“You don’t have to do this,” said Lorenzo, one hand on his front door.
His jaguar was all for turning around and whisking her away for a quiet dinner, just the two of them. But, when they were returning from their picnic hike, they were ambushed by his sisters in law, who insisted they both join them for a family dinner.
Sadie had been a little subdued since the picnic, and he wasn’t entirely sure why. Who was he kidding – he had no idea. Maybe she couldn’t bear the thought of never having a daughter if she mated with Lorenzo… Though, he doubted she was thinking that far ahead. She was still considering how to get away from him.
“It’s just dinner,” she said casually.
He paused studying her neutral expression. She was upset and trying not to show it. His jaguar growled softly. He was going to ask her what was going on when the door was thrown open by his father. Lorenzo went careening into his dad, who slapped an arm around his shoulders.
“There you are!” he boomed. “Come in, come in!”
His sisters in law surged forward, pulling Sadie towards them, giggling and introducing themselves, their mates, and all their kids. His mother gushed, started crying and hugged Sadie to within an inch of her life.
If Sadie was surprised that his mother was blind, she didn’t show it. No, if anything she seemed to perk up immensely, and if he didn’t know any better, he’d say she was really enjoying herself. Within five minutes of being there, she had high-fived half his nephews, exchanged compliments with all his sisters in law, got the approval of his protective brothers, made his mother incredibly happy and made his father blush with her gentle teasing. She was now holding his youngest nephew and making cooing noises at him.
Lorenzo steeled himself as all his brothers took turns in slapping him on the back and congratulating him. Yep, five minutes was all it took to convince his wary older brothers that she would make a good mate for their youngest brother.
His father beamed at him, and Lorenzo’s jaguar mewled in worry. Now, it wouldn’t just be him who was disappointed if she left – he’d be disappointing his whole family.
Sadie looked up from his nephew and caught his eye. She smiled, but there was sadness behind it. Maybe he should change that to when she left.
*
“You have a nice family,” said Sadie as Lorenzo walked her home.
Maybe that should be too nice. They were, frankly wonderful. Everything she had ever wanted in a family. Warm and loving and happy and incredibly in love with each other. She had wondered a little about his sisters in law – since they had been kidnapped too. Though, really only two had. The third had actually been a hiker who fell in love with Lorenzo’s brother when he saved her from a twisted ankle. Yeah, love at first sight while hiking. It was her that she borrowed the boots from. Maybe that was why Lorenzo was pushing the hiking.
But as for the kidnapped sisters in law, rather than Stockholm syndrome sufferers, they really did seem to love their mates. Sadie flicked a look at Lorenzo. She couldn’t really say she blamed them.
His parents had seemed very warm, and very loving people. Exactly like parents should be, and how her mother had never been. His dad was big and avuncular and she thought that the phrase that his stomach was like ‘a bowl full of jelly’ very much fit. While his mom was sweet and could break your heart with just a smile – no wonder they doted on her. They all had such an easy warmth with one another that Sadie had never known in a family. Not even in the happier times she had with Al – there always had been a ripple of unease in their home.
“Yeah,” Lorenzo agreed, snapping her back to attention. “Give it back.”
“Hmm?”
“You took my dad’s phone.”
Sadie stopped and looked at him. He didn’t appear angry, more resigned than anything else.
“He doesn’t really use it often,” added Lorenzo, “but he keeps it for emergencies.”
She pulled the phone out of her pocket and handed it to him. She took it when she thought no one was looking. She thought she could call Mandy.
Lorenzo slipped it into his own pocket. Sadie gave him a guilty look, but he didn’t seem as bothered as she thought he would.
“It’s late,” he murmured, “come on.”
He set off towards the guest house and uneasily, she followed.