by Lori Ryan
“Steel Magnolias” several people answered in unison.
“That’s the one,” Mia said, spooning in another fork full of potatoes. “No thanks. I’m happy as a clam in Chicago.”
“Well, it’s certainly something to think about,” Sally said, her gaze locked on Valerie’s. A silent conversation was being exchanged between the two women and Devlin wondered how much those two were manipulating things behind the scenes.
“Oh, God.” Lily laughed. “You’ve given these two a wicked idea, I can tell by the gleam in their eyes that wheels are turning.”
“It would up my chances of being a grandma first.” Sally smiled.
Devlin sputtered on her water.
“Not that stupid bet,” Lily groaned.
“What bet?” Devlin asked. Unless one of Sally’s daughters showed up with a baby bulge she hadn’t told anyone about, Valerie was now going to win.
“They have to wear an embarrassing T-shirt for a week,” Lily explained.
“That doesn’t sound bad,” Kayleigh said.
Lily shook her head, aiming the gesture at her mom. “It’s what the T-shirt says. Tell them, Mom.”
“No!” Max, Ben and Emmett shouted in unison, their deep voices echoing off the wall.
Sally laughed and Devlin could only imagine what T-shirt she had planned for Valerie.
“If I know my Aunt Sally,” Grant said, “it’ll be dirty and mortifying.”
Whatever the T-shirt had on it, Devlin was happy Valerie would never have to wear it. Then she remembered she still had to tell Max and his family about the baby. Fear set in, hitting Devlin in the gut, chasing her appetite away. Or maybe it was the baby.
“Hey, Valerie,” Maggie called down the table, “Ben is going to stay here until the wedding.”
Ben’s entire face pinched like he’d eaten a sour grape. “I am?”
“Yeah, you are. It will be…” Maggie paused and glanced around the table.
“She thinks a few days of celibacy will make you a virgin again.” Grant laughed, his brothers joining in.
“Kayleigh and Devlin are going to stay with me,” Maggie said, glancing at both of them.
“Oh, I want to come,” Lily said.
“Yeah, me, too,” Mia added.
“No,” Sally barked. “I haven’t seen you girls in forever. Tonight, you stay with me.”
Lily rolled her eyes “Mom, you see me almost every day.”
“Doesn’t matter. I want both my girls with me tonight.” Sally reached out her hand and squeezed Mia’s arm.
A bolt of jealousy hit Devlin square in the chest. Her mother loved her, Devlin knew that, but there was a special connection between Sally and her daughters that she’d never had with her own mother. Probably because Sally had been strong enough to escape an abusive relationship.
Sally had been with her ex-husband for several years, long enough to produce six girls, despite his abuse. And yet, she’d found the strength to leave him when her daughters were still young and hadn’t looked back.
Even though Devlin’s father wasn’t physically abusive to her mother, it didn’t mean that he hadn’t beaten down her self-esteem. The fact her mother had stayed impacted Devlin in more ways than she’d ever realized. She would never allow a man to have that much power over her. Ever.
Without thinking, her gaze traveled to Max. He was staring at her, that same worried look on his face. She knew he’d probably assumed they would spend the night together but honestly, Devlin needed her distance right now. There was too much going on in her mind, too many things she needed to figure out. She couldn’t do that with Max Sumner in her bed. He had a way of distracting her, in the best ways.
A smirk spread across his face as if he’d read her mind. Hopefully he couldn’t see everything she was trying to hide.
“Okay,” Lily said. “Tomorrow then. It will be like a slumber party. And by then Abbie, Holly, Ivy and Daisy will be here, too.”
Sally had named all her daughters after flowers. The girls were often teased in school but they were just as fierce as their mother. The idea to name her girls after flowers hadn’t been done on purpose. She’d never learned the full story, but if it was Sally, Devlin was sure the story would be epic.
“When are Ivy and Holly planning to get here?” Valerie asked.
“All four are supposed to get in at varying times tomorrow,” Sally answered. “I’ll need to rent a cargo van like old times, right Val.” Sally laughed.
Devlin could only imagine. The thought of having one kid scared the hell out of her. She couldn’t imagine twelve.
“Wait, so, you’re seriously kicking me out of my own house?” Ben asked. Devlin actually felt sorry for him. He probably hadn’t known that the last time he’d had sex with Maggie would be the last time until their wedding night.
“Oh, suck it up, dude,” Grant said. “Jake hasn’t gotten laid in,” he glanced over at his brother, “three, four years now? However long you’ve been working on that asshole’s campaign.”
Valerie swatted her son on the head. “Alexander Grant Sumner, watch your mouth.”
“Alexander Graham Bell,” all the other Sumner brothers said in unison, like it was a song.
“The inventor?” Devlin said.
“It’s stupid,” Grant answered. “They’re stupid, don’t mind them.” He graced Devlin with another panty-melting smile.
Devlin cocked a suspicious brow.
“Well, finally,” Ben said triumphantly to Grant. “Someone who’s not affected by that sap-ass smile of yours.”
“Oh, I’m affected,” Devlin corrected, her lips curling into a smirk. “I’m just good at ignoring hot guys. I photograph them all the time and most are gay. Are you gay, Grant?”
The table broke out into a fit of laughter.
“Well, hell,” Grant sagged back in his chair as if actually wounded. “I met my match. No, sweetheart, I am most definitely not gay, and I’ll prove it.”
“Grant,” Valerie said in warning.
Devlin had completely forgotten Max’s mother was present. She looked at her down the table. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Sumner.”
Valerie laughed. “That’s quite all right dear. I like seeing my boys knocked down a notch or two. Especially the cocky ones.” She glanced at Grant. “And technically you’re still married young man, so no flirting.”
Grant’s smile fell, his easy humor vanishing.
The room fell silent again and Valerie actually looked nervous.
“So, Max,” Sally broke the silence, “Warner tells me you’ve talked about buying land around the mountain to build your own sports facility?”
“What facility?” Jake asked.
Yeah, what facility, Devlin wondered. He hadn’t mentioned that to her.
“I thought you said you were looking at going to the University of Colorado,” Jake said.
“Max,” his mother said, “is that true? Why haven’t you told me?”
Max remained quiet, staring at Devlin. “I haven’t made up my mind. I’m looking at a lot of options now that I’m retired.”
Why was she disappointed? She had no plans to stay here in Colorado. Hell, she had no idea what her plans were, so why should she care if Max hadn’t mentioned any of this to her?
“Warner and I were just discussing possibilities,” Max said. “Nothing is set in stone.”
“I think a sports camp would be amazing,” Mia said. “Can you imagine, all those hulky pro football players prancing around in those skin-tight pants.”
Max cleared his throat. “It was more for youth sports.”
“Oh,” Mia sighed with a look of disappointment. “But maybe with your connections you could bring a pro team here, right Maxi Pad?”
Devlin snorted, choking on her water again. She needed to give up and stop trying to drink at this meal.
“Oh, my God,” Lily cried, “Maxi Pad. I totally forgot about that nickname. Maxi Pad, Maxi Pad.” Lily and Mia burst into laughter, along
with the rest of the table.
Max rolled his eyes. “I’m so glad I don’t have sisters.”
“That’s why you have us,” Lily beamed.
“Yes,” Max said with such sarcasm it nearly dripped from his sexy lips. “so thankful to have the wild flowers.”
“Wild Flowers!” Kayleigh shouted.
Devlin jumped.
“What?” Jake asked.
Kayleigh pointed toward Lily and Mia who were still laughing from Max’s nickname. “The name of your wedding business. All your daughters are named after flowers. They’re obviously wild. It makes perfect sense.”
“Wild Flower Weddings,” Sally said with a smile.
“Wild Flower Weddings,” Valerie repeated with a nod like something had been decided.
“Um, hello, what part of, ‘I ain’t coming back to Canyon Creek’ did you guys not understand?” Mia growled.
“Oh, sorry,” Kayleigh said, slipping back into her chair.
“It’s a great idea,” Ben said. “Even if the girls don’t do it. I think we should look into something like that for the barn. With the new size and scope of the lodge, we need to have an event staff in place instead of handling it loosely like we always have.”
The conversation faded away in Devlin’s mind.
Her gaze fell on Max, his expression so unlike those of his family. There was a sense of foreboding in his eyes, an uncertainty that mirrored her own. Neither one of them had a clue what their future held, especially Devlin.
The mass of voices fighting to be heard around the table was deafening. This large family had an energy Devlin had never experienced.
What the hell was she doing here, with these people, with this man? Devlin wasn’t sure of a lot of things, but one thing was crystal clear. She couldn’t rely on Max to settle down with her and raise this baby together. He had no more idea what his future held than she did.
She needed to do what her mom had never done. She needed to make a family and a home for her child on her own. If a father came into the picture at some point, whether it was Max or someone else, so be it. But she wouldn’t rely on that. She couldn’t.
Chapter Nineteen
Max heard footsteps in the barn below him and looked down to see Ben staring up at him.
“Holy shit man, this looks amazing,” Ben said, staring up at the nearly completed balcony in wonder.
The balcony had been Maggie’s vision of marital perfection, but they’d had to scrap all hope of having it done on time. Ben had begged Max to get it finished as her wedding present, even putting in his own sweat-equity. Having all the Sumner brothers home for the wedding now meant more hands on deck and they were close. They might make it.
“Yeah, man,” Max yelled down. “It looks great doesn’t it?”
“I just can’t believe it.” Ben stood on the floor, hands on hips as he looked at the structure as if it were some sort of miracle, and in a way it was. The balcony still wasn’t finished yet, though.
“We have to finish a small section of floor, sand it and then stain it to match the barn floor and fixtures,” Max said, trying to tamp down his brother’s enthusiasm.
“Man, you guys really outdid yourself,” Grant said, stepping up next to Ben.
“It was all Shawn, really,” Max said.
“Hell no, it wasn’t,” Shawn said, sidling up next to Max. “None of this would have happened if it weren’t for Max.”
Max shrugged. He did have a knack for building things. He found the construction of the barn had fulfilled him in a way football hadn’t. Seeing the structure finished to completion gave Max a sense of real accomplishment, and it was something that would stand for generations to come. He hoped like hell those generations were his family and not someone else’s if the bank foreclosed.
“Shawn, did you hand make those balusters?” Aaron asked as he walked up the steps.
“Be careful,” Max warned, “we still have to add the hand rails to the stairs.”
Aaron didn’t listen, his attention transfixed on the intricate carvings of Shawn’s balusters that ran along the front edge of the balcony. Ben followed behind, staring just as intently.
“Yeah,” Shawn said looking almost embarrassed at the attention to his work. “I kind of wanted to surprise you and Maggie.”
Ben walked along the railing of the balcony, squatting to run his fingers over the supporting posts. Grant and Aaron squatted next to him.
Shawn had hand-crafted all 125 balusters, but there were some with more intricately carved places in the pattern. He was a master artisan and woodworker, having some of his sculptures showcased in a Denver art museum last year.
“Dude, these are fucking amazing,” Grant said. “Look, they’re each a little different in their own way.”
“I gave some of the balusters their own personalities, based on everyone that worked on the barn.” Shawn stepped up to the railing and pointed to the main support post.
On one, Shawn had carved out their father’s name. It was small and hidden in the design, but it was there. His father was there, in the barn he had envisioned.
His brothers and he stood silent, and Max would bet they were all fighting the emotion he was battling.
Sometimes they were so caught up in the need to save the lodge, they forgot why they were all there in the first place. Their dad’s death had brought them all home, and it was what would keep his brothers coming back over the course of the next year to pitch in. And now, on Ben’s biggest day, their father wouldn’t be there. Life was too short. Shawn’s work was a reminder of that.
“Shawn, it’s…” Ben tried for words.
Shawn looked down. “I just thought it was only fair that your dad be here for your wedding, you know?”
The brothers were all quiet, nodding, and Max thought Ben looked like he might cry. For years Ben had basically hated their father, thinking their dad never thought he was good enough. But coming home had changed Ben’s mind.
Their mother had shared with Ben all the sacrifices their father made for him and his brothers. Max knew Ben’s biggest regret was not being able to say thank you to their father, to have the relationship he’d always wanted. Now Ben could come to the barn and be close to their father anytime he wanted.
“Thanks, man.” Ben stepped forward and took Shawn in an embrace, pounding his back hard before stepping away and turning his back on the group of men.
“Shawn, that’s just,” Grant fumbled for words.
“It’s amazing, Shawn.” Max finished for him. “My mom is going to love it. Maggie is going to love it.”
“Yeah, it’s…” Aaron also was at a loss for words.
“Your dad was a great guy,” Shawn said, looking around at the barn. Max would bet he was thinking about the vision his dad had when he’d planned the transformation. “He envisioned this barn. I just wanted him to have a permanent place here.”
The brothers became uncommonly quiet, Max reflecting on his father, the man who’d always seemed larger than life, until he’d lost his own.
“Ben!” someone yelled from below.
The men glanced over the railing and saw Lily, red-faced and out of breath.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Maggie,” she gasped for air, leaning her hands on her knees, as if she’d been running. “She’s coming. She wants to check measurements and stuff.”
“Shit.” Ben flew down the stairs.
Shawn shook his head. “Man, that guy’s got it bad.”
Max laughed. “He does.”
The other men turned in unison to look at him.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Max said, turning back to his work. He knew damned well he had it just as bad for Devlin. The only trouble was, she didn’t seem to feel the same way. Or if she did, she wasn’t going to admit it.
And he wasn’t sure he was ready to admit it yet either. He had no idea where he was headed in life or what his world would look like in a year.
His brothers were
n’t on board with his shut-down-the-conversation plan.
“When Maggie scooted Devlin out of Ma’s house before you could get to her last night,” Grant said, “I thought you were actually going to cry.” Grant glanced at Shawn. “I bet he did cry a little in his bedroom last night.”
“Crying out Devlin’s name while he stroked the pony.” Emmett laughed.
“Yeah, I definitely heard crying,” Aaron added, staring at Max. “He always was an emotional wuss.”
Shawn laughed.
“Fuck off,” Max growled. “I didn’t look at Devlin like that. And I didn’t cry.”
He had been pissed all night, though.
“I’ve seen you look at her like that, too,” Shawn said.
“Like what?”
Shawn mimicked Grant’s puppy dog pose, leaning into Grant so the two of them could taunt Max side-by-side.
Max narrowed his eyes. “Thanks for the support, friend.”
Shawn shrugged.
“There’s nothing wrong with having it bad for Devlin,” Aaron said.
“Yeah,” Grant agreed, “I mean, she’s super hot, no doubt. And she’s making a good living on her photography, so you know she’s not after your money or fame.”
Grant and Max both dealt with fame and fortune as part of their everyday lives. Both had a difficult time knowing if someone was a true friend or just a leech, along for the free ride or, in Grant’s case, looking for a break in the movie industry.
“It doesn’t matter if I have it bad or not,” Max said. “Devlin is a gypsy. Her life is like a traveling circus. She’d never settle down.”
Aaron raised a brow. “So you do want to settle down with her?”
“No,” Max answered, rubbing his gut as though that might take away the tight knot that had formed there. “Well, hell I don’t know.”
Yes. Hell, yes! His conscience could scream all it wanted at him. It didn’t change the facts of who he and Devlin were.
“I’ve heard Maggie say Devlin has some commitment issues because of her family life,” Shawn said.
“When did she tell you that?”
Shawn shrugged. “Maggie and I work together, and Devlin’s one of her best friends. Honestly, I think she hoped she could set me and Devlin up for a while. No one had any idea you two were between the sheets until recently.”
