Kieran stood at the front door of a two-storey house with a brown brick façade and an attached garage. Three rectangular windows at the top of the wooden door offered a view of a grey wall, but after Naomi rang the doorbell, footsteps and barks sprung to life. The jingling of a pet collar arrived first, accompanied by a howl, which turned her lips into that cute smile Kieran loved. Would her parents answer the door or her nephews?

He was armed with a dozen mix-and-match craft beers he enjoyed or Naomi had chosen because of their labels featuring animals, airplanes, or hockey players. She held a box of specialty cinnamon buns with customized toppings for each family member, showing she knew them well.

A woman who appeared to be in her late twenties approached the window with a grin. As she opened the door, Kieran noted her oval face and dark brown hair were similar to Naomi's. A cocker spaniel darted to them, with its long ears swaying and covered in wavy hair. They stepped inside.

"You came!" the woman turned to him, still grinning. "You must be Kieran. I'm Jodie, Naomi's big sister."

"Nice to meet you, and thanks for the invitation."

"Of course. How could I not with how sweet you sound?"

She turned to her sister, who was scratching the dog's beautiful coat of golden fur while juggling the box with the other.

"Ooh, cinnamon buns. You know this is why my kids love you more than me." Jodie grinned.

Naomi chuckled. "Trust me, with extended time together, that sentiment would change. I got vanilla Oreo for Jason and sprinkles for Leo. Hope that's alright."

"I will eat it if it's not. I adore those things." She held the door open wider. "Come inside, enjoy some air conditioning. You both look flushed unless something else caused that." That playful grin remained on her lips, convincing Kieran tonight might be fun.

Naomi tucked her hands in her pockets. "No, we spent the day outside at Fort Whyte. It's sunburn."

"I'm just bugging you. It's been a while since I've had an opportunity." Jodie nudged her sister's shoulder. "Mom's outside with the boys, and Peter and Dad are watching the game."

Kieran didn't follow sports other than hockey closely enough to know which one she was referring to. Naomi and Kieran kicked off their shoes, and she showed him where to tuck them away in the hall closet as her parents' dog, Baxter, still liked to play with them.

"You couldn't train it out of him?" Kieran teased.

"It's an instinct for some, especially if there's leather in the shoes."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm teasing."

She sighed. "Between you and my family, it'll be a fun night."

Had he made a mistake in inviting himself to this barbecue? Her first response had been to decline, and perhaps he should have listened. "Are you okay doing this? I can invent a family emergency. Jake won't mind."

"I am. It just feels weird."

"How so?"

Naomi shrugged. "I've never moved on this fast, and I don't know what they'll say or how they'll treat you."

He wrapped her slender frame in his arms and stroked her hair. "Nothing they say matters to me. Only you."

She nodded and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Are we moving too quickly for you?" he asked.

"No, it's all amazing. I thought it'd take longer to open up to someone again."

"Technically, you opened up to me before your ex broke your heart."

"That's true."

"Did you and your ex ever have a family supper like this?"

She shook her head, to his relief. "It never came up, and everyone already knew him."

"No wonder they wanted to meet me. I'm sparkly, new, and exciting."

That made Naomi laugh and rub his beard. "That you are."

He was unsure who closed the gap first, but as they kissed, he was consumed by excitement at taking this step and fear this would be her parents' first impression. He'd be lying if he said it didn't add an addictive rush to the experience.

"Nomi, we've waited all afternoon for you to grace us with your presence. Don't hide now," a man called from the opposite side of the wall.

Kieran jumped back, almost hitting his head on a hanging light fixture to her amusement. Naomi smoothed her hair and led them into the room without taking his hand. "Hey, Dad."

"There's my sunshine." He stood from the reclining sofa, proving which side of the family Naomi got her height from, although Kieran was still an inch taller than the guy.

The older man stepped around the oak coffee table and drew her into a crushing hug. As he pulled away, he rubbed her biceps before turning to Kieran.

"She sure shopped around to find you. What are you six foot three?"

"About that."

"This is my boyfriend, Kieran. Kieran, this is my dad, Cameron."

Kieran tried not to let the shock register on his face. He'd clarified that his feelings were only for her, but he'd assumed she'd need something more official to seal the deal. He almost preferred it this way. No pressure, just reassurance they were committed to each other. Unless she was only saying that in front of her family to imply this was more serious than it was.

"Boyfriend, huh? Even with that barbed wire in his face and that tattoo on his arm?" Cameron raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

Shit, Naomi had said it wouldn't be a big deal, but he should have pulled the barrel out like he did for work and thrown on a sweater.

Naomi scoffed. "Don't be an asshole, Dad."

"An asshole? That's how you speak to me now." Cameron's sarcastic tone contrasted his words while he folded his arms over his grey t-shirt, covering the faded NFL team logo. 

"I call it like I see it, old man. Be nice, or we'll leave."

"Give him a chance, Dad. He brought you beer," Jodie called from the adjoining kitchen. "And she must really like him if she's getting this defensive."

Cameron looked from his daughter to Kieran, his expression softening a touch. Before Cameron sat down, Kieran approached him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He contemplated adding sir, but the man's casual khaki shorts and t-shirt had Kieran thinking he wasn't the type who'd want a kiss-ass dating his daughter.

"We'll see." After they shook hands, Cameron's gaze shifted to the beer in Kieran's left hand. "Is that a full case?"

"Yes, it's a mix of drinks Naomi and I hoped you would enjoy."

Cameron eyed Kieran again. "You're either smart or guilty."

"Guilty of wanting to make a good impression."

The man chuckled. "Naomi can't resist a charmer, can she? You're hoping I'll overlook the tattoo and piercing, aren't you?"

"Dad," she muttered.

"She bases her decisions on more than charm and appearance. At least I'm hoping so," he said with a laugh. Jodie took the beers off his hands and brought them to the kitchen.

"Of course she does," Cameron said. "Do you work, Kieran?"

"I'm an electrician."

The nod of approval was subtle, but Kieran caught it. Not everyone valued the trades, but Cameron seemed like he did. "A job that'll always be in demand. And your folks?"

"My father does the same, and my mother works in sales." At least they did before he and Jake moved. Kieran couldn't see his dad changing careers, but his mother frequently changed workplaces.

"Oh, so do you work for a family business?"

"My father lives in Quebec, and I'm working here for another family's business."

"I don't detect an accent."

"I grew up in Ontario, and my mother doesn't speak any French."

Cameron nodded. "Your father's not one of those separatists?"

"Dad," Naomi hissed.

"Not to my knowledge." Though who knew after the divorce and detailing with his anti-French first wife, who believed English should be the only language used in her presence? That alone was probably why Jake learned and mastered a second language without once complaining about it.

Cameron continued with the questions to uncover how long Kieran had lived here, his favourite sports teams, his living and his financial situation, which he had to embellish to compensate for Cameron's initial reaction. He'd come clean with Naomi later.

"I suppose the most important question is what your intentions are with my daughter. Not having some fun before you run home, I hope."

The flash in Cameron's eyes counteracted his joking tone. Naomi squeezed Kieran's hand in reassurance, but he sensed her curious gaze burning into him. Before he'd met her, he would have considered leaving as the past two years had been hollow for him, with no real or meaningful connections and a job he could only describe as half-decent most days. But she gave him a reason to stay.

"Of course not. I've lived here for two years and don't plan to move. As for Naomi," he smiled at her and squeezed her hand back. "I will care for her in any way she wants and needs. That's the bare minimum of what she deserves. If I'm lucky enough that she wants this to last, I'll be here in every way I can."

Naomi leaned into his shoulder with a happy sigh.

Jodie placed a hand on her heart. "That is so gosh darn sweet." She turned to Peter. "When's the last time you said something charming like that?"

"I gave you that beautiful ring and our two wonderful sons."

Jodie put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, though a subtle smile poked through her stern expression. "You gave me the sons? How long did you spend in labour?"

"It was labour for me too," he muttered, but not loud enough for his wife to catch it. "We'll go somewhere nice for dinner tomorrow without the kids."

"Thanks, babe," she kissed him on the cheek and headed to the kitchen.

"And thank you, Grandpa and Grandma, for the free babysitting," Cameron added with a pointed look at Jodie and Peter. At least Kieran wasn't the only one scrutinized.

Naomi leaned to whisper to him, "We should go see my mom and the boys."

They grabbed their shoes and headed out the patio door into the backyard. Naomi whispered in his ear, "Phew, that could have gone worse."

It could have also gone a lot better. But on the plus side, Cameron was less hostile than he was initially. "I embellished that I co-owned the condo, that's all Jake, and I pay rent, but I meant what I just said."

She pecked him on the cheek. "No need for both of us to pay a mortgage."

Naomi's Mom and the nephews are up on Saturday :) Here's to hoping they're a little easier on Kieran.

Story note: When Cameron mentions separatists, he's referring to the fact that since the 1950s parts of the Québecois population have wanted to separate from Canada or achieve sovereignty. The sentiment was strong enough in the 80s and 90s to hold referendums where seeking sovereignty was only narrowly voted down. The political party Bloc Québecois was created around that time to represent Quebec's interests at the federal level and still regularly has several candidates voted in federal elections.