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She stepped closer and gently shook the wrinkled but surprisingly strong hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Mrs. Henderson. Doug has told me so much about you.”

“All good, I hope.”

“Oh, yes. I promise it was all good.”

The woman nodded her approval before her son cupped her elbow and cocked his head toward the three couples.

“Jenn, these are my daughters and their husbands.” Owen pointed at each person as he introduced them.

“Grace and Julian Stoll, Lila and Christopher Yearwood, and Rowan and Wesley Gannon. The grandkids are playing in the backyard—all six of them. We’ll introduce them to you later after they’ve burned off some of their rambunctious energy. ”

Doug’s sisters and brothers-in-law exchanged greetings with her before Julian took the bakery box from Owen. “I’ll put this in the kitchen, Pops. Have a seat, Jenn. Can I get you something to drink?”

Glancing around, she noticed all the women, except a heavily pregnant Rowan, had glasses of wine, while the men held bottles of beer. “Um. If there’s more white wine, I’d love a glass, please.” It would help settle her nerves.

“You’ve got it.” He glanced over her shoulder. “Hey, Doug. Let me take that box from you too. I’ll grab you a beer.”

“Thanks, Jules,” Doug responded, moving to stand beside Jenn. After his mother joined them, he gestured for Jenn to sit on a loveseat, then perched beside her as his family settled onto a long couch and several chairs around the large, but comfortable, room.

“So, Jenn,” Lila started. “Tell us how you finally got my little brother to commit to the point he brought you to meet us. He’s never done that before—not even in high school.

I was starting to think he was in the closet or he’d be a hopeless bachelor for life—not that there is anything wrong with either of those. ”

She tittered nervously and blushed. “Would you believe me if I said it took a few years to break down his walls?”

“I can absolutely believe that. He can be a stubborn schmuck at times.”

“Hey!” Doug cried. “No picking on me. You did that enough when we were kids.”

“That’s what big sisters are for!”

“Well, all I can say is it’s about time,” Ellie chimed in.

“And from what Doug told me about you, Jenn, I think he found a winner. I couldn’t believe it when he explained what happened to you in South America during that earthquake.

I would’ve hopped on the next plane out of there, but you insisted on staying. You’re a brave woman.”

“What happened?” Jules asked as he returned, handing Jenn and Doug their drinks. “I only heard you were both in Colombia when the earthquake hit, but didn’t someone mention something about a landslide too?”

Jenn nodded. “Yes. And neither of those things were on my bingo card for that trip or even in my lifetime.”

Everyone laughed, then asked for details, which she and Doug supplied while keeping the private, intimate moments to themselves.

After an hour of chatting, appetizers, drinks, and football on the TV in the den, Ellie announced that dinner was ready.

By then, Jenn felt much more at ease with Doug’s family.

They’d briefly stepped outside to the fenced-in backyard so she could meet his nieces and nephews, ages four through thirteen.

The adults took turns checking on them every five or ten minutes, while Lila’s oldest girl, Emma, kept an eye on them until it was time to come inside.

The meal was delicious, and Ellie beamed when Jenn asked for the recipe for the pot roast she’d made.

Everyone, especially Nana and the children, enjoyed the treats from Fancy’s bakery, and Rowan commented she would love to check out the cakes there when it was time for her baby’s christening.

Jenn wrote down the business’s name and address for her.

“Just tell Fancy I sent you. She’s married to one of my uncles and is one of the sweetest women I know.

Her cake designs are amazing. I’m always in awe of her talent. ”

Earlier, she told Doug’s family that her parents died—omitting that they were murdered—when she was seventeen, how her godfather had taken her in, and how her “uncles” were men who’d served closely with her dad.

The group had been sympathetic and, thankfully, hadn’t asked too many invasive questions.

When Lila asked how her folks died, before Jenn could answer, Doug simply said it was an accident and subtly steered the conversation in another direction.

Under the table, he’d squeezed Jenn’s thigh, silently telling her that he knew she was reluctant to talk about it, and she was grateful he’d read her body language correctly.

Since the first night they’d made love, they seemed to grow more in tune with each other as the days and weeks passed.

Someday, she might fill his family in on the morbid details, but for now, they seemed content with what they knew.

Everyone but his parents and Nana was surprised to learn that Jenn was the asset Doug had been protecting when he got shot.

Though the revelation sparked more questions, it was Ellie who shifted the subject, offering Jenn a knowing look that showed she understood the younger woman wasn’t ready to talk about the painful incident.

His mother probably also didn’t want to relive the horror of almost losing her only son.

By the time the sun went down, they were all stuffed and exhausted.

When it was time to say goodbye, his sisters invited Jenn to join them for lunch one day soon, and Nana told Doug to bring Jenn the next time he visited her at the assisted living facility.

Ellie said she expected Jenn to attend the family’s next Sunday dinner in two weeks.

No one had questioned the age gap between her and Doug, nor did they give any indication they weren’t happy for the couple.

Everyone had been pleasant, making her feel welcome and accepted.

Relief that all had gone well warmed over Jenn as she climbed up onto the passenger seat of Doug’s truck. After shutting her door, he circled the vehicle and got in. Before starting the engine, he leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. “They loved you.”

“Really?”

“Mmm-hmm. My sisters don’t invite just anyone to join their lunch dates. My dad and brothers-in-law all said I was a lucky man. And my mom and my grandma both pulled me aside a little while ago and told me to hold onto you with both hands.”

She sagged into the seat. “Oh, thank God.”

He chuckled and started the engine. “I told you there was nothing to worry about today. Now, when it’s time for your family to meet mine— yyyyeah , that’s when we should both start to worry.”

“Why?”

“Um...have you met your uncles?”

She stared at him, wide-eyed. “Oh, shit. You’re right.”