“And you’re the girl Alex is introducing to his family? You’re way too good for the likes of him. How did he get that lucky?” She laughed as she said it.

“I’m standing right here!”

Elena shrugged. “He’s pretty. It’s distracting. Now I know who to thank for those beautifully sculpted muscles.”

“My trainer?” I asked, deliberately ribbing Maia. They worked closely together, but she felt like trainers always got all the glory when it was the nutrition that makes or breaks a fitness regimen.

Maia shot me a glare and led Elena into the kitchen, leaving me standing alone in the hallway when the doorbell rang. I swung the door open, revealing my family.

I greeted everyone, hugging my mom gingerly to avoid the arm that was in a sling. When I brought them to the kitchen, she hugged Elena. “It’s nice to meet you in person. I’m glad you could join us for dinner.”

Zane shook Elena’s hand and introduced himself, but she glanced at me and cocked an eyebrow. She obviously recognized him. “Typical Alex. I ask what does your brother do…his answer? ‘He’s in a band.’ He neglected to mention you’re the lead singer of Travesty. I’m a big fan.”

I was fairly sure she was teasing me by immediately recognizing him when she claimed to not recognize me when we first met.

Zane grinned delightedly. “He’s probably worried you’d second-guess your choice of brother. Chicks dig musicians.”

“Since I would never make the mistake of calling her a ‘chick,’ I’ve got nothing to be worried about, little brother.”

Elena turned to Ryan and warmly said, “And you must be Ryan.”

He grumbled, “That’s me. The nobody brother who gets recognized by process of elimination.”

Elena laughed. “A man who doesn’t bullshit. I like it.”

I swore I almost saw Ryan smile. I didn’t like warning people he was on the spectrum as though there was something wrong with him and the last thing I wanted was for it to become a public discussion point. But somehow I’d known Elena didn’t need a heads-up. She met people wherever they were without judgment.

We got drinks and wandered out to the patio. The way Elena’s eyes lit up when she tasted the Malbec I’d picked out for her almost made me kiss her in front of my family, which she might’ve castrated me for.

Once we were all sitting, Maia's assistant brought out one artfully arranged platter after another until there was a veritable feast spread before us on the table. It looked and smelled incredible.

Zane, as expected, didn’t agree. “Dude, can you not afford a real chef? What is this hippie rabbit food?”

Maia had just emerged with a plate in her hand, but the scowl on her face made me wonder whether it would make it to the table or end up on Zane’s head. She kept glaring at him as she set the plate down in front of my mother. “Here you go, Linda. I knew you’d have a hard time using utensils with one arm, so I made you a plate with everything cut into bite-sized pieces.”