Page 40 of One Night With You

“Your dad already warned me. Are you sure it’s okay? I mean, I know your family because I’m friends with your family, but I don’t want things to get complicated for you.”

I pulled her close to me in a hug and sighed. “We sort of blew through those barn doors already. No use trying to close them.”

“Lovely imagery but true. But okay, let’s go get pie.”

“Mom makes a damn good pie.”

We ended up at my parents’ home soon after. It wasn’t the home we grew up in, as once the kids had moved out, they had decided to find a place a little farther out near the mountains, and where they wouldn’t have to worry too much about getting kids to school and all of the events and sports that we had.

Though, ever the artist my father was, Lincoln had made sure to take out the door frame that had our heights on them and made an art piece from it that lay in Mom’s library. And then of course, one of my uncles who happened to build houses for a living, had built a new door frame.

“This piece is amazing,” Claire whispered under her breath as she stared at one of my dad’s latest creations currently taking space in the living room.

I smiled down at her. “It really is.”

“You don’t take it for granted who your parents are?”

I shrugged. “They’re Mom and Dads. I think what I really took for granted was the fact that I grew up in a family with two dads and a mom. Who all loved each other. Who had one bedroom, and an extra-large custom-made king.” I paused and looked at her. “I’m not really sure where they found the person to make that mattress, but it works apparently.” I paused, letting out a deep breath. “I meant that it works for the room. I’m just going to shut up right now.”

Claire’s eyes filled with laughter, and she pushed at my hip. “Whoever did the metal and woodwork though, should probably talk to your cousin Noah. I’m sure that they’re going to need that big of a bed.”

“Oh I’m pretty sure that Noah’s parents, also a throuple, already gave them the information. It probably should concern me that there’s so many throuples in my family, but no, it’s just life. I like that it’s normal.”

“Of course it’s normal. It’s love. Did you ever think that you would end up in one?” she asked, and I didn’t hear worry in her tone, considering we were sleeping together, and spending time together—just curiosity.

I held back a laugh at her question, surprisingmyself. “No, I never wanted to share.” It was the honest truth and I liked the way she blushed at my words.

“I’ve always wanted a real painting. One that isn’t a print. Maybe one day I can afford one of your dad’s. Like a small one. To fit in my wallet.”

“I can try to get you a discount. Though I don’t really get the family discount.”

“As you shouldn’t. The family would go broke if we kept allowing that,” Lincoln said as he came forward and squeezed my shoulder, before giving Claire a hug. “And thank you for liking my work. Sometimes I’m afraid in my old age that I’m forgetting how to work with oils.”

“Really? You’re going to call yourself old?” Ethan said as he came forward, two glasses of sparkling cider in hand. He handed them both to Claire and me and we took them in thanks.

“Considering we’re the same age, dear, don’t call us old.” Ethan winked, and Lincoln just shrugged.

“It’s my prerogative.”

Claire smiled at their banter. “I’ve been to your mom’s shop too. Seriously, your family’s so talented.”

“And I’m just a chemist,” Ethan said with such a put-upon sigh, it made me smile—once again surprising myself.

“Oh yes, please tell me more, Mr. Award-winningand grant-winning chemist about how tough your life is.”

My dads bickered in humor, trying to lighten the tension in the room, and my brothers came forward, both of them flirting with Claire, and trying to keep me smiling. Only the more they tried, the more I wanted to sink into myself.

“So, Claire, I know this isn’t exactly how the whole meet the parents thing works, but should I ask how long you two have been together?” my mom asked, and as Claire’s eyes widened, I scowled at my mom.

“Really? Really.”

“What? I haven’t met a girlfriend or whatever labels we’re using now. And I’m bad at this. Remember, I ran out on one wedding before. I’m really bad at relationships.”

“So bad she married both of us,” Lincoln said.

Claire’s eyes widened. “Wait, you ran away from a wedding?”

My mom winced. “It’s a long story that I will get into later. And forget I asked the question.”

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