Mistletoe Magic (Paradise Place #6) - Natalie Ann Page 0,43

one.”

He kissed her gently on the lips knowing that if he gave her the kiss he really wanted to he’d end up carrying her to her room and stripping her naked, never making it to the party. He’d rather not deal with his sister’s wrath, though it would be totally worth it.

They let the dogs out, put them in their crate, then locked up and left.

When they pulled into the driveway at Troy and Meena’s, he saw they were only the third car there.

“How many people are coming?” she asked.

“I think just about twenty or so. Troy’s cousin Harris and his wife, Kaelyn, are already here by the looks of the Range Rover. I’m sure they won’t stay long as they’ve got a young child.”

“Harris, the professional pitcher that lives in Paradise Place?” she asked.

“That’s him. I’ve known him for years before he was even a pro athlete since I’ve been friends with Troy since we were kids. He’s a good guy. Very down to earth.”

“That’s good.” They got out of his SUV and made their way to the front. “This is really a cookie cutter development, isn’t it?”

“It is, but Troy likes the convenience of it. I didn’t expect Meena to want to live here, but she’s fine with it. She’s always been wild and different.”’

“She seems pretty down to earth to me,” she said.

“That’s because she is older. But I guess if I looked from the outside, other than her hair, she is a pretty normal person. She definitely livened up Troy, who needed it. He used to be a lot quieter, but never around our family. He is the brother I never had.”

“Was that strange when he started to date your sister?”

“It was,” he said. “I will admit I struggled with it at first. Maybe because they didn’t tell me right away. And if we are being honest, I have a tiny bit of a temper when I’m thrown off guard and let them know what I thought of their little secret. But it all worked out.”

They walked in the house and moved to the back where the other couples were present. Harris and Kaelyn, Meena and Troy, his parents, and Harris’s parents.

“Is Sarah coming?” he asked of Harris’s sister.

“She’ll be here soon,” Harris said.

“Everyone, this is Robin Masters. Robin, this is everyone.” He laughed and then introduced her to those in the room and then did it every time someone else entered the house.

“So you live in Paradise Place?” Kaelyn said, moving closer to them.

“I do. Just a few months. The older end I believe it’s referred to.”

“I grew up over there. I love it and the mature trees,” Kaelyn said. “I have such good memories of living there as a kid. I’m glad that I’ll be able to raise my children there.”

Brian hadn’t thought much of kids in the past, but for some reason all the thoughts in his head were just driving fast toward a life with Robin and he had to wonder how long it’d be before he could convince her to take the trip with him.

19

Watched and Judged

Robin was having a ball. She’d never been to a party like this before. Not one where everyone was just hanging out and having fun. There were no side conversations and whispered words going on.

There wasn’t the fear she was being watched and judged and labeled.

She’d met a bunch of people, they all came forward and welcomed her, and for once she felt like she belonged here.

Never had she felt any ounce of acceptance with Alex’s family. Even with Patrice Fischer who she knew deep down adored her.

Alex’s younger sister tolerated her, but she had her nose up in the air like her brother.

And she had to put that all behind her.

She had a great guy in her life now. One that she was starting to feel more for than she ever thought possible and had to figure out a way to let him know without scaring him away.

Was she nervous over Brian meeting Rick soon? Yep, she was. But she’d put her foot down with her older brother and told him not to be a jerk.

She may confide in her brother and value his opinion, but she didn’t need to be parented or lectured either.

Rick asked her if she was in love with Brian and she wouldn’t answer him. She felt like she should at least say it to Brian first.

Now she was just trying to figure out the right time for that to