Coffee With You: Small Town Romance

Chapter Eight

**Not edited or proofread!**

Kaecee

"How do you feel about meeting my family today?" Drew asked me out of the blue.

I stopped dusting my dresser in surprise. "Today?"

"Yeah," he said, and somehow, I could tell he was shrugging. "Mom sprung a dinner on me. I want you to meet my family."

I released a nervous laugh. We'd been dating for several weeks now, and I knew it was normal for this stage to happen in a relationship, but I was freaking out a little bit. How did normal families even act? My family was rarely ever home together at the same time for dinner when I was growing up. Half the time, I ate with the help because my parents were working late.

"I'm freaking out a bit," I admitted.

"Just breathe. It's normally a wild, fun time. My brothers are even in town, hence the random family dinner out of nowhere. I promise you'll have a good time, sweetheart, and I know my family will love you. Just take this chance with me?" he pleaded.

I blew out a soft breath. "Okay. What should I wear?"

"Just something normal and comfortable. If you dress up, my mom's going to think you're crazy. There will be barbecue slathered in sauce. It's tradition. So, if you care if it gets messed up, don't wear it."

I laughed, feeling a bit more at ease now. "Okay. What time should I be ready?"

"Five," he told me.

I blew out a soft breath. I could do this.

~*~*~

"Just breathe," Drew gently reminded me as we pulled up in front of his parents' house. It was a small, two-story home. The vinyl was white, and the shutters were blue. Windows were open to let in the cooler air, and it was also letting out the smell of the food, which was making my stomach rumble. Cars littered the lawn, and I could hear talking and laughing from inside of the home.

Was this what a normal family was supposed to be like?

I hadn't even realized Drew had gotten out of the truck until he was opening my door and grabbing my hand in his. "It's going to be okay; I promise."

I nodded and allowed him to help me down. He walked in without knocking, tightening his hand around mine as he did so, offering me some of his strength. I plastered a smile to my face, hoping it his my nerves.

"Drew, honey, is that you?" I heard a woman call from what I presumed was the kitchen.

Drew rounded the corner. Sure enough, it was the kitchen, and a woman was standing in front of the stove, putting finishing touches on what looked to be a chocolate cake. Without releasing my hand, he wrapped her up in a hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Hi, Ma." He stepped back and tugged me a little closer to his side. "I want you to meet my girlfriend, Kaecee. She's the new part-time veterinarian in town."

Her eyes widened. "A girlfriend?!" She surprised me by wrapping me up in a hug so tight I almost couldn't breathe. "Oh, honey, this is amazing!" She beamed at me. "I'm Lisa, Drew's mother. I'm so happy to finally meet you," she gushed.

I laughed, my nerves forgotten. "It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Lee."

She waved me off. "Please call me Lisa." She looked at Drew. "Can you go in the living room and round up your father and your brothers? It's time to eat."

"Yes, ma'am." He pressed a kiss to my temple before disappearing back out of the kitchen, leaving me with his mom.

"Well, honey, why don't we get all this food out to the table? And I apologize ahead of time for my boys' table manners. I tried raising them right, but I don't think anything stuck."

I laughed—couldn't help myself. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, Drew has excellent table manners," I told her. "And he's a gentleman."

She smiled. "Well, at least I did right by one."

Drew stepped into the kitchen and pressed a kiss to my cheek before he pulled my chair out for me. Three other men stepped in behind him. One of them was clearly his father, and the older man that perfectly resembled what I imagined an older Drew to look like wrapped me up in a hug. "Nice to have another woman at the table. Sometimes I feel like my wife is overwhelmed with testosterone."

I laughed. "I'm Kaecee," I told him with a bright smile.

"Bourne," he told me. "Go on. Sit down. I'm sure you're starved."

I finally sat down in the seat Drew was holding out for me. He pushed my chair in and then took a seat beside me. His brothers sat down across from us. "Jaxon," the youngest one said with a head nod, already reaching across the table for the rolls instead of asking. I rolled my lips into my mouth to keep myself from laughing.

"Jaxon, dude, why do you have to reach across the freaking table?" the middle brother demanded. He smacked his brother's arms aside with a huff and smiled at me. "Hale." He narrowed his eyes at his brother when he reached for food again. "Can you wait five freaking minutes for Kaecee to get her freaking food? She's a guest."

Drew was laughing into his hand. His mom looked mortified. "Jaxon, I'm going to send you outside to eat like a dog if you don't act like your mother raised you right."

I couldn't help it. I laughed. I wanted to cry.

Was this what I'd been missing out on my entire life?

"I need a minute," I managed to get out.

I quickly pushed back from the table and made my way outside, dragging air into my lungs. Drew's arms wrapped around me. I hadn't even realized he'd followed me outside.

"Is this what I've been missing my entire life?" I asked him, my voice sounding strangled. "Is this what a normal family is like?"

"Yeah, sweetheart, it is," he said softly.

I shook my head. "I can count on one hand how many times both of my parents were home for dinner together, and we never talked. Food went in our mouths until we were done eating. Discussion wasn't held at all—not before, not during, and not after."

He rested his chin on the top of my head, tightening his arms around me. "I'm sorry they ever made you feel less than loved, sweetheart."

A tear slid down my cheek. "I'm sorry they did, too," I whispered.

The door opened behind us. We both turned to look at his mom. "Drew, why don't you go on inside?"

He looked down at me, a question in his gaze. I nodded. He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips, making my cheeks flame red before he walked inside. His mom smiled at me. "I caught the tail end of that," she told me. "Come on inside. If you cry, we'll turn the other cheek and pretend we don't notice. But honey, I love my boys, and I know I'll love you just as much. Come on. Let's get some good food in your belly. My family is wild, but we love hard."

"I'm sorry I'm a mess," I apologized.

She shook her head. "Honey, the best of us are always a mess," she teased.