Chapter 128: Chicken Wings

His family had invaded his home.

The television was on. Conversations overlapped one another while his nephews treated the room like a private playground.

And food was everywhere. Small tasting portions of everything spread across the entertainment floor.

Maurice was there.

Eleanor was there.

Daniel had made himself comfortable.

Ginny and her fiancé were present too.

The only person missing was Alexandra.

"Hey, he’s here!" Eleanor called brightly, waving him toward the pool table.

His pool table had been converted into a buffet. He walked over to Maurice first and greeted his father before turning toward Eleanor.

Then he caught Naomi’s eye across the room.

Dorian gave her a deeply confused look.

Naomi simply shrugged.

The message was perfectly clear.

They’re your family.

"Try this." Eleanor suddenly shoved a bite of food into his mouth. "Divine, isn’t it?"

Dorian had not even finished registering what she had put in his mouth before she demanded an opinion. He chewed once.

Then nodded robotically.

"Wonderful."

Eleanor looked satisfied and immediately turned away to bother someone else.

Dorian moved toward Naomi.

She was arranging another platter.

He stopped directly beside her.

Naomi glanced up innocently. "What?"

Dorian leaned down until his mouth was close to her ear. "You said food tasting."

Naomi pressed her lips together, already fighting a smile.

Dorian gestured subtly around the room. His mother was discussing appetizers with Ginny. His father had a plate in hand. His nephews were still running around. There were enough dishes on display to feed considerably more people than any sensible tasting required. Dorian looked back at his wife.

"This looks like the wedding itself."

"I know. They just showed up!" Naomi said, and then her whole face lit up. "I like it!"

That stopped Dorian from complaining.

She looked genuinely happy.

Then Daniel walked over with his phone in one hand and pointed at Naomi with the other.

"So I told the guys you made the chicken. They’re on their way."

Dorian turned slowly. "What... wh... are you..."

Naomi, however, didn’t even look alarmed. "The more the merrier," she said brightly. "I’d like various opinions on everything."

At this rate, she would have half of Manhattan in his entertainment room by dinner.

Daniel stole another piece of chicken from one of the platters. "Trust me, these are all delicious. No wonder Dorian doesn’t come over for Sunday dinner anymore."

Naomi laughed.

"I have just one question," Ginny chipped in.

Dorian knew that tone.

Naomi, completely unaware of the danger, turned toward her with a smile. "What?"

Dorian’s stomach sank.

Ginny looked at the food spread across the pool table.

Then at Naomi.

Then very deliberately at Dorian.

"Was the kitchen sanitized?"

Eleanor immediately turned toward him. "Did you stop using the cleaning service I sent you?"

"No."

"Oh no, Mum..." Ginny began, already grinning. "Dorian and his wife—"

She never got to finish.

Dorian crossed the distance between them so quickly that Ginny barely had time to react before both his palms clamped over her mouth.

Her eyes widened. "Mmmph!"

He grabbed her and started dragging her away from the group.

Ginny immediately fought against him, laughing behind his hands.

Dorian lowered his voice. "You will not finish that sentence."

She made another muffled sound.

"I mean it."

Naomi’s face went bright red. She had understood approximately three seconds too late where that conversation had been heading.

Eleanor watched both of her children disappear toward the other side of the room. "What’s wrong with them?"

What exactly was she supposed to say?

Oh, nothing. Your daughter just wanted to make sure lunch wasn’t prepared on the same surface where your son has sex with me.

A loud argument erupted near the gaming area.

"Give it back!"

"You already had your turn!"

Eleanor’s head snapped around. Her grandchildren were now wrestling over one of the gaming controllers. "Oh, for heaven’s sake!" She rushed toward them immediately.

Naomi exhaled in relief as Eleanor hurried away.

"Seriously, was the kitchen sanitized?" Ginny’s fiancé asked Naomi quietly.

Naomi’s head dropped forward. "Oh my God... she told you."

Oliver smiled. "No need to be embarrassed. I’m not judging."

Naomi lifted her face again, still visibly horrified. "Thank you." She huffed out a laugh and shook her head.

Oliver glanced toward the food and reached for another bite. "The food is great, by the way. You have nothing to worry about there either."

Naomi gave him a small nod.

That actually mattered. It was his wedding too, after all. If the groom himself approved of the menu, then she was doing something right.

"Can I ask you a question?" Oliver said after a moment.

Naomi looked over.

Both of them were now watching their significant others on the other side of the room.

Ginny appeared to be trying to pry Dorian off her while Dorian looked increasingly like he was considering strangling his own sister.

"Yeah, sure. Go on."

Oliver leaned slightly closer. "Your husband doesn’t seem to like me very much. Any tips? Ideas?"

"Uh... can’t help you, bro. You’re banging his little sister. What do you think?"

Oliver looked offended. "He likes Daniel, and he’s banging his little sister."

Naomi paused. "Hmmm. Good point."

Oliver nodded toward Daniel. "I mean, Daniel gets invited to the Saturday hangouts. I’ve gotten no such invite."

Naomi thought about that. "From what I know, Daniel was a friend before he became a brother."

Oliver sighed. "So, I’m fucked?"

Naomi smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, dude. You are."

Oliver gave her a wounded look.

Naomi laughed and nudged one of the plates toward him. "Come on, eat something. Food makes everything better." She stood there for a moment after that, looking around the room.

The place was complete chaos.

Her nephews-in-law were still arguing over the gaming controls.

Eleanor had inserted herself into the dispute and was somehow making it louder.

Maurice stood nearby with a plate in hand.

Daniel was talking to someone near the television.

Ginny was still annoying Dorian.

Oliver had started working through another tasting plate.

Everywhere Naomi looked, there was noise.

Laughter.

Family.

This was messy.

She loved this. She wanted this.

More importantly, she wanted to keep this for herself.

She wanted to recreate it.

A home full of people who wanted to be there. Children running around. Arguments that ended in laughter instead of fear.

Family who showed up. A husband pretending to be irritated while secretly loving every person in it.

Naomi watched Dorian finally let go of Ginny, only for his sister to immediately start laughing at him again.

This was what family ought to feel like. This was what it was supposed to look like.

You take care of your own. You defend your own. You love your own.

"I don’t want to leave," she said.