He's the guy moms warn their daughters about. Bold, outspoken, and self-confident, Brian O'Brien returns to his hometown only to discover some things changed in his absence.
Brian has a new neighbor - a shy, smart girl Leah, who hates his guts since...
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The front door of the beautiful house with bay windows opens wide, and the man on the other side is as tall as Brian's dad. As soon as he sees us, his eyes light up, and his lips stretch in a broad smile.
"Look who's here!"
Brian chuckles and hugs his grandfather. "Pops senior."
"Senior, my ass. Why didn't you say you were coming? I talked to the little fucker this morning, and he kept quiet, too. Sneaky boys."
"Dad didn't know," Brian says. "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision cause I had to rescue Kitten. She has claws, but using them takes practice."
O'Brien's grandfather laughs, looking at me. "I'm Benjamin, but call me Ben. My wife Evelyn's in the kitchen getting our dinner ready. Come on in."
Brian smirks. "Feel free to call her Kitten. She loves it, but Leah's okay, too."
"Thanks." I blush and roll my eyes.
"Come on, little fucker junior," Ben says. It's weird to think he's Brian's grandfather - although he has some wrinkles and gray hair, he looks youthful and full of energy. The men in their family have that in common.
Brian's grandmother, Evelyn, is a tiny woman. She squeals as soon as she sees Brian and hugs him tightly, kissing him on the cheek. "Handsome as ever, dear. And who's this cute girl?"
O'Brien doesn't let me say anything and blurts out, "Kitten, also known as Leah. I had to whisk her away, and here's the only place her evil mother isn't gonna find her."
Brian's grandparents laugh, and his grandma hugs me. I'm a bit taken aback by so much affection — I'm not accustomed to it. It's been a long while since Mom hugged me. Lately, all we do is argue.
Brian notices the change in my mood and places his hand on my shoulder. "What's for dinner?" he asks.
Evelyn steps aside to let him see a pot with an aromatic concoction on the stove. "I made a new recipe with rice and fish. It's like a stew. It's almost ready, so leave your things and come here. You're staying at your cabin, right?"
Brian grins. "Yeah. I missed it."
"I bet." Ben chuckles. "You basically built it and have no time to enjoy it."
"I'll try to visit you more often," Brian says. "Kitten, come on. Let's leave our stuff at the cabin."
Outside, he takes the bag from Fat Boy and leads the way down a narrow path. The scent of pines permeates the air. Despite the darkness surrounding us, I can tell Brian's grandparents live close to the woods. I wonder if Brian's love of the outdoors comes from it.
"My grandparents own all of this; the forest included," Brian explains as we approach a wooden house. "The villages nearby are full of tourists in summer, but it's quiet here. Jimmy and I built this cabin to have somewhere to relax. I stay at the main house sometimes, but I thought you'd want some peace."
