by Aurora Rey
Maybe she was still angry with Dom. Graham still couldn’t believe he’d orchestrated the invitation behind Mat’s back. By rights, she should be angry with him, too. He’d put her in a situation that was awkward at best. It could have turned out much worse than awkward for all he knew. But even as she thought about it, Graham couldn’t muster any hard feelings. For some reason, she had an unwavering sense that his heart was in the right place.
She wasn’t so sure about Mat’s heart. That was the problem. Mat’s reaction to Dom’s little stunt gave Graham a knot of unease in the pit of her stomach. Like she resented Graham’s presence as much as the surprise of it. Like she didn’t want to come across as a jerk more than she wanted Graham along.
Graham shook her head. It was her own fault. They’d talked some about Mat’s family, and she got a sense of Mat’s desire to keep them separate from the rest of her life. Graham should have known better than to cross that line without a specific invitation from Mat. Even if the outcome had been better than she’d expected. Well, better by her standards. But Graham couldn’t know if their hospitality was genuine acceptance.
Instead of crossing over to her street, Graham wandered into town. She sat on one of the benches in front of the town hall and watched the people go by. Most of the families had cleared out, leaving couples and groups of friends heading to and from dinner. Some straight couples remained, but they were fewer and far between.
Although she’d never felt the sting of parental disapproval—at least with regard to her sexuality—she still found solace in being surrounded by so much gayness. She wondered what it must be like for Mat, having that acceptance and disapproval in such close and constant proximity.
Was that what was going on now? Had the collision of her worlds upset Mat’s equilibrium? Maybe. It had to be unsettling to have that play out, especially when it was so unexpected. But Graham had a sinking feeling it was more than that. She had a feeling Mat didn’t introduce women to her family because they didn’t stay in her life long enough to warrant it. And Graham was no different.
Graham let her head fall back. She looked at the darkening sky through the leaves of the tree branches overhead. She caught glimpses of a half moon. No different.
Chapter Seventeen
Mat didn’t call or text Graham to make sure she got home okay. Not that she needed to, but ignoring her made Mat feel like a tool. Which, in turn, put her in a rotten mood the next morning. It didn’t help that Dom was beyond chipper. She tried giving him the silent treatment, hoping he’d take a hint. No such luck.
After about ten attempts to start a conversation, he pointed the bander at her. “Is this about yesterday?”
“You think?”
“It went fine. I’m not sure why you’re still pissed at me,” Dom said.
Mat gave him a withering look.
“Okay, I know why you’re still pissed at me. But things went great. For me, but for you and Graham, too.”
Mat scowled. “It’s because my parents wouldn’t want to cause a scene at your parents’ party. And because I didn’t introduce her as my girlfriend.”
“You didn’t?” Dom seemed genuinely surprised by that.
“Dude, are you really going to tell me you don’t know how it works? They don’t ask, I don’t tell. It’s a thing.”
“I understand the concept.” Dom rolled his eyes like Mat was being the unreasonable one. “I just don’t get it. I mean, they know you’re a lesbian. You bring a girl to a family thing and they don’t put two and two together?”
“They probably do know. That’s not the point.”
“Could you remind me of the point again?”
Mat shook her head. “The point is that I don’t flaunt my sexuality and they don’t give me a hard time about it.”
Dom got quiet then. Finally, he looked her right in the eye. “I didn’t mean to make things hard for you. I guess, well, I guess I thought they’d relaxed some, caught up with the times.”
“Yeah, not so much.”
“I’m sorry, then. You can be pissed if you want.”
Mat sighed. “I’m not pissed. Just, don’t do that again, okay?”
“I won’t.” Dom focused on his work for a few minutes, then looked at her again. “Please don’t hold this against Graham. I’d feel really bad if you broke it off with her because I was an ass.”
That was just it. She didn’t want to break things off with Graham. They were having fun. And Graham wasn’t clingy or asking to talk about what they were or where the relationship was going. The main reason she was pissed was that Dom’s scheme threatened to throw a wrench in the whole thing. “I’m not.”
“Not holding it against her or not breaking up with her?”
“Neither.” She looked out at the water in front of them and imagined Graham standing in the living room, going toe-to-toe with her father. The memory gave her a ripple of anxiety, but there was something else mixed in. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it felt a little like pride. Which made no sense, but she couldn’t shake it or come up with another word.
“Good. I’m not trying to tell you Graham is the one, but she makes you happy. You shouldn’t throw that away because you’re afraid to rock the boat at home.”
Mat let those words sink in. She didn’t give a lot of thought to being happy. Which wasn’t to say she considered herself unhappy. She’d just come to see herself as making the best of the hand she was dealt—no complaints, no grand plans. As much as she might not want to rock the boat with her parents, she didn’t really feel the need to rock hers either. It had always worked and left her, at the very least, content. Why did that leave her feeling hollow now?
“What? Was that the wrong thing to say, too?” Rather than antagonizing, Dom’s face seemed genuinely concerned.
“No, man. You’re fine.”
“You look like I just ran over your puppy.”
“Shut up. No, I don’t.”
Dom shrugged. “Look, I get why you might not want to spill your guts to me right now. I’m not going to push it.”
“No?” It sure felt like he was pushing something. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure what it was.
“No. You’re going to do what you want anyway. But, again, for the record, you’re happier than I’ve seen you in a long time, and I’m pretty sure Graham has something to do with it.”
They continued working and Dom changed the subject. Well, sort of changed the subject. He went back to talking about Renata and her impressions of the family and Renata’s invitation to family dinner with them the following Sunday. Mat half listened and thought about what he’d said earlier. The part about her being happy.
If she really thought about it, Dom did have a point. Graham managed to be fun and smart and easy all at the same time. And the more time Mat spent with her, the more she wanted to. That didn’t mean she wanted to marry Graham, or even move in together. It just meant they got along better than most of the women she went out with.
Settling into that should have made Mat feel better. On some levels, it did. On others, it made her feel like an even bigger tool for blowing Graham off the night before. She was going to have to apologize, and probably do something nice.
The catch was only fair and they decided to call it a day mid-afternoon. She let Dom steer them back to shore while she did some minor repair on a trap that needed new netting on the entry. They unloaded the catch they’d managed and cleaned up for the next day, then headed home in Mat’s truck.
Dom went to his apartment to shower and go meet Renata for the afternoon. Mat sat in her truck for a moment and tried to formulate a plan for making things up to Graham. She should probably start with figuring out if Graham was as annoyed with her as she was with herself.
What are you up to tonight?
Since staring at her phone and waiting for a reply made her feel ridiculous, Mat went inside to take her own shower. When she emerged, wrapped in a towel, a few minutes later, Graham had yet to respond. Ma
t chided herself for scowling, for being an uncomfortable mix of worried and annoyed. Then she realized Graham was probably at work, and would be for another couple of hours.
Instead of fidgeting or staring at the television to pass the time, Mat drove herself to the store. She’d make dinner, whether Graham decided to join her or not. By the time she got back to her place, complete with enough food to make at least three different dinners, she’d convinced herself Graham was avoiding her. But just as she finished stuffing things into the fridge, her phone vibrated in her pocket.
Vacuuming. Unless you have something better in mind.
The light tone did more to lift Mat’s mood than Graham’s availability. I’ll make you dinner. And let you pick the Netflix.
There was no delay in the response this time. I’ll be there by six.
* * *
Graham knocked on Mat’s door and adjusted the duffel bag on her shoulder. When Mat answered in faded jeans and a white T-shirt, she couldn’t help but sigh. “Hi,” Mat said with an easy smile.
“Hi.” Graham stepped inside and set her bag down. The air smelled like something delicious, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. “I have no idea what’s for dinner, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be amazing.”
“Just pasta. Nothing fancy.” Mat stepped forward and kissed her. “Thanks for coming.”
The kiss wasn’t unlike others they’d shared—more greeting than anything else—but Graham picked up on an undercurrent of tension. “Thanks for making dinner.”
Mat abruptly turned. She went to the kitchen counter and picked up a glass. “Wine?”
“Sure.” Graham accepted the glass. Between this and the weird end to the day before, something was up. It didn’t seem fair that Mat would be upset with her, but that was the feeling she got. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes.” Mat nodded, as though she was trying to convince herself. She looked away for a second, then locked eyes with Graham. “I owe you an apology.”
“You do?” Not what she was expecting.
“For yesterday.”
“Oh. It wasn’t your fault Dom went behind your back. And really, I’m not mad at him either.”
“I’m glad you’re not mad at him. I am, or was. He shouldn’t have put you in that position.”
Graham shrugged. She got the sinking feeling Mat had serious regrets that Graham had come along, regardless of the how or the why. “It’s fine.”
“But that’s not actually what I’m apologizing for. I was weird when you showed up, and kind of a jerk when you left.”
“You weren’t a jerk.” It was Graham’s instinct to diffuse Mat’s discomfort. Even if she’d left the party deflated, that was the result of her own wants, not anything Mat did wrong.
“You’re being kind, which I appreciate. But let me own it. I was weirded out because I don’t mix family and dating. Dom aside, obviously. But it wasn’t you who created that situation. You were gracious and so accommodating about the whole thing.”
Graham smiled. “I really did have a good time.”
“I’m not going to say you didn’t, but I am going to say thank you for being cool.”
Graham’s shoulders relaxed. “I’ll take it.”
“Good.” Mat picked up the other glass of wine from the counter. “Here’s to being cool.”
Graham clinked her glass to Mat’s, took a sip. It was a Chardonnay, buttery and smooth. “Since we’re back to being cool, how do you feel about a wedding?” Despite the teasing tone Graham had been going for, Mat tensed. “Not ours. Relax.”
Mat laughed then. “Sorry.”
Graham shook her head. Idiot. “I was trying to be funny.”
“You were.” Now Mat looked guilty. “I swear.”
Graham told herself not to be disappointed by the awkwardness that seemed to be part of their dynamic all of a sudden. She was being overly sensitive. If she could just relax, things would go back to normal. “Let me start over. Would you be my date for a wedding that I’m half attending, half working?”
“Half working?”
“It’s at my aunt’s inn and the couple are kind of friends, so I’m helping out. But I’m also a guest, so I’d love to have a date.” Graham was pretty sure she’d managed to make the whole thing sound about as un-fun as possible.
“Sure.”
“Yeah?” Graham narrowed her eyes. “You’re not just saying yes because I went to your family thing?”
“Is this a family thing?”
Graham shook her head quickly. “Not at all. I mean, my aunt will be there, along with Will. But it’s Will’s sister getting married, so if anything, it’s her family thing.”
“Cool. When is it?”
“Weekend after next.” Graham cringed slightly as she said it. “I meant to invite you sooner, but—”
“We ended up at my family thing and it got weird.” Mat offered her a knowing smile.
Graham’s hesitation about inviting Mat to the wedding actually spanned a couple of weeks, but she’d take the out she was given. She returned the smile. “I wouldn’t say weird.”
“No?” Mat angled her head. “Unexpected.”
“Oh, well, sure. That sounds better.”
Mat shrugged. “Yeah. It’s the least I can do.”
Graham didn’t want doing things together—things that didn’t involve tumbling into bed together—to be on a barter system. At this point, though, she didn’t want to press the matter. “Great.”
“How fancy?”
“Not very. Like date fancy. The ceremony will be outside if the weather is okay, so I’ve got a dress I can layer a sweater and a jacket over if needed.”
The description seemed to make Mat relax. “I can work with that.”
Mat turned her attention back to the stove and Graham watched her. Mat had only cooked for her that one time before, but Graham decided it was something she could get used to. Yes, the dinner part was nice. The watching, though, was sexy as hell.
And she had a date for Emerson and Darcy’s wedding. Graham had worried that Mat might say no, or at the very least claim she had to work. But her apprehension had proved unnecessary. Just like her worry about how things had ended the day before. She might be in uncharted waters with Mat, but that didn’t have to imply dangerous territory.
Chapter Eighteen
The two weeks leading up to the wedding included half a dozen nights with Mat and it felt like they’d reclaimed the light, easy energy of their first few dates. Good meals, amazing sex, no serious conversations. It wasn’t like they’d had a fight in the first place, but it felt to Graham like they’d made up.
The Sunday of the wedding arrived, chilly but bright—a perfect early fall day. Graham invited herself into the shower with Mat. Kissing led to roaming hands over soapy skin. By the time they were done, Mat commented that she needed a second shower. Graham pinched her rear end and promised to show her what dirty was later on.
“Are you sure you don’t want me coming with you now? I’m very able-bodied, you know.”
“Oh, I do know, but I’m fine. Go have lunch with your parents and brother and come to the inn at two o’clock.”
“But how will I ever go that long without putting my hands on you?”
Graham raised a brow and said in a teasing tone, “I imagine you’ll survive.”
“Barely. It’ll be a close call.”
“Stop.” She didn’t really care if Mat stopped. She liked the idea of Mat being unable to get enough of her. Lord knew that’s how she felt about Mat.
“Fine. But I’ll be thinking of what you just did to me in the shower all day.”
“Good.” Graham threw on her pre-wedding kitchen clothes and grabbed the rest of her things. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”
“I’ll be there.”
Graham headed to the inn and found breakfast service just ending. She took advantage of her timing and helped herself to some French toast and bacon. But instead of taking a seat at
the massive dining room table, she pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen. She found Tisha chopping vegetables and Nora loading the dishwasher. “Good morning, bosses. Wedding assistant reporting for duty.”
Tisha laughed. “Maybe finish your breakfast before you claim to be reporting for duty.”
Graham made a saluting gesture with a piece of bacon in hand. “Yes, ma’am. The bacon is to die for, by the way.”
Nora shook her head and smiled. “You know you can make it, right? Put it on a rack on a sheet pan in the oven.”
“Why would I do that when I can show up here and get it anytime I want?”
Will came in the back door, cheeks rosy. “What can you get anytime you want?”
Graham lifted her second piece. “Bacon.”
“Well, that’s true.” Will turned to Nora. “Chairs are all set up. What else do you need me to do?”
“We need to move the furniture in the sitting room, then set up the extra tables there and in the foyer.”
Graham shoved the last bite of food into her mouth. “I’ll help.”
She handed Nora her plate and followed Will to the front of the house. The rented tables didn’t look like much, but once they had cloths and were set, no one would notice. Altogether, they’d have seating for thirty, which was the number Emerson and Darcy had settled on. Once the tables were done, she went to the kitchen and helped Tisha with food. Although her skills in the kitchen remained amateur at best, she could stir pots and slice baguettes with the best of them.
Before she knew it, Nora was shooing her away to get dressed. Somehow, without Graham even noticing, Nora had ducked out and donned her dressy clothes. On her way to the room Nora and Will now shared, she crossed paths with Will, who looked exceptionally dapper in her best person suit. “You look amazing.”
In true Will fashion, she blushed. “Thanks.”
