Love in the Light - Laura Kaye Page 0,8

it.

Her father nodded as he pulled a big dish down from a cabinet, and Makenna could see that the thoughtfulness of Caden’s response had impressed him. “I have a lot of respect for first responders. You’re out there on the front lines.”

“When you’ve had a stranger show up to help you during your darkest hour, the least you can do is be there for someone else during theirs,” Caden said in a quiet voice. “I’ve always felt that I had to pay it forward.”

Makenna slipped her arm around Caden’s waist. Part of her couldn’t believe he’d offered that up, because she knew he didn’t like to talk about himself. And it made her so proud of him that it took everything she had not to pull his face down for a kiss. But maybe it was better not to freak her father out fifteen minutes after arriving.

“Makenna told me about the accident,” her dad said, taking a drink from a bottle of beer. “I was sorry to hear it. That’s a lot for a kid to go through. But I’d say you’re doing your family proud.”

Caden gave a tight nod and looked down, suddenly very interested in his can of Coke.

She squeezed him tighter, because her dad was right. But Makenna changed the topic because she knew the attention—and the compliment—probably made him uncomfortable. “Where are the guys?” she asked, moving to fill a glass with sangria. Full of apples, cinnamon, and spice, it was fall in a cup. Delicious.

“Downstairs in the rec room,” her dad said, peering into the oven to check the turkey. “Watching football, I think.”

After her mother had died of breast cancer when Makenna was three, her dad took over everything her mother used to do—including the cooking. And he was good at it, too. Not that she remembered much of her mother. Of any of them, Patrick had the most memories because he’d been ten when they lost her. But even his memories were mostly faint and indistinct. Which explained why she and her brothers worshipped her dad. He’d been everything to them.

“Oh, and you’re not the only one who brought a date home.” Dad grinned, loving knowing something she didn’t.

“Who else brought someone?” she asked. Patrick was married to the police department, so she knew it wasn’t him, and she hadn’t heard about Ian or Collin dating anyone. What the heck?

“Wanna guess?” her father asked as he pulled two cookie sheets of appetizers out of the second oven. He settled them on the counter.

“No!” Makenna said. “Spill already.”

Her dad smiled and scooped the southwest egg rolls, pigs in a blanket, and spinach-artichoke pockets onto a platter. “Collin.”

Her little brother brought a date? Holy crap. “Someone from grad school?” Makenna asked.

Her dad nodded. “Shima. She’s a real sweetheart. You should go make sure she’s surviving your brothers and introduce Caden.” He took a cautious bite of one of the egg rolls. “And take these down for me?” he asked, tapping the edge of the dish.

Makenna grabbed a stack of paper plates and napkins. “Did you know she was coming?”

“Nope. It was a surprise.” Her dad shrugged. “The more the merrier at the holidays, though.”

Nodding, Makenna reached for the appetizers.

“I got it,” Caden said.

“Great to meet you, Caden,” her dad said. “Mi casa es su casa. So while you’re here, make yourself completely at home.” Makenna gave her dad a grateful smile for welcoming Caden, not that she’d doubted he would.

“Appreciate that, Mike,” Caden said, following Makenna across the room and into a hallway.

At the top of the basement steps, she turned to him, smiling. “Just remember, I am in no way responsible for the cretins you’re about to meet.”

* * *

“Duly noted,” Caden said, giving her a wink. If they were anything like Mike, he might actually make it through this weekend. He followed her down the steps.

The basement family room was a big, comfortable space with overstuffed sofas and chairs grouped in front of a large flat-screen television. At the far end sat an old air hockey table. But he didn’t have time to take much more in before five pair of eyes settled on them.

“Hey,” Makenna said to a big round of greetings. Her brothers—clear from the various shades of red hair—all got up to give her a hug. Which left a fourth guy with blond hair and Ken-doll good looks who Caden didn’t know. Makenna took the tray of appetizers from Caden’s hands as she said, “Uh, guys, this is Caden Grayson.”