“Thanks,” Jackson said to me, squeezing my hand tight before letting it go. “The honeymoon was great. If you can lounge on a beach with a beautiful woman and have absolutely no responsibilities for seven days, I highly recommend it. That kind of thing shouldn’t be reserved for honeymoons alone, I think it should be an annual occurrence.”
“Can we get this man a shot?” I asked, and Ty grabbed the spare shot and handed it to him.
We all raised our shot glasses.
“To Heeler and Millie, the honeymoon’s over,” Rob said, and we all started laughing.
“Nice,” Jackson said wryly, and we all did the shot.
We all settled back into our seats around the table and Hector poured Jackson a beer.
“So, what did I miss?” Jackson asked cheerfully.
He looked to Rob.
“Jan’s letting me eat red meat once a week . . . I call that a win.”
We all chuckled and Jackson turned to Hector.
“Been busy at the restaurant with Jericho gone, but I did squeeze in a date with Tanisha.”
“Millie’s Tanisha? From Three Sisters?” Jackson asked.
“The one and only,” Hector said with a grin, and I could see he really liked her.
“Wow, cool,” Jackson said, then turned to Ty.
“Well, I was gonna wait until the end-of-year talent show, but couldn’t . . . So, I asked Rebecca to marry me at the annual carnival.”
“What? That’s fantastic!” Jackson exclaimed, getting up and rounding the table to give his buddy a quick hug.
By the grin on Rob’s face, I guessed he’d already known. Since Ty, Rebecca, Rob, and Jackson all worked at the high school, it was no surprise. They were all thick as thieves.
“Where did you do it?” I asked, genuinely happy for the guy.
“Got down on one knee in front of the kissing booth. The kids went wild,” Ty replied with a huge grin.
“I bet,” Jackson said as he sat back down. “Wow, that’s crazy. What about you, Mick, any news to share?”
I thought about Dru wanting to wait to tell her sisters, but knew I couldn’t keep it from these guys any longer, not after they were sharing the stuff in their lives. Plus, I was excited and proud to call Dru mine.
“Actually, we wanted to wait to tell everyone until Tasha and Jericho are back, but I think you guys can keep a secret,” I began.
“This sounds good,” Rob said, leaning forward on the table.
“It is,” I agreed. “Very good.”
“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Mick, what is it?”
“Dru and I are together.”
Jackson sat back, his face full of shock.
“Seriously?” he asked.
“That’s great man, Dru’s the best,” Ty said, and I nodded at him, but my eyes were trained on Jackson.
“What, you don’t think it’s a good idea?” I asked, not sure what I was feeling, but not liking it.
“Huh? No, that’s not it at all. I think it’s the best idea, I’m just surprised, that’s all. I mean, Millie mentioned wanting to hook the two of you up, but said that you weren’t into it. Not that she wasn’t still going to try . . . She’s planning to have you guys over for dinner next week, once Jericho and Tasha were back. It’s her big matchmaking scheme. Guess it’s moot now.”
“Nah, like I said, Dru wants to wait and tell her sisters together, so let Millie set it up and that’s when we can make our big reveal,” I suggested.
“That works,” Jackson said. “Boy, will she be surprised.”
“You guys cool with keeping it under wraps until then?” I asked the guys.
They all agreed and we started talking about football.
“Hey,” Hector said, leaning in to me. “I’m happy for you and Dru. I know she’s been into you for a while now. It’s great news.”
“Thanks, man,” I replied with a grin, then went back to talking sports with my friends.
Dru
“WAKE UP, SLEEPY HEAD, TIME to start the day,” I whispered.
I was leaning over Mick, who was fast asleep in my bed, looking adorable and rumpled.
It was his turn to follow my day in the life, so he’d stayed the night last night. Not that we’d gotten much sleep, which is why he was still dead to the world, his large frame taking up over half of my bed.
I was too excited to sleep, and had gotten up early to shower and make him breakfast.
I put my hand on his shoulder and ran it lovingly down his arm.
“Mick,” I tried again, then squealed when his arm shot out and he pulled me onto the bed.
He rolled me under him smoothly, shoved his face into my neck, and nuzzled me.
“Morning,” he said gruffly.
“Good morning,” I said with a giggle, wiggling beneath him. “Breakfast is ready.”
“Mmmmm,” he murmured against my neck as he kissed me, his lips soft and warm. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast.”
“Sounds delish,” Mick said, then nipped my neck lightly.
“Come on, we have to eat and get down to work,” I said, before reaching up to cradle his face in my palm.
He gave me a smile and kiss on the lips, then rolled off of me and held out his hand to help me up.
We ate breakfast, then I cleaned up while he showered and got ready for the day.
I was a little unsure of what I was going to say to Millie when she inevitably asked why he was shadowing me, but figured I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. I knew Mick had already told the guys about us, but I was pretty sure Jackson had kept his promise and not told Millie. Otherwise I would have heard about it by now.
We went downstairs and into Three Sisters, the smell of fresh baked bread hitting us as soon as we opened the door.
“Oh, man,” Mick said, practically drooling. “Do you get to taste test, or . . .”
I laughed.
“If Millie’s trying out a new recipe we do, but day to day that’s left up to the kitchen staff. Millie does usually keep food in separate containers for us for lunch, so we’re lucky that way.”
“Not a bad gig,” Mick said with a grin, sniffing the air and patting his stomach.
“There’s no way you can be hungry after what you just ate,” I replied with a laugh. “Come on, I’ll show you the office and then we can go out and I’ll introduce you around. Oh, and if you want to take some of Millie’s food with you to your mom’s for lunch, feel free. We have plenty.”
“I figured since I was shadowing you, I’d be with you for lunch. I told Ma not to expect me. She was actually happy about it, when I told her the reason.”
I stopped walking and put my hand on his arm.
“Mick, no, I don’t want you to do that. Visiting with your mom is an important part of your day; when I came up with this idea I didn’t mean to take that away. In fact, I’d go with you, but I have a lunch meeting with a client, so I can’t. You should definitely go, though.”
Mick looked down at me, his eyes full of something I couldn’t pinpoint.
“You’re amazing,” he said, putting his hand behind my head as he leaned down to kiss me soundly.
When he pulled back, I grinned up at him. “You’re pretty hot shit yourself.”
Mick chuckled and followed me back to the office.
“Don’t mind my clutter, it may look messy, but I swear, I know where everything is,” I said when we stepped inside. “You can hang out at Tasha’s much more organized desk today. That one’s Millie’s, she spends most of her time in the kitchen though, and doesn’t use it much.”
He looked around and said, “I’d say this office is a pretty good testament to who you all are as people.”
“How so?” I asked, trying to see it through his eyes.
“Well, Tasha’s desk is neat as a pin, organized so much that even her paper clips are separated by color. She has a What to Expect When You’re Expecting book on her shelf, tabbed
out and color coded, and she already has a picture of her and Jericho on her desk from their wedding celebration. She must have gone right out and got it printed and framed.”
I nodded. That was Natasha to a T. Not only organized, but quick to get things accomplished and almost anal in her need to have tasks completed.
“Now, Millie’s is against the wall, not out in the open like yours and Tasha’s. She’s more low-key, likes to be in the background, rather than the star of the show. Her shelf is half cookbooks and half Elvis biographies. She has a corkboard with Kayla’s artwork and recipe cards tacked to it, along with a poem by Keats, which probably makes her think of Jackson every time she lays eyes on it.”
“Wow, you’re really good at this,” I whispered, thinking he knew my sisters well.
“Well, it comes with the territory,” he replied.
“And, me?” I asked.
Mick opened his mouth to reply, then closed it when Millie walked in.
“Mick!” she exclaimed when she saw him. “What are you doing here? I’ve actually been hoping to run in to you.”
Millie looked between Mick and me, a gleam in her eye, and waited for his response.
He crossed to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Morning, Millie, you look beautiful . . . happy.”
Millie and I were fraternal twins, but looked so similar that people often thought we were identical. I never quite understood how. Millie had a sweetness about her that just brightened any room she walked in to.
Today she was wearing her black chef coat, with her hair pulled back in a bun and her face devoid of makeup.
She still looked stunning.
“I am,” Millie replied, her face beaming. “The vacation was just what we needed, but we were so happy to get back home.”
“I bet. To answer your questions, I’m shadowing Dru for a bit today. It’s kind of like, research . . . to help out with one of my cases.”
Nice save, I thought. Although I hated fibbing to my sister, I really didn’t think she’d mind. She’d be so happy once she found out Mick and I were together.
“Oh, nice. I was hoping we could finally have you over for that dinner we talked about before, once Tasha and Jericho are back. Just the six of us,” Millie said, her eyes shifting to include me in the conversation.
“Sure, that sounds good,” Mick replied.
“Perfect,” Millie said, obviously pleased that he’d agreed so easily. “Does Monday night work for you? That’s our day off.”
He nodded, not letting on that he already knew what my day off was, and Millie clapped her hands together.
“Oh, I’m so excited. Are there any foods you don’t eat, or are allergic to?” she asked, ever the professional chef.
“Nope, I’m an equal opportunity eater,” Mick replied, and my sister and I laughed.
He’s going to fit into this family just fine.
Mick
IT WAS FINALLY HERE.
The night of Millie’s dinner party, where Dru and I would finally come clean with everyone, except Jackson, of course, who already knew. Still, I didn’t like keeping it from Millie when I saw her, or feeling like we had something to hide.
I was ready to lay it all out on the table.
And, I was pumped to see Jericho and ask how their trip to Bali went.
I’d always liked Jackson’s house. It had a big, open floor plan, and welcoming feel. It was even cozier now that Millie had moved in and put her touches on the space.
“Hi, Mick, oh . . . Dru, you’re here, too, yay!” Millie said from the kitchen as Jackson let Dru and me inside.
“Hey, Mills, need help?” Dru asked, making a beeline for her twin.
“How’s it going, brother?” I asked Jackson as I walked inside.
“Pretty good. Getting ready for standardized testing at school, but I’ve got a pretty good group of kids this year. How about you? Any new exciting cases?” he asked.
“A few. You guys will actually hear about one of them later, but I’ll let Dru take lead on that,” I replied.
Jackson looked at me for a moment, then said, “Okay . . . more secrets, huh?”
“Not after tonight,” I said, the relief evident in my tone.
“Good, well, until then, how about a drink?”
“You got whiskey?” I asked.
“That serious?”
“It’s gonna cause a bit of a stir, but I think these sisters are made of stern stuff.”
Worry crossed Jackson’s face.
“Now you’re starting to freak me out.”
I clapped him on the back and said, “We’ll get through it. Let’s get that drink.”
Jackson was pouring us each a glass when the front door opened again and the grinning duo of Natasha and Jericho came rushing in.
“We’re back!” Natasha cried, heading straight for her sisters.
The women squealed and hugged each other while jumping up and down. I wasn’t sure how they managed it, but they did.
Jericho came over to shake our hands, and Jackson offered him a drink.
“How was Bali?” he asked.
“It was amazing, actually,” Jericho replied. “More interesting, fun, and adventurous than I’d imagined when I booked it. We had the perfect time.”
“That’s awesome, Smythe, you both deserved it, after the craziness you’ve been through,” I said.
“Ain’t that the truth,” he replied with a wry grin, his eyes catching on his wife. “She was a little sick at the beginning of the trip, but luckily, it passed.”
“You ready to be a father?” Jackson asked, smiling at his own daughter Kayla, who’d just joined the ladies in the kitchen.
“You know, I really am. I used to think I didn’t want to be a dad, mostly cause mine was a piece of shit, but now, the reality of having a baby with Tash makes me the happiest man alive.”
Jackson nodded in agreement, and I immediately searched out Dru, wondering what it would be like if we started a family together. Would I be excited like Jericho, or scared shitless? As I watched her laughing with her sisters, I realized I’d be competing with Smythe for that happiest man alive title.
Huh. Wasn’t that a kick in the pants.
Dinner was a loud and jolly affair, with Millie’s amazing cooking and both couple’s tales of their adventures while on their honeymoons.
After Kayla had gone to get ready for bed, and we were sitting in the living room, having drinks and continuing conversation, Dru looked at me and nodded, and I knew it was time for us to come clean. About everything.
Dru looked nervous, but my girl took a deep breath and put her fearless face on.
“Okay, so, I’ve been waiting for you both to get home to tell you some big news. Actually, it’s like a three-parter of big news.”
Millie put her glass down and put her hand on Dru’s knee, as if sensing her anxiety, while Tasha leaned forward in her chair and gave Dru her full attention.
“First off, I’ll start with the easy one. Mick and I are dating,” she said, shooting a smile at me.
“What? That’s great!” Millie exclaimed, looking at us happily.
“It really is,” Natasha agreed.
“Congrats, man,” Jericho said, clapping me on the shoulder.
When Jackson didn’t say anything, Millie looked at him with narrowed eyes.
“Did you know?” she accused.
Jackson shrugged sheepishly.
“Mick told us at the bar, but I was sworn to secrecy.”
“But, we’re married now, Jackson. Married people don’t have to uphold secrecy laws, they tell each other everything.”
“Even when it concerns your sister and she wanted to tell you herself?” He asked.
Millie sighed and said, “Fine, I’ll give you a pass. This time. But no more secrets, got it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jackson said with a grin and a little two-finger salute.
“Smartass,” she mumbled, then looked back at Dru. “Okay, f
orget that, tell us everything. When did it happen?”
“Well,” Dru began, looking at me for support. I nodded and put my arm around her back. “I liked him right away, but he wouldn’t date me at first, because he doesn’t date clients.”
“Clients?” Natasha asked, not missing a thing. “Did you hire Mick?”
“Yes, I did. To find our father. And, he found him.”
There was a stunned silence.
I looked at Millie, who looked on the brink of tears, and Natasha, who looked furious, and thought, oh shit.
“You did what?” Natasha asked, her voice full of anger.
“Tash,” Jericho said gently, trying to reach out for her, but she scooted away and looked at Dru accusingly.
“We agreed never to look for him. Why would you do that? Lie to us? Go behind or backs?”
“It wasn’t like that,” Dru explained. “I needed to find him, to get closure and to tell him about Mom. I wanted to see his face and ask him why he left, why he never came back.”
“But, you promised,” Millie said, her voice filled with pain.
“I know I did, but it wasn’t about you, either of you, it was about me. And, actually, I never would have even told you guys that I found him, if I hadn’t found out something that you both need to know.”
“I don’t need to know anything about that man,” Tasha spit out, obviously furious.
“You’ll want to know this,” Dru insisted. “We have brothers. Three of them.”
Millie gasped and covered her mouth as tears slid down her face.
“I don’t care. They aren’t my brothers, not if they’re from him.”
“Natasha,” Dru chided. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do mean that, and honestly, I’m so mad at you right now I can’t even look at you. I can’t believe you went behind our backs like this, after the pact we made.” Natasha stood up and looked at Jericho. “We need to go.”
Dru’s face fell and she looked to her twin.
“Mills?”
Millie shook her head and said, “You shouldn’t have.”
Dru stood up and hurried out of the room, down the hall toward the bathroom.
“Let’s go,” Natasha said, while her sister curled into Jackson’s arms.
A Splash of Vanilla (Three Sisters Catering Book 3) Page 11
