Star-Crossed Secrets

by Kali Brixton

  There’s a smattering of whispers in the congregation which is full of confused faces. All except one. A well-aged one who gives me a knowing smile as I anxiously wait for Ev to join me up here.

  The organist sitting to the side plays the first notes of “Canon in D” and the sanctuary doors swing open, revealing a proud father and mother with a beautiful woman wedged in between them. Her hair as dark as the night, her eyes like the Emerald Isles, and wrapped around her curvy body is the gown her mother married her father in, with the addition of some green embroidery on her train. After all, it is good luck in Italy for the bride to wear green on her wedding night.

  Her bouquet is a familiar one, a mixture of our heritages, just as our future children will be.

  Ev and I decided not to wait to get married. It’s been too many years as it is, and we know we’re it for each other. However, we thought since her friends loved to shower her with surprises, we could pull the biggest one of all over on them.

  Eden and Addy’s mouths are both open wide as they watch Ev and her parents stroll toward me. A sniffle to my right signals that my sister has tears streaming down her face, unable to wipe them as fast as they’re falling while she holds our daughter. Kieran even has what looks to be a tear in his eye, though he’d never own up to it in a million years. And Papi Dean? He’s still giving me that same look he did when the priest began the ceremony.

  “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

  “Her mother and I do,” Rian answers, lifting Ev’s veil before she turns to hug Kyleigh. She then embraces Rian, the person who’s handing over the reins to me as the man in her life. His are a big set of shoes to fill as he’s been the example of what a good man should be throughout Ev’s whole life, but hopefully, the Papi Dean good-man genes that bypassed my Dad are inscribed on my chromosomes. He kisses her forehead, then whispers something in her ear, to which she quietly responds with a smirk. I step down from the altar and shake his hand, only to have him wrap me in a hug.

  “You take care of my little girl. And yours as well,” he says, choked words leaving his gruff voice.

  I pat him on the back. “Yes, sir.”

  He gives me Ev’s hand and steps aside, a moment so symbolic, it’s felt throughout the church. He’s trusting me with two of his greatest treasures, and I have no intentions of letting him down.

  I take my soon-to-be wife’s hand and help her up the steps, the first one we’ll walk together in life at the end of this ceremony and Rory’s. As we get settled into our positions before the priest, I take one last glance at her perfection, catching her eye. We stare at each other for a moment, alone in our little bubble of excitement and certainty.

  Then she smiles.

  And I realize every bad thing we’ve experienced up to this fragment of time was all worth it in the end.

  If only just to be hers, and for me to call her mine.

  Epilogue

  Everleigh

  “Is there a reason that the invitation to Rory’s baptism didn’t have a wedding disclaimer on there? Or that you were even engaged?” Addy asks as my friends surround me with hugs and congratulations at Rory’s baptism celebration.

  Eden laughs. “I just want to know how the hell you convinced Luca to not buy a billboard downtown and write, ‘She said yes!’ on it.”

  The arms of my oldest friend wrap around me tightly. “I can’t believe you’re really my sister now.” Then, her sneaky hand swats me on the ass. “And that you kept this from us!”

  “Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise,” I muse, my best Gomer Pyle impression still subpar to the original. Only they’re giving me three semi-admonishing stares in return. “We didn’t want it to be a big deal. We’ve already wasted so much time between then and now, so we didn’t want to waste any more planning a massive wedding.”

  Although, this isn’t just our wedding day. It’s the day we’ll always celebrate as the day we three became a family.

  “Well, I’m not going to lie. I’m a little pissed though that y’all didn’t do a big wedding because that would’ve meant more single men here other than your brother.” Eden scrunches her face.

  I laugh, knowing the hijinks they would’ve tried to pull at a bachelorette party. Lia’s was crazy enough, what with the addition of the Saddler girls and a slew of other friends added in the mix. But that’s just not me—and that’s okay.

  “Aaron’s single, you know?”

  She squishes her lips together and gives him a long once over. “Nope. Too scrawny. Maybe I should’ve been a cattle farmer because Mama likes her beef.”

  “You just like tenderizing their meat,” Addy cackles.

  Eden points to her. “Pot,”—she then points to herself—“Meet kettle.”

  We tease some more, but I notice Lia’s oddly quiet. Following her line of sight, I see her protege Quinlin sitting at a table with her new daughter by her lonesome, watching Kieran twirl Rory around the dancefloor in his arms, both of them laughing loudly. Rory’s smitten with her Uncle Kieran, but the elf costume he wore at Christmas was what ultimately sealed him in her good graces. Her newest obsession is Elf, so Kieran’s become this larger-than-life figure to her. “What’s the deal with that?”

  Lia startles at my voice, clutching her chest. “Just...observing.”

  Maybe it’s just me, but Quinlin’s expression drips with something like longing as she looks Kieran’s way. “Please tell me she doesn’t have a crush on that doofus,” I say, hoping I’m imagining things.

  Her face is stone. “When you come back from your honeymoon, we need to talk.”

  My brows scrunch together. “Why?”

  As Quinlin takes one last glance at him and Rory before looking back at her daughter, Lia sighs. “Because I think there are some things Quin needs to get off her chest.”

  If she’s looking for permission to date my brother, she doesn’t need it. Although, I don’t know how Kieran would fare dating a woman who already has a world of responsibility on her shoulders alone. This whole turning over a new leaf bit is still fairly new to him, and I’d hate to see Quin get attached if he’s not ready for a serious relationship.

  My mom approaches her table, earning a smile from her as Mom hugs and coos over Quin’s baby. Mom doesn’t know that she came to work at RISE yet, so that little nugget of information is all on Quinlin to disclose if she so chooses.

  I finally told Mom and Dad about what happened with my teaching job after I embarrassed myself with Capt. Ritters. It led to a long conversation about my connection to RISE, which then led to Dad asking about Vince Perelli. I don’t know how he already knew about that piece of the puzzle, but coming clean about why their daughter, who was a senior in high school back then, worked at that bastard’s strip club wasn’t easy.

  None of it was.

  There was a lot of anger and crying while they doled out questions and regrets for not picking up on something being wrong. But even though it sucked, I would do it again if I had to, because looking around at the people in this room, whether by choice or by blood, family’s family.

  Where I abruptly left during the end of the semester, news spread quickly of my salacious double-life. I missed teaching so much, but I’ve set up some tutoring dates at Hope House and with a few of the RISE girls’ kiddos to stay in practice. Luca and Papi Dean have made some sort of semi-secret revenge pact on bastards who cost me my career, but I told them not to worry about it.

  After all, karma’s a thirsty bitch and she’ll eventually quench her need for blood with those assholes.

  Of that, I’m sure.

  “So…” Eden interjects, a mischievous look on her beautiful face. “Any chance you’ve changed your mind on not dancing at the club?”

  “We miss you being there, hanging out with us,” Lia coos.

  I don’t miss club life, but I do miss my time with them. “I have a couple of conditions—on a guest-starring spot only.” The surprise on their faces is comical as they had no idea I h
ad been thinking things through. “One, no public performances for me unless it’s for a very special event.” I can literally hear the gears turning in Eden’s head already. “Two, they have to be on a night when I can parlay it into a private performance. Or else, I’m going to have to deal with a hot-blooded Italian who will spend the following week fucking me seven ways to Sunday until he embeds his scent into my DNA.”

  “Yuck.” Lia grimaces while the other two cackle.

  Eden taps her chin thoughtfully. “I’m failing to see how you lose out in that scenario.”

  “You know…” Addy glances around before dropping her voice. “From what I hear, the bet’s now up to $75,000 since the members don’t know you retired from dancing.”

  I smirk. Looks like that expansion for Hope House will happen a lot sooner than Mom and Aileen had expected—by an anonymous donation, of course. “Spread the word. Madam Isis will make a special appearance soon...and I’ll be taking one lucky man back with me to my Tundra room.” The girls give me wolfish grins as my handsome husband catches my eye. I’m not much of a gambler, but I’ll bet my partner-in-crime will be more than willing to receive my generous compensation for his efforts as well.

  “Core Four?” Lia asks.

  Glancing at all three of my sisters, I nod. “Core Four. Always.”

  Luca

  “You sure you don’t mind me taking the same flight as you all?” Papi Dean asks as we watch Ev and the girls whisper about something that’s got them all in a tizzy. My wife’s eyes meet mine, a sneaky smile spreading over her gorgeous features. I need to ask her about it later because she looks like she’s up to no good.

  “Why do you think she booked us together? Although, she’ll probably want to sit next to you,” I grumble, though there’s no genuine aggravation behind it.

  “Jealousy isn’t a good look for you, grandson—no matter how handsome you are.” Papi Dean pats my cheek, then beams at Ev. “True happiness suits you just fine, though.”

  Funny. I was just thinking the same thing.

  I glance over at my daughter, who’s still cuttin’ a rug with Kieran, and giggling loudly as he spins her around. If she doesn’t vomit on him first, she’ll be fast asleep here soon. My mom and dad sit at a table talking to Rian, Landry, and a sleeping Aliana. Even though Antonio paid for Mom’s experimental treatments as a part of the original marriage agreement, the doctors are saying that her Huntington’s disease is still progressing. Much like with Greta, sometimes all you can do is make the best of the time you have left, which is exactly what my father vowed to do with her when he was cleared by DA Redmond’s office for his willingness to bring down Antonio. The car bombing is still under investigation, but something tells me it’s not a pressing matter.

  Patty from my law firm stands over by the dessert table, still chitchatting with her grandson, the owner of the bakery who did Rory’s baptism cake. Although, I’d say she had a hand or two in helping since she asked me a bunch of questions about it at work. Knowing Patty, she’ll probably be helping him with the big cake for the real wedding reception we’re going to have after we return from our Irish-Italian honeymoon in two weeks. “Have you heard from your realtor on any offers yet?”

  “Just had the one. I’m making him sweat it a bit.” Once people found out that Andrei, Papi Dean’s old friend, put in on Papi Dean’s home, no one dared to bid against him. I doubt he’s sweating much of anything. “Although it’s nice to know I’ll have a place to go when I visit.” His trullo is a cozy, modest home, so I have no clue why Andrei would need it with the wealth he has. To each their own, I suppose. My grandfather’s going to wrap some things up in Italy over the next couple of weeks, then head back to the States within a day or so of us returning from our final honeymoon stop in Dublin.

  Thank God.

  A familiar head of salt-and-pepper hair strolls toward us. “Congratulations, Luca,” he offers as he shakes my hand, then Papi Dean’s.

  “Thanks for coming, Jarrett. And for everything else you’ve done.”

  His eyes crinkle around the corners. “My pleasure. Judge Walker said he was sorry he couldn’t make it to the baptism but he’ll be here for the wedding reception.”

  “Glad he’ll be able to come.” Especially since his help was indispensable in getting the adoption pushed through for Ev.

  He glances around. “I haven’t seen Ms. Greta anywhere. She here?”

  I spot her walking with Kyleigh to where Rian sits. “Over there with Greenes.”

  There’s a soft look on his face as Greta sits down next to my mother, kindred spirits in their fates. “That was very kind of the Greenes to offer for her to come to live at their house.” Kind, but unsurprising. Greta had talked to Kyleigh and Rian on New Year’s Eve about her long-term plans. She couldn’t afford the upkeep on the house and to have someone come and stay with her as her ALS progressed, so Kyleigh and Rian talked her into staying with them so she could hire the help she needed. It also puts all of Rory’s grandparents together under one roof, so visits there will ensure Greta still gets to spend all the time she can with Rory until there’s no more time left.

  Now, if we could only find someone to tame Kieran, we’d be all set.

  Although based on Ev’s conversation with her friend Addy at the gym the other day, it appears she might have some frustrations of her own to work out as well.

  As the sun sinks slowly into the beautiful Italian sky, my fingers lazily slip through dark strands of long, silky hair.

  Everleigh’s been snoozing for the last hour, no doubt wore out from all the excitement since we boarded the plane in Atlanta a week ago. We can blame it on extended jet lag all we want, but let’s be honest. There’s hardly been a moment we’ve not been tearing each other’s clothes off over the past week, trying to sate our unquenchable thirsts for one another.

  We may or may not have broken a table and a chair in the process as well.

  Things will change when we return home. We’ll have responsibilities once more, a two-year-old to raise, and a million other things to keep us busy. But here, in the quiet of this bedroom, it’s nice to be in a universe of just me and my wife.

  My Evergreen.

  I still can’t believe she’s mine, let alone that she agreed to marry me. Lucky bastard doesn’t cover it. This is a divine blessing and a second chance, and I don’t plan to waste a second of it.

  To think about how different life could have been is painful. I would’ve missed out on so much already, and Gia would’ve as well. I hope her second chance at love is everything she didn’t know to wish for. Adjusting to life away from all she’s ever known must have been difficult, but considering she’s with her son and the man she loves, I’d say Gia’s happier than she’s ever been.

  I hope all three of them are.

  “Ev?” I whisper loudly. “It’s time to get up.” The sun’s nearly gone now, which means we need to get ready for dinner.

  She stirs under the covers, her warm, naked flesh rubbing against mine. There’s hardly a square inch of her body I haven’t lavished with my tongue this week, although there are a few spots she likes my tongue against better than others. Grumbling under her breath, she wipes the corner of her mouth that was seeping drool while she napped.

  “Pleasant dream?” I joke as she squints at me.

  Her hand crosses the ridges of my abs and slowly makes its way down to a part of my own body that’s waking back up. With a soft grasp around my dick, she slowly pumps her fist up and down, making it tent the sheets. “How come I never hear you complain about my drool when it’s coating this?”

  I buck into her firm grip, loving the feel of her skin on mine. “I’m not complaining...about anything.”

  Her thumb rolls over the tender head, teasing me. “Sure about that?” She leans over, touching the tip of her tongue just under the sensitive rim. Dragging it to the slit, she laps there like a cat looking for its cream. I growl, reaching for her head, but she pulls away just as quickly.r />
  “What the…?”

  She peeks around the bathroom door she just scurried behind, her shoulders and luscious ass playing peek-a-boo as well. “Sorry. The drool factory’s closed for the evening.”

  I toss off the covers and run after her, the sounds of her squeals filling the small bathroom as I catch her around the waist. Turning on the nozzle to the shower, it takes its time warming up while I spend my time warming her up. She may drool from that sassy mouth of hers, but there’s another set of lips I’m aiming to see wet before we head out the door.

  Second breakfasts are awesome, but I love having her sweet dessert before dinner all the same.

  The stroll along the ancient cobblestone path through town is a great way to work off that enormous meal we just ate. Papi Dean joined us for dinner at Giuseppe’s before saying goodbye and wishing us an enjoyable week in Ireland and Scotland. We hung around and had a glass of wine before taking off. Ev’s still not a big alcohol fan, especially since Aaron finally told her what happened the night of Aliana’s baptism a year ago.

  Her only response other than mortification? Fucking truth serum.

  Circling back past Giuseppe’s where I know a couple of people are waiting in the wings for us, we continue our easy conversation. “Which are you looking most forward to? Ireland or Scotland?”

  “I can’t wait to see my cousins and the Rock of Cashel, so both.” I shake my head at her as she laughs. “All I know is this week’s flown by so quickly.”

  It’s been fun to show Ev a lot of the same places I used to frequent while I lived here. But I’ve had more joy in the past week here in Italy than I did those long five years—all because I’m sharing it with the person I missed the entire time I was here the last time. “I agree,” I say as I stop in the middle of the road and kiss her gently. “The night’s not over yet, though...”