He looked around then reached down and lifted his hand to show her what looked like a miniature feather duster. “It’s one of the few things I’ll allow with you. I was thinking maybe something that buzzes would be fun too, but this was way too fun. I don’t know that we need anything else.”

Smiling big, Regina threw her arms around him again. “Well, thank you for allowing this. I know you said you didn’t want to ever go there again.” She smirked. “Something tells me that wasn’t too painful for you.”

Brandon laughed. “Not at all. But it won’t get much more tortuous than that ever.”

Glad to hear him speaking in terms of this happening again, because she enjoyed that much more than she expected to, she grinned. “I love you, baby.

“I love you more,” he said, cradling her face in his hand and kissing her so sweetly she sighed.

~*~

Brandon

Regina had told Brandon it would likely be a full house at her sisters, so Brandon was surprised to see so few cars out front of the house when they arrived. This was the sister she’d mentioned lived in Pacific Beach. They’d driven by La Jolla to get there, and Brandon had gotten that uneasy feeling again, the same one he’d felt the morning he’d driven into La Jolla to get Regina waffles.

Even as they got out of his Jeep, Brandon was beginning to have second thoughts about jumping the gun when he decided on a whim that he wanted to be here with her today. Was he really ready to meet her family? Daddy?

They walked in through the side gate. The party or gathering as Regina referred to it was being held in the backyard. This area was just as ritzy as La Jolla, and her sister’s house was impressive. One of the women standing by the table where a buffet was set up turned and smiled big when she saw Regina. Brandon recognized her from one of the many photos Regina had showed him as her younger sister.

“Here she is,” her sister said, turning back to a table where a few other women and men sat. “Mom was just asking when you were getting here.”

Regina hugged her then turned to Brandon. “Brandon this is my sister Bell. Bell, this is my boyfriend, Brandon.”

Bell who was a slightly taller version of Regina smiled just as sweetly as Regina did and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Brandon. Gina’s told us so much about you.”

“Likewise,” Brandon said, surprised Regina had never mentioned she went by Gina. “Regina’s told me a lot about all of you.”

He looked up at the other woman walking up behind Bell. He recognized her as Regina’s mom.

“I’m Gloria,” she said, holding out her hand and smiling just as big as Bell had. “Finally, we get to meet you. We were beginning to wonder if you actually existed.”

Regina gave her a look but chuckled. They moved on as Regina introduced her one by one to the rest of the family members who were there: her other sister, a few cousins, and some of her brother-in-law’s relatives.

“Speaking of,” Regina said, bending over to kiss her niece after introducing Brandon to her brother-in-law’s uncles, “where’s your daddy?”

“He went to get more ice,” her sister Bell explained, saying he should be back soon.

They sat down under a canopy where her mom and some other relatives were sitting.” Honey, how’s your ankle doing?” her mother asked, looking down at it.

Regina wiggled her foot in the air. “All better,” she said with a big smile.

Brandon couldn’t help but frown at the very high heels she’d insisted on wearing. They were sexier than hell, but he’d warned her it might be too soon for such high heels. The past few weeks he was able to talk her out of wearing the higher ones to work, and he was still reminding her to do her ankle-strengthening exercises.

One of her aunts asked her how she’d hurt it, and she explained. Her mom then went on to tell them about Regina’s bad luck.

“My poor baby,” she said with a pout. “We’ve always called her Charlie Brown because it never fails that if something is going to go wrong she always seems to take the brunt of it.” Her mom reached out for Regina’s hand and took it in hers. “But like I always say,” she said, rubbing Regina’s hand in between hers, “God doesn’t give anyone everything. She may have the worst luck, but she has the best spirit of anyone I know. Nothing brings this kid down.”

Regina and Brandon exchanged glances as her smile began to wane, and he squeezed her hand.

“Ha!” One of her brother-in-law’s uncles suddenly laughed. “Charlie Brown. That’s what we should’ve called that nephew of mine growing up. Talk about bad luck.” He laughed. “That kid had a fucking rain cloud over his head all through middle school and high school. Am I right?” He nudged the guy next to him, and they both laughed. “I could tell you stories.”

Her sister Bell brought over a bowl of nuts, placing them on the table where Brandon and Regina sat and rolled her eyes, smiling at Brandon. “Something tells me you’re gonna hear a few stories now.”

As if on cue, his uncle started up loudly. “Remember that time we were in Maui?” He nudged the guy next to him again, who also started laughing. “We’re on this beeeautiful beach. All blue for miles. Totally clean, right? ’Cept there’s a couple over down that way with a dog. Tell me why out of all of us my knucklehead nephew takes a swim and comes up with a turd mustache?” He wheezed so loud and long, even Brandon couldn’t help laughing, especially when he put his finger over his lip to demonstrate all animated. “Everyone’s having a good ole time on this beautiful beach,” he said barely able to get the words out he was laughing so much. “And son of a bitch if that kid is the only one who pops out of the water like this.”

He demonstrated some more.

“All right, all right,” A guy walked out the back door of the house, frowning and holding a very bald baby. “This guy.” He shook his head but smirked. “Now it’s a turd mustache?” He rolled his eyes. “I told him I saw one floating around in the water, and after all these years, it turned into me walking around with turd mustache in Maui.” Then he turned back to his uncle. “You never even saw it!”

They were all laughing now, including the lady who kept snorting on the other side of the wheezing fat man. Brandon was only glad Regina had snapped out of what might’ve turned into a sour mood after her mom’s mention of her good spirit.

“Hey, look who’s up?” Regina’s mom said, smiling at the baby in the guy’s arms. “It’s the little prince of the hour.”

Glancing back, Brandon peered at the guy who’d walked out with the baby. This was the fat man’s knucklehead nephew, who looked disturbingly familiar. Obviously, he was Regina’s brother-in-law because he walked over and kissed Bell before handing the baby to her. Regina’s niece Mandy tugged at the guy’s pants, and he picked her up. It wasn’t until Bell pointed in Brandon and Regina’s direction and said something to her husband that Brandon made the connection.

Shit.

The guy smiled then it seemed to hit him, too, as his face suddenly brightened. He laughed, walking over to them “No fucking way,” the guy said then turned to his daughter who tapped his lips with her little fingers. “I’m sorry, baby,” he said, kissing her fingertips. “Bad daddy.” He turned back to Brandon with a wide smile. “That you, Billings?”

Doing his best to hide how incredibly uncomfortable he suddenly felt, Brandon forced a smile. Regina was already smiling at him quizzically. “You know each other?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Brandon stood up, reaching to meet her brother-in-law’s already outstretched hand. “That would be me,” he confirmed. “Romero, right?”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Romero laughed, nodding. “You and Gina? Holy shit what a small world.” His expression went a bit serious, but there was no hiding the continued smirk, the one Brandon remembered his smartass wearing all the way from grade school through high school. “She’s my baby sis now. You better be treating her right.”