Dad scoffed. "Like a rainbow exploded in here, but I appreciate the lie just the same." A smile transformed his face as he turned his attention back to me. "You should have said you were bringing a friend."
"So Mom could make eighteen more dishes to impress him with every single recipe she has and still complain it wasn’t enough? Pass on that," I laughed. He shrugged in response, because he couldn't deny the truth in my words.
"You picked a hell of a night for an introduction, Sadie girl. Shouldn't you have started off with just Mom and me? Overwhelm him less?" Dad winked at Enzo. The two of them already conspiring with one another, minutes into the meeting, did not bode well for the rest of my evening.
"He threw me to the wolves with his family. Five sisters, Dad. Five. I have no sympathy for whatever he suffers tonight," I said, taking Enzo's hand and moving to step into the main living room where the men lurked. The women were undoubtedly in the kitchen, whispering and waiting for an invitation to the introductions like they hadn't heard Penny's shriek.
Oliver, Ethan, and Lucas all sat on the couch, looking too relaxed in a way that wasn't natural. I narrowed my eyes on them. "Haven't we outgrown eavesdropping yet? Rude."
"What?" Oliver asked. "We're just sitting here minding our own business."
"Is that why it looks like you fell onto the couch when you realized I was coming this way and you were about to get caught? I may not have kids yet, so I lack the eyeballs in the back of my head like Mom, but I know you assholes," I laughed. "This is Enzo. Save us the protective brother shit, because he'll wipe the floor with you."
Penny chuckled. "Mom says their ears will fall off if they keep eavesdropping."
"Is that my Sadie? Come help!" Mom called from the kitchen. I dropped my head to my chest, tugging on Enzo's hand to drag him to the center of my misery that was Mom's kitchen in total disarray.
"You can leave your friend with the boys," Dad said. "We won't bite."
"Can I introduce him to the gossip police first? Mom will start stabbing things if she has to wait any longer, and I don't particularly feel like dealing with the mess today."
"His funeral," Dad chuckled, dropping into his favorite recliner. Moving toward the kitchen and shoving open the door, I drew in a deep breath to steady myself. There was no Rebel to help ground me, and I realized how much I'd come to rely on her unique distraction. Wyatt and Lily had joined Penny in rubbing Rebel's tummy while she wiggled on the floor. I wasn't selfish enough to take her away from the joy of the attention the kids gave her.
"Mama," I said as I stepped into the chaotic space. Nina and Joy worked to arrange the plates on the table, Mom's fine china proudly on display. The royal blue and gold decorations on the plates stood out from across the room as the two women leveled us with wide eyes. "This is Enzo."
I kept it simple. A name introduction, rather than assigning a label to whatever we were. I didn't want to think about that given his assertion the day before that we were heading towards something I wasn't ready for. Boyfriend didn't seem to fit a man like Enzo and introducing him as my man felt too intimate. Like I'd be shouting, he fucked me on his motorcycle for all my family to hear.
Awkward as fuck, that was.
"Hello, Enzo," Mama said, stepping up to lean onto her toes as he bent down. She kissed him sweetly on the cheek, touching his other with her hand. "How do you know my baby?"
"Mom," I groaned.
"Fine, fine," she said, waving a towel in our direction. "Help us get the table ready. Enzo, would you be so kind as to let the boys know that dinner is ready? I'll interrogate you while we eat." She shot a bland look in my direction before turning sneaky eyes that glimmered with mischief back to Enzo.
"Sure thing, Mrs. Hicks," Enzo said, smooth as ever. He kissed my temple, lingering for just a moment past what was appropriate.
"Sadie!" Nina whispered with a hiss as she rounded the table and came over to draw me away from the door. "Who was that?"
"I already told you. His name is Enzo," I said, turning my back to the mess in the kitchen. If I couldn't see it, then it might not bother me so much.
Even I knew that was bullshit.
"I know that," she said. "But how do you know him? Where did you meet?" she asked.
"Have you gotten a piece of that ass?" Joy asked. "I could bounce quarters off it."
"Joy!" Mom laughed. "Of course she has. A man does not look at a woman the way he looks at Sadie unless he has sampled the merchandise and loved it."
"Mama!" I shrieked. "Can we please not talk about my sex life? Don't be weird."
"Last I knew, you had sworn off men after Patrick proved what a useless shit he was," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Forgive me for being curious, since it hasn't even been 10 days since I've seen you. Does he want kids?"
Deciding to just ignore them all in favor of moving to clean the kitchen, I made for the sink and the pile of dishes inside it. "Leave that. We'll clean after dinner," Mama said, grabbing one of the bowls off the counter and setting it on a pan holder on the table.
"If you're going to stand here and question me relentlessly, I might as well get some of it done now," I snapped, my patience fraying at the edges to begin with. Not wanting to come out and admit that the mess bothered me put me at a distinct disadvantage.
Enzo and the others entered through the kitchen door, lured in by
