One Last Objection_A Small-Town Romance

by Nancy Stopper

  “Nothing’s changed. You’re still not getting anything out of me.”

  “Not even a hint?”

  He shook his head. “Nope.” Now if he could only get Maggie out of his mind as easily as it was to ignore Joey. Michael wanted to marry her more than ever, but he couldn’t find the words to convince her that his proposal hadn’t come out of some obligation.

  He wanted to marry her because he loved her.

  She didn’t do love. Hell, until Maggie, he hadn’t done love either. He thought he’d found the one, once, back in college. But now that he knew what real love was, he understood his previous relationships as infatuation and lust.

  He and Maggie were more compatible in the bedroom than any woman he’d been with before. The real Maggie, the strong and sexy woman who hid behind pencil skirts and flowy blouses during the day, came out to play in the bedroom. She was adventurous and giving and knew how to ask for what she wanted. If only she could see herself the way he did.

  “Oh, man. That good, huh?” Joey chuckled and rubbed his hands together.

  The bell over the door tinkled, and Rachel and Sawyer came barreling into the office with Lucas on their tail, saving Michael from responding. Joey hopped from his chair and threw his arms around Rachel while Sawyer extended his hand to Michael. Someone had asked Michael one time why such good friends were always shaking hands. His father had ingrained in him from early on that a gentleman greets his friend whenever he sees him. Another old-fashioned tradition, maybe, but Michael wasn’t about to change now.

  Joey slumped back into the chair. “You guys got here just in time. I was grilling Michael on his date the other night.”

  He opened his mouth to object, but Rachel beat him to the punch. “With Dr. James? Isn’t that great?”

  Lucas’s mouth gaped open, and beside him, Sawyer raised his eyebrows.

  Joey’s foot dropped to the floor. “You’re dating Rachel’s counselor?”

  Dating didn’t quite describe what he and Maggie had. Sleeping together, yes. Having a baby together, yes. Dating and eventually marriage, hopefully. The other night had been a good first step toward a serious relationship. “Thanks, squirt. No one can keep a secret around you.”

  Her hands flew to her mouth and she giggled. “I’m sorry. Was I not supposed to tell?”

  The brat. Of course it was a secret. Well, not any more. He’d have to warn Maggie before Christmas dinner next week. Or sooner, since he doubted his family would keep this secret for long.

  “So we’re here to talk about Michael’s love life?” Joey rubbed his hands together, fully enjoying Michael being in the hot seat.

  “No, we’re not.” Michael shot Sawyer a look, and he nodded in return. Rachel would need his support as she exposed this raw nerve again. “Everyone sit down.”

  Instead of staying behind his desk, Michael rolled his chair around and slid in between his brothers. He didn’t want anything separating him from his family right now. Once everyone got situated, he motioned to Rachel. “Do you want to start?”

  She fiddled with her fingers until Sawyer placed his hand over hers and stilled her motions. Lucas tensed, his eyes locked on Rachel. It didn’t take much to know something was going on with her. They’d all watched her spiral out of control this past year with Shane. The others just didn’t know why.

  Michael was proud of her for taking this step, despite knowing the outcome could be something she didn’t expect or want.

  “When I was eighteen, I was digging in some trunks in the closet for, uh, some papers I needed to start school. I, uh… I found my birth certificate.”

  Sawyer pressed his head to Rachel’s and murmured in her ear. After a moment, she squared her shoulders and drew in a deep breath.

  “My original birth certificate. With a… another man’s name as my father.”

  There it was. The secret that Michael had been keeping all of this time. He stifled a sigh of relief that he finally had his brothers to lean on. The room fell silent, the clicking of the heater the only sound. Lucas’s brows furrowed and his lips flattened into a straight line. Joey’s jaw tightened and his fists clenched at his sides. Michael kicked him and threw a glance to his hands.

  But Joey didn’t relax. “It was a mistake, a typo, right. You know how Mom is a pack rat and won’t throw away anything. They probably mixed up the files and she never bothered to get rid of the old papers.”

  Poor Joey. Rachel’s news was going to hit him the hardest since the two of them were so close. He’d be none too happy when he found out that Michael had known for months, either.

  Rachel shook her head as her eyes glistened. Sawyer stroked her arm and kept his other firmly around her. “It’s no mistake. Dad is not my biological father.”

  Joey leapt from the chair. “What?”

  “Joey,” Lucas growled.

  “No, I want to know what’s going on. This doesn’t make any sense. Of course Dad is your father.”

  Joey’s confusion and outrage didn’t surprise Michael. It had taken him a long time to come to grips with what Rachel had shared with him months ago. And without the ability to discuss it with his brothers. But in the end, it didn’t matter whose name was on Rachel’s birth certificate— she was their sister. His brothers would come to that same conclusion in their own time. He was sure of it. Their family couldn’t handle much more.

  Lucas laid his hand on Joey’s arm and then directed his attention to Rachel. “Go on.”

  “When you guys were little… Joey, you were just a baby… Mom and Dad separated.” Rachel stopped Joey when he opened his mouth. “Please, let me finish and then I can try and answer your questions.”

  Joey slumped back into the chair.

  “Mom and Dad separated. Dad was living in an apartment in town. And while they were separated, Mom got involved with another man. I’m his daughter.”

  Lucas laid his hand on Rachel’s leg. His eyes were wet and his head was lowered. “So you’ve discussed this with them?”

  Michael wanted to reach out to Lucas, to give him some of the comfort Michael hadn’t had when Rachel sprung this on him. But this was her show.

  “Yeah, back in the summer. Not long after I left Shane.”

  Michael remembered that dinner vividly. It was the first time he’d visited Oak Grove after she’d escaped that bastard, and seeing Rachel had brought tears to his eyes. He’d cried with her and apologized over and over for not being there when she needed him. Rachel had stayed behind to talk to their parents after Michael had left for Maggie’s. He hadn’t known why at the time.

  Joey ran his fingers through his hair. “This just doesn’t make any sense. Mom and Dad have a great relationship…”

  Joey stopped and his mouth hung open. Yeah, now he was thinking. Michael had walked in on several arguments during the past few years, but Mom and Dad had stopped as soon as they spotted him. Michael was jaded enough to know that no one had a perfect relationship, not even his parents. Surely, Lucas and Joey had seen the same tension, the same disagreements.

  The reality was that everyone had parts of their life they kept hidden. People tended to put on a show for the outside world and hide what’s really going on behind closed doors.

  Shoot, that described Maggie perfectly. To look at the well-dressed, well-heeled professional woman who had counseled probably half the town, people would never guess she was a sloppy housekeeper who could barely cook pasta. They also wouldn’t know that deep down, her tight hold on her career and her inability to let anyone help her, including Michael, was driven by shitty parents who couldn’t be bothered to spend any time with their daughter.

  In that regard, Michael was blessed with his family—the siblings that sat around this room. No matter what happened between his parents in the past, they loved each other and supported their kids. They were the ones he’d gone to when he’d needed to discuss his plans to leave the firm. His father had helped him think through the implications and pointed him towards Old Man Tayl
or’s practice. Despite his parents’ struggles, Michael could only hope to have their kind of relationship, one that could weather the storms thrown at them.

  “You never know what’s going on beneath the surface, Joey.” Lucas’s quiet, calm voice broke the silence. “I was only five, but I kinda remember there were times when I didn’t see Dad much. At that point, I wouldn’t have known if he was just working a lot of hours or something else was going on between them. But what I don’t understand is that Mom was married to Dad when you were born, Rachel. Shouldn’t he be listed on the birth certificate? I remember him and Ma bringing you home from the hospital—together.”

  Rachel nodded and sat up taller. “They were still married. Mom and Dad had reconciled, and it was only later that they realized she was pregnant. Mom wanted the other man listed on my birth certificate and Dad agreed.”

  “Dad knew before you were born?” Thank God Lucas stayed calm. That’s exactly what Rachel needed and gave Michael confidence that Lucas would handle the fact that Michael had known Rachel’s secret for all these months.

  Rachel nodded. “He was right there beside Mom when I was born, just like he was for all of you. As far as he’s concerned, I am his daughter.”

  “But you’re not?” Joey growled through clenched teeth.

  Was he asking or telling? Joey had better get his act together soon or Michael was going to send him to the lobby. Rachel needed Joey’s support, not his anger. Michael couldn’t blame his brother for being upset over the situation, but when it came down to it, this was not Joey’s business to get upset about. They each had to process this in their own way. That day Rachel told him, Michael had pounded the pavement for hours after he got back to Philly that night, trying to sort through the confusion over Rachel’s announcement.

  “My biological father was the other man. He lived outside Philly at the time.”

  “And what happened to him?” Joey’s hands had relaxed, but his jaw was still tight and his words terse.

  “He signed away his rights so Dad could adopt me. Michael found out that my biological father died about three years ago.”

  Joey turned his anger toward Michael. “You knew about this? For how long?”

  Just as Michael had expected... and feared. He hadn’t wanted to come between his siblings. But as upset as Joey was, he needed to understand Rachel’s concerns. She was right to wait until she had more information before talking to Joey and Lucas. And here Joey was getting upset at Michael when he should be supporting Rachel. “Joey, calm down. I’ve only known for a few months. Rachel asked me to look into her biological father because I had connections to an investigator at the firm.”

  Joey started to stand, but Lucas pushed their brother back in the chair and addressed Michael. “What else did you find out?”

  Michael motioned for Rachel to answer. This information was best coming from her.

  “He found out that he had a family. I have another brother and three sisters.”

  “Half siblings,” Joey mumbled. “We’re you’re real family.”

  “Joey, yes, you are my family. And I love you all just the same as I always have. But there is this whole other group of people out there that I’m also related to.”

  Michael winced. He didn’t like thinking of Rachel’s other family. They’d been raised together—Lucas, Joey, Rachel, and him. But he understood Rachel’s need to find the lost part of her soul.

  “Have you met them?” Lucas’s ever-calm voice was a welcome balance to Joey’s loud, ranty responses.

  Rachel shook her head. “Not yet.”

  “You’re going to track them down?” Again with the frustration from Joey.

  “I haven’t decided. I know how finding out about my biological father affected me, I can’t imagine how they’ll feel if I knock on the door and say, ‘Hey, I’m your long lost sister.’” Rachel’s hands shook and Sawyer squeezed her tighter.

  Joey shot Sawyer an angry look but he just ignored it and focused on Rachel.

  “So what happens now?” Lucas asked.

  “Nothing. This has been eating at me since I confronted Mom and Dad back in August. I just couldn’t keep it from you anymore. Frankly, finding out I wasn’t Dad’s daughter added to the self-esteem issues I already had… and those issues drove me to Shane. Dr. James has been helping me see how I would have never let someone like him into my life otherwise.”

  Thank God for Maggie. She’d been a great help to his family and now had become so much more to him.

  “You’re damn right. And this is all Mom’s fault.” Joey leapt from his chair.

  “Joey, stop. I didn’t tell you so you could take your anger out on Mom.” Rachel raised her hands to try and calm her brother.

  “Well, who in the hell else should I be angry at?”

  “No one. This is about my relationship with them, not yours.”

  “The hell it isn’t. How could Mom do that to Dad?” Joey slumped back into the chair and hung his head into his hands for a minute before he jumped up again. “I can’t stay here right now. I need to think about this.” He rushed out of the room and slammed the outer door as he stomped out.

  Michael couldn’t blame his brother. It was hard to think of Mom and Dad making those kinds of mistakes. And as much as Joey’s venom was focused on Ma, Dad surely had a part in their troubles. Shoot, Michael understood about working long hours and spending time together as a couple. Wasn’t that how he and Maggie had started in the first place? Neither of them having time for anything more?

  Rachel stood to follow Joey but Lucas stopped her. “Let him be. He needs to stew a bit. I’ll call Brittany. Can I tell her what you just told us? That might help.”

  “Sure, you can tell her. Lucas, really, I just couldn’t leave this hanging over my head and our relationship anymore. I wanted everything out in the open.”

  Lucas pulled her into his arms and tucked her head under his chin. “I know, honey. We love you. That hasn’t changed. You know that, right?”

  She nodded but didn’t answer. Michael stepped over and wrapped his arms around the both of them. He could try to fool himself that he was providing them comfort, but he needed this time with his siblings. To heal as a family. “Joey’s just upset. He has to go off and process things. You know that. But he’ll come around. And nothing has changed with you… it’s Mom and Dad he doesn’t know how to deal with.”

  A conversation with Joey was in order. He wasn’t going to disrupt their family Christmas, especially with what Michael had to announce.

  “I know. I just wish—”

  “He’ll be fine. This wasn’t your fault. I wanted to smack him for upsetting you.”

  Rachel chuckled. “He didn’t upset me. I’m hurt for him. I know how close he is to Dad. This had to kill him.”

  “We don’t know all the details, but it usually takes two to cause problems in a marriage.” Michael couldn’t help but think about Maggie and her absent parents. His heart ached that she didn’t have a close relationship with them like he had with his, regardless of his parents’ troubles.

  “Yeah, I know. That doesn’t make it any easier to accept.” She snuggled deeper into Lucas and Michael’s arms. They’d gone from comforting to something a bit ridiculous, but Michael wasn’t about to let go.

  Lucas kissed the top of her head and then released her. “I’m so proud of you, squirt.”

  Rachel snaked her arm around Sawyer and pressed her side to his. “Thanks. I feel good.”

  Lucas nodded at Sawyer before turning to Michael. “I know it wasn’t easy to keep this information from us until Rachel was ready, but I’m glad she had you to depend on.”

  Lucas had that right. Michael’s shoulders were already more relaxed, knowing he didn’t have to keep up pretenses with Joey and Lucas any longer. “I just wish this didn’t have to upset everyone so much. Christmas is next week. We have to make sure Joey won’t make a scene.”

  “I’ll talk to him. In the meantime, I’ll get out
of your hair and give Brittany a call.” Ever the big brother, Lucas would know how to keep Joey in line. For the family’s sake.

  Rachel’s eyes followed Lucas as he left and then she flopped into a chair. “Thank God that’s over.”

  Sawyer rested one hand on Rachel’s shoulder. “You did great, honey. And Lucas is right, Joey just needs some time.” Sawyer turned his attention to Michael. “Thanks again for all of your help. I know she put you in a tough place.”

  Michael smiled. He hadn’t often been satisfied with the work he did at the firm like he was now. Helping families, people he had a relationship with—that was the kind of practice he planned to run.

  A FEW HOURS later, Michael knocked on Maggie’s door. When had she become the person he poured out his troubles to? She had enough on her plate already, but when all of this family stuff bogged him down, Maggie was the one person he wanted to be with.

  “What a huge surprise,” Maggie said when she swung the door open.

  He popped a kiss on her cheek as he passed her. “No, it’s not. But thanks for humoring me.”

  She picked up Rascal and scratched his head before he could scoot out the door. “No problem.”

  The scent of garlic and tomatoes filled the room. “Did you make dinner?”

  “Oh, like that’s such a big surprise. Okay, well, maybe it is, but I felt so good when I finished up today and you’ve been bringing me dinner so much recently, I thought I’d do something for you.”

  This is what it could be like if they were married. Not that he’d expect her to cook every night—they were both working professionals, and he fully expected to help carry the load—but this was a huge step for her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her tongue tangled with his, giving and taking, until he pulled back. “I needed that.”

  “Rough day?”

  He slumped onto the couch and propped his feet on the table. “Yeah. We finally talked to Joey and Lucas today.”

  Maggie slid onto the couch and rested her head on his shoulder. Her fingers traced a pattern on his arm. “How did it go?”