by Piper Rayne
When I get to the back of the vehicle, I find Kingston and Denver sitting on our sofa, two beers in hand.
“It’s ten in the morning,” I say.
They look at one another and shrug.
Damn bachelors.
“Chickens, huh?” Denver says, standing from the couch.
“Get used to it, man, she’s got a soft heart. I mean look, she took you in.” Kingston pats my back, jumping down from the truck.
Denver pushes the couch toward the end of the truck, and I grab the one side, Kingston the other.
“I just put her in charge of building the coop, so neither of you help her.”
“Don’t you have a heart, man?” Kingston asks.
I furrow my forehead in question.
“The coop is going to fall and kill the chickens if Brooklyn builds it.”
I shake my head, passing her as she tries to get the kit she bought out of my truck. She blows at a strand of blonde hair that’s snuck out of her ponytail holder. She’s adorable already. I’m going to enjoy watching her struggle building that thing. At least for a while. We both know that in the end, I’ll help her.
Strike that, I’ll be doing it all myself.
Chapter Three
Rome
Four days until the wedding…
* * *
The food delivery truck pulls up out back of Terra and Mare and they pull out the ramp on the back. Colin steps up to help our delivery guy get all the food I need for the rehearsal dinner into the restaurant.
I hear her before I see her. “Check out this pretty girl.” Harley walks in with Calista trailing behind. She’s wearing her flower girl dress and has a huge smile on her face. Dion is strapped to Harley’s chest in one of those fabric wraps. I’m still not sure I trust that thing.
Calista twirls in a circle to showcase her puffy white dress.
“You look beautiful.” I bend down to hold my hand out for her. We do a short dance until I pick her up and circle her around. “Will you save the first dance for me?”
“Nope.” She presses her lips together.
With age two came an attitude and now that she’s a few months off three, it’s even worse. I’m trying to adjust to this new personality. Harley says she’s testing limits and she’d be right.
“Who gets the first dance then?” I ask.
“I wanna dance with Holly.”
I nod, looking over to Harley. She shrugs, a smile teasing her lips while her hands run down Dion’s small body.
“I get it. The bride.”
“Yep.” She nods enthusiastically.
“We went to Holly’s final dress fitting yesterday… someone has the wedding bug,” Harley fills me in on where this obsession was created.
“And that’s why you’re wearing your flower girl dress?”
A loud bang from the truck shocks her and she jolts in my arms.
“We’re only wearing it on a short walk and then taking it off because we don’t want to get it dirty.” Harley eyes Calista which means there was a long talk and heavy negotiations on that decision.
“You know Mommy’s going to be a bride,” Calista says.
Harley shakes her head at me. We discuss this daily. She’s not ready to leave Dion and he’s not ready to fly. We want to elope with just the four of us. We’ll give it a few months and then I’ll make the reservations. She wants a beach wedding and what Harley wants, Harley gets.
“Let’s go get you a dress,” I say to her.
Harley laughs and shakes her head. “I don’t need a dress.” She steps up and puts her arm on our daughter’s back.
I bend down and kiss Dion’s small head sprinkled with light brown hair.
“You’d be pretty.”
“Mommy’s pretty no matter what she’s wearing,” Calista says.
“Even if it’s nothing,” I say and grin.
Harley smacks me, probably because she knows our daughter is in a copycat stage.
“Come on, Calista. Let’s let Daddy work.”
I put Calista down on the ground and she takes Harley’s hand. “I just have to get this order in and then I’ll be up.” I kiss her on the lips.
“I’m going to try to lay down after our walk if I can get them both down for a nap.”
I let my lips linger over hers. “Is that an invitation?”
“It hasn’t been six weeks yet.”
“I can’t work with these limitations. It kind of makes me not want to get you pregnant again.”
She laughs and her lips brush along mine. “That’s not to say there aren’t other things I can do.” She lets her hand trail down my chest.
I glance over and find Calista playing twenty questions with Colin about what’s in the boxes, so I reach out and slyly grab her ass.
“Nah, it’s not much fun if I can’t get you off.” I squeeze her ass cheek.
“Spoken like a true Prince Charming.”
With one more peck, we disengage and as always when she’s not at my side, I miss her.
“Come on, Calista. Let’s go.” She waves her over and Calista skips to me, hugs me and then takes Harley’s hand.
I walk them both out through the kitchen and dining area to the front door of the restaurant.
We say our goodbyes and I watch my entire life walk down Main Street for a walk, wishing I could join them. A warm sensation warms in my heart. My love for them is so strong and so pure it’s almost scary sometimes.
With a smile, I turn to make my way back into the kitchen.
“What time do you start serving?” Liam’s hand lands on my shoulder and his gravelly voice sounds in my ear.
“I’m just shut down between lunch and dinner. What’s up?” I study my best friend for a second. He looks like shit.
“Your sister is driving me crazy. Did you know she has a specific way she likes the dishes placed in the dishwasher? As if it makes a difference.”
I laugh. “All right, for you, I’m open.”
I poke my head into the back and check with Colin that he has it handled. I really need to give him a raise, so he never leaves me.
Walking over to the bar area, I join Liam where he sits on one of the bar stools. “Hard stuff or beer?”
“Beer. I have a client coming to the shop in an hour.”
I nod. “So it’s been rough, has it? You know my sister… she’s anal and compulsive and sometimes bitchy.”
He takes a long pull of his beer after I pass it to him. “Her and Denver are complete opposites. I’m constantly picking up after him and she still finds a way to criticize my way of organizing shit.”
“I have no idea why you agreed to either of them living with you in the first place.” I rest my back along the bar and cross my arms.
Liam’s been my best friend since grade school. There are few things I don’t know about him. But I do know that I’ve never quite understood him and Savannah. When we were young, I took it as the older sister crush thing. Sav is four years older than us, so at thirteen, she was seventeen and a senior in high school. No one has to figure out why I’d catch him looking at her.
As we’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to ignore the lingering gazes. How he can always tell me where to find her in a crowded room and sometimes who she’s talking to. He tracks her movements and watches her. Yet he still razzes her for a reaction like we used to do at twelve. I thought it was a horrible idea that she move in with him—even temporarily. No way do I want to lose my best friend because he wants to nail my sister.
“I didn’t have a choice. Your grandma said it was a good idea and everyone knows you can’t, and shouldn’t, tell grandma Dori she’s wrong.” He takes another pull on his beer, his eyes everywhere but on me.
“How much longer until her place is all fixed?”
“Insurance is still dicking her around.”
“As long as that’s the only thing dicking her.” I level my gaze on him and he tries to give me a look of complete disgust, like ‘as if’ but then hi
s gaze drops to the bar top and I can tell it’s an act.
I cringe. They’re either going to kill each other or fuck each other before this is over and either way, I lose my best friend.
I hope like hell Denver can intervene before either happens. If only I could get one of them to date someone else. It sucks to think about needing them apart, but Savannah and Liam could never be a forever thing. They’re too different, too opposite. Savannah appreciates sophistication and Liam likes his girls… Well, I guess I don’t really know his type at all. He usually just likes them willing and able and beyond that, I haven’t seen consistency on his part. Which means he’s great as a friend, not so much as a potential suitor for my sister.
“Then I guess you should live and breathe the business until she leaves. I’d take her in if I could.”
He finishes his beer. “It makes the most sense that she’s at my place…I have so much extra room. It’s just… hard to live with her.”
I don’t ask what’s so hard. Is it only her nit-picky nature or did he catch her coming out of the shower? Ew… I can’t believe that thought just crossed my mind. But if my inkling is true, it has to be hell on him being in such close proximity every day.
“I better get going.” He stands from the bar stool.
I watch him for a minute. The long face and deep-set eyes from lack of sleep.
“Anything else you want to talk about?” I ask before he has a chance to leave.
He stops at the door, turns my way. I know my best friend and the look on his face is tortured, even if he’s trying not to show it. Savannah’s the one thing he can’t be straight up honest with me about.
“Nah. Thanks for the beer.” He pushes the door open and leaves Terra and Mare no different than when he showed up.
He’ll talk when he’s ready to admit it to himself. Liam doesn’t give one shit what anyone thinks. He goes after what he wants without apology. I can’t imagine Savannah would be any different. But if he thinks he’s going to touch one hair on my sister’s head before talking to me first, he’s got another think coming.
Chapter Four
Austin
* * *
“Damn it,” I murmur, watching one of my players slide into home on a steal putting us up by a run.
“I didn’t figure that’d be your response when we took the lead.” Jack pats me on the back.
“If we win, we go to state.”
“Um… yeah, that’s a good thing.”
“Not when your honeymoon is at the same time.”
When we planned the honeymoon, Lake Starlight had no shot at state, but something turned around a quarter into the season and the team found a groove that led us into the regional finals.
I glance back at Holly. She smiles and claps, but her eyes dictate another feeling. One of dread that I’ll be on a beach with her while Jack manages my team through the state tournament.
I hate that I’m conflicted. I shouldn’t be. We didn’t even make state the year I had Elijah. Who’s also in the stands with Becca by his side. How those two have beaten the odds the last few years, I’m still unsure of, but JP is on the other side of Elijah talking shit about the last play.
“I’ve got you handled.” Jack pats me on the back again.
I nod. Jack’s a great coach. He’ll do fantastic. I could probably ask Elijah and JP to help out if needed, but it’s me not being there that cuts deep. The guilt sucks because I love Holly and I want to be on a beach with her. Take her inside one of those cabanas until we’re breathless and sweaty. I want to swim in the ocean late at night and have days where we never leave the bed.
The other team scores a run in the bottom and the game goes into overtime. Each team is given a five-minute break for water.
“Hey, handsome.” Holly comes to the fence line.
I circle around the gate and she hugs me around the stomach. “You’re supposed to smile when your team makes a comeback.”
I plaster on a smile, but we both know it doesn’t reach my eyes.
She sighs. “We can stay back.” She repeats the conversation we’ve had numerous times.
“No. We’re not doing that. I trust Jack. He’s a good coach and he can handle it.” I’m sure I sound like I’m trying to convince myself.
“The option is there if you want it.”
“I don’t.”
“Okay but—”
I press my lips to hers and when I draw back, I rest my forehead against hers. “I don’t.”
She nods. “Then go out there and kick some ass.”
“HOLLY!” Grandma Dori stands up from where she’s sitting on the bleachers.
We both turn to her. “Can you get me a pretzel? No salt though. My blood pressure.”
Holly nods and turns back to me.
“Sorry.”
She shrugs. “For what? Don’t ever be sorry. I love your family and I love you… whether we’re here or we’re in Hawaii.”
“We’re going to be in Hawaii.”
She smiles and nods. “Okay. I’ll get my bikini ready to pack.”
“No need for any clothes.”
She giggles and I take the opportunity to give her another kiss. God, I love her. She’s giving me the out I feel I need.
“Go get ‘em, Coach.” Her hand trails down my stomach. “I have to go buy a pretzel. With no salt.” She turns on her heels and heads for the concession.
I watch her go and then head back in the dugout, talking with Jack about our next move. He offers some good suggestions, proving his coaching skills. I trust him. I do.
We end up winning the game eight to six and my heart shouldn’t sink as my players are running off the field, huddling together and screaming. Our team shakes hands with the competition, and I think I might squeeze a few hands harder than necessary.
After the game is over, Holly’s at the fence line with Grandma Dori and Phoenix, talking with Elijah, JP, and Becca.
Jack kisses Grandma Dori and Holly on the cheek when we reach them.
“Way to go, Austin,” Grandma says, patting my cheek.
“Thanks.”
“I gotta go. We’re playing Liars Poker at the home tonight.”
“What’s that?” Holly tries to look interested, but my grandmother and her weekly game nights with her friends isn’t what’s on my mind or hers right now.
“Come and find out,” Grandma Dori says.
Holly looks over to me.
“Wedding stuff,” I say, giving her the out.
“Oh, that reminds me.” Grandma Dori’s eyes widen. “I dropped off the pictures you were asking for this afternoon. Neither one of you were home, so I let myself in.”
I groan. Holly shoots me a look to say ‘be nice’ it was good of her to do that. The fact that she still has a key sucks, but it feels too awkward to ask for it back and worse if I changed the locks on her, so we suffer through her impromptu drop-ins.
“Thanks. Did you put them in the room?” Holly asks.
“The wedding room?” I add, making fun of Holly because that room is off limits to me.
She ignores me.
“Yep, left them there with the rest of your things.”
“Thank you so much. I have the picture frames to put them in. I can’t wait for you to see what I arranged for our loved ones who couldn’t be with us.”
Grandma Dori smiles sweetly. She loves Holly. “I saw the dress. It’s gorgeous.”
Holly’s face lights up. “Don’t you love it?”
“It turned out wonderful.”
“I wouldn’t know because I’m only allowed to see it at the altar,” I grumble.
“Austin wants to see me before I walk down the aisle,” Holly says to Grandma Dori and if you went off looks alone, you’d think I just said I wanted her to walk down the aisle to “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC.
“That’s not customary or traditional and it’s bad luck. Now rain. If there’s rain, you know that’s good luck. It was a torrential downpour
when I married your grandfather. My wedding dress was ruined but look how long we lasted.”
I pull Holly to my side.
“That’s what I said,” Holly says, looking up at me with an ‘I told you so’ in her expression.
“I want a moment between just us,” I say.
“You’ll get that after the ceremony. Don’t make me keep bodyguards on you.” My grandma waggles her finger in front of my face like I’m five.
Pretty sure I can give my brothers a bottle of Jack and sneak out before they’d ever know.
“Don’t you have to go play Liars Poker?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes like it’s a nuisance, but she loves her games, especially when she wins. “Yes, but this time I’m telling Ethel to shut down her hearing aid. We’ll be in the middle of a hand and she answers her phone on the damn thing.”
“On her hearing aid?” I ask.
“Yeah, I need to upgrade soon.” She taps her ear.
“So you can answer your phone calls during a conversation?” Holly asks.
“I can’t have Ethel out-do me.” She waves me off and kisses my cheek. “Love you.”
Doing the same to Holly, she’s out and heading toward her car in the parking lot.
“Why is she still driving when the Sheriff told her to stop?” I ask Holly.
She laughs. “Because she’s Dori. I’m not sure she’ll ever stop doing what she wants.”
I swing my arm over her shoulders. “Come on.”
We head out of the stadium to my Jeep and the ride home is quiet. Too quiet. I’m thinking about missing my team going to state for the first time since I took over and Holly’s probably thinking about how I’m thinking about it. I know she’d understand but what kind of message would it send if I asked her to postpone our honeymoon?
When we arrive home, I turn on the grill and she heads upstairs, probably to do wedding stuff.
A blood-curdling scream a few minutes later has me racing up the stairs, jumping over Daisy as she tries to catch Myles.
“Babe!”
“Don’t come in.”
She’s in the wedding room and I can tell she’s crying from the hitch in her voice.