Page 56 of Final Goodbye
Taking a loose strand of her chestnut hair between my fingers, I tucked it behind her ear.
“They are going to love you, baby girl, I promise. You have nothing to worry about. It’s just good food and good company today,” I whispered.
She nodded in agreement as I took her hand in mine, leading up to the beautiful modern cabin I once called home.
I wasmoments away from meeting Declan’s family, or I guess meeting themagain.I wasn’t one to normally entertain serious relationships, or any kind of relationship involving me coming home with a guy. I was excited, anxious and nervous all at the same time.
Especially after the awkward moment back there in Declan’s truck.
He let the wordloveslip from his mouth, and even though he didn’t say he was in love with me, it felt like he was insinuating he had those types of feelings. Or maybe I was reading too much into that situation. Either way, it had my mind reeling. I’d never been in love before, but Declan was the kind of guy I could see myself falling for.
I’d deal with my growing feelings later. Right now, I had to focus on impressing Declan’s parents and not look like a hot mess express. My life may be slightly in shambles, but I refused to show it.
Not only was it my first time coming back to the Cooper’s residence in years, but my own family would be here too.Everyone besides my dad.
I had to admit the thought of my first holiday without my dad was a hard pill to swallow. I wish we could all celebrate Thanksgiving together because it was mine and Declan’s first holiday together and not because my family didn’t have plans after the last couple months we’ve experienced. Hopefully, this wouldn’t be a day where everyone witnessed me crash and burn.
Arriving at the front door, Declan had his hand over the handle, ready to walk in, when he leaned in my direction.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Guess so.” I let out an anxious sigh.
His hand was on my lower back as he motioned me through the front door and into the house through the entry way.
“Mom? Dad? We’re here!” he called out.
“In the kitchen, honey!” his mom hollered.
I couldn’t remember the last time I had a proper Thanksgiving meal. Where the family all sat around the table talking about this, that and the other, with a full turkey and all the fixings. We approached the kitchen, where Declan’s mom was hard at work and his dad was close by, sitting in the living room with the football game on.
“Paige, honey, long time no see. Look how beautiful you’ve grown up to be!” She wiped her hands on the dish towel, putting her task aside to greet me. I didn’t know what to expect but it wasn’t the tight, motherly embrace she gave me. It felt oddly comforting. I figured we would just say hello and have awkward small talk catching up on the last decade. But she was sweet and seemed genuinely happy to see me.
She finally let me go from her snug bear hug when her arms remained stretched out on my shoulders. She looked me in the eyes like no time had passed at all. “Mrs. Cooper, it’s good tosee you too. It smells amazing in here. Your home looks just as gorgeous as I remember it.”
“Oh, honey, you can call me Laura. None of that Mrs. Cooper nonsense. But thank you very much. We are so happy to have you and the rest of the Wilson clan here with us today.” Declan’s hand remained possessively on my lower back, not afraid at all to show his feelings for me in front of his family. Something about that made my stomach flutter.
Declan greeted his mom with a kiss on the cheek. “Mom, it smells amazing. I can’t wait for Paige to taste your cranberry brie bites. I hope you made them; you know they’re my favorite.”
“Of course, honey. Appetizers are ready, feel free to dig in while I finish up with dinner.” I felt bad snacking while she was slaving away in the kitchen.
“Can I help you with anything, Laura? I’m not a great cook but I can peel some potatoes if you need me to,” I offered.
“No, that’s not necessary, sweetie. I’ve been prepping all week so there isn’t much for me to do anyways. Just have to stay in here and make sure I don’t burn the place down,” she replied sweetly.
I smiled in agreement as we made our way over to the counter, where plates of colorful appetizers were laid out. Veggie trays, stuffed mushrooms, caprese bites, hummus and other dips took up space on the large countertop. The spread looked like it could be featured on the Food Network or some home cooking magazine. I was torn, not knowing where to dig in first, when Declan made the decision for me.
“Baby, you have to try these cranberry brie bites. No one makes them better than Mom does.” He held one up toward my mouth, waiting for me to take a bite into the delicious pastry. The flakey crescent dough melted on my tongue, sweet and buttery in all the best ways. The little crescent dough cup was filled with perfectly melted brie cheese, a sweet andtangy cranberry sauce and topped with toasted pecans that paired perfectly with the cranberry sauce. It was the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer if I’d ever tasted one.
“Mmm, you’re not wrong. That may just be the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth,” I moaned.
Declan moved in closer to me and whispered in my ear, “Don’t you mean the second-best thing you’ve ever put in your mouth?” My jaw dropped in a silent response, looking around to make sure no one heard his dirty remark.
Just as I was about to fill my plate with more sweet and savory treats, Declan’s dad tore his eyes away from the TV for a quick hello.
“Paige Wilson. Well, if it isn’t a blast from the past. I think the last time I saw you, you were babysittin’ the boys.”
I cringed. I was really hoping we could just pretend I was never the babysitter. That maybe I was just a family friend or something. I don’t know why it was so awkward to think about. Maybe because it felt like a different lifetime ago. That was my old life here and I was ready for a redo.
