Page 151 of Hometown Halftime

“Evie,” Kate warns. “Put the olives down.”

Evie stuffs three into her mouth. Cam looks like he’s proud of her for it. I duck my head to hide my reaction because I love how those two are thick as thieves.

I sit beside Levi near the middle of the table with an empty chair for Riley on the other side, while we listen to Ty argue with Knox about whether smoked turkey counts as “real Thanksgiving turkey.”

“It absolutely counts,” Knox says.

Ty points his fork dramatically. “It tastes like barbecue. That’s not a Thanksgiving flavor, that’s clearly a summer flavor.”

“Hey, barbecue is delicious,” Knox snaps back. “That sounds like a you problem.”

“It sounds like a crime.” Ty wrinkles his nose.

Laughter ripples around the table while Brynn rolls her eyes fondly and sets down another basket of rolls. This might be my favorite place on Earth during the holidays. There’s too much noise, too many conversations happening over each other, and someone always seems to be reaching for more food. Maybe that's why I love these people so much. Nobody cares if your life is messy or expects you to have all the answers. They just pull up another chair and make room for you, welcoming you into the fold.

Kate slides into the chair beside me while adjusting Luke in her lap.

“Is Riley still coming?” she asks quietly.

I nod. “Family dinner at his mom’s first.”

Something soft flickers across her face before she smiles knowingly. Apparently, everyone in Cedar Falls can tell I’m hopelessly in love now.

Fantastic.

Knox reaches for the gravy boat dramatically. “Alright, everybody sit down before I starve to death.”

“You've literally eaten half the appetizers already,” Brynn teases.

“That was pre-gaming.”

The front door opens just as everyone finally starts settling into seats. Riley appears in the entryway wearing a dark green sweater with windswept hair and flushed cheeks from the cold outside.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says while pushing the door shut behind him. “Mom kept trying to send me home with leftovers like I’m feeding an army.”

Knox points toward the empty chair beside me.

“No worries, you’re right on time. Sit down.”

Riley walks toward the table while everyone talks to him at once. Knox shoves the mashed potatoes in his direction, Ty asks about football training, and Evie proudly announces that she already ate three dinner rolls “for strength.” Riley laughs, dropping into the empty chair beside me. His hand finding mine beneath the table feels so natural now it almost scares me.

There’s no awkwardness when he’s with these people that I call family. Riley doesn’t feel like someone temporarily passing through Cedar Falls now. Instead, he feels rooted here, woven into the noise, the teasing and this crowded holiday dinner, into this strange little family we built out of friendship and love.

Riley leans toward my ear and whispers, “Hey, Kitten.”

The nickname sends tingles through my skin.

“You made it.”

“Barely.” He sighs. “Between Mom shoving Tupperware at me and Emma wanting to watch Christmas movies, it was a close call.”

“Sounds intense.” I laugh.

“It was. I barely survived.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” I tap his thigh.

He grins before he says, “Me too.”