When I was thirteen I dined with the President at the White House with my father and one of his ex-wives, but I’m more nervous tonight than I was then.

Pulling up to the address on the invitation, I feel a calm drift over me as I turn off my car and gaze at a lovely, very large, classically Georgian home deeply set into a perfectly landscaped lawn. Upon sight of it I know in my heart it’s where he grew up. This is his parents’ home. I didn’t know if I’d be heading to a restaurant or a house, and this is so much better.

Fingering the soft waves I spent way too much time sculpting into my hair, I stroll up the path with butterflies dancing throughout my whole body.

This lavender dress is new and, because it’s chilly out I wore a coat and a grey stylish scarf – the kind that can be worn as part of an outfit, in case I need to keep it on. My grey boots were bought for the occasion. I wasn’t sure if we’d be outside or in, but the term BBQ always implies outdoors and I tend to get cold easily.

Let’s just say I put a lot of thought into this.

As I bring my hand up to knock, the door opens and Justin is standing before me with that shark-like glint in his eyes again, all desperation and anger gone. “You look beautiful.”

I whisper, “Hi,” blushing because I’m so happy. “Were you waiting by the door?”

“I was,” he admits without apology. “I was impatient to see you again. When I drove away from your house today I wanted to go back, but it wouldn’t have been as cool.”

I lace my fingers into his hair and gaze into his gorgeous ice-green eyes. “You want to be with me?”

His arms tighten around me as he presses his lips to mine. He murmurs against them, “More than I want to be Senator.”

Frowning at that answer, I search his face. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing felt right when you were gone, not even that crazy win. I wanted to share it with you.”

Overwhelmed with happiness, I can’t speak.

“Come meet everyone,” he smiles, taking my hand and leading me past a staircase with framed photos leading up it, of him and his brothers growing up. Candids, school photos, and a wedding picture of his parents when they were very young all beckon to me. I quickly scan them, squeezing his hand as he informs me, “They’re all outside. There are a lot of heat lamps, so let’s take that coat. I’ll leave it here.”

He helps me out of it and lays it onto a dining room table chair. Taking my hand again, he laces our fingers together as we pass through a large, bright kitchen that’s been tidied up but still shows signs of party prep.

I can’t believe I’m here.

Not long ago I was crying myself to sleep, believing he would never truly let me in. That he was too hardened by single life, by his ambitions, by his ego. I didn’t know what it was exactly that kept us apart, only that we weren’t together and would never be.

Through the back screen door I see twinkle lights and a large group of people standing near a long, beautifully set table. Nearby is another, filled with a buffet-style feast, the dishes covered in netted tents.

“Justin,” I whisper, tugging his hand as the conversations outside become louder.

He glances to me and we stop in front of the screen door. “Yes?”

Cupping his face in my hands I whisper, “Thank you.”

His eyes darken in pain mixed with happiness. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me much more deeply than the chaste kiss we shared just moments ago.

Cheering explodes outside and we separate, laughing and gazing at each other. “Nice way to make an entrance, Jaimes.”

“My mom used to call me that,” I smile into his eyes as loud whistles join the clapping.

His voice is husky as he says with meaning, “Then she must have loved you very much.” He takes my hand and leads me outside with a boisterous, “Ya jealous?!” to the clapping crowd.

Jake shouts through cupped hands, “We’re fucking relieved!”

What must be Justin’s grandmother shouts, “Language!” and everyone laughs, including me.

I recognize Jake from the event in Dublin. Jason of course is unmistakable. But when I’m introduced to Jaxson and Jeremy, they are complete strangers to me. I have no reference point, having never known them in school during the short time I was there. They’re both ridiculously handsome and so different, but their welcome has the same openness everyone gives me. Hannah runs over and tugs on my dress as I shake hands with Rachel. I bend down and lift her up. “Hi beautiful.”

“Jaimie, we have chili,” she excitedly says.

Laughing, “Oh, you know how much I love chili,” I lock eyes with a rugged blonde man with grey eyes in dark blue jeans and a Henley shirt, but I know on sight that he’d be happier in a biker jacket. His wife is next to him, a stunning Latina, holding a baby girl with eyes the color of her father’s and olive skin like her mom’s. I smile, “You must be Jett. You left some stories behind in high school.”

“You went to school with us?” he laughs, hitting Justin’s chest. “You didn’t tell me you were high school sweethearts.”

Justin dons a crooked grin as he shakes his head and announces to everyone, because that certainly got the group’s attention, “Jaimie was only there a year. But she was too good for me. Wouldn’t even talk to me! And I sat right next to her in Mr. Cooper’s English class.”

Jaxson says, under his breath, “I remember Cooper.”

“Everyone remembers Cooper,” Jake laughs. “Dude was a dinosaur.”

“I had him, too,” Jeremy agrees.

Justin guides me to his parents. His father’s face I know well, from the news, but it’s his mother I love instantly. Guess because I miss mine so much. “Jaimie!” she smiles with such warm brown eyes I want to cry. “What a relief to meet you.”

“A relief?”

“I was worried Justin wouldn’t wise up.” She cocks an eyebrow at him.

Mr. Cocker shakes my hand before glancing behind me, his striking grey-green eyes lighting up. “Rothdale!!”

Spinning around with Hannah still in my arms, I cry out, “Dad?!” as he guides Lauren to where we’re all gathered. “I thought you were in Washington!”

Looking very proud of himself he chuckles, “You liked that lie? Thought that up in the moment. Hello Michael! Good to see you outside of Congress.” The two politicians shake hands before Dad turns to Hannah. “And who’s this?”

He’s curious about her after the surprise she gave us all in Savannah. Justin takes Hannah from me and introduces her to my father. To see them greet each other brings me back to that morning. Wild how much things have changed since then.

I meet Jason and his wife next. She’s about to pop, her stomach uncomfortably huge. She’s rolls her eyes when Jason makes a joke about her flying away because she ate a balloon.

Justin’s cousins are here and I instantly recognize the couple from the patio at The Bohemian. And I was right – they are brother and sister, Jordan and Jocelyn. They laugh over how things turned out, teasing Justin that they knew he was into me. Josh shakes my hand with a sexy wink. “Good thing I wasn’t there or I would’ve stolen you away.”

Jordan smirks, “Nah, I tried. Justin swooped in. He would’ve punched you before you had the chance.”

“You’re right about that,” Justin smirks, introducing me to his Aunt Anna and Uncle Dave next.

It’s especially nice to meet Jameson, but when I shake his hand I refrain from saying how I’ve heard about him. And that I love his whiskey. And that I wish Kate were here because she’d faint at the sight of him — stunning man. Drop dead gorgeous. Not a bad looking family all around. Just might have to get her down here from Boston.

Justin asks me in a private tone as he guides me away, “How are you hanging in there?”

My eyes follow Hannah as she takes off running down the yard with Emma chasing her at a far younger and less graceful pace. To Justin I smile, “I’m doing great. You? Are ya gonna run screaming, yet? You could follow Hannah.”

He laughs under his breath. “They’re all waiting for me to.”

I give him a look. “And?”

“Not until I’ve had Mom’s chili. C’mon, have to introduce you to my Grams.” He leads me to a frail woman sitting at the table on several cushions, but her eyes are sharp as his. “I’ve got a hot babe for you to meet, Grams.”

“Nice way to introduce me,” I mutter, smacking his arm.

The gravity of how much this means to him is shining from his eyes. “Grams, this is Jaimie Rothdale, the one I told you about.”

He told her about me?

“May Cocker,” she smiles, eyeing me with approval. “You look like First Lady material.”

Laughing outright I shake my head. “Oh, you’ve very sweet. But…” Trailing off I glance to Justin. “Are you aiming for the White House?”

He shrugs, “Never know. Crazier people have been elected.” Glancing to his twin, he shouts through a cupped hand, “Jason, put that ginger-ale down! Jaimie has to try some.”

Jason shoots him a look and says, “No!”

“Put it down!”

“You suck.” He sets the pitcher back on the table.

To me Justin explains with annoyance, “He’s had five glasses. It’s stupid.”

Clasping Grams’s hand, I say, “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cocker.”

“Very nice to meet you, too, Jaimie!” Her crows feet are adorably deep from years of love as she looks up at Justin. “This one might give you twins.”

My smile drops open in shock, which deepens as he winks at her. “I hope so.”

As he guides me to sit down I whisper, incredulously, “You hope so?” but his attention is on his daughter playing by the dolphin fountain.

“Hannah! Come eat!”

As he sits beside me with everyone at the table now in heavy conversations, I whisper to him, “Who are you? Where did you put Justin?”

He snickers under his breath. “Locked him in a basement. He’ll come out to play when I’m alone with you. Hannah’s spending the night here so I can stay at your place.”

“Oh, really?”

His gaze drops to my lips and he kisses me. Then, leaning sensually in, he whispers in my ear, “I can’t wait to fuck you again,” and nibbles it once, pulling back to lay his napkin on his lap. I glance down to see he’s got a tent. Biting my lip, I glance toward someone calling my name.

“Jaimie, so you’re an event planner?”

I offer a smile. “Yes, I am.”

“Tell me about that.”

Justin’s eyes are dancing as he takes my hand. “Yes, tell us how you nearly cost me the race.”

Sitting several couples down the table, my dad laughs, “Oh good, blame her! I don’t want any bad blood between you and I.”

“Daddy?” Hannah says. The table silences and Justin blinks at her. With innocent eyes the color of his, she gazes up at him. “Are we having dessert after this?”

He leans down to kiss the top of her hair. “Yes. We’ll be having dessert.” Justin tightens his grip on my fingers and whispers to me, “That was the first time she called me Daddy.”