by Brooks, Abby
“That’s true.” Lucas nodded his agreement with my statement. “But how could we know what you know, considering you haven’t said anything? We’d be fools to presume.”
“Presume away.” I shifted a little to reach into one of the pockets on my cargo shorts and pulled out a black velvet box, which I opened to reveal the diamond solitaire nestled inside. I set it on the table. “I’ve had this for the last week. I just keep waiting for the right time and nothing seems appropriate yet.”
A small gasp sounded in the doorway and I whirled to find Maisie standing there, with Kara, Cat, Harlow, and Mom behind her. All five women had their hands to their hearts or their mouths and one of my brothers let out a low groan while the other murmured, “Shit, Moose. Sorry about that.”
Maisie stepped into the room. “What did you just say?” Joy twinkled in her eyes and she had never looked so beautiful. Not once in all the years I had known her.
I let out a long sigh and swiped the box off the desk. “Well, I guess the right time has just made itself known, hasn’t it?” I crossed the room, my focus on this woman who had meant the world to me for as long as I could remember. “Or maybe every time was the right time, because ever since you bounced into my life with pigtails, freckles, and the brightest smile I ever saw, I belonged to you. My love for you goes beyond these last few months, beyond now. It extends through my life, touching everything I ever said and did, and everything I ever will say and ever will do. I’m going to marry you, Maisie Brown.” I licked my lips as I repeated the promise I’d first made to her when I was six years old. “If you’ll have me.”
Without breaking eye contact, I plucked the ring from the box, ignoring the excited gasps and squeals coming from the doorway, and held it out to the woman I always knew would be my wife.
Maisie beamed and her eyes glistened as she nodded her assent. “It’s about time you made good on that one.” She stepped close and held out her hand while I slipped her ring in place. “Making a girl wait so long is kind of ridiculous, don’t you think?”
I cupped her face between my hands and stared into her radiant blue eyes. “You know what they say about good things.”
Maisie swallowed around a throat thick with emotion. “Totally worth the wait.”
Thirty-Five
Maisie
I never thought I’d feel excited to see the house I grew up in. Of course, it wasn’t going to be a house much longer—if it ever really counted as one in the first place.
Caleb pulled me close as a bulldozer trundled down the driveway. “You doing okay?” he asked. “It’s not too late to back out. You have, maybe, thirty more seconds to change your mind before things go too far.”
“I’m beyond okay.” The bulldozer jerked to a stop in front of the rickety steps, the ones I could still hear creaking under my weight. “I always said that place needed to be wiped off the face of the earth. It feels damn good to be the one making the call to do it.”
Caleb nodded, his eyes locked on the construction crew. “I’m surprised your parents didn’t want to be here.”
“They’re not the ones with the ghosts that need exorcised.” I jerked my chin toward my childhood home and the future site of The Reversal of Fortune Foundation—a non-profit organization geared toward helping under privileged children not just survive, but thrive.
My new passion project.
Not only was it everything I ever wanted, but as the CEO—a title that was a little grandiose, considering how small things were at this point—I would have the ability to ensure it stayed everything I ever wanted.
Caleb remained at my side as the little house was demolished. Maybe he thought I would fall apart a little, as this chapter of my past finally came to a close, and for that, I loved him all the more. We had grown up with him protecting me from things that hurt me, and while I was strong enough to stand on my own now, the two of us together made for an unstoppable force.
* * *
Word about the foundation traveled fast, thanks to a little nudge from Collin West and a tweet from a budding starlet who exploded onto the scene shortly after I left Los Angeles. Instead of the quiet little inauguration ceremony we intended when we first came up with the idea, we were now having a full-on banquet, hosted by The Hut, with a star-studded guest list, and none other than Collin West himself playing in a very intimate setting. Needless to say, tickets were in demand and the price continued to climb.
Much to the family’s amazement, Collin opted to stay at The Hut. Caleb and I were in the office with his brothers, working through a few last-minute details when Collin walked through the front door with his guitar slung across his back—a full hour early. He paused as one of Harlow’s melodies filtered in from the kitchen, tilting his head so as to angle his ear toward the sound.
I bounded out of my seat. “Collin!” I cried as I made my way to him.
He waved a hand at me, closing his eyes and deepening the angle of his head. “What is that?” he asked, just as the melody stopped. “Damn it, Brown. You scared it away.”
He glanced up as Harlow emerged from the back, guitar in hand, shock spreading across her features. “That was you?” he asked, pointing her way, oblivious to the rest of the family standing awkwardly behind him, gaping at the man who was fast becoming a legend.
Harlow nodded, looking almost apologetic. “Yeah, that was me. I’m sorry. I didn’t think you were coming for another hour or I wouldn’t have been playing when you got here.” Mortification spread across her face as she realized that the Collin West had just heard her playing his favorite instrument.
“No.” Collin shook his head and took a step toward her. “No way. Don’t ever apologize for that.” He turned to me. “Does she sing? Come on, Brown. You gotta tell me she sings.”
“I’ll let you find that out for yourself.” I wrapped him in a hug. “How you doing?” I asked. “Still flabbergasted?”
His eyes jerked immediately back to Harlow. “So fucking flabbergasted.”
* * *
That night, the grounds of The Hut crawled with people dressed in tuxedos and cocktail dresses. Candles lined the walkways and strings of lights swirled down palm trees. The sunset gifted us with a glorious display and Collin sang like the angel Harlow thought he was. Caleb and I danced, swaying in time to the music, hidden amongst a cluster of couples. I pressed my cheek to his chest as little rockets of joy went off in my heart.
“Can you believe this is our life?” I asked. “It’s perfect.”
Caleb pulled away to look me in the eyes. “It’s almost perfect,” he corrected. “There are still a few items on my list that need checked off, thank you very much.”
I beamed up at the man I had loved for my entire life. “Like what?”
“You still have the wrong last name, for one. And for two, we have a family that needs starting.”
“A family…” His words hit a spot in my heart I didn’t know existed. “I think I like the sound of that.”
“I thought maybe we could start trying tonight.” Caleb held me close. “And the next night. And the next. And the next night after that…”
I laughed as he paused, then surprised me by stepping out of my arms.
“There you are!” he exclaimed, his attention on someone behind me. I turned to find a dark-haired man, tuxedoed, smiling, and headed right for us. “Where have you been?” Caleb continued, holding out his hands and shaking his head. “You’ve missed just about everything. Literally everything.”
The man ducked his head and brushed off the statement with a light shrug. “Like I said, I’ve been busy, Moose.”
“Well damn it, Eli. How busy can you be?” Caleb wrapped his brother in a bear hug, thumping him on the back. “I swear, I was starting to think you were mad at me.”
“Not mad. Just…”
“Busy. Yeah. You said that.” Caleb took my hand and drew me into the conversation. “You remember Maisie, don’t you? I figured, you know, since you’re my brother an
d she’s about to be my wife, it was damn near time you two finally met.”
Eli’s warm brown eyes lit up when they settled on mine. “Look at you! Little Maisie Brown, all grown up and hanging out with superstars. Sounds like life has been really good for you.”
“Oh, believe me. It has.” I shot him a look. “Which you’d know if you’d been around. Like at all.”
His eyes went wide before he broke into laughter as I gave him my best smile. “You’re fun. She’s fun, isn’t she?” He turned to Caleb. “We’re gonna like having her around.”
“We sure are.” Caleb nodded, then put a hand on Eli’s shoulder and leaned in close. “But again, I feel it’s important to point out that the optimal word is around. As in, if you pull another disappearing act, you’ll never know how fun she is.”
* * *
As the evening drew to a close, the Hutton family gravitated together, dropping into seats around one of the many tables and swapping stories of the evening. Everyone congratulated me on the roaring success on the inauguration of the foundation.
“Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think it would start off with such a bang.” I stared in shock at the people surrounding me—the people who would soon be my family. “Thank you all for celebrating it with me.”
Conversation moved on. Lucas picked on Eli for his disappearing act. Eli looked shocked to find out his mother had a boyfriend. Mrs. Hutton explained that she hadn’t introduced said boyfriend tonight because she wanted to do it quietly, when just the family was around. Wyatt made a couple puns that had the table groaning and Caleb sat quietly, holding my hand and running his thumb across my knuckle.
“Since we’re all here,” Lucas began, then cleared his throat, “and it isn’t exactly clear when that’ll happen again.” He gave a pointed look to Eli, who threw up his hands and made an exasperated noise.
“Wow, guys. I got it, okay? Having a life is forbidden in this family.” He rolled his eyes and gave Harlow a strange smile that only I caught, as everyone else was giving their attention back to Lucas.
“Well,” he began, beaming at Cat. “Family is exactly what I want to talk about. Because ours is expanding.”
Cat nodded, placing a hand on her belly. “We just got the news, and I hate to take away from your day…” She glanced at me. “But…I’m pregnant.”
Excited chatter filled the silence and Wyatt dropped a heavy hand on the table. “You’re kidding, right?”
Lucas frowned. “Not exactly something we would joke about…”
But Wyatt was out of his chair, pulling Lucas into a tight embrace, thumping him on the back, then turning his attention to Kara, who looked just as dumbfounded as he did. “Because we just got the same news. Yesterday.”
As the family digested the information, and Cat and Kara started trading specifics, Caleb squeezed my hand. “See,” he whispered, “we’re gonna have to get to work if we want to compete.”
Mrs. Hutton sat back in her chair. “Two babies and a wedding? You boys are keeping me busy in the best possible way.” She wiped at the corner of her eye and turned to Eli, who snorted and said, “Don’t get your hopes up.” and then Harlow, who blushed and looked away.
Epilogue
Maisie
“You guys really don’t have to do this, you know.” I looked at my two, just-starting-to-look-pregnant, almost-sisters-in-law.
“What are you talking about?” Cat asked. “Every bride-to-be deserves a bachelorette party.”
“Right.” Kara nodded her agreement. “And I didn’t get one, so you have to let us take you out so I can live vicariously through you.”
I turned to Harlow, who shrugged. “They have some kind of surprise in mind, that apparently only pregnant women are allowed in on. And even though I’m on the outside of this little circle”—she gestured at the two Mrs. Huttons—“I am in full agreement. Caleb finally proving he was serious about marrying you deserves some serious celebrating.”
Following Cat and Kara’s very specific demands, we had gone all out on clothes, hair, and makeup and as we piled into Cat’s jeep, I had to admit we looked pretty amazing. The roof and doors were on this evening, to avoid ruining all our hard work. Cat’s red hair flowed freely, while Kara’s dark locks were piled into a messy up-do. Harlow had her white-blonde hair hanging in messy waves and had added a sultry shadow that made her blue eyes pop. I chose to wear Caleb’s favorite dress, promising him before I left that when I got home that night, it would be right where it belonged—on our bedroom floor.
The music was on and the energy in the Jeep was high when we pulled into a parking spot in front of an unassuming building. Scrawled across the front was the word “Eggplant.” Carloads of women poured into the lot, all of them dressed to kill and looking almost giddy.
“Eggplant?” I peered toward the door. “Where are we?”
Harlow gasped and repeated the name in horror while Cat and Kara unbuckled their seatbelts and turned to give me devilish looks. “It’s a male strip club!” shrieked Cat, looking so over-the-top proud of herself.
Kara grinned. “It’s like a who’s who of romance book heroes. There are Vikings and Scots and business men and abs and skin…and they dance…and there’s audience participation…”
“Guys…” Harlow sounded absolutely appalled. “We can’t go in there.”
Cat rolled her eyes. “Of course we can. The husbands and husband-to-be all know and gave their blessing on the occasion. We’re not doing anything wrong…we’re just…enjoying.”
Kara bit her bottom lip. “And Maisie will enjoy things a little more than the rest of us because we signed her up for a chair dance with their lead dancer.” Mischief did a saucy little tango across her face. “It’s supposed to be incredibly erotic.”
The two in the front seat squealed, then started climbing out of the Jeep while I tried to process where we were and what we were actually doing. “I hope you’re kidding about that chair dance,” I said as I swung my legs out of the vehicle.
“You’ll thank us later.” Kara grinned.
“And so will Caleb,” Cat whispered.
Harlow still hadn’t budged. “Guys…we really, really can’t go in there.” She shook her head, looking downright frantic. “I can’t believe this is actually happening. Please get back in the car. We can go anywhere else.”
“I’m actually surprised.” Cat shifted her weight into her hip and frowned up at Harlow. “You’re the last person I expected to get weird about a little male skin.” She smiled to herself and waggled her head. “Okay, a lot. There will be a lot of male skin.” A giggle devoured the end of her sentence
Harlow continued protesting even as Kara swung open her door for her and began assisting her exit from the vehicle. “Kara, stop. I’m serious. We just can’t do this!”
Kara sat back on her heel and popped a hand on her hip. “Give me one good reason why we can’t. This is the twenty-first century. We’re allowed to express our sexuality now, you know.”
“This has nothing to do with sexuality.” Harlow let out a long sigh. “We can’t go in there because Eli works here. He’s the lead dancer.”
Shocked silence settled on the group as we stared at Harlow with our jaws dropped.
“Eli works at Eggplant?” Cat turned toward the entrance as if somehow seeing the building would help it all make more sense.
“And he’s the lead dancer?” Kara started giggling, her eyes on me as she realized just how surprising my chair dance would be—for everyone involved.
“I promised him I wouldn’t tell, and so, you know, it would be really great if we could all just get back in the Jeep and find somewhere else to go.” Harlow looked almost relieved as she finished talking.
“Oh, no.” Cat shook her head. “There is no way we’re not going in. He goes radio silent on us for months, hiding something like this”—she pointed at the purple neon eggplant on the door—“and you expect us to walk away?” She could barely finish the sentence becaus
e she was laughing so hard.
“She’s right, you know.” Kara managed through her giggles. “We can’t pass up an opportunity like this. We just can’t.” She turned to me for support. “They don’t do full nudity,” she added, as if that made things all better.
“You know the guy better than I do, but if we go in there, I will not be the recipient of the chair dance. I just won’t.” It would have been bad enough if I wasn’t connected to the dancer, but knowing he was my fiancé’s younger brother…? There was just too much wrong with that thought to finish it.
And so, to Harlow’s dismay, the four of us found our way into Eggplant, the den of decadent man-flesh, stopping on the way to make sure I wouldn’t be the one heading onstage tonight.
We were, however, seated right down in front, where we had a clear view of the dancers—and the dancers had a clear view to us. As women all around us hooted and hollered, beautiful man after beautiful man made his way onto the stage.
Just as Kara promised, there were Vikings and Scots, men in fedoras, men in camo and dress blues, and there, right in front, wearing a kilt and so much body oil every single muscle flexed and twitched under the hot lights, was Eli.
Cat and Kara let out twin gasps of shocked appreciation, then lost themselves to a fit of giggles, while Harlow dropped her head into her hands.
Eli was good at what he did. Very, very good.
There was no denying the moment he recognized the four of us, tittering away in the front row. His eyes landed on mine, then bounced from Cat to Kara to Harlow, who mouthed an apology and held out her hands in an I-tried-everything-to-get-them-to-leave-and-I’m-so-sorry gesture.