by Holly Jaymes
“No. It’s not.”
Her smile was wide and satisfied.
I laughed.
“You’re better too,” she said.
How tragic that we wouldn’t be able to help each other out in the O department.
I pulled up to the curb in front of my mother’s house, and my mood turned serious. I was the first one there, as I planned. I wanted to tell my mom alone.
Adalyn put her hand on my thigh. “I’ll follow your lead.”
I inhaled a breath for strength. “Let’s do this.”
I took her hand as I walked up the brick path to my mother’s porch. It had become instinctual to hold her hand. I told myself it was because Mr. Bigalow could lurking anywhere.
I opened the door. “Mom?” I walked in, pulling Adalyn in with me.
“Oh Will, thank goodness. I need the platter that’s up in the top cabinet.” She stopped when she saw Adalyn with me in the doorway of the kitchen.
“This is Adalyn,” I said, moving to the cupboard to reach for the platter in question. I handed it to my mother, whose gaze went to my left hand.
She then looked to Adalyn, before narrowing her sharp gaze on me. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
“Yes, ma’am. Can we talk in the other room?”
She gave me a curt nod and then led the way to family room. She sat in her chair, with that look on her face she had when I was in trouble and she was waiting for my explanation.
I sat on the coffee table in front of her and took her hands. “Adalyn is my wife.”
“I see that.” She looked from me to Adalyn and then back to me. “I didn’t know you were dating anyone, much less engaged.”
I looked down in shame. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Is there a reason why you didn’t want your mother and family at your wedding?”
“It was a spur of the moment thing.”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “When you were in Vegas? Oh God, Will, were you drunk?”
I closed my eyes because I hated hearing her disappointment in me. “No. Not exactly. We just …” Fuck, what could I say? “We didn’t want to have a big ceremony. Everyone else has busy lives and little kids. You’re busy with the holidays —”
“Don’t.”
I stopped talking and glanced up at Adalyn. She looked at me and I could see she wanted to help but wasn’t sure how. It was better that she didn’t.
“Why do you do this, Will? Why have you decided that your happiness, what you want in life, isn’t important?”
“It’s not unimportant —”
“Your brothers and I are grateful at how you came in like a knight in shining armor and kept this family together. We know you sacrificed a lot to do that. But we don’t need you to do that anymore. We’re fine.”
“I know.”
“I know you feel you need to be like your father, but do you ever remember him hiding his hopes and dreams and accomplishments from us? Do you remember the day he danced in here when he said he said he won the top employee award at work?”
My smile was bittersweet. “Yes.”
“How many times have you gotten some sort of commendation or award that we haven’t heard about?”
I looked down. “They don’t matter —”
“They do matter, Will. They matter to me.” She pressed her hands to my cheeks. “You’re not your father, and you don’t have to be. We want to celebrate you and your life. You don’t need to be strong and sacrifice your happiness for us anymore.”
She looked at Adalyn again for a second. “Why would you hide her, much less elope?”
“We weren’t planning to marry in Vegas,” Adalyn said. “It was my fault, Mrs. Sloane.”
I looked up at Adalyn.
“Where were your parents?”
“My father is a diplomat in the middle east. He wouldn’t have been able to come and my mother … well … she left a long time ago. And my brother, he’s got his life —”
“Is that what you think, Will? That we all have a life and wouldn’t be interested?”
“No. It just seemed easier at the time.” The words weren’t all the way out of my mouth before I wished I could retract them.
“Easier? Having your mom at the wedding is hard?”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” Fuck, why was I screwing this up?
Adalyn put her hand on my shoulder. “We’re sorry we hurt you, Mrs. Sloane.
She sat in her chair, looking regal and disappointed at the same time. Then a slow smile spread across her face. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Married on a whim in Vegas. Maybe this means my boy is returning to normal.”
Huh?
She took my hands again. “Since your father died, Will, you’ve been the rock of this family, but it also changed you. At first, I thought it was good that your impulsive wild side was tamed, but eventually I missed it. I want the real you back, Will.” She looked up at Adalyn. “I hate that I missed your wedding, but the fact that you got him to do something so impulsive says something about you and what you mean to him.” She stood. “So, I think I’m going to like you.” She pulled Adalyn into a hug.
I rose and watched as Adalyn, hugged her back with wide eyes. I nodded; this was good.
“Grammy!” my niece Annabelle shrieked as she came running into the family room.
“There’s my sweet Belle.” She picked up my niece. “Come meet your aunt Adalyn.”
“Aunt?” Gabe asked looking at me.
“Oh my,” Sam echoed next to him.
Two down, two to go, I thought.
“Adalyn, this is my youngest son, Gabe and his wife, Sam, and their little one Annabelle.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Adalyn said reaching out to shake Gabe’s hand.
“You’re family now,” Sam said, wrapping Adalyn in a hug.
“Who’s family?” Nate said, entering the family room carrying Nate Jr., who immediately reached for my mother.
“Meet Will’s wife, Adalyn,” Gabe said with a smirk to me.
“What?” Nate looked at Gabe and then me
“I’m Adalyn,” she said.
“I’m Hallie, the wife of this guy who’s gawking.”
“Can you blame me?” Nate asked, finally finding his manners. “I’m Nate.” Then he laughed. “Good God, how the mighty have fallen.”
“Nate!” my mother chastised.
“I’m sorry,” he said to Adalyn, “But this guy had us convinced he’d die a lonely old bachelor.
“I’m so glad to save him from that fate,” she said, with a glance toward me. I could see she wasn’t sure what to make of my family, but I nodded that she was doing fine. Perhaps when I told her about my brothers, I should have mentioned the constant razzing.
“Who needed saving?” Mitch asked, entering the room with Hope and their tasked.
“Yep.” Nate looked too ple
wo babies.
“This guy,” Nate said. “Come meet Adalyn. Will’s wife.”
Mitch stopped mid-movement in putting the diaper bag down. “What?”
“Did you say wife?” Hope ased with himself.
Mitch gave me a funny look, but he greeted Adalyn.
“I’m so glad to meet you,” Adalyn said. “I followed your work.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “I work in programming with a specialty in encryption.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you Adalyn Beaumont?”
“Yes —”
“It’s Sloane now,” Nate said.
“Not necessarily,” Hallie said, leading Nate Jr to his cousins playing with cars on the floor. “Many women keep their maiden name. Especially if it’s well-known in a field.”
“I plan to change it,” Adalyn said, surprising me. We hadn’t talked about that. But I supposed, it was another thing that would tip the scales in our favor in making immigration buy our story.
My brothers continued to hassle me until I threatened to gr
ill. After that, things seemed to settle down a bit. The ladies focused on Adalyn, while my brothers and I hung out on the sun porch, that now had the winter windows in while Mitch braved the November cold to grill.
“What happened?” Nate asked. “What did you do to my brother Will?”
I smirked.
“Now boys,” my mother said bringing out some snacks for us. “This is a good thing, so don’t hassle him.”
“A good thing?” Gabe asked.
“What are the odds that Will would ever get married on a whim in Vegas?” she asked.
“It was Vegas?” Nate asked with a laugh.
“I wouldn’t have bet on it,” Mitch said.
“Whim and Will don’t really go together,” Gabe said.
Nate nodded. “I guess it would take some kind of woman.”
“Exactly,” my mother said, looking pleased. As happy as I was about that, guilt burned deep in my gut.
“I’d have taken the bet,” Sam said bringing Annabelle out to Gabe.
“Really?” Gabe asked, taking his daughter and giving her a loud kiss on the cheek.
“Sure. It was only a matter of time,” she said.
“All you all think you’re immune to love, but face it, the Sloane boys have hearts,” Hope said joining us on the porch.
I looked to Adalyn, wondering how she was doing with all of this.
“So how did you convince him to get married?” Hallie asked Adalyn.
“Booze,” Nate said. “Who’d think Will would become a cliché? Drunk marriage in Vegas.”
“Nate, behave!” my mother scolded him.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said laughing.
“I didn’t need convincing,” I said surprising myself.
Adalyn’s head tilted to the side.
“When the opportunity arose, it made perfect sense,” I finished.
“Okay, so I hadn’t counted on you being so romantic,” Sam admitted.
“He took me in a hot air balloon,” Adalyn said, her pretty eyes watching me.
“Aww,” the ladies said in unison.
“That was after the mob museum where I impressed her with my firearm skills.” I was going to hell for lying anyway. Why not draw out the story?
She smiled. “It’s an important trait in a husband.”
“Can you shoot?” Hallie asked Nate.
He gave her a dirty look. “I shoot just fine, honey.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Then there was the French dinner, followed by the gondola ride,” Adalyn added.
“Stop, stop … seriously, you might give my wife ideas that I’m not romantic at all,” Nate said.
“I have to agree with Sam, I didn’t know you were so romantic, Will,” Hope said. “I’m glad you found a woman that brought that out of you.” She put a hand on Mitch’s shoulder. I had thought the same of her at one point. That she had brought my brother back from reclusivity.
Mitch stood and went to the grill, opening the lid. “Well, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let's eat.” He began putting the chicken on a plate.
Thank goodness, I thought. Being the center of attention was taking its toll. So much so, that I stayed out on the sun porch for a moment while everyone else went inside.
“Are you okay?” Adalyn asked, coming to stand next to me.
I put my arm around her waist. “I think so. You?”
“You’ve got an interesting family.”
I winced. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you about that.”
She smiled up at me. “They love you so much, Will. They tease you, but they’re happy for you.” Her smiled faltered and I knew where her thoughts had gone. They were happy for a scam.
Book 4: Chapter 19—Seems Like a Fine Idea
Seems Like a Fine Idea
Adalyn — Sunday
I hated how torn up he seemed. “You know, you really haven’t lied to them.”
One dark brow arched.
“It’s not a lie that we’re married or that we did it on a whim. We really did go in a hot air balloon. We may not be like your brothers, but we like each well enough.”
He shook his head, but he had a smile. “You’re one of those glass half full people, aren’t you?”
“It’s more silver lining.”
“I appreciate it.”
I looked up into his face, my eyes narrowing as I studied him.
“What?” he asked.
“Just looking for the impulsive wild Will.”
“You met him in Vegas.”
“Impulsive yes, wild? I’m not so sure.”
He had a pained expression. “Ouch.”
I realized he was thinking about the honeymoon phase. “Will, I —”
“Hey, you two … dinner,” Sam called from the door.
I would have liked to have finished our discussion, but he motioned me inside.
Hanging around casually with his family had been one thing, but sitting around a table was different. My nerves rattled as I sat next to Will who was seated at the head of the table. I wondered if he assumed that spot when his father died. He certainly seemed to take the role of man of the family seriously.
“So, have you two talked about having kids yet?” his mother said, when we were all served.
Will choked. I reached over and patted his back.
“Jeez Mom, let us get used to the consummate bachelor being married first,” Gabe said.
“It’s not like none of us were asked,” Nate said, looking expectantly toward Will and me.
“We weren’t,” Mitch said.
Hope laughed. “You’re right.”
“Does that mean Adalyn is knocked up already?” Nate asked.
“Nate!” Mrs. Sloane admonished him. It seemed to me that he was probably the kid that got in the most child as a little boy.
“We had two at once, so I figure we’re good for a while,” Mitch said putting a piece of bread in front of his son.
“A while?” Hope’s eyes widened. “Are you planning on having more?”
“It could happen.” He shrugged.
“Adalyn wants four kids,” Will said. My head whipped around to look at him, surprised that he’d respond to the question.
“I had four kids,” his mother said. “You sound like you have a problem with that.”
“Four is a lot. Two would have been good. Although you could have skipped Nate and gone right to Mitch. Mitch and I were all you needed.”
“Hey!” Gabe tossed his roll at Will, who batted it away.
“No throwing food at the table,” his mother said with an exasperated breath.
“Mommy, can I throw my bread?” Annabelle asked Sam.
“No, honey.”
“Daddy did.”
“I’ll punish your daddy later,” his mother said.
Annabelle’s eyes widened.
Will grinned. I leaned toward him. “What’s so amusing?”
“It was always so easy to get Gabe in trouble.”
I watched him, enjoying seeing him with his family. He seemed relaxed. Less uptight.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Hallie asked me.
“I have a brother. He’s in Quebec. I see him a few times a year.”
“Quebec?” Mitch asked.
“Yes. I’m from Canada.”
“Oh no, don’t tell me, you’re helping her get her green card,” Nate said. I could see he was intending it to be a joke, but next to me, Will flinched.
“Are you kidding? This boy scout?” I said jerking my thumb at him. “I don’t think he loves me enough to break the law.”
Nate let out a loud laugh. “No doubt.”
“Can we have a meal that doesn’t involve constant bickering?” Their mother stared down each one of her sons. “Good. Let’s talk about Thanksgiving. Do you have Thanksgiving in Canada?”
“Not your Thanksgiving, but we have one in October,” I said.
“Have you been to a Thanksgiving down here?” Hallie
asked.
“When my dad was assigned here, we went to a couple of Thanksgivings with people he met while here.”
“What does your dad do?” Nate said, wiping his son’s face of mashed potatoes.
“He’s a diplomat in Iraq right now.”
“And your mother?” Mrs. Sloane asked.
“She told you earlier, mom. Her mother left the family,” Will said sipping his wine.
“Oh yes. I’m so sorry to hear that. I don’t understand how a woman could do that.” She shook her head.
“My dad is great. I think you’d all like him. He and Will are best buddies.”
Nate sat back in his chair, watching Will, and I couldn’t help but think his brain was twisting with questions. “So, you and Adalyn. How long has this thing been going on, and why keep it secret?”
“I know why,” Sam said with an eyeroll. “The preoccupation all you boys have over each other’s love lives is really creepy.”
“She’s right,” Hallie said with a knowing look to her husband.
“Don’t try to help him,” Nate said. “Inquiring minds want to know.” He turned to Hallie. “And don’t pretend that you wouldn’t be asking me what I knew about this when we got home.”
She gently slapped his arm.
He leaned away from her, but still asked, “So, what gives, Will?”
“We met three years ago,” I said.
“Three years!” His mother’s voice jumped up an octave.
“We didn’t date then,” I quickly added.
“I let her get away,” he said. “She was the daughter of the man I was working with. And she thought I was boring.”
I gave him a look. “Not boring. Just uptight.”
Gabe snorted. “That’s Will.”
“He’s still uptight,” Nate tossed out.
“Yes, but he’s romantic,” Hallie said.
“I can be romantic,” Nate said, with a look to her.
The rest of the meal went about the same. They joked and jabbed, while their mother occasionally had to step in to scold one of them boys.
As enjoyable, amusing, and enlightening as it was, I was glad to be able to relax once we got into the car.
“Well, we survived that,” Will said as he pulled the car from the curb to head back to his place.
