Page 21 of Merry Kissmas

No one does, and we each file out of the vehicle.Kenzie runs up to a woman with long dark hair and hugs her.Brynn walks up to who I assume is her mum, and she envelops Brynn in a hug.Everyone huddles around, and I stand as witness, unsure how I feel about spending the next week with this family I don’t know.

Close families do everything together.Close families are going to ask questions.Close families will want to get to know the new guy because they’ll want me to feel comfortable, but I’ll be anything but.

Andrew slides by me, getting Nolan out of his car seat.

“A little warning would’ve been nice,” I whisper.

“Sorry, mate,” Andrew says.“But had I told you, you wouldn’t have come.”

He’s not wrong.“Why did you want me to come so badly?”

He unstraps Nolan and carries him out of the car.“Reinforcements.I’m sick of being the only English fella.”He laughs and walks toward the group.“Come on, show them that sparkling personality of yours.”

I follow him, and by now, Brynn and Kenzie have made the rounds.A woman and man, who I assume are Brynn’s parents, approach.I really want to make a good impression on them even if we’re not anything.

“Andrew!”The woman swarms him in a hug and kisses Nolan on the cheek.“He’s adorable.”

“Merry Christmas, Gwen,” Andrew says and puts out his hand for Brynn’s dad.“Abe.”He shakes his hand.“This is my cousin, Pierce.”

Gwen’s face lights up in a welcoming smile, and a sick feeling hits my stomach.She’s going to dig everything out of me, I just know it.

“Merry Christmas, Pierce.I’m Gwen.We’re so thrilled you could join us.”She opens her arms, and I’m unprepared when she hugs me.My body stiffens, and I pat her back as if I can’t move my arms while her palms run up and down my back.“Relax, we’ll take it easy on you.”

Somehow, her words do calm my nerves that have become frazzled as fast as a handful of sparklers, one exploding after the other.

Her dad comes by and holds out his hand just as he did to Andrew.“Welcome.I’m Abner, but you can call me Abe.”

I take his hand.“Thank you.”

The rest of the family heads my way, and I meet Kenzie’s best friend, Tessa, and her husband, Tre, who is Brynn’s brother, along with their little girl, Ryah.Then I meet Brynn’s other brother, Carter, and his girlfriend, Faith.I can’t help but notice everyone is coupled up, even the two toddlers who are now being held face to face by their parents.

“Come on in.We have some snacks for you guys in case you’re hungry.”Abner waves toward the building.

“I really just want my villa.Which one is it?”Brynn looks around.

There’s one big building in the middle that I think must house the gathering area and kitchen, then there are little villas circling it with plowed pathways to the middle building.

“Yeah, let’s eat first,” Gwen says and puts her arm around Brynn’s shoulders, guiding her toward the building.

“Oh, no.”Brynn circles out of her mum’s hold.“What’s going on?”

“Can you wait until we can get some popcorn?”Carter says, chuckling.

Faith lightly smacks his stomach with the back of her hand.

“Oh my god, just tell me,” Brynn says, obviously knowing her family well.

“It’s really not a big deal.”Gwen glances in my direction.

I look behind me because I’ve pissed Brynn off enough, and I don’t have anything to do with this.Brynn follows her mum’s line of vision, and her eyebrows scrunch.

“I need to get Ryah inside,” Tre says and walks toward the big house.

“Oh yeah, let me make her a bottle.”Tessa follows him, waving Kenzie to follow her.

Carter rocks back on his heels and crosses his arms with a mischievous smile plastered on his face.

“So, um…” Gwen says.

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