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"Noah, it's okay. It will be fine. Remember when I invited you to Thanksgiving with Brinnie and the crew? Think of this as you paying me back for that craziness. Yeah?"
He lifted his head and peered through his fingers at her to see a genuine smile adorning her face. She laid a hand on his upper arm. "Really. It's okay. Let's go have some fun."
He straightened up and exhaled harshly. "I don't think you understand what you're in for. This is definitely above and beyond the call of duty."
"Well, if it turns out to be terrible, then you owe me an expensive steak dinner when we're back in Houston. Or an Astros game or something else big. How's that sound?"
"It sounds like I'm going to be broke when I get back to Houston. Seriously, we can ditch if you want to. I mean, I want to."
She laughed at his grumbling. "C'mon. Let's go meet your family."
The butterflies in Claire's stomach were fully awake and flapping up a storm. She'd reassured Noah everything would be fine, but someone needed to tell her nerves to calm down. She quietly ran through a few breathing exercises as Noah parked his car at the end of a row full of mini SUVs, sedans, and one beat-up, ancient pickup truck. Just how many family members did he have?
"Ready?" Noah asked.
No. "Yep. Let's do this."
He exited his side of the car and came around to assist her. The front door of the house banged open and an explosion of children poured out. Claire counted them as they barreled down the walkway, shouting Noah's name, the littlest one toddling precariously along and listing a bit to the left.
"Uncle Noah! Uncle Noah!"
Noah threw her an apologetic look, then grabbed up the nearest child and swung him into the air. The other children jumped up and down, cheering to be next.
Claire felt a tug on her skirt and looked down to find the littlest one gripping the fabric with one hand and reaching up with the other. What a cute little boy. On impulse, she reached down and lifted him up. He gave her a big, toothy grin and instantly charmed her.
More people piled out of the house. The men were obviously related and carried the same "tall, dark, and handsome" vibe that Noah wore easily. Except for the eldest, whom Claire assumed was Noah's father. Did it bother him that his boys all towered over him? Or was it a source of pride? The older woman had Noah's same gorgeous eyes and clearly carried the tall gene. She topped her husband by a few inches.
"Come in, come in. Children, let your uncle get into the house and get warm before you clamber all over him. Goodness' sake!"
The kids all backed away and left Claire with the little one and Noah holding a pint-sized girl in his arms. Claire scanned the youthful brigade. Yep, only one girl. All the rest were boys. Oh, boy. She'd bet money the little angel had everyone wrapped around her fingers. She smiled at the thought.
"You must be Claire. Noah told us you'd had quite a week. Here, let me take Colin from you." Noah's mother held out her hands and the giggling baby lurched forward into them.
They were quickly shuffled inside to a spacious living room heavily decorated for the upcoming Christmas holidays. Mrs. Raines made the introductions while she and Noah divested themselves of their coats. Noah's brothers, Tristan, Connor, and Rowan, were all present. The middle brother (Rowan) was single, but the other two were married and their wives were present as well. Surprisingly, the youngest (Tristan) had the most children. And his wife, Eva, was pregnant with their fourth. The little girl and the baby belonged to them. The kids' ages ran from nine years to just under two years old. Mrs. Raines ended with introducing Noah's father—Oliver—and herself, whom she insisted Claire call Delilah.
Noah smirked and asked, "Did you get all that? Think you'll remember it?"
His next oldest brother (Connor, she reminded herself) added, "Because there will be a test, you know."
As the adults sat down, the children peppered Noah with questions about his travels and asking if he brought them any gifts. Claire found herself half-listening to the adult conversation around her, while paying attention to his interactions with the kids. He seemed so at ease with them.
"Of course, I brought back gifts, but since your miscreant parents didn't tell me you'd be here, I did not bring them with me."
A chorus of disappointed responses followed.
"Claire?"
Her attention snapped back to those around her. "I'm sorry?"
Delilah smiled. "I asked if you'd like to help me in the kitchen. Noah tells us you're a fine cook."
"Oh, really?" Claire glanced across the room. The oldest boy was showing Noah a scratch on his leg, while the men were focused on the soccer—no, football—game playing on the television. She wondered what else Noah had told his mother.
"Sure," she said, standing to follow Delilah and the other women to the kitchen.
Claire sat back and watched Noah's family. The meal had been delicious, and she had acquired several new recipes for her collection. When Claire asked about the beef Wellington recipe earlier, Delilah had grabbed an index card and written it up from memory. She was definitely making this for her dad. It would be perfect for Christmas. The sharing had continued when she'd told the Raines women about her cooking group back home and they'd all written up a few favorite recipes for her to take home to Brinnie and the gang. Claire had promised to send back a few Texas favorites when she got the chance.
The atmosphere in the Raines household was everything Claire imagined a large family to be. The adults sat around Delilah's extended dining room table while the kids sat at the smaller breakfast table. Eating at the kids' table was something she'd only read about, since her dad was an only child and her entire extended family all fit at her grandmother's large kitchen table.
