“Yeah.” I ruffle it up to remove the flattening effect of the hat. “New style.”

“But your hair was so pretty.”

Mom uses the same tone she’d strike up if someone in the family had died.

“Well, I wanted something different. I need to drop these off,” I say, tilting my chin toward the bags dangling from my side. Between them and the cat, who’s no feather-weight, my arms are getting heavy. “Can we discuss how I ruined my hair later?”

“That’s not what I meant, honey, of course you look gorgeous.”

Dad takes the opportunity to give me a side hug. “Love the new cut, baby.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I kiss him on the cheek. “So, we’ll pop upstairs and be right back.”

“Great,” Mom says. “Lunch is almost ready. You two go freshen up and come back downstairs whenever you’re ready. But don’t take too long,” she adds in a shrill voice. “I’ve made mac and cheese, and it needs to come out of the oven soon.”

Diego gives her the perfect future-son-in-law answer. “Can’t wait to taste it, Mrs. Moore. I’ve been told your cooking is the best in the entire state.”

He’s worth every single penny.

Mom blushes, and coos, “Oh, please, it’s just something I threw together in five minutes.” She’s lying. Her secret recipe for mac and cheese requires at least five different cheeses and a complicated double-baking timing. And sometimes, besides baked breadcrumbs, she also adds shrimp or lobster, which of course she has to cook separately first, and then add later in the oven. Hardly a five-minute meal. “And please, call me Dora,” she concludes.

“I will.” Diego flashes her a bright smile, making his conquest final and absolute.

Mom scurries back to the kitchen happier than I’ve seen her in years.

“This way.” I guide Diego up the stairs, still holding Mr. Darcy in my arms.

On the landing, my heart almost stops as I find myself face-to-face with Paul.

“I heard some noises,” he says, smiling, his blue stare piercing a hole through my soul. “Thought you might’ve arrived.” Then his eyes widen. “New haircut, huh? Looks great on you.”

I try not to blush, and keep a detached, sister-in-law-appropriate tone. “Paul,” I greet him, and give him a quick hug, squishing Mr. Darcy between us. My nostrils immediately fill with his cologne; he was wearing CK One the first day I met him, and I’ve never smelled anything else on him. Guess we both stick to a perfume when we find one we like. “You guys got here last night, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Have my parents scared you off already?” I joke.

“Nuh-uh.”

“Not even the princess bed?”

Paul grins. “That almost did it, but IKEA saved me. We shipped a bed and mattress here before leaving New York, and we assembled everything yesterday.”

“Oh, I never thought Julia would give up her pink castle.”