“How was the restaurant?”

  I bit my lip. “It was nice. We had drinks there and then decided to grab a pizza instead, so we went back to his place and watched a movie. It was amazing.”

  “Did you guys…” She waggled her eyebrows at me and I threw my napkin at her.

  “I’m not going to kiss and tell,” I playfully barked.

  She gasped. “You did! You so did!” She was bouncing in her seat like she always did when she was excited. “How was it? Incredible? It must have been mind-blowing or you wouldn’t have that goofy look on your face.”

  I nodded in agreement. “Let’s just say I had a really good time.”

  “Fine, hide the details now. A few drinks in and you’ll be singing like a canary.”

  I couldn’t argue with her there; she was spot on. “Moving right along—you seemed like there was something else you wanted to talk about on this phone this morning.”

  Myla nodded. “Yeah, there is actually.” She played with her napkin. “So, Gavin and I have been meaning to ask you for a while, and I didn’t want it to be weird or anything.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Well, I asked Gavin if I could talk to you about this, just us, because I didn’t want you to feel obligated to say yes.”

  She was starting to make me feel uneasy with all of her fidgeting. “Just ask, Myla. It’s me for crying out loud.”

  “Okay. Okay. Gavin and I want to know if you will be our baby’s godmother.”

  I covered my mouth with my hand as tears filled my eyes. “Of course! I would be honored.”

  “There is one small catch though. Fuck, this is going to sound crazy, but in our defense, Gavin and I decided on this before anything happened between the two of you. Would you mind if we asked Crosby to be the godfather?”

  I was confused. “What about Brayden? Won’t he be upset if it isn’t him?”

  She shook her head. “Brayden already knows the entire plan and is completely on board. We decided it was best for all of our sakes, because of the family bullshit, that Brayden not be. Gavin’s mother would flip a shit, and I am already on the thinnest of ice with that woman as it is.”

  I put my hand on hers. “I do not mind one bit if you ask Will to be the godfather of your baby, Myla. I do appreciate you asking me beforehand, though.”

  Her face lit up. “Thank you, Jordan. You just made my fucking day. You really have no idea what this means to Gavin and me.”

  “I think I do, and I am honored to be a part of all of this.”

  After leaving Myla, I made my way home. I had the day off and I was really excited to spend it wrapped in a blanket on my couch doing nothing but watching Netflix all day.

  With popcorn and wine in hand, I scrolled through the movies. Right as I was about to put on How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, my phone vibrated with a text.

  Crosby: Hey you.

  Me: Hi babe.

  Crosby: How’s your day going?

  Me: Pretty great actually. What about you?

  Crosby: I just got off the phone with Gavin. We had a pretty interesting chat.

  Me: I just got home from seeing Myla.

  Crosby: You’re okay with all of this right?

  Me: Yeah, for sure. Are you?

  Crosby: I’m stoked. I just wanted to double-check with you first. You’ve known Gavin your whole life, so if either of us deserves it, it’s you.

  Me: Well, they did pick both of us. I think we both deserve it.

  Crosby: Touché. What are you doing on Sunday?

  Me: I have family dinner.

  Crosby: Oh okay. Well, when can I see you again?

  Me: Why don’t you come with me? I cook a ton of food. It’s a madhouse, but the more the merrier.

  I didn’t think about it before I sent the text, and right when it delivered, I wanted to take it back.

  Crosby: I’d love to.

  Me: Okay awesome. It’ll be fun.

  Crosby: I’m looking forward to it, princess. I wish you were here lying in my arms before I have to get ready for practice.

  Me: That sounds perfect.

  Crosby: Have a great day babe. I’ll talk to you after I get out of the barn.

  Me: You too, sir. Have a great practice.

  Crosby: I’ll try, but I might be a little distracted today.

  Me: Oh yeah, why is that?

  Crosby: Well, you see, there’s this girl, and I am kind of taken by her.

  Me: She sounds incredibly lucky.

  Crosby: No, it’s me that is the lucky one.

  Immediately, I was scared shitless. I had never, in my entire life, brought a guy I was interested in home for family dinner. Yes, I had introduced my family to past boyfriends, but I had never been brave enough to throw them into the craziness. I was worried it would send Will running for the hills before we really had a chance.

  Will was different though. My feelings for him were completely foreign to me, and it was sink or swim. I was in unchartered waters, and it was terrifying and thrilling.

  Crosby

  Practice went by in a blur, and it took everything in my power to keep my head in the game instead of back in my bed with Jordan. After showering and getting ready to head home, I decided to get the inside scoop on what I was in for with Jordan’s family dinner. Her family was one of the few things I knew little about when it came to her.

  “Hey Gavin, I have a weird question.” I rubbed the back of my neck. I felt ridiculous even being anxious about eating a meal with a group of people, but there I was freaking the fuck out.

  “Yeah man, shoot.” He toweled off his hair as he made his way over to me.

  “What’s Jordan’s family like?” I blurted out. “She invited me over for Sunday dinner.”

  He nearly coughed up a lung laughing. “Excuse me? You’re going over to Wes’s place?”

  “Why is that so fucking hilarious?”

  He threw his towel into his locker then grabbed his duffle. “Well, they’re loud, there are a lot of them, and Jordan is the only girl. Her brothers are protective, to say the least.”

  “Fucking great.”

  “You’ll be fine. You’ll fit in at least. Once you get to know them, they are all really nice people—except for Janet, she’s a raging bitch all the time. Jordan always describes her as having RBF.” I scratched my head. As I stared down at my phone, trying to decide if I should fake an injury, Gavin drove his point home in the other direction. “Jordan must really like you though. I don’t think she has ever brought anyone to meet her family. I went to all three of her brothers’ weddings with her, and Sean and I were the only guys that have gone over for family dinner, from what I can recall. It’s a big fucking deal that she wants you there.”

  “Fuck. This is turning into way more than just a dinner.”

  Gavin patted me on the back. “You have no idea, but meeting the family this early can be a good thing—at least you’re going to know exactly what craziness you’re in for.”

  Chapter 12

  Jordan

  I got to Dad’s place early to get a jumpstart on dinner.

  “Dad, how does lasagna sound for tonight?”

  He helped me carry the last of the grocery bags in from the car. “Sure. You know I love anything you make.”

  “So, I invited someone to join us tonight. I hope that’s all right.”

  He cracked a beer open after putting the ricotta cheese in the refrigerator. “Yeah? Gavin coming over again? It’s been a while since he’s graced us with his presence.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “No, it’s actually one of his teammates.”

  “Oh, nice. Who?” My dad flashed me a knowing glance.

  “Crosby.” One word and my heart was fluttering.

  “Are you two dating?” I knew my father hated talking to me about my love life—or usual lack thereof—so it was nice that he was making an effort. It helped calm my nerves. I didn’t know why at nearly thirty years old, I was still nervous to tell me family about anything personal.

  “It is very new, but yes we are.” I enthusiastically admitted.

  He took another sip from his beer can. “Well, you must really like this guy.”

  “What makes you say that?” I asked while starting a pot to boil water for the noodles.

  “Because you’re introducing us to him. Throwing him to the wolves when it’s new is not your style, sweetheart.”

  “Well, this one is different.”

  “I’ll make sure everyone is on their best behavior.”

  “Thanks Pop.”

  With a quick wink and pat on the shoulder, my dad made his way to his usual spot in the living room.

  “Are you ready?” I asked after greeting Will on the front porch. I didn’t want him ringing the doorbell and taking a chance on one of my brothers getting to the door before I did.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Crosby kissed my cheek. “Should I be nervous?” he questioned as my hand gripped the doorknob.

  I grabbed his hand. “No, don’t be. It’s going to be fun.”

  I was sweating bullets, but I didn’t want Will to know that. I really wanted him to like my family and vice versa. I walked him into the dining room.

  “Everyone, I have someone I would like all of you to meet. This is Will.” Crosby sheepishly waved as I continued introductions. “That’s Noah and his wife Jennie. Then we have Liam and Alice, and at the far end are Jacob and Janet. Noah and Liam are twins and the oldest. I’m the baby of the family.”

  My dad made his way into the dining room with a beer for Will. “Hi, I’m Wes, Jordan’s old man.”

  Shaking my father’s hand, Crosby spoke to the group. “It’s nice to meet all of you.” His face, neck, and ears were a thousand shades of red as he took a seat next to me. “I thought there was a gang of kids, too.”

  “They’re all mesmerized by a new video game upstairs in the loft. Best decision we ever made, putting an X-Box up there. Gives us grownups a little bit of much-needed quiet time,” Alice remarked.

  “You know it is fucking crazy, while Noah was away on his last business trip, I found myself on the phone with a wrong number for at least ten minutes because I was so desperate to communicate with another human that was over the age of six after being cooped up with the kids by myself for four days straight.” Jennie chugged down more than half of her wine before continuing, “These dinners are a damn lifesaver for my sanity.”

  “Amen to that.” Alice raised her glass.

  “So, Will.” My father cleared his throat. “You’re the goalie for the Otters?”

  Crosby swallowed hard, finishing his bite of garlic bread. “Yes sir.”

  “Congratulations on making the playoffs,” Liam said while dishing more lasagna onto his plate.

  “Thank you. We are all very excited about it.”

  “I bet.” My dad was beaming from the head of the table. He loved any excuse to talk about sports. “What’s it like playing on a team with Gavin?”

  I was thankful my father was talking to Will without interrogating him about his damn intentions.

  “Great. Gavin and I have been on the Otters together since our rookie season, and I couldn’t have asked for a better captain.”

  “Man, I remember when Gavin was a scrawny little punk kid. He hit a slap shot right through that front window,” Noah reminisced. “Remember, Dad?”

  My father laughed. “How could I forget? Gideon brought that poor boy over here by the scruff of his neck, scared out of his wits. I felt terrible for that little shit.”

  “Wine, anyone?” Jennie asked before leaving the table to get another bottle of pinot grigio from the fridge. Jennie was already feeling no pain and was a total wildcard, but I knew my brothers knew better than to stray away from Dad’s lead when it came to talking to Will. Alice was too sweet and sheepish to meddle in anyone else’s affairs, and Janet was as stoic and cold as ever.

  “I’ll help you.” I shot up to follow her.

  Taking the unopened bottle, I grabbed the corkscrew from the drawer next to the sink.

  “Holy hotness, Batman!” She slapped my arm right as I was getting the cork free.

  “I know, right?” I filled our glasses. “What do you think of him so far?”

  “That I am so jealous because I didn’t play the field more when I was younger. You know your brother is the only man I have ever been with.”

  I nodded. Every time she got drunk and saw a good-looking guy, she told me that same crap over and over.

  “I mean, I am not trying to complain,” she continued, “but if I’d known men like that existed when I was in my late teens and early twenties, I might have taken a little hiatus.”

  I knew she was full of shit—Jennie was madly in love with my brother—but I let it slide.

  “Let’s get back in there before we leave Will alone with Dad for too long.”

  “Good idea.” She hooked her arm with mine and we made our way back to our seats.

  For the most part, dinner went by uneventfully. I was impressed that my brothers didn’t try to tell embarrassing stories about me.

  “Who’s ready for dessert? Coffee anyone?” Liam asked, helping me and Alice clear the plates.

  Crosby reached out to grab the dishes out of my hands. “Let me get those.”

  “Really, Will, it’s fine. Go into the living room with Dad.”

  He wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “You cooked, so you deserve to relax a little bit.”

  My father came up next to us. “You’ll learn quickly, son, Jordan doesn’t back down. You might as well let go of those dishes before she starts playing tug of war with you for them.”

  “Fair enough.” He reluctantly let go, following me into the kitchen. “But I feel like I should be helping in some way.”

  The kitchen was getting too crowded for me to handle. “How about you take the tiramisu Alice brought into the dining room and dish it out there? That’ll give me some room to work in here.”

  “Aye, sis. Will, hang with us and let them do their thing in here.” Liam and Jacob grabbed the dessert and plates and Will followed them into the dining room.

  “I should go check on the children. They’ve been quiet for too long.” Alice set the dirty plates down on the counter.

  Jennie laughed. “Good call. Good luck up there.”

  “Thanks I am going to need it.” With that Alice exited the kitchen.

  It didn’t take long for Jennie and me to do the dishes. It frustrated me to no end that Janet just stood idly by while the two of us did all the work, but it didn’t surprise me one bit. By the time I got back into the dining room, it seemed I must have left Will alone for too long. His face was drained of color and he was fidgeting with the tab on the top of his beer can.

  “How’s it going in here?” I asked, handing Crosby a cup of espresso.

  “We were just telling Crosby here about the time we had you convinced that the tooth fairy ripped your teeth out of your month instead of taking them out from under your pillow.”

  “Oh fantastic.” I rolled my eyes and took a seat next to him. “I didn’t sleep for almost a week straight. My teacher had to call my father to ask him why I kept dozing off during class.”

  “We really had you fooled.” Jacob laughed.

  “Do you have any siblings, Crosby?” Alice asked sweetly, taking a seat across the table from us.

  “I am actually an only child, and my folks died a few years back, so it’s just me now.” My heart sank. I knew that about Will, but I had never given it too much thought until now.

  “I’m sure your team makes up for it a lot though. The way Jordan talks about all of you, it seems like you guys are really close.” Jennie smiled at me, sipping on her coffee.

  “You are definitely right with that one. I’m lucky to have a great group of men that are practically like brothers to me.”

  I stifled a yawn, glancing down at my watch. “Dang, it’s getting late. What do you say we call it a night?” I grabbed Will’s hand and he nodded.

  “Oh crap! Look at the time—we need to get the kids home and in bed.”

  We all started to say our goodbyes, slowly making our way into the living room where my father was practically asleep in his recliner.

  “Night Pop. We’re heading out.”

  He stretched before getting up. Taking Will’s hand, he pulled him in close. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “It was definitely a pleasure. Thank you for having me in your home.”

  “If you hurt her, my sons will break your legs,” my old man whispered, and I wanted to crawl under the coffee table and die from embarrassment.

  “Sir, if I hurt her, I think Gavin will hogtie me and deliver me to your front step with a giant red bow on my ass.”

  “You’re going to fit in just fine here, kid.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Cut this sir crap out. My name is Wes, plain and simple.”

  I kissed my father’s scruffy cheek. “Good night Dad. Love you.”

  “Love you too, sweetheart. Let me know when you get home.”

  “I always do.”

  Climbing into the front seat of Crosby’s car, I couldn’t help but be relieved. “So, not as bad as you thought it was going to be?”

  “I actually had a great time. I was a little nervous there when your brothers had me alone, but it all turned out very nicely.”

  “Really? They didn’t threaten you at all?”

  Will laughed. “Oh no, they told me all of the ways that they would torture me if I ever hurt you. Your dad’s comment was the mildest out of them.”

  I covered my eyes, shaking my head. “I knew they weren’t just telling you embarrassing stories about me. I’m so sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. They are your family, I expected them to give me a little shit.” He grabbed my hand and looked at me intently before backing out of the driveway. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but do you mind if I take you home instead of to my place?”

  I was taken aback by his question. I didn’t know what I was expecting him to do when I got into his car, but in that moment, I felt completely rejected. “Yeah, sure.” I fastened my seatbelt. “You know how to get there, right?” I was trying to downplay how hurt I was.