“I know, I keep crashing all your family events,” Charlie jokes.
Victoria laughs. “Whatever. You know everyone in this room is family, including you,” she says warmly.
“Where is Tremblay?” Xander asks.
“Running late,” Christian says, picking up the prawns. “He should be here in ten minutes.”
“Would you like something to drink?” Clementine asks both me and Xander. “Wine, beer, soda? Margaritas? And help yourselves to some of these appetizers.”
I glance down at the spread across the table. I see tortilla chips, different salsas, and guacamole. And some wonderfully cheesy nachos flecked with jalapeños.
Ooh, I want those.
Then I smile. Obviously, I’m more relaxed if I can think of eating food.
“What would you like to drink?” Xander says, shifting his hand to my back again.
“What kind of margarita do you have?” I ask, intrigued by this option.
Clementine looks excited by my question. “We went out and bought a frozen margarita machine. I just made some mango ones, but I can do strawberry if you like.”
“I’d love to try a mango one,” I say.
Xander hands Clementine the box. “I’ll get the margarita if you take care of these,” he says.
“Ooh, what’s this?” Clementine asks as Xander retrieves a plastic cup off the worktop.
I smile. “I brought a bunch of treats for afters,” I say.
“What?” Clementine asks, wrinkling her nose in confusion.
Christian laughs. “Fiona, afters is the same as pudding. That used to confuse Clem in the beginning. Pudding is strictly pudding in America.”
Clementine laughs. “I was so lost the first time Christian said he wanted brownies for pudding. I’m like, what is he talking about—pudding is pudding, and a brownie is a brownie! Finally, I understood that pudding is a general term for dessert here.”
“Ah,” I say, nodding. “We say afters in Wales.”
“Oh, I see lemon bars,” Liz says, peering over Clementine’s shoulder and looking into the box. “Those are my favourite dessert ever!”
Clementine puts the box down on the table, and Victoria and Charlie look inside. Victoria pokes Charlie in the ribs. “Charlie, look. She brought rocky road bars. You love those.”
Charlie smiles and glances at me. “You’ve hit upon one of my weaknesses.”
“He will eat nearly anything with chocolate, but if you add a marshmallow, he’s done for,” Victoria says knowingly.
“Oh, Charlie, have you ever had a s’more?” Clementine asks. “You would love those!”
Christian groans. “Those are disgusting.”
“No, they’re not,” Clementine protests.
Xander hands me a cup. “Here you go, one mango margarita.”
“Thank you,” I say, taking a sip. Oh, the margarita is just the thing to help me unwind even a bit more. I taste the tequila, but the sweetness of mango makes it perfection. “This is good, Clementine.”
“Thank you. I do love a good margarita, don’t you?” Clementine asks.
“Cheers to that,” I say, tipping my cup at her.
She smiles and moves next to Christian’s side in the kitchen. “Do you want me to slice these peppers up?”
“Yes, that would be great. I’m going to get the chicken on, and then in about fifteen minutes, I’ll come back in for the peppers and prawns. I’m going to run out and check the steak now.”
“I’ll come out with you,” Roman says. “I don’t mind that it’s cold outside.”
Liz beams at Roman. “That’s because you live to be outside.”
He winks at her. “That I do.”
“Charlie, Xander, you should join them,” Victoria says, a twinkle in her eye. “Let us girls talk to Poppy without you men hovering about.”
Xander places his hand on my shoulder and gives it an affectionate squeeze. “What, are you hoping to get all the gossip from Poppy?”
“Of course,” Victoria says, grinning wickedly.
I laugh and put my hand over Xander’s. “You can go outside. I’m in good hands here,” I say, my comfort level growing with each second I’m in this kitchen.
“Be nice, Victoria,” Xander teases.
“Oh, I promise no such thing,” she says flippantly. Then she winks at him.
I smile. Xander wasn’t lying. His cousins genuinely are more like his sisters.
The guys all head outside, with Bear and Lucy barking excitedly as they step out into the garden to join them.
“Okay, now that we’ve gotten rid of them,” Victoria says, scooping up some guacamole with a tortilla chip, “we’re so happy you’re here.”
“Extremely,” Liz agrees, her eyes lighting up as she takes a sip of her margarita. “We were hoping a good woman would come into his life.”
“I appreciate the compliment, but you barely know me,” I say. Then I grin devilishly at them. “I could be awful.”
Victoria rolls her eyes. “Please. We know you’re not India. That’s all we