“But it’s all straightened out now,” Nita said, grinning. “And we decided to surprise you today.”
Nash gave his mother a look. “You never used to be devious.”
“Well, it was about time.” She smiled.
“You cannot get married before me,” Sami announced, frowning at me. “We’re already in the planning stages and—”
“Stop.” I held up a hand. “We’re nowhere near the marriage stage. We just moved in together. We need time to adjust to being a couple.”
“Not me.” Nash shook his head solemnly. “I’m ready when you are.”
My mouth fell open until I saw the laughter bubbling beneath the surface. “Nash…”
“I like him,” my father stage-whispered to me.
We all laughed and conversation moved to the upcoming hockey season. My father, Felipe, and Sebastian seemed to be fully invested in the Mavericks, and I was happy to let them talk. I went into the kitchen to help with dinner and my sisters immediately pounced.
“He’s dreamy,” Sophia said. “Oh my god, he definitely doesn’t need Photoshop.”
I chuckled. “He does not.”
“You are going to make the most gorgeous babies,” Mom said, fanning herself. “Please tell me you want children.”
“Eventually,” I said firmly. “But give us time, okay? I don’t want to rush this. He’s too important.”
“I know.” She squeezed my arm. “I can see how important he is by the way you look at him—and by the way he looks at you.”
“Theo never looked at you like that,” Sami whispered, smiling.
“I know.” I swallowed, suddenly emotional. “I had no idea there was someone like him out there for me. I didn’t…” I broke off, swiping at my eyes. “I really thought I’d settle.”
“Oh, my sweet girl.” Nita looked horrified. “Don’t do that. Even if by some crazy twist of fate you don’t wind up with Nash, please don’t ever settle.”
“I won’t,” I said. “I can’t. Now that I’ve felt love like the love Nash and I have, I could never settle for less.”
Dinner was loud and boisterous, with laughter and good food and too much wine. After we cleaned up, my dad and Felipe fell asleep watching baseball, Sophia went to take care of Reva, and my mother and Nita retired to the kitchen. Sami and Sebastian disappeared somewhere, and I wound up in a recliner on Nash’s lap.
“I think today went well,” he whispered in my ear, one hand softly stroking my knee.
“I think so too.” I leaned into him, resting my head on his chest. “Our mothers are forces to be reckoned with, though.”
“I know.” He chuckled. “It’s terrifying.”
“They’re going to be pushing us for marriage and babies on a regular basis.”
“That’s okay.” He kissed the top of my head. “They can push all they want. You and I will figure all that out when the time is right for us. No one else.”
“You make me so happy, Nash.”
“Right back atcha, babe.”
“Do you think hockey season is going to be hard on us?”
“In what way?”
“We didn’t really get together until the season was over, so this is going to be new territory. You traveling, me navigating sales calls from people who will inevitably know we’re dating, people I work with potentially having shit to say about it.”
“I’ve already spoken to Lance and Rosa,” he said. “There is no issue with us dating. Lance’s biggest fear is that you’re going to quit to be a stay-at-home wife and mom. Apparently, you outsold the rest of the entire sales team put together between March and the end of the season.”
I chuckled. “Well, I guess that’ll give them something else to rib me about. And when the time comes for babies, we might have to discuss me staying home, but not anytime soon.”
“Agreed.”
“Everett wants us to come to dinner.”
“I’d like that.”
There didn’t seem to be anything else to say and I may have dozed off as Nash watched the baseball game.
“Hey, wake up, sleepyhead.” Nash gently nudged me awake and I sat up, looking around.
“Oh, shit, how long did I sleep?”
“About an hour, but everyone’s getting ready to go.”
“Oh.” I sat up and we said our goodbyes before heading home.
Home.
Nash’s house was now my house too and while I’d been a little uncomfortable about it in the beginning, now that I’d settled in, it felt good.
The truth was that everything with Nash felt good. I was a tiny bit nervous about the season starting and everyone at the office seeing that I was with Nash, but mostly I didn’t care. My work spoke for itself, and I felt strongly that our love would carry us through. There would inevitably be tough times, but we’d get through them together.
“I’m tired,” I murmured. “I think I had too much wine.”
“I’m happy to take you to bed. Go relax and I’ll be right in after I take the dogs out.”
“Okay.” I headed toward our bedroom and went into the bathroom. I took off my makeup, washed my face, and brushed my teeth. Then I stripped and got into bed. We always slept naked. Not because he expected it but because his touch had become addictive. I loved the feel of his big hands on my skin, and it had nothing to do with sex. The sex was great too, obviously, but his touch was something else.