Her mom helps her up, and they walk toward the back where the bathrooms are.
“Your shop is so gorgeous,” Maya says while glancing around. “It looks so much bigger than in your TikTok videos.”
“You watch my TikTok videos?” I ask, hoping I don’t sound as panicked as I feel. Just the thought of Gage’s family seeing the sexy things I’ve posted has my stomach churning. I’m not ashamed of how I’ve chosen to take a sexier turn with my business’s social media platform, but I don’t want my boyfriend’s family to watch it. That’s almost as bad as if my parents saw it.
Maya chuckles. “Don’t worry, I only watched a few of your videos from before Gage started filming videos with you.” She grimaces. “I don’t even watch the videos on his TikTok account. I love my brother, but I’d vomit if I had to see him do sexy stuff.”
I wince and chuckle. “Totally get it. And thank you a million times over for not watching our videos together.”
We laugh. Gage walks over and slinks his arm around my waist, pulling me close.
He kisses my cheek. “Let me guess. My sister’s telling embarrassing stories about me.”
Maya sticks out her tongue at her brother. “Not yet. But I will soon.” She looks at me. “Remind me to tell you about the time Gage pretended to be sick so he could stay home from school and watchThe Young and The Restless.”
I laugh. “Oh my gosh, is that true?” I ask Gage. His cheeks are fire engine red.
“It’s absolutely true,” Maya says with a laugh.
He rolls his eyes, a flustered smile tugging at his lips. “I don’t remember that. I must have been really little.”
Maya’s head falls back as she laughs. “You were in middle school.”
I hunch over and cover my mouth, I’m laughing so hard.
Gage gives his sister a light shove on the arm. One of their relatives calls Maya’s name, and she walks over to them.
Gage hugs me against him. “See? Told you my family would love you. My sister likes you enough to tell you embarrassing stories about me. And my mom is impressed that you own such a successful business.”
I’m warm from the inside out. Gage’s family has been so kind and gracious since the moment they all arrived. They treated me like family the moment they met me, hugging me, telling me how beautiful my ice cream shop is, and asking to buy ice cream to take home with them. His mom even brought me a massive bouquet of flowers as a thank-you for hosting Millie’s shower at the last minute.
As I glance around the room at everyone chatting and laughing and enjoying themselves, my chest swells. Gage’s family is so full of joy and love. It would be amazing to be part of a family like this someday.
I look at Gage, my heart thudding. After a second, I have to look away. This surge of emotion inside of me feels so raw.
I know this feeling. I’m starting to fall in love with Gage.
I also know it’s fast. I’ve never fallen this hard, this quickly for someone before. That’s why I take a second to collect myself before looking at him again. He’d probably freak out if I told him how I felt about him.
“Can you believe that a couple of months ago we met because I slid into your DMs, asking you to help me film sexy TikToks? And now I’m meeting your family,” I say. I’m relieved at how casual and light I manage to sound.
He chuckles and cups my face in his palm. “It’s a wild turn of events for sure.” He hugs me tighter against him. “I’m one lucky bastard to have met you.”
He dusts a light kiss against my lips. All of my insides tingle and throb.
“Sorry to interrupt you two love birds,” Tyler says as he walks up to us and turns to Gage. “Auntie Ida and Uncle Sonny are taking off. So is Auntie Berta, and she needs help taking the party favors to her car.”
“People are leaving?” I ask.
“Yeah, I think we’ll start winding down. Millie mentioned she’s feeling tired too,” Tyler says.
“No problem,” Gage says. “I’ll help load her gifts into her car.”
Tyler pats my shoulder. “Thanks again for everything, Becca. You saved the day.”
“It was nothing. I loved doing it.”
“It was everything,” Gage says before kissing my cheek.
