The Things I Do for You (The Alexanders)

by Malone, M.

  As soon as they pulled up, the front door opened and Julia came out. “Here she is! Come on in, honey.”

  Ridley got out of the car and Raina followed, scooping up Ridley’s dress bag and her makeup kit.

  “You can take the second guest bedroom on the left to get ready. That used to be Jackson’s room.” Julia winked as she said it. They followed her inside and down one of the hallways.

  “Here you go, girls. I’ll be back in a little while. I’m waiting on Lonny Wilson to bring the flowers. He’s an hour late.” Julia threw up her hands and made a face. “That boy would be late to his own funeral, bless his heart.”

  Raina suppressed a smile. Since she’d grown up mainly in D.C., she was still amused by the uniquely Southern tradition of insulting someone and then bestowing a blessing on them. She’d kind of prefer to just say “screw you” and be done with it.

  “Let’s do my hair first. I have a feeling this is going to take a while.” Ridley sighed and then pulled out the band holding her ponytail.

  Raina worked for the next hour, meticulously twisting sections of her sister’s hair and then pinning the coils high on her head. Next she spritzed several tendrils around her face with water and wound them around small rollers. She used the blow-dryer to get them mostly dry and then left the rollers in while she worked on her sister’s makeup.

  By the time Julia came back, Ridley was just stepping into her dress. It was a simple A-line with a sweetheart neckline and lacy cap sleeves. Simple but perfect.

  “Oh my goodness. You are so beautiful.” Julia fanned at her eyes, blinking back tears. “Wait until my son gets a look at you.”

  Raina agreed. Considering that Jackson couldn’t keep his eyes off her sister on any given day, she had a feeling he was going to be knocked on his ass when he saw Ridley coming down the aisle.

  The next hour was a blur as she rushed around getting her own dress on and doing her hair. Ridley had decided that just Raina, Laura, and her friend Katie would stand up with her as bridesmaids. They were all wearing simple blue sheath dresses that they’d gotten at the same discount bridal store where Ridley had found her dress. Laura and Katie arrived and after the requisite oohing and aahing over Ridley’s dress, they were all changed and lined up with their escorts, waiting to go down the aisle.

  “You look beautiful,” Nick said.

  “Thank you. How’s Jackson holding up? Is he sweating yet?” she teased.

  “Like a hooker in church. He looked like he’d just run a marathon.”

  “Nick!” Raina glanced around to make sure Julia wasn’t close enough to overhear. That was when she realized Julia and Mark had already gone down the aisle to be seated.

  The music changed and Raina looked over to one of Julia’s church friends, standing behind the table where Elliot’s sound system was set up. Apparently he’d arranged everything so the music was on a playlist and all she had to do was press “Play.” Elliot was watching her closely anyway.

  Laura linked arms with Bennett and they walked down the aisle. After a few beats, Katie linked arms with Elliot and they followed. Raina smoothed down the front of her dress and glanced back at Ridley.

  Mark had offered to stand in and give her away, but in the end, Ridley had decided to walk alone. She’d figured it was a fitting symbol of the way she’d found Jackson and Raina couldn’t disagree.

  “Are you ready to become an Alexander, Ri?”

  After a brief pause, Ridley nodded. She glanced down the aisle to where they could see Jackson standing at the altar next to the pastor. Her eyes twinkled with excitement. “Yeah. I’m ready.”

  She smiled at her sister and then linked arms with her husband. “Well then, here we go.”

  * * * * *

  NICK HADN’T FIGURED on leaving the house until that afternoon when the wedding was supposed to start. He quickly realized the error of his ways when Raina had woken him up early. Apparently, as Jackson’s best man, he was supposed to keep his brother out of the way while she helped Ridley get ready.

  He’d never been a big fan of weddings except, like most single men, as a way to pick up women, so the complicated goings-on involved in planning one were way over his head. Maybe it was a guy thing or maybe just because he’d eloped, but he couldn’t understand what they needed to do that would take all damn morning.

  Bennett and Elliott had met them at their parents’ house and the four brothers had played poker and shared stories about growing up. They’d joked that they were going to gamble away Jackson’s last hours as a free man. His brother had taken their teasing in stride and looked as happy as Nick had ever seen him.

  He hadn’t shown any nerves until he was in his tuxedo and they’d had to leave him to meet up with the bridesmaids. That was when Nick had been happy he and Raina had eloped.

  But now as he watched his brother and Ridley dance in the grass in his parents’ backyard, he could sort of see what all the fuss was about. His brother had said his vows in a clear, sure voice. Nick had found himself mouthing the words, then looked over to see Raina watching him. It was a powerful thing to declare your lifelong commitment to someone in front of everyone you knew.

  Ridley looked beautiful and was wearing makeup, something she rarely did. He looked down at Raina, swaying in his arms. They looked much more alike now, even though Raina had done her makeup in a much more understated fashion than usual.

  “Do you regret that we didn’t do this?” He was terrified she’d say yes but wanted to hear her answer nonetheless. It was an increasing need of his to make sure she had everything she wanted. To make her happy and keep her that way.

  “No, not really. Even though it was so beautiful to watch them up there saying their vows, I kind of like how crazy our wedding was. Imagine the stories we’re going to be able to tell our kids!” She grinned up at him. “We’re going to be those embarrassing parents. I can’t wait.”

  Nick laughed along with her. “I’m definitely planning on being embarrassing. That dad who tries to learn all the latest dances and talk in the newest slang.”

  “I bet you’ll be the dad that the other kids think is cool.” She was quiet for a moment and then said, “I can’t wait, Nick. More than that, I’m really glad I’m going on this journey with you.”

  He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, mindful of all the relatives watching them.

  “Whatever my cousin is telling you, it’s all lies.”

  Nick looked up at the words drawled in a familiar deep voice. His cousin Grant was standing at the edges of the dance floor nursing a drink. Knowing his cousin, it was nonalcoholic. He was a doctor and was usually talking some nonsense about how his “body was a temple.”

  Nick considered his body to be a temple, too, as long as it was a temple that allowed drinking, dancing, and having a good time.

  “Oh, is that right? According to who?” Raina raised her eyebrow and looked up at Nick. He tried to dance them in the other direction but Raina had already turned toward his cousin. Nick sighed.

  The last time he’d seen Grant had been at Jackson’s house for Memorial Day. The only time he ever saw his West Haven cousins was at Jackson’s house since they weren’t on speaking terms with anyone else.

  Grant stuck out his hand and Raina pulled back to accept it. Nick kept a firm hold on her waist so she was forced to turn within the circle of his arms.

  “Grant Alexander. Dr. Grant Alexander. And you must be the bride’s twin sister.”

  Raina looked back at Nick uncertainly. “That’s right. Raina Winters. Well, Raina Winters Alexander, now.”

  Grant, in the process of taking a sip of his drink, spluttered in surprise. He looked at Nick in shock. “You got married?”

  “Nice seeing you too, Grant. Always a pleasure.” Nick held Raina closer and danced her away a few feet.

  “How many cousins do you have?” Raina asked. “Every time I turn around, there are more of you. So, how is he related to you? Is he Maria’s son?”

  Nick
shook his head. “No, that’s Langston. He lives in California. Grant is one of my Uncle Stewart’s kids. We don’t really see them that often.”

  “Oh. Okay,” Raina replied. He could tell she wanted to ask him more about it so he was glad when the music changed to something slightly more up-tempo. He twirled her around. She suddenly clutched at his shoulders.

  “Raina, are you okay?”

  She blinked a few times. “I just got dizzy all of a sudden. I think I need to sit for a minute.”

  Nick led her off the dance floor. Before they could get to their table, she slumped against him. He swung her up in his arms.

  “No, Nick, put me down. You’re making a scene.”

  Nick ignored her and continued to their table. Once there, he lowered her gently to her feet. “You think I care about that?”

  “No, but I do.” She sat in her chair and put her head in her hands.

  “Hey, is she okay?” His cousin Grant was no longer glaring at him but instead kneeling next to Raina. “How are you feeling?”

  “Dizzy. I was fine, then all of a sudden I felt hot and sort of sick.”

  Grant looked up at Nick. “Let’s go inside. I think a break from all the noise and excitement out here will help.”

  “For once, we actually agree on something.” Nick offered Raina his arm and they walked toward the house.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “HOW LONG HAS this been happening?” Grant held her elbow in a firm but gentle grip and led her to the couch in the family room. The party was still going strong, so no one seemed to even notice the trio leaving and going back into the house. She could only hope Ridley hadn’t seen them. The last thing she wanted was to distract her sister on her wedding day.

  Especially for something stupid.

  “It just started today. It might be something I ate.” Raina sat down and let out a relieved sigh. Maybe now the room would stop swirling around.

  “Anything is possible. It’s better to take it easy until you feel better.”

  Nick sat next to her and pulled her against his chest. She leaned into him and closed her eyes. “We’ve been trying to get pregnant,” he said.

  Raina’s eyes popped open. Grant observed her reaction with a knowing smile. “Is that right?”

  “She has endometriosis. Do you think the dancing could have, I don’t know, strained something? Never mind, I feel stupid even asking that.” Nick squeezed her closer and ran a hand gently up and down her back. “It’s probably just stress. She met her father for the first time recently.”

  Raina closed her eyes again, this time in embarrassment. “Did he really need my entire life story, Nick? I got a little dizzy. I didn’t pass out.”

  “It’s okay.” Grant laughed. “I’m used to it. Occupational hazard. Once people find out you’re a doctor, they tell you all kinds of things. Some stuff that you really wish they wouldn’t, actually.”

  He winked at her and despite her headache, Raina couldn’t help smiling back. In a strange way, he reminded her of a more rugged version of Nick with his cocky attitude and devil-may-care way of speaking.

  Not that she thought her husband would appreciate the comparison.

  “Once you’re done flirting, perhaps you could tell me if my wife is okay?” Nick scowled up at his cousin.

  Grant crossed his arms and leaned against the wall nonchalantly. “I’m not an obstetrician, but did your doctor place you under any restrictions?”

  Raina shook her head. “No. I’ve been doing all the same stuff I usually do.”

  He nodded. “Then more than likely the dancing was fine. Even if you are pregnant, dizziness is quite common. It’s probably best if you try not to do too much until you know for sure whether you are or not. Especially if you might be a high-risk pregnancy.”

  Raina nodded. “Thank you. I have to admit, I do feel better just being off my feet and out of the crowd. I’m probably still not used to this many people at once.”

  Grant glanced over at Nick with narrowed eyes. “Why wouldn’t you be used to it? How long have you two been married, anyway?”

  Nick scowled. “Why? Are you hoping the ink isn’t dry on the certificate or something?”

  Raina sat up and looked between the two men. “I’m surprised there’s anyone in your family who doesn’t know that we eloped. I thought all you Alexanders told each other everything.”

  “Aaah, Cousin Nick hasn’t told you about the ‘other side’ of the family yet. Interesting. You guys really are newlyweds then.”

  Raina nodded but decided against saying anything else. Her head wasn’t clear enough for her to navigate the strange undercurrents of this conversation.

  He looked at Raina. “Our fathers don’t get along, so most of us West Haven Alexanders are treated like black sheep. Jackson has always been pretty welcoming to us, so we visit him from time to time.”

  He didn’t say anything else. Nick’s hand clenched around her waist. Okay, I think that’s enough sharing for one day, Raina thought. It was obvious from what Grant hadn’t said that Jackson was welcoming but Nick, not so much. The last thing she needed was to have to referee a fight between two equally stubborn Alexander males.

  This family politics stuff wasn’t for the faint of heart.

  “I really don’t feel too well,” Raina stated, hoping Nick would pick up on her hint. He glanced at her and then back to his cousin.

  “I think I’d better get her home. Thanks again, Grant.” They shook hands and Raina waved without getting up.

  Grant ambled over to the door. Just before he pushed it open, he looked back. “If you’re ever on the west side of the city, come visit. The door is always open.” Then he walked out onto the deck and they were alone again.

  Nick didn’t look at her so Raina placed a hand on his cheek. He looked at her, startled.

  “Do I even want to know what that was all about?”

  He shrugged. “It’s ancient history, but I promise I’ll tell you all about it. Later, after your head feels better.” He brushed a stray curl back from her face. “Because trying to understand the intricacies of the Alexander family feud is enough to give anyone a headache.”

  * * * * *

  RAINA EYED THE clock, wondering for the millionth time when Nick was going to show up. Waiting to find out if she was pregnant was agonizing, so she’d been scrambling to find ways to distract herself. She couldn’t even hang out with Ridley since Jackson had surprised her with a trip to Paris for their honeymoon. They wouldn’t be back for another week.

  In lieu of having her sister to talk to, she’d started signing up for different social media sites. She’d stumbled upon a site filled with gorgeous pictures of arts and crafts and some of the most delicious-looking recipes.

  The fact that she couldn’t cook hadn’t stopped her from downloading a bunch of them and forcing Sam to come with her to the store to stock up on baking supplies. Of course, disorganized as she was, she hadn’t remembered to actually bring the recipes with her so she’d ended up buying almost everything on the baking aisle just in case.

  Sam, to his credit, hadn’t voiced a word of complaint.

  The timer dinged and she stuck her hand in an oven mitt. She pulled open the oven door and a cloud of black smoke billowed out. A few seconds later, the smoke alarm let out a shrill cry.

  “Oh no! No, No, NO!”

  Raina grabbed the dishtowel next to the sink and fanned the opening to the oven frantically, dispelling the thick gray clouds of smoke.

  “What the hell is going on?” Sam appeared behind her and took the dishtowel from her. He wrapped it around his hand and reached into the oven. A moment later, he dropped the pan on the stove top and closed the door.

  “Um, I was baking.” Raina would have laughed at his bewildered expression if she wasn’t so embarrassed.

  “I see that. When we went to the store, I thought you were just stocking up on stuff Nick asked you to buy.” He looked down at the pan of cupcakes and then snorted. “Who
were you baking for? A village of giants?”

  Raina looked down at the pan and let out a small gasp. She’d followed the recipe to the letter and had filled each mold in the cupcake pan to the brim so they’d be nice and thick. She loved the big, thick cupcakes sold in bakeries.

  Her cupcakes however, looked like they’d exploded out of the cups. Each one was melted over the edges of the pan while the tops stood up in a puffy mass. They looked deformed.

  “Is everything okay in here?”

  Raina turned to see Nick dropping his briefcase into one of the kitchen chairs.

  “Uh, I’ll leave you guys to it.” Sam, the traitor, retreated back down the hall leading toward his rooms in the basement.

  Raina turned around to see Nick eyeing the exploding cupcakes with barely concealed horror.

  “Um, did your muffins get attacked by aliens?”

  Raina’s shoulders sagged. “They’re supposed to be chocolate cupcakes. I don’t know what happened.” She sank down onto one of the bar stools next to the island and covered her face with her hands. “What kind of mother am I going to be? I can’t even follow a stupid recipe.”

  Nick walked forward hesitantly. “It’s okay. Maybe they just need a little icing. Or something.”

  Raina lifted her head and glared at him. “They look awful. It looks like the batter crawled into the oven and died.”

  Nick pulled one of the cupcakes loose. The bottom was charred black. “See, I’m sure they’re fine. I’ll taste it.” He bit the top of the cupcake and then stilled. His face twisted before he shuddered. He looked like he was on the verge of throwing up.

  Raina jumped up and grabbed a paper towel. She held it out to him. He spit the cupcake remains into it. “Um, it’s not that bad. Maybe you just left out an ingredient. Like the sugar, maybe?”

  Raina stared at the remaining cupcakes. “You don’t have to be nice. You definitely don’t have to eat these to spare my feelings. Geez, we’ve only been married a month and I’m already poisoning you with my terrible cooking.”