by Natalie Ann
For once Bri was asking rather than talking about herself. “A little nervous. A little scared. But I talk to people all day every day at work. That part doesn’t make me nervous.”
“But maybe his mother could be moving your relationship fast on you when you’d rather stroll along.”
“Pretty much,” she said back.
Bri hit the nail on the head with the biggest sledgehammer on the island with that statement.
Amanda wanted to take this relationship slow and thought she was. Going to dinner with the parents was a step she wasn’t sure she was ready for.
She didn’t want to be judged. She didn’t want to answer questions.
She didn’t want Drew to back away from her because his parents might not approve of her when she’d seen that he was someone that wouldn’t hurt their feelings. That maybe listened to them.
The last thing she wanted was a man in her life that couldn’t make up his own mind on things. That was controlled by Mommy and Daddy.
Been there and done that. If it happened again, would it hurt even more now?
“Like you said, you talk to people all the time. Everyone loves you, Amanda. I’m sure Drew’s parents will too.”
“Guess we’ll find out.”
17
Wonderful Things
Drew pulled into Amanda’s driveway a little earlier than he said, but he was sick of sitting around the house watching the clock.
He wasn’t sure the last time he’d done that in life but found he was anxious to get to his parents and see what his mother thought about Amanda.
Had his mother texted him this morning to remind him about dinner? She had. But she’d also gone on and on about all the wonderful things she’d heard about Amanda last night.
He was trying to figure out from where or who and decided to just let it go until later.
He wasn’t sure if Amanda wanted him to go to the front door or not but since he was early and it felt foolish to beep the horn like a teen, he shut the car off and got out.
The door was opened before he could knock. Bri stood there with a big grin on her face, a bounce in her step. Guess she wasn’t as heartbroken over her boyfriend being married as Amanda had let on. “There’s the man of the hour. Come on in.”
He was starting to suspect Amanda might have talked about their night a little and wasn’t sure what to make of that. He didn’t think she was the type to brag to her friends about getting laid.
“Ignore, Bri,” another brunette said. “I’m Sidney and we don’t know anything about your night other than Amanda came home really happy. Bri wanted details and Amanda wouldn’t do that.”
“Thanks. I think,” he said, reaching his hand out to hers. “I’ve heard about you. Nice to meet you.”
“Same here. Come on, Bri, let’s leave Drew alone.”
“Yeah, he might need to calm Amanda down over meeting his parents,” Bri said.
Sidney narrowed her eyes at Bri and pulled her out of the room the same time Amanda walked in. “Sorry. I was fixing my hair. The last minute I decided to put it up.”
“It looks great. So do you.” She had on jeans that fit her like a glove with a pretty green sweater. Her hair pulled away from her face with a braid hanging down her back. “What’s in your hand?”
He moved closer to her and put his lips to hers, surprised at how much he’d missed her already in just a short few hours.
“Cookies. You smell good,” she said. “Nice and clean.”
“It was the same soap we both used earlier. I went home and worked out then showered again. What kind of cookies did you make?”
“I had jumbos in the freezer. I pulled them out and frosted them. They will still taste fresh. I didn’t want to go empty handed.” One of her hands went to his bicep and squeezed. “I can feel the difference after your workout too.”
He thought that was super sweet she’d done that with the cookies. His mother was going to eat that up. But right now the look in her eyes and her hand on his body was giving him ideas that had nothing to do with visiting other family members. “Tease,” he said. “Are you ready?”
“I am.”
She grabbed her coat and followed him out the door. Once they were in his car, he said, “Are you really nervous about going to dinner? My mother has already sent me a few texts about the wonderful things she’d heard about you last night.”
“What? From who?”
That alone told him she was nervous and he wanted to put her mind at ease. “I’m not sure. I didn’t ask. My guess is Hunter’s mom. You’ve talked to her a few times, right?”
“Yes. Both Nicole and Hailey. I really like them a lot.”
“My brothers talked to my parents too. They were taken with you. Both Bode and Coy texted me this morning.”
“Really? What did they say?”
He wasn’t about to tell her they both said he’d struck gold. It was too early for that...for both of them. “Just that they liked you.”
“I think Bode only wants cookies. Which I do remember I promised to make him some tomorrow. I can drop them off at the office if you’d like.”
“That’d be nice. Just like it’s nice you are bringing them now.”
“Good manners,” she said. “I was raised to always show up with something when invited somewhere.”
He wanted to ask more about her background but knew it wasn’t the time. Then he wondered when would be a good time since she did seem to avoid it.
“Another thing my mother is going to love. I should tell you something about her first though.”
As if Amanda wasn’t nervous enough, now Drew had to tell her something.
“What is that?”
“I know you know my mother has tried to set me up a lot in my life. She has this idea in her head that her boys should be settled down and married with kids right now.”
“Okay... What do you think about it?”
“I think she’s nuts, but I tolerate it.”
“Do you want to be married and have kids?”
“I do. That’s a given. I’m a family-oriented person and I think you can see that, but I’d like to pick my own woman out. Anyway, I don’t want you to get nervous if she starts talking about future things. She moves fast because she thinks we all need to catch up. I’ll make her slow down and my father will cut her off, but I just wanted you to know going in.”
“She’s not going to judge me for not being more like you?”
“More like me how?”
“I don’t think I’m the type your mother would set you up with.”
He started to laugh. “Are you kidding me? You’re totally the type. You are like a mother. You cook, you’ve got manners. You didn’t put out on the first, second or eighth date. Not that I’m telling her that stuff. She might think I’m still a virgin.”
She started to laugh, some of her nerves vanishing like a fog when the sun came out. “Hopefully she won’t ask about our night like my roommates did.”
“I thought it was just Bri,” he said.
“It was, but I don’t share too many details.”
“Not even that you screamed out my name a lot? Or that I taught you how to ride without training wheels?”
Her hand went out and playfully slapped his arm. “You smashed those training wheels for me.”
“Good to know.”
It wasn’t long before he was pulling into an older gray-sided home, the kind that made up a lot of this side of the island. “I guess I thought your parents would have a more modern home.”
“It’s modern inside. But the outside fits the island and my mother loves being associated like that anyway she can.”
“So, this has been in the family for years?”
“It’s over a hundred years old. My mother said she loves the romance and history of it. She’s kind of whimsical. If that can describe someone.”
“It can and it does. I noticed last night she almost floated along.”
He laughed. �
��That’s her.”
They got out of the car together and went to the front door that was opened before they got there. Scott Bond was standing there to greet them. “I beat Helena to the door. The buzzer went off in the kitchen and she started to swear because she wanted to open the door for you two.”
“Since when does Mom want to open the door for me?” Drew asked.
“It’s not you and you know it. It’s nice to see you again, Amanda. I hope Drew told you a little about my wife. She means well, so be prepared. Do you like wine? We’ve got lots of it to help you get through.”
This was nothing at all like she expected the dinner to go. The Bonds had more money than Randall’s family would ever have. Randall’s father wouldn’t even look at her let alone talk to her. His mother was just a bitch with a household of staff she controlled. Drew had mentioned that his family never had hired help for more than a cleaning person now and again.
But Scott Bond was laughing and offering encouragement to get her through the dinner. Helena came rushing in. “Scott, I wanted to greet Amanda. It’s so nice to see you again, sweetie.”
She wasn’t prepared for the hug but just went with it. “It’s nice to see you again. Your house is beautiful. I bet if the walls could talk we’d be able to listen to stories all night long.”
“I tell my boys that all the time and they just brush me off. And what do you have there?”
“Just some cookies. I like to bake.”
“That was very kind of you. I’ve heard about your cookies and my other son’s nickname for you.”
“I’m not sure I’ve ever been called the cookie lady before, but it’s kind of cute and fitting.”
“And we all like to eat cookies so I’m glad you enjoy doing it. Please, let’s go to the family room and relax.”
Helena left as fast as she came in and Drew leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Brown noser.”
A few hours later, Drew was bringing her home. “It wasn’t so bad,” she said.
“No. I thought she was going to come out and ask why you were still single at your age, so you’re lucky.”
“I’m glad she didn’t.”
Not that she would have given much of an answer. She supposed she could have fibbed and said she hadn’t found the right guy yet. It really wasn’t fibbing though.
“I think my father warned her. She behaved better than I expected.”
“It’s kind of sweet. She really loves her boys and you can see it.”
“Thankfully she didn’t ask how many kids you wanted. She’s done that before to women we’ve dated.”
Her heart started to race, but Amanda thought this might be the time to bring it up. “You said you wanted kids, right?”
“I do. I’m not rushing for them, but I’m a man and can have them at any point. Unlike a woman. I’m assuming you want kids since you said you’re the mother of the house. You do, right?”
“I’d love to have kids,” she said.
Which was the truth.
What she didn’t tell him was that she wasn’t sure if she could though now.
That there was so much damage from her one lone pregnancy and birth that she’d been told she may never be able to have another child or carry one to term.
She hadn’t put it to the test. She’d never been in a position to.
And she’d been to afraid to find out if it was the truth or if a man she fell in love with wouldn’t want her because she was defective now.
18
Huge News
“Why didn’t you tell us you were dating Drew Bond?”
Amanda turned to look at Celeste Compton. She owned Hair We Are, the salon where Amanda rented a booth. Celeste had lived on the island her whole life.
“I don’t normally make a habit of announcing my dating life,” she said back with a grin on her face. “How did you find out?”
“You really have to ask that?” Celeste said, following her to her booth. Thankfully she had a client in fifteen minutes so there wouldn’t be that much talk about this. She hoped.
“You heard about me being there with him at the fundraiser?” she asked.
“Of course. My phone was blowing up from clients yesterday. You know how it is,” Celeste said.
She did. Her own phone was dinging nonstop between coworkers and clients. Word traveled fast on the island. She’d ignored as many of those messages as she could.
“It’s not that big of news,” she argued.
“Yes, it is. Anytime someone we know starts to date a Bond it’s huge news.”
She knew that too. The salon was a beehive of gossip. “Not really that big of news,” she said again. “We’ve been dating for a few weeks and no one knew so I’m guessing Drew isn’t that important.”
Celeste put her hands on her ample hips. “You’ve kept it quiet that long? How is that possible?”
“I’m not sure. It’s not like we are hiding it. I’ve been out on several dates with him in public. People see us. He came in here for a haircut one day too.”
“When? I couldn’t have been here.”
She was trying not to laugh over how put out Celeste was acting. “I don’t believe you were. And when he came in the first time he didn’t give his name and Stacy had no idea who he was.”
“Stacy wouldn’t know because she is nineteen and new to the island. She only pays attention to the guys in the bar at night.”
Which was true and worked in Amanda’s favor that day. “My client didn’t know who he was either.”
“Then she must not live here full time either.”
Brenda didn’t. She had a weekend home for years and came and went. But it hadn’t been for long “My point is not everyone knows him or is as interested in the dating lives of the Bonds.”
“I’m interested,” Celeste said. “And I’m sure the rest of the girls are going to be when they get in here too. You know I’m related to the Bonds.”
“I had no idea,” she said. “You’re related to Drew?”
“Well, no. My great-grandmother’s brother married someone from Patricia’s line.”
As polite as she always tried to be she couldn’t stop the roll of her eyes. “That’s stretching it a bit?”
“It’s the same thing.”
In Celeste’s eyes it was. But that might account for why Celeste lived on the island her whole life. Though there were a lot of residents and not all of them were Bonds, most laid claim to the Bonds in their line somewhere or they worked for the Bonds.
“Well, I’m not related to the Bonds,” she said. “Thank God or that would be icky.”
“It would. You know all about Helena and Scott Bond’s courtship, right?”
She didn’t and didn’t really want to hear it from anyone other than Drew, but wouldn’t be rude. “Not really.”
“Helena came here with friends years ago on a vacation. She came like so many did, hoping to find someone.”
“For a vacation?” she asked, not believing that.
“I’m not sure. You know how the stories go. She was supposed to be here a week and she met Scott at a beach party. They said it was love at first sight and she’s never left the island since.”
“Never?” she asked, laughing.
“You know what I mean. She’s lived here ever since. She got a job and found a place to stay. Or Scott found her a place to stay since their family has always been into real estate. They were married within six months.”
“That’s fast.” She was expecting to hear that Bode came five months after the wedding.
“It was, but Helena said when it’s right it’s right. We all expected to see a bun in the oven with that fast marriage, but Bode arrived a year later. Then Drew and Coy. She’d lost at least one other child. She wanted lots of kids and I think that is why she is always trying to set her boys up.”
This was more than she wanted to know and hoped her client walked in the door soon. “I’m aware she wants to see the boys settled down,” she said. I
t wouldn’t hurt to say that much since it seemed to be a known fact.
“Have you met Helena and Scott yet?” Celeste asked.
“I have,” she said back, not wanting to say she had dinner with the family a few days ago. That would just feed this growing grapevine fast enough to start bottling wine.
“Give me some details on your relationship,” Celeste said, rubbing her hands together. “I got here early knowing you would be too.”
She heard some voices up front where the entrance was but couldn’t see who it was. Then three of the girls turned the corner, walking in and rushing over to her. Shit, she was going to be the center of attention and she hated that.
She didn’t like to brag. She didn’t like to give a lot of details about her life either.
“I’m not sharing,” she said.
“Did you start without us, Celeste?” Sherry asked. She was the most vocal of the group.
“She did,” Amanda said, “but there’s nothing to say other than I’ve been dating Drew for a few weeks. Yes, we went to the fundraiser together and I had a good time.”
“We want to know more than that,” Abby said.
When Stacy walked back she crossed her fingers hoping her client was here.
“Amanda, Chloe is here for you.”
“Thanks. I’m coming up now.” She turned to look at the girls. “Sorry, ladies. Work calls.”
“We’ll get stuff out of you,” Sherry said.
Not if Amanda could help it.
She’d worked here for two years and did more listening than talking. With her clients and her coworkers.
If asked questions, she answered as much as she could without going into depth.
She liked the life she had here and she wanted to keep it.
That meant not sharing the past she was trying to forget she had.
Drew was dodging a lot of questions himself at work. Not from staff. They didn’t care that much. But from Bode
“You brought her to dinner at Mom and Dad’s already,” Bode said. “That just makes it harder for the rest of us. Couldn’t you just have made up some excuse?”