I made my way over to Gabi. She threw herself into my arms.
"I hadn't heard from you. I was worried," she said softly.
What a dick. I meant to text her when I got to her place, but then the whole thing happened with hearing her on the phone and it slipped my mind.
"I'm so sorry, prinkipissa. I was so tired and I came here but you were down at the bakery and I crashed in your bed."
Her eyes turned dark. "Well damn, had I known that I'd have taken a long lunch break."
Smiling, I pulled her to me and cupped her face in my hands. "Gabi," I whispered.
Searching my face with her beautiful eyes, she grinned bigger while holding onto my forearms. "Nic."
My lips pressed against hers as we exchanged a slow sweet kiss. When I pulled back, she winked. "I better go get ready if we want to be at your parents' place on time."
I let go of her and watched her walk to her room. Turning back to Charity, I took in her sad eyes. "Are you going to be okay?"
She nodded and inhaled a deep breath. "I think so. Thank you for being there for me, Nic. It really means a lot."
"Listen, I know Cole. I've been working alongside him a number of years. I have a feeling this evening is going to turn out very different from what you expect."
Her eyes filled with tears again, but she quickly got her emotions in check. "I hope you're right. Have fun tonight."
Walking up to me, she reached up and kissed me on the cheek then patted me on the chest. "I'm going to go check on Gabi and make sure she isn't freaking out with the whole meeting the parents and family thing."
Laughing, I replied, "Good idea."
As I watched Charity walk away, I couldn't help but smile. No matter what Cole said about loving his bachelor ways, he was going to be over the moon with Charity's news. I didn't know Charity well enough to know how she was feeling . . . but the sadness in her eyes told me enough.
MY EYES WERE fixed on the string at the bottom of my skirt. I kept staring at it. Do I pull it? Leave it? Ask Nic for scissors?
Holy crap'ole. Why in the hell am I worried about a string?
The truck came to an abrupt stop as Nic said, "What in the fuck?"
Snapping my head up, I looked around. "What? What's wrong?"
He stared over at a house that had a ton of cars in the driveway and out front. My heart started beating faster.
Oh. No. Please God no.
Nic put the truck in reverse and started speaking in Greek. My insides started to swirl, and it wasn't from nerves.
Damn that was hot hearing him talk in Greek.
"Stop," I said.
He stopped the truck. Shaking my head, I added, "No, stop talking in Greek."
"Shit. Sorry, Gabi. I'm slightly annoyed and didn't really want you to hear all the things I was calling my mother."
My hand covered my mouth to hide my smile.
"It was turning me on."
Now he really stopped the truck. "What?"
Chewing on my lip, I shrugged. That's right. I was a nervous, horny Italian woman who wanted her very handsome Greek boyfriend to take me right there in his truck.
"You've got to stop looking at me like that, agapiméni."
My tongue ran along my lip. "And if I don't?"
"I'm going to fuck you in the backseat of my truck."
A small moan slipped from my lips. "Nic."
He quickly parked and before we had a chance to do anything, a knock on the driver's window caused both of us to yell out.
Turning, Nic cursed when he saw Thano standing there with a huge smile on his face.
"Let's go, Gabi. The faster we do this the better."
"Wait, why are you frustrated with your mom?" I asked as Nic jumped out and pushed Thano out of the way. Not waiting for him to come around to open my door, I jumped out.
"I could have told you this was going to happen," Thano said. He was holding his five-year-old daughter in his arms and it had to be the sweetest thing ever.
Kilyn came walking up to me wearing that sweet smile of hers. She had a flush on her cheeks and I couldn't help but return the gesture. Grinning, I gave her a hug.
"You look beautiful," we both said.
Laughing, I shook my head. "Do you have any idea why Nic would be so mad? He started talking in Greek when we pulled up to the house."
Kilyn made a face. "Trust me, you're about to find out."
As we walked behind Thano and Nic, I leaned closer and said, "That's their house?"
She nodded. "Yep."
"It's beautiful. Why are there so many cars?"
Kilyn looked at me and said, "Because Greek families don't know how to do small, Gabi. When Nic said immediate family only . . . his mother heard invite the whole family! The more the better."