CHAPTER FORTY FIVE – MEETING THE GOMEZ FAMILY

"You ready for this?" Eric's warm breath tickled Karina's ear as he came up behind her on the front porch. She turned in his embrace, unable to tamp down her nervous smile. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose." Taking her hand, Eric brought her knuckles to his lips for a reassuring kiss. "Everything will be great, you'll see. Your family is going to adore me." Karina couldn't help but laugh at his confidently teasing tone, some of her anxiety dissipating. Leave it to Eric to find a way to put her at ease. Drawing in a fortifying breath, she reached forward to rap sharply on the front door of her childhood home. Almost immediately, a flurry of movement could be heard from inside before it swung open to reveal Karina's youngest sister, Emily. "Karina! You're here!" The ten-year-old's face stretched into an excited grin as she took in the sight of them on the doorstep. Karina opened her mouth to respond, but Emily had already turned her laser-focus onto Eric, eyes widening comicall