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Chapter twenty-nine

Rhett

I’ve known the Yamaki family for years. They’re great. They love me.

So why the hell does my stomach start to twist up in knots tighter than the fly fishing lures my grandpa taught me to tie as soon as our plane touches down in Toronto?

It’s probably because of the way my best friend keeps looking at me and laughing under his breath.

“Kai. Stop it,” Evie chides when he does it again as we’re walking to the baggage carousel. “You’re acting like Rhett’s about to walk the plank.”

Yami just shrugs and gives an unrepentant smirk. “Mom and Dad like him well enough as my best friend. But as your boyfriend? That’s different, Gigi, and you know it. You’ve never brought a guy home. I’m just looking forward to the show.” He mimes eating popcorn as Evie shoves him.

I try not to clench my jaw too tightly as I walk on ahead. This is gonna be fine. All I have to do is be my usual polite, charming, respectful self with their parents, and there won’t be a problem.

And try not to be too obvious about how much I want to fuck their daughter every waking second of my goddamn life .

Outside the airport, Evie and Yami’s dad Kenji is waiting for us.

“Dad!” Evie cries, abandoning her suitcase and running into her father’s arms. “I didn’t expect you to be here. How’s Oba-chan? Can we see her today?”

“Slow down, Evangeline. She’s doing better.” Kenji hugs his daughter tight, giving Yami and me a smile over her shoulder. He looks tired but happy to see his kids. “Your grandmother is the one who kicked me out and told me to come and get you.” He releases Evie and pulls Yami in for a shorter hug before turning to me with an outstretched hand. “I didn’t realize I was picking up three of you. Hello, Rhett. It’s good to see you.”

“You as well, Ken. I’m sorry to hear about your mother.”

He gives me a firm shake. “Thank you. It was kind of you to accompany Kai.”

There it is. I expected Evie’s family to assume I was there for Yami. But somehow I never thought through how to answer this kind of question. My gaze darts over to Evie, but she’s just staring wide-eyed back at me.

Shit.

How did we not figure this out on the plane ride over?

“Nah, Dad, get this: Rhett and Evie started dating this summer.” Yami slings his arm over my shoulder. “It’s cool, I’m keeping an eye on them. But yeah, he’s here for her.” He juts his chin at his sister before dropping his arm.

Evie’s father looks at me, and thankfully, there’s no judgment on his face, only curiosity. “I see. This is quite the development.”

“Dad,” Evie finally says, moving to stand beside me and slipping her hand in mine. “Don’t be weird about this, okay? ”

His face softens into a loving smile for his daughter and I feel my chest relax. “Sorry, Evangeline. You just took me by surprise.” He turns to me and nods. “Rhett. You’re a good man. Thank you for being here.”

That’s all he says before turning and leading us to the car. I shoot a glare at Yami, who mouths, you’re welcome with a smirk.

I stay quiet for the drive back to the Yamaki house, letting Evie and her brother chat with their dad. Evie’s hand is on my leg, but after I catch her father looking at us in the rearview mirror, I refrain from putting mine on hers.

I’m relieved she seems okay with being affectionate in front of her family, but I’ll be damned if I mess things up in any way. She’s gonna have to take the lead, and I’ll follow when it comes to how we interact.

I’d rather die than lose the respect of her family, or worse, have them disapprove of our being together.

When we reach the house, I get out of the car after Evie. “I’ll grab the bags, you go see your family,” I say, giving her hand a squeeze. She smiles and goes with her brother and dad to the house. Truthfully, I’m happy to have a couple of minutes to myself.

My decision to come to Ontario was impulsive, and incredibly last minute. I had to scramble to get Monty and Lark to look after Ruthie, struggle through trying to book a ticket online, pack a bag, and hustle my ass to the airport.

I don’t regret my decision. Not for one goddamn second. But I am wishing I’d had a chance to think it through. To maybe talk to Evie about how to handle this. Because I’m realizing now that I threw her a massive curveball when it comes to telling her entire family about us. And we had no chance to talk about it on the plane with Yami sitting right beside us.

By the time I get inside, Evie is standing in the living room with her two older sisters, Josephine and Vivienne. Seeing the three of them together, despite their similarly old-fashioned names, courtesy of their mother’s love for historical fiction, they couldn’t appear more different.

Where Evie smiles easily, and has a wide-open heart, I’ve always found the older Yamaki girls to be a lot more reserved.

They turn to me, and judging by Evie’s hesitant smile, she told them about our relationship. Josephine approaches and gives me a perfunctory hug. “Hi, Rhett. Good to see you.”

“Thanks,” I say. “I’m sorry it’s not under better circumstances.”

She gives me a nod and steps aside to follow her father into the kitchen. I look at Vivienne, who’s still standing next to Evie with her arms folded across her chest and a slight frown on her face.

“Vivienne,” I say with a nod of my head, unsure how to proceed. We’ve never had an issue with each other, but I also can’t say I know her very well.

“Rhett,” she says. And that’s it. She turns and follows her sister to the kitchen. Evie watches her go, her brows furrowed, as I make my way to her side.

“That was weird,” she says, leaning into my side. “I guess we took them by surprise.”

“About that,” I say, running my hands up and down her arms. “I’m sorry for springing this on you so last minute. I wasn’t planning on coming, but when you left and you said you wanted me…” I trail off, my hands stilling. “Well, I guess I didn’t really think it through. I just wanted to be here for you.”

Evie turns in my arms and flings her arms around my neck. “I’m so happy you’re here. Honestly.”

Relief courses through me. Thank fuck.

“Evangeline, we’re going to head to the hospital now. Your grandmother is waiting to see you.”

I drop my arms and step back quickly at the sound of Kenji’s voice, but he doesn’t seem angry to walk in and see us embracing.

“Okay, Dad.” She looks up at me. “Will you be okay here?”

I nod. “Of course. I’ll head out for a run or hit the gym down the street. Go, take your time with your grandmother.”

She flashes me a quick smile, and I start to lean down to kiss her lips before pausing, fully aware her father and now her sisters are all in the room with us. I change trajectories and press a very short kiss to her cheek instead.

Kenji nods at me. “There’s a spare key in the kitchen, lock up when you leave.”

“Will do,” I say, grateful for the offer and the trust that comes so easily from this family.

After the Yamakis all leave, I exhale in the quiet. Everything is feeling a hell of a lot more real now that our relationship is out in the open. And with that comes the pressure I can feel building in my chest. In some ways, it felt like there was less at stake when it was just sex. Now, there’s feelings involved. And not just mine and Evie’s, but the team and her family.

I make my feet move to carry me down the hall toward the stairs that lead to the second floor. I’ve walked up these stairs countless times during offseason trips with Yami to visit his family. I follow the usual path to his bedroom that was converted into a guest room with two twin beds. I know without even looking that the girls’ rooms were converted into a sewing room and another guest room with a queen bed.

Family photos line the hall, and even though I’ve seen them before, I catch myself looking at them differently now. I’m seeing Evie not only as the little sister held by her brother or dad, but as the girl who grew up into an incredible woman.

I peer into the first bedroom and see Evie’s suitcase sitting beside the bed, but not mine. Not that it surprises me to find mine down the hall on one of the beds in Yami’s old room. I held no expectation of being able to be with Evie under her parents’ roof.

But spending the next three days not being able to touch her the way I’m used to means I’m gonna need that workout.