Like Father, Like Son ✔

Chapter 10 - Family Fun

"You grew up here?" she asked Nick.

"All my life, right up 'til I was eighteen," he answered with an easy smile, already getting out of the car so that he could get Duke from the backseat. "I've got dessert, you get the kid," he added with a playful smirk.

They barely had time to make it up the stone steps and hit the doorbell when the big oak door swung open and a tiny woman came bustling out. She was in her mid-sixties with platinum blonde hair in a short pixie cut, warm brown eyes under a pair of glasses and a bright smile that just seemed to light up her whole face. She was very pretty.

"We come bearing cinnamon—!" Nick began to speak, holding the box of cinnamon rolls in one hand and Duke's harness in the other. Before he was able to utter a full sentence however, his mom cut him off.

"You must be Catherine! It's so nice to meet you! I'm Liv," the woman beamed excitedly, catching Cat completely and utterly off guard. "I had to learn from Erin that Nick even had a girl in his life... seriously, that boy of mine, I don't know what to do with him sometimes," she added and shook her head, the look on her face a mixture of false scornfulness and exasperation.

"Cat, yes, hi," Cat replied shyly.

She glanced at Nick, trying to gauge his expression but it was a lot more difficult than reading his mother's face. He was grinning, but it wasn't the usual goofy smirk she was getting used to. Did he look embarrassed? It did strike her as a little odd that he wouldn't mention her, especially since he'd invited her to the family's barbecue for Erin's birthday!

"Hello to you too mom," Nick said finally, a low chuckle leaving his lips. "And for the record, I did mention you," he added, his head turning toward the side so that he was facing Cat.

"You didn't give a whole lot of details. Anyway, enough standing around here, come on in!" Nick's mother ushered them all inside and quickly took the box of cinnamon rolls from her son. "And who might you be?" she added to Luke.

He was standing quietly, just an inch or two behind Cat, peering up at Mrs. Bradley with big blue eyes that could almost be described as shy. Unlike Cat, Luke didn't usually have any issues with social interactions, so this scene was definitely a little weird to behold—

"I'm Lucas Elijah Logan and I'm going to be three years old soon," Luke said proudly, holding up three little fingers. Cat beamed. Ah, there he was: the little social butterfly she knew so well.

"Are you now?" Mrs. Bradley laughed.

"Yep," Luke said with a grin before rounding on the woman so that he was now facing Cat and Nick. "Can I please go play with Adam and Grace now?" he added, but he wasn't asking for Cat's permission. His little fist was tugging on the leg of Nick's jeans and his big blue eyes were looking up expectantly at him.

"They're not here yet but I've got some toys in the backyard if you want to play with those while we wait for everyone else to arrive," Mrs. Bradley said a little apologetically.

"Can I go play outside?" Luke asked, this time to his mother.

"Of course, buddy," Cat smiled.

They were all led out onto the big deck located behind the house, where Cat now had a full view of the big Sycamore tree a few yards away from the main area where the barbecue, picnic table and chairs were all spread out. There was an in-ground pool and a Jacuzzi, both of which were surrounded by fencing. Cat noticed that the gate had a lock on it, which she was glad about. Knowing Luke, the young mom had a vague suspicion he would want to investigate further. That boy had the curiosity of a cat, which meant she had to watch him like a hawk all the time.