“Yeah. He’s going to reach out, and he passed his name to a few other programs.”
Wow. He’d really followed through. I was impressed.
I hadn’t realized he’d made the call.
“So, Lincoln, I don’t know a whole lot about you outside of being a football star,” my mother said as she scooped some salad onto her plate. “Are you married or dating?”
Leave it to my parents to make things completely awkward.
“Mom,” I groaned. “We work together. That’s not something you should ask.”
Everyone chuckled, and my mom smiled at me.
“Brinks,” she mimicked me, and there was more laughter. “You spend every day with this man, you just flew across the country with him, and he’s at our home for dinner. This is called small talk, my love.”
“Grammie loves small talk,” Gracie sang out, and I sighed.
“Actually, Alana, it’s funny you should ask. I’m not married, but I am trying to date your daughter. She’s just putting up a big fight because she’s a bit stubborn, which I’m guessing isn’t news to any of you?”
No. He. Didn’t.
The table was silent as they all tried to hide their smiles, which was not the norm for a Reynolds’ family dinner. My eyes probably doubled in size as I gaped at him.
“She is painfully stubborn. I couldn’t agree more,” Cage said, breaking the silence. “But if you do win her over, do we get season tickets for life?”
Hugh and Finn laughed, and I rolled my eyes.
“Maddox already got you all season tickets, so don’t be pimping me out,” I hissed.
“What does pimping mean?” Gracie asked.
Damn it. I couldn’t even have a meltdown without feeling like an asshole.
“I’d be happy to answer this one,” Wyle said, and the entire table turned and shouted the word: No.
More laughter.
“It’s an adult word,” Cage said, shooting me a look. “One your auntie shouldn’t be using. And thank you, Maddox, for the tickets, and Lincoln, whatever perks dating our sister gets us, I’d be down for.”
My hands came down on the table hard, and I shook my head. “You are all a bunch of traitors.”
“Hey, we love you. We just really love Lincoln,” Finn said before chomping down on his corn on the cob.
“You all have been a lot easier to win over than this one.” Lincoln flicked his thumb at me before reaching for his glass of wine.
“She’s never been easy,” Cage said, shaking his head. “The girl has exhausted me most of my life. The other three—piece of cake.”
Everyone at the table lost it as Finn threw his hands in the air. “Hey. We have names. We may be easy, but we have feelings, too.”
“Um, I was called ‘this one’，” I said, elbowing Lincoln in the arm. “And you were far from easy yourself, Cage.”
“All right. Let’s relax,” my father said while still trying to pull himself together.
“Easy or strong or difficult or hilarious… we love you all the same.”
“Wait. What does that mean?” I asked, because not one single person had yet to say that I wasn’t exhausting. “Mom, am I exhausting?”
“Honey. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
“I think that says it all,” Finn said with a wide grin on his face.
“Whatever. You can all side with the football god over here. But I’ve had more successful relationships than he has.”
“I think Mom is best equipped for this one.” Georgia winked. “Lincoln, did you know our mom was a therapist?”
“Yes. Brinkley did tell me that. So, let’s hear it, Alana. Why won’t she date me?”
“I am going to torture you slowly when we leave here,” I whisper-hissed in Lincoln’s ear, and he turned and waggled his brows.
“I’m looking forward to it, sweetheart,” he said, close to my ear.
“So, obviously I don’t know Lincoln’s dating past, but I know Brinkley’s. Three serious relationships. Not one of them was someone any of us thought you’d wind up with. They were all—hmmm… mild in personality.”
“Interesting.” Lincoln chuckled. “I’m guessing she had a lot of control over those relationships. Not a lot of risk there.”
“Bingo,” my mother said.
What the hell was this?
“Are you kidding me right now? Okay, let’s hear it. How many long-lasting relationships have you had, Lincoln Hendrix?” I raised a brow.
“Well, I had a high school girlfriend for two years, and we broke up when we went to college.”
“Let me guess. You became the big man on campus and kicked little small-town Suzie to the curb?”
“Wrong. I went to a small college and hardly anyone knew my name. My girlfriend’s name was not Suzie—her name was Lucy—and she fell in love with her college professor and ended things with me.”
“What a little tartlet,” Georgia said, and everyone laughed.
“It’s fine. The relationship had run its course. I think she married the dude and has a kid or two now. All worked out well.”
“Next?” I asked, arms folded over my chest.
“I transferred to Alabama and met Barbie. We dated for almost a year. She wanted to get married and have kids, and I didn’t. So, she gave me an ultimatum, and I walked away.”
“See? Afraid of commitment.” I glanced around the table, looking for people to back me.
“I was twenty years old. Marriage and kids were not on my radar. I was honest. She was honest. No one got hurt.”
“I mean, I get that. I hardly think anyone at this table wanted to get married when they were twenty years old,” Cage said, obviously siding with Lincoln. “Continue, Linc.”
Linc?
My brother didn’t use nicknames for anyone but his daughter and his siblings.
Clearly, Lincoln had won the man over.
“I got drafted right out of college, and my focus was football.” He glanced at me. “I’ve had two girlfriends over the last seven years. Neither lasted more than a year. Lynette couldn’t handle the fact that I traveled so much. She was jealous, and my lifestyle was too much for her. Jaqueline was an actress who wanted her ten minutes of fame and sold a story about my mother to the tabloids, and she was also unfaithful. So, I’ve remained single because it’s easier. And God knows that Brinkley isn’t easy, but for whatever reason, I just don’t care. It doesn’t scare me.” He turned toward me. “You don’t scare me, Brinkley Reynolds.”
“Wow. She scares everyone. This is a first,” Finn said, and Cage agreed.
“Auntie Brinks doesn’t scare me either, Links. Hey, Links and Brinks. That’s a rhyme, Daddy.”
Everyone laughed, but I just stared at the man beside me. “Aren’t you always closed off and guarded? What’s with all the confessions tonight?”
“I like you, and I like your family. Deal with it. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I think he wins this one, honey,” my mother said.
“I say we keep him,” Wyle said, and everyone cheered.