Four months later...

"I am never coming to Alberta during the winter ever again, and you can't make me," I say as we walk up to the front door of Nova's childhood home. "It's fucking cold."

"Oh, Warren," she says, loosening the scarf that's wrapped around her neck. She then faces me and adjusts the Canucks toque she bought me. I smile as she does so, remembering how I woke up this morning before we caught our flight to High River. We were in our dorm room, the two beds pushed together, and I woke up to her fitting the toque to my head and stuffing a pair of tickets to the first home game in January into the waistband of my boxer shorts. "Don't be such a baby."

I grin smugly. I've never been a fan of the cold, which is kind of ironic because I've always loved skating, snowboarding, and skiing. But maybe I'm lying to myself a little – my complaints are mainly to delay the inevitable. For the first time in my life, I'm meeting Nova's family and I'm fucking scared of four of the five people.

I say four because I've already met Jordan – once when I took the phone from Nova back in Halifax, the next time when he came to Vancouver for business-related stuff and we all went out for dinner, and, finally, when he picked us up from the airport. And I like Jordan a lot. He's got a great sense of humour, cares a lot for his little sister.

"Nova," Jordan says from in front of us. I look up to see that he's stopped at the door, his hand resting on the handle. "Your boyfriend isn't being a baby – it's freezing."

"Then what, Jordan, is he doing?" Nova sighs.

I hold back a laugh. I can understand why Nova and Jordan are the closest siblings in this family – they get along and joke around more than Hazel and I ever have.

"Warren may be good at keeping his cocky-smartass attitude up to par, but he's terrified about meeting Lee and Matt," Jordan says mockingly. "I mean, the guy is practically shaking in those expensive Timberland boots he's wearing."

Nova looks at me. "Really?"

I shrug. "At least I already met Jordan? That takes one off the list."

She smiles at me. "Don't worry – you're going to have a much easier time meeting my family. I can guarantee that."

"Can you?" I ask, sounding unconvinced. How am I going to have an easier time when her family only knows me by what's been heard through the grapevine? I wonder if this is how Nova felt when I brought her to meet my parents. If it is, I feel like shit for making her go through with that.

"Trust me, birthday boy," Jordan says, opening the front door. "You're gonna be fine. Well, until you meet Matt's daughter – Lena is a little bugger. She's got an attitude like you wouldn't believe." He pauses. "Actually, you might get along with her just fine."

Next to me, Nova laughs. And as soon as Jordan is in the house, she hugs me. "You're going to be fine, Warren. Besides, if things start to go array, we'll just open the bottle of wine I brought and get them drunk."

I gape at her. "Since when do you resort to alcohol as a solution?"

"Hey," she shrugs. "As long as we don't get drunk, everything will be fine."

Laughing, I kiss her forehead. "I still don't regret sleeping with you. Just wish I could remember what having sex with you is like when under the influence. Don't get me wrong, all the times we've done it since then have been so fucking good. Can't imagine how good it felt with our senses heightened, though."

Nova's hand clamps down over my mouth, and I watch her cheeks redden. "For the love of everything good on this planet, Warren, please install a temporary filter over your mouth. I love you, but you can't say these kinds of things in front of my parents or they're going to kick you out into the snow."

"Don't worry, baby, I'll act like the gentleman I can be," I wink.

"That's not a very intelligent thing to say to me when the only time you act like a gentleman is when we're in bed together."

By the end of her sentence, she's grinning like a fool. That's the moment I know she's teasing me. So I decide to go along with it.

I lightly elbow her in the ribs. "C'mon. Give me a little more credit than that. I am a god in bed."

She wraps her arms around my torso and rests her cheek against my chest. I watch intently as her eyelashes catch snowflakes. "I was kidding, Warren. You are a gentleman to me on a daily basis. A different gentleman, but still one."

"Different?" I ask.

"Yeah – you're a soft-hearted man that can pull off being an asshole every once in a while. That's different to me." She pulls away, turns back to the house, and then grabs my hand. "Now, let's throw you into the uncomfortable situation of meeting your girlfriend's parents."

The nervousness that momentarily resided quickly returns. Each step to the house gets harder. How am I going to get through this when all Nova did when she first met me was talk smack? Are they going to believe that I've changed since then? I can't blame Nova for talking about me like that – it was a definition of me and my actions. I know she's talked to them since then, but the proof is in the pudding, right? What if her parents hate me?

Before I know it, we're stepping through the door. Nova's childhood home is on an acreage that sits on the outskirts of town, and the interior of the house itself looks like it's been recently updated with a new coat of wheat-coloured paint and new, pale wood flooring.

I'm just kicking off my boots when a whirlwind of familiar auburn hair comes rushing into the room. To my left, I hear the sound of someone stumbling into a wall, along with a muffled oomph.

"Aunty Novie!"

"Hi, Lena," Nova replies as she steadies herself. "It's good to see you."

I stare at the scene in front of me; at my girlfriend as she lifts the little girl that looks like a spitting image of Nova. And, although she practically begged me to keep a filter on my mouth, I speak before thinking.

"Do you have a secret you've been keeping from me, Novs?" I joke. "Because Lena looks like she could be your daughter."

Before Nova can say anything, Lena does. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life. Her brother – Matthew Elliot – is my daddy. Novie is my aunty. Get your facts straight."

I can't stop my mouth from slacking a little. Whoa. Okay. I know I got a warning about how much of an attitude this girl has, but I wasn't expecting her to be like this.

Now that the two of them are facing me, I study Lena. She looks about seven-years-old, and she's got auburn hair that reaches mid-back. It's when I meet her eyes that I see the difference. While Nova and Lena could look like mother and daughter from the back, their faces are extremely different. While Nova has big, brown doe-eyes, Lena has icy blue eyes.

"Lena," Nova warns, "be nice to Warren."

"Warren? What kind of a name is that?" she asks.

"Lena," Nova repeats. "Warren is my boyfriend, so I suggest you be nice to him."

Lena shoots me a look, and then squirms her way out of Nova's arms so she can walk over to me. Part of me wants to start laughing because maybe I didn't take Jordan's warning with enough seriousness – this girl doesn't take shit. The other part of me, for some godforsaken reason, is a little scared of her. But I still bend down so we're face-to-face.

"So you're the asshat?" Lena asks.

This time, I do laugh. I laugh so hard that I almost fall on my ass. This is only the second person I've met in her family, and I'm already excited to meet the rest of them.

"Lena!" Nova exclaims.

"What, Aunty Novie? You said he was an asshat when you were on the phone with Uncle Jordie."

"That was months ago! And watch your language – you're only seven."

"Oh, shit." The three of us look up to where the entrance turns into a wide living room. Lena instantly goes bounding over to the man standing there and jumps up into his arms. I quickly get to my feet, and before I can stop myself, my hand finds Nova's. I'm suddenly wishing Nova had three older sisters instead of brothers. I know how to handle older sisters – I have one. But three older brothers that like to protect their younger sister? I want to run back to Vancouver. "Sorry, Nova, didn't mean to let her get to you so quickly."

"Aunty Novie has a boyfriend, Daddy," Lena says.

My eyes lock with Matthew's, and all I can think is What the fuck have I gotten myself in to?

The longer we stare at each other, the more uncomfortable things get for me. While Matthew has the same colour hair as his sister, there isn't much resemblance compared to her and Jordan. First of all, he's tall and he's built differently. While his two other siblings are on the leaner side, Matthew looks like he goes to the gym more than I do.

He cocks his head to the side, frowning as he takes in the image of his little sister holding my hand. I glance at Nova. She's staring at the floor, but when she shoots me a look, I can see the guilt. All I do is shake my head and bite my cheek to stop myself from smiling. It's cute when her cheeks turn pink.

Eventually, Nova clears her throat and tugs me forward. I honestly don't know how I manage to follow her.

"Uh," she says as soon as we're standing in front of Matthew and Lena. "Matt, this is my boyfriend, Warren."

"I know," Matthew says. "I remember hearing his name a few times."

My muscles tense. This isn't going to turn out good. Shit. He already looks unimpressed with me. God, this is stressful. I can remember why I was the type of guy who went for the no strings attached rule. I rub the back of my neck, making a mental note to apologize profusely to Nova for making her meet my parents.

Realizing that I should probably say hi – do anything to break the ice, I open my mouth. But all I find myself doing is closing it again as I watch Matthew set Lena down on the floor. The eccentric little girl rushes over to her aunt, who is quick to pick her up.

I'm suddenly wishing I were in Nova's place. I can handle a girl with a sassy attitude – shit, I've been doing it for almost a year now. But a guy like Matthew? Shit.

What I get from Matthew, though, is entirely different from what I was expecting to happen. I figured he'd pin me against the wall and give me a strict talking to about how to treat his little sister or else I'm going to get my ass kicked to hell and back. But he doesn't do that. Instead, he hugs me.

The first thing I do is look at Nova. She doesn't look surprised like I am. Instead, she looks like she was expecting this to happen. I'm confused as to why.

"Thank you," Matthew says.

And that's when it hits me. Nova has only ever had two boyfriends: me and Carter. After he died, she was an emotional wreck and she shut the world out. She had unbreakable walls up until she met me; the connection that slowly built up between us managed to break those walls down and remind her of who she really is. Not that I'm bragging or anything.

I can't stop myself from silently sighing in relief. Because I helped Nova heal, does that mean her brother is giving me a chance?

I don't know what to say, so all I do is nod my head. And when Matthew pulls back, I'm ready to say something about how grateful I am for being welcomed here when I catch a glimpse of someone over his shoulder. She's carrying a tray of what looks to be cheese and crackers from the open-concept kitchen to the living room. In an instant, the anxiety chips away. Having more than one person I know here takes a weight off my shoulders.

Without thinking, I push past Matthew. "Haze?" I gape.

My sister turns around. "Warren! Nova! You guys finally made it!" She quickly places the tray on a long table that's sitting behind the couch, and then rushes over to me. I hug my sister even though the fact that she's pregnant and her stomach is practically bulging makes the hug somewhat awkward. Nova told me as soon as we got on the airplane back in August that my sister was pregnant, and when her and Greyson came to visit in October the baby bump was visible, but not as visible as it is now.

"Christ, Haze," I smile. "Are you sure you're not having twins?"

She smiles and pats her stomach. "Nope. Just one baby in here. But you have a point – some days it feels like I'm carrying a baby elephant."

We both laugh, and then I ask her what she's doing here.

"Well," she says, "Nova invited me and Greyson, and Mom and Dad here for Christmas and your birthday about a month ago. And do you really think we'd say no?"

"Wait. Mom and Dad are here too?" I ask, startled.

"Yes," she nods. "They're sitting down talking to Rob and Jane. We got here about three hours before you guys did, and I think the four of them are already the best of friends." My sister pauses. "Happy Birthday, by the way."

After hugging my sister one more time, I turn around and look at Nova. She's leaning up against the wall, smiling at me as Lena tugs at the sleeve of her brown cardigan. "You planned this?" I ask, still suffering from a bit of disbelief.

Nova shrugs. "You told me that you loved having the big get-togethers for your birthday. I know this isn't Kelowna, but we're all here together, right?"

I make a "come here" motion with my finger, and Nova walks over to me, stopping when there's only an inch or two between us. Lena follows her, but the girl is the last thing on my mind at the moment. I can't believe Nova did this for me – asked my family to come and join in on the holidays and my birthday. So, because I'm at a loss for words, I hug her. What else am I supposed to do?

"You're welcome," Nova whispers.

I smile. No girl has ever known me well enough to know what a simple hug from me means. "So that's what you meant when you said things would be easier," I say. "You invited my family. Best fucking birthday present ever."

She hugs me tighter, and then, to my left, I hear Lena say, "What the heck, Aunty Novie? He swears and he doesn't get yelled at? What kind of rules are those?"

We pull apart from each other. I glance at Matthew, who is now talking to my sister and making comments about how he hopes that Hazel is having a boy instead of a girl, and then back at his daughter. I lean down again and tap her on the nose. "You really are a little bugger, aren't you?"

"You know," I hear Jordan call from the other room. "Just because you're good looking doesn't mean you can steal my nicknames for my relatives."

"Since when do you own the word "bugger"?" I call back.

From the living room, I hear a chorus of laughter. I really hope that Nova's parents are part of that. Maybe them knowing I have a sense of humour will make them like me.

Lena looks at me and then grabs my hand. "Come on," she says. "I want you to meet my grandma and papa."

I hesitate, glancing at Nova before I begin my adventure into possible doom. She nods her head at me. "You're going to be fine, Warren. Don't worry."

Don't worry? Fuck that. I'm freaking out. Nova would laugh her ass off if she knew how nervous I really am. I don't want to go in there without her, but how can I say no to her cute, sassy niece that won't let go of my hand?

So I suck it up and follow Lena. Behind me, I hear footsteps, which is a fucking blessing. If Nova, Haze, Greyson, and my parents are in the room, maybe I can handle this. The thought relieves some of the anxiety, but not enough to make the situation completely comfortable.

"Oh, shit," Jordan says as soon as he sees me and Lena. "You better watch out Ashford – it looks like you've got two Elliot girls running after you now."

"Uncle Jordie," Lena says, "he's way too old for me."

"I don't know, Jordan," I say at the same time. I look back at Nova. "It seems like Nova better watch out – this girl is feisty."

It's in this moment that I know everything is going to be okay. Laughter fills the room, hugs are distributed, and then Nova and I are being bombarded with questions about how we met. As soon as the first question is asked, all Nova and I can do is look at each other with smug grins. Where do we start with this story? The moment she walked in and I was in bed with another girl? Or with the fact that we despised each other?

It doesn't matter where we start, I realize.

What matters is the fact that we fell in love with each other; that we can see each other for who we really are. Sure, the story is important to some degree, but I think the outcome overrides everything.

"Well..." Nova trails off, squeezing my hand. "We started out as roommates..."

* * *

Christmas Eve dinner goes by much the same as any other year, but I also find it to be completely different. The difference is good, though. First of all, Warren and his family are here. And I've missed Hazel so much – talking to her via FaceTime is good, but I just love being around her in person.

Secondly, I have a boyfriend. It's my first Christmas with one since Carter died, and I'm happy. So happy I could burst. I loved having Warren next to me as we ate the amazing dinner my mom and dad made. The whole time, he didn't take his hand off of my thigh. While I think it was a tactic he used to gain some comfortableness in this situation, I didn't mind it, either. It actually worked for me. It worked because it feels surreal, having a boyfriend that loves me as much as Warren does. His hand acted as a reminder. A reminder that I've moved on and started living the life I deserve.

Finally, my family loves Warren just as much as they loved Carter. Mom pulled me aside as we were setting the table and raved about how well he gets along with everyone – and how handsome he is. I blushed when she said that. Dad said that although he has a shitty taste in hockey teams, he seems like a nice guy. Matthew didn't have to say anything – the simple "thank you" was enough for me to understand. Liam reacted just like he has to anyone a person in the family has brought home: "Welcome to the fam, dude."

And Jordan? Well, I think he has a cute little crush on my boyfriend. Lena loves him, and I think Warren had a point when he said that I should be the one who watches out – I'm starting to think Warren is going to end up having a slumber party with my niece.

I'm staring out the window, at the snow-covered fields that my brothers and I used to play soccer on when we were younger, when I feel arms wrap around my waist. I melt against him, letting my head rest against his chest.

"You know," he murmurs in my hair, "you didn't have to do all this."

"Who said I did it for you?" I joke. "What if I wanted to see Hazel, and I was simply using your relationship with her and the words you said to my advantage?"

He laughs, and I can feel his body vibrate behind mine. "When the lie you're telling isn't serious, you suck at lying."

"I know," I sigh, closing my eyes.