Page 17 of Tav

“Yo?….It’s Tuesday. We don’t eat dinner together on Tuesday.” his eyes flick to mine before he rolls them. I wave my hands trying to get his attention, whispering that if he has dinnerplans it’s OK. “Well, I have people, so you better put out extra settings………Yup, yup, you got it…..Kbye,”

“Tav! You better not have pressured your family into having us at family dinner! I can order in perfectly fine you know. I don’t need you coming in here bossing -”

“Pixie. It’s OK. My family wants to meet you, and I want you to meet them. Meet the people that kept the kids safe. Well, some of them.”

“You’re sure?”

“Um, I think so.” his dark brow furrows and his perfect white teeth bite down on his plump bottom lip.

“Taaaav?”

“OK. Maybe I didn’t think it through. My family is nuts. Sometimes not in a good way, either.”

“I like Chewy. She said it’s OK to not like people,” Elio says in his soft voice. I look at Tav in question.

“My sister is on the spectrum. So, she’s special? Different?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“No clue. Let’s just say she’s unique. But lovable. And very excited to see Elio again.” Tav smiles down at my youngest son before ruffling his hair.

Elio struggles with people, so knowing that two from the same family have him feeling comfortable and happy helps me make my decision.

“OK. I’ll let the big kids know. Looks like we’re going to dinner,” Blowing out a breath, I roll my eyes as all three raise their hands in victory and cheer.

Chapter 5

Tav

“This is a bad idea,” I mumble under my breath. I know it is because my ass is starting to feel sweaty. It could be from all the clenching it’s doing. How the fuck did Gus walk in there with Ana for the first time? I should have asked him before I jumped in the deep end and got excited about Blanche meeting my people.

“Come on Tav! Let’s go inside. I want to see your grandpa. I bet he’s really, really old, because you’re really old.”

I tip my head to look down at Cove’s wide eyes pleading up at me.

“I’m younger than your mom,”

The little stinker throws her head back and laughs in my face like I told the funniest joke, Blanche joining in with her.

“Don’t look at me like that, Tav Tombs. This was your idea.”

“Fine. Just, don’t judge me based on their behavior, OK?” I look at the Landry’s five pairs of dark eyes staring back, giving me varying degrees of comfort. The little ones are wide-eyed with excitement, Sage’s with amusement, Blanche’s look slightly nervous before she rolls her eyes and pulls her shoulders back. All while Niko glares at me.

Gripping the little kids’ hands tighter, Cove on one side, Elio holding mine and his mom’s hands, we step closer to Pops’ farmhouse; mine and my siblings’ cabins behind us.

“How much longer are you going to take Fuck Knuck - OW! I mean Fudge Knuckle?” Pops’ gruff voice calls out as Niko bursts into laughter. Well, I’m glad something makes this kid happy. And also snaps me out of my anxiety as the familiarity wraps itself around me.

“Yeah, yeah, hold your horses! We’re coming!”

Leading my new family into Pops’ house, we cram in the doorway of the dining room as I make the introductions.

“Blanche, kids, this is my family. That boring looking man is my big brother Gus, and the lovely lady next to him is his wife, Ana. She works for the Bratva.”

They both smile and wave politely, and I try to ignore the sharp intake of breath from Blanche and the shocked look on her face when I introduced Ana.

“It’s not really the Bratva,” Ana says, waving her hand at Blanche, obviously ignoring all the Tombs family heads that snapped in her direction when she said she doesn’t work for the Bratva. “What? I’m the secretary,” she shrugs and then stuffs a bread roll into her mouth.

“Tamayto, Tomahto Ana. Anyway, that big, mean looking man is-”

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