Mine to Take (Southern Weddings #5)(63)

My father just looks at the hand and then looks at him. “Reed Barnes, if you know what is good for you.” My mother glares at him. “You will remember this is your daughter’s house and he is…” She trails off.

“The one she goes to bed with every night,” my grandmother pipes up, and I close my eyes to stop the embarrassment from filling my face, but I suddenly feel the heat rise to my cheeks.

“Now, you two”—her voice gets tight—“you better be on your best behavior.” I look over at her and she is glaring at my father and grandfather. “Or else.”

I don’t have a chance to say anything else because I hear the sound of doors closing. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight—all like clockwork. “What the—” My father looks over his shoulder.

“My family,” Matthew says, and I put my hand to my stomach to make the nerves go away. Matthew sees it and comes over to me. He grabs my face in his hands. “They are going to love you.” He kisses my lips.

My grandmother and mother smile at Matthew while my father pffts again. “Of course they are going to love her. What is not to love?”

“Hello.” I hear a man’s voice and look over to the front door, seeing Matthew’s dad. “You must be Sofia’s dad.” He walks to my father and holds out his hand. I am not going to lie, I stand here with bated breath, wondering if my father is going to pull something but he extends his hand to Viktor.

“Nice to meet you,” he mumbles, “this is my father.” He looks over to my grandfather. “Casey.”

Viktor extends his hand to my grandfather. “Pleasure,” he says to him. “These are my brothers-in-law Matthew, Max, and Evan.”

“Gentlemen,” his uncle Matthew says, extending his hand, “great to meet you.”

“Hello.” My grandmother walks to the front door. “I’m Olivia, please ignore my husband and son, they seem to have forgotten their manners.” She forces a smile at them. “Come in.”

I slip my hand in Matthew’s as I wait for them to walk in. “Sofia,” Viktor says, coming over and giving me a big hug, “so nice to see you again.” Very different from how my family treated Matthew, which will be discussed when we aren’t in front of so many people.

I drop Matthew’s hand to hug him, and he moves aside as Matthew’s mother comes to me. “Hi,” she says and she looks like she’s blinking away tears, “you are beautiful as always.” She takes me in her arms and hugs me. “Do you remember Karrie, who is married to Matthew senior?”

“Did you just call him senior?” Max says, laughing and shaking his head. “That’s a new one. I think we should put that on your business card.” Matthew glares over at him.

“Allison is married to Max, and Zara is married to Evan.” I nod at the woman, and by the time the introductions are done with all the women, I’m ready for a nice stiff drink.

“Shall we go into…” I start to say and then look at the number of people in my home. “I want to say kitchen but I don’t think it’s big enough for all of us.”

“Oh, please,” Allison says, “we are used to too many people and small spaces.” She looks around the house. “You have a lovely home.”

“Did you guys know they are living together?” my father asks, and my eyes go big. I silently look around, hoping the ground opens up and swallows me whole.

“What?” his uncle Matthew gasps. “You can’t live with her.” He looks over at Matthew. “You have to marry her.” He shakes his head. “Did we not teach you anything?” he mumbles.

“Oh, here we go,” I hear Zoe say, then she looks over at my mother and grandmother. “I apologize for anything that my brother, husband, or brother-in-law says.”

“Same,” my mother says to her.

“I guess this settles it,” my grandfather says, standing next to Uncle Matthew, “you can’t live with each other.”

“That settles nothing.” Matthew puts his hands on his hips and looks over at my grandfather and his uncle. “I’m buying us a house, and we are moving into it, married or not married.”

“Buying a house?” my father questions. “She has a house, this one.”

“But it’s not our house.” I stand next to Matthew, a united front. “So we are getting our house and—”

“And,” his uncle Matthew says, “getting married.”

“What is it with you and getting married?” Zara asks him. “It’s the twentieth century.”

“Shall we move to the kitchen?” my mother suggests. “I brought some sweets,” she says, then looks at my father. “Can you go get them?”

“My mother is the owner of Hazel’s Sweets,” I say and the women all gasp.

“I’m obsessed with the lemon cranberry scones,” Zoe declares.

“Well, you’re in luck. I brought extra,” my mother says and then looks over at the guys. “Why are we all standing here watching?” She looks at my father and then my grandfather.

“Do you want me to tell Charlotte how we behaved today?” my grandmother Olivia threatens them. “Perhaps we can FaceTime her on that shiny new iPad you got her.” They look at each other before turning to walk out of the house.