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“He really does talk too much, doesn’t he?” Courtney says, eyeing Jackson. Somehow, I don’t doubt the Einstein comment, considering she’s best friends with Viola and they both graduated with high honors.

“Don’t make me tell him embarrassing stories about you,” he warns, and she quickly stops talking.

“Not going to call his bluff?” I laugh.

“Hell no, she won’t! I got too much dirt on her,” Jackson says.

In the distance, I see a large, two-story farmhouse with a big porch wrapped around the front. Beside the house is a red barn and I feel like we’re driving up to a movie set. Cars and trucks, all covered in dust, are sitting in the large circle driveway.

“Looks like Mom did invite everyone,” Jackson says with a sneaky smile on his face.

“Fuck!” Courtney whispers.

“I’m tellin’ mom you’re cussing. Hopefully, she’ll wash that mouth out with soap,” Jackson says as he puts the truck in park.

“I want to punch him,” Courtney says between gritted teeth, and all I can do is laugh.

Jackson turns around with his arm stretched out on the seat wearing a big cheesy grin. “But she knows I’ll punch her back. She swings like a man.”

As if the entire family heard the truck pull up, they start rushing out of the house to see Courtney. She can’t even grab her bag before they take turns pulling her into their arms. She has to tell each and every one of them hi, introduce me, and we all exchange hugs, hellos, and howdys. I feel like I’m back at Viola’s wedding, but this is just a typical get-together in Courtney’s family.

Most of them have sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. The older women wear their hair big, like the Texans on television shows, and a few of the men have on cowboy hats and boots. Some of their accents are so thick, I can’t understand a damn word they say so I just nod and smile. They all walk inside and Courtney grabs my hand and leads me back to the truck so we can grab our bags.

“I’m fixin’ to scream. I don’t want to entertain anyone. And I’m warning you, they ask stupid questions.”

“You’ve given me a lot of warnings today,” I tease. I grab her face between my hands and place a soft kiss on her lips. She sighs and slightly relaxes. “I’m having a good time already. But you Texans are weird.”

Finally, she laughs, and we walk down the sidewalk, up the porch, and into the house. They’re all loud, and I don’t think one of them talks at a level lower than a ten.

Jackson walks up to me and Court and gives Courtney a big hug. “I missed you so much.”

“John. This is Drew, my boyfriend,” she says confidently once he releases her.

“John?” I ask, really confused now.

“Oh,” she says with a laugh. “This is John, Jackson’s identical twin. He’s the nice one, though. That’s the only way to tell them apart these days.”

“I’m better looking than him,” he laughs. John gives me a handshake and doesn’t try to break my fingers, and already I like him, but it’s going to be hard as hell to tell them apart.

Their mom rounds the corner from the kitchen and pulls Courtney into her arms.

“Mom! I missed you.”

They are spitting images of one another all the way down to the frilly apron she has on. She gives me a big smile. “And you must be Drew Fisher.”

I hold out my hand to give her a handshake, and she pulls me into her arms. “We’re huggers ‘round here, son. So nice to meet you finally. I’m Rose, but you can call me Mom or Mama Rose—whatever you’d like,” she says genuinely with a Southern twang.

Another one of her brothers comes around the corner with a bowl of potato salad in his hand. He’s muscular and tall too, and still has that Bishop look, but I can tell he’s older than me by a few years. He walks past us without saying a word.

“Evan, come here,” Rose says, and he immediately turns around. “Meet Drew, your sister’s boyfriend.”

He wraps his big arm around the bowl and stretches his hand out with a smile. “Nice to meet you, Fisher. Hurt my sister, and I’ll drive to Cali and break your neck.”

Rose glares at him. “And I’m going to break your neck if you don’t show some manners.”

“Evan!” Courtney hisses.

“I’m just kiddin’,” he says, but when he looks into my eyes, I know for a fact he’s not, but I smile anyway.

“Don’t plan on it. But nice to meet you, too.”

He nods and walks into the dining room.

“Well, I’m fixin’ to pull the gumbo off the stove in about ten minutes if you want to get everyone together,” Rose says to Courtney.

“I need to go upstairs and put my things away, please,” she tells her mom.