Maddie looks over my shoulder, so I turn to her eye line. Emmett is standing with my dad and Simon, talking like they’ve done this their whole lives.

“For years I tried to tell him how much of a great partner he’d be to someone. He’s the most thoughtful guy I know.”

“Is it true you used to call him Prince Charming?”

She laughs with a nod. “Only because it’s true. It started with climbing a tree to save my cat then graduated to stepping in as a father-figure role when Jack’s sperm donor notified me he had no interest in being a father. He just couldn’t see it. But I knew it would just take that special someone to open his eyes, and that person was you. So thank you. I’ve never seen him smile like this. I was with him on the day he went to help you get your stuff from your exes. You should’ve seen how fast he moved. He didn’t hesitate. I knew he’d love big, but I didn’t realize how big until I saw it in person. It just makes me so happy to see because no one deserves it more.”

Well, damn, I didn’t think I’d cry today and I didn’t wear my waterproof mascara.

Maddie and I share a hug, laughing and crying at the same time as we embrace.

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