by Lindsey Gray
“I’ll catch you guys later.” Derek gave a little wave and disappeared into the crowd.
The lead singer of the band finished his song and motioned for Harry, Annie, and Mick. With a microphone in hand, Harry began to speak.
“Good afternoon, Marblehead!” The crowd cheered. “I’m Harry MacLean and this is my father, Mick, and my wife, Annie.”
“Yo, Annie!” a deep male voice hollered from the back.
“We wanted to thank you all on behalf of the MacLean family for coming out today to support the community center my mother loved. Thanks to our new mayor, Rudy Babcock, and Councilman Weathers for all your hard work to help us raise thousands of dollars for the programs offered here at the center.”
Harry turned to Annie, who nodded back to him.
“I wondered what my contribution to this town could be since my mother passed away. My father does boat cruise fundraisers every spring for the school system. My sister’s foundation, Nerdy Girl Nation, provides supplies and computers for our teen outreach room here at the community center. I’ve offered legal clinics in the past, but I feel like I need to do more. Mayor Babcock has informed me he is not planning on running for the office in the next election. So, I’m officially announcing I will be running for Mayor of Marblehead for the next term.”
The crowd erupted in applause and cheers. Emma stood stock still while the people around her got louder. First the showdown with Maria and now her brother announces he’s running for office. She had no idea he had plans to run. He just turned thirty-five and had a thriving law practice.
“Emma?” Rob nudged her.
“Huh?”
“He’s calling you up.”
“Oh. Okay. Stay here, all right?”
“Of course.” Rob shooed her away up to the stage.
She walked up the stairs and over to her brother’s waiting arms. “You are so dead for springing this on me.”
“That’s what you get when I find your boyfriend sleeping on the couch.”
Emma pulled back and sneered at him. Harry smiled. She couldn’t stay mad at him for long so she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks. Now hug Annie. She’s nervous about being a first lady.”
Emma moved over to Annie’s arms while Mick took Harry’s place at the microphone.
“I’m sure Elaine is smiling down on us today. I know my son will be an asset to this town and will make a terrific mayor. He learned from the best. The preliminaries are coming up in a few months. Remember to vote MacLean on the next Election Day. Thank you all!”
“She was so beautiful, I tell ya.” Emma’s grandmother, Moira, squeezed Rob’s hand and winked at Emma.
“Nan, come on. Stop,” Emma pleaded from her seat next to Rob.
“No. He’s the only young man you’ve brought home in years. I’m going to tell him how perfect my granddaughter is.”
“Just one more story?” Rob asked. The time he’d spent in the MacLean household was better than any night in his own family home. He didn’t want their time to come to an end; especially since the camera crew had already left for the night.
“Fine,” she huffed.
“As I was saying, she was beautiful. Elaine and I worked for weeks getting the costume right. Halloween arrived and Emma became Wonder Woman.”
“The gold wristbands and everything?” He asked.
“Oh, yes. The picture is on my mantle at home. I’ll show you when you come for Thursday dinner next week.”
“Lord!” Emma rolled her eyes.
Rob couldn’t wait. Not just to see a young Emma as Wonder Woman, but for the real family dinner. He was the only child of parents who were also only children. His father’s parents didn’t approve of his career and his mother’s parents didn’t approve of his father, so both sets were scarce over the years. A big family dinner would be a first for him.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” He leaned in and kissed Emma’s reddened cheek.
“Oh,” Moira exclaimed.
“What now, Nan?” Emma asked as she cuddled into Rob’s side.
“It’s so nice to see the two of you so in love. Reminds me of my Michael and me.” Moira got a dreamy look in her eyes.
“You and Gramps were so cute.” Emma smiled, but Rob saw sadness there. They had talked about how close she was with her grandparents. The loss of her Gramps when she was thirteen devastated the whole MacLean family.
“I can see the two of you now. A great love story. I’m so glad I’m here to see you from the beginning.”
Rob felt a flutter in his chest at the words and prayed she was right.
“I’m glad you’re here, too. Now I can see what a knockout my Emma will be later on.”
Moira’s pale skin turned a bright shade of pink with Rob’s words.
“Such a keeper. If you let this one go, make sure to drop him off on my doorstep.” Moira winked again before she patted Rob’s cheek.
The words of the sweet older woman socked him in the gut. If he and Emma were going to make a real go of it, there were a few things they needed to discuss. It wasn’t the right time or the right place, but he wasn’t sure his confidence would hold if he didn’t do it then.
“You mind if I steal this pretty girl away for a little while?” Rob asked Moira.
“Only if you bring her back happier than she left.” Moira laughed when Emma gasped.
“I’ll do my best.” Rob stood and offered Emma his hand. She took it and he led her back into her bedroom.
Rob shut the door behind them and took Emma in his arms.
“A spontaneous make-out session? I like the way you think.” Emma slipped her arms around his neck and drew him down for a kiss.
A few pecks and a slip of the tongue made Rob’s brain foggy. He knew he’d never get enough of her, but he restrained himself and pulled back.
“I really wanted to talk.”
“Okay.” They sat down on her bed. “What do you want to talk about?”
“About something Maria said.”
“Ugh.” Emma flung herself back on the bed. “Which part?”
“She called me a drunk. It occurred to me, we really haven’t talked about it.”
Emma pushed herself up to rest on her elbows. “I figured you’d tell me when you were ready.”
Rob pushed Emma down flat, leaned over her, and laid a long, gentle kiss on her lips. “That is one of the many reasons I adore you.”
She ran her fingers through his hair. “And you know what? You can tell me all about your past and I’ll still adore you because it made you the man you are today.”
Rob was a lucky son-of-a-bitch. He felt like he could do anything when she said things like that.
“I’m sure you’ve heard about what happened in Baltimore.”
Emma nodded. “Some prick in your AA group recorded you talking at a meeting then released it to one of those tabloid shows.”
“Yeah, I wish it had been any other meeting. I was struggling that day and shared more than I usually would.” He remembered the day he’d come closest to falling off the wagon but rushed to a meeting instead.
“Nine years sober is a pretty big accomplishment.” She flashed a small smile at him.
“At first I thought it was typical college stuff, then I wasn’t making it through classes without a drink. I used to keep a water bottle full of vodka with me. My rock bottom moment came after the worst blackout ever. I went to a party and they were passing around this stuff, a hundred proof and tasted like Kool-aid. I remember the first drink, next thing I know I wake up in my buddy’s room with a naked girl next to me.”
“Oh, my God.” Emma cupped his cheek. “You didn’t …”
“No, she told me it was consensual. She confessed she had wanted me for a long time. The big problem, she was my wrestling coach’s seventeen-year-old daughter.”
“Shit!”
“Yeah. I made her get dressed, my buddy’s girlfriend made sure she got home, and I
called around to find a good rehab in the area. I checked in that night and haven’t drunk a drop since.” He rested his forehead on her chest, the weight of his confession lifted off his shoulders.
“Would it be wrong of me to say I’m proud of you?”
“Proud?” He lifted his head to see her sincere expression.
“You realized you had a problem and you took the steps you needed to get yourself together. Nine years later, you’re a successful athlete with a smoking hot girlfriend.”
“I do, don’t I?” He bent down and pressed his lips to her bare collarbone. “Don’t you forget it.”
“I won’t.”
The exhaustion of the week caught up with Emma on her plane ride to Chicago Sunday evening. She tried to sleep, but knowing Rob was only a few rows back distracted her thoughts toward meeting his parents.
Since she was such an experienced traveler, Emma fit all she needed into her carry on. When she saw Rob make his way over to the baggage claim, she felt compelled to walk over and act like she needed to wait for a bag to come through.
“Mom?” she heard Rob exclaim.
A tall, slender woman with light brown hair embraced Rob.
Emma grabbed Kelly by the arm. “I thought the Breyer’s flight wasn’t until the morning?”
“I booked them on a non-stop flight at eight tomorrow morning.” Kelly seemed as confused as Emma.
Robert Senior shook Rob’s hand after his mother finished their long hug. Chance grabbed Lisa Breyer around the waist and swung her through the air.
Emma laughed at the scene and caught Rob’s attention. His eyebrows rose in what she thought was an invitation to walk over, but she shook her head and helped Kelly get her bag from the conveyor belt.
As she got settled into the SUV, Emma heard her phone alert her to a text message.
Meet us for dinner in my room?
He had already met her entire family and half of her hometown. She had to meet his parents.
Text me your room number once you get settled.
She smiled when she received a response seconds later.
Have I told you lately how much I adore you?
Not lately.
I do. Don’t worry. I’ll hold your hand the entire time.
Until then.
“You’re sure Troy is okay with this?” Emma asked while Al packed up his camera equipment.
“Doesn’t matter. You deserve a break from us.” Al zipped up his bag and turned to help Ben with his equipment.
She realized how much the guys protected her since the horrible day back in Los Angeles. They had given up time with their friends and family to follow her around. The guys were doing their jobs, but she felt bad about all they had to deal with lately.
“I’ve been all over the place since I came back home and started this new job. Meeting Rob was not part of the plan, but it happened and I’m thrilled.”
“And we are happy for you. Enjoy this time without us.” Ben smiled a little and held his hand out for Emma’s mic pack.
She slipped the pack out of her waistband and before she handed the contraption to Ben.
“Have a nice night and don’t think about us for a while.” Al opened the door to the suite.
“Right.”
Emma walked out of the suite and down the hall to the elevator. She rode three floors up until she came to Rob’s floor. The walk to his door seemed endless as all the ‘what if’s’ flittered through her mind.
What if Robert Senior hated her?
What if Lisa changed her mind and thought she wasn’t good for her son after all?
What if Rob realized his parents didn’t approve and let her go?
She tried to shake off the unease of their impending meeting. A few deep breaths and an internal pep talk later, she knocked on the door.
“Hey,” Rob answered and motioned for her to come in.
With the door shut behind them, Rob took Emma’s hand and led her into the living room area of the suite.
“I usually share a room with Chance, but since this was a special occasion, I got this suite. Mom and Dad are still unpacking, but I ordered dinner to be brought up in about ten minutes.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
Rob slid his knuckle under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. “Everything’s fine. My mom already adores you.”
“But your dad …”
“You let me worry about him.” Rob leaned in and gave her a soft kiss.
She relaxed into his arms and sat down on the couch with him. They talked about what their plans were for the week, starting with the show the next night.
“The plan is for your father walk in after you and Chance are in the ring. We can talk about what he wants to say, but at some point I will interrupt and come to the ring.”
“I’m not reading from some damned script!”
Robert Senior made his entrance into the living room from the bedroom.
“Of course not, Mr. Breyer.” Emma stood and straightened out her skirt. “We have some suggestions so we can segue to my entrance.”
“Suggestions?” he asked and crossed his arms over his chest with a huff.
“Yes. We don’t like the term scripted. Things seemed scripted when Curtis Sharp was in charge, but I don’t make my wrestlers perform like trained monkeys. This is the direction Aaron and I decided on and we are going to proceed in hopes all will work out for the best.” Emma’s heart continued to pound in her chest as she finished her explanation. She had faced some intimidating men in her life in the boardroom, but facing off with Robert Senior brought on a whole new fear.
Will Big Bobby hate me forever?
“What suggestions?”
Emma turned and picked up her bag from the couch. She retrieved a few sheets of paper with the suggestions she had discussed with Aaron.
“Take a look and let me know.” She handed the sheets to him.
“Fine. I’ll read these notes after dinner and get back to you tomorrow. If you’ll excuse us.” Robert Senior motioned for her to leave.
“Dad, I’ve invited Emma for dinner,” Rob divulged through clenched teeth.
Robert Senior’s brow furrowed in appeared confusion when Lisa Breyer entered the room.
“Oh, Emma. I’m so glad your here.” Lisa stepped forward. She ran her fingers through her hair to tame the wayward strands. “I wanted to thank you again for inviting us out here. This is the best birthday present ever.”
Emma smacked Rob’s arm. “You didn’t tell me your mother’s birthday was coming up.”
“Not until Wednesday. I forgot. Forgive me?” Rob wrapped his arm around her waist and pouted.
She rolled her eyes and turned back to the Breyer’s. Lisa had a smile a mile wide while a blood vessel throbbed in Robert Senior’s forehead.
“Bobby. Explanation. Now!” Robert Senior demanded.
“Dad, Emma and I are seeing each other. You might not remember meeting her before, but we actually met her a couple of times several years ago.”
Robert Senior squinted his eyes and stepped closer to Emma.
Emma’s face became moist at the scrutiny and her glasses began to slip down her nose. She pushed them back up and Robert Senior’s face unclenched.
“The girl you ran into in Boston. You’re the reason my son left me early that summer.” If it were possible, Robert Senior seemed angrier than he was the moment before.
“Dad, come on.” Rob left Emma’s side to stand in between her and his father.
“And now you’re dating her?” Robert Senior scoffed.
“Yes.” Rob puffed out his chest and stood eye to eye with his father.
Robert Senior gazed around his son at Emma. Inside she was a quaking mess, but she flipped her internal switch once again and portrayed the woman with a hard shell.
“I think this is wonderful if my opinion matters at all,” Lisa piped up.
“Thank you, Mom.”
Lisa turned her head to see Emma and gave
her a wink and a smile.
Emma’s nerves settled a bit at the knowledge at least one other Breyer had her back.
Their dinner of gourmet steaks arrived with little fanfare. Emma, Rob, and Lisa settled into an easy conversation while Robert Senior grumbled after every other bite.
Robert Senior set his glass down on the table with a little more force than necessary. “And you?” He turned to Rob. “What are your intentions?”
Emma heard the disdain in the tone of Robert Senior’s voice. The feel of Rob’s hand grasping her own on her lap calmed her before he gave his answer.
“To do my job and live my life with Emma by my side.”
“Aww,” Lisa sighed.
“Dad, do you begrudge me the happiness you experienced with Mom all these years? You were married with a ten-year-old son by the time you were my age. Don’t you think I deserve some happiness? I work hard and I think I’ve earned the right to enjoy my life with someone I care about.”
Robert Senior took in his son’s words. His face softened a bit as he turned his gaze to his wife.
“I want you to be happy, but you can’t lose sight of your goals.”
“I still have those goals.” Rob brought their joined hands out from underneath the table and kissed Emma’s. “They’ve changed a bit.”
“Yes, tag team champion,” Robert Senior sneered.
Emma gathered her courage and responded to him. “As I recall, some of your most famous finishing moves came from your tag team matches.” Robert Senior tried to speak up, but she kept going. “Your Shake Brake move came out of your match with The Steel Baron against Bill Bell and Matthew Donahue. The Sideshow Slammer happened for the first time in your match with Dillon Haynes against Marcos and Miguel Cruz. And, oh, what about the time you won the tag team belts with Dorian Atwood and used the Tyrant Twist on Ward Poole and Brett Wolf at the same time?”
Emma recognized the slight twinkle in Robert Senior’s eye.
“You might be right but I don’t want my boy distracted.”
“I’m not here to hurt Rob’s career. I want to see him succeed as much as you do.” Emma felt like she was on the verge of a breakthrough with the man and wondered what would push him over the edge.
“You’ve followed the IWA for years, right?”
