by Tessa Teevan
“My new husband certainly doesn’t need to hear about it,” I continue.
Kale clears his throat, and the room descends into silence as everyone turns to look at him. He’s biting the inside of his damn cheek again, and poor Xavier looks nervous as hell as he waits for his reaction
“Xavier,” he begins, slowly drawing out his name just as he’s doing with this conversation. His eyes lock in on Xavier’s.
I glance back and forth between them. My poor husband’s jaw is tight, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallows hard, waiting for Kale’s wrath. I want to laugh, because Xavier should know his best friend by now.
“I have to say, even though Kaylie called it, I’m pretty damn shocked. Now, Cruz, I need to ask you a serious question. Be completely honest with me.” Kale pauses for a beat, and I watch as that Adam’s apple slowly bobs once again while Xavier waits for the question. Kale lets out a sigh and then leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Were you forced against your will?” he finally asks, making a show of sucking in his breath as he waits for Xavier to respond.
Kaylie snickers again, and I roll my eyes in her direction, earning a smirk from her.
Xavier lets out a deep breath and runs a hand through his hair, showcasing his wedding band for the entire room. Unassumingly, pride that I had the wherewithal to find one swells in my heart. I wanted the whole world to know he is mine. Even if he really isn’t.
“Of course not, you assclown,” he responds.
Kale sits back on the couch, watching us both. “I don’t know, man. It’s not like you to be so impulsive. I know you two have been spending more time together since Kalli moved to Tennessee, but damn, I didn’t know you had a thing, let alone that it was even remotely serious. So, I have to wonder, did she spike your coffee? Slip something in your drink? Is she blackmailing you? If you need money, you could’ve just asked.”
“Kale, shut up. You know I’d never actually drug someone. That one time was a mistake. I had no idea Mom’s brownies were the special kind!” I protest, shuddering as I remember the way the high school quarterback freaked out when he realized he’d just eaten four pot brownies. Thank goodness the season was nearly over and he no longer had to worry about drug tests. Needless to say, he never did come back over after that.
Xavier just shakes his head, and if he weren’t already an ingrained part of the Montgomery clan, he’d probably be running for the hills. Fortunately, he’s used to us and our quirks, and I think he secretly loves it. And us. And somewhere not too deep down, hopefully me.
“No, Kale, I wasn’t on anything, and Kalli certainly didn’t force me into it.”
“Then what gives? I thought this was supposed to just be a chill weekend without the kids to drink, gamble, and have fun. We’ve been here for less than twenty-four hours and you’re married.”
“Well, it’s kind of a long story,” Xavier begins, causing the grin on Kale’s face to widen.
“The best ones always are,” Kale interrupts then turns to look at Lucy. “Might as well get comfortable,” he tells her, pulling her next to him on the couch.
Xavier turns and smiles at me before sliding into a chair. Then he yanks my arm so I fall into his lap. He gently tugs on a strand of my hair before leaning in to give me a kiss on the forehead. “Sorry, crazy girl, but it looks like we’re going to be here a while.”
I grin up at him and settle into his embrace, smiling when I look around the room. I know that none of them are used to seeing Xavier with a woman, especially not me. Their expressions show their surprise, and I have a feeling that this story time is going to be kinda fun.
“Okay, Cruz. Do you want to start, or should I?”
“Ladies first,” he offers.
Even though I was mildly interested in where he’d start the story, I know I have a little more to tell, and I’m the one who should probably set the stage. So, like he said, ladies first.
Clapping my hands together, I lean forward. “All right, boys and girls. Hold onto your seats. Here’s the story of how Xavier Cruz and I became husband and wife.”
Silently, I hope this is a story I’ll be telling time and time again. For the rest of my life.
Six Months Earlier
“ARE YOU sure about this, sweetheart?” My mom’s voice pulls me out of my reverie as she walks out onto the deck.
I tear my gaze away from the ocean and turn to look at her, noticing that she’s holding my favorite teddy bear and has tears in her eyes.
My mom and I are incredibly close, and even at twenty-seven, I’m not ashamed that I’ve been living with her since I graduated college. She has a fabulous house on the beach, and I’ve been able to pay off my student loans by not having rent. My social life isn’t hampered by it in the least, and it’s only been mildly uncomfortable when she’s brought home dates. Okay, it’s been kind of awkward, and now that she’s in a serious relationship with her massage therapist, Sven—yes, his name is Sven—it’s time for me to find my own place. And although I love my home of Gulf Shores, Alabama, I need to get out of the town where I’ve lived my entire life. I’m getting restless, and I need a change.
“I’m positive. You know I love you, and I love living here, but it’s time. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll miss the beach and I’ll sure as hell miss you. It’s just . . . My life has revolved around this place for far too long. Hell, I work at the elementary school where I grew up. And not to mention, my romantic prospects are waning. If it’s not some idiot from high school trying to get in my pants, it’s a frat boy tourist, and I’m tired of it. I need to go somewhere with fresh meat. Where better than an Army base?” I ask, hoping she won’t catch on. But considering that I’m the carbon copy of Ginger Montgomery, she does.
“Kalli, honey, I’m not sure it’s considered fresh meat when the boy you’re chasing has been a part of your life for over a decade.”
I feel my cheeks flush. This is the first time she’s ever acknowledged that she has any inkling over my feelings for my brother’s best friend. Before I can respond, though, she holds up a finger, indicating for me to wait. Then she slips into the house. Upon her return, she gestures for me to sit at the patio table before pouring two large glasses of Bloody Marys from the pitcher.
“I know you think you hide it well, but I know you, sweetheart. And I know what you were doing all those years you brought your boyfriends over whenever your brother and Xavier were visiting. It’s the only time you had boys around.”
I groan and take a sip of my drink. “Was I that obvious?”
She laughs. “Only to me. I promise. I always wondered why you never just went after him. You’re my girl through and through, and we Montgomery women have always gone after what we wanted. Why didn’t you? Why now?”
“Mom, I’m not moving to Clarksville to be with Xavier. You know I want to be closer to Kale so I can help with Jacob, and when Lucy mentioned the job opening at her school, it seemed like the perfect situation. I’ll be able to get to know my nephew, and I’ll still be close enough to bug you on long weekends when I’m missing home.”
Even with my protest, she’s not buying it. “So it’s just a major plus that Xavier lives there? And if he gets transferred in the next year, you won’t be disappointed?”
Panic rises in me as my eyes race to meet hers. That thought didn’t even cross my mind. Xavier and Kale have always been able to live at the same post, and as much as I try to say otherwise, he’s a big push for my move there.
Mom sees my expression and her eyes soften. She leans across the table and takes my hand. “It’s okay to admit he’s part of the reason you’re doing this. I’ve watched you two over the years and always wondered who was going to make the first move. I just worry about you. You’re my sweet girl, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Aren’t you the one who always told me to go after what I want, no matter the risk?”
She lets out a deep breath and sits back in her chair, watching me. “I do giv
e pretty good advice. I’d tell you to be careful, but what’s the fun in that? Just go easy on him. He’s had it rough, and even though I think you’re exactly the type of woman he needs, he might need some convincing, and we Montgomery woman can lay it on pretty thick.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I really am moving there to spend time with Kale and his family. Xavier just happens to be a part of that family, and if I can get him to loosen up, I’m going to do it. That doesn’t mean I won’t date. I’m not holding my breath that I’m going to move there and he’ll magically finally see me as a woman instead of a teenager. But Xavier Cruz needs a change, and I think that change could be me. He’s too focused on his career, on being a father, and I feel like he’s losing himself. Lily’s one of best kids I know, and it’s all because of him. But he’s always so tense. He just needs to add a little fun in his life, and who better than me to help him? And in the end, if all he needs—all he wants—is a friend, I’ll be okay with that. I promise.”
“Well, I wish you luck, sweet girl. Although something tells me he’s going to be the one to need it.”
With a laugh, I sit back and enjoy my final sunset on the beach with my mom and wonder for the hundredth time if I’m doing the right thing.
Even if I’m not, I’m not entirely sure I care.
AFTER SPENDING my final night in my childhood home, I’m able to hit the highway once I get about twenty-seven hugs from Mom and a handful of tears. Considering that she’s one of my best friends—if not the best—it’s hard even though I know it’s time for me to leave the nest. Popping in my favorite Backstreet Boys CD, I head north on I-65, more than excited for this new adventure.
For the first time in my life, I’m moving away from home. Sure, my new apartment is only a few miles from my brother’s house and I already have a job lined up, but I won’t be living with dear old Mom anymore, and the thought excites me. I always had my freedom while living with her. But now that I’m nearing thirty, it’s time to get a move on with my life. Starting out in a brand-new city with a brand-new job and a place of my own seems like the perfect solution, and I’m anxious to get to Clarksville, Tennessee, so I can do just that.
After hours on the road, my heart starts to race as I pull into town. As much as I want to stop by my brother’s and squeeze my newborn nephew’s cheeks, I’m exhausted and want to get my place set up first. I’m already planning on having dinner with my brother and his girlfriend, Lucy, and I can wait a couple of more hours before doing so. I know that, if I sit down, I won’t want to get back up, and since I start my new job tomorrow, I need to unpack.
Even though I have a couple of months until the school year begins, I have a summer job waiting for me. I’m going to be a nanny of sorts for a certain single, sexy father I know. Sounds perfect, right? Ever since Kale brought Xavier home with him all those years ago after they had gone through boot camp together, our families have been connected. Even though Xavier was a single father—something not so easy in the Army—he was able to keep Lily thanks to his mom, Anna. She moved in and did the paperwork so she’d be Lily’s legal guardian should something happen to him. Long story short, Lily’s mom, Angela, decided she didn’t actually want to be a mom when Lily was barely a month old. She took off, and as far as I know, they haven’t heard from her since. Don’t let this fool you, though. Xavier raised that little girl. He just had a bit of help from his mom.
Over the years, my mom and Anna became extremely tight. Once she found out about my moving to Clarksville and looking for a part-time job, Anna decided to spend the summer at the beach with Mom, and the two suggested I watch Lily while she was gone. Apparently, it’s the perfect solution for everyone. Anna will get a much-needed vacation, and I won’t have to find a summer job. Not to mention, it’ll give me more time to spend with Lily, who I completely adore.
I think that’s part of why Mom worries about this new venture so much. She knows my feelings for Xavier, but she also knows I love Lily, and I have since she was just a baby. The thing is, no matter what happens—or doesn’t happen—I can be a mature adult about it. I’d never do anything to hurt Lily. Or her father for that matter. Hell, it’s entirely possible he’ll tell me that he’s not interested before I can even make a move, and I’m prepared for that. I really am. But I’ll never know unless I try.
As I unpack my car and start getting my apartment in order, I think back to Mom’s question. Why now? What changed?
I’m not actually sure about the answer to that question.
Okay, that’s not true.
It all started a couple of months ago at the baby shower for my brother and his girlfriend, Lucy. I was on the porch with Lily as we played with her new bead necklace kit when I overheard my twin, Kaylie, teasing Xavier about my crush on him. I don’t think they realized the window was open and I could hear every single word. I had the urge to jump up and protest, not wanting her to give my secret—which apparently wasn’t as hush-hush as I’d thought—but something stopped me. I think part of me wanted to hear his response. The memory causes me to smile, my heart fluttering now just as it did back then.
“Watching Kalli over the years has given me more life lessons than any psychobabble textbook ever could. For example, did you know she’s got a thing for our buddy Xavier here?”
Xavier made a coughing noise, and I waited with baited breath for his response.
“See? He even gets choked up just thinking about it. Perhaps it’s not unrequited love after all,” my sister teased.
“You’re outta your freakin’ mind, Kaylie. I’ve known her since she was sixteen. She’s like a little sister to me,” he protested.
I could imagine the scowl on his face. Although his words should’ve discouraged me, there was something in his tone that told me that maybe Kaylie was right. That perhaps my feelings weren’t so unrequited. That the look he’d given me earlier when he’d first seen me on the beach doing yoga in my tiny shorts and tank top actually had been laced with desire like I’d hoped. .
“I don’t know, Kale. The soldier doth protest too much,” Kaylie continued, and I hoped she was right.
Then I heard some shuffling and ducked down only to see Lily watching me curiously.
“What are you doing, Aunt Kalli?” she asked, causing my heart to melt at her endearment.
Her eyes grew wide when she heard Kaylie and Xavier continuing to talk about me. Kaylie was still teasing him, trying to get him to admit he had a thing for me, and he started getting growly, telling her to back off. Which only made her rib him more.
“Are you . . . eavesdropping?” she whispered, moving closer to the window so she could hear.
I couldn’t help giggling at her expression, and I held up a finger to my mouth. “Shh. We can’t let them hear us.”
“Daddy says it’s not nice to eavesdrop,” she responded.
I smiled. “Is that so?”
She nodded profusely. “I overheard him and Grandma talking about how Daddy needed to get out more. That he needed a girlfriend.” She paused and wrinkled her nose at the memory.
My breath caught as I waited for her to continue. I was at war with myself, wanting to give this little girl all my attention but also wanting to hear if anything else came of my sister’s conversation with him. Lily’s sweet face won out.
“Oh really?” I asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. “Your grandma thinks he needs a girlfriend? What do you think?”
She shrugged and let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know. He told Grandma he didn’t need one, and later that night, I asked him why he didn’t like girls. I told him it was okay with me. There’s a girl in my class who has two daddies and they’re really nice. And since my daddy’s awesome, having two doesn’t seem like it would be so bad. Before Uncle Kale met Lucy, it was like I had two anyway, and I liked that.”
A snort escaped me and I completely forgot about eavesdropping. The mouths of babes.
“You’re right, Lily. There’s nothing wrong with having two
daddies as long as you’re a happy family. What’d he say to that?”
“Well, it was kind of weird. He got silent and didn’t say another word. He just stood up from my bed and start pacing the floor with a frown on his face. It felt like forever before he finally sat back down.”
She paused, and I was on pins and needles while I waited for her to continue.
“He tucked me in, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and told me I was the only girl he’d ever need and, even though he was glad my friend had two nice daddies, I’d only ever have one.” She let out an exasperated sigh. “Then he told me eavesdropping wasn’t very nice.”
Placing an arm around her, I pulled her in for a hug as I tried to contain my laughter. “Oh, sweet Lilypad. What I would’ve given to be there for that conversation. You’re lucky to have such a great dad. You know how much he loves you, right?”
“He loves me to Neptune and back!”
“Neptune, huh?”
“Yep, ‘cause it’s so far away. That makes it mean more,” she said in typical ten-year-old logic. She twisted to look up at me, leaning in close as if she didn’t want anyone to hear what she was about to say. “But then, the next day, I overheard him talking to Grandma again. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but where could I go? It’s not like we live in a giant castle.”
“Oh yeah? What’d he say this time?”
“He told Grandma maybe he did need a girlfriend.”
My heart stopped with those nine words. Had the elusive Xavier Cruz finally broken his dating ban? I wasn’t sure, but something inside me told me that I needed to find out.
The memory of the “two daddies” conversation with Lily still brings silly tears to my eyes, and I wish I could’ve been there for that. I wanted a chance to tease Xavier about it, but he seemed to avoid me for the rest of the weekend. His usual big-brother type of teasing was nonexistent, and whenever I walked into a room, he walked out. If I tried talking to him, he wouldn’t look me in the eye. And when they packed up the car to head back to Clarksville, he was in the driver’s seat and buckled up before I could even go in for a goodbye hug.