Page 45 of 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love

“Same diff,” Brad says. “Feels weird, you know? I want to make a good first impression.”

My pulse kicks, Brad’s concern over meeting my family making me feel so many things I probably shouldn’t be feeling for this man. “My family will love you, bub,” I assure him. “You don’t have to worry about that, all right?”

He sends me a grin, but there’s a relieved edge underneath it. “Duh. Of course they will. Haven’t you heard? I’mcharming.”

“Christ,” I mutter, unable to stop my own grin. “You’re going to let that go to your head, aren’t you?”

“What?Nooo. Why would I do that? I’m a good boy, Joey.”

Brad bats his eyelashes at me, and I have a hard time remembering why I can’t simply…kiss him. Kiss him and never stop.

My voice is hoarse when I say, “Then be a good boy for me and get out of the truck.”

Brad blinks, his mouth falling open. “Dude. Did you just use your sex voice on me?”

“What?” I squeak.

“That was…that was not your normal voice, man.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie, zipping up my bag.

He squints at me. “You’re not getting sick again, are you?”

“Perfectly healthy.”

Brad places the back of his hand on my forehead, apparently checking my temperature. Then he squeezes my bicep a couple times, for reasons entirely unknown.

“Fine,” he relents, opening his door. “But if you get sick, I’m gonna wrestle you into bed and tie you down. And you’ll take it.Happily. I can’t have my baby roo feeling blue. Heh. That rhymed. You coming?”

Good fucking grief.

Swallowing down my “not anytime soon,” I follow Brad out of the truck. I nearly reach for his hand and have to forcibly remind myself that’s not what this is.

That Brad isn’t…mine.

Brad is all smiles as we round the house toward the backyard. It looks like most of my family is already here. I see Johnny and Margot near the grill, Johnny manning the meat as Margot sips what looks like a margarita. Iggy is punching his brother Reggie on the arm. My cousin Sonia is lying on a pool float while her husband watches over their young kids. A couple of the other kids are running around a tree, trying to spray each other with squirt guns. And that’s just the start of it.

“Whoa,” Brad breathes. “Your family ishuge.”

“Okay?” I check, knowing he’s not used to that sort of thing.

He nods, his smile genuine and bright.

Margot is the first to notice us. “Joey!” she calls warmly, walking over across the grass, her heels somehow managing not to sink into the earth. She’s wearing a wrap-style dress over her swimsuit, and when she gives me a hug, she smells like coconut sunscreen. “So glad you could make it, honeybunch. Who’s this handsome fella at your side?”

Brad beams.

“This is Brad,” I tell her. “My…friend. Brad, my Aunt Margot.”

Brad doesn’t hesitate to give my aunt an enthusiastic hug that has her eyes going wide in delight. She wraps an arm around him with a smile, her drink held out to her side.

“So nice to meet you, Mrs. Delgado,” Brad says politely, the two of them separating.

“Well aren’t you sweet. But please, just call me Margot. Would you boys like drinks?”

I check in with Brad before giving my aunt a nod. “That’d be great, thanks.”

“Of course. Come, come,” she says, waving us back toward the grill. “Johnny, our Joey brought afrieeend.”

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