And when I took her hand, the one with the longer hair muttered, “Connie.”
They were uncomfortable. Then again, it would be impossible not to be.
We all stepped back but stayed in a loose huddle as I felt Indy and Roxie close to my back, and I tried to figure out a way to break the tension. Alas, my usual ways to do something like that were things you didn’t do when you first meet your man’s family.
I decided on, “It’s nice to finally meet you. Ren talks about you and it’s all good.”
It was lame but at least it was polite.
“Then he’s lying,” Jeannie stated. “At least about Connie.”
I blinked.
Connie glared at her sister. “Hardly. If he’s lying, it’s about you.”
Holy crap.
“Connie works his nerves,” Jeannie told me.
“He actually disowned Jeannie once,” Connie told me.
“Pfft,” Jeannie made a noise with her mouth. “He was eight.”
“He wasn’t eight, and I can’t repeat what he said the last time you crashed your car, called him and told him you’d forgotten to re-up your AAA and you needed a loan to get another car,” Connie retorted then looked at me in order to share, “She crashes her car a lot.”
“Is three times in three years a lot?” Jeannie asked me.
I thought it was, but luckily Connie saved me from replying by snapping, “Yes.”
“Girls,” Amalea said quietly, and they both clamped their mouths shut.
Yowza.
Impressive.
And evidence was suggesting I’d like Ren’s sisters.
“While we wait for that situation outside to sort itself, I’ll get my daughter a drink,” Dad announced, getting close and leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Beer? Margarita? Something else?” he asked.
I did a quick scan and knew from what I saw that Mom had a pitcher filled with margs, so I put in my order, biting back my real order, which was a tequila shooter with a valium chaser.
Then I did the rounds, greeting everybody.
Lee and Hank also seemed pissed but holding it back.
Sissy whispered in my ear, “Sorry.”
“It’s cool,” I whispered back. “How’s the baby?” I asked.
“Light of my life,” she said on a big smile.
He would have to be for her to smile that big during this disaster.
Dad brought me a marg. I took a healthy slug, trying not to appear like I was taking a healthy slug, and I was pleased when I was done and it seemed I accomplished this feat.
The door opened and Ren, Dom and Vito walked through.
The minute Vito hit the family room, he looked at Dad and announced, “Lorenzo just reminded me I have some business to see to tonight. Unfortunately, Angela and I can’t stay for dinner.”