Chapter 37

HUDSON

This was strange. I both dreaded going into this and looked forward to it. With Diana at my side, I felt like I had an advantage. No—a trophy. I was worthy of being a member of the elite Bancroft clan.

I glanced at Diana beside me, noting the hint of nervousness in her eyes despite her composed exterior. She looked stunning in her summer dress, the lace sleeves adding an elegant touch to her ensemble. Her hair was swept up, and the sparkle of gloss on her lips was distracting in the best possible way.

"You look incredible," I murmured, unable to resist the urge to compliment her.

Diana smiled, but I could see the uncertainty lingering beneath the surface. "Thanks, Hudson. I just hope I can make a good impression. I feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland."

I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You'll be great. Just be yourself."

"Are you nervous?" she whispered, her eyes searching mine.

I shook my head, trying to exude confidence even as my heart raced. "Not really. They're going to think what they want. What matters is that I've changed, and they'll see that. If they don't, that's their problem. I gave up trying to impress them a long time ago."

Diana nodded, but I could tell she wasn't entirely convinced. I squeezed her hand again, silently promising to support her no matter what. The driver I hired pulled down the driveway to my dad's new house. Technically, not his. His and Kathy's. It was his dream home, and I could admit Kathy had done a good job making it very cozy.

The car pulled to a stop. There were plenty of other cars and SUV's lining the driveway. I never really knew how many cousins were going to show up at one of these dinners.

"Ready?" I asked her.

"Are you?"

"Yep." I nodded. "Let's do this."

I helped her out of the car and led her to the front door. It was the housekeeper that answered the door. We were shown to the living room where the bulk of family was gathered.

Zayn and a couple of my cousins and their wives turned to greet us, their smiles warm and welcoming. Introductions were made. Diana handled herself with grace, engaging in conversation effortlessly. I felt a surge of pride watching her interact with my family, her genuine charm winning them over. She didn't even have to try and be charming. She just was. It felt surreal, having her here with me, a part of my world in a way I never thought possible.

I knew my family was impressed as well. They were probably taking bets about whether or not I hired her to pretend to be my date.

I caught myself stealing glances at Diana whenever I thought she wasn't looking. She was radiant, her smile lighting up the room in a way that made my heart skip a beat. I wanted nothing more than to wrap her in my arms, to hold her close, and never let her go. I wanted to bring her to future family dinners. We fit well together.

"You okay?" Diana's voice broke through my thoughts.

I nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, just lost in thought."

She smiled back, her eyes softening with understanding. "I'm glad we came tonight. Your family is wonderful. Are you sure you're okay?"

I squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you're here with me."

The doorbell rang, announcing more arrivals. Zayn put a drink in my hand. "Brace yourself," he warned.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the onslaught of introductions and the inevitable chaos that came with a Bancroft family gathering.

"Here we go," I muttered under my breath, shooting Diana a wry smile.

"It's fine," she said. "I like them."

"You've met six of them," I said. "It's about to get wild."

"Bring it on." She winked.

"We're moving to the parlor," I told her. "The living room will be too small. But first, we need to freshen our drinks."

With a full glass of scotch in my hand and a gin and tonic in Diana's, we followed the sound of chaos.

I pointed out every person, naming them, knowing it was unlikely she would actually remember any of their names.

Kameron and Zara walked in with their son, Luke, who was darting around the room, trying to evade a group of younger kids trailing behind him. Rory and James lounged on the couch, beers in hand, while Grayson and Hannah held court near the fireplace.

"Hey, Hudson!" Kameron called out. "Glad you could make it."

I grinned, returning his greeting as we made our way over to them. Diana smiled politely, her gaze sweeping over the gathering.

"Diana, this is my brother Kameron," I said. "Kameron, this is Diana."

"Nice to meet you," she said.

"Hi, I'm Luke," Kameron's son said.

Diana knelt down to his level, her smile warm and genuine. "It's nice to meet you, Luke. I'm Diana."

Kameron raised an eyebrow at me, as if he didn't believe Diana was actually with me. As we mingled with the rest of the family, I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer size of our clan. I sometimes forgot how big the family was. It wasn't often we got this many of us together. And even if we were together, I was typically blitzed and didn't remember all of it.

My cousins and brothers and their wives mingled together, laughter and conversation filling the air. Mason and Adelaide were deep in conversation in one corner, while Colt and Maisie held court near the bar. Channing and Madelaine were engaged in a heated debate, their voices rising above the rest. All of these cousins were fairly new to me.

Jett and Winslet walked in, surprising everyone. "Jett, Winslet, this is Diana," I introduced. "I'm surprised you guys managed to tear yourselves away from your PI work long enough to join us."

"We thought we would check on Dad," Jett said.

Zayn sauntered over, looking very casual. He was eating something. "Dinner's almost ready," he said.

"Looks like you've already been eating," I said.

He shrugged. "Quality control."

Kathy walked into the room. "Dinner is ready," she called out.

"Will there be several tables?" Diana asked.

"I have no idea," I answered. "There is one really long table, but maybe they set up another one."

We all gathered around the long table with the kids put at another table. "One of these days we're going to need three tables," I joked with Diana.

She laughed. "I think you're right."

There were cousins I hadn't seen in years, siblings I hadn't had a chance to catch up with and a few nieces and nephews I couldn't remember meeting. It seemed like the family doubled in size in the last year.

As I looked around the room, a sense of contentment washed over me. For once, I felt like I belonged here, like I was a true Bancroft, with a woman like Diana on my arm. Gone were the days of stumbling home hungover or chasing after empty thrills at the club. Tonight, I was exactly where I was meant to be. I looked like one of them.

"Dinner looks amazing," Diana whispered, her voice soft and warm as she squeezed my hand beneath the table.

I smiled, leaning in to press a quick kiss to her cheek. "You look amazing," I replied, unable to resist the urge to compliment her once again.

She blushed, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink as she ducked her head shyly. Everyone seemed to accept Diana. She was caught up in a conversation with Zara while I tried to keep up with the conversations around me.

The wine flowed freely throughout dinner. The conversation grew louder and more animated as everyone drank. I found myself caught up in the whirlwind of it all, laughing and joking with my family as if I didn't have a care in the world.

After dinner, we broke off into several different rooms with the kids enjoying the elaborate playroom.

"Hudson, can I have a word?" Kameron's voice broke through the chatter. I turned to see him gesturing for me to join him in the corner of the room.

"I'll be right back," I told Diana.

I expected Kameron to lecture me about something. He clapped me on the shoulder, a proud smile on his face.

"You look good, little brother," he said, his voice filled with genuine affection. "I'm proud of you. I didn't think you could do it, but you look good. You've got good color."

I grinned, feeling a swell of pride at his words. "Thanks, Kameron. Means a lot coming from you."

"Diana is nice," he said. "A schoolteacher. Of all the women in the world, I never imagined you with a schoolteacher. But here you are, looking very happy and content."

"Yeah, she's great," I said, my heart swelling at the thought of Diana. "I'm really happy."

Kameron nodded, smiling. "I can see that. I heard you had the jet in Egypt."

"I did." I nodded. "She's never seen the world. She's got a month off and I thought I would show her as much as I could."

"You're doing well," he said. His expression turned serious. "Just… maybe ease up on the wine a bit, huh? You know how it can get."

I knew there was going to be some kind of lecture. "I've got it under control, Kam. Trust me. I haven't been wasted since I left the city. I can have a few glasses of wine."

He sighed, his gaze searching mine for any sign of doubt. But I held his gaze steadily, refusing to back down.

"Okay, just be careful," he finally conceded, clapping me on the shoulder. "I just don't want to see you slip into your old ways. You're walking a fine line."

"Well, I appreciate your concern, Kam," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "But I'm not the same person I used to be. Diana has changed me for the better."

Kameron gave me a suspicious look, but then a smile slowly spread across his face. "If that's true, then I'm glad. You've always been my wild little brother, but I never wanted to see you hurt. Just promise me you'll keep working on yourself, alright?"

"Deal," I promised, raising my glass in a toast.

I found myself sinking deeper into a chair, the buzz of the wine humming pleasantly in my veins. I didn't want the night to end. I felt good. I liked that I could actually enjoy being around my family.

Beside me, Diana laughed at something Rory said, her eyes sparkling with joy. I reached for her hand, lacing our fingers together.

"How are you?" Diana asked quietly.

"Happy," I said. "How are you?"

"Good. Having fun."

I nodded and took another drink. Things were getting quiet. More people left. I knew my dad and Kathy were probably ready for bed.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked Diana.

"I am." She nodded.

We said our goodbyes and walked out to the waiting car.

"I don't want to go home yet," I said.

"You don't?"

"We've got one night before it's back to Cold Springs," I said. "Let's make the most of it. Let's go out. I'm guessing you've never been out to the clubs in Manhattan."

"I have not." She laughed.

I kissed her cheek. "Get ready to have the night of your life."