Once the plane has landed we get into our hired car and drive forty minutes into the countryside. The views here are spectacular. I never knew Scotland to be so green and hilly. I’m mesmerised the whole journey towards his family home. When we approach the gates of what looks like a mansion surrounded by a lake, I gasp.

“You don’t seriously live here, do you?”

Easton starts laughing. “As well as my mum and dad there were six of us. A big family to house. My dad was a very successful banker before he died.”

“Wow,” is all I can say as we near the huge dark red door with a big wreath hanging on the front. With its huge bay windows and limestone bricks, the house is impressive. For those brief moments I forget that I’m here about to meet the family until the huge red door opens and out pours Easton’s entire family.

“Easton!” They all seem to sing together, making me smile. Already I can tell they’re a very close family.

“How long has it been?” A slightly older woman asks, which I assume must be his mother, Evie. She has the same chocolate coloured eyes and beautiful brown hair that Easton possesses. In fact, they all do.

“Hi, Mum,” Easton says back, taking her in his arms. One by one they quickly hug before he pulls me into his side. Everyone stares at me like I’m this shiny new toy. A flush reddens my cheeks. They all smile. Well, all but one. The only one not happy to see me is Grayson, but then we kind of knew this would happen.

“This here is Sasha, my girlfriend.”

“Aww,” Evie says, rushing towards me and giving me a surprise hug. “Easton’s right, you’re very pretty.”

“Very pretty,” another lady says. She must be Ella. One by one, they all hug me as Easton smiles apologetically at me. The only one who doesn’t hug me, again, is Grayson. All he does is huff in our direction. No one notices as they’re too busy fussing over us, but Easton and I do.

“Come, let’s get you settled and then we can have some dinner. I’m cooking your favourite, Easton. Irish stew.”

Easton hums his approval as he rubs his tummy. “I can’t wait.”

Grabbing all the bags, we make our way into the massive hallway. “Easton, show Sasha to your room, get freshened up and come down to the family room. Don’t take too long now,” she teases.

“Thank you for having me,” I say, feeling I should at least say something. This is like a whole new world to me.

“No need,” she answers, waving her hands dismissively. A close friend of Easton’s is a close friend of ours.” She walks up closer to me as we’re about to approach the stairs. She grabs my arm pulling me in closer to whisper. “I know this must be overwhelming for you, but I promise we’re all harmless. Well, all but Grayson. He’s a scallywag.”

I laugh at the name for Grayson. It suits him well. “I appreciate that, thanks.”

“I just know you’ll fit right in. Once you’re finished upstairs, come down to the kitchen so you and I can have a little chat. I have wine,” she winks before pulling away.

“Sounds lovely,” I answer. “I’ll look forward to that.”

She walks away leaving Easton and I to ascend the stairs. Even the stairwell is huge. “Your family’s lovely. And your house is so huge! How many bedrooms does it have?”

Easton laughs as we reach the top. “That was a lot in one sentence.” He chuckles again as he leads me down a huge hallway. “It has eight bedrooms.”

“Eight bedrooms!” I screech. “I’m going to get lost here, aren’t I?”

Trying to cradle all the bags under his arm, he says, “Stick with me and you won’t.” We reach a door at the far end of the hall. “This is my room. Wanna make out?” He quirks his eyebrows making me giggle.

“I’m too nervous for that.”

“I’m sure I can help with that,” he replies, pushing his door open.

We walk through into a huge sunny yellow room with dark mahogany furniture. The bed must be at least a queen if not larger. Everything looks virtually brand new—and expensive. If I were to picture Easton’s bedroom it wouldn’t have been this.

“You look, I don’t know … shocked. What is it you’re thinking?” He places all the bags next to his bed before coming to a stop in front of me. I still can’t help roam my eyes around his room.

“I think I pictured something more teenagery.”

He laughs. “Teenagery?”

“I know you lived here virtually all your life, so it’s silly of me to think you’d have football posters on your wall and shit.”

He quirks his eyebrow. “And shit?”

I nudge him, making him laugh. “You know what I mean.”

He inclines his head towards the bed. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you?” He pulls me in close, nuzzling his nose into my neck. “I’ve never made out with a girl in my room before.”

“Seriously?” I ask shocked. “I find that really hard to believe.”

“Why’s that?” He starts kissing the side of my neck making me breathless.

“Well, you’re … you.”

He pulls his head back on a frown. “What does that mean?”

My eyes widen. “Have you seen you?”

“Every day in a mirror.”

“You’re hot.”

He smirks coming in to kiss me. “Am I now?” I nod my head. “Well, this hot guy wants to make out with his hot girlfriend.”

I start pushing him away, but it’s a token effort. “Easton, stop. Your family's downstairs.”

“So? They won’t notice if we’re missing for ten minutes.”

I manage to yank away from him to say, “Only ten minutes, huh?”

“We can make up for it later.”

He starts back on my neck again, but this time I’m more forceful. “Easton, no. They’ll think I’m a hussy.” I start giggling as he nibbles my neck.

“Okay,” he says, finally pulling away. “As long as I get extra time later.”

I huff in his direction, but then notice something very obvious. I point to his groin. “You may want to fix that before we go downstairs.”

“Well, I kind of hoped you’d fix it for me.”

I start shaking my head in exasperation. “You’re too much.”

“And you’re more than enough.”

I bite my lip trying to suppress my smile and then he walks towards me. “Come on, then.” He takes my hand and leads me towards the door. “I’m sure a few seconds with my family will no doubt deflate my raging hard-on.” He tucks himself away so that it’s not that obvious. All I can do is giggle. I’m so glad I don’t have that problem.

“Once we reach the bottom of the stairs, I say, “Point me towards the kitchen.”

Easton smiles before showing me a hallway to the right of the landing. He points in the direction of a door at the end of the hall. “That’s the kitchen. Do you want me to come with?”

I shake my head. “No, you go see your family. I have my boyfriend’s mum to visit.”

He lightly taps my bottom and I quickly scurry off before he man-handles me again, but this time in the hallway for everyone to see.

I make my way to the end of the hall and push the door open to find Evie singing “Stand by Your Man” by Tammy Wynette at the top of her lungs. She’s so engrossed as she stirs her stew that she doesn’t immediately notice I’m there. But after a couple of seconds, she must sense a presence as she turns, yelping her surprise.

“Whoops, sorry,” she says, quickly running towards her radio to turn the music down.

They don’t make songs like that anymore.”

“You have a beautiful voice.” And she does.

She waves her hand at me. “I used to sing at the pubs when I was a teenager to make a few pennies. That’s how I met Easton’s father.” She picks up an empty glass on the table. “Wine?”

I nod. “Yes, please.” I look around the vast country-style kitchen. “Can I help you with anything?”

She shakes her head as she pours me a glass of white wine. “Just sit down and keep me company.”

“Now that I can do.” I nod, taking a chair to sit as she places the now filled glass in front of me.

Afterwards she sits too and gazes at me for a moment. “Easton tells me you’re a student.”

I swallow hard because I doubt very much that Easton would have told her where. “Yes, that’s right. I’m doing a bit of everything because I don’t really know what I want to do yet.”

“You’re so young. How could you possibly know for sure at your age? You’re doing the right thing.” She places a hand over my arm and squeezes. “How did you meet our Easton?”

Now that I can tell without having to skirt round the truth. “We met in a bar. We just seemed to hit it off.”

“Instant chemistry?” she asks. I nod my head. “Aww, young love. It was like that for me and Alastair when we first met.” She starts laughing. “Isn’t it funny that you and Easton met the same way my man and I did?”

“Unfortunately I didn’t have the same singing voice as you, though.”

She starts chuckling. “Ah, he loved it when I sang to him. The best kind of foreplay he said.” She looks off dreamily into the distance and it makes my heart ache for her.

“Have you never met anyone else?”

She looks back at me, shaking her head. “No. I will stay that way until the day I die and eventually meet him up there.” She points to the sky and crosses herself.

“That’s total love and devotion for you.”

She nods, smiling. “It is.”

She then goes on to ask about my family—albeit the very small family I have compared to her. Thankfully, despite the fact I’m dating her son she makes me feel extremely welcome. After only ten minutes of talking with her I’m enamoured by her.

“Dinner is served,” she sings, placing the huge pot onto the dining table we’re all now sitting at.

“It smells absolutely delicious,” I say, taking my seat next to a smiling Easton.

“Once you try Mum’s stew no other will compare,” Anthony says, offering a wink.

He looks just like Easton. They all do in fact—apart from Ella, who looks just like her mum.

“I can’t wait,” I respond. “I’m starving.”

As the bowls of stew are laid out and the bread is cut, Easton takes my hand in his and gently squeezes. As I watch them all laugh and converse, I realise how much I want this for myself when I’m older. For the first time, I want a family … and a large one at that.

“What is it, dear?” Evie asks when she spots my smile.

Embarrassed that I had been caught, my cheeks redden. I then look away shrugging my shoulders. “It’s just nice to see such a close family. Looking at you all just made me feel … happy.” I look down.

When nobody says anything I look back up to see them all smiling at me, and then Evie blurts, “Believe me, after almost thirty years of hearing your brother’s farting and burping, I’m not so sure.”

Everyone roars into laughter, and it immediately lessens my embarrassment. We then eat—all the while talking about Christmas and what everyone is doing for the new year. Easton’s right, the stew is lovely. I lap up every single morsel.

“Thank you, Evie. That was lovely.”

“You’re welcome, darling,” she responds, offering me a lovely smile.

“So, Sasha,” Ella begins. “I bet you get to see Easton a lot, don’t you? As you’re a student you’ll have the same hours and holidays?”

I smile nervously at her. “Yes, that certainly helps.”

“Excuse me a moment,” Grayson says, his chair scraping across the floor. My heart drops as he leaves.

I feel Easton squeeze my hand. “I’ll go talk to him.” He gets up to follow Grayson to wherever he went, leaving me a bundles of nerves with the rest of the family.

“Grayson’s always got a stick up his arse,” Hamish groans.

“Sorry about our brother,” Ella interjects.

“That’s okay,” I answer, shaking my head. I know if they knew what he did they’d all think the same. They would have a right to feel the same.

The conversation soon resumes and I hear stories of Ella and how she met her American husband on the London Eye when he had been vacationing there. Then quickly Hamish interjected telling me funny stories of some of the people he had arrested over the years.

Easton and Grayson were still gone by the time we got up to clear the plates away. I offered to help, but again I was told to stay and enjoy my wine. Instead I went in search of Easton only to find him outside on the terrace with Grayson, who is smoking a cigarette. I walk out and straight away the smell hits me. It’s certainly not a cigarette.

They both look when I come out and I approach Easton sheepishly. “Am I interrupting anything?”

Easton smiles, taking me in his arms. “No, not at all. I think Grayson and I are done now, aren’t we, Grayson?” I could hear the warning tone as much as Grayson must have.

“Are you okay with this?” Grayson asks me.

“Grayson, stop,” Easton starts, but I place my hand on his.

“It’s okay, Easton. Grayson has a right to ask. And the answer is no, of course I’m not okay with this. I hated bending the truth back there. If I could change my situation don’t you think I would? Now that I’ve found Easton I can’t see my life without him in it. I know that you’re upset and I understand the reasons why. I would do absolutely anything you asked of me when it came to your brother, but the one thing I can’t do is stay away from him. I’m in too deep.”

I feel Easton wrap his arm around me, so I turn to face him. He’s smiling like a Cheshire Cat. “What are you smiling at?” I ask, smiling myself.

“I so want to have sex with you right now.”

“Fucking hell, give me a break,” Grayson sighs, shaking his head, but I’m surprised when I see a small hint of a smile. “I can accept that you’re together, but that still doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.”

I nod my head. “I understand.” I pull away from Easton’s embrace and stand in front of Grayson, holding out my hand. “Friends?” I ask, waiting for him to shake my hand. At first he just looks at it. “Considering you’ve seen me naked I only find it fair.”

He manages to keep his stern look right until the very end and then a huge smile forms on his lips. Right there is where he looks exactly like Easton. It’s actually uncanny.

“Okay, friends,” he answers, taking my hand and shaking it. “Just don’t hurt my brother.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I reply.

He takes one last drag of his joint before flicking it out onto the grass and turning to leave.

“Mum’s going to flip if she finds that out here in her garden.”

“Ugh, stop nagging,” he grumbles. “I’ll get it tomorrow.” He walks away waving his hand as if to say leave him alone. He then disappears into the house leaving Easton and I to cuddle. It’s cold out here, though.

“Let’s get you inside. You must be freezing.” Easton wraps an arm around me and leads me back into the house.

“Can I go up to your room for a moment?”

His eyes light up. “Can I come with?”

“No,” I snap back, shaking my head on a smile. “I need to do something alone. Tell your family I will only be a few minutes.”

Easton groans, but nods his head, allowing me to ascend the stairs on my own. Luckily Easton’s room is at the end as I doubt I would have been able to find it otherwise. I make quick work gathering all my little trinkets together, deep in concentration to get everything just right. Once done, I take one last look and smile. It’s not the greatest, but it will do.

I take the stairs down holding them both in my hands. I look for Evie in the living room, but all the boys are there laughing, joking and drinking whiskey by the fire. So I venture off towards the kitchen, hoping I will find both Evie and Ella in there. Sure enough they're together putting away all the dishes in the cupboards. When they spot me, they both smile and say my name at the exact same time as each other making us all laugh.

“I have a little present for you both,” I begin, walking towards them. “It’s not much, and I don’t have everything I would like with me, but I hope you like it.”

Evie gasps. “You shouldn’t have, but I’m sure we’ll love it. What is it?” she asks, already looking towards my hands.

I open the hand that has Evie’s bracelet and let her pick it up. “I like to do bracelets that mean something,” I begin. “I like to design trinkets to put on the delicate silver brace. For you I put a microphone because I now know you love singing. I’ve also put a cake on there for your love of cooking, and a family because I know how much family means to you.”

She looks at the bracelet and delicately traces along the edges. “It’s beautiful.” She suddenly grabs hold of me embracing me in a fierce hug. “Thank you.”

“What about me,” Ella whines, making us all laugh.

I open up my hand and she takes it from me with wide eyes. She runs her fingers over the US flag, and then Big Ben.

“I didn’t have one of the London Eye, I’m afraid, so I had to improvise.”

“It’s beautiful,” she replies. “I love it. Thank you.”

I smile, glad that I was able to do the designs for them. “You’re very welcome.”

I watch as they help each other place it on their wrists before Evie turns and says, “Come on. Let’s show the boys.”

We all walk into the living room with big smiles on our faces. Easton spots me straight away, smiling and motioning for me to sit with him by the fire. He has my glass of wine and offers it to me as I sit next to him.

“You’re drunk, aren’t you?” I ask, noticing the silly grin on his face.

He nuzzles his head in my hair. “Fucking steamin’ … but only for you, lassie.”

“Look what Sasha designed for us,” Evie shouts, showing everyone her new bracelet.

“And mine,” Ella seconds, pushing her wrist out for everyone to see.

They all look, trying their best to look impressed. I appreciate not all men are into that sort of thing.

“They’re beautiful,” Anthony starts. “You did them yourself?”

All eyes on me. I nod my head. “Yes, it’s a little hobby of mine. I find it therapeutic.”

“You’ve got a real talent. I know at least twenty friends who would want one of these,” Ella says, smiling towards me. “You should set up a business online selling them on eBay, or something. I reckon you’d make a killing.”

“Maybe one day,” I reply. “Right now I’m concentrating on my studies.

“And a good thing too,” Evie retorts. “Get that out of the way first and then the world’s your oyster.”

“To Christmas,” Hamish suddenly shouts changing the subject. We all laugh.

“To Christmas!” we all shout back, clinking our glasses.

Easton hugs me tightly to him and I rest my head on his chest. I look around to all his family smiling, laughing, and having fun, and it’s then it all hits me.

This is where I feel I’m supposed to be.