“You two sure this is okay?” Will asked. He couldn’t stand the silence anymore.
“I want to see Steve,” Andy answered, not looking from the window as they drove over to Beth and Marc’s place.
“Whatever Andy wants.” Aly fisted her hands in her lap, eyes darting around like she was trying to find something to focus on.
She was wearing a sweater dress to Thanksgiving dinner, but with her curves, the dress was sinful. It didn’t scoop low across her chest, nor was it short, but it clung to her ample breasts, showing them off before it pinched in at her waist, then pulled across the curve of her hips. He pushed his hand through his hair and put it back on the steering wheel, upping his effort to keep his attention on the road. Not the bare legs his hands itched to touch, just to see if her skin was as soft as it looked.
A week had given him plenty of time to pick apart every detail of their hug the night she’d arrived. He should’ve asked whether it was okay to touch her. But seeing her standing there alone, devastated…he’d just reacted. The reaction was so unlike him. Instead of planning what to do, he let himself relax into her, focusing on how the simple hitch in her breathing had caused him to swell in his jeans. On how much he had wanted to press his lips against the pulse that pounded in her neck, just to see what her moan might sound like.
He cleared his throat. “They’re excited to have you both there.” Two faces turned his way, wearing identical skeptical expressions. The siblings stared at him for a beat before they glanced away, dismissing his statement like he’d only said it to make them feel better. But they didn’t get his ridiculous family. Although they knew Andy, Aly was like a shiny new toy that fascinated his siblings. And she was about to get a firsthand look at how annoying they were.
He pulled his old truck up to the gate and rolled down his window.
“Oh, shoot. I didn’t bring my ID,” Aly said. Usually, when nonfamily came to the Demoda household, the secret service—courtesy of Beth’s biological father, who was the vice president—insisted on photo IDs.
Will waved at the agent, who opened the gate without stopping them. “Even with as uptight as Marc is about security and keeping the press away, he doesn’t hassle family or even close friends. The guys have a list and get to know the regulars.”
“We come over all the time. Aunt Beth and Uncle Marclikehaving me here.”
In the last few weeks, his siblings had all insisted that Andy call them aunt and uncle, not Mr. and Mrs., which Andy loved. But Aly’s eyes narrowed every time he referred to one of the Evanses or Demodas that way.
“We all love having you around. Especially your sister.”
Andy snorted. Aly shut her eyes and swallowed hard but didn’t react in any other way. Without a thought, Will reached over and covered her fisted hand with his. Andy was being a little shit. Sure, Aly had made mistakes since their mother died, but she was sailing through uncharted waters. Will remembered dealing with his little brothers, especially Clayton and Joey, after his parents had passed away. And he hadn’t had to do it alone; he’d had his older brothers. Aly had no one. It would have been easy for her to fall into thepoor meroutine—Will certainly had back when his parents died—but she never complained. She just kept going. She had this internal strength that fascinated Will.
He put the car in park and glanced into the review mirror at Andy. The kid’s attention was no longer on their surroundings. Instead, his eyes were locked on Will’s hand. He quicky pulled it away from Aly and turned around.
“Rule number two.”
Andy’s jaw locked, but he wouldn’t meet Will’s gaze.
“I’m serious, Andy. You will be respectful to everyone here. Including your sister, who is jumping through hoops to make you happy at her own expense. If you can’t do that, we’ll leave.” Will didn’t look away from the boy, who was now glaring right back at him.
Finally, Andy gave a clipped nod. “I promise I’ll be good. Can we go inside?”
“Yeah.”
The word had barely made it past Will’s lips before he had his door open and was running to the house.
“You don’t have to do that.” Aly’s voice was quiet.
“Yeah, I do,” Will corrected, turning to look into her gray eyes. “Someday he’s going to meet someone, and by the way he stares at the girls at swim team, it’s going to be a woman. He needs to know that if he wants that woman in his life, he needs to treat her with love and respect. Adore her, protect her like she’s his most precious treasure, and support her in all her dreams and achievements like they’re his own. And that all starts with how I let him treat you. So yeah, Aly, I really do need to do that.”
She swallowed and ducked her chin, not saying a word.
He got out, then rounded the truck to open her door. When she’d climbed out of the car, he gestured her ahead of him and followed her to the door. Inside, the house, as usual, felt more like a zoo. Noise in every direction, and chaos as far as the eye could see.
“Hey, Aly! Glad you could come,” his sister greeted once they made their way through the foyer. “Andy went…” Beth paused for a second, her blond curls bouncing as she looked one way and then the other. “Actually, I’m not sure where he and Steve took off to, but they were laughing.” She shrugged and smiled.
“Thanks for having me,” Aly said, but she scanned the room with a wary expression, taking in the crowd.
Will placed his hand on the small of her back and whispered an explanation of who was who, since this small Thanksgiving gathering consisted of more than twenty people.
But Aly put her hand up. “I’ll never remember all these names. Are they going to be mad if I try not to use them?”
Will chuckled. “Nah, half the time we answer to anything. With a family this big, our parents just yelled out names until they got the attention of the person in question.”
“Hell yeah,” Luke agreed, coming up beside him. “You know how many times I got called Will or Grant growing up?” He shook his head. “But I’m Luke, the better half of the Evans twins.” His blue eyes flicked down to where Will’s hand rested on Aly’s back. “At least for now I’m his better half.”