Page 31

Tori tucked her phone away and looked out the window again, the tension in her shoulders slowly easing.
“I’m just…nervous, I guess,” Tori admitted.
“About meeting my family?” I reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Maybe,” she admitted, tracing her finger along the seam of her jeans. “You know, this feels…big.”
It did feel big. And a part of me wondered if this was all too soon. But the thought faded as quickly as it came.
This was Tori, and I wanted her here with me, wanted my family to know her.
The way her fingers slipped into mine and held on reassured me.
“Just be yourself,” I said. “They’re going to love you.”
The lake house appeared in the distance.
It was nestled against the water, surrounded by pines and maple trees that painted the shoreline in shades of gold and red.
I watched her eyes widen a little as we pulled in.
Tori swept her gaze over the sprawling two-story cabin that had seen generations of memories.
As we parked, my brothers Christian and Keir were already waiting outside, leaning against the porch railing.
Lacey, my younger sister, came out next, wearing one of Tori’s dresses from the boutique, the vibrant color standing out against the rustic woods.
“Hey!” Lacey waved, jogging down the steps to meet us as we climbed out of the car.
She didn’t wait for introductions, her eyes lighting up as she took Tori’s hand and pulled her into a warm hug.
“You’re Tori! Cole’s never brought anyone home before. Not like this, at least,” Lacey said.
“Lacey, chill,” I said, rolling my eyes.
But Lacey just grinned, giving Tori a nudge.
“Nice to meet you, Lacey,” Tori replied, laughing, though I could tell she was a little taken aback by the warm welcome.
My dad, Maxwell, walked out then, his usual serious expression softening as he approached.
“Cole,” he nodded at me, his gaze shifting to Tori. “And you must be Tori.”
She nodded, her voice quiet but steady as she introduced herself, and he shook her hand with a reserved but respectful smile.
Dad had always been the strong, silent type, especially since Mom passed away when we much younger.
But I could tell by the way he looked at her that he approved.
Christian and Keir, on the other hand, kept their cool as they exchanged introductions with Tori.
But I didn’t miss the way Christian’s gaze lingered just a bit longer, clearly curious about her.
“You’re the woman behind Lacey’s new favorite wardrobe?” Christian asked, his brows raised as he gave Lacey a teasing nudge.
“I don’t think I’ve seen her wear anything else since she started shopping there,” Christian added.
“Guilty,” Tori said with a grin. “But she makes everything look amazing, so I can’t take all the credit.”