She didn’t want to feel their disappointment, either. She felt enough of her own.

After Seth parked in front of Aiyana’s large yellow house, he came around to her side of the car and opened the door. “Let’s go.”

She stared miserably at their ultimate destination. “Do we have to?”

He chuckled, but she felt his hand at her elbow as soon as she got out, all the way until they’d climbed the steps of the wide front porch. He only dropped it when he opened the door. “I hope you saved some food for us,” he called out as he walked in, waved her through and shut the door.

“Look who it is!” Aiyana hurried from the kitchen to give her a hug. “I’m so excited you decided to come. Can I take your coat?”

“I got it,” Seth told her and held out his hand to Tia.

Tia reluctantly stripped off her jacket and nudged his hand away when he left it there as though he expected her to pile her beanie and scarf on top of it, too.

“You keep that stuff on, you’re going to melt in here,” he murmured under his breath, but that didn’t change her mind. She took off her sunglasses and shoved them in her purse but wasn’t willing to relinquish the rest quite yet.

Aiyana stepped back as three other people drifted in from the kitchen. “Dallas, Emery, Gavin, this is Tia Beckett.”

Gavin had long dark hair and a beard, kind eyes and a gentle manner. “Nice to meet you,” he said.

Dallas allowed his wife to shake her hand before he did. He was almost as handsome as Seth, but he had a completely different build. While Seth was tall and slender, taller than Gavin and Dallas, Dallas was more compact, with powerful-looking shoulders. His wife was a petite woman with big blue eyes and long blond hair. “Thanks for allowing me to crash your party.”

Emery gave her a warm smile. “You’re welcome here.”

That none of them seemed remotely surprised that the leading actress of Expect the Worst was standing in their living room indicated Aiyana had prepared them.

“Have a seat.” Dallas gestured at one of the recliners, but Aiyana slipped her arm through Tia’s and drew her to the kitchen.

“Actually, why don’t the four of you visit in here while Tia and I finish up? You wouldn’t mind helping me, would you, Tia?”

“Of course not.” Relieved to be able to escape the attention she would otherwise have received, Tia left Seth with his brothers and Emery.

“You look beautiful, even with that scarf hiding half your face,” Aiyana said once they were alone. “But it might be hard to eat with that thing on,” she teased.