Page 23 of Kiss me Forever

“That you wanted to be embarrassed,” I tell him. He nods at me in agreement. He had to have known he’d get some razzing from his sister, but he still brought me here. This tells me a little more about the man.

“Just remember I was young and stupid then. I’m all man now,” he says. I can certainly testify to this fact, but it isn’t happening in the kitchen with his mother and sister.

Before he can respond, his sister jumps in again. “There was that time in his life he thought he was going to be a singer. Maybe he’ll serenade us if we say pretty please,” Bianca continues riding over her brother’s protests. “He was convinced he’d be the sixth member of the Backstreet Boys. He’d rattle the walls while he sang in the shower, in the car, and through the woods as we ran around. He was completely off key with a voice only a mother could love.”

“You do have a beautiful voice,” Isabella says as she moves over and pats Magnus’s cheek. He smiles.

“Thanks, Mom.” He turns to his sister. “You’re a brat.”

“That’s why you love me,” she says as she blows him a kiss through the air.

“Don’t you want to save some stories for next time?” Magnus asks her.

“Will there be a next time? You’re a pain in the butt and Piper might run screaming after one meal. I need to give her everything now just in case.”

“That would all be on you,” he quickly replies. “She’s not scared of me, but she might realize how crazy you are and never want to come here again.”

“Not a chance. I’m an angel,” she says. “Besides, we have to see what Piper’s made of. She deserves to know what she’s getting into.” Even these words are said with love. It’s more than clear how much the siblings love each other. Isabella tries to save Magnus, but there’s no stopping Bianca now that she’s on a role.

“I also have pictures of Magnus with the worst haircut known to man when he was trying to look like his favorite soccer player. It didn’t go well and was so uneven. That’s what happens when he asks his sister to help him out. I never said I could cut hair. He nearly cried when he looked in the mirror, and then he didn’t speak to me for days, thinking I did it on purpose.”

“I didn’t almost cry,” Magnus says. “You’ve had your fun. Now get to cooking before I start sharing all of your embarrassing moments. Trust me, there are a lot of them.”

She giggles. “I’m not embarrassed. Everything I’ve gone through in my short life has shaped me into the wonderful woman I am today, and you can’t argue with perfection.” She strikes a pose as she says this while fluttering her gorgeous eyelashes. She isn’t wrong, the woman is as close to perfection as I’ve ever seen before.

“Oh, I beg to differ. I remember the summer you went around kissing frogs because you were sure one of them would turn into your very own prince charming,” he says.

She laughs, not at all embarrassed. “I’m still kissing frogs, and they’re all toads. Didn’t you hear what I was saying when I walked in. I can’t get a good date to save my life.” She lets out a dramatic sigh of displeasure. “I’m not giving up, though, because one of these days the kiss will bring me Prince Charming.”

“You might just be too picky,” he tells her.

“Look who’s talking.” She then gives me a long look. “Though it seems you’ve finally grown some real taste. I think I like you, Piper.” This makes me blush. I’m not sure what to say.

“You’re certainly a lot of fun,” I finally tell her, which makes her laugh again.

“I’m a blast. Just wait til I get you all to myself. Then I can tell you all of the really good stuff like when Magnus nearly set the kitchen on fire when he tried to cook a meal for a date.”

I don’t like this, don’t like the idea of him cooking for anyone else. It’s such an odd feeling for me to have, but it’s such an intimate act and I don’t want to think of him romancing another woman. This is strange for me. Of course he’s been with other women, with many women. I look over at him with a smile. No way am I showing him that I’m in the least jealous about this.

“So you haven’t always been good in the kitchen?” I say. This morning he was perfect in the kitchen, but that had nothing to do with cooking.

He shakes his head. “I’ve improved a lot since I was thirteen,” he says with a shake of his head. It makes me feel slightly better this cooking incident happened when he was so young. He then winks at me and I know he’s thinking about our afternoon kitchen romp as much as I am. This train of thought needs to end now while his mother is so near.

We all continue cooking as more stories flow, this time Isabella stepping in and talking about some sweet memories about how much Magnus does for her, and what a great son he’s always been, and still is. Bianca even admits he’s the best brother a sibling could ever hope for.

It takes hours which goes by in the blink of an eye, and then we sit down and share a beautiful meal at a table overflowing with delicious, fragrant, textured food. I’m smiling so much my cheeks are hurting. Every moment I’m here, I’m grateful to be. It’s absolutely wonderful.

The food is excellent, the best I’ve ever had before, and even greater, knowing some of the pasta has been made with my own two hands. Isabella made sure to put my noodles on Magnus’s plate, and the look he gives me as he takes a bite is enough to make me blush. I have to look away at the pride in his eyes. Who knew it would make me feel so great to cook for a man? I’m suddenly taken back into the fifties . . . and I don’t hate it.

The laughter, praise, and stories all add up to an evening filled with love and warmth. I can’t even imagine how wonderful it would be to grow up in this home, to have this every night at dinner. What a beautiful life Magnus has come from. I have to fight tears as emotion flows through me.

I get another huge hug from Isabella as we say our goodbye’s that once again makes my eyes fill. I try to hide my sniffle. Bianca gives me a big hug too and makes me promise to come back. I nod at her, unsure if I can fulfil this promise. I know for sure it’s something I want to do. I’m not only falling in love with Magnus, but with his family as well. It’s too soon, I try to tell myself, but it doesn’t seem to matter. The heart seems to want what it wants.

I’m quiet as Magnus drives me home. He reaches over and takes my hand. “Are you okay?”

“That was a wonderful night,” I tell him, my throat tight, my nose tingling.

“What’s wrong?”

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