Resting my head against Cap’s broad chest, I exhale softly. I can’t believe I worried about him losing interest. His expression when he saw me said everything I needed to know. Casper Hayes remains hooked.

“Are you cold?” I ask, still holding onto him. “Why are you carrying your jacket in this weather?”

“A more important question is, will your dogs eat me if I’m frozen solid?”

Grinning up at him, I’m reasonably certain he could kick major canine ass. “They’re too spoiled for frozen food, but let’s get inside just to be safe.”

Cap wraps his arm around me as we walk toward the front door. “Is the entire family here?”

“No, just a few. Are you nervous?” Seeing his amused smirk, I shake my head. “Never mind.”

“I missed you.”

“It’s only been a day.”

“A long fucking day.”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “I know what you mean.”

“Should I kiss you now or wait until later? I don’t want your father going biker thug on me if I make out with his daughter on the porch.”

“A real quick one should be fine.”

Cap’s demanding lips aren’t meant for short and sweet kisses. My bones turn to liquid until I only want for him to carry me to bed where the heat between my legs can be dealt with in a very thorough manner.

“Pip kisses like she owns me,” he says when our lips part. “Shit, my dick might literally break free from my jeans. You’ll want to prepare for that shocker.”

Grinning as he adjusts his jeans to fit better, I whisper, “This meet and greet ought to be a party.”

Cap chuckles at my nervous smile. I can’t imagine acting casually with my family when I know he’s sporting an erection.

Inside, my family stands scattered in the room. None of them particularly friendly, so I pick the closest person to introduce.

“Tucker, this is Cap Hayes.”

“Fucking hell, you’re a fucking brick shithouse!” my uncle yells.

“Stop,” I mutter, embarrassed by how loud he is.

“No worries, Audrey,” Cap says as his fingers curl over my shoulder. “I’m sure the guy’s harmless unless he’s holding a kid.”

His comment sucks the air out of the already tense room. Tucker’s mouth pops open, mimicking my parents’ expressions. My father and uncle look at one another. Pop glares while Tucker does his scolded puppy pout.

Cap smiles at me and asks, “What, too soon?”

“Asshole,” Pop growls, though I’m unsure if he’s talking to Tucker or Cap.

Avoiding a showdown, I hurry to do more introductions. “Cap, this is my mom, Farah, and my sisters, Lily and Rando.”

Cap walks past my uncle and Pop without giving them a second look. Taking my mom’s hand, he smiles in the effortless way that makes me melt.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. I must say you have some strong genetics, All three girls look just like you.”

“Thank you,” Mom says and shakes his hand. “Now that we’ve met, you can explain why you’re rushing Audrey into moving to Tennessee.”

Cap only smiles at her overly direct question. “My father isn’t a young man, Farah, but he won’t retire until he knows his children are set up in life. My brother and sister found their perfect matches and had their kids. Until I have, Dad won’t enjoy the autumn of his life. Having met Audrey, I know she’s the one. I don’t see any reason to fuck around like a patient fucker with nowhere to go and nothing to do.”

I’m proud of Cap for getting so far into his bullshit before descending into a “fucking” mess. Mom can’t tell if she’s charmed by his answer or annoyed by it. I honestly don’t think Cap cares either way. I swear he doesn’t seem even a tiny bit nervous about meeting my family.

If the Johanssons are as unbreakable as stone, Cap is like a mighty river. I remember during one of our family road trips that Pop explained how the Grand Canyon was created by the “devastating persistence” of the Colorado River. Cap is the same way. He won’t relent until he’s gotten his way.

Mom crosses her arms. “I still think it’s too fast.”

“I’m sure you do,” Cap says and then turns his gaze to me. “Which of your sisters is the uppity one and which one is the weird one?”

I roll my eyes at his questions, but he only grins. I’ve never seen a man so excited to annoy people in the way Cap is right now.

“Lily is uppity,” I say, gesturing toward her.

“Hey,” she whines.

“And Rando is weird,” I continue and point to my other sister who does not react.

“Got it. And you have a jerk brother too, right?”

“Yeah, but he’s out running an errand.”

“Good. Lots of faces and names to remember, and you all look a lot alike.”

“You’re an ass,” Pop growls.

“But you knew that already.”

“Yeah, I did, but I assumed you’d put that shit in neutral.”

“You assumed wrong. It happens to the best of us,” Cap says and takes my hand. “Did you want to show me around or go straight to packing?”

“Packing?” Mom gasps as if someone just died. Her panicked eyes find Pop’s, and he goes into angry-father overdrive.

“She isn’t leaving.”

“Tonight?” Cap says, smirking down at Pop’s raging face. “No, we’re not leaving tonight. It’s too late to drive back, and I told my parents I’d return on Wednesday.”

“No,” Pop growls, sounding like me when I’m not getting my way.

I stand behind the two men and pat my father’s chest. “Pop, it’s okay. You saw the house. It’s in a quiet neighborhood, and there’s lots of space for family to visit and sleep over.”

“You can’t go alone. Your sister will move too,” Pop says, pulling an idea out of his ass that he obviously hadn’t run by anyone else.

“Wait, what?” Lily says.

“Not you,” Dad mutters without looking at her. “Rando.”

“No,” Rando says casually.

“You only work part-time, and you want a cat. Adopt one there.”

“No.”

Pop turns to Rando and tries to hold her gaze, but she has the ability to both stare directly in someone’s eyes and also past them. Pop moves his head around, trying to force her to focus on him.

“Do this for me,” he says in his most fatherly voice.

“No,” she replies in the same tone as when she first said no. Rando isn’t upset. She just isn’t moving.

“I don’t want her to move with me,” I say while patting Pop’s shoulder to get him to look at me. “I also don’t want a cat.”

“You’re upsetting your sister,” Pop lies.

“No,” Rando immediately says, ruining his guilt trip.

Pop turns to Mom and sighs. “I give up.”

“I’ll help you take down the punk,” Tucker announces, and I’d nearly forgotten he was in the room.

Cap glances at my uncle and grins in the most obnoxious way. I swear he’s hoping to beat on some middle-aged men today.

“Don’t break a hip, Grampa,” Cap says before turning his gaze to me. “Show me your room while your parents regroup and devise their next strategy.”

I never think to tell him no. We ought to remain downstairs and have Cap get to know everyone. That’d make sense if my parents weren’t pissed, Uncle Tucker didn’t want to prove his family mettle, and my sisters weren’t irritated to get sucked into the drama. Plus, I sense my brother is waiting to appear and make the entire situation worse.

Tossing aside my manners, I guide Cap to the wide, wooden staircase. As my family watches us go, I swear I feel their gazes drilling holes into his equally wide back. If the smile-wearing Cap is bothered by their irritation, he never shows it. A river always knows it’ll outlast a rock.