Lawrence’s chest squeezed and squeezed, like someone had wound a huge rubber band around him and was twisting it tighter and tighter.

And tighter.

He’d heard what Maizee had said.

I love you.

I don’t want to spend the holidays alone.

He loved her too, and he definitely didn’t want to spend his holidays alone.

“You have a nice office,” she said, and Lawrence saw her slipping into her freaked out mode. “I haven’t been here long,” she continued, glancing around and then turning back to the windows. “I swear. And I didn’t touch anything.”

“Maizee,” he said, drawing her back to him. “You love me?”

She threw up her arms in exasperation, and her chin wobbled. “Do I have to say it again?”

He nodded, advancing toward her again. “Yes. Yeah, I’m definitely going to need to hear you say that again.”

Her eyes turned glassy; her chin came up. “I’m in love with you.”

“I love you too,” he said quickly, because it seemed like she was going to keep talking. “And I don’t want to spend the holidays alone either.” He reached up and trailed his fingers through her hair, something he’d been wanting to do for months. “Or my evenings. Or my weekends.” He touched his forehead to hers, the time to be the bravest he’d ever needed to in front of him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t claim you as my girlfriend to my employees, to the bank, to everyone.”

“The case is settled.”

“Yes, it is.” He put one arm around her waist, glad when she inched closer to him and put both hands on his chest.

“I’m sorry I stayed silent when I should’ve called you.”

“We’re both guilty of that.”

He supposed she was right. After all, they both had working phones. “I missed you so much,” he whispered. “I hate my penthouse. I hate how big this office is. I hate that I can’t lay in your hammock and watch the sun set from your backyard.”

She wrapped her arms around him too. “You don’t like your penthouse?”

“It’s too big, and you’ve never even been there.”

“Why is that?” She leaned back and looked at him with those great big blue eyes that had pulled at him since the first moment he’d met her.

He shrugged. “My place…I liked your house better.”

She tilted her head slightly but didn’t ask another question.

“I’m not perfect,” he said, his voice lowering to a near whisper. “I know that. I’m good at some things and bad at others. And I’ve made some mistakes with you, but I’m going to fix them. I swear. I am.”

Maizee tucked herself right back into his chest, and said, “I could say all of those same things.”

“So we’ll just try harder,” he said. “Okay?”

And there was no better word in that moment than, “Okay.”

Lawrence took off the blue shirt and reached for the gray one. Honestly, he’d never cared what color he wore before, but he also hadn’t been expecting to meet Maizee’s family quite so soon after they’d gotten back together.

He decided on the gray and tossed the blue one back in his suitcase just as Maizee knocked for the second time. “Larry?” she tried this time.

He shook his head and smiled before stepping over to the door to open it. “Sorry, I was just changing.”

She raked her eyes from the top of his head to his feet and back. “This looks great.” She reached up and fiddled with the buttons on his collar. “They’re going to love you.”

“You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself.”

She blinked at him for a moment and gave a nervous giggle. “It’s been a while since I brought someone new home.”

“Did Winn come to family dinners a lot?”

“Yes,” she said. “But he always wanted to go to his parents’ place too, so our visits were always cut short.”

“Well, I never see my parents,” he said. “So we’ll probably see yours a lot.” He watched her for a reaction, and she just kept fiddling with his buttons.

“Or we can make our own traditions,” she said. “In Getaway Bay. Maybe your mom or dad would come see us there.” She looked up at him then, and Lawrence had thought there was no way he could love her more. But in that moment, he did.

“Memories in the penthouse?” he asked.

“If that’s what you want,” she said. “Can we see the sun set from there?”

“It’s on the twentieth floor,” he said. “So I think seeing the sunset is a definite possibility.”

“Mm. Now remember, Jules will not want to be upstaged. We just nod and smile at her.”

“Nod and smile,” he said. “I can do that.”

“And Evie is bringing Tommy too, and that’s a very big deal for her,” Maizee said, repeating the things she’d been telling him for a week.

“But we like Tommy,” Lawrence said.

“Yes,” Maizee said. “You’ll see.”

“I’ve met people before,” Lawrence said.

“You said you’ve not met a woman’s family before.”

“No, but I’ve met people. Believe it or not, I’m quite good at small talk.” He smiled gently at her. “There is something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” She stepped out of his arms and into the hall outside his hotel room.

“Yeah.” He swallowed, checked to make sure he had his room key, and took her hand in his. “It’s about marriage.”

She stopped walking as if her feet had grown roots. “What?”

Heat shot to Lawrence’s face. “Well, I just thought—”

“You are not asking me to marry you this weekend.” She started shaking her head so violently, her hair swung back and forth, fanning out. “Nope. Not happening.”

“Why not?” Lawrence may have bought a ring already. They’d been back together for almost three weeks. And he’d packed it and brought it with him.

“This is the totally wrong time,” she said. “My sister is getting married and my other one is in the first serious relationship she’s been excited about in a year.” She gave her head one final shake. “No.” She gave him a very serious stare over the top of the sedan he’d rented to get them around the island.

“All right,” he said, feeling completely out of his element. “When would be a good time?”

She ducked her head and tucked her hair, one of his favorite gestures. “Oh, surprise me.”

“Just not this weekend.”

“Not this weekend.” She opened her door and slid into the car, leaving him little choice but to do the same. Lawrence followed her directions around the twisty roads, finally pulling into a modest home surrounded by tons of trees.

He had no idea how to surprise a woman like Maizee, but at least he had something new to obsess about now. Too bad it couldn’t happen right now, as the front door of the house opened before he could even unbuckle.

Two women spilled out, obviously Maizee’s sisters, what with the blonde hair and the blue eyes and the smiles as wide as the Mississippi. They flew down the steps as Maizee said, “Jules is in front,” and got out of the car.

They’d slowed to a walk by the time Lawrence met her at the front of the car and took her hand in his. “Ready?” she said, but he didn’t have time to answer before her sisters stood only a few feet away.

“Hello,” Jules said, her hair a darker shade of blonde than Maizee, and infinitely lighter than the third sister—Evie.

Jules batted her clearly false eyelashes at Lawrence, and Maizee’s hand in his tightened. “This is Juliet,” Maizee said. “She’s engaged to Johnny. Remember I told you about Johnny?”

“Right,” Lawrence said, wanting to do everything to make Maizee’s life easier, including this Thanksgiving trip to see her family. “Johnny. He owns the body shop.” He gave Jules his widest, most political smile, the one he gave the photographers when he was getting headshots taken.

“Yes,” Maizee said, almost robotically. “And Evelyn. She brought Tommy for dinner too.”

“Of course.” He shook Evie’s hand, and she seemed sane. All three of the Phelps sisters were remarkably well put together, right down to the accessories. “Tommy’s the paramedic, right?”

Evie grinned and nodded. “That’s right. And he’s currently out back with Dad—alone.” She gave Maizee a pointed look.

“She can’t figure out how to get out there without seeming like she wants to save him.” Jules giggled.

“Is Johnny here?” Maizee asked, taking a step toward the front door. The sisters went too, Jules explaining how Johnny was trying to make a pumpkin pie for their feast in a few hours and it was still in the oven.

Lawrence didn’t believe her for a second, but no one questioned her. They climbed the steps, still chattering, and Lawrence waited to go last. His nerves seemed to be firing and skipping, bumping around underneath his skin. Her father was out in the yard, so he’d only have to meet her mother right now.

The older blonde woman stood in the kitchen, wearing an Anne of Green Gables apron and stirring something on the stove with vigor.

“Hey, Mom,” Maizee said, and her mother glanced up.

She did not stop stirring, but said, “Evie, come finish this.”

Evie complied, and Maizee’s mother turned toward them, wiped her hands on her apron and then fixed her hair before coming over to meet Lawrence.

“Hello,” he said, glancing real quick at Maizee, his mind blanking as to her mother’s name.

In the next moment, she latched onto him and said, “Welcome to our home.” She kissed one cheek and then the other and stepped back, her face happy and beaming. The whole house smelled like roasted turkey and something sweet, and Lawrence really hoped there would be plantains and poi for dinner.

“Thank you for having me,” Lawrence said, his voice a bit on the thick side. It felt…nice to have a mother’s touch, to be hugged like she knew him and loved him. She moved over to Maizee, hugged her, and then turned back to the kitchen.

“Jules, we need punch made and those plantains peeled.”

“I hate peeling plantains.”

“You eat more of them than anyone,” Maizee said, quickly stepping back over to Lawrence. “Her name is Linnie. Dad is Lorenzo.”

“Incoming,” Evie said as she passed, a quick nod toward the windows at the back of the house. “Dad’s on his way in.”

Lorenzo, Lorenzo, Lorenzo, Lawrence recited to himself, saying it and smiling and shaking the man’s hand once they were introduced. He met Tommy too, and the guy seemed nice enough. He held Evie’s hand, and they seemed to have a whole conversation just by looking at each other.

Lawrence liked that, liked that Maizee had somehow known he’d blanked on her mother’s name.

“So, Lawrence,” Lorenzo said. “What do you like to do?”

He looked at Maizee, trying to find a couple of one-word answers he could give. She gazed steadily back at him, those blue eyes sparkling like sapphires.

“I’m kind of an indoor person,” he said. “But I do like sailing and hiking.”

Lorenzo smiled, and Lawrence was glad he could give the right answer. The couple of hours before dinner passed quickly, with Johnny showing up a mere five minutes before the meal began. He carried a store-bought pumpkin pie and gave Jules a quick kiss on the cheek before launching into a story about how everything he’d tried with the homemade pumpkin pie had ended in disaster.

Then he tucked himself in at the table without even noticing Lawrence was there. When he finally looked up and caught Lawrence’s eye, he nearly choked. “I know you,” he said, reaching for a napkin.

“This is Maizee’s boyfriend,” Linnie said. “Lawrence Gladstone.”

Johnny wiped his mouth, his eyes wide, but Lawrence couldn’t tell if he was nervous or awed. “Yeah, my loan on the body shop is from Gladstone Financial. I get a newsletter every month with your picture in it.”

“Ah, yes.” Lawrence smiled and speared another forkful of the most delicious fried plantains he’d ever had the pleasure of eating. He cut a quick look at Maizee. “Those newsletters are quite infamous.”

She giggled but he just kept his smile in place until Jules moved the conversation to her wedding.