by Lacey Black
“Come on,” I tell her as I step out of the truck and walk around to her side. “Let’s go meet my family.”
Chapter Three
Josselyn
My stomach is in knots but for once, it’s not due to the pregnancy. I can’t believe how nervous I am to meet Travis’s family. As soon as we step inside the beautiful, inviting home, the cutest little blond girl runs into the foyer and makes a beeline for Travis. “Uncle Twavis!” she exclaims as she runs and jumps at him.
He’s prepared for her though and catches her mid-air and brings her up to his chest. “There’s my Bean!” he says as he plants a big kiss on her cheek. You can see the love he has for the little girl in his embrace written all over his rugged face.
Travis gives her a little tickle on her ribs before asking, “Who’s your favorite uncle?”
She giggles before throwing her arms around his neck again and answering, “You!”
Travis turns towards me with a big smile on his face. “This beautiful little lady is my niece, Brooklyn. We all call her Bean, though.”
“Hi, Brooklyn,” I say with a smile.
She smiles a full watt, gorgeous smile down at me and offers me a happy, “Hi.”
“I hear Travis,” I overhear a woman say right before she walks into the foyer. “Hi, big brother,” she says with a glowing smile on her face. I remember her from the wedding and in the photograph on the table. This is Travis’s little sister.
“Look at you! You look great. How was the honeymoon?”
“Unbelievable! I’m ready to go back to that private little beach hut,” she says with a sly smile.
“Don’t even say another word,” he tells her with a stern big-brother look.
Avery gives a full belly laugh and brings her gaze to me. “Oh, hi. I didn’t realize Travis was bringing a guest.”
That makes two of us. “This is Josselyn. Josselyn, my sister, Avery,” Travis introduces us.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Avery says, extending her hand and offering a friendly handshake.
“Likewise,” I say, voice clearly laced with nervousness.
“Oh, Happy Birthday,” Avery says as she steps in and gives Travis a big hug.
I tense, eyes go wide with shock, as I absorbs the words Avery just said. Today is his birthday? I actually showed up and dropped the ‘baby bomb’ on him on his birthday? Smooth, Josselyn. Real smooth.
“It’s your birthday?” I whisper as my horrified eyes lock on his.
He offers me a small, apologetic smile before more family descend upon us in the foyer. An older woman that I vaguely recall from the wedding rushes in and plants a kiss on Travis’s cheek. They have the same startling blue eyes, but that’s about where the similarities end. Mrs. Stevens is slightly shorter than Avery, but they share the same blond hair.
“Mom, I’d like you to meet my friend, Josselyn. This is my mom, Elizabeth.” Travis turns his attention towards me and holds out his hand for me. Mrs. Stevens immediately gives a friendly smile and envelopes me with a big, warm hug.
“So glad you could be here, dear. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Thank you for having me. Sorry to just show up like this,” I try to counter.
“Oh, no worries, dear. We have plenty of room and plenty of food for everyone. Why don’t you let Travis head out back and gather up his brothers and you come into the kitchen with me for a chat.” She gives me another friendly smile as she steers me towards the large kitchen.
Inside, I see the same short, redhead from the wedding standing over at the island. “Erin, dear. This is Josselyn. She came with Travis,” Mrs. Stevens says with a little wink.
“Hi, I’m Erin.” She looks at me with a quizzical expression on her face. “Have we met before?” she asks.
“Ummm, well not officially. I saw you at the wedding,” I say while dropping my eyes down to my flip flopped feet.
It’s like the light bulb clicks on for all the ladies in the room at the exact same time. “Oh!” and “Yes!” comes from each one of them.
“I knew I recognized you from somewhere,” Erin says with a huge smile.
“Travis was watching you all night. The boys all gave him such a hard time all night long,” Avery throws in with a coy smile.
“Have you guys been seeing each other since the wedding?” Erin asks.
“Oh, well, not exactly…” I trail off, not really knowing where to go from here.
Fortunately, I’m saved from sticking my foot in my mouth any further or answering any more questions I’m not prepared to answer when a big group of guys all come in the backdoor. I can tell instantly where Travis gets his height and his looks from. Mr. Stevens is the same height as Travis and has the same strong jaw and build. Travis’s hair is just a little lighter than the brown locks – well, brown with a little grey – that Mr. Stevens sports.
The two guys walking in first are obviously Travis’s older brothers. They’re both tall but with a little lighter hair and broader shoulders. They’re also pretty handsome, too. Not quite as hot as Travis, but this family definitely knows how to grow good looking men. As they walk in and take one look at me, huge, ornery smiles spreading across their faces.
“Well, well. Look who we have here, Nate,” the tallest one says to the other. “I’m Travis’s oldest brother, Jake.” Jake holds out his hand for me to shake with a huge wolfish grin on his face. Why do I all of a sudden feel like I’m the only person who isn’t aware of an inside joke?
“Josselyn,” I respond as I shake his big hand uncertainly. “Nice to meet you.”
“Oh, it’s so very nice to finally meet you, too,” he responds with a wink. What the hell?
“And I’m Nate,” the other brother holds out his large hand also. This one I remember as the one who gave Travis a hard time when he ran into me, knocking me down.
“Hi,” I respond with a quick handshake.
“So, you came with ol’ Travis tonight, did ya?” Jake asks. Again, that ornery smile never leaving his face. His crystal blue eyes sparkle with mischief.
“Jacob Andrew, you leave that girl alone,” Erin hollers over his shoulder.
Jake’s eyes are still full of trouble, but he backs away with a wink following his girlfriend’s comment.
“Everything okay?” Travis asks as he steps around his brothers and approaches me.
“Fine. I just met your two brothers.”
Travis groans. “I was hoping to head them off before they attacked you. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just felt like I was the butt of a joke or something.”
He leans in and whispers so that those around can’t hear us. “I’ll explain later.” I also hear him inhale as his nose brushes against my ear. The slight contact and feel of his breath sends lightning flashing through my veins. I haven’t felt this reaction since that fateful night two months ago. Hell, have I ever felt this kind of reaction? Before Travis? No.
“Come on, everyone. Grab a seat. Dinner is served in the dining room,” Mrs. Stevens announces to the masses.
“Let’s go before we’re stuck sitting next to Jake or Nate. Will or Avery will be a safer bet today,” Travis mumbles as we head into the dining room.
Once we step inside the large dining room and find a seat at the massive family-style table, Nate practically runs over and quickly grabs the open seat next to me. I look over at Travis with a quizzical look when he groans and shakes his head.
“What?” I mumble under my breath.
“Nothing. He’s just going to harass us, I’m sure,” he whispers back.
Following a quick prayer, the entire Stevens family dives into the mouthwatering food spread out across the table. I’m passed delicious smelling ribs, cole slaw, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet corn, and the most scrumptious homemade rolls I’ve ever had.
As I stare at the food on my plate, I can’t help but wonder how long it’ll take to resurface. But then my stomach growls angrily, and I quickly push the potential s
ickness as far back in my brain as I can. I am starving and this food smells amazing.
“So, Josselyn, what do you do?” Nate asks before he shoves a heaping pile of mashed potatoes in his mouth.
“I’m actually between jobs right now,” I say in a small, ashamed voice.
“Are you looking for something in Rivers Edge?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I say and glance at Travis out of the corner of my eyes. He’s watching me. Curious, as if he’s waiting for my answer more than anything. “I may hang around Rivers Edge for awhile. Maybe get a job at a diner or restaurant.”
I glance over at him again, gauging his reaction. He seems happy with my answer, giving me a small, knowing smile filled with delight; a smile that I return.
The ribs are delicious and better than any I’ve ever had. And since I’ve worked for a caterer and in every type of restaurant imaginable, that’s saying something. By the time the meal is finished, I’m stuffed to the gills with food. I’m afraid they may have to roll me out of here. And even better, my stomach seems to be content with the food which amazes me even more than the fact that I just stuffed myself full of enough food to feed a small village.
“You feeling okay?” Travis whispers, giving me a look of concern.
“So far, so good. Just to be safe, where’s the bathroom?”
“Just on the other side of the stairs is a small half bath. If that one’s in use, there’s another up the stairs, second door on the left.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“Boys, I believe it is your turn to clean up. The girls and I are going outside to sit around the fire. You can all join us when you’re done cleaning up and making the to-go bags,” Mrs. Stevens announces before vacating her chair. “Shall we, ladies?”
Avery, Erin, and Brooklyn immediately follow her towards the kitchen and out the backdoor while all the men left at the table grumble loudly. I sit there for a moment, not really sure if I’m supposed to follow them or stay with Travis and help clean up. I’d happily offer to help him. I’ve quickly realized that he’s my rock in this time of uncertainty, and just being near him helps keep me calm and relaxed.
Mrs. Stevens reaches the back door and turns towards me. “That means you too, dear. Come outside with us.”
When I reach the backdoor, I can’t help but panic a little at the thought of being outside alone again with his mom and sisters. “I’d be more than happy to help the guys clean up. I didn’t help cook any of that delicious food. I’d be happy to do my part.”
“Oh, nonsense, dear. The boys can handle it, and you really don’t want to be around when they all start in on each other. In fact, they’re probably already arguing over who’s going to do what. They all hate clean up which is precisely why I chose that moment after dinner to announce they would all be doing it before I walked away. If you would have stayed in there, you would be doing it all by yourself,” she said with a knowing smile.
“It wouldn’t have bothered me, Mrs. Stevens. It was a delicious meal, really. I would have been happy to have helped,” I reply as I take a seat on a cozy outdoor seat for two.
“Elizabeth, please,” she says with a smile.
The fire is blazing, warm and comforting. The girls all jump into comfortable conversations. Avery recaps her recent honeymoon trip while Erin discusses a new Teen Read program she’s about to start at the town public library.
“Josselyn, did I hear you say that you’re looking for a job?” Mrs. Stevens asks.
“Um, why yes. Yes, I am.”
“I’m good friends with the family who owns the diner in town. I heard yesterday when I was getting my hair done that they are down a waitress. I’m sure they would love to have someone with your experience.”
“Oh, that would be great. Maybe I’ll stop by tomorrow and fill out an application.”
“I’ll give Jane a call tomorrow morning and let her know you’re coming in. She’s a sweetheart to work for, I’m sure.”
“Thank you for the lead. I appreciate it,” I reply as the back door opens. The guys all file out, arguing over who gets the last of those yummy rolls to take home.
“Travis, you’re not taking the damn rolls home. You got them the last time. If you argue with me anymore, I’m going to punch you straight in the face,” Nate hollers as he walks out the door.
Mrs. Stevens exhales loudly and shakes her head.
Travis walks over and flops down in the two-man chair with me and I can instantly feel heat radiating off his large body. An involuntary shudder tears through my body, but not from the cold. At the closeness to this man. I can smell his soap. I can feel his leg brush against mine.
Travis hands me a gray sweatshirt. “I thought you might be chilly so I grabbed this from my truck.”
As I slip the sweatshirt over my head, my senses are assaulted by the scent of Travis. I feel him everywhere like a warm embrace wrapping securely around me.
“Better?” he asks with a smile.
“Better. Thank you,” I say as I return his smile. His family seems to fade away as we stare at each other. His crystal blue eyes are boring straight into me; straight into my soul. I fight the urge to snuggle closer to him. I want him to wrap his arms around me and hold me tightly.
As if sensing my needs, Travis grabs a hold of me and pulls me back into his embrace. His arm wraps protectively around my shoulder, encompassing me in his warmth and protection. I feel almost lightheaded and dizzy from the contact. He’s so close, touching me from shoulder to ankle.
Travis and I sit there, visiting with his family - well, I mostly people watch; answering questions when they are asked. But, mostly, I keep to myself and just observe this large, boisterous family. A family that I will be connected to for the rest of my life. Whatever comes of Travis and me, we will always be connected by the child I am carrying inside of me.
Right on cue, my stomach makes a painful drop as the nausea takes hold of my body. I can feel myself starting to sweat through the layers of suffocating and suddenly binding clothes I’m wearing. I turn to Travis as I start to stand up. He must read my face instantly because he takes my hand inside of his much larger, calloused one, and leads me straight into the house.
As Travis pulls me along, I’m trying to push all thought from my mind as I concentrate on making it to the bathroom. He pushes open the door of the half-bath and drags me inside. I barely have time to drop to my knees as my body dumps the contents of my stomach into the toilet. I hate this. I absolutely loathe throwing up. I could never have been one of those girls who makes themselves vomit. But ever since I found out I was pregnant, I’ve done nothing but.
Travis grabs ahold of my long, brown ponytail and pulls it back from hanging down in my face, out of the line of fire. I feel his large, strong hand rub light circles on my back. The bathroom is pretty small and with me kneeling on the floor in front of the toilet, there really isn’t much room for a six foot, one inch man who’s practically hovering over the top of me. On top of everything, this is just humiliating.
“You don’t have to stay in here. I’ll be done in a minute,” I tell him as I dry heave into the toilet.
“I’m not going anywhere. We’re in this together, remember?” Travis says as he squats next to me and continues to rub my back.
“God, I hate this,” I moan when the dry heaves finally subside and I collapse on the floor in a boneless heap. The cool tile squares feel like heaven against my flushed face.
Travis jumps up and grabs a washcloth from the cabinet under the sink. Once it’s wet with cool water, he sits on the floor next to me - which is a very tight fit, I might add - and lays the cool cloth over my forehead. Within a couple of minutes, the sweating has stopped and my breathing has returned to somewhat normal.
“Better?” Travis asks with concern lacing his voice.
“Yes. I could use a toothbrush, though. Could you grab my purse?”
“Sure,” Travis says has he jumps up and steps out of the small bathroom.
After a quick brush of my teeth and another splash of cold water on my face, I think I’m finally ready to face the Stevens family again. I look up in the mirror at my reflection - my face is ashen, my eyes dark and sunken, and my lips are chapped and lifeless. I look like an absolute fright.
“I can’t go out there like this, Travis. I look like hell.”
“You look perfect.”
I glance up into his eyes and can tell he means what he said. His eyes look fierce and certain. Which also tells me he might be a little crazy because there is no way in hell I look anything other than frightful.
I glance down at the muscular plain of his chest. I’m instantly reminded of that night - that magical night - two months ago. The night I touched his chest as it rose and fell with exertion and need. I can’t help but to glance down at his hands as I remember everything about that night. How his hands caressed my body. How he shuddered under my touch. How he drove into me like a man possessed, determined.
Travis clears his throat and I glance up, breaking the memory. I roll my eyes as he gives me a cocky little smirk. His eyes sparkle as if he can see all of the thoughts going through my mind. Like he knew exactly what I was thinking about.
As my eyes collide back with his, I see that same need. That same hunger. That same desire. It’s still there, deep in those baby blues. I shift my weight back and forth as Travis reaches for me, pulling me closer, against his hard body. His hands are rough and calloused from hours of working with his hands and tools.
“Better?” he asks, his breath feather light against my forehead.
“Yes,” I whisper as I gaze up into his eyes. I want to kiss him. I want him to kiss me. But, I know that if this “thing” between us turns physical again, it’ll mess up everything that we need to work on. Everything we need to build. And that is so much more important than another night of great sex. It has to be. At least for now.