“Don’t be. They’ll love you. Do you want to come meet them now and get it over with?”

“I don’t know.”

“Come on. Let me introduce you, and by dinner, you’ll be sharing embarrassing Adam stories with my mom.”

A slow smile spreads across her face. “Yeah, okay.”

As I predicted, my parents love Taryn. By the time the game ends and we get to The Hideout, they’re completely enthralled with catching up on Adam and learning more about his girlfriend. I’m able to half-listen and stare across the restaurant to Heath and his table.

Maverick is with him, and they sit across from a woman with light brown hair and small features. I catch her smile as she turns her head to the man sitting beside her. He has a thick head of gray hair and a strong jawline and muscular arms that defy his age. They look happy. Heath looks… well not uncomfortable exactly, but like the outsider. To a bystander, you’d think Maverick was the one related. He looks far more relaxed and like he’s enjoying himself. That’s just Maverick though — he’s always comfortable in his skin.

Rhett’s girlfriend Carrie is here this weekend too. They’re celebrating their five-year anniversary and the two of them sit up at the bar. She’s nothing like I expected. Rhett is so nice and sweet, and Carrie is a little harsh and rough around the edges. When he introduced us, she didn’t even fake a smile. Maybe she has resting bitch face?

I glance back at Heath. He’s got RBF right now too.

“Right, Ginny?” Adam asks, breaking my surveillance of the Payne family.

“Sorry, what?”

My brother smiles like he’s onto me and my cheeks warm. Shit, was that just totally obvious I was staring at Heath?

“I was telling Mom and Dad that you hang out at our apartment pretty often too. That it’s nice and not the pigsty they are imagining.”

“I wouldn’t say often, no.” I shake my head. “I’ve been over a couple of times.”

“What? No way. You’re over at Reagan and Dakota’s all the time.” He looks to my parents. “Our neighbors are cool, and we hang out a lot.”

I’m slow to nod and my pulse is thrumming much too quickly as I realize he isn’t talking about the times I’ve been over at his place and hidden in Heath’s room.

“Right. Yes. We’ve become good friends. I’m actually considering moving in with them next year.”

“Out of the dorms?” My mom frowns.

“Yeah. Just like Adam did his sophomore year.”

“That’s not exactly the same,” my dad points out.