Page 82 of My Big Fat Shifter Wedding

It was a formality, we both knew that, since Keith had already proposed. But still, the words hung heavy in the air with their meaning, and pure, unadulterated joy flooded me when Miss Angela took both of my hands in hers and squeezed them gently.

“I couldn’t imagine a better person for him. You have my blessing, Miss Olivia, and I, for one, can’t wait to call you my daughter-in-law.”

“And I can’t wait to call you my other mother.”

We embraced again, and in that moment, it was easy to forget all the things that I wasn’t saying.

18

KEITH

GETTING TO KNOW THE IN-LAWS. ALL OF THE IN-LAWS

I checked my phone for what had to be the twelfth time after I parked in front of Olivia’s house. Sure enough, the special delivery I’d arranged was still coming on time, and I hadn’t received any last-minute emails or texts declaring some sort of disaster.

Practically speaking, I knew chances of that happening were slim, but my anxiety wouldn’t let me relax. Although life had become truly a bit insane since I proposed, I had made sure to carve away some time every weeknight to make sure I had a gift that would really show how eager I was to become a part of the Rizoli family.

I hadn’t told Olivia what I was planning. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her, but because it was fun to have a harmless little secret, and I didn’t want to carve myself into a corner if something went wrong.

Thankfully, despite some hiccups with trying to book a photographer, the whole gift-making process went smoothly.

“Hellohiyou’rethebighumanmanright?”

I let out a rather unmasculine yelp and nearly burst through the roof of my car at the rush of words beside me. However, when my heart returned to a normal rate, I looked out my window to see one of Olivia’s younger cousins standing there.

Wait, no, there was more than one. They were standing a few feet back with a soccer ball between them. Had my arrival interrupted their game? I hoped not.

“That’s me,” I said, cracking my door so the kid knew I wanted to open it. Sure enough, he took a step back, his eyes going wide as his head had to tilt up, up, and up one more time as I stood to my full height. “I’m Keith. What’s your name?”

“I’m Gunner.”

Gunner? That was the most American name I’d heard so far.

“His name is actually Giuseppe!” another girl called from the yard, and judging by how she looked like a smaller version of the boy with added bows, I figured that had to be his little sister. “He keeps trying to get everyone to call him Gunner. He’s named after our great-uncle!”

“Shut up, Lucia!” the boy snapped before shooting me a guilty look. “What kind of kid is named Giuseppe?” he muttered, gaze going to the ground. I couldn’t stand seeing the little guy so bummed.

“There are lots of people with that name. It’s a cool name; there’s nothing wrong with it.” I got out of the car and crouched in front of him. “But if you wanna be called Gunner because you like that better, I don’t mind using that. But I figured you should know that Giuseppe is a cool name.”

“I… I like Gunner,” he said after a small delay. “Giuseppe feels too grown up right now. Like a teacher.”

“Fair enough.” I offered him my hand to shake. “Nice to meet you, Gunner.”

“I’m gonna tell Mom!” Lucia called.

Although Olivia’s family showed me all the joys of having so many people to rely on, it also showed me that there were some things I hadn’t missed by not having siblings.

“Hey now, there’s no need to tattle for someone finding a nickname. As long as you’re not using a no-no word, part of the fun of being a kid is being called whatever you want outside of official stuff, like the doctor’s office and sometimes school.”

“Pfft, we’re not babies,” another said with a surprising amount of disdain for someone under four feet tall. “Who uses the phrase no-no word?”

I stood up again, giving the child the blithest shrug I could manage. “I do. Why, got a problem with it?”

“N-no!”

“Good to know. Nice to meet you, Gunner, Lucia, and the rest of you. I’m sorry if I interrupted your game. I’m gonna head in, unless any of you need anything?”

Was it weird that I was talking to a bunch of little kids on my lonesome? Ugh, not the best thought to have for my anxiety and I quickly hurried to the door.