“I sure am.” Grandma Donna beams.
“The grandmas have been cooking since daybreak,” Goldie says. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Just a little of this and that,” Grandma Nancy says.
Goldie puts her arm around Lola’s waist and turns back to look at me. Her grin is enormous, and she gives me excited, wide eyes.
I cough behind my fist. My family struggles with subtlety. Hell, so do I.
They walk toward the kitchen, and we all follow. I hear Goldie introduce Lola to Milo in the kitchen.
My dad puts a hand on my shoulder. Squeezes once.
“How you doin’, son?” he asks.
“I kinda can’t believe this is happening,” I say.
“I felt the heat when you guys looked at each other,” Dylan says, raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah, I can see why you had such a hard time getting over her,” Camden says, his expression sympathetic.
“Happy for you, Tulls,” Noah says.
I watch Lola through the kitchen doorway.
Goldie holds up a large dish of Lutheran Jell-O, and I can read her lips from across the room.
“You’ll want to stay away from this.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
THE JERSEY FAM
LOLA
“Everyone was so nice,” I say.
We’re on our way to the hockey arena for the event, and I’m still going on about brunch earlier.
“I just love your family.”
“They loved you,” he says, smiling over at me. We’re at a stoplight, and his eyes trail down the length of me. “You look damn fine in my jersey, Trouble.”
“Thanks, Captain. Number 19 fan, all the way.”
We meet up with his family inside the arena, and Tully high-fives Grayson and Chloe. Every single one of them is wearing Tully’s jersey. I’m surprised that even Kevin and Bill are here, wearing snug dog-sized jerseys.
“Looking good in those jerseys, fam,” Tully says, laughing.
“But what about me?”
We turn to see a woman in a jersey wearing skintight jeans, combat boots, a bright red bandana, and red lipstick. Another woman stands next to her, and she looks a lot likeGoldie except with darker hair. They have to be Erin and Tully’s sister, Ava.
“You wear it so well,” Tully says, hugging both of them.
He turns and holds his hand out for me, and I take it, my heart thumping faster.
“This is Lola,” he says simply. And then he motions toward them. “Erin, who’s like a sister to me, and Ava, my actual sister.”