Calder grunted from his spot on the other side of Gio in the back seat. “Like the pestilents still holding the Air Weaver,” Calder mumbled.
“I was more thinking facing Gio’s parents.” Baer lifted his eyes to the rearview mirror to look at Gio. “Are you sure they won’t mind us all crashing the family dinner?”
“Of course! We’re the ‘more the merrier’ type. My mom always makes enough food for an entire army.”
Lucien nodded. Clay and the others were packing up the weapons and boarding the pets. They wouldn’t be driving up to Charleston until tomorrow morning, which gave them a free night. A chance for Gio to visit with his family. And for him and Calder to meet the family.
Suddenly, Lucien wished he were facing a horde of pestilents. That definitely would have been less terrifying.
Baer turned onto the street Gio indicated, and Lucien’s heart picked up. He looked past Gio to find that Calder appeared to be a bit pale as well. Meeting the family. Would Gio introduce them as boyfriends? Or just friends?
“Is this a reunion or something?” Calder asked as he stared out the window. “There are so many people.”
Wiley glanced past Baer. “Or a town meeting?”
Lucien’s stomach dropped, and he might have forgotten how to breathe. People were spilling out of the house. More dotted the front yard, which was pretty damn big. Children were running around, darting between the little pockets of people. Voices and laughter filled the air and trickled into the car. This was not a small dinner. This was a small town.
The house itself was a white two-story that sat far off the road. There were evergreen trees in the yard and a few deciduous trees that had yet to rebloom, but the grass was already starting to green from the warm weather.
“Big family,” Gio murmured, not sounding in the least surprised.
“Gio!” Calder cried in a panicked tone. Lucien was right behind him.
Gio snatched up Calder’s hand and pressed the top to his lips. “It’ll be fine. They are going to love you and Lucien.” He stared out the window as Baer slowed to turn into the driveway. “Marcello probably told Ma I was in a new relationship, so of course she invited everyone to come meet you.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Calder’s cheek and then repeated it for Lucien. “Sorry. I was hoping for a smaller dinner this first time.”
Baer parked the SUV, and they all seemed to hesitate for a second. But that was silly. It wasn’t like they could hide in there all night. Lucien opened his door and the rest of them followed. Gio stepped from the vehicle, and a group of kids ran up to greet him.
One little girl threw her arms around his waist in a big hug. “Uncle Gio, we miss you! Do you like Savannah? Are you home for good?”
Gio laughed and hugged her back. “Hey, Mindy. I love Savannah. That’s my home now, but I visit here often and you know it.”
“But I didn’t get to see you the last time.” She beamed up at him.
Tugging one of her ponytails, Gio smiled at her. “Well, I’m here now. What grade are you in?”
“Third.” She looked at Lucien, her blue eyes going wide. “Wow, you’re tall.”
Before Lucien could answer her, the other kids started tossing questions at Gio, and he laughed as he answered them. Wiley and Baer stood to the side while Calder walked up and slipped his hand into Lucien’s.
“Are you as nervous about this as I am?” he whispered.
“Nah, they’re just people,” Lucien said, realizing that it was the truth. The tension had melted away the second Calder had linked their hands. “Either they accept us or they don’t. Either way, Gio is ours.”
An older woman came bustling out of the house with a big smile on her face. She had gray hair that spilled to her shoulders and as she drew closer, Lucien could see Gio in her eyes and nose. She pulled Gio into a hug, her head coming up to his shoulders. An expression of pure joy spread across Gio’s face, and Lucien smiled. This was definitely his mother.
“Oh, it’s good to see you. And you brought guests? Which ones are your new beaus?”
“Marcello’s such a tattletale,” Gio said with a huff, but there was a playful look in his eyes. Gio reached for Lucien’s hand, drawing him forward. “This is Lucien Cummings and Calder Saito. I like them a lot, Ma. Guys, this is my mother, Lydia. The other two are Baer Manning and Wiley Stuart, both friends of mine.”
Lydia looked up at Lucien, then at Calder, her smile warm. “Welcome to my home. Any friends of Gio’s are friends of ours.” She moved, shaking everyone’s hands. “There’s lots of food that will be ready soon. Make yourselves at home. Get to know everyone.” She looked around. “It’ll be dark soon, so come inside when you’re ready.”