“Dirty is my middle name.” He waggles his brow, and I’m tempted to punch him in the gut.

“This is our first family function as a couple. Don’t make it awkward,” I warn, but his half-smirk tells me he doesn’t care.

“I’m actually nervous,” I admit.

“It’s gonna be fine, I promise.” He presses his mouth to my forehead. “They love you.”

“Yeah, but it’s the first time I’ve been around everyone since…”

“Since you officially became mine?” He interlocks his fingers with mine and kisses my knuckles. “Trust me, if you wouldn’t have, they all would’ve been more than disappointed, especially Grandma.”

“Glad you got the stick outta your ass then. No one wants Grandma Bishop on their bad side,” I tease, and he chuckles then slides his lips against mine.

“Glad we’re both in the clear after she called me chickenshit.”

We drive over to his parents' house, and he randomly teases me with vibrations, but I know the real test won’t begin until we’re inside. When we walk into his parents' house chuckling, we're greeted with hugs and cheek kisses. I hug Kane and hand him his gift. It feels good to be back on friendly terms with him. Knox gives him a bro hug, and they exchange knowing smiles.

“Open it,” I tell Kane. He unwraps it in front of everyone and grins.

It’s a framed picture of us horseback riding when we were kids, and it’s one of my favorites. In rope-like text across the bottom, it says Barn Besties.

“Thank you so much.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders and squeezes me to his chest. “I got you something, too.”

He hands me a small bag with tissue paper, and I almost laugh because Knox didn’t wrap anything either. While their personalities are different, the little things that are the same make me smile. I pull out a leather-bound notebook with my name engraved on the front.

“Whoa, this is…incredible.” I loosen the leather ties that hold it closed.

“I made it,” he proudly admits.

“What? Kane. This is beautiful.” I run my hand across the front and am completely amazed.

“Can I see?” Kaitlyn asks, and I hand it to her.

“I need one of these in my life,” she states. His mom is impressed too.

“You know you could start making and selling these, right?” I tell Kane.

He hesitantly shrugs. “I dunno, leather working is just a hobby I’ve recently picked up.”

“Takes a lot of patience to do that,” his father speaks up. “But you’re a natural.”