Stiff_A Graves Family Romance

by Kim Linwood

  “I really think you should give the BMW 3 series a shot. They’re awesome cars and your last season was a little—”

  “An import? Seriously? Fuck that.”

  “I’m not sure why I thought you’d be open to new ideas. Give a man a little talent and it’s like it turns off the rest of his brain,” Zoe scoffs.

  Brandon’s eyebrows knit tightly in anger. “Make up your mind. Am I talented or was my last season a mess?”

  “Your words, not mine, hot shot.”

  “Are we going to have to separate them?” Carter whispers in my ear. His arm goes around my waist in a subtle but unmistakable public sign of togetherness. My first instinct is to step away, but then I relax into it and find I’m actually kind of liking this new development.

  “Good luck,” I say with a little laugh. “If Brandon’s anywhere near as stubborn as Zoe, they might still be arguing when this place closes down.”

  Danielle sidles up next to us with a massive grin. “So… did you guys make up?”

  Carter looks down at his little sister suspiciously. “Are you implying something? Because you don’t want me asking why my little sister’s mind would go straight to the gutter?”

  “The gutter? Oh my God. Who are you, Dad? I’m eighteen, not eight.” She laughs and leans in close. “Just so you know, I’ve already had the talk and as much as you hate to hear about it, I’ve even gone on dates. With boys.”

  I snicker, but Carter doesn’t seem to find it as amusing.

  “If I find out someone’s messed with my little sister, I’m going to pound that bastard into the ground.”

  Danielle rolls her eyes. “And people wonder why I don’t have any of you on Facebook.” She turns to me conspiratorially. “He’s the least obnoxious about it, so you can just imagine what Brandon and Axton are like when they find out I’m seeing somebody.”

  Carter hops right on that. “You’re seeing someone? Is it serious?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know? How about this? I’m seeing someone right now and I can’t believe he’s serious,” she teases. Then she turns to me with a smile and grabs my hands. “Please don’t let this scare you away. I desperately need another girl in the family.”

  “Um, I think it might be a little early for that kind of talk.” I mean what I say, but I’m also too chicken to look at Carter and see if he agrees or not.

  “I’d watch out. We Graves tend to move pretty quickly once we settle on something. Mom and Dad dated for what, two weeks?”

  Carter coughs uncomfortably. “I’m standing right here, you know.”

  “Yep, I know. That’s why I said it, but now I think I need a little girl time so Sadie and I can get to know each other better.”

  She pulls me away from her brother and I find myself strolling down the aisle arm in arm with Carter’s little sister. She’s young and a little over-the-top, but I like her. I also like that in spite of all the teasing, they really do seem to love each other. She has three much older brothers who—even with the best of intentions—could’ve ignored someone so much younger, but they didn’t and it shows.

  “So what did you have to say that you didn’t want Carter to hear?” I ask curiously.

  She shrugs, absently looking around at the different booths without really paying much attention to anything. “I know I was giving him a hard time, but I just wanted to see if you two really are… you know, together now.” Her cheeks flush and she doesn’t look me in the eyes. “You were gone a while, and then you came back and seemed different, closer.”

  Closer. Definitely closer, but I’m not sure how to explain what Carter and I are in a way that’s appropriate for a teenage girl. “We’re giving it a try, but I don’t want to lie to you and make you think we’re a done deal. There’s still a lot going on, both personally and with the business side of things.”

  “Oh, right. That. Being in charge of the project with your parlor is a big deal for Carter. He tries to act like it’s not, but I can tell by the way he talks that it’s hard for him to have it all still up in the air. If the buyout falls through, he and Grams are up shoots creek with Dad.”

  I grin at her fake swearing. It’s too cute. “Grams?”

  “Oh, yeah. You probably haven’t met her yet. Grandpa Graves is the one who started the business. He died a while back, but Grams is still around and sticking her nose in everything. I think she’s most of the reason Dad’s giving Carter so much slack. She loves the idea of a more cozy style of funeral home and he’d rather go along with it than deal with telling his mother no.”

  After everything I’ve heard about Carter’s father, the idea that there’s someone he’s afraid of is both amusing and terrifying. “Yeah?” I look over my shoulder and see Carter talking with Axton. Carter glances our way and I blow him a little kiss.

  He scowls, but not before I see a smile.

  Danielle giggles. “Oh, Carter’s in so much trouble. I should start planning your Christmas gift now.”

  Christmas, family, working together, sleeping together. None of that sounds nearly as scary as it should. I don’t know what my face shows, but Danielle gets quiet and when my mind finally stops spinning long enough to notice, I find her watching me with a wistful look in her eyes.

  Shit.

  “Danielle…”

  “Dani.”

  “Okay, Dani. Your brother and I are definitely something but I really can’t promise that I’ll be around at the end of the week, let alone the year.”

  She nods. “But you like him, right?”

  “I do, but we need to take this at our own pace.”

  Admitting that out loud to her is actually easier than even thinking it to myself not that long ago. Carter’s smooth on the surface, rough around the edges and drives me crazy and wild in equal measure, but he’s also kind, useful in a pinch and not nearly as superficial as his blustery negotiator act might lead people to believe.

  “He likes you too. I can tell,” she says quietly, giving my hand a tiny squeeze.

  I squeeze back.

  We reach the end of the row and turn around. Zoe and Brandon look like they’ve reached a standoff, because she’s talking to someone who stopped at our table, and Brandon’s pretending very hard not to glare at her from his side of the tape.

  I’m never going to let her live this down. She finally came face to opinionated face with her big crush, and they got along like oil and water.

  As we get closer, Axton spots us and gives Brandon a push, pointing in our direction.

  Brandon comes up and puts a hand on Dani’s shoulder. “Come on, critter. It’s naptime.”

  She sticks out her tongue. “Do I at least get a snack first?”

  “Mom’s picking you up, so if you play your cards right, you might get apples and raisins,” he jokes.

  Danni gives me a wink. “Ooooooh, exciting. See you around, Sadie. It was nice meeting you.”

  “You too.” I watch her leave.

  When I first heard about the sale, the last thing I wanted to do was like whoever was going to barge in and take over the only life I’ve ever known. Now I’m getting sucked deeper and deeper into not only liking him, but liking his family as well. The same family I’d never thought of as anything but a faceless corporate blob.

  I don’t know how to feel about that.

  But I do know how to feel when Carter slips up behind me and puts his arms around my waist. “Should I be worried about you knowing all my deepest darkest secrets now?”

  “Girl talk isn’t always about boys, you know.”

  “Uh huh. Sure. I’m supposed to believe Dani pulled you off to talk about, what? Her period?” He winces. “Ugh. I can’t believe I just said that.”

  I laugh and pat his hand. “Don’t worry, your secrets are safe with me, and so are hers.”

  He twirls me around so he can look at me with a thoughtful expression. “You know, I think I might actually believe you.”

  “Is that so hard to imagine?”

&
nbsp; “Mmmm, kind of, yeah, and I have to admit, it makes me want to move up in that strange scale of estimations you have. Where am I now? Pleasantly tolerable? What would I have to do to get to something like well-regarded acquaintance?” His voice drops, rough and honeyed. “Maybe even… special friend?”

  I smother a giggle. “More tongue, fewer caskets.”

  “Now that’s a goal I can work towards. Sounds like a date.”

  “A date? Does that mean we’re,” I put a hand to my mouth and whisper, “going steady?”

  “I’ve loaned you my jacket a few times so it does seem likely.” He grins, his dark eyes drawing me in as he leans closer. I meet his kiss eagerly.

  “Stop being happy!” Zoe’s voice snaps from right behind me. Then she smacks me in the back of the head for good measure.

  Brandon laughs, cutting it short when he sees Zoe glaring at him.

  Carter smiles down at me. “Later?”

  I smile right back. “Later.”

  25

  Sadie

  “Here, try this and tell me if you think they used enough cardamom.” Lena pushes a tiny meatball on a skewer at my mouth.

  I open up before she can stab me with it. “Mmmmph!” I chew and swallow quickly. “It’s perfect!”

  She narrows her cornflower blue eyes and examines the impressive spread of food critically. “That recipe has been in my family for generations. Grandma Ingrid taught me herself and I’ve just had to trust a bunch of strangers with it.”

  “What I meant to say, of course, was that they aren’t quite as good as the ones you made for Christmas last year, but are an excellent addition to the buffet.”

  She laughs, her cheeks turning bright pink against her pale, Nordic complexion. “Nice try, but flattery will get you everywhere.” She gestures at the madness around us. “I can’t believe you pulled this off.”

  The massive tent Carter found for the Graham reception makes me think more of a somber circus than a funeral, but it’s certainly impressive. In spite of being one of the primary organizers, I’m nearly as surprised as Lena at what we managed to pull together. “Thanks, but I had a lot of help.”

  “Oh, I know. Trust me. I’ve met the help.” The appreciative tone of her voice when she refers to Carter makes it obvious she’s not just talking about his practical abilities.

  “Hands off, Viking Barbie.”

  She puts her arm around my shoulder, easy enough for her to do from her four inches taller than my five foot six. “Relax, Skipper, I’ve got too much on my plate with Astrid and the business to go sniffing around handsome men at the moment.”

  “How’s Astrid?”

  “She’s good. Mom’s watching her today, and I promised we’d take a trip to Hershey when this is over, so Astrid’s been avoiding sweets for a week in preparation for chocolate sugar shock. I should take a few pictures for her, though. She didn’t believe me when I said there was going to be a life sized ice statue of a pony.”

  Honestly, I wouldn’t have believed it either, but there it is, right in the center of the tent, a carving of the pony Mrs. Graham had as a girl. I have no idea how Carter managed to pull that off on such short notice, but with enough money and connections it seems anything is possible.

  I sneak a strawberry off the dessert platter and stick it under the chocolate fountain before popping it into my mouth. “Organizing an event this size has definitely been a learning experience.”

  She laughs. “Tell me about it. I was worried I was going to have to say no, but Mr. Graves showed up at my door with a team of assistants, hired a kitchen and put me in charge. All I had to do was provide them with a list of what we needed and put everyone to work. I feel like a general right now, leading my catering army into battle.”

  “That sounds very dramatic,” I note while sneaking a square of cheese topped with a slice of fig off another tray.

  “It was very dramatic. I’ve never done anything on this scale. It’s fun.” A wide smile lights up her face. “He even gave me the funds to hire Brett and Philmore.”

  “Who?”

  “My cousin and his partner. They run an artisanal cheese catering service.”

  “That’s awfully specific. Are they in Stinson? Because there’s no way Wittville has enough business to support cheese caterers.”

  “Neither, really. They were based in Chicago, but Brett said they wanted a change of scenery. Something about laying low and relaxing for a while. I think they’re trying to land a contract with the resort.”

  “Food seems to run in your family.”

  “Definitely,” Lena agrees with an enthusiastic nod. “Even Astrid wants to do a lemonade stand this summer.” She puts a hand on my arm and her look turns serious. “I just want to say that I know you’ve been going through a lot with your folks out of town and having to run the business on your own, but I think this could be a great opportunity for you. God. Look around, Sadie. This one event is more exposure than I’ve had all year and Mr. Graves said that if it goes well, I’ll be added to their list of preferred caterers.”

  “That’s amazing,” I say honestly, pulling her in for a quick hug.

  “What are we celebrating?” a giant flower arrangement asks in Josie’s voice. “Hold on a sec.” She settles it to the ground with a wheeze and stands back up, grinning at both of us. “Phew. I think Grandma used half the shop in this thing.”

  It’s a pillar of brightly colored lilies, the hues obviously arranged down to the smallest detail and matched perfectly with another arrangement on the other side of the memorial. Beautiful and bold, just like the rest of this funeral. It makes me wish I’d known the Grahams together, because his love for his late wife sparkles in every detail.

  “Do you need a hand?”

  Josie shakes her head, striking a dramatic pose with her hands on her generous hips. “I could’ve asked, but I need my workout. These curves don’t create themselves.”

  I laugh. “You’re irresistible no matter what and you know it.”

  “Now you sound like Grandma. Josefina, mi niña. Why isn’t a beautiful girl like you giving me great-grandbabies yet?”

  “Hey, I never said anything about babies.”

  “Damn straight.” She turns to Lena. “Not that there’s anything wrong with kids. You know how much I love your munchkin.”

  Lena shakes her head with a smile. “Oh, don’t rush on my account. Astrid is my life, but kids are a ton of work. Enjoy the single life while you can. How’s Maria doing? Mom didn’t see her in church on Sunday and was a little worried.”

  “Wait, what’s going on with Maria?” I ask, confused.

  “You didn’t hear?” Lena asks, surprised.

  Well, great. Now I’m both worried and feeling guilty over how busy I’ve been. “No, what’s going on?”

  Josie’s usually imperturbable smile falters a bit. “It’s probably nothing, but she’s having the worst time shaking this cold, is all. It seems to go away, and then she’ll get a fever and start coughing again. If she’s not better tomorrow morning, Mom and I are taking her to the doctor even if we have to drag her out the door.”

  “Oh no. I hope it’s nothing serious. Tell her that I hope she feels better soon. I expect her back at the shop in no time.”

  “Thank you, I will. She loves hearing from you and I know she’s itching to find out how her matchmaking is working out.”

  “Oh, God,” I groan, hiding my face in my hands. “I’m not sure I’m ready to get the third degree about Carter.”

  “Is there anything to tell?” Lena asks.

  My hesitation tells them more than I want to say.

  Josie claps her hands excitedly and grins. “No! For real? I was just teasing. Are you two really a thing?”

  I look over my shoulder, spotting Carter mingling with some of the guests. His suit is somehow somber and stylish at the same time, dark for mourning, but so obviously tailor made. With a frame like his, he’d look sexy even in rags. That willful lock of hair has
come loose and is dangling over his forehead. I want to go smooth it into place. “I’m sure it’s all going to go up in flames, but for now, yeah. We are.”

  “Why are you so sure it won’t work out? You two are in the same business and seem to work well together. If I found a sexy chef who looked at me the way he looks at you, I’d butter his buns so fast my fingers would burn,” Lena teases, fanning her face at the imagined heat.

  “You’re only saying that because you didn’t see how much we fought when we met.”

  “Passion,” Josie interrupts with a nod. “Nothing is worth the work without it.”

  “You think?”

  Carter glances over at me and smiles. He looks calm and collected, like he has this whole situation under control. Part of me appreciates that, and the rest of me wants to go over and kiss him until that control is nowhere to be found.

  I know I should leave him to whatever he’s doing, but I can’t resist. “I’m just going to go… check on how things are going.”

  “See? Passion,” Josie comments smugly to Lena as I walk away. “Grandma’s never wrong.”

  26

  Carter

  “You’re certainly taking a much more hands-on approach than usual,” Grandma comments wryly.

  “If you have something to say, why don’t you come right out and say it,” I grumble, regretting ever mentioning having met someone.

  “That’s the Williams girl, is it?” She slides her crimson rimmed glasses down from the top of her stylishly bobbed silver hair. “The tall one?”

  “What?” I look over to see Sadie chatting with the caterer and the florist. She’s beautiful as always. On a day like this, of course, she’s dressed professionally, with a dark pencil skirt and a matching blazer over a pretty white blouse. I try not to think too hard about how I’d love to take that blouse off, button for button, and do some highly inappropriate things to her. We are at a funeral, after all.