“Ha! Ha!” Liam lowers his head to give his wife a kiss. “You left me with four of the five boys. Be grateful I’m still alive.”
She looks to him with a quizzical glare. “Please. I do it every day and seem to manage. Besides, I told the boys to be on their best behavior while I was gone.”
Liam and I both laugh.
“Gem, that’s like telling them not to get into trouble when Kai’s kids are here—It’s never going to happen,” Liam counters.
“So, what you’re telling me, is that I don’t want to see what the rest of the house looks like?”
Liam nods. “Or the backyard. I swear they dragged every toy out there.”
Gwen lets out a sigh, standing from the couch. “Well, I guess my weary bones will head into the kitchen and pull out something for us to eat.”
“Let’s order in; my treat,” I offer.
Liam’s eyes light up. “Dr. Moneybags is footing the bill. Chinese?”
I let out a laugh. “Sure. I think you deserve something special after the day you’ve had.”
“I do. These kids are a handful.”
Gwen looks to me and rolls her eyes. “Only because he doesn’t quite understand the meaning of discipline.”
“Oh, I understand. They just have no understanding of authority. Their hooligans.”
I snicker. “Hooligans?”
He nods. “Hooligans!” Liam rubs his hands together. “Okay, since Ati’s buying, I’ll order, then run into town to pick it up—no need to pay extra for delivery.”
“Pfft! You just want to get out before we have to get them to wash up before dinner,” Gwen says.
Liam shrugs. “But you do it so much better, Gem. They listen to you.”
Gwen shakes her head, and Liam places one last kiss on her cheek before he heads out.
“You two make me laugh,” I say, observing them.
“Oh, yeah, we’re a regular comedic duo. You should see us at bath time.” Gwen leans down, picking up a few of the bags. “Let’s get these upstairs before the boys get into them.”
I grab a few more bags and follow her upstairs. “You think Thea is going to have room for all this stuff?”
Gwen chuckles. “Haven’t you seen the walk-in closet Aldric built? She has enough room to store this, and what we left behind at the store.”
***
After dinner, I head up to my room, first having a shower, then settling in at my desk to check my emails. “Oh, apparently, my popularity has increased; three whole emails.”
I open the first, which contains my schedule for this coming week. Nights...Great! I thought maybe they would start us off on days, but I guess that was wishful thinking. I open the next one, which is an email from the car rental company telling me my car will be ready to pick up tomorrow morning. Finally, I won’t have to bother Gwen and Liam to use theirs. The last is from the doctor that I will be working under, Dr. Abe Jefferies.
No way…Abe is my attending?
I continue reading through the email, which seems to be a generic welcome to the team, most likely sent to all the other residents.
Abe Jefferies—the sixth Skarsgard brother, is what we called him in class. Of course, not to his face. Abe was my T.A. for my first-year bio class. He was a god. Well, all the females in the class thought so; the guys...not so much. Tall, blond, built and exuding all kinds of sexy—oh, yeah, he was the epitome of hotness.
Hmm, I wonder what he’s been up to? Well, other than the obvious. He is one man any woman would welcome to give her a distraction. Even me.
Stop Ati...he’s going to be your boss. There you have it...my type—unattainable men! No wonder I’m twenty-eight with no prospects of companionship. Misfortunate Matilda, that’s what my friends back in California would call me. Not just because I could never find a date, but also because I truly had the worst luck. From locking myself out of my car to sleeping past my alarm on exam day. There was always a story to be told about how luck was not on my side. Either way, unattainable or not, it will still be nice to see him again.
I shut my laptop and crawl into bed. Tomorrow is another day. Alas, another day where I will have to put on a smile and pretend that seeing Ben isn’t killing me.
***
The welcome home party for the baby was supposed to be at Gwen and Liam’s, but when we woke up this morning, there was an awful stench coming from the basement. Turns out a water pipe had burst. Liam and Aldric spent the better part of the day fixing it, but the smell is going to take time. So, with windows left open, we make our way to Maia and Aldric’s, hoping that when we return, it’s a little more tolerable.
“Is everything in the car?” Gwen calls out to Liam.
Liam saunters over. “Yep, all fifteen wrapped presents, two gift baskets, three diaper bags, and four boys.”
Gwen looks to him panicked. “Liam, there should be five boys.”
I let out a laugh. “Thomas is riding with me. The SUV looked packed, so I thought I would save one of them from being crammed in.”
“Thank you. We’re going to need a bus soon if we ever plan on leaving the house as a family.”
Liam’s eyes beam with excitement. “Bus? Those can hold up to twelve people.”
Brow arched, Gwen protests. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Just saying.”
She shakes her head. “Okay, let’s get moving. Thea called, and they should be here within the hour.”
***
When we arrive at the house, most everyone is there. Jenny, from the cafe with her daughter Kimmy, have set up the cake, and are now in conversation with Grace and Ginny. Mrs. Boswell is sharing stories with a few of the other ladies from Emerson’s Women’s Society, and the men are congregated on the back deck away from the chaos. In a matter of hours, Maia managed to transform her living room right into the setting straight out of a fairy tale. Balloons, flowers, lights, and perfectly wrapped gift bags are spread throughout. Maia never disappoints. She was born for this.
When I look outback, the only person I don’t see is Ben. I let out a slight sigh of relief, but just as I am about to count my proverbial chickens, Ben makes his way through the front door—and not alone. At first, I let out a breath seeing that he’s with the mayor’s wife and her daughter, but then I remember…that’s who he’s dating now.
Great.
“Elaine, Alex, so happy you could make it,” Maia greets as she walks to meet them at the door. “And I see you’ve managed to wrangle up my boy.”
Elaine lets out a laugh. “Actually, we just met up on the way in. He was kind enough to help us with our gifts.”
“That’s my Benjamin. Please. Come in and make yourself at home. Thea and Bane should be here with the baby shortly.”
The mayor’s wife makes her way into the house, and Ben makes his way to the gift table, with Alex following behind.
Deep breaths Ati, you can do this.
I head over to Ben and Alex—no time like the present. “Hey, you,” I say to Ben, then turn to Alex, offering my hand. “Hi, I’m Ati. My sister, Gwen, is married to Liam, Ben’s older brother.”
She extends her hand in greeting with a genuine smile spreading across her mouth. “Hi, Ati. I’m Alex. Sorry if my hand is shaking, I’m feeling a little out of place.”
Good. Then she won’t feel my hand shaking under hers.
“No need to feel out of place here. Mingle. I think you’ll find everyone very welcoming.” I offer her a smile of reassurance. “Well, I should see if Maia needs some help in the kitchen. It was really nice to meet you.” I offer Ben and Alex a nod, then head off.
I think I may die!
Entering the kitchen, I find Grace, Ginny, and Gwen already puttering away. “Please tell me you have something for me to do, so I don’t have to go back out there?”
The three women look to me with sympathetic eyes.
“Look at it this way. At least the band-aid has been ripped off. It can only get better from here,” Grace a
sserts in her best mom voice.
“Or more awkward,” Ginny adds.
I shoot her a glare. “Thanks, Gin.”
“Sorry.”
Gwen walks over, laying a hand on my shoulder. “It’s a big house, and there are a lot of people here. I’m sure you won’t even notice.”
“I suppose. Anyway, I need a distraction. What can I help with?”
Before anyone can answer, Maia is calling out from the living room. “They’re here!”
We look to each other with excitement and quickly make our way to the other room.
Thea and Bane enter, baby in hand, followed by a smiling Brock who is weighed down with the task of bringing in the diaper bag and carrier seat. The sight is humorous.
“We’re here!” Thea’s voice carries throughout the room, as applause breaks out.
Bane and she make their way around, giving everyone a peek at the new baby. Once they’ve made their rounds, they make their way over to the cake table.
Thea calls out, getting everyone’s attention. “Normally, this is something we would do a little later on, but this is a different situation today. That being said, I would like to call up my mother and father to do the honors of cutting the cake.”
Maia’s eyes shine with excitement, and not wasting a moment, she grabs Aldric’s hand dragging him to the table. Thea places the knife in her mother’s hand, and then her and Bane watch as Maia makes the first cut, then the second. Before pulling out the piece, she looks up to Aldric. “Are you ready?”
“Just hurry up, woman. It’s killing me.”
Everyone lets out a laugh.
Maia slowly pulls the piece, but Aldric unable to wait lowers his head to get a peek. Maia doesn’t even have it on the plate, and Aldric has his arms in the air, cheering, “It’s a boy!”
Applause and cheers erupt.
“Aldric, you have another Adair boy to add to that family tree,” someone calls out.
“He’s a Curtis,” Bane corrects.
“Semantics,” Aldric replies with a wave of his hand.
Bane shakes his head in defeat. He knows there will be no changing Aldric’s mind, because to him, they are all Adair boys...even Bane. Although Aldric doesn’t miss an opportunity to give him a hard time, he has always looked at Bane as a son, blood or not.
I let out a sigh. I wonder if that will pass on to me. I know they consider me a part of the family, but the reality is that it is my sister who married their son. Once Ben brings another woman into their home, I can’t really expect them to let me remain a placeholder for that position. Great, not only have I lost the man I once dreamed I would spend my life with, but along with it, the family I always wanted.
Chapter Six
-Ben-
She looks beautiful today. She looks beautiful every day. I have got to stop staring at her, especially with Alex sitting right beside me, trying to carry on a one-sided conversation.
Get your head in the game, Ben.
It’s over with you and Ati. She’s not yours...never really was. Right now, here at this moment, you have another woman vying for your attention, focus on her.
“So, you must be excited to have another nephew. He’s absolutely precious.”
I refocus my attention back to Alex. “Yeah,” I let out a laugh. “Number eleven.”
“Excuse me?”
“My family was calling him, number eleven. We couldn’t say he or she, because Thea and Bane wanted it to be a secret until they brought the baby home. So, we lovingly dubbed him as number eleven...until today,” I explain.
She lets out a laugh. “That’s too cute. Well, I will say, I think Asher Adair Curtis suits him well. It’s a strong name. Regal sounding too.”
“I agree. Adair, as his middle name was Bane compromising with my father.”
“What if it was a girl?”
I snicker. “Adair would have been in there somewhere; my father’s persistent.”
Through the corner of my eye, I can see Ati standing there with Brock. His arm wrapped around her waist as he lowers to speak intimately in her ear. She laughs, then softly taps his arm.
What a weasel.
Is he flirting with her?
I never really liked that guy. My family seemed to forgive him and accept him with open arms. But as for me, I’m having a harder time with it.
Why is his arm still around her? She’s not your property, buddy.
Weasel.
“Ben. Ben!”
Shit!
“Sorry. You were saying?” I have got to stop letting myself get distracted.
Alex smiles at me, then turns her attention to where mine was before. “So, him or her?”
“Pardon?”
“One of them has your interest piqued,” she says with a chuckle.
I shake my head, more to clear my thoughts. “Neither. I just don’t care much for him. Long story. Liar! Well, not completely...I really don’t care for Brock at all.
“So, for another time, then?”
I nod. Or not. The last thing I want to think about ever again is Brock with his arm around Ati.
Weasel.
“Alex, sweetheart. We should be going. I left your father at home to fend for himself, and if he hasn’t burned down the kitchen, he’s probably starving.” Mrs. Sims—Elaine, stands by her daughter, smiling down to us. “I’d hate to have to renovate when we plan on selling.”
Alex lets out a chuckle. “It would be the microwave. I don’t think Dad knows what the oven looks like.”
I stand extending my hand to Elaine. “It was nice that you could join us today.”
“Of course. I’ve known all of you since you were little, I couldn’t miss a chance to welcome one of your own when you bring them home.”
I turn to Alex. “So, tomorrow night? Seven o’clock?”
“Sounds good.”
“Perfect.” I offer both of them a smile as they head off.
When I turn to the door to watch them leave, I see Brock and Ati, arm in arm, heading to the entrance. What the—
I can feel the blood rush to my face just as two hands grip each of my shoulders. Beside me, Kai and Ewan take position.
“You look like your head’s about to pop off,” Ewan so graciously comments.
“Pop!” Kai lets out.
I shrug their hands and let out a growl. “My heads fine.”
“Au contraire, mon petit frère,” Kai lets out in a snicker.
“I agree, that nice shade of red is telling a different story,” Ewan adds.
I look to the door where Ati and Brock have disappeared through. “What the hell is she doing with him?”
Ewan crosses his arms over his chest. “They’re friends.”
“Mm... maybe friends with benefits—amis-amants.”
I look to Kai. I’ve never really thought about wanting to knock my brother on his ass, but right now, I’m considering it. “Saying it in French doesn’t make me want to kick your ass any less.”
“I’d like to see you try, little brother.”
I let out another growl, moving away from them. I don’t know how much more of their frivolous insinuations I can take before my head actually does pop off.
I walk over to where Grace is sitting on the couch with my two nephews, Doc, and Phin at her feet, looking on as she shows them the baby. Taking a seat beside her, I run a finger on the baby’s cheek.
“Don’t let them get to you.”
“It’s hard not to. They’ve always known how to push my buttons.”
She snickers. “Because you let them. Stop making it so easy.”
I look to her and chuckle. “Are you saying I have no backbone, Grace?”
“No, but they know you hold everything in, so they will keep pushing.”
I let out a sigh. “I guess.”
She looks to me, her eyes gentle and kind just as always. “Can I ask you a question, and get a truthful answer?”
I shrug. “Depends on what you’re asking.”
She looks to me, contemplating. “You know what...never mind.”
“No, ask.”
“Fine, but I’m asking more for you than me.” She pauses, then asks, “Do you still love her?”
There is no question who the ‘her’ is that Grace is referring to. But, can I answer honestly without looking like a fool? Grace is right when she says I hold everything in—it’s for a good reason. I don’t need things coming back to bite me in the ass. But this is Grace. She doesn’t have a malicious bone in her body, and I know what I tell her will stay between us.
“Yeah, I do, or, at least, I think I do. The memory of her anyway, from the time when we were together. Is that stupid?”
She shakes her head. “No. But you know what is? The two of you going around as if the past…your history; doesn’t mean something.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ben, I’ve known you my whole life, and Ati is my best friend, even more like a sister. So, I say this with nothing but love—the two of you need to get your head out of your asses and be honest with each other. I don’t know if that means getting back together, or just being friends. But, you do need to talk…truly talk, and tell one another what you’re really feeling.” She lets out a sigh. “Ati told me about the conversation you two had the other night. It may as well not have happened.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because it was a bunch of blowing smoke up each other's asses to save face.”
I think that over. She’s right...at least on my part. “No holding back with you, is there?”
Grace shrugs innocently. “I’ve been married to Ewan for eight years; he’s rubbed off on me.”
Laughing, I reply, “Maybe so, but your delivery is far better.”
“Talk to her. Before it’s too late, and you spend almost another decade beating yourself up for letting her go without knowing for sure.”
Out of nowhere, Knox, Ryder, and Kip come barreling toward me. “Whoa, slow down guys. You don’t want to hurt the baby by accident.”
Knox, Kai, and Ginny’s oldest, looks down too little Asher in Grace’s arms, then up to me. “Sorry, Uncle Ben.”
Ben & Matilda- Infinite Promise Page 5
