Page 84 of From the Start

I kiss Mom’s cheek. “Mom, Stuart, this is Harper and her dad, Henry.”

“Thank you for inviting us,” Harper says. “I’m sorry I’m arriving empty handed – I do know better – but Kai insisted you had everything covered.”

“You’ll thank me later. She wanted to bring homemade coleslaw.”

She elbows me. “You did not just tell your mom, who I met three seconds ago I’m an awful cook.”

“It’s not a lie,” Henry says. “She can ruin a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

Harper fists her hands on her hips. “I guess you’ll be making your own food from now on. Oh wait. You can’t because you broke your arm being foolish.”

“It’s not foolish to not want to be a burden.”

“Dad, you’re not a burden.”

“Which is why you have your first boyfriend at the age of thirty-two.”

Harper’s cheeks darken as she glares at her dad. “Kai is not my first boyfriend.”

“First one I’ve met.”

I throw my arm around her shoulders. “At least you’re admitting I’m your boyfriend.”

“You’re not…” She blows out a breath. “Whatever.”

Mom smiles at us. “I’m happy for you, Kai. I admit I was a bit worried when I found out my baby boy is dating a woman eight years his senior, but you two are perfect for each other.”

“I’ve been trying to tell her as much for months but she wouldn’t give me a chance until recently.”

Mom nods in approval at Harper. “Good. Things come too easily to Kai. He needs a woman who challenges him.”

“If everyone is done approving my daughter, who is a pain in my ass but deserves the best in life, I’m hungry.”

Harper rolls her eyes at her dad. “Of course, you are.”

She starts pushing him toward the tables and chairs set up next to the outdoor kitchen, but Stuart nudges her out of the way.

“I’ve got this. Henry and I will get better acquainted.”

“As long as acquainted comes with potato salad and a hamburger, I’m in.”

Zane saunters toward us. “Did someone say potato salad?”

“Zane, this is my dad, Henry,” Harper introduces. “Dad, this is one of Kai’s brothers. He has five.”

Henry’s eyes widen. “Six children? All boys? I could barely handle one daughter.”

“Dad,” Harper grumbles. “I was a perfectly pleasant daughter.”

He points at her with his broken arm. “The police brought you home after you got caught sneaking out ofRumrunner.”

Zane rubs his hands together. “Excellent. Henry can tell us all about Harper when she was young. I need some blackmail material for the next time she cuts off my drinking at the bar.”

Harper glares at him. “If I cut you off, I cut you off.”

“I thought your employees were kidding about the Siren’s Scowl. They were not.” Zane shivers.

“No giving my daughter a hard time at the bar,” Henry orders.