by J. A. Huss
“And in two days she’ll be his wife, Oliver. You need to let it go because he’s here to stay.”
“I know.” I sigh. “I know,” I say again. Like I’m trying to convince myself. “But I only have one baby sister. One. Why the fuck did he have to fall in love with her?”
“Well,” Kat says as we stop at the dock to wait for Five to come pick us up. “It’s my understanding she sorta stalked his ass. She wanted him so she went and took him. I mean look, she’s your sister. That alone is enough to explain why they’re together. But beyond that, they’re just soulmates. You can’t stop that, even if you want to. You can’t.”
I sink to my knees in the sand and pull her down with me. “And on top of all that, fucking Five has been keeping secrets from me too! It’s like… it’s like I don’t even know these people. I mean, my sister was alive all those—”
“Your parents kept that secret too,” Kat says, interrupting my rant. “And Sparrow, and Kate.”
“I know!” I say. “See what I mean? Who are these people? I don’t know any of them. Not really. What do I know, Kat? Tell me. What do I know about them?”
“Well,” Kat says, looking out at the ocean. It’s a beautiful day. Sunny and warm, but not too hot. There’s a nice ocean breeze and the water is the color of paradise. “You know they’re family. And I guess that’s all you need to know. I think you should count yourself lucky if you truly know one person in your life. It’s impossible to really know people unless you’re sharing things on a very consistent basis. I understand that better than anyone. It was a mistake to leave my sister alone all those years. It was a mistake to depend on some institution to take care of her. And now she’s gone.”
Well, shit. I rub my hand down my face and let out a long breath of air. “Sorry,” I say. “I know you miss her.”
“No,” Katja says, turning her head to look at me. “No. I don’t miss her.”
“What?” I ask.
“I didn’t even know her. I don’t miss her at all, Oliver. I think that’s probably the most disturbing thing I’ve ever realized about myself.”
I… have no idea what to say to that. So I just stare down the beach at the dock.
So many things are happening right now. Now, as in like in this very moment.
Pax is fucking my baby sister in that hut over there, Katja is coming to some false realization about herself, Five is in his plane, on his way to pick us up. My parents are probably at home on the farm, packing for this trip. Two daughters getting married on the same day.
It’s some kind of event, right? Huge milestone.
Pax’s mother is doing the same. Hell, even Nolan’s mother is coming. And Ivy’s parents. Five’s mom and dad are bringing Kate and his little brother and sister. Even the infamous Sasha is showing up. And her FBI husband, Jax. James and Harper will be here with my cousins. Even Merc is coming to this thing. Not to mention all my sisters.
It’s a big. Fucking. Deal.
Right now, all those people are thinking about this trip. Thinking about me and Kat. And all the other Misters. Thinking about why we have to hide out here in the middle of the ocean, thinking about how we’ll all be together, in one place, for the first time ever. Thinking about the risk that comes with this celebration.
“You do miss her,” I finally say.
“No.” Katja shakes her head. “I feel nothing. Not sad, not broken. Not anything. In fact,” she says, wrapping her arm around my biceps as she turns, “I feel better than ever, Oliver. I’m glad it’s over. I’m glad we won. I’m glad we’re here together. I’m glad you’re going to marry me. But most of all, I’m glad she’s not here.”
I just stare at her.
“Because she’d ruin it.”
“How, Katja?”
She frowns, shakes her head. “She didn’t love me. Me being her sister meant nothing to her. Yeah”—she sighs, waving her hand over towards the hut where Pax is fucking Cindy—“that’s kinda rude.” She smiles at me. “But… you love him. He’s your best friend. He loves you back, even though he probably won’t ever admit it. He’s not doing it to hurt you, Oliver. He’s doing it because he loves her. It’s really got nothing to do with you at all.”
“Hmm,” I say, staring at the hut. “Maybe. But what’s that got to do with you and your sister?”
“Everything she did when I came back to town was done to hurt me. So I’m not going to miss her. I don’t need family like that. If that’s what family is, then I don’t need it.”
I lean into her, wrap my arm around her shoulder, and pull her close. “That’s not what family is, Kat.”
“I know,” she says, smiling up at me. “This is family. So just get over it, Ollie. Let them have their fun.”
She’s right. So I roll my eyes and sigh real loud. “Fine. I’m over it.”
And then she snuggles into my embrace and then points off into the distance as a pod of dolphins swim by.
“You know what I’m really looking forward to?” I ask, staring at the dolphins as they rise and dive to show us their fins.
“What?”
“Seeing Rory and Five together again.” I laugh a little. “They were meant to be together.”
“I have to admit,” Katja says, “I’m a little surprised that you took that news so well. If someone came at me and said my dead sister was actually alive, I’d kinda freak out.”
“Yeah, but I never bought into it. I can’t tell you why. I can’t point to like, one thing and say, ‘This is why I never believed she was dead.’ I just… I just knew Five would never let it happen, ya know? That if Rory was in that kind of danger, and things went wrong and she got hurt, he’d never stop until he got his revenge. So there’s no way he’d go back to London, start a business, and turn flying sea planes into his favorite hobby. But it’d be delusional to dwell on that kind of thing, right? Illogical as well. So I just told myself, ‘OK, she’s gone. And I’ll probably never see her again.’ But never say never.”
“Never say never,” Katja sighs back at me.
“Look!” I say, pointing to the sky. “There he is, right on time.”
Fucking Five Aston. You really can set your watch to that guy. Always shows up when he’s supposed to.
“Pax!” I yell, pulling Katja up from the sand with me. “Put it back in your pants, asshole. And let’s fucking go!”
We walk over to the stack of luggage piled up on the dock just as Pax and Cindy come running out of their hut. His hair is all messed up, her top is all crooked, and I’m just about to open my mouth and say something about that shit when Katja leans in and kisses me on the neck. “Let it go,” she says. “Just let it go.”
I take a deep breath, huff out my frustration, and see them for what they are.
Just two people in love.
That’s all this is.
Just love.
Chapter Seven - FIVE
I can see them on the beach as I come towards the island. Oliver and Katja, who I’ve only met once, and that was before we decided to come clean about Rory being alive.
Oliver is like a brother. Even more so than my real brother, Wyatt, who is almost sixteen years younger than me. I guess that’s how Rory feels about my sister, Kate. She’s more of a sister than her own little sister Cindy ever was. Cindy was only six when we faked Rory’s death to keep her safe, and four of those years Rory was away at Princeton. So they barely saw each other.
I think if there weren’t so many Shrike girls, it would’ve been different. But Oliver really is Cindy’s closest sibling.
The next time I look down, there they are.
Ollie and Cindy, together. Waiting for me to take them to their long-lost sister.
He’s gonna hit me hard over this bullshit. It doesn’t matter what I say, how I explain it, or what excuse I put up—he’s not gonna miss this chance to get even with me for lying.
So I’m ready for it as I land the plane on the water and glide up to the dock.
They have a
lot of luggage, but it’s a wedding, after all. The dresses were sent ahead last week. All five of them. Rory’s mom, Veronica, made her dress last year. So she’s bringing that with her when the family gets here tomorrow night.
Oliver and Katja reach me first. Pax and Cindy not far behind them. They are all holding hands and I hold that sight in my mind for a few moments before turning the plane off and opening the door.
“Hey, man,” Oliver says, taking my hand and pulling me into a tight embrace. “This is fucking great, right?”
He’s… smiling? And happy?
I get why he’d be happy. He’s marrying the absolutely adorable Katja. But…
“What’s wrong?” Ollie says.
“He thinks you’re gonna kick his ass,” Cindy says, coming up with Pax.
“Dude,” Oliver says. “Why the fuck would I hit you? You brought my sister back from the dead!”
“Uh…” I have nothing to say. It’s just not the reaction I was expecting.
“So we’re outta here?” Pax says. “I got my boat hidden in the interior lagoon. You hear anything about any bad weather coming? I don’t want it to get banged up while we’re gone.”
Now we’re talking about the weather?
“It’s the nicest fucking yacht I’ve ever owned and I’m thinking I’d like to keep it a while.”
“Nah,” I say, snapping out of it. “It’s gonna be hot and sunny for the next week.”
“Cool,” Pax says, pushing past me. “Let’s fucking go.”
He helps Cindy into the new plane—seats eight now. It’s practically a flying boat. The best on the market today and can take off and land on a runway or water. I could probably start a little tourist business if I wanted.
Ollie helps Katja. They claim the last row and immediately begin to chat as we load up the luggage.
“Nice piece of ass you got here,” Pax says.
“Yeah,” Ollie concurs. “We should get one of these, huh, Pax?” He slaps me on the back. “Why you so quiet, Five? Tell me all about this island you have. Is it better than Pax’s? Because if so, he’s gonna try to talk me into going in on another one with him, you watch.”
Yeah. First he’s happy to see me, then we’re talking weather, now he’s chatting up Mysterious about adding a plane and an island to their collection of shared shit.
What the fuck is going on with him?
“Well,” I start, trying to shake off the feeling that something is very wrong with Oliver Shrike right now. “It’s a hundred and twenty-two acres—”
Pax whistles at that, then he and Oliver exchange a look of mutual envy.
“—and it’s got…”
I rattle off all the specifics. The houses, the barn, the horses, the trails, the bikes.
“Bikes!” Ollie says. “Fuck, yeah, we’re gonna ride this weekend, brother. You got enough for all of us?”
“Nah,” I say, letting myself relax a little. Maybe he’s gonna be reasonable? “They’re mostly for the kids.”
“Kids.” Oliver laughs. “Jesus. I’m an uncle again. I cannot wait to see those little princesses.”
“I guess you shoot girls, huh, Five?” Pax laughs. “Like Cindy’s father.”
“Hey,” Cindy says from the back. “You better shoot some girls too, Paxton Vance. I want a whole pack of princesses!”
“Speaking of princesses,” Katja says. “Nolan and Ivy brought baby Bronte, right?”
And that’s how it goes for the entire ride back to the island. No, Why the fuck did you lie to me? No angry outbursts. No playing the blame game.
Just normal, everyday life.
When we land, all the others are there waiting.
Mac and Ellie. Nolan, Ivy, and Bronte. West, Tori, and Ethan. And of course, my little royal family.
Rory squeals at Cindy and Ollie. They hug and dance and cry happy tears. Isa, Ana, Louise and Mathilda hover at their mother’s side, trying to push their way into the fray of joy.
The dogs come up and wag their tails. Hell, a trio of wild pigs even swim up on shore to see what the hell is going on and that makes everyone even happier.
This can’t be how it will go. Can it?
Oliver Shrike isn’t gonna try to hit me? Kick my ass? Take me down a peg or ten? He’s really not harboring some resentment over me taking away his sister?
I can’t believe it.
But that’s how it’s shaking out.
Oliver is gonna be… reasonable.
My eyes won’t be black and blue for my wedding photos. There won’t be any loud fights over trust and loyalty.
No, I decide. I did it. I pulled it off. This Mister wedding is gonna be the most perfect happily ever after in the history of fairytale endings.
Chapter Eight - MAC
It’s been while since all of us have been together. Even longer if you add Five into the mix, because we haven’t all seen him since Pax and Cindy had their little run-in with Nolan’s sister back in the desert.
So it’s nice.
I like these guys. And not in the way I normally like people, which is mostly based on business decisions and mutual agreements on how to get things done. I just… enjoy them.
Nolan is probably the most fucked-up person I’ve ever met. But look at him now. The only one of us who is already married. And holding that adorable baby girl. If you had asked me a few years ago if Mr. Romantic would ever get married and have kids, I’d have laughed in your face.
Weston should be way more fucked up than he actually is. I mean, his genetic family were all kinds of out there and his adopted family were on their own personally-funded crazy train. Crazy jet. Crazy spaceship. I’d never have pegged Corporate as a second-chance kind of guy. But here he is. Committing to a woman who could probably take him in a fight—business or otherwise.
Paxton. Jesus Christ. Even though he’s not nearly as twisted as Nolan, he’s definitely the most dangerous of all of us. Mr. Dangerous, they should’ve called him. He and Oliver have been tight for years, so when I found out Pax had fallen for Ollie’s sister, well, I mostly went to that little impromptu meeting at Nolan’s resort just to see them fight.
I wasn’t disappointed.
Which leaves Oliver. He did fight with Pax over his baby sister, but he’s holding it together for now. Probably because of the wedding. Mr. Match is one of those never-see-them-coming kinda guys. You know, the quiet type who snaps one day and decides to lock himself away in a mountain cabin for the rest of his life making his own ammo and living off the land.
But you know what I don’t understand—
“Hey,” Ellie says, coming up to take my hand and give it a squeeze.
“Hey,” I say, letting that thought dissipate as I take in my future wife.
“What’re you thinking so hard about?”
“Oh, nothing. Just taking it all in, ya know. It’s hard to believe that whole Mister thing might be over.”
“Too good to be true,” Ellie says, reading my mind.
“Yeah.” I sigh.
“It’s over. Mac.”
I turn my head to look down at her. Ellie is so pretty. She’s not seductive like Victoria. And she’s not crazy like Cindy. Or even dangerous like Katja or innocent like Ivy. She’s just… pretty normal.
I like that. So much.
“You sure about that?” I ask, enjoying her small smile.
She squeezes my hand again. “Goddamned positive.”
I huff out a small chuckle. “I’m glad you brought Ming with you.”
“Yeah, me too,” she says.
“No, I mean… really glad. She’s symbolic, right?”
“Is she?” And now it’s Ellie’s turn to laugh.
“Yeah. Of your life before me. Which was pretty damn good, and that’s kinda like a good omen for me. Like your life from now on will be pretty damn good too, because you’re bringing the most important parts along with you. Like the book stuff. That next book is gonna be another hit. You really know your way around a self-help
plan. I sometimes wonder if I’m taking you off track, ya know? I don’t want to do that, Ellie. I want you to be all the things you were before.”
“What was I before?” she asks.
“Perfect,” I answer back.
“Shit,” she says, shaking her head. “I was a fucking mess before you came along.”
“Not true. You were the most valuable employee at Stonewall. And if you were still there, you’d probably be vice-president by now.”
“Oh, come on.” She snorts.
“Ellie,” I say, taking both her hands in mine. The sun is just beginning to set, coating the surface of the ocean with a red-gold blanket of ripples. It reflects off her beautiful face. Makes her shine in a way that makes me want to touch her cheek, just to make sure she’s real. “You were Mrs. Perfect long before I came along.”
She looks away, allowing herself a sweeping smile as she studies the disappearing sun. “You know what that means, right?”
“What?” I ask.
“We really are Mr. and Mrs. Perfect. Soulmates.”
“We are,” I say, leaning down to kiss her.
I want to say more. Things like… You’re the sweetest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Or, You make me better. Or a thousand other sappy things that men say just before their wedding.
But all that comes out is a promise. “I’m gonna be yours forever.”
She stares up at me and frowns. “You don’t have to cheer me up, Mac.”
“Ellie—”
“You’re enough. You’re more than enough. I refuse to be sad for things that aren’t meant to be. This is a celebration and there’s no place for future regrets or past mistakes. Or even present problems. This is our happy time.”
“Oh, Ellie, there’s so much more to come,” I whisper, kissing her soft lips until she opens her mouth to kiss me back.
“Like what?” she sighs back.
“Butter,” I say.
We both crack up laughing and everything she just said comes to pass. Because we forget all the future regrets, all the past mistakes, and all the present problems.
