Wrecked for You

by Mayer, Kristin

  Off to the side of the log cabin were two other trucks. I recognized Drake’s, and I assumed the other one was probably Kane’s. Or maybe it was Ike’s, but I imagined his truck was parked in the garage or maybe in the shop he used for personal projects. Hayden had showed me the family lumber mill on our way here and told me all about his father’s work. It was an impressive family business.

  Tonight, I would meet the rest of the family. I tried not to think too much about it.

  Everyone was so accomplished. I felt inadequate in comparison and maybe a little undeserving. I knew it was my insecurity talking—Hayden never made me feel anything less than perfect, but old habits were hard to let go.

  I squared my shoulders and refused to let my nerves affect my meeting with them. Hayden’s parents stepped out onto the front porch. Both had on jeans and a flannel shirt. They were precious in their most likely unplanned coordination. I hoped Hayden and I looked like that one day. It was like they were truly in sync with each other—picture perfect.

  As we got out, Hayden took the pies from me. Hayden favored his mother in coloring, but he had his dad’s build.

  His mother came down the steps to meet us halfway. “You must be Kory. It is so nice to meet you. I’m Amie. This is my husband, Ike.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Foster. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you.” I hoped I sounded confident. I wanted them to like me.

  His mother held out her arms to hug me, and I hesitantly stepped into the embrace. “Please, call us Amie and Ike. We’re not formal at all. Come on in.” Amie put her arm around my shoulder and guided me toward the front door. I looked at Hayden, whose warm, infectious grin brought a smile to my face. Amie stopped us before we entered the house. “I want to apologize on the front side for the boys’ behavior. I try. I really do.”

  Hayden chuckled. “Mom, it’s not that bad.”

  She tsk-tsked. “Alexa and I are so glad our ranks are increasing in numbers.”

  “I’m glad I can help even the playing field,” I added.

  Inside, the first thing I noticed was the homey feel I’d expected with the warm colors accenting the dark wood. There were several animals mounted on the walls including deer, moose, and a bear. Off to the left hung a series of beautiful oil paintings of what I assumed were parts of Alaska.

  Alexa greeted me with a hug. “Hey there.”

  “Hey.” I returned the hug, and when I drew back, I saw Drake. “Good to see you again, Drake.”

  “Good to see you, too.” He approached me and whispered, “Just go with it. I’m trying to piss off Hayden.”

  In the next second, he picked me up in a bear hug and twirled me around. I laughed—I couldn’t help myself. Hayden had mentioned how he liked to get under Drake’s skin by doing the same thing to Alexa. Drake kept twirling me, and Alexa erupted in a fit of giggles.

  Drake continued to spin me around.

  “Okay, asshole, you’ve made your point.” Hayden sounded grumpy, which made me snicker.

  His mom chastised them both. “Language, Hayden. Drake, stop aggravating your brother.”

  “Sorry, Mom,” they said in unison.

  I nearly lost it hearing these men apologize. From the sound of it, they’d done it a thousand times. Somehow, I managed to keep my composure. Alexa had her lips mashed together like she was fighting a smile.

  Drake put me down. “Thanks for being a good sport. Hayden has been driving me crazy with that sh—stuff for years. How do you feel about me calling you Kor?”

  Hayden smacked Drake on the back of the head. “Stop being a di—meaniehead.”

  I laughed again. I couldn’t help it. This was what I always pictured a real family to be like. And I loved it.

  Amie sighed. “Lord, give me strength. Dinner is in five. Boys, please don’t scare Kory off, watch your language, and stop aggravating each other.”

  Ike and Amie left the room, and I relished the feeling of being part of a family for the first time since I was a child.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Kory

  There was only one person in the family I hadn’t met yet. He had a husky, who sat beside him. I extended my hand. “Hi, I’m Kory.”

  “Kane.” He gave my hand a quick shake before retracting his own. “Give my brother hell for me.”

  Hayden let out a huff. “Stop being an ass.”

  I tried to diffuse the arguing. “Nice to meet you. And who is this sweet dog?”

  I kneeled and held my hand out to allow the dog to get used to me.

  “Mariah.”

  “Oh my goodness, you’re so pretty.”

  In two seconds, she was licking my hand. “Oh, sweet puppy kisses. I never had a dog growing up, but I always wanted one.”

  Kane seemed to soften. There was a harsh ruggedness about him that Hayden and Drake didn’t have. He was definitely a little more distant. I stood, and he nodded, “She’s a keeper. I found her abandoned in the woods.”

  I gasped. “Oh no! I’m glad you saved her.”

  He nodded. Then he turned to Hayden. “Meaniehead? Really?”

  Drake put his hand on Kane’s shoulder. “Does he get the title of princess now? I think we’ve found someone more deserving of it than me.”

  Apparently, Drake had slept in one time and Kane gave him the nickname to irritate him. It stuck. These brothers were hysterical.

  “Abso-fuckin-lutely,” Kane said.

  Hayden rolled his eyes and flipped them off. “Real mature, guys. Real mature. I’m not a princess.”

  Alexa gave me a wink. “This is why we needed more girls around here. At some point we’re going to get enough votes for Pretty Woman instead of one of those action movies.”

  “Or Steel Magnolias. I love that movie,” I said.

  Alexa gave me a high five. “Me, too. I feel another girls’ night coming.”

  The guys shook their heads, and Kane muttered, “I’m never watching that pansy-ass shit. Never. I’d rather have my balls in a vice.”

  I nearly choked at Kane’s bluntness. Hayden had warned me about Kane, but it was hard to imagine until you actually met him. He really was an enigma. For the brief seconds we’d talked about Mariah, I’d seen him soften. He had clearly built up many defenses to keep people out. I recognized a wounded soul.

  “The Foster men will continue to maintain the vote, guys. Sorry to burst your bubble,” Hayden said.

  Drake put his arm around Alexa. “Baby, we’re going to have boys, and that’s just going to put us more in the lead.”

  Alexa held up her hand. “Umm… medically speaking it’s a fifty-fifty shot. We could have girls.”

  The men had a look of disbelief on their faces. Kane shook his head. “Foster men only have boys. And I’m not getting involved ever,” Kane added. “Ever. So I won’t be adding to the female population.”

  He seemed pretty resolute about it, which meant he was probably going to fall the hardest when he met his special someone. Hayden had also been against relationships. It only took the right person crossing your path to alter your world. I would know.

  Hayden held up his arms in victory. “Problem solved. Action movies will continue to rule on Foster family movie night.”

  I saw Alexa’s face soften at the mention of babies, and she and Drake stared at each other.

  Then Kane hit Drake in the back of the head. “Keep looking like a pussy and you’ll get the princess title back.”

  “Fuck off. The moment you get a girl, you’ll have the princess title for life.”

  Kane looked smug. “Deal. But for now, the lovestruck puppy gets it.”

  “Agreed,” Drake said.

  Hayden blew out a breath. “You guys are such asses.”

  “Takes one to know one,” Kane said and then gave me a wink. Definitely an enigma. But with that one gesture, I felt like I’d been welcomed into the family, which was important. Kane didn’t come across as a guy who willingly opened his arms to anyone.


  These boys were a handful. My oh my, if Alexa and Drake had a bunch of boys, we’d all be in trouble.

  Alexa seemed confident as she said, “At some point, we’ll win. Just wait. It may not be in numbers, but we’ll figure it out.”

  Amie walked into the room. “Dinner’s ready.”

  In the dining room, there was a huge table with unique carvings around the lip of it. When I got closer, I could see that they were trees with the letter F in block lettering every eight or nine inches along the rim. It was incredible. “Wow, this table is beautiful.”

  “Thank you, my dear. I made it with the help of my boys,” Ike said.

  “Wow. Just wow. The craftsmanship is remarkable.” Someday, I’d have to order some furniture from Ike.

  Seated at the table, I ran my hands along the wood. It was so smooth. Amie brought in the roast, and succulent smells filled the air. I said, “This looks fantastic. Roast is one of my favorites.”

  “It’s Hayden’s favorite dish, too. I’ll give you the recipe later if you’d like.”

  “I’d like that very much.”

  Amie handed the carving knife to Ike while saying, “And I can’t wait to taste your chocolate pie. It smells delicious. I’d love the recipe.”

  “Of course. I made it for Hayden a few times this summer. I think it’s his fave.”

  He gave me a wink. “It’s out of this world.”

  It was enlightening watching this family interact with each other with no pretenses. Kane added a one-word comment here and there, but he was definitely the quietest one of the group. Not any less part of it, just not as outspoken in everyday conversation.

  When dinner came to an end, I helped Alexa and Amie clean up while the boys retired to the back porch with their pieces of pie and the cookies Alexa had made. They’d offered to help, but Amie shooed them out of the way. I believed it was to spend a little more one-on-one time with me. Whatever the reason, I enjoyed it. I put away the last dish while Amie poured hot tea for us to go with our pie.

  “Mmm, this is amazing. Definitely want the recipe,” Amie said.

  The combination of chocolate, meringue, and pie crust was heaven. “I’ll bring it by next week if that sounds good.”

  Amie’s smile reached her eyes. “I’d love that. Just let me know what day. Maybe we could do lunch.”

  “Perfect.” I looked at Alexa. The last thing I wanted was for her to feel left out. “If you’d like to join us, I’d love to have you.”

  “That’s so sweet. But weekdays are typically a little crazy with the clinic. We’re doing flu shots right now, which is adding to the already hectic schedule. You guys will have fun. Next time, we can do a group thing.”

  It appeared to be Alexa’s way of letting Amie and I get to know each other, I imagined. From what I’d seen among my parents’ friends and their families, at times, people became jealous with newcomers. This wasn’t the case here.

  Drake walked in. “Hey, baby, you ready to go home? We… uh… have an early morning.”

  There was obviously more to his comment, and I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. The Foster men weren’t very subtle.

  Alexa looked at her watch. “Oh my, look at the time. Night, guys.”

  It was cute that after dating for so many years, they were still so in love.

  “Night,” we called as they left.

  Their departure left Amie and me alone in the kitchen. I waited for the nerves to come, but they didn’t—I felt completely at home here. As the front door closed, I said, “They are amazing people. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Alexa so much. I’ve never met someone so kind. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay her.”

  “She has such a kind spirit and she’s perfect for Drake. Each of my boys is so different. Drake, under his tough exterior, has a tender heart and knows what he wants. He’s never been afraid of his emotions. Alexa fits him.”

  She patted my hand. “And it looks like Hayden has met his match. Underneath his tough exterior, he’s a little unsure of how to process his emotions. You give him the time and understanding he needs to work through it.”

  Heat spread through my cheeks. “How can you tell after one night?”

  “Mother’s intuition. A mother always wants the best for her kids, but they have to find their way. And when they meet the right person, they bloom. Of course, my boys would roll their eyes at what I’m saying. But Hayden now has the same peace about him Drake does. He’s beginning to realize that love is a strong and powerful thing. And it doesn’t weaken you.”

  Amie was so insightful. I had to ask, “What about Kane?”

  “Well, it’s going to take someone as persistent and bullheaded as him to crack that exterior. But if she sticks with it, I imagine he’ll be a marshmallow inside.”

  The thought made me giggle. “They say the toughest ones fall the hardest.”

  “That they do.”

  “Well, thank you for welcoming me into your home tonight.”

  “It’s a pleasure. I’ve been excited to meet you. Alexa had a lot of nice things to say about you. It warms my heart seeing my boys’ girls getting along. I’d always hoped that would be the case. I’m sorry I didn’t come over sooner. It’s so hard being a mother sometimes. I didn’t want to smother you, but I also didn’t want you to think we didn’t care.”

  I reached out to Amie’s hand. “No, I never gave it a second thought. It’s been a whirlwind. I should have reached out as well but I was honestly nervous about what you might think. This wasn’t the most conventional way to start a relationship.”

  She put her other hand on top of mine. “All that matters is how you and Hayden feel about each other. The rest will work itself out. Ike and I will never judge someone’s past because that’s what it is… the past. What counts is what you make of the future. If you ever need to talk or just want to chat, know you can call me. And it’ll stay between us.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it more than you know.”

  I took a sip of tea to get my emotions in check. With this family, I realized I was getting more than I ever dreamed I could have.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Hayden

  A week later, I was at Hollis’s apartment, which was upstairs from the clinic, sipping a beer. He’d texted me to see if I wanted to come hang with him before the town meeting tonight. After we shot the shit for about an hour, he said he wanted to show me something and disappeared into his room. I checked my watch. Fifteen minutes had passed. What the hell is he doing? We needed to leave in the next few minutes. It had been a hell of a week. Eric’s mom had passed away, so Kory and I had attended the funeral. I couldn’t imagine losing my parents at such a young age.

  My phone vibrated with a text.

  Kory: What time are you getting to the town hall?

  Me: Still waiting on Hollis. Might be a few minutes late.

  Kory: No worries. We’ll save you a seat. We’re about to head there.

  “Hollis, hurry up. We’re going to be late.”

  “Almost ready.”

  Almost ready? What the hell is he doing?

  Bored, I began to look around. There was something on his coffee table that caught my eye. I picked up what looked like an invitation.

  Dr. Hollis Fritz

  This is your confirmation to the Christmas Bachelor Auction. Thanks for signing up.

  Elvira and Sylvia

  I chuckled and glanced at the magazines scattered on his coffee table. They looked anything but intriguing. Medical journals were probably about as interesting as watching paint dry. Nevertheless, the boredom got to me and I began to skim through one. After one page, I nearly fell asleep. Something about antibodies and bacterial cultures. No thank you. The thought turned my stomach, and I set aside my beer after seeing one of the pictures.

  Hollis and I had been hanging out more lately as his schedule permitted. It seemed like the girls enjoyed getting together. And Hollis was generally home reading and studying medicine
. Lately, he was doing everything he could to avoid Ol’ Man Rooster and his attempts to convince Hollis to wed his granddaughter. From what Kory had told me, Marlena dropped off baked goodies daily, and it was starting to piss Devney off. However, Devney hadn’t retracted the fuck buddy statement.

  It would be interesting to see how this played out.

  Hollis finally came out of his bedroom wearing jeans and a flannel shirt. “I think this works for my first Alaska town meeting. What do you think?”

  I cocked my eyebrow.

  “Listen, I get it. I do. But Alexa is off with Kory and couldn’t swing by to check it out. She’s trying to force me to ask someone else to break the ice between us. But she didn’t realize I could just ask you.”

  It sounded like Devney hadn’t spoken to Hollis. Kory had hinted that I should get Hollis to talk to Devney, but she hadn’t told me why. This week, Hollis hadn’t seemed in the mood to talk about it. Maybe tonight he’d be more open.

  Smirking, I said, “I’m glad to know I rank so high on your outfit-selector list.”

  Hollis rolled his eyes. I didn’t typically talk outfits with guys, but with Hollis, that was part of who he was. He was obsessed with his clothing and wearing what an “Alaskan” would wear, doing what an “Alaskan” would do. “That’ll work. Just don’t bring whatever the hell hat you had on the other day.”

  “My Paul Bunyan hat?”

  I cocked my head. “Didn’t he wear some sort of beanie? That shit you had on was not a beanie. And he’s not Alaskan, dude.”

  Hell, the fact that I knew Hollis referred to his hat as a Paul Bunyan hat was embarrassing enough.

  He looked shocked. “That hat is a classic. Who cares if I have my folklore mixed up? He probably wanted to be Alaskan. And if Paul Bunyan had known about these hats, he would have traded in his beanie.” Then he added, “How can you not like the hat?”

  “It’s a little… um… furry for my liking.”