The Slade Brothers: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection

by Alexis Winter

  “I think I’m going to do it today,” he states flatly.

  “Do what?” I ask, feeling confused by his tone.

  “Ask Celeste to marry me.”

  “What? That’s awesome, man.” I wrap my arm around his shoulders, shaking him. “Why aren’t you more excited?”

  He lets out a deep breath and shrugs. “I’m nervous…like really nervous. How’d you know you wanted to marry Brennan?”

  “How’d I know?” I repeat back to him as I gather my thoughts.

  He nods.

  I bend down and grab a beer from the cooler, sitting on the top of it and watching as Milly plays off in the distance. “I just knew, you know? I knew that Brennan was the one for me. I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. She knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with me. So, it was easy. I think it’s a lot harder when you don’t know. Like, when I asked Ashley to marry me, we hadn’t talked about marriage or children or anything at all. But with Brennan, we had. When we got back together, we told each other exactly what we wanted out of our lives. And you and Celeste have talked about those things too, obviously. In my eyes, you don’t have anything to be nervous about. You already know.”

  “Yeah, but how does anyone ever really know? I mean, people change. I’m not the same person I was a year ago. What if she’s changed her mind?”

  “Over the course of a week?” I laugh out.

  He shrugs and takes a pull off the bottle. “It could happen.”

  I stand and smack him on the back. “You have nothing to worry about. That woman in there, she’s madly in love with you. Anyone who looks at her can see it. And I don’t think she’d give up her life in Cali if she didn’t love you. You just have the jitters. Once that ring is on her finger, you’ll wonder why you wasted so much time worrying about this.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’m absolutely, one-hundred-percent sure. Ask her. You won’t regret it.”

  He holds out his beer bottle and I clank mine against it. “Now, what’s for dinner?” I ask, peeking over his shoulder as he opens the grill up.

  I hear the sound of a vehicle pull into the drive and I look over at Drake. His eyes meet mine.

  “Come on, Milly. Let’s go see who’s here,” I say, holding out my hand. She takes it and the three of us walk around the house to the front where we find our brother, Clay, stepping out of his old, beat-up Ford pickup truck. Clay is a few years younger than Drake. His sandy brown hair is cut close to his scalp, and he has his favorite old, red baseball hat pulled down low, hiding his eyes.

  He looks up and finds the three of us. “Hey,” he says around a smile. Drake pulls him in for a hug. Clays comes to me next, and then bends down to address Milly.

  “Uncle Clay!” Milly squeals, letting go of my hand and throwing her tiny arms around Clay’s neck.

  “Hey, Milly-bear,” he says, hugging her. “What you been up to?” he asks as she releases him.

  “Oh, you know…Tea parties and mud pies,” she says, putting her hand on her hip.

  Clay laughs and looks up at me. “Yeah, she’s getting a little sassy,” I tell him.

  “A little?” he asks with a raise of his brow, causing us all to laugh.

  “Come on, let’s go around back before I burn everything on the grill and Celeste kills me,” Drake says, motioning toward the backyard.

  Milly runs back to go play again and the three of us stand around the grill, talking and drinking our beer.

  “It’s a miracle that we managed to get you off that mountain,” I joke, looking at Clay.

  He nods and runs his hand over his light stubble. “Yeah, it’s a rare occurrence these days. What have y’all been up to?”

  “Well, I just got engaged, and we’re working on building a new place on the south side of the property.”

  “Engaged? To who?” he asks, surprised.

  I smile just thinking about her. “Her name is Brennan. She’s inside with Celeste.”

  He shakes his head before tipping back his beer. “I never thought the two of you would settle down.”

  Drake laughs. “Me and Colton? I don’t know why that would surprise you. I’ll be surprised if Wyatt ever settles down. Where the hell is he now?” He looks between me and Clay.

  “I talked to him earlier this week and he was in Denver. Said something about working as a roadie for some rock group.” Clay waves his hand in front of his face and we all laugh.

  “I have no idea how he lives the way he does,” I reply. Wyatt is wild and crazy and never stays in one place too long. He is the way he is probably because of the way he was raised. He was just a toddler when Mom passed. Dad was so heartbroken, all he did was throw himself into work. He hired a nanny to look after us boys. But after a couple of years, we managed to chase every nanny away. Wyatt was only three when he finally gave up and left us to ourselves, meaning that Wyatt was raised by a bunch of wild boys who had free roam of the countryside. To be honest, I’m surprised he’s still alive. If you think about it, it’s pretty much like The Jungle Book, a small boy being raised by wild animals. Yeah, pretty much the same.

  That doesn’t explain how Hudson turned out so well though. Hudson was only a few months old when Mom passed away. He was taken care of by the nanny when we had one, and when that ended, Dad just took him to work with him. It was like he didn’t trust us to raise him, but how could he? He was seeing the way Wyatt was turning out. Thinking about it all now makes me laugh.

  “So is Wyatt going to make the cookout?” I ask, finishing off my beer.

  Clay shrugs. “He said he’d try, but you know how he is. He’ll show up three days late and half-drunk, swearing we told him the wrong day.” Clay laughs out.

  The backdoor opens, and the girls start walking out, carrying different food items for the picnic table.

  “Here, let me take that,” I say, taking a handful of stuff from Brennan. “Brennan, this is my brother, Clay. Clay, this is my soon-to-be wife, Brennan,” I quickly introduce them before placing everything on the table a stepping back to her side.

  She holds out her hand and they shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Clay,” she says sweetly.

  Clay gives her a smile and a nod. “It’s nice to meet you too, Brennan.” He steps closer. “Let me ask you, what is it that you see in my much older brother here?” he teases.

  “Fuck off.” I roll my eyes, gently pushing him back a step.

  We all laugh and Drake introduces him to Celeste.

  We all chat for a few minutes before the girls go back inside to grab the next round of things to bring out. Again, I hear the familiar sound of gravel crunching under a set of tires. I grab Milly and we all walk around the house again. In the driveway sits a rental. Hudson steps out, wearing his military fatigues. His dark hair is kept short and his face free of hair. He’s tall and thin and muscular from his years in the military. He smiles wide when he sees us. Among us, he’s the smooth, charming one. He’s also the baby of the family and he uses that to his advantage.

  He races to give us all a hug. He bends down and looks closer at Mills. “Is this your daughter?” He looks up at me. “Milly, is it?”

  I nod. “This is her.”

  His eyes stretch wide and his smile expands. “I haven’t seen you since you were born. Aren’t you cute?” He reaches over and ruffles her hair, which clearly angers her.

  “Who you?” she asks, and you can hear the attitude in her voice.

  He laughs. “I’m your uncle Hudson.”

  She crosses her arms over her chest and sticks her nose in the air. “Me no like it when people mess my hair, uncle Hud-son.”

  “I’m sorry, Milly. How about a hug instead?” He holds out his arms.

  She looks up at me and I nod her on. Reluctantly, she steps forward, allowing him to hug her, but she doesn’t hug back.

  “How’s North Carolina?” I ask as we start back toward the backyard.

  Hudson nods. “It’s good. They keep me busy
, you know?” He raises his beer and takes a drink.

  “You planning on making a career out of the military?” Drake asks. “We kind of miss you, little brother.”

  Hudson smiles. “I’m not really sure yet. I can think of a thousand reasons to stay, but not many that warrant leaving. I mean, what do I have here…other than you guys?”

  “What? We ain’t enough?” Clay jokes.

  “You know what I mean. I don’t have a life here anymore. I’ve been gone for so long.”

  “Alright, boys. Time to eat,” Celeste says, walking out with a bowl of chips.

  Brennan is right behind her, carrying out a stack of plates and silverware.

  We all gather around the picnic table and begin making our plates. Drake grilled burgers, hot dogs, steaks, and chicken. Celeste and Brennan did all the inside cooking, leaving us with baked beans, potato salad, deviled eggs, and fresh corn on the cob for sides. Milly gets busy cramming her mouth full of chips, hot dogs, and chicken.

  “Man, Colton, she sure does have your appetite, doesn’t she?” Hudson says with a grin spreading across his face.

  “Hey, leave my baby alone. She’s my prodigy. I’m training her right. But yeah, girl can eat!”

  We continue chatting while eating our food.

  The conversation is easy, and we laugh until my face is sore. Brennan bumps her shoulder against mine. “Didn’t you say there were five of you?”

  I nod. “Wyatt couldn’t make it apparently. He’s currently a roadie for some famous rock band that’s on tour. It’s hard to catch him.”

  She draws her brows together. “Are you telling me that there are two of you that have escaped this town?”

  I laugh. “Yeah, the youngest two. This town isn’t big enough for all five of us. Hell, it’s probably a good thing Clay doesn’t come down off that mountain much. The three of us would have this place destroyed.”

  Clay smiles and nods. “Yeah, we would.”

  Brennan laughs and shakes her head. “Something tells me that it’s a good thing you aren’t together very often.”

  We all sit around the table and eat until we can’t hold another bite. Even after everyone is done, we still continue to sit, talk, laugh, and have a good time. Just as Celeste and Brennan are getting up to start cleaning the mess, the sound of a loud truck pulls into the drive.

  “Who’s that?” Celeste asks, setting down a stack of plates.

  We all walk around the side of the house to the front yard and find Wyatt climbing out of the truck. He’s shirtless with his jeans hanging low on his hips. His dirty blonde hair is wild and crazy, sticking up all over the place. He sees us all and throws his hands in the air above his head, letting out a loud “wooooo!”

  “Look at these good lookin’ brothers over here,” he teases, pulling Hudson in for a hug.

  “How’a doin’, Wyatt?” Hudson asks, patting him on the back.

  “I’m fuckin’ great. How’s everyone been?” He starts moving down the line, giving everyone a hug.

  “Good to see ya, little brother,” I say, hugging him quickly.

  He cocks a smile as his eyes dance over to Brennan. “And who’s this?” He picks up her hand and presses a kiss to the back.

  “This,” I say, taking her hand away. “Is my fiancée, Brennan. Brennan, this is my stupid younger brother, Wyatt.”

  “It’s good to finally meet you,” she says with a sweet smile.

  “Yes…it…is,” he says, looking her up and down.

  I smack the back of his head, snapping him out of the trance she has him under. “You forget where you are, brother?”

  He laughs and shakes his head. “Yeah, sorry. I’ve been on the road too long.” He smacks my chest. “Let’s get this party started.” He wraps one arm around my neck and the other around Drake’s, pulling us toward the back yard.

  Thirty

  Brennan

  IT’S so weird seeing Colton with all his brothers. When I first met Colton, I would’ve sworn he was an only child. He seemed private and shut out from the world. Over the course of a month, I got to watch him bloom. He opened up to me in ways I never expected. I could see a change about him in every move he made. He seemed to be getting closer to Milly too. But seeing him like this, laughing, joking, and having fun with his little brothers, it opens a whole new piece of my heart that I didn’t even know existed.

  Around eight, I manage to get Milly to sleep and I lay her down inside on the couch. As I’m walking back through the kitchen to head out, Celeste steps inside.

  “Care to help me with dessert?”

  “Sure,” I reply, washing my hands. “So, is this the first time you’re meeting the brothers too?”

  She nods. “I had only ever met Colton and I’d met Clay once before. He lives high on a mountain top, and apparently, he doesn’t come down much. Well, he owns a construction company, so he comes down to work, but that’s about it. Drake took me up there a few months ago when he needed to borrow some tool for the barn.”

  “Is it just me, or do they all seem like a different version of the same person?” I laugh, thinking of that old movie where the man clones himself, each clone getting worse and worse.

  She joins in on my laughter.

  “What’s so funny in here?” Drake asks, kissing her head as he passes by her to grab a bottle of whiskey off the counter.

  “Nothing. We’re just talking.” Celeste pulls a pie out of the fridge and hands it over.

  I take it outside and give them a moment alone, hoping they remember that Milly is on the couch and that they don’t take advantage of their alone time.

  “What you got there, sweetheart?” Wyatt asks, eyeing the pie in my hands.

  I look at it closer. “Ummm, maybe apple?”

  Colton smacks the back of his head again. “Her name is Brennan, sweetheart.”

  Wyatt shoots him an irritated look but nothing else is said. As most of the guys stand and move toward the pie, I sit on Colton’s lap. I wrap my arms around his neck. “Milly is fast asleep.”

  “I think my brother has a thing for you,” Colton says quietly.

  I giggle. “I think he’s just trying to get under your skin. I mean, that’s what little brothers are for, right?”

  He scoffs. “I’m going to end up having to remind him who’s boss.” He brings his lips to mine and his tongue demands entrance. His hands on my hips tighten and run up my back before cupping my cheeks and keeping me in place. When he pulls away, he nips my bottom lip, leaving me breathless.

  My eyes meet his, and I can see the fire burning behind them. I’m about to ask him to go somewhere a little more private like the barn, but Celeste and Drake walk back out.

  “Who’s ready for some whiskey?” Drake asks loudly, snapping me out of my daze.

  We all gather around the table while Drake pours shots. I’m not big on drinking or whiskey, but since it’s a special occasion, I don’t want to refuse.

  “To one, big, happy family,” Drake says, holding his glass into the air. We all clink our shot glasses together and throw the shot back. The warm liquid burns my mouth and scorches my throat. I suck in a deep breath, only breathing the fire down into my lungs. I want to cough and find something to chase it with, but Wyatt distracts me.

  “Damn. She can shoot whiskey too?” He looks at Colton. “You better keep your eye on her, or I’ll throw her over my shoulder and take off with her. Show her what the newer version can do that the old one can’t,” he teases.

  Colton points his finger at him. “Come here,” he says in his deep voice, but he’s wearing a wide smile. “Let me show you what the older version can do.”

  Wyatt laughs and takes off running. He leaps off the back porch and into the yard. He darts behind a tree and Colton follows.

  “These boys,” Celeste says, shaking her head.

  We laugh as we watch Colton grab ahold of Wyatt. He puts him in a headlock and rubs his knuckles against his scalp, causing his hair to stand in all directio
ns. Colton doesn’t release him until he shouts, “Uncle!”

  Colton lets him go and walks back up to me. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me to his side. “Still confident you chose the right brother?” he asks.

  I smile as I look up at him. “One hundred percent,” I say, leaning in for a kiss.

  Things settle down after that. We all just stand or sit around the fire pit, drinking and watching the fire dance as we all talk. The guys take turns sharing their memories from the past, and Celeste and I take turns checking on Milly. I sit on Colton’s lap and she sits beside Drake.

  The rest of the night goes by in a flash of drunken fun, jokes, laughs, kisses, and dances. When I wake up in the morning, feeling hungover and dehydrated, I find that Colton and I are asleep in the barn, on a bale of hay with a blanket thrown over us. I groan as I roll my neck and pop it. Sitting up, my head swims and the blanket falls away. I look down to find myself completely naked.

  I suck in a large gulp of air and shake Colton. “Wake up,” I half whisper, afraid of talking too loudly and hurting my own head. “What the hell happened last night?”

  He groans and sits up slowly, taking in our surroundings. “I’m not sure,” he mumbles, rubbing his head and laughing when he discovers that we’re naked.

  I remember thinking about dragging him into the barn, but I didn’t ever think I’d do it. Apparently, drunk Brennan has a lot more courage than sober Brennan does.

  “All I remember is a bottle of whiskey being passed around the fire. I remember drinking and dancing, and…” He cocks his head to the side as he tries to remember. “I don’t know. I’m not sure how we got here.”

  I stand up and start pulling on my clothes that I can find. “Do you think we used a condom?” I ask, suddenly worried.

  He shrugs. “Who knows. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “I quit taking my birth control,” I confess, suddenly worried.

  His head pops up and his eyes lock on mine. “What? When?”

  “Earlier this week,” I say, falling back into the hay. “I’ve heard that it can take some time to get pregnant after being on birth control for years, so I figured that we could just play it safe until we were ready to try.”