Perfectly Imperfect(83)
“My baby boy,” she yells before pulling the door open. “Get out here and give me some love! It’s been too long, and you’ve neglected your mother long enough.”
He laughs against my body and slides out of the backseat, pulling me with him when he grabs my hand. I look up and see Cam laughing at Kane’s mother as she bounces up and down on her feet waiting for her son to give her a hug, her arms wide and her expression full of excitement.
“Hey, Mom,” he mumbles, letting go of my hand and bending down to wrap his arms around her.
“Oh, my big baby boy. Stop denying me the happiness of these hugs and come home more often.”
Kane laughs and tries to pull back but fails when she refuses to let him go.
My own laughter joins Cam when I watch Kane pick his mother up off her feet. Her smile brightens, and he laughs even harder. Her feet dangling in the air as her ‘baby boy’ gives his mother the love she’s been missing.
“Jesus, Becca! Let the man breathe,” a deep voice laughs from the doorway.
I look over at the man I assume is Kane’s father. He’s just as tall, if not a little taller than Kane. And this would be where Kane got every other one of his striking features. Strong jaw, chiseled cheeks, thick brows, and that one dimple. They have the same powerful build. Impossibly thick muscles—the kind that shows they work hard to stay fit without turning into hulks—trim hips, and long legs.
“Isn’t he handsome.” Kane’s mother laughs, and I look over from his father to see that he was no longer embracing her. She was now standing right in front of me with her beaming smile in place and this time directed at me.
I look from her to her son, now walking toward his father, and then back, nodding my head as my own beaming smile forms.
She throws her head back and laughs loud and long, pulling me to her in a hug that almost hurts. “Oh, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you, honey. I can’t tell you how much I have been. I just knew you would be perfect.”
Her words hit me, harder than her hug, and I feel myself getting slightly emotional. “It’s great to finally meet you, Mrs. Masters.”
“None of that, dear. Call me Becca … or Mom. Whatever works for you. No place for formalities with family.”
Family.
God, she has no idea how much that means to me. I look up and meet Kane’s eyes. He gives me a look full of love, and I give him a big toothy smile, relieved to see his mood has lifted when he returns it.
“Let’s get inside and get you settled in. Kane told me you would be staying in the guesthouse, so I made sure the fridge was well stocked. Kole made sure that the sheets were changed, fresh, and dust-mite free since no one ever stays there.”
Kane laughs at his mother’s words as we walk through the doorway and into his home. “You made Kole do housework?”
“Well, who else was going to do it, young man? He knows better than to question his mother.”
“More like I’m afraid of her when she’s got a wooden spoon in her hand. That shit hurts.”
“Kole Henry Masters! You watch that mouth of yours.” Turning to me, she continues, “These boys seem to think that cussing makes them some big bad man, but I tried to teach them that it only makes them look too stupid to find a word worth expressing their feelings.”
“Being that Willow doesn’t curse, I believe you’ll have an ally in that fight to clean us up, Mom.” Kane laughs and I reach out playfully to slap his shoulder.
His brother walks toward the group, and he and Kane do that manly hand slap, body bump thing, and then he turns all of his attention to me.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the woman who stole my baby brother’s heart. Kole.” He smiles while addressing me and holds his hand out. My eyes go wide, and I look from his offered hand to his face a few times, feeling my mouth drop with each repeated journey of my eyes.
“Willow?” Kane chuckles, and I feel my face heat.
“Sorry.” I take his hand and give him a shake. “Willow, nice to meet you. I’m a huge fan.”
“Seriously?” He looks over at Kane, and he winks. “Did she tell you she was a huge fan of yours too?”
I don’t need to look at Kane to know he’s shaking his head and probably struggling not to burst out laughing.
“Can’t say she did. Guess you must be better at acting than I am,” he surmises, hilarity mixing with the sultry roughness of his voice.
“I did too,” I defend and look over at Kane. “I think?”
“No, baby, you didn’t. That’s okay. You just want me for my good looks.” He winks.
“Oh, you’re impossible.” I giggle and Kane reaches out to pull me to his body and away from his charming brother. “It’s nice to meet you, Kole. Sorry about that. Well, maybe just a little sorry.”
“Would you two stop picking on her,” his mother interrupts with a laugh of her own. “My boys, talented and too good looking for their own good. They would probably make a nun lose her mind too. Too much hot male vibes and all.”
“Mom, I’m not sure you should admit that about your own kids.” Kole laughs.
Her eyes narrow playfully, and Kole holds his hands up in surrender. “Just because I’m your mother doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate how good looking my guys are.”