Page 79 of No More Heartbreakers

Aric stepped into the foyer and brushed a quick kiss on my cheek. He held up the bouquet of sunflowers mixed with autumn blooms.

“For your mom. See? I told you I wouldn’t embarrass you. I know how to do the meet-the-family thing.”

“Yes. You sure do.” I couldn’t believe how nervous I was.

My family wasn’t even aware Aric and I were seeing each other, so why did I care so much what they thought of him? And what he thought of them? I felt like a tenth-grader on her first date.

“Well, come on in—everyone’s in the den.”

Mom intercepted us as we passed the kitchen. “Oh my. Aric. It’s so nice to meet you in person. Of course we see you every weekend on TV. Goodness, you’re so tall. And even more handsome in person. He’s evenmorehandsome, isn’t he Heidi?”

I choked on an answer, but Aric saved me by presenting the flowers.

“For you, Mrs. Haynes. And may I say I can see where Heidi gets her beauty from.”

Wow. He could even smooth-talk a matronly nun.

“Oh… you.” Mom blushed deeply and took the flowers, clearly pleased and utterly charmed by him.

Even Hale, with his nice Southern manners had never brought her flowers.

“Thank you. These are lovely. How nice. Oh, and you brought some beverages, too. Gordon,” she called out as she steered us toward the den. “Aric brought beer.”

“I knew I liked that boy. Send him in here,” Daddy called back.

As we entered the den, my dad came toward us, hand extended. “Good to see you again, Aric. Glad you could make it.”

Aric gripped Daddy’s hand in exactly the kind of firm, manly handshake that would impress my father.

“You too, sir. Thanks for inviting me.”

“Here—let me put these in the cooler.” My dad took the beer from Aric. “Boys—this is Aric Amore.”

My brothers sat up slightly from their sprawls and acknowledged Aric. He lifted a hand in a casual waved greeting.

“And this is my sister Jane Elaine and her husband Phil. They live here in Peachtree Valley.”

My sister and brother-in-law came over to greet Aric. Phil had a gleam in his eye, spotting a potential new member of the flock.

“I’m the pastor at the Oak Creek Community Church. You should come on by next Sunday and visit with us. We’d love to have you.”

Aric seemed unfazed by the whole family spectacle. “Thanks, man. Maybe I will.”

We found a place to sit, and everyone watched the game while I darted glances at Aric all night.

He seemed perfectly comfortable, quite at home, and reacted as enthusiastically as the rest of them, cheering and slapping hi-fives with Tee when the Forty-Niners scored and razzing my dad and Benji whenever the Falcons turned the ball over or missed a big play.

He even made easy conversation with Phil about church stuff.

Jane Elaine, on the other hand, kept grinning at me and giving him lecherous looks behind his back that would definitely have ruled her out permanently as a Bible study leader.

At half-time Mom called us to the table where an enormous platter of barbequed ribs was surrounded by heaping bowls of potato salad, corn on the cob, green salad, fried okra, and black-eyed peas.

A plate of cornbread and a tall pitcher of sweet tea sat on the side. If Marjorie Haynes knew anything, it was how to feed boys.

“Good, Mom,” Gordy mumbled through a mouthful of food.

“Mmmph,” Tee agreed.

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