Page 79 of Devoted Enough

Clearing her throat, Mom said, “I’ll just see if I can help them get that bat.”

Before I had a chance to say anything, the doorbell rang. Rose wouldn’t ring the doorbell, meaning it was Haven and hermother. Like a madman, I rushed out of the kitchen, crying, “I’ll get the door!”

Right as I was almost there, Josh appeared. He had a wide, shit-eating grin on his face.

“Well, what do we have here?”

“Get out of the way, Josh.”

He folded his arms over his chest. “I do believe you owe me some money.”

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed him by the arm and yanked him out of the way. “I believe you told me to donate it…remember?”

Josh stood there and waited for me to open the door. “Did I?”

“You can leave now.”

“Are you kidding me? This is the first time you’re bringing a woman home. I’m not missing any of this.”

I turned away from him and opened the door to find Haven and her mother. A light snow was falling and dusting the ground.

Haven smiled up at me, and my heart tripped over itself. Without even thinking, I took her hand and led her in, kissing her in the process.

“Bold move with the parents right here,” Josh whispered from the other side of the door.

“I’m glad you could make it,” I said as I reached for Grace’s hand while she walked through the door.

“Thank you for having us. It’s been a long time since I was on your family’s ranch,” Grace said. “I think the last time was picking Haven up from your mother and father’s place.”

“A lot has changed,” I said as I took Grace’s coat and Josh took Haven’s.

“I’ll put this in the office right down the hall here,” Josh said, motioning down the hall.

Haven smiled. “Thank you, Josh.”

I smiled and said, “Come on in, and I’ll introduce you to everyone. I’m sure you know almost everyone, though.”

Taking Haven’s hand in mine, I guided the three of us to the family room. When we walked in, I expected chaos; it was, after all, my family. My very large family. Instead, we found everyone sitting down somewhere in the room, all eyes on us.

Josh walked in and started to laugh. “History has been made, and all it took was Nate bringing a girl home!”

My mother was the first to break the strange silence. “Haven, it’s so wonderful to see you!”

She hugged Haven and then turned to Grace. “Grace, we can’t go so long between seeing one another.”

“I agree,” Grace replied, hugging my mother.

When my mother looked at me with wide eyes and a nod to the rest of the family, I cleared my throat.

“Right, um, introductions. Family, this is Haven and her mother, Grace Larson. And this is my family.”

Everyone stared at me as Haven giggled from next to me.

“Nathan Christopher Shaw,” my mother slowly said as Josh laughed beside me.

Lily laughed. “Not the full name being brought out.”

I turned and shot her a look before focusing back on my mother.

---