Page 76 of The Accidental Honeymoon

"Mom, Dad. The reason I didn’t tell you is that we aren’t sure that it will stick. We like each other, but we’re not sure it’s love."

"You’re not sure?! How did you end up in this situation,agapi mu?” God. There it goes. My dad is breaking out the Greek terms of endearment. The next thing I know he’s going to be doing azeibekikoand smashing plates in celebration.

"Tequila, I think?” I slump against the counter, staring at the cup of coffee in front of me.

“Oh, sweetheart.” My mom sounds concerned. “Have you talked to Cora about getting an annulment?”

“Not yet. We’re playing it by ear. And I would really appreciate if you just supported me rather than asking me a million more questions.”

There's a pause. I can almost hear them exchanging one of their long-married-couple looks. I bite my lip, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"You need to bring him to dinner, Calanthe," Mom orders. "Tonight. If he's going to be part of the family, even temporarily, we need to meet him."

I groan inwardly. Dinners at my parents' house are a gauntlet under the best of circumstances. They’re an hours-long affairs just with the family. Throwing Jay into the mix is a recipe for certain disaster.

"Mom, can it wait a few weeks?” My whole marriage might be over by then.

"Calla." Dad interrupts, his voice taking on a rare note of sternness. "Family is important. You know this. We will see you both for dinner. Your mother will roast a leg of lamb."

I sigh, defeated. "Fine. We'll be there."

"Good." Mom sounds mollified. "And Calla? We love you, even when you're beingridiculous."

"I love you too, Mom and Dad."

I hang up and stare at the phone for a long moment. This whole thing was supposed to be simple. A quick way to drum up business without any real complications. Now I've got my parents thinking I'm disrespecting our traditions. And Jay….

Well, Jay is a whole other complication.

Jay and I stand on the doorstep of my parents' house. The scent of oregano and roasted lamb wafts through the air. He adjusts his shirt collar, looking uncharacteristically anxious. I feel bad for him.

"Ready?" I ask. I know full well he's not.

He gives a half-hearted nod. I close my hand around his and ring the bell with the other.

The door flies open instantly, unleashing a wave of sound. My Greek relatives never do anything small. A "casual" family dinner means a spread that could feed a small army.

"Calanthe! Jay!" My mother is the first to reach us. She pulls me into a tight hug before giving Jay a once-over. "I told the family you got married. So, strap in. Unless you want to be the one to explain your decision to your grandmother?"

"Mom—" I start, but she's already waving us into the chaos of the living room. Every surface is covered with either food, children, or family photos of the whole clan. The noise level is somewhere between rock concert and jet engine.

As soon as we step inside, a phalanx of aunts and cousins descends on us. Well, on Jay, really. They peel himaway from me, commenting on his looks and asking how a "nice boy like him" found their Calla. I hang back, letting them have their fun. It's not every day they get to interrogate a semi-celebrity.

"He's even taller in person," one cousin gushes.

"Those eyes! Are they real?" an aunt wonders.

Jay takes it all in stride. He seems nervous to me, but I think my family will be fooled by his confident smile. My grandmother swoops in to examine him. She's a tiny woman, but her presence is enormous.

"Sit. Sit!" she commands. She pushes Jay into a chair and thrusts a plate of spanakopita into his hands. "Eat up if you want to keep up with a strong Greek wife!"

I stifle a laugh as I watch him try to balance the plate. He fends off more questions. His cool facade is starting to crack, and I have to admit that it's kind of endearing.

"How did you two meet?" demands my uncle, the family's unofficial interrogator.

The room quiets. All eyes are on Jay.

"Uh, we met when Calla was doing a cake for my wedding," Jay says. He coughs into his hand and I see his neck flushing. The table murmurs with interest. "As you can see, things didn't go as planned."

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