Page 21 of Love at First Bite
It was why I’d texted them and asked if they could meet with me to talk at the local coffee shop Tab had said they loved going to so they could meet me.
“Did you guys want anything else to drink? Another treat or?—“
“We’re good, but thank you,” Rosie, the redheaded one of the group, answered politely.
“Let’s get to it, then, yeah?” I said, not one to beat around the bush. I was shit at small talk when I was nervous. This was essentially meeting my girl’s family, and by the way Ember and Abby stared at me, they didn’t know what to make of me.
The only one who seemed slightly amused was Rosie.
“I love Tabitha.”
“After two weeks?” Abby asked, speculation heavy in her tone.
“After one look,” I answered confidently. We’d had dinner with them a week ago, and they’d seemed okay with me, but I knew we were moving fast and as her people, they were looking out for her.
“She’s… she’s Tabitha. It’s hard not to love her.”
“We agree on that,” Ember noted.
“On Halloween… things might have started fast and crazy, but I want you to know that there isn’t a damn thing I wouldn’t do to make your friend, my woman, happy. I love seeing her smile. Her laugh is my favorite sound.” Rosie’s gaze softened as she nodded.
“She is easy to love. I think… look, we’ve seen the two of you together. You are very good to her—“ Ember started to say.
“So far,” Abby cut in, and I winced. It seemed Abby would be a tough nut to crack.
“Abby.” Rosie shot her a warning look. Abby’s hazel eyes softened, and she turned towards me.
“I’m sorry. That wasn’t fair of me. I just worry about her. Tab likes to say we’re all she has, but she’s our chosen family. Our sister. And you two got together, all hot and heavy, really fast, so fast I wouldn’t be surprised if you proposed tomorrow.”
“Maybe by the end of the year,” I said, and the three of them stared at me with wide, bewildered looks. I started to chuckle.“I was kidding, but…” I shrugged. “I know that’s where this is going. I can’t or won’t tell you otherwise. I love her.”
“We know that,” Ember said. “That’s obvious.” She smiled and then chewed on her bottom lip and looked at the girls before looking back at me. “We want nothing but her happiness.”
“As do I. Look, I asked you guys to meet up with me without Tab knowing. I want you to get to know me. I can only imagine how it might seem. I’m older than her, and this is moving fast. But I want to be with her and only her. I want to grow old, or older, with her. And I know you are important to her. I would never want to come between that.”
The three ladies nodded and looked at one another for a long moment. So long that nerves start to prickle at the back of my neck. Fuck, what if they didn’t like me?Will I lose Tabitha because of that?My girl’s family really had me about to start sweating when the three of them smiled brightly and Abby sat up a little.
“Welcome to our little misfit family,” she said, and relief washed through me.
Epilogue
Tabitha
Two weeks later
Ilooked at myself in the mirror and exhaled slowly.
Everything is going to be okay.I smiled, fixing my lipstick just as Brew popped his head into the bathroom.
“Almost ready?” His gaze greedily took me in.
“Almost.” I winked at him, but I could tell he knew how I felt.
“It’s going to be fine. Everything is ready, and everyone will be here in a little bit.” I swallowed.
Everyone would be here. We’d only ever had Friendsgiving at Abby’s place. Something she loved to host, but because of a tiny hiccup, mostly my fault, we needed a bigger place to hold everyone who was coming comfortably.
Something Abby didn’t like. Not at all. She might have tried to pretend that she was cool with it, but I knew she wasn’t. Not only had our family of four grown to five with Brewster joining us, but my boss had mentioned he was going to spend the holiday alone, and I’d felt bad. When I mentioned it to the girls, Rosie, still on this kick of changing things up, had suggestedeach of us, including Brewster, bring a plus one. So, now our small intimate yearly dinner of four was going to be for ten.
