A Date with a Turkey (The Dating 11) - Page 19

Kyler nods. “I felt the same way when I came back. When I went off to college, I was ready to leave and make a name for myself.”

“You did make a name for yourself. You’ve worked hard to get where you are today.”

He smiles. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

“Are your parents proud of you?” I ask.

Nodding, he eats a bite of his steak. “Oh yeah. Don’t get me wrong, my dad was looking forward to my NFL career, but both of my parents have supported my decisions.”

“What do you all do for Thanksgiving? I can’t believe it’ll be here in two days.” Time passes by so quickly now. Some days I look at Logan and want to cry because he’s getting so big.

Kyler sighs, and his eyes sadden at the mention of Thanksgiving. “Usually, my mom’s side of the family comes over on Thanksgiving Day, but this year has been really tough on her. She lost her two younger sisters to cancer, one right after the other. There were only five months between their deaths.”

Gasping, I hold a hand over my mouth. “Oh my God, how horrible. I can’t even imagine.”

“It wasn’t easy, and it’s still not. She has two brothers, but they live out of town. This Thanksgiving, it’ll be just them and me. I told them I’d smoke the turkey.”

I don’t know what comes over me, but I don’t like the thought of them being alone. Plus, if he can cook a turkey without drying it out, it’s a win. “No,” I say adamantly.

His brows lift. “No? What do you mean, no?”

“I mean,” I say, digging my fork into my loaded potato, “no, you aren’t going to have Thanksgiving dinner with just your parents. Why don’t you all come over and spend it with my family? My mom and dad would love to have you there. You can still smoke your turkey if you want. In fact, I’d really appreciate it if you did.”

He shakes his head. “We can’t impose like that, Maeve.”

I reach over and take his hand. “Trust me. You’ll be saving Thanksgiving.”

His lips pull back, and he laughs. “Are you trying to say that your parents can’t cook a turkey?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I love my mom to death, and she can cook the hell out of some food, but she always manages to dry out the turkey. If you can fix one that’s tender like these steaks, then I say, please join us. I’ll beg you if I have to.”

“You’ll beg, huh? I think I like the sound of that.”

The way he says that makes my body tighten in all the right places. Slowly, I move my hand away from his before I do something crazy. “Please say you’ll join us?”

His grin broadens. “I’ll talk to my parents, but I’m sure they won’t have a problem with it. I’d be happy to spend the holiday with you and your family. Maybe Logan and I can work off the turkey coma by playing football.”

“I think he’d like that.”

What I find crazy is that I had another thought for working through the turkey coma, and it’s not by playing football. Where the hell is my mind going?

“Do you want to finish dinner maybe and then eat our cake by the fire pit out on the back deck?”

“Yes,” I reply quickly, hoping he can’t hear my thoughts. However, by the way he’s looking at me with those heat-filled blue eyes of his, I’m sure he had other ideas as well.8MaeveAfter dinner, I helped Kyler clean up the kitchen. This time I didn’t soak him like I did when we were at my parents’ house. We laughed about it, though. While he got the fire ready in the pit, I cut us both huge slices of carrot cake. Even though I was full from dinner, I ate my entire piece, and so did he.

“Think your mom will make another carrot cake for Thanksgiving?” Kyler asks.

I burst out laughing. “Are you seriously going to eat that entire cake in your kitchen in two days?”

He leans back on his lounge chair, his gaze up at the stars. “I might. It’s so damn good.”

I copy him and lean back in my chair. The fire feels amazing at my feet, and the sky is magical with all the bright stars twinkling everywhere. “Yes, it is,” I agree. “I’m sure she’ll make another one just for you.”

“What’s your favorite part about Thanksgiving?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him turn his head toward me. I look over at him and smile. “Other than spending time with my family, my favorite is the sweet potato casserole.”

Chuckling, he shakes his head, clearly surprised “Interesting. I never would’ve thought that.”

“Oh yeah? What did you think would be my favorite?”

He purses his lips in concentration. “I was kind of thinking the macaroni and cheese would be yours. That’s what I would’ve picked.”

Tags: Heidi McLaughlin The Dating Romance
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