Cherish & Blessed by Tere Michaels Read Free Book Online

Cerelli.”
    Katie full-on giggled. “Come in, please,” Evan said, already dismissing the boy and turning his attention to the couple behind him.
    “Thank you so much for coming. Happy Thanksgiving,” he said. Blake and Cornelia, in their matching tan coats and big smiles, stepped into the foyer, and for a second everyone just froze in polite stasis. “I’m Evan Cerelli.” Evan launched them back into animation. “It’s good to meet you.”
    “Blake Moran. My wife, Cornelia.” Blake’s voice boomed, filling the small space.
    “My kids—Danny, Elizabeth, and Katie.” He gestured to each. They responded with a wave, and it got quiet again. “And that’s Matt.”
    “Here, lemme get those,” Matt said finally, unable to stand still for another second. He walked a few steps forward, then reached for the myriad white-and-brown shopping bags and froze again.
    Because the expressions on both Blake and Cornelia’s faces were those of confusion. A quick check to Kent’s face, and Matt saw the same.
    And Miranda? Miranda looked a tiny bit worried. But smug.
    Evan narrowed his eyes as he looked at his daughter. “Matt’s my partner. Or boyfriend, if that makes things a little clearer.”
    Boom . The entryway suddenly became ground zero. The resulting silence was so loud Matt’s ears were ringing.
    Cornelia moved first. She handed Matt her bags, her smile less confused. “So nice to meet you. And thanks—these things are so darn heavy!”
    Matt took an actual breath now that he wasn’t being strangled by assumption. “Anything have to go in the fridge?” he asked smoothly.
    “Oh yes, a bunch of things—can I just follow you? Blake, give me those.” Cornelia moved in a series of quick gestures, grabbing the bags from her husband, then making a little “go on” motion to Matt with her shoulder.
    “Let me take your coats” came Evan’s voice behind Matt’s back, and Matt smiled inwardly at the smooth, smug tones of his voice.
    Point one Evan. No points Miranda.
    A flurry of sound from the foyer filled their air as the kids descended on Miranda and Kent. Matt said a quick nondenominational prayer for the skinny kid with the glasses—if he wasn’t smart, quick, and witty, Katie was going to eat him for a snack—and proceeded into the kitchen with a chatty Cornelia on his heels.
    “And the traffic wasn’t bad, but I am always so nervous about getting places on time. Blake! The overnight bags are in the trunk!”
    Matt put everything on the counter.
    “You’re so sweet to host us and allow us to spend the night. Houseguests can be so tiresome.”
    He watched her remove her coat, revealing a rust-colored sweater dress on a better-than-average figure. Her stylish blonde bob and spangled bracelets reminded him of something one of the interior designers Bennett employed would wear, and said money, class, and an eye for style . But the babbling brook of words said nervous .
    “We actually haven’t had houseguests before, so you’re going to have a fill out a card when you leave, let us know how we did,” he said, effortlessly charming as he started unpacking the bags.
    Cornelia tittered. “I’m sure it’ll be divine. Our friends Roger and Adam, they own a B and B in Ithaca. We’re up there all the time. I’m sure you’ll rival their efforts.”
    Matt was impressed with the way she worked “we like gay people” into the compliment. His opinion of her was firmly on solid ground. “Don’t know about that. Your hosts for this weekend are a cop, a security consultant, and three teenagers. May God have mercy on your soul.”
    Halfway into a bag of wine and cheese she was laying out on the counter, Cornelia stopped to flash him a confused look. “Oh, so that’s what you do.” Her tone was strange.
    “Uh, yeah.” Matt paused, hands resting on the counter. “Did Miranda tell you guys anything about us?”
    Cornelia sagged a little. “No, not really. Kent is crazy about her, and he’s not