He squeezed her hand. “No pressure. I just want to be with you. Nothing more.”

She sighed but he could tell she was seriously thinking it over.

“You don’t have to say yes for sure at this point.”

“I’ll be there. Dinner at Gillian and Adrian’s will be at noon. They’ll do the cake for Alexander just after that. Erin is very low key for his birthday parties. Just family and cake.”

“No unicorns or anything? Gift bags with diamond rings and a pony?”

“She doesn’t want to spoil him. Well, with material stuff. They’re going to Disneyland in the spring with Brody and Elise and their kids.”

“I like that. I’m the same way with Carrie. I mean, yes, she’s studying abroad and stuff, but a lot of girls her age in her crowd got BMWs for their sixteenth birthdays. I just couldn’t see that sort of extravagance. I got her a car, I can’t lie. But it was used. Safe though, of course.”

“I wouldn’t imagine anything else. So I should be done by five or so.”

“If you want to come to my house, you can ride over with me and Carrie. That way you can meet her before we get to my parents’ house. Might be a little easier that way.”

She blew out a breath. “Yeah, no pressure.”

He tipped her chin. “No pressure. You’re part of my life, I want them to know that. I want them to know you and for you to know them. People do this all the time. You can do this with one eye closed.”

“That might make it easier.”

He grinned.

18

She pulled up in Jonah’s driveway and tried to stay calm. Gillian had given her a pep talk. Erin had said everything would be fine. Daisy had said Carrie was a really nice young woman. Alexander had given her a hug and smeared frosting on her shirt, but the hug had been worth the price and she was going to change anyway.

She ran home to change, choosing the dress Gillian had given her just a week before. She’d said, when she handed it over, that she’d seen it in a shop window and it had called out to be owned by Raven. Gillian wasn’t a clotheshorse at all. She didn’t love shopping the way Erin did. So Raven had taken it as a great compliment. And when she’d put the dress on she’d agreed it was something perfect for her.

That and she’d known Gillian knew how nervous Raven had been about this dinner and wanted her to be at least a little more comfortable. Gillian, an outsider as well, in her own way, got that about Raven better than most anyone.

It had a boatneck; the top piece sort of looked as if it were a separate thing, falling to her hips. Then a skirt with two color blocks, falling to just above her knees. The top part was purple, the middle block was a sandy beige and the bottom was two or so shades lighter. It was something she’d never have chosen on her own. But it made her feel beautiful. And that was a lot.

Neutral-toned heels completed the look. She’d kept her hair down but pulled back from her face with a band. A cardigan would keep her warm and also hide her ink. She wasn’t ashamed of it or anything, but there was no use showing it off the first time she met most of his family.

She got out and headed to the front door and knocked. He answered with a smile. “You’re here.” He kissed her, turning to put an arm around her shoulder and guide her into the house. “I like that dress.”

“Gillian gave it to me a week ago. Everyone says hello. Daisy and Levi said they’d see you later tonight.”

A lovely young woman came downstairs.

She looked Raven over and then smiled. “You’re Raven.” She held her hand out. “I’m Carrie. My dad talks about you all the time.”

Raven shook her hand. “Does he? He talks about you all the time too. You make him very proud.” She’d practiced that one a few times. She meant it so she hoped it sounded genuine.

She had great teeth. Holy cow, that smile was big and bright. Her hair was long. Dark like her father’s. The cut was perfection. It fell around her face just right, emphasizing her eyes, more green than brown. This girl’s mother must have been stunning. Correct, must be stunning. Raven tried not to think about Charlotte, but damn, if this child was any reflection on her, Raven was going to develop an even bigger complex.

“My dad showed me the tattoo you’re doing on his back. It’s amazing. I said I was going to ask you to do one for me.”

Raven laughed as she allowed herself to imagine Jonah’s look of horror when his kid sprung that on him. “I’m going to guess he gave you a lecture about how you should be older before you made such a permanent choice for yourself and your skin.”

Jonah made a little sound and suddenly Raven was all right. His kid was all right. She could have been snooty and spoiled, but she wasn’t.

“That’s pretty much exactly what he said. So I told him I’d catch you in the summer before I went off to college. I’ll be eighteen then.”

Raven put her hands up in surrender. “I tend to agree with the being-older-and-really-think-hard-about-how-you’re-permanently-changing-your-skin viewpoint. Plus, I’m afraid he might send your grandmother to rough me up if I did that without his okay.”

Carrie’s eyes widened, lit with amusement. “I heard you met her. She’s something else, isn’t she? She is a good person most of the time. She’s really old school and sometimes she forgets her manners.”

“I just figured she was bossy and powerful and liked it that way.” Oh, for god’s sake, did she say that out loud? She winced, but Jonah just squeezed her shoulders.