Somebody to Love (Tyler Jamison #1) - April Wilson Page 0,104

of people staring at us, waiting with bated breath to hear Tyler’s answer. My heart is pounding, because I’m dying to hear it, too.

Tyler’s gaze sweeps the room. “This is Ian. He’s my boyfriend.”

The kid looks at me, then he eyes the gift bag. “Is that for Luke? He’s my cousin.”

I can’t help grinning. This kid didn’t miss a beat. There’s been no yelling, no screaming, no pitch forks thrown our way. No one fainted. I squeeze Tyler’s hand. “Yes, this is for Luke.”

The kid holds out his hand. “I’ll put it on the table for you, if you want me to. That’s where the other presents are.”

“That would be fantastic,” I say as I hand over the gift bag.

“This is Aiden McIntyre,” Tyler tells me, finally remembering his manners. “His father, Jake, is one of Shane’s brothers.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Aiden,” I say to the kid just before he races off. And then I turn to Tyler, I say, “Please tell me there won’t be a test later.”

Conversations have picked up all throughout the room now. I guess the excitement has passed. Tyler Jamison has just publicly come out of the closet to a room full of people, and no one seemed to mind.

“See how easy that was?” I say.

But he’s still tense, clearly prepared for the worst.

A gorgeous blonde girl with an obvious baby bump comes forward, her arms out to Tyler. There are tears in her blue-green eyes… eyes the same color as Tyler’s. She’s got to be the sister, Beth.

Tyler envelops the girl in his arms, hugging her carefully so as not to crush her belly. And then an older woman with long silver-blonde hair appears at their side. She looks just like the sister, only much older, probably in her sixties, although it’s hard to tell. She looks young to be Tyler’s mother. She has tears streaming down her pale, softly lined cheeks. As I watch the three of them hug, my throat tightens.

These two women are the people he loves most in the world. This is his family. And I desperately want to be part of that family.

“Mom, this is Ian,” Tyler says. And then to me, he says, “My mother, Ingrid, and my sister, Beth.”

Ingrid opens her arms to me and hugs me with all she’s got. I wrap my arms around her too, and we hold each other. She’s shaking.

When she pulls back, she smiles at me through her tears. “I’m so glad to finally meet you, Ian. Welcome.”

* * *

After meeting Tyler’s family, I shake hands with a steady stream of people who come up to greet us. The first one is Tyler’s brother-in-law, Shane. After that, I lose track of who’s who. But I do remember that most of them are named McIntyre.

After all the introductions, Tyler and I gravitate to the bar, where most of the guys are hanging out.

“See, you had nothing to worry about,” I whisper to Tyler, as a silver-haired fox standing behind the bar makes me a Cosmo.

Tyler leans close, his shoulder pressing against mine. To the gentleman behind the bar, he says, “This is Ian.” And to me, he says, “Ian, this is Daniel Cooper.”

Mr. Cooper gives me the once over, his sharp blue eyes missing nothing. For an older guy, he’s extremely well built—and hot.

“I’m Sam,” says a red head about my age. Sam offers me his hand, and as we shake, he winks at me. “We should double-date sometime.”

This one’s gay, no doubt about it. And if the slightly possessive looks the older guy is giving him are any indication, the silver-haired fox is too. This must be the couple Tyler’s sister and her husband live with.

The caterers announce that the food is ready, and folks meander over to the spread on the dining room table. And then, with plates of hot finger foods, the ladies congregate in the seating area, on two sofas and two stuffed armchairs. Besides Aiden and the little birthday boy, there are two infant girls being passed around.

Tyler’s sister joins us at the bar, her adorable baby boy perched on her hip.

And then Shane joins us, slipping his arm around Beth’s waist. The baby raises his arms to his daddy, squealing. “Da-da!”

Shane takes the baby in his arms. “So, Tyler.”

Tyler eyes Shane warily. “Yes?”

“I’m only going to say this once,” Shane says, raising a brow as he pins Tyler with a mock glare.

Beth laughs.

Tyler actually looks guilty. “All right, Shane, let’s hear it. Get it off