His answer was a loud bark of laughter, then he shouted, “Tori, Brady’s bringing Ming for breakfast. They’re coming, together … Yeah, together, together.”
“Shit,” I muttered, looking sideways to see Ming not even bothering to hide a smile.
“Oh, brother, you have no idea,” Brock said, his voice full of happiness. “Victoria’s freaking out. She was just making eggs and stuff, but I can hear her yelling about crepes now. I need to call Brendan…”
“No,” I practically shouted. “Please don’t. Not yet. Let us get through breakfast with you guys first, see how it all goes, before we bring everyone into it. And, tell Victoria the same thing. This is kind of a big deal for me.”
“I know it is, Brady,” Brock said, and I hoped that meant he was going to abide by my wishes and not put in a call to the damn phone tree. “Okay, we’ll keep it between us for now, but I can’t promise that Victoria won’t be on that phone as soon as breakfast is over.”
I sighed, but knew I was due. I’d give both Brock and Brendan plenty of shit over the years, so it was definitely my turn.
As Ming pulled into my brother’s driveway, I turned and tried to give her a reassuring smile, but when she shook her head and let out a quick laugh, I knew she saw right through me.
This was it, I realized as we got out of the car. The beginning of an actual relationship.
I just hoped to hell I didn’t screw it up.
Chapter Eighteen ~ Ming
I didn’t know why I was so nervous, but I’d practically hyperventilated in m
y car on the drive over.
I’d been to Brock and Victoria’s millions of time, but this? Arriving with Brady as his guest? I was freaking the hell out. I mean, I know this is what I wanted, what I’d been dreaming of, but now that it was actually happening, I couldn’t help but wonder what they were going to think. Would they still like me in this capacity?
I waited for Brady to round the car and we walked up to the front door together.
He must have sensed my nervousness, because he took my hand in his and leaned in to say, “It’ll be good.”
Surprised that he was not only so perceptive, but that he’d tried to put me at ease, I smiled up at him. His eyes dropped to my lips and he started to get closer. My eyes fluttered shut, my entire body thrumming with my eagerness for his kiss, but before Brady could make contact, the door flung open and Brock cleared his throat.
Brady and I jumped apart, and I heard Brock chuckle.
“Get in off the street before you give my neighbors a show,” he said, a huge grin on his face, causing Brady to groan.
“How long have you been waiting to say that?” Brady asked his brother as we walked inside.
“Hey, Ming-a-ling,” Brock said fondly, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek. “How’ve you been?”
“Good,” I replied softly, still a little unsure of how to act. “How are you?”
“Terrific. I’ve been waiting for my little brother to bring someone home for years. I’ve got the photo albums all laid out.”
“Shut up,” Brady called back to his brother as he embraced his sister-in-law. “Tori, please put a muzzle on your husband.”
“There’s no controlling him, you know that,” Victoria replied with a laugh, then turned to me. “Good morning, Ming. I have some stuff to finish up in the kitchen, if you’d like to come back with me.”
I nodded and followed her back, my eyes avoiding any more contact with either of the brothers.
Once we were in the kitchen, I looked around at the spread of scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, bacon, sausage, hash browns, and the pan she was currently making crepes in, and gushed, “Wow, you really went all out.”
“Well, it’s not every day we get a meet the parents type of situation over here.”
My eyes widened when I realized what she said was true. Brady inviting me here was the equivalent to him taking me to breakfast at his parents’. Brock had practically raised him, and although she was about the same age as Brady, she was now the mother figure of this family.
Holy shit!
Dazed, I stopped in my tracks and asked, “Is this a dream?”