Page 78 of Devoted Enough

“Nate, stop pacing in my kitchen. You’re making me nervous.”

I stopped and looked at my grandmother. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

She paused from mashing the potatoes and stared at me. “Like I would give you a job to do. Your hands are shaking like a leaf on a windy fall day.”

Holding up my hands, I quickly balled them into fists. They were shaking.

“Nate, why are you so nervous?” Aunt Lincoln asked from across the kitchen, where she was stirring something on the stove.

“Well, let’s see. I’m dating a woman for the first time. Not just any woman, but someone I can’t stop thinking about whenever she isn’t with me. I’ve invited her and her mother to my family’s Thanksgiving, which the entire family will be in attendance. Uncle Brock and Ty are arguing about one of the games for a special holiday edition game night, which I might add no one informed me we had a game night tonight.”

“It didn’t scare Sophia away, and from what I know of Haven, she doesn’t seem to spook very easily,” Aunt Lincoln stated.

“She doesn’t, and I don’t think she will be fazed by it, but her mother will be.”

Grams turned off the mixer, put the lid on the potatoes, and put them in the oven warmer. She wiped her hands on her apron and tilted her head as she regarded me. “Are you embarrassed by your family, Nate?”

I was pretty sure there was a look of horror on my face. “Of course not, Grams. It’s just…you know how things get on game night.”

She nodded. “I do. But game night is a part of this family, and we don’t get to have it nearly enough anymore.”

I could see the sadness in my grandmother’s eyes, and I wanted to walk over and hug her. It had only been a few months since my grandfather had passed away, and I knew this wasn’t easy for her. My problems seemed pretty damn stupid compared to my grandmother going on with her life without Granddad here by her side.

“You’re right. I don’t know why I’m so worried.”

“It’s because you care for Haven. That’s why you’re worried,” Grams said softly. “Don’t be worried, Nate. I’ve met Grace, and she is a wonderful person. Nothing we do here will make her grab her daughter and run for the mountains.”

Right at that moment, Rhett and Ryder, my cousin Blayze’s six-year-old twins, came running through the kitchen. Rhett held a baseball bat, while Ryder held a cell phone and yelled, “I’m live! I’m live and have witnesses!”

The three of us watched them run back out of the room.

“That’s something you don’t see or hear every day,” Grams said.

“What did he mean, he was live? I don’t think he is even allowed to have a phone yet,” Aunt Lincoln said, making her way out of the kitchen to track down her two grandsons.

When I looked at Grams, she was fighting to keep back a smile. “What was that about them not running for the mountains?”

“I don’t suppose we can lock those two up in a bedroom, right?”

I laughed. “I don’t think Blayze and Georgiana would like that much.”

“The table is all set,” Mom said as she entered the kitchen. “We’re just waiting on Rose, Bryson, Greg, and Haven and her mother.”

My nerves started up again. When Haven had left my house earlier this morning, I had offered to go with her to pick up her mother, but she insisted it would be better to arrive on their own. “Maybe I should have invited them to a small family dinner.”

“What are you talking about?” Mom asked, her eyes darting from me to Grams.

“He’s worried we’re going to overwhelm them. Or scare them.”

Mom waved her hand, saying, “Don’t be silly. Grace is from a large family back east. She’ll be used to it. And Haven, well, from how I have seen that girl look at you over the years, nothing could scare her away. Plus, she deals with a lot of dogs at one time every day, she can handle our chaos.”

Rhett and Ryder came running back through the kitchen. “Take that back, or I’m going to use your head as a baseball!”

“Ryder Shaw!” Georgiana yelled as she chased after them. “Put that bat down this instant!”

“That’s Rhett!” Blayze added as he pulled up the rear.

Once they were all back out of the kitchen, I turned to my mother and raised a brow.

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