Page 55 of Five Alarm Love
“This official us.”
“Can we go slowly?”
“We go at whatever pace you want to go.”He stroked her cheek with his thumb.“But if you could give me an idea of what you want the next step to be, that would be helpful.”
Her laugh rang out in the crisp fall air.What felt right?“Dinner with my family?”
“Ooh, meet the parents?”He made an exaggerated collar-pulling movement.“Nothing like jumping right into the fire.Easy-peasy.”He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and pulled back.“It’s a deal.”
Chapter Eighteen
Tuli’s mouth turnedto silt as he walked up to Melinda and Steve Wright’s one-story house in the Koyukon village two days later on Sunday.The village was right outside of Yukon Valley town proper, and he knew the area well, given that Grandma Ruth lived four doors down.
He had parked at her place.
Now Grandma waved at him from the front yard.
He raised his hand in a quick greeting, then ducked his head and kept walking, aware that she was still waving.Despite the cool weather at dusk, sweat prickled his lower back.
Small towns sometimes were definitely too small.Point conceded to Lou on that one.
Why was he nervous?He had known Lou and her family for years.He’d eaten many meals here as a kid.Tuli had zero problems talking with anyone about anything.He was the most social person in Yukon Valley.
His stomach knotted.
If that first kiss at the festival was one foot perched over the cliff, then tonight was two feet off.The point of no return.Public acknowledgement of intent.
He glanced over at Grandma Ruth, her smile obvious even in the twilight, and gave her another half-wave, half-shoogesture.
As he reached the Wrights’ front door, he paused, hand lifted to knock.Before he could make contact with the wood, the door opened, and a laughing Hunter appeared.
“Hey, great talking with you again, Uncle Steve.I look forward to working together.Let me know what I else can do to help,” he called over his shoulder.
Tuli rocked back on his heels, his right leg buckling before he could shift his weight to the left side.He gripped the stair railing of the small porch.“What are you doing here?”
“Nothing that relates to the fire department.Therefore, none of your business.”Hunter dropped his voice.“What are you doing here?”
“Same.None of your business.”
Hunter planted his feet at the entrance.
Tuli glanced over Hunter’s shoulder into the house.
One of them needed to enter.One of them needed to exit.Neither of them was moving.
Well, that made for a pickled herring if he’d ever seen one.
Thankfully, Mr.Wright appeared.“Tuli, right on time.Come on in.”
Hunter muttered under his breath as he pushed past Tuli.His glare shifted into a superstar smile, then he called back to Lou’s father, “Have a terrific night.”
It was a mystery how Tuli managed to keep a lid on what he wanted to say.That guy was as fake as the white on his teeth.
With a smile of his own, Tuli entered the home and shook Mr.Wright’s hand before the man headed to the kitchen.As Tuli removed his leather loafers he’d worn to only a few weddings and funerals in the past, he took in the familiar surroundings.Not much had changed.Woven throw blankets rested on the back of the well-loved couch.A decorated ceremonial paddle with salmon painted on it hung on the wall.
Pictures of Gordy and Lou from their high school graduations featured on one wall, their black caps and tassels framing smiling faces.Next to them hung a faded photo of a Melinda and Steve years ago at their wedding.He did a double take.Lou favored a young Melinda with her bright-eyed, smiling, open face, and dark brows and hair.
Lou walked up to him, her cheeks a dark crimson.
