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Chris pulled the van up in front of the house. Kate looked at it. It was big and white and sitting on a hill. Tricycles and toys littered the sidewalks. A sign, Kate hoped, of times to come. She’d love nothing better than to see Megan and Molly’s toys among the mess.

Chris unfastened Molly’s seatbelt and held her hand. He met Kate around the other side of the van.

“Nervous?” he asked with a boyish grin.

Kate just rolled her eyes as if to say, “what do you think?”.

“You should be. You’re about to face the firing squad.” He started up the steps.

“Thanks,” Kate muttered from behind him. Megan just held on tightly to her mother’s hand.

“How many of your family did you say there is to meet?”

“Twenty-five. Oh, and three dogs, two cats and a hamster. By the way, Kenny still lives with my parents. He’s the one with the hamster.”

“How do so many people fit in this house?” Kate asked. She was amazed that such an average-sized house could fit so many people, never mind the pets.

“Are you rich, Chris?” Megan asked. Kate yanked on her hand. Her sign to be quiet. “Megan…”

Chris reached around and ruffled Megan’s hair, but not too much because she had her brand new bow in it. “Quite the opposite, Megan. We’re rich in ways that can make life better. But, it sure doesn’t pay the bills.”

Kate said a silent prayer, hoping she’d make it through the night. She never knew what was going to come out of Megan’s mouth next. Chris seemed to read her mind.

“Don’t worry about it, Kate. They’re used to it. My sisters’ kids come out with some of the most interesting things. Especially Colleen’s kids. I think there are times she’d like to pretend she’s not with them.” He laughed. “Come on.” He reached for her hand. “We have to go around back. You’ll get the tour of the house later, no doubt. And I’m sure my mother can’t wait to fill you in on her version of life with Chris. ‘And this is the window Chris broke when he and his brother were fighting.’”

Kate couldn’t help but laugh as Chris mimicked his mother. “She must have been nuts to put up with all you kids.”

“She loved it. Don’t believe anything she says.”

As they came around the corner, Kate was greeted by half-a-dozen “hi’s” and “nice to meet you’s” and a few sticky hands. Megan and Molly, who had let go of Chris, clung to their mother’s shorts.

“Does she know what she’s getting herself into getting messed up with a guy like you?” the brother who looked most like Chris teased.

“Oh! Oh! Two more kids. She’ll never find them by the end of the night,” one of his sisters said, and the group laughed.

Before Kate knew what was happening, Megan and Molly scampered off in the direction of the swing set with their newfound friends. “Boy, it didn’t take them long to warm up.”

“Yeah, they’re not too shy,” Kate said, sticking close to Chris.

Chris whispered into Kate’s ear, “Like their mother…if I remember those kisses last night.”

Kate blushed, remembering how they had made out like a couple of kids at Look Out Point. Well, one thing was certain—she responded to Chris’s kisses.

“Don’t look now, but here comes Mom. I’m willing to bet it’s time for the guided tour.”

“Kate, it’s so nice to meet you. Chris has told us so much about you.” Chris’s mother clasped Kate’s hand between hers. She was graying and slight, but Kate could see the resemblance to Chris. She had the same startling eyes and a beautiful smile.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Shields.”

“Please…we’re not formal around here. Heavens with twenty-five and counting how can we be? Call me Laura, and this—” she reached for her husband’s hand, “—is my husband Dan.”

Kate shook his hand. Then, she was swooped away by his mother and every brother and sister including the one who’d just gotten engaged. Each tried to outdo the other with horror stories of Chris.

“How’d you meet?” Alice asked, wrinkling her nose.

“At a church picnic. We were working the same stand.”

“Chris working at a church?” His brother hooted, and Alice chimed in.

“He used to always cut mass.”

“Break it up,” Chris said, shouting through the crowd. He was coming to rescue Kate. “Give the lady a break. She doesn’t need to know all of my flaws yet.”

“All of them? Chris, we just started,” Alice said and everyone laughed.

“You wait until I meet Jake’s family. The stories I can tell,” Chris shot back while putting an arm around Alice and playfully giving her a noogie.

“Chris, stop! You’re messing my hair.”

Chris grabbed Kate’s arm and guided her into the house. Once inside, he pulled her into the bathroom and closed the door.

“Chris, what do you think you’re doing?”

“This,” Chris said in a husky voice. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

“Your family…what will they think?” Kate whispered between kisses.

“That I’m crazy for a girl named Kate,” he said, his breath warm against her mouth. His lips brushed hers, softly at first, then parting them with his tongue. “Kate,” he groaned, lost in the kiss. She pressed against him and felt the result against her belly. He backed her into the wall, tangling his hands in her hair. Kate gasped for air.

“We’ve got to stop…”

Chris smiled through sleepy-looking eyes. “I know, but I can’t stop touching you like this,” he said, running his hands up and down her arms and sending a wave of goose bumps rippling down Kate’s spine. He kissed her neck and she was lost in the sweet sensation when they heard someone knock on the door.

“Chris, I know you’re in there.” It was his sister.

“I’ll be right out,” Chris yelled back. “Damn,” he muttered before giving Kate another quick kiss. Someone giggled outside the door. Then, Chris heard her walk away.

“Give me two minutes to cool off, and I’ll be right out,” he said, ushering Kate out and locking the bathroom door behind her.

“Christopher Shields,” she whispered loudly into the door. “You open this door right now. I have to fix my hair. What will everyone think when they see…”

“Ahem.” His sister cleared her throat. Kate spun around to come face-to-face with Colleen. Kate turned twenty shades of red.

“Bathroom’s always the busiest room in this house,” Colleen said, trying to make Kate feel at ease.