Page 48 of Desirous

Biting her lip, Kat looks scared. “God, I hope she likes me. I don’t want to mess this up, Alex.”

She really seems terrified about all of this, so I take her in my arms there in the bathroom with her damp hair and needless concern and hold her to me. “You’ve got this. It’s just a bunch of people I’m related to. I know it seems overwhelming, but they’re going to love you like I do. Trust me.”

Leaning back, she looks up at me with eyes full of worry. “I hope so.”

When we pullup to my grandmother’s house, the entire family is waiting on the front porch just to make things extra stressful. Kat turns to look at me, and I see the fear in her eyes as they all stare at the car and us.

“They’re doing this to bust my ass because this is the first time I’m bringing someone to one of these things. Don’t worry, okay?”

With a heavy sigh, she nods. “Okay. Let’s do this giant family thing.”

“I’ll try to stick close by you so you don’t get trapped with any one of them. Oh, and be prepared for pictures from when I was little. They did that to Liam when he first brought Mia here, so I’m expecting my mother and grandmother to break out the family photos.”

“That could be fun. Were you a cute little boy?” she asks with a chuckle.

“Of course,” I joke. “Let’s do this!”

We get out of the car and begin walking up toward the porch where everyone waits, and the ball busting starts from Cade, of course. “Here’s the man of the hour, Mr. Eye Candy I’m Going To Be Single Forever,” he says just before we hit the steps. “Is that a woman you’ve brought to one of our fine March and Jackson parties? Did you warn her that we would be busting your ass all day today?”

I would love to tell Cade to fuck off, but my grandmother is standing right next to him, so I roll my eyes at his ball busting. “Everyone, you know Kat. Kat, this is the March and Jackson clan.”

Cade begins teasing me again, but he’s drowned out by everyone welcoming Kat to the party, thankfully. I follow her up onto the porch and watch the crowd swallow her up as my grandmother pulls me off to the side.

Kat gives me a worried look as she’s swept into the house by my mother and Abbi to get a drink. My grandmother walks me over to the other side of the porch as everyone files inside, leaving us alone.

“So my Alex finally has a girl he likes enough to bring to one of our get-togethers. You look happy. Is this the one you were so down about that one day when we talked up in the bedroom youand Cade used to sleep in when you stayed here as little boys?” she asks, clearly wanting to know more about Kat.

I nod, happy to tell her all about the woman I love. “Yeah, that was Kat. I took your advice, and she forgave me. Since then, we’ve been inseparable, so I figured it was time for you to meet her.”

My grandmother’s eyes get wide, and she asks, “Does that mean this is the one?”

With a shrug, I answer, “I don’t know if we’re there yet, but you shouldn’t be surprised if we announce something someday.”

“Someday like today?” she asks with more than a hint of hope in her voice.

Shaking my head, I laugh at her eagerness. “No, not today. Kat’s nervous about meeting you, so take it easy on her, okay? She’s afraid she’s going to mess this up and you won’t like her.”

“Did you tell her that all that matters is how you feel, not how some old woman feels?”

“You know it means a lot what you think, Grandma. You’re the head of this family. That’s important. I’m crazy about her, though. She’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

My grandmother pinches my cheek like she used to when I was little. With a smile, she says, “The last one to settle down. I always knew it would take you longer because you were blessed with so much from the very beginning. If you like her, I like her.”

“I love her, Grandma.”

I watch as her brown eyes fill with tears. “Oh, that means it’s really happened. Good. Let’s go in so I can meet the woman who stole my favorite grandson’s heart.”

As I follow her inside, I say, “You know, every one of us thinks we’re your favorite. Do you tell them all the same thing you tell me?”

Glancing back at me, she smiles and gives me a wink. “Yes, but you’re my namesake, so you’re really the favorite.”

Just as I thought.

The day goes smoothlywith only a few moments of ball busting by my brother and cousins for my former stance on forever remaining single, but I notice my grandmother doesn’t say much to Kat. Is it possible she doesn’t like her?

While I head to the kitchen, I see her finally pull Kat aside in the living room. Curious to know what she’s saying, I quickly pour us a couple glasses of iced tea and sneak over to the corner of the room to listen to their conversation.

“I just wanted to tell you it’s so wonderful to have you here today, Kat. Alex is my favorite grandson, although don’t tell the others because I tell them they are too but he really is, so I always wanted to see him happy.”

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