Page 85 of Unbreakable Love

“Yep. He’s there all the time and will be there today. Uncle Caleb has home games this week. They have to go home tonight because Aunt Emily works, but you’ll get to meet them.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t be nervous,” Gavin said. “They live on the land part-time, but they’re always there if they don’t have to be in Denver. And Emily’s as sweet as they come.”

“Grandma says she’s sweet as strawberry pie.”

I chuckled. God, I loved this girl. She knew everything.

“Anyone else going to be there I should know about?” I’d fretted all week about meeting Gavin’s parents, but if his brothers were going to be there, too, my nerves would be shot.

Would they believe I was only Josie’s teacher and there at her request? Or would they quickly suspect something else was going on? And would they want that for their son?

Oh boy. I blew out a breath and fisted my hands.

“They know,” Gavin said and glanced at my hands and then at my face. “I told Mom and Dad about seeing you.”

He spoke quietly, but given Josie’s penchant for hearing everything, I turned up the music on the radio.

He smirked at me and lowered his voice. “I might be waiting to tell her, but I won’t hide you from my family. They’ll be cool, and they’re excited to meet you.”

“Okay,” I whispered. “It’ll be fine.”

“It’ll be great. I promise.”

Well then, there wasn’t any reason to be nervous, now, was there?

We drove through town. It might have been Sunday morning, but the town square was littered with people, most of them walking likely to or from church with coffee cups from Jumpin’ Beans wrapped in gloved and mittened hands.

Cars lined the road outside the grocery store where I suspected Lydia was inside working.

“I love this town.” I sighed. “It always feels so peaceful.”

“It usually is,” Gavin said and there was a bite in his tone that made me flinch. Of course it hadn’t been recently.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

“No worries.”

“Miss Pesco! When we get to Grandma’s house today, we have a surprise for you!”

“You do?” I turned around and glanced at her.

“Josie…” Gavin warned. “It’s not a surprise if you tell her first, remember?”

“But it’s so hard! And you always say we shouldn’t keep secrets.” Her purple-booted feet kicked the back of Gavin’s chair.

I fell back to my seat and twisted toward Gavin. “You have a surprise for me?”

“A birthday surprise. And present. So you have to wait.” His eyes went to the rearview mirror. “And little miss Josie is going to keep that secret a little bit longer, isn’t she?”

“Fine,” she grumbled. “But it’s a good one. And you’re going to be super happy,” she told me.

“I can’t wait.” Excitement buzzed through me, replacing my earlier nerves. “Thank you in advance for the wonderful day.”

“It hasn’t even started yet!” Josie chirped.

“I know. But I can already tell it’s going to be my best birthday ever.”

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