No response there, just a shrug.
“You like grilled cheese?” I ask, and a smile forms on her lips.
“Very much, though I haven’t had it in ages.”
I grin and head into the kitchen to prep and get her a glass of water. “Let me guess. Since college?”
She smiles softly and stands, clutching the blanket around her shoulders. “Yeah,” she whispers. “My family isn’t big on comfort foods.”
I raid the pantry and pull out some bread and then open the fridge, where I find a thick block of cheddar cheese and butter. Once I’ve got the goods on the table, I pull down some glasses, pour her some water, and bring it to her. “What kind of meals did you grow up with?” I ask conversationally.
“Uh, whatever our chef made. Not something a child would normally eat, that’s for sure, but Hannon and I got used to it. On a particular gourmet meal evening, we’d sneak down after our parents went to bed and raid the fridge. Usually Chef would leave us premade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cheese and crackers. That kind of thing. He knew we didn’t want to eat rich, five-star meals but our mother and father wouldn’t have it any other way. They considered it training for our future.”
Her story makes me sigh long and hard from deep within my chest. “You haven’t had it easy.”
She huffs. “On the contrary. Some would venture that I’ve had it very easy. Rich family, expensive education and clothing. What more could I want?”
“All of that doesn’t make your life easy, Honor. Money doesn’t solve the heart’s problems. Besides, all the money in the world can’t replace the loss of your brother.”
Honor looks down at the counter and runs her finger along one of the grout lines in the tile. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Will you tell me about him?” I genuinely want to know about the man who has such an emotional effect on my woman’s life.
Her head shoots up. “You want to know about Hannon?”
“Was he important to you?”
“The most important person in my life.”
I smirk. “Okay, then. I’d like to know about him.” I take a few steps to a drawer and pull out the cheese slicer. “What was he like?”
Honor braces her elbows on the counter and rests her chin in her hands. “He was amazing. Everything I’m not. Funny, extroverted, and he loved life. He never took a moment for granted. Then he met Sean, you know, Dr. Tillman.”
I nod, encouraging her to continue.
“Our lives finally started to make sense. I was in my master’s program for business. Hannon started working for my father right after his bachelor’s.”
Grabbing the butter, I slather one side of each slice with a thick, creamy layer before setting the two sides on the griddle next to the stove.
“Did he like working for your dad?”
“Actually, yes. Hannon was an overachiever. He excelled in everything he did and always found a way to have fun doing it.”
I slice several pieces of cheese and arrange them on the bread. “And what was the age difference between the two of you?”
“He was my twin.”
I was not prepared for her answer. Those four words slam into my heart like a sucker punch to the chest. I drop the tops of the bread on one another and turn the knob to get the griddle hot. “Aw hell, Dove, I didn’t know that. Fuck. Fuck!” The sorrow ripples off her in waves, slamming into me, and I imagine losing Dawn. We’re a year apart, and that would gut me. I walk over to my girl, turn her on the stool, push her knees apart so I can fit my body in between, and wrap her in my embrace. “I’m sorry. Fucking sucks you lost the closest person to you. But I’m proud of you for being strong.”
She clutches at my back. “I don’t feel strong,” she whispers against my chest, holding me tightly.
“I know. But one day soon, you will be, and I’ll be standing right there with you, holding your hand.”
She lifts her head and rests her chin against my chest. “Thank you for bringing me here. You didn’t have to, but I’m grateful.”
I kiss her on the forehead and then briefly on the lips. There’s a hint of her mint and vanilla taste clinging to her mouth, making me want to kiss her more fully, but now’s not the time. She needs to feel safe and protected. Not groped and taken advantage of.
I hear the sizzle of the bread, turn, and groan. “Shit!” I flip the bread over, and though it’s a little darker than I’d like, it’s still edible. “Whew!” I wipe my forehead. “Close call.”
She chuckles, and it’s music to my ears.
For a few more minutes, we chat about the gym and the yoga studio while we eat, and I give her the rundown on my family. Mostly all the overbearing but well-meaning women. Once done, I grab her hand and lead her over to the big leather couch. I sit down at one end, hold out my arm, and pat the space in front of me between my legs.
Honor hesitates, putting her finger up to her mouth.
“Come on, Dove…I won’t bite. Much.” I grin and waggle my eyebrows.
She rolls her eyes and gets settled, her back and side mostly against my chest, her head cocked to my chest.
“Nick, I’m, um, not sure it’s a good idea that I go on Sunday.” She glances down at her bandaged wrist and hand and then back to me. She’s referring to dinner at my folks’. My family was expecting to meet the woman I’ve been hiding. Grace has already spilled the beans about Honor, and Ma’s losing her mind that she hasn’t met her yet.
I shake my head and cuddle her closer. “Babe, they are not going to judge you. No one’s walked a mile in your shoes. They are not perfect, nor do they claim to be.”
“And I’m not Italian.”
“Now
