McKenzie Cousins Box Set 1

“He isn’t sick and I have my theory, but that’s not going to be voiced until its confirmed, and then it will depend on him.”

“I tell you everything and you won’t tell me a thing,” she complains. “He’s my cousin as well, and I love him.”

I cuddle her to me. “He’s a grown man and I think he knows he can talk to me if he needs to. Just stay out of it okay? Sort your own love life out f

irst.”

“Hmm, I think I might do just that.”

49

Brooke

Nerves have overtaken my belly as Michael tugs me out of his car at his parents’ home. It’s a beautiful wooden structure with lights glowing around the property.

Michael wraps an arm around me, and smiles. “Don’t worry. They’re not going to eat you.”

“I didn’t think I’d be this nervous, but it’s important to me. What if I do or say the wrong thing?”

He laughs. “I’m sorry, but my father is one of five brothers and if you’d ever seen them together, you wouldn’t be saying that. Trust me.” Kissing me on the cheek, he grins.

“Michael get in here before your mother drags you in.”

He laughs and whispers, “My dad.”

“I got that.”

His father smiles as we walk up the steps and onto the porch, which puts me at ease. The love and amusement I see when he looks at his son, settles me completely. I have this.

“Welcome to our home, Brooke,” he says, and Michael squeezes my waist.

“It’s nice to meet you.” I hold my hand out, but he shakes his head and steps forward. When his arms wrap around me, I surprise myself when tears spring to my eyes.

I return his embrace and smile when he gives me back to Michael.

“Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Dad, I’m only twenty-eight.”

“As I remember, you were a bit older than Michael when you met me,” his wife adds, her eyes alight with mirth. Reaching up, she kisses her husband on his lips and then turns to me, pulling me against her. “It’s so good to meet you.”

“Thank you.”

“Why are you still standing at the door?” she asks.

“Dad hasn’t let us in yet,” Michael drawls, ushering me inside. “Who else is here? I don’t recognize the cars.”

“Your Uncle Lucien and Aunt Sabrina are here in their new car, and Uncle Ramon said he’d come by if he made it back in time,” Lily answers and smiling, threads her arm through mine, tugging me along with her.

Michael and his father laugh. “Mom’s a force to be reckoned with so just go with it.”

“I’m in the kitchen with Sabrina, so let’s leave the men to it while we get tipsy on the left over cocktails my mother-in-law made.”

I grin at Lily who looks younger than she must be to have four adult children. She has long, dark hair, which she is wearing tied back. Her face is void of make up apart from mascara and lipstick.

She hurries me into the kitchen, and then another woman, who I presume is Sabrina, greets me. She hugs me in greeting as well before wobbling back into her chair.

“I knew I shouldn’t have started on this cocktail,” Sabrina drawls. “Pippa makes powerful stuff, after all these years, I should have learnt my lesson.”