Nic hoisted his oversized duffle bag out of the trunk of the rental car and headed up the path to his parents’ house.
The door swung open as he reached for the knob. “You’re here,” his mother exclaimed, bubbling with happiness as she slung her arms around him.
“Hi, Mom.” He dropped his bag to hug her and leaned down to kiss her cheek, inhaling her signature scent. Her hair was cut shorter, but otherwise she hadn’t changed a bit in the four months since he’d last seen her.
She stepped back, grinning. “Let’s go inside. Everyone’s here.”
They walked into the kitchen, which was a spacious, well-equipped room with an over-sized island perfect for the amount of food Mom had spread out. People sat on stools to chat with the cook.
Lisa stood beside Dad as he mixed a pitcher of margaritas. Jar
