Jillian met Raelynn’s parents, Eddie and Amy Fitzgerald.Faith Fitzgerald and her husband Ken Lambert and their sons, Ronan and baby Lucas.Jillian finally realized why Estelle and Lex had kept mentioning Faith.She was family and a couture designer.Jillian appreciated the dress Estelle had given her even more.
Next was Ashley and Ron Noble, Ella’s parents, and their baby son Cian.Jillian wondered if it was spelled with a C like her brother’s name.Baron and Kara Fitzgerald had one son Neil, and Chase—Baron’s twin—and his wife Nikki, had the latest addition to the Fitzgerald family—eight-month-old daughter, Celeste.The only single Fitzgerald was Dean, a cousin from Montana, who’d traveled with Chase and his family.He had the Fitzgerald good looks and charm.But it turned out he wasn’t the only one unmarried when the group joined the rest of the family in the backyard.
Jillian worked hard to keep up with who was married to whom and their children when she met Lex’s other cousins, uncles, and aunts.Sean, Dean’s twin, was married to Ava and had two sons.There was Eddie’s father and his wife Iona and their younger daughter.Faith’s father and stepmother, both professors at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and their boys.A power couple, lawyers to the stars…
They were so many younger ones, some without children.Some had flown from Texas, Montana, and even San Diego.
“Aunt Viv and Aunt Siobhán won’t be here for a couple of hours,” Estelle said.
“See, that wasn’t bad,” Lex whispered.
“Do you do this every Sunday?Everyone comes from all over the country for a family dinner?”Jillian asked.
Lex chuckled.“No, everyothermonth.Today is different.”
“How?”
“They’re here to meet you,” he whispered.“You’ll meet the rest at our wedding next week.”
There were more of them?Jillian was impressed and a bit overwhelmed by his family.She wasn’t surprised to see serving bowls and trays from Eros.Deanna, the owner, was around too.Like before, she looked nervous.
For the next several hours, Jillian watched the Fitzgeralds mingle with each other.The men—even the older ones—were gifted with good looks and doted on their women.The Fitzgerald women knew how to pick them, too.Their husbands were all gorgeous.While the children splashed in water, the men played a game of basketball, and their women cheered.Lex’s skills were impressive, but his younger brothers kept ganging up on him and teasing him.
“He usually doesn’t play,” Jade explained.“He must be trying to impress you.”
“Jade!”Ashley said.“You’re terrible.Don’t listen to her, Jillian.Poor Lex tends to get the job of overseeing things.”
“Not that we don’t mind our men showing off their skills,” Faith piped in.
“Especially when they do it shirtless,” Kara said, eying her husband.
“And sweaty,” Amy added, blowing Eddie a kiss.
The women laughed, drawing the attention of the players.It was easy to see the striking resemblance between the Fitzgeralds.Jade and Ashley could pass for sisters, but Faith stood out.She was stunning.
“So when is the wedding?”Faith asked, and everyone focused on Jillian.
Jillian groaned.Lex should be answering this question.When they’d met with Father O’Malley a few days ago, he wanted to know why the rush, too.Lex had told the good father that they didn’t want to wait.
“Next weekend,” she said.
Their shocked expressions made her cringe.Eyes went to her stomach, and she knew what they were thinking—she was pregnant.She didn’t correct them, and they didn’t get a chance to say anything because two elderly women arrived and everyone’s attention shifted.
“Aunt Viv and Aunt Siobhán,” Ashley said and sighed.“Don’t let her scare you.”
“Her bark is worse than her bite,” Kara said.Nikki and Amy nodded.
“Her” was Aunt Viv.Lex had told Jillian all about his Aunt Vivian, the matriarch of the Fitzgerald family.She tended to ask personal and intrusive questions.Jillian had come prepared.
“So where is the woman who’s stolen Lex’s heart?”one of them asked, her voice carrying.Jillian concluded she was Aunt Viv.
Lex left the game to introduce Jillian to his aunts.Siobhán was sweet and welcomed her to the family.Aunt Viv, on the other hand, studied Jillian as one would a bike she was about to purchase.Jillian was sure she noted everything about her.Something about her reminded Jillian of her Armenian grandmother.
Then the question Jillian had been expecting and dreading followed.“Who are your people, Ms.Finnegan?”
“Aunt Viv,” Lex warned.
“It’s a reasonable enough question, Lex.Quit hovering.Go back to your game.Sit down, Ms.Finnegan.”
