“Um, are you sure I won’t be imposing?”

Polly put her hands on her hips and squared her shoulders. Kyle, recognizing the stance, took a step back and watched. “Honey, you’re dating Kyle. That makes you one of us. I’ll be cooking a turkey and a ham, it’s not like a bitty scrap of a girl like you eats that much.” Kyle wisely kept his snort to himself.

“You’re the first steady girlfriend that we’ve had in this family since that bitch Sandra broke Shane’s heart. You don’t think I need another woman here in this sea of testosterone? Besides, I like your company.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry if I seem ungrateful. I’m happy to be invited, I like being here.” How could she say, It’s just that I didn’t grow up in the most normal of households and I’m only learning now how to interact with families that aren’t as messed up as my own? It was just too embarrassing so she just smiled. “Can I help cook?”

“Oh no, honey. My sister will get here the night before. She and I’ll get up early to start everything. Just come when you want. I take it you’ll be coming, then?”

“Yes. Thanks so much for inviting me. I insist on bringing dessert, though.”

“I can’t argue with that. I’ve been eating your baked goodies for years.”

“Good!”

“Have we passed inspection yet? It’s getting late and I want to get Maggie fed.”

“Of course! I’ll see you both on Thursday then.”

“You’ll see us tomorrow at the Grange,” Kyle said.

“I forgot that was tomorrow night. Well, I’ll see you both then. Night, sugar.” She kissed Kyle and then Maggie.

Kyle chuckled the whole way to his place. After trying to ignore him, she finally gave in. “What are you laughing about?”

“You, trying to fight off my momma. She’s determined to make you one of our own. You can’t fight it. I don’t want you to either.”

Back at his condo she sat and drank a beer while she watched him prepare the salad that would go with the lemon chicken he’d popped into the oven. He looked good there. Proficient and able.

She hadn’t said much since his last declaration in the car. In her mind she’d gone back and forth but she couldn’t deny it anymore and she didn’t want to. Screwing up her courage at last she put her beer down and took a deep breath. “I’m not going to, you know.”

“Not going to do what, Red?” He turned to look at her, a smile on his face.

“I’m not going to fight it anymore. I like your family. If you’re truly comfortable with me at events and dinners, I’ll come when I’m invited.”

Putting his knife on the cutting board, he came to kneel at her feet. “I love for you to be with me and my family. This is all rather new for me you understand. I’ve never, ever had a steady girlfriend but I’m not freaked out like I thought I might be. I don’t know, it just seems,” he paused, searching for the right word, “right. Being with you seems right. My family loves you.” He stopped and swallowed. “And I’m well…quite frankly, on my way to loving you, Margaret Elizabeth.” He shrugged. “Now if six months ago someone had said that I’d say that to any woman without a gun to my head or without feeling faint, I’d have laughed. But you seem so right to me. I hope I’m not freaking you out.”

She reached out and pushed a lock of his hair out of his eye. “I’m not freaked out. I have my moments of insecurity where I wonder why a man who looks like you is interested in me.” She shrugged. “But I’ve decided that I don’t care. And okay, so there’s a bit of residual strangeness about the whole Shane thing. But I love being with you. You make me happy. You make me laugh. You accept me on my own terms. It feels right to me, too.”

“I thought the Shane thing might bother me but last night, when we were together, it didn’t. And anyway, I get to see you naked and sweaty. He never did. I shouldn’t feel smug about that but I do.”

Unsuccessfully stifling a smile, she shook her head in amusement. “Well, sick as I am, I’m sort of flattered by that. I suppose we’re made for each other then, huh? Look, the thing with Shane was totally dumb. It wasn’t anything and it wouldn’t have been a blip on my life radar if he hadn’t acted like such an ass at the end. But it’s over and done and I don’t sit around and wish things had gone differently. You don’t hold yourself back, I don’t hold myself back. This is more. Intense and deep, special.”

“I’m sorry he hurt you. Thing is, if he hadn’t messed up, you’d be with him right now instead of me so I can’t feel bad so much about the outcome. As for how it is between you and me? Yep, it’s special.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “Can you spend the night tonight?”

She nodded. “I like waking up with you. I’ve never woken up with anyone before, it’s very nice.”

“Me either. Before you, Red, I was the guy who left. Not the moment I came or anything so crass. But shortly afterwards. I like having you here. I like hearing your voice and smelling you in my bedroom.”

Maggie liked that very much. “I like being here, too. I do need to do some yard work tomorrow though, so I need to go home in the morning.”

“Well, you know that your boyfriend’s a landscaper right?”