Page 52 of My Haven
“I was expecting maybe a larger house in the burbs, but this is huge!”
“Too much?”
“No, just unexpected.” She watched as multiple persons moved past the window by the door. “Your unit?”
He winced. “Worse, my parents. If I didn’t think you’d freak out and Arlo would call the police, I’d take you somewhere else for dessert and coffee,” he admitted.
“Will they not like you bringing home a random woman and her friend home?”
“No, they’ll love you.” He took a deep breath. “I apologize in advance for any and all awkward conversations that may happen.”
“Do you really not date? You’re gorgeous.”
Even in the dim light, she could see him blush. “I helped raise my sister and work keeps me busy.”
She took in his worried expression, how he kept gripping and releasing the steering wheel and felt her worry melt away. He was really trying to make a good first impression. She reached over and pat his leg. “Get me those brownies and a liqueur of some kind and I can almost guarantee this will have been the best first date I’ve had in months.”
“Really?” he asked, hopefully.
“My last date, the guy admitted to having handcuffs, you’re nowhere near as bad,” she said, then winked.
He went from looking concerned to smiling at her wink. “He doesn’t need taking care of, does he?”
She rolled her eyes and opened the door. “Now you sound like my sister,” she said and hopped out.
Caiden got out and met her at the front of his truck. He offered his arm and once again, accepting just felt right.
He opened the door and led her inside to the kitchen where everyone she met earlier at dinner now sat either at the counter or table.
“And this is?” a lovely woman with brown hair and green eyes asked, the second they walked in.
“You’re Meryn’s aunt, aren’t you?”
The woman looked surprised. “I am, how did you know?”
“You both have green eyes and almost the same shade of brown for hair.” She looked around the room and spotted an older, but no less handsome version of Caiden. “You’re his dad?”
The man stepped forward. “We didn’t want to bombard you right when you walked in.” He looked down at his wife. “Some of us were impatient.”
The woman held out her hand. “Lily Camden, very nice to meet you.”
She shook Lily’s hand, “Genevieve Taylor,” then Caiden’s father’s hand when it was offered. “That’s my best friend Arlo Sommer.”
His father stretched out his arm, inviting her in. “Marshall Ironwood. Make yourself at home.”
“I was promised brownies and some kind of liqueur or coffee for a nightcap,” she said, smiling at them both.
Lily looped her arm through hers and walked her to a chair next to Meryn at the counter bar. “I have a coffee liqueur that may tick both of those boxes. I’ll be right back,” she said, before she walked out of the kitchen.
Meryn turned to her. “Auntie is nice.”
She smiled at the simple statement, then looked around. Arlo was sitting with Pip, Nigel and Neil at the table. Pip was explaining in detail, how to playUno. Arlo, bless him, just nodded along, as if he hadn’t been playingUnohis whole life.
Meryn poked her arm. “So, you eat food for a living? How’d you manage to land a dream job like that?”
Genevieve sat back. It was a familiar question. “I got sick of working for other people, so I decided if I was going to work for myself, it would be doing something I loved. I lucked out that people really wanted to hear what I had to say. I had money saved and just took the plunge. Now, I get to travel and eat the best food this country has to offer.”
“What’s your favorite so far?” Meryn asked.
