Just One of the Guys(71)

I glance in the oven to see a beautiful crown roast, golden and succulent. My mouth waters. “I feel like I’m in a science fiction movie. Mom’s house. Good food. So weird,” I murmur. Mom gives me a swat.

“Auntie! Wild Wild Wolves! Please! Please!”

“Hi, Sophie! Not right now, sweetheart.” I gather my niece up for a quick kiss, then set her down. “Ryan, prepare to meet the rest of the family. Gird your loins, pal.” I lead him into the living room, where the rest of the family is crowded.

For a second, I see them as Ryan might…the tall, good-looking men, their attractive wives, the beautiful kids…the noise, the bickering, the shrieking, the running, the biting. Well, that’s just who we are.

“Guys, let me do this all at once,” I say loudly. “This is my boyfriend, Ryan Darling. Ryan, don’t even try to get everyone’s names, but here they are, my brothers, Matthew—you’ve already met him—there’s Mark, that one’s Luke, aka Lucky, and John, better known as Jack. My sisters-in-law, Sarah and Tara, also known as the Starahs, and Elaina, whom you may know from the hospital.”

“Of course,” Ryan says. Elaina gives me her Latin head-wiggle—she’s already told me that she’s never met Ryan personally, just seen him around and listened to the gossip on him.

“And these are my nieces and nephews,” I continue, pointing out the kids as I list them. “Christopher, Graham, Claire, Olivia, Dylan, Sophie, Annie and Jenny. Questions? Comments? No? Good. How about a Bloody Mary?”

“Very nice to meet you all,” Ryan says rather grandly.

The Starahs descend upon Ryan, eager to screen him as my potential mate. The kids swarm me, their voices blending into one giant request. “Auntie! Auntie! Can we play Giant Baby/Wild Wild Wolves/hide-and-seek/push me on the swings? Can we? Can we? Huh? Please? Auntie! I’m talking to you!” I pick up Graham in one arm, Annie in the other, and nibble on their tasty little necks, causing them to squirm and giggle and demand more.

My mother joins the knot of appreciative women around Ryan, making sure everyone knows that Chastity’s Boyfriend brought her roses. Jack reminds Ryan of when his chopper delivered a trauma patient to the hospital last week, and they’re discussing the victim’s prognosis.

The doorbell rings, and, being closest to the door, I open it. It’s Trevor. And with him, Perfect Hayden.

“Holy crap,” I blurt, ever gracious. “Per—Wow! Hayden! How are you? Hi! Come on in!”

“Hi, Chastity,” she says, smiling coolly. “Nice to see you.” Her straight, silky blond hair is cut into interesting layers and her clothes look expensive, classic and cool…and small. She’s a size six. Maybe a four.

“Hey, Chas,” Trevor says quietly, following her in.

The crowd grows quiet upon sighting the new arrivals. Whether she knows it or not, Perfect Hayden’s in enemy territory. She dumped our Trevor, and we haven’t forgiven her for breaking his valiant heart. The bitch.

But still. We’re not mean people at heart, and within a few minutes, she’s holding Jenny and talking to Sarah about life in Albany. She glances at me, her eyes sliding away just as I force a smile.

It’s so crowded in Mom’s living room, and so bleeping loud, kids everywhere, Perfect Hayden right in the middle of things. “Who wants to see Finding Nemo?” I ask, opening the door to the basement. The kids swarm after me like bees and drape themselves over the battered couch and LazyBoy chair that make up the seating choices down there.

“Okay, kids, there you go,” I say as the movie comes on. They don’t answer, slack-jawed and hypnotized already over this movie they’ve all seen a dozen times. Good. I need a moment.

My eyes feel hot. My heart is roaring in my ears. I note that my hands are shaking a little.

Matt comes galumphing down the stairs. “Hey. I’ll hang out with the kids. You go up to your boyfriend.”

I force a smile. “Sure. Thanks, Mattie.”

“You bet. The privilege of being single is that I don’t have to schmooze.”

“Lucky boy,” I say. “Hey, what’s Hayden doing here? Did Trev say?” I make sure my voice stays light.

“Yeah, actually. They were hanging out this morning, I guess, and when she heard he was coming here, she asked if she could tag along. Said it would be nice to get to know us again.”

Without quite meaning to, I make a rude snorting noise.

“She’s not bad, Chas,” Matt says.

“I thought he was seeing Angela,” I remind him. “My friend. Also, I thought we hated her, since she ditched Trevor.”

“Whatever.” Matt shrugs. “Kids, make room for Uncle Matt, okay?”

I trudge upstairs into the warm scent of pork and gravy. There’s Hayden, standing oh-so-close to Trevor, holding my niece, looking quite the nuclear family. What a sweet bleeping picture, dark-haired Trev, blond Perfect Hayden and one attractive baby. Freaking adorable. Matt said they were hanging out this morning. Which means she slept over. Which means—

“I love your family,” Ryan says into my ear, making me jump.

“Great!” I say. “Well, I told you they’d be crazy about you, too.”

Ryan smiles his perfect smile and slips me a quick kiss. I can’t help but notice that Trevor is watching, and sure, it’s stupid, but I turn to Ryan and kiss him back.