But he was an amazing guy. As smart as he was handsome. As loving and loyal as every one of his brothers. I hoped one day he would find a woman who wouldn’t let fear of the unknown stand in the way of her loving him.
“Bottom line,” Ryker said, “Brody has to find his own way. He has to work through his own issues and figure out what’s right for him.”
“But what if he can’t?” I asked. Of all my future brothers-in-law, Brody seemed the most lost and confused to me, and I just wanted to help him feel better, to find happiness, with or without Riley. “Aren’t we obligated to try to help him?”
Ryker smiled at me. “You’re sweet, honey. But you’ll soon realize Brody is sometimes his own worst enemy. He’s as stubborn as hell, and when he’s convinced he’s right about something, nobody’s gonna change his mind.”
“Even if it’s obvious that he’s hurting himself?” I asked before taking a sip of my wine. “That’s crazy.”
“It may be,” Skylar said, smiling at her boyfriend when Seb kissed her temple. “But I think everyone here has accepted the fact that Brody’s a little crazy. I guess that’s part of his charm. He marches to his own beat.”
“It scares me sometimes,” Ryker said quietly.
“What does?” I asked.
“The similarities I see between him and the old man. He’s got the mean streak, especially when he drinks. I’ve seen him lose it all at a poker table and get up the next day convinced he can turn the tables in his favor.”
“Yeah, but the difference is he usually does,” Seb reminded Ryker. “Unlike the old man, who was just a loser.”
“Yeah, but what happens when Brody’s winning streak ends?” Ryker asked. “We all know it will someday. It can’t last forever. In that game, all it takes is something to get inside your head so you lose focus, and you can lose it all as fast as you won it.”
There was a moment of silence as everyone imagined the dark and dangerous turn Brody’s life could take if it all went horribly wrong.
“That’s why he has us,” Mac said quietly. “If he needs someone to pick him up, to remind him that life is worth living no matter what happens at that poker table, we’ll be there.”
Nex raised his glass before everyone else followed suit. “Here’s to family and knowing they’ll always be there when you need them.”
Echoes of “Cheers to that” rang out.
***
Our first dinner together as a group was wonderful. Since we had the entire resort to ourselves, we were able to group the tables together so we could enjoy conservation, and my family and Nex’s could get to know each other better.
Riley sat at one end of the table and Brody sat at the other, but you would have to have been blind not to notice the lingering glances filled with unanswered questions.
“I couldn’t be happier for you two,” my mama said, putting her arm around me as she leaned her shoulder against mine. “Nex is as wonderful as you said he was, and I’m just glad, with all the time you’ve been spending in Hartwell, I got to see that for myself.”
My incredibly generous fiancé had bought us a vacation home in my hometown, so we could spend time with my family and I could help my ailing mother when she needed me.
“I’m happy for you too,” I said, glancing at the man sitting on her left.
Nick was my mother’s next-door neighbor and the man who had helped convince her that just because she’d received a troubling medical diagnosis didn’t mean she had to surrender to it.
“Maybe the next wedding we’ll be attending is yours,” I said, squeezing her trembling hand. The tell-tale blush rising in her cheeks made me realize the seriousness of my suggestion. I leaned in, whispering, “Has he asked you to marry him?”
Since Nick was talking to Seb, about cars, no doubt, my mother’s eyes twinkled as she nodded. “But I wanted to wait until after the wedding to tell you. This is your moment, yours and Nex’s, and I didn’t want to take away from that.”
“How could you think your news would in any way take away from my happiness?” I asked, hugging her. “If anything, it makes me even happier to know you’ll have someone like Nick to take care of you.”
“Oh no,” my mother said, shaking her head. “I’m not marrying him because I need someone to take care of me. I’m marrying him because I love him and want to be with him.”
I was so proud of the strides she’d made in the last year. She’d gone from believing she needed me to tend to her every need, to knowing that she could still stand on her own two feet and take care of herself. Her specialist had found the right dosage to slow the progression of her Parkinson’s and allow her to be more active and vital than she’d been in years. She’d even taken up needlepoint again, something she hadn’t been able to do in years.
“When I moved to Florida,” I said, holding her hand in mine, “I never would have imagined things would have worked out so well for both of us. My move forced both of us out of our comfort zones, and I’m so glad it did.”
“Me too, sugar.” My mother admired my engagement ring, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “I thought you’d always be my baby. But you’re going to be someone’s wife soon, and before long, you’ll have a baby of your own.”
I couldn’t wait to give Nex a baby, especially since I’d seen the way his eyes lit up lately whenever we passed a stroller on the street. He gave me that crooked smile I loved while squeezing my hand, reminding me of all that we had to look forward to.
“I have a feeling I’ll be a good mama,” I said, kissing her cheek. “After all, I learned from the best.”
While we’d had our ups and downs, I knew she was doing the very best she could with the knowledge she had. She may have been overbearing and controlling, but only because she loved me and wanted to protect me. I’d made my peace with that.
“Stop,” she said, dabbing her eyes with her napkin. “You’re going to make me cry.” She inhaled deeply as she reached for her water glass, obviously impressed with herself when she was able to bring it to her lips without spilling a drop. “Okay, tell me about the bakery. How’s that going?”
“Couldn’t be better,” I said, smiling when Mary caught my eye and winked at me.
“Mac’s mama is a lovely lady,” my mother said, noticing the interaction. “I’m real glad you’re working with her.”
“She’s wonderful,” I agreed, thinking how lucky I was to be surrounded by so many amazing people. Nex’s family had accepted me as one of their own, almost since day one, and gone out of their way to make me feel at home ever since. “Now that we’ve got the wedding side of the business humming along nicely, it’s almost difficult to keep up with the demand. That’s why we’ve decided to hire a couple more people in the New Year.”
“You think that’s because of your friend Riley?”
“Definitely,” I said, nodding as I reached for my wine glass. “Networking with her saved us years of trying to build our reputation organically.”
“And she was friends with your partner, Mac, through Brody, is that right?”
My mother knew everyone’s story, but since this was the first time she’d met them all, she was having a hard time keeping it all straight. “That’s right, Mama.”
“Are you excited about the honeymoon?”
“I can’t wait.” Nex was making another one of my fantasies a reality with two weeks in Maui, somewhere I’d always dreamed about going. “How about you and Nick? Have you set a wedding date yet?”
She shifted her body so she was facing me instead of him. “Actually, I haven’t even said yes to him yet. I told him I needed a little time, that it was a big step. Plus, I wanted to talk to you first, see what you thought of the idea.”
“I think it’s wonderful, if you’re sure you love him?” She had never come right out and said she loved Nick until today, but it was obvious from the way she looked at him that she did.
“I do,” she said, the color rising in her cheeks. She laughed, placing h
er hand on the side of her face. “Imagine, finding love at my age. Who would have thought?”
Curling my hand around her shoulder, I said, “I’m not surprised in the least. You’re easy to love. It was only a matter of time before someone else realized that.”
“You’re so sweet to say that,” she said, patting my hand with hers. “But honestly, I’ve never felt like this, Jaci. We have so much in common. And he doesn’t let me get down, you know, because of my illness. He understands that I have good days and bad days, so he pushes me on the good days and doesn’t on the bad.”
“I think that’s exactly what you need,” I said, clasping her hand in mine. “Someone to remind you that life goes on. Someone to show you that it can still be fun. There are always going to be adventures to be had.”
“And guess what?” she said, looking gleeful. “He thinks we should buy a condo in Florida, you know, so we can spend even more time with you and Nex. When y’all have babies…” Her voice trailed off. “I don’t want to overstep. I mean, I know you visit as often as you can and I really appreciate it—”
“Mama,” I said, laughing as I squeezed her. “That’s wonderful!”
“What’s wonderful?” Nick asked.
“My mama was just telling me about all your exciting plans,” I said, smiling at my future stepfather.
“Oh, she was, was she?” Nick asked, leaning in as he gripped my mother’s shoulder. “And how do you feel about that, Jacqueline?”
He knew my opinion was important to my mother, that I could very well be the last roadblock standing between them, so I wanted to put his mind at ease. “I don’t have to ask whether you’ll be good to her. I already know you will be. You have been.”
He smiled, his blue eyes watery. “I’ll try to give her everything she deserves. I can promise you that.”
“I know you will.” I grasped Nick’s hand. “I know you two will be very happy together, Nick.”
Nex curled his arm around my chair, letting his fingertips trail over my shoulder. “What’d I miss?”
He’d been talking to Mac, who was sitting beside him, so he’d missed out on our conversation.
“My mama and Nick were just telling me they may be the next ones to tie the knot,” I said, reaching over my shoulder to stroke Nex’s cheek.
“No kidding?” he said, grinning. “That’s amazing. Congratulations, you two.”
“Not only that,” I said, “but they’re going to be buying a condo in Florida so they can spend more time with us.”
My mother winked at Nex. “I figure it won’t be long before you want to give me grandbabies, and I want to spend as much time with them as possible.”
Nex smiled before nuzzling my neck. “You’re right about that, Virginia. The sooner, the better.”
Nick’s laughter rang out as Seb rolled up a paper napkin and tossed it at his brother, hitting him squarely in the head. “Get a room, you two.”
“Excellent idea,” Nex said, standing as he pulled me to my feet.
I knew I should be embarrassed, as my mother, aunts, and uncles looked on, but with Nex looking at me that way, I couldn’t muster a shred of shame.
Chapter Five
Brody
As luck would have it, Riley was the only one sitting in the dining room when I went down to breakfast the next morning. I considered a polite nod and coffee-to-go but decided she deserved better than that.
“Hey,” I said, resting my hands on the chair across from her. “You feel like some company?”
She smiled, gesturing to the vacant chair. “I’d like that.”
“Great, I’ll just grab some grub and be right back.” I wandered to the buffet and piled my plate with eggs, bacon, and toast before returning to her table. “I’m surprised no one else has been down yet.”
“Actually, they all woke up early. Your brothers wanted to go skiing, so Mac, Jaci, and Skylar went with them to make sure they didn’t break a leg. Jaci’s family took a shuttle to do some shopping.”
“They didn’t say anything to me about skiing,” I said, refilling her coffee cup from the carafe in the middle of the table before I filled my own.
“They know you’re not an early riser,” she said, looking amused. “And I don’t think they wanted to wait ‘til noon to get started.”
“Fair enough.” I gestured to the tablet she’d been working on when I walked in. “Trying to get some work done while it’s quiet?”
“Actually, I just wanted to make sure I haven’t overlooked anything for the wedding. I’ll be checking in with the florist later today…” Her eyes scanned my face before she asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Sometimes I just forget how beautiful you are.”
Today she was wearing a white belted sweater, skinny jeans, and high black boots. Her light hair was falling over her shoulders, reminding me how good it looked spread out over my chest as she curled up in my arms after we made love.
“Brody…”
I could hear the warning in her voice, but I wasn’t listening. I was somewhere else, lost in the memories of days when life outside our bedroom door failed to exist.
Finally, I pulled myself back to the present to find her looking at me. Those blue eyes I’d fallen in love with the first time I saw them still had the power to evoke an onslaught of emotions I’d never be brave enough to express now that our relationship was over.
“Think you’ll go for a destination wedding?”
She looked at me as though she couldn’t believe I’d want to hear about her wedding plans. I couldn’t believe it either. But I told myself if she was going to be friends with my sisters-in-law, I’d have to get used to the turn her life had taken.
“Um, I’m not really sure,” she said, adding a drop of milk to her coffee. “I haven’t given it much thought.”
“Liar,” I whispered. “You’ve been thinking about your wedding day since you were a little girl. How many times have you told me that’s the reason you wanted to become a wedding planner, because nothing made you happier than thinking about weddings?”
Her impassive mask slipped as a look of torment crossed her perfect features. “That was true once.”
“Are you saying you don’t like your job anymore?” I gestured to her tablet. “I find that hard to believe. You’re so good at it. You’re in your element when you’re doing stuff like this.”
“Maybe planning other people’s weddings is starting to remind me of the wedding I’ll never get to have.”
I heard the anger creeping into her voice and knew this would be a good time to get up and walk away, to avoid another argument, but I couldn’t. “You still have a chance to have that wedding you always wanted, with Stephanie—”
She glared at me. “Does tearing him down make you feel like more of a man, Brody?”
No, tearing him down was the only way I could get through another day in her presence. Allowing myself to believe he would never mean to her what I had was a survival mechanism. “Come on, let’s hear you defend him,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “This should be good.”
“I don’t feel the need to defend him, or my relationship with him… to you or anyone else.”
“What’s it like?” I knew this would go down in history as the stupidest question I’d ever asked, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to know. “Sex with him. What’s it like? Boring? Predictable? Strictly missionary, right?”
She gasped, her juice glass halfway to her mouth. It looked as if she was considering throwing it in my face before she finally set it down. “You did not just ask me that.”
“Do you ever compare me and him?” I clenched my jaw. “You know, in the sack?”
“Where is this coming from?” she asked, shaking her head in disbelief. “I thought we’d called a truce yesterday. I thought we were going to try to get along?”
I’d thought so too, but seeing her bright and early, looking so beautiful, reminded me of all the mornings she’d woken up i
n my bed, trying to draw me out of a deep slumber while kissing my neck as she straddled my waist. I wanted more of that, dammit. I didn’t want her sleeping across the hall another night. I wanted her sleeping in my bed. But I knew I couldn’t have that… ever again. So I was taking my frustration out on her, her poor excuse for a boyfriend, and the goddamn world at large.
“Maybe that was too much to expect. Maybe I’m just not mature or evolved enough to have that kind of relationship with my ex.”
She tossed her napkin over her empty plate before she reached for her purse and tablet. “Now that doesn’t surprise me.”
I was still trying to get my bearings when Jaci’s future stepfather approached. “Hey, Nick, you didn’t go into town to do some shopping?”
He laughed as he sat in the chair Riley had vacated. “No, not my thing, I’m afraid.”
A waitress appeared, clearing Riley’s plate and leaving a fresh mug for Nick, which he promptly filled.
“Looks like you’re having a little trouble with your lady,” he said, gesturing to the door Riley had stormed through on her way out.
“She’s not my lady.” I forced myself to take a bite of toast, which went down like sand. “Not anymore.”
“Ah, then she was?” he asked, taking a sip of coffee.
“Yeah, for a long time.” I chewed slowly, trying to force the food down my throat before I choked on it. “We, uh, broke up when she met someone else.” I knew it wasn’t fair to make it sound like it was all her fault. We’d broken up long before she met the doctor.
“Sorry to hear that.” He leaned back, holding his mug in one hand as he regarded me thoughtfully. “Now why would she leave you for someone else, do you suppose?”
I barely knew this old guy, yet he was getting all up in my business. What the hell? “She, uh, didn’t exactly leave me.” Had any other stranger pried like this, I would have told him to get lost, but out of respect for Jaci, I indulged him. “We’d already broken up, but we were still kind of seeing each other.”
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