Parker couldn’t tell if Erin was trying to open up, so she asked a fun question. “Okay, worst date?”

“Mine?”

“Yeah. Who was your worst date?”

The question seemed to push Erin off-center. “I don’t date a lot.”

“But you have. So you have to have a bad date story.”

She scooted around on the couch in thought. “Okay . . . It was high school, and my date had to bring his younger sister with us to winter formal.”

“Why?”

“His parents insisted since her date canceled last minute.”

“So what, you danced with the two of them all night?”

“We didn’t dance at all. He was mad, got drunk with his friends, and I ended up walking home in heels.” Erin sat her glass down. “What about your worst date story?”

“That’s easy. First year of college, which I didn’t start until I was twenty . . .”

Erin frowned.

“I know, I know . . . I was late to the game. Anyway, I was in San Diego where good surf days meant the classrooms were almost empty. I skipped class with a guy who was going to teach me what it felt like to live by the beach.”

“That doesn’t sound like a bad thing.”

Parker snorted. “Have you ever tried to surf?”

“I barely swim.”

“Really? Never mind. I can swim, but standing on a board in the ocean while the sea is trying to fold you in is no easy task. By the time we paddled out to where the waves were, I was exhausted. My date tried to give me a lesson while we were out there but I just didn’t get it. Every time I tried to stand, I fell. Each time I fell, more parts of me hurt. Stan, that was the guy . . . He was so frustrated as he saw wave after wave go by without him, he finally gave up and started doing his own thing. Next thing I know, he’s riding the tide in and I’m stuck out there floating on a piece of fiberglass and freezing my butt off. I got caught in a rip current that kept pulling me out while he stood on the beach waving his arms at me like an idiot.”

Erin’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”

“I paddled parallel to the shore for-freaking-ever and eventually managed to get to where I could touch the bottom, only to step on a stingray, which scared the shit out of me.”

“Oh my God . . . It didn’t sting you, did it?”

“No. But I jumped back on the board until a middle-aged, pot-bellied man walked out to me and showed me how to shuffle my feet in the sand to push the creatures away.”

“That sounds awful.”

“It was, and when Stan finally found me all he did was laugh. Such a jerk. Needless to say we never went out again.”

Erin leaned back. “I’ll take my bad dance to being stuck out in the ocean.”

Sushi made a rare appearance and jumped up on the couch asking to be pet. “Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?” Parker asked, changing the subject. “I’m sure Colin’s parents won’t mind one more if you don’t.”

“No, no . . . I’m leaving town. I have plans.”

Parker wasn’t convinced. “You sure? I’m betting it’s not a problem—”

“I’m sure.”

“Okay. Maybe you can help me pick out a good bottle of wine to bring over.”

Erin smiled. “That I can do.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Hudsons lived across town, which like anywhere in the valley meant you could get there in fifteen minutes or forty depending on traffic. Much as she liked to think that was an exaggeration, it wasn’t.

Colin’s Jeep was parked in his parents’ driveway, telling her she undeniably had the right house. Beside it was a motorcycle. She pulled in behind the Jeep, pretty sure he wouldn’t leave before she did. Austin held a bouquet of flowers in his lap. He insisted, and Parker wasn’t about to tell him he didn’t have to. She liked to think she mentored where her parents had left off with him. As much trouble as things were in the beginning, he seemed to be past it all now.

“If anyone feels uncomfortable, we make excuses and leave,” Parker reminded them.

“All for one,” Mallory said.

“One for all,” Austin chimed in.

Noise from inside the house drifted out. The door was open and a screen separated them from inside.

Parker rang the bell, stood back.

Colin’s family . . . the whole family.

Yeah, she was nervous.

“I got it.”

Parker glanced at her siblings.

A petite woman walked around the corner. “Parker.”

Parker had only met Colin’s sister the one time, and her head hadn’t been all that clear to remember much about the woman.

She opened the door and waved them in. “Come in.”

“Hello. You’re Grace, right?”

The woman was all smiles. “That’s right. And this must be Mallory and Austin. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

No handshakes, just a wave through the door and Grace yelling throughout the house. “Colin! Parker is here. C’mon in.”

They walked through a foyer with what looked like an unoccupied formal living room to one side before emptying into the great room.

Colin met her with a dishtowel in his hands. “Sorry, I was helping.” His smile seemed only for her. His eyes sparkled at the corner, and her heart reminded her it was in her chest and alert.

“It’s okay.”

Colin leaned down and kissed her briefly.

The room was filled with people. Several men. A couple of youngish adults. A boy close to Austin’s age, maybe a little older. She couldn’t tell.

Nora and another woman similar in age were buzzing around the kitchen. When Nora noticed them, she stopped what she was doing and wiped her hands on her apron. “You made it.”

Colin took the wine from Parker’s hands before his mother reached her.

She hugged her. “You look lovely.” Nora moved on to Mallory with a hug.

Austin handed her the flowers. “Thanks for having us.”

Was it right for Parker to swell with pride for her brother? Didn’t matter, she was. “These are beautiful. Thank you, Austin.” She took the flowers and placed an arm around his shoulders. “Emmitt, come here and meet Colin’s girlfriend and her family.”

With the title, Parker shot a look at Colin.

He rolled his eyes and added a silent laugh.

Grace leaned over. “Don’t worry, she does that to anyone we bring over.”

One date and two kisses didn’t really qualify her as a girlfriend, yet it thrilled her to have the title.

Parker was introduced to Colin’s father and brother and then moved on to an aunt, two uncles, and three cousins. As it turned out, one of Colin’s cousins was only a year older than Austin, and the two of them started talking within minutes of arriving. It helped that there was a game on, and conversation circled around that while the finishing touches on dinner were happening.

Nora waved Mallory over and asked her if she had ever made deviled eggs. After a shake of the head, Nora went into teacher mode.

“White or red?” Grace asked.

“White is fine.”

“So you’re Parker,” Emmitt said once Grace walked away to pour a drink.