He could tell she was nervous as they walked back down the stairs to where his family was waiting, even though she was doing her best to hide it. Over the last three weeks, he’d learned her tells. She held her back drill-sergeant straight and her jaw set in an overly serious pose. He loved to tease her, yes, but he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable around his family. Not only would they notice, but he also wanted them to get along. He wasn’t going to question why that was.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he paused and turned around, facing her. She was two steps higher than he was, so he had to look up. “You ready for this?” he asked, taking hold of her hands.
“Yes,” she said, sounding a lot more confident than he knew she really was.
He smiled and pulled her arms around
