“Morning.” Peggy smiled. “Did you sleep well?”
Tyler guided Nevvie to a chair at the table and prepared their coffee. “Yes, like a rock, thank you,” Nevvie said.
“I’m guessing you didn’t need an extra quilt on the bed last night, Nevvie?”
Nevvie blushed, but Peggy’s smile reassured her. “I was out-voted.” She accepted a mug from Tyler, then he made his own. “What’s the plan for today?”
“We need to start the turkey and get things cooking. Everyone will show up throughout the afternoon, but supper’s set for five. Karen said she’ll be here this morning by eight.”
“If she’s not too hung-over,” Thomas snarked.
Tyler laughed. “She was rather soused last night.”
“Let’s eat. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
They were showered and ready by the time Karen arrived, not looking too worse for wear. The boys were outside retrieving a folding table and chairs from the storage shed when Karen walked into the kitchen. Nevvie tensed, hoping Karen still accepted the situation.
Nevvie’s hands were buried in a pan of dressing. Karen put an arm around her and hugged her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t at my best last night.”
“It’s okay. I totally understand.”
Karen looked her in the eye. “You’re planning on staying around for the long haul, right?”
Nevvie nodded. “I love them.”
Karen patted her on the shoulder. “Okay then.” She leaned in and dropped her voice so Peggy couldn’t hear. “You can’t expect me to quit drooling over Tyler.”
Nevvie smiled. “I understand.”
“Good. No problem with that, right?”
“No.”
Having at least one sister on her side, Nevvie relaxed and enjoyed the morning. With similar personalities, Karen and Thomas kept everyone in stitches. A house full of laughter wasn’t something Nevvie experienced growing up. At one point she slipped away to the bathroom to be alone.
She opened the door and jumped. Tyler leaned against the doorframe, his blue eyes full of concern. “Everything all right, sweetheart?”
Nevvie nodded. He pushed her into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, locked it, and pulled her into his arms.
“Don’t try to hold it in, it makes it worse.”
She relaxed in his arms. “How’d you know?”
“I nearly hyperventilated my first weekend.”
She pulled herself together and washed her face. He met her eyes in the mirror, searching.
“I’m okay.”
“Are you, love?”
“I will be. I’m just overwhelmed.”
He stood behind her, his arms around her waist, still looking at her in the mirror. “Remember, lean on me. Or Thomas.”
“He won’t understand.”
“I know. They’re his family.” He kissed her neck and opened the door. “Deep breaths. You’re doing fine. I love you.”
Nevvie mustered a smile. “I love you, too.”
April arrived next, around ten-thirty. Single and currently without a boyfriend, she drove up alone. Thomas was outside and broke the news. Nevvie watched from the kitchen window, where she washed pots in the sink. She froze, holding her breath and praying, when April’s face dropped in stunned disbelief. Nevvie jumped at the feel of Tyler’s hand on her back.
“What is it?” he murmured.
She pointed with a soapy hand. Tyler frowned, watching the scene play out in the yard.
Thomas talked. April sat on the picnic table bench, obviously digesting the information as Thomas knelt in front of her, still talking. Tyler slipped an arm around Nevvie’s waist and kissed her neck.
“He’s persuasive, love. Just wait.”
“What’s going on?” Peggy walked over.
Tyler nodded at the window. Peggy stood on Nevvie’s other side and joined their vigil. After a few minutes April nodded and stood, then hugged Thomas. Hopefully all was well.
Peggy let out a long breath. “Two down.”
A few nervous minutes later, Thomas returned to the kitchen, followed by April. Nevvie turned from the sink. She dried her hands and forced another anxious smile.
“April, this is Nevvie. Nevvie, my sister, April.”
“Nice to meet you, April. Thomas has told me a lot about you.”
April’s cautious, cool smile was expected. “Hi. Uh, welcome to the family.”
“Thank you.”
“Hello, Tyler.”
He still stood firmly planted at Nevvie’s side. “Nice to see you again, April.”
Karen looked up from where she sat peeling apples at the table. “Jesus, April, it’s fine. Chill out.” Karen had added a splash of bourbon to her coffee. “It’s not like they’re going to have sex in the middle of the living room before dessert.”
Nevvie nearly choked, while Tyler and Thomas roared with laughter. Peggy shook her head. “I can see I’m gonna have to lock that cabinet, you keep that up, missy.”
But the comment put a smile on April’s face and she relaxed, walking over to hug Nevvie, then Tyler. “I’m sorry. I’m just—”
“In shock?” Tyler suggested.
“Yeah.”
Karen wasn’t through. “Maybe we can get her drunk later and get details about Tyler.”
Thomas grinned. “Now you listen, he’s taken times two. You can stop trying to steal him.”
“Says who, baby brother?” Karen stuck her tongue out at him.
It took a little longer, but the undercurrent of tension dissipated as Nevvie and April both relaxed. Cheryl and her husband didn’t have any children. Katie’s two sons were spending the day with her ex-husband, and she was bringing her boyfriend to dinner. Emily’s twins, a boy and girl, were in college and spending the weekend skiing in Colorado with friends from school.
In other words, no children to worry about explaining the situation to. Thomas decided to wait until after dinner to tell the others. Tyler disagreed, wanting it out in the open, but Thomas thought it would be easier for the others to take the news after spending the day getting to know Nevvie.
Peggy and the other sisters stayed out of it. Tyler left the decision up to Thomas.
Thomas stubbornly shook his head. “After dinner.” He looked at Peggy. “I mean, if I tell her before dinner you know Em’ll pitch a fit and ruin the day.”
Peggy held up her hands. “I told you, I’m staying out of it, Tommy. It’s your call.” She patted Nevvie’s shoulder.
Nevvie struggled not to throw up from her nerves, and refused to let anyone else take a turn washing dishes. It was the only thing she could do to keep herself remotely calm and distracted.
Cheryl and Pete arrived after noon. Tyler caught Nevvie longingly eyeing the incredible shrinking bourbon bottle and shook his head, a half-smile caressing his face.
No, he silently mouthed, then winked.
Nevvie tried to spend her time with Peggy, mostly in the kitchen, practically glued to her. Nevvie felt relatively secure with her new “mother-in-law” and didn’t want to do anything to screw up around the rest of the family. When Emily and her husband, Clay, arrived a short while later, Thomas made the introductions. Nevvie didn’t miss the suspicious glance the eldest Kinsey girl shot her way.
Trouble.
Katie and Shaun drove up a little after three. The men took over the living room and tuned the TV to football. Tyler made several trips to the kitchen to “help” and made eye-contact with Nevvie, trying to calm her.
It didn’t help.
The chill in the air around Emily didn’t go unnoticed. Ever helpful, Karen had stopped drinking but her snark remained fully intact. “Em, sheesh, what the hell is wrong with you today? Someone jam a stick up your ass?”