“Are you sure we have to do this?” Cormac stares at his family’s house over his steering wheel and doesn’t move to get out of the car.
“Your mother invited us.”
“She’s been inviting me to dinner for years.” He glances at me, frowning. “I never go.”
“And now you’re married to me.” I push him gently toward the door. “Besides, your mother’s terrifying.”
“I’m worse.”
“Honestly? I’m not so sure about that.”
He tightens his grip. “I don’t know why it bothers me so much,” he says, voice soft and strained.
“I don’t either.” I lean in and put a hand on his leg. “Why don’t you try to explain it?”
“They’re just all so…” He trails off and shakes his head. “Normal.”
I burst out laughing. That’s probably not the right reaction, but my god, this man is totally clueless. He glares at me, almost snarling, and I have to touch his cheek and kiss him to calm him down.
“Cormac, your family isn’t even remotely normal. Are you kidding me?”
“Finn’s a good person. Seamus has a thousand friends. Declan’s going to take over the clan one day. They can express themselves properly. They can walk into a room and fit in.”
“I don’t know aboutfitting inexactly, but I hear what you’re saying.”
“I’ve always been the strange one, ever since we were young. Mother did her best to protect me from the world, or maybe she was protecting the world from me, but either way, I always knew. I’m the outsider.”
“Are you sure about that?”
He looks over, head cocked. “I’m positive.”
“Could it be that youfeellike the outsider? More than you actually are?”
There’s a brief hesitation. “Definitely not.”
This guy. Definitely clueless.
“Maybe you should worry less about fitting in and more about being there?”
“I don’t worry about that.”
“Sounds like you do.”
He grunts and shoves his door open suddenly. “Damn it to hell, it’s just dinner.”
“Exactly!” I say brightly, following after him. “It’s just dinner!”
He looks like we’re marching to a funeral as we head into the house together. The smell of cooking hits me right away, savory and intense. There’s some spice, some earthy florals, and a bit of roasting chicken.
His family’s gathered together in the kitchen. There are open bottles of wine on the table. His father’s standing near the table with his older brother, Declan, while his mother’s talking with Seamus and Finn. A chef’s busy preparing the meal, an older woman with gray hair and an easy smile.
Everyone looks over when we step into the room. There’s a surprised beat before Siobhan gracefully comes over and welcomes us. She kisses my cheek and lingers briefly. “I don’t know how you got him here, but good job,” she whispers before hugging her son.
“Welcome to the family,” Finn says, grinning. “Good to see you outside of work.”
“You too.”
Seamus comes over and gives me a glass of wine. "You’re still alive, that’s a good sign. Normally, Cormac’s girlfriends are dead by now.” He grins at my horrified expression. “Relax, I’m kidding.”
