by Marie Force
“I don’t deny the idea makes sense. It’s the implementation that worries me. The business is manageable as it is. What’ll it be like if it explodes into something way bigger than we can handle?”
“Then you grow to accommodate the demand. That’s how business works.”
“I know,” Wade said with a sigh. “It’s just that bigger isn’t always better, you know?”
“I get what you’re saying, but I also think it’s exciting to imagine what’s possible.”
“I’m change-averse. I admit it. Most of my siblings are, too. We’re steeped in the tradition of the business our great-grandparents founded in a much simpler time.”
“Which is the reason people are so interested—that simpler time is long gone now, but they can recapture that magic if they come to your country store in Vermont.”
“Is that how you felt when you came to my country store in Vermont?”
“I loved the store. I can’t wait to spend more time there.”
“I’m glad you liked it. I told my brother Hunter, who’s our CFO and personnel manager, to find you a job in the company. If you want one, that is.”
“I’d love to work there.”
“And I’d love to have you there with me. Is there any particular part of it that interests you?”
“Maybe the warehouse.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “It’ll be really interesting to see that come together in concert with the catalog.”
“There’s certainly plenty to do in that area of the business. I’ll let Hunter know that you’re leaning in that direction.” He glanced at her. “Is it weird to be starting a whole new life in a place you’ve never been?”
“It would be if I didn’t have you to guide me through it, but the change is very welcome. My job in Rutland was just that—a job. It wasn’t a challenge or an adventure the way this could be.”
“My dad does keep things challenging, that’s for sure. You’re more than welcome to oversee the introduction of his new intimate line if you want a real challenge.”
Mia laughed. “I’ll leave that to you.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Can I be there when you introduce the line?”
“I wouldn’t be able to focus if you’re there. Besides, the company is sending a rep to do the worst part.”
“What’s the worst part?”
“Demonstrating how they work.” Wade shuddered. “To the grandmothers who make up our sales force.”
Mia’s peals of laughter rang through the truck’s cab. She laughed so hard, she had tears in her eyes. “Can we please, please, please, please declare that Take Your Wife to Work Day? Please?”
“No!”
She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Yes! I need to see that.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Wade chuckled and shook his head. “My wife is totally unmanageable.”
“That’s right, and don’t forget it.” Being able to say anything to him and not fear retribution was the greatest of the many gifts he’d already given her. At some point, she would have to tell him that. But as they arrived at the lake, where numerous trucks and SUVs were already parked at the shoreline, she began to feel nervous about meeting more of his family. What did they really think of her and their spontaneous marriage? She was about to find out.
“Hey,” he said. “You just got really tense. What’s wrong?”
“Lotta cars, lotta people.” The ice was dotted with colorful parkas and bodies in motion.
“I warned you.”
She took a deep breath. “It’s okay. I’m ready.”
“I’ll be right there with you. Nothing to worry about.”
“Stay close, okay?”
“The only place I want to be is close to you, so no problem.”
Mia released a deep breath. With him by her side, she had no reason to be nervous. She got out of the truck and met him in front where he helped her into the warmer coat he had bought for her as well as the hat and gloves. He had black hockey skates tied together slung over his shoulder. As they made their way to the edge of the lake, a man skated toward them, pointing to something on the ground. She looked down to find a pair of skates waiting for her.
He came to a stop, sending a spray of ice into the air that just missed hitting Wade in the face.
“You missed,” Wade said. “This jackass is my brother Hunter, the oldest of us.”
“And the smartest and most handsome, too.”
“He’s a legend in his own mind,” Wade said drolly. “Hunter, this is my wife, Mia. Be nice to her, or I’ll kill you.”
Hunter pulled off his glove to shake her hand. “Good to meet you.”
“You, too,” Mia said.
“Megan had her sister Nina’s skates, so we brought them for you,” he said. “No idea if they’ll fit or not, but you can try them.”
“Thank you.”
A woman skated up behind Hunter and wrapped her arms around him, the forward motion nearly making him fall. He recovered at the last second and slung an arm around the woman, who was laughing.
“This is my wife, Megan, who knocks me off my feet on a regular basis. Megan, this is Mia, our new sister-in-law.”
Megan came off the ice to hug Mia. “Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you,” Mia said, touched by Megan’s warm welcome.
“As a newbie myself, I can give you some pointers on navigating this mob.”
“That would be very welcome.”
Sensing fresh meat, the others began making their way over to say hello to her. She met Wade’s brother Colton and his fiancée, Lucy.
“You met her sister, Emma, yesterday,” Wade said. “She’s engaged to Grayson. And their dad is Ray, who we met at Aunt Hannah’s.”
Mia’s head spun as she tried to keep up. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” Colton said. “Way to keep secrets, bro.”
Before Wade could respond, Lucy smacked Colton. “You said you weren’t going to do that.”
Ignoring Colton, Wade said, “These two morons are Lucas and Landon.”
Both young men said hello and kissed the back of her hand as she looked from one to the other and then back to Wade. The only difference between them was the beard one of them sported. Lucas. Or was it Landon?
“Identical twins,” he said, “and total fools. Get your hands off my wife.”
“That’s not nice,” the one with the beard said.
“But it’s true,” Wade said. “Now go away so I can introduce Mia to everyone else.”
They took off in a sprint that sent them flying across the ice at breakneck speed.
“Watch out for them,” Wade said. “They’ll try to steal you away from me.”
“Not possible.”
Smiling, he gestured for her to have a seat on one of three overturned milk crates and helped her tie the skates Megan had brought for her. “How do they fit?”
“They’re a little big, but they’ll work.”
Wade sat on the milk crate next to hers to put on his own skates. “Good. We’re sold out of them in the store this time of year, or I would’ve gotten you your own.”
“I have some. I put them on the list for the officers who are getting my stuff.” She looked out on the happy, laughing group on the ice. “Do you think they’ve told Brody yet that I married you?”
“I hope so.”
Imagining his rage had her cringing, even though she was nowhere near him.
“Hey.”
Mia looked at Wade, who nodded toward the cop car parked a discreet distance from them. “He can’t touch you in any way. Nothing to worry about.”
“Old habits die hard.”
“I know, but he’ll have to get through me and everyone else,” he said, gesturing to the people on the ice, “to get to you, and that’s not going to happen. The Abbott family makes for a formidable wall when push comes to shove.”
“They don’t even
know me.”
“Doesn’t matter. They’d do it for me.”
“You’re so lucky to have them.”
“I didn’t always think so, but the older I get, the more I realize how lucky I am, especially when I encounter people who are so alone in the world.”
“Being somewhat alone in the world never bothered me too much, until Brody started to isolate me from the people who’d become like family to me.”
“You should reach out to them now that you’re free of him.”
“They’ve probably forgotten me.”
“Doubtful. You’re unforgettable.”
“I stopped taking their calls, and after a while, they stopped calling. They’re probably mad.”
“Maybe, but if you explain to them that you couldn’t take their calls because you were in an abusive relationship, they’ll understand.”
“Sometimes I wonder what was wrong with me that I let it go on as long as I did.”
“There was nothing wrong with you, Mia. He had you terrorized and under his thumb. That’s on him, not you.”
“Still… I let that happen.”
He put his arm around her and kissed her. “We’re going to talk more about this when we get home. Right now, we’re going to have some fun, okay?”
She nodded, forcing a smile for his benefit. The darkness wouldn’t recede overnight. It would take time and patience and determination, but she would get past it. With him by her side, she felt that anything was possible.
Chapter 13
“There is only one happiness in life,
to love and be loved.”
—George Sand
Wade lent Mia a hand and led her onto the ice, tamping down the rage he felt at hearing her blame herself for what that douchebag Brody had done to her. His rage was entirely directed at the man who’d terrorized her, and he forced himself to get it under control because Mia had seen and experienced enough rage to last her a lifetime. Skating backward, he held both her hands as they glided onto ice that had been cleared of snow by the others. Wade had skated here hundreds of times, but never with the woman he loved.
Everything he did with her, even if it was something he’d done many times before, felt new and exciting because she was there to experience it with him.
Will skated over and came to a stop a few feet from them.
“Mia, meet my brother Will.”
“Wow, he looks like you,” she said, as people often did. “Even more so than Max.”
“He looks like me,” Will said. “I’m the older and wiser brother, and it’s nice to meet the woman everyone is talking about. In a good way, of course.”
“Of course,” Wade said drolly.
Will laughed. “It’s all good, bro. I swear.”
“Where’s your much better half today?”
“No skating while pregnant,” he said. “She’s over at Mom’s making food for after and helping with Caden so Max can skate.” Will gestured to their youngest brother, who was off by himself on the far side of the lake.
“Didn’t see him over there,” Wade said. “What’s he doing?”
“Not sure. He’s been over there awhile. I’ll go check on him.”
Will took off, and another couple approached them.
“Incoming,” Wade muttered, trying to prepare Mia to meet his sister Charley.
“What?”
“You’ll see.” The couple came to a stop in front of Wade and Mia. “Charlotte.”
“Wade.”
“This is my wife, Mia. Mia, my sister Charley and her boyfriend, Tyler, who is a saint among men for taking her on.”
“Whatever,” Charley said. “He’s the luckiest man in Butler.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Wade replied, smiling at Mia.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Mia,” Charley said, shaking her hand. “And congratulations on your marriage. Everyone thought the story of the year would be me finally getting a man who could handle me, but Wade scooped us all.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “It’s the quiet ones you have to look out for.”
“Is he quiet?” Mia asked, glancing at Wade. “I haven’t noticed that.”
Charley’s mouth fell open. “You mean he’s not closed off and remote with you like he is with the rest of us?”
“Not even kinda,” Mia said, grinning.
That smile… God, he was crazy about her. And watching her hold her own against his formidable family made him so damned proud of her.
“Wow,” Charley said, giving Mia an admiring look. “You’ve done what no one else has ever been able to do—crack the Wade code.”
“I don’t know that I’ve fully cracked the code, but I’m having fun trying.”
Charley laughed. “I like her.”
“So do I,” Wade said.
“Congratulations, you guys,” Tyler said. “On your marriage and on Charley liking you, Mia. That’s a hard like to come by. I ought to know.”
She elbowed him in the belly. “You be quiet. He had to like me after he pushed me off a mountain.”
“That is so not what happened,” Tyler said in a long-suffering tone.
“That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”
“This I need to hear.”
Tyler extended his arm to Mia. “Come with me, and I’ll tell you the real story.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” She took his arm and skated off with him.
“Wade,” Charley said, hugging him. “I couldn’t be happier for you.”
“Thanks, Charl. I’m pretty damned happy myself, even if the circumstances aren’t ideal. Who cares, if it means I get her?”
“Well, we care, and I won’t lie to you. We’re concerned about what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
“Don’t be.” Wade fixed his gaze on Mia, who was laughing at something Tyler said. “I’ve gotten myself into the best thing to ever happen to me, and I’m going to make it work, no matter what it takes.”
Charley rested her hand on her heart. “Look at you. I barely recognize you.”
Wade smiled. “This is the me I was always meant to be. I’ve been crazy about her since the first time I met her almost two years ago.”
“And you never said a word.”
“Hannah and Ella knew. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“Don’t be. I know what it’s like to want a little privacy in this family. It’s hard to come by.”
“Yes, and this was such a bizarre situation that I didn’t want people to know. Mostly because I was convinced nothing would ever come of it. And now…”
“Now you’re married to her.”
“I still can’t believe it.”
A shriek from behind him had Wade spinning just in time for his cousin Izzy Coleman to hug him. “Holy crap! Someone has been keeping some big secrets!”
Wade managed to remain standing, but just barely. “Christ, woman. You nearly flattened me.”
Izzy laughed. “Where is she?” As always, her camera was slung diagonally across her body, always ready to capture the moment.
“Charley’s fiancé took off with her.”
“Go get her back. I want to meet her.”
“Hang on.” Wade skated over to where Mia was now surrounded by Tyler, Will, Lucas, Landon, Max and Hunter. He pushed his way between Will and Lucas. “Show’s over, boys.” He took her by the hand and led her away from them. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. They were fine. Very respectful.”
“You’re talking about my brothers? Respectful? No way.”
“They were,” she said, laughing.
Wade skated backward, towing her along with him as he brought her to meet Izzy. “This is my cousin, Isabella Coleman. We call her Izzy.”
“I love your work,” Mia said.
“Thank you so much.”
“I have your photos in my house. Or, well, I did. Where I used to live.”
“I’ll get you some new ones for Wade’s place. Your pick.”
&nb
sp; “That would be great, thank you. I love them.”
“Come by the studio, and we’ll make that happen.”
“Thanks, Iz,” Wade said.
“No problem.”
“Wade,” Landon called. “We’re going to race. Come on.”
“I’ll sit this one out.”
“Go ahead,” Mia said. “If you want to…”
“I almost always win,” Wade said. “I hate to embarrass them in front of their new sister-in-law.”
Izzy laughed. “You’ll soon find out there’s no shortage of ego in this family.”
“It’s not ego if it’s true,” Wade said.
“This I need to see,” Mia said. “Go get ’em, tiger.”
“I’ll do it for you,” Wade said solemnly.
Mia grasped the front of his jacket and laid a hot kiss on him. “Win for me.”
He groaned. “Don’t do that. You’re making my legs weak.”
“Come on, lover boy,” Lucas called from about a hundred yards away. “Put your money where your mouth is.”
“I’d like to put my mouth somewhere else,” he muttered to Mia.
Her face turned bright red—and not from the cold. She gave him a push that sent him in the direction of his brothers.
“Make sure you’re watching,” he said, skating backward. “It’ll happen fast, and you don't want to miss it.”
“I’ll be watching,” Mia said.
“They’re always like this,” Izzy said. “Super competitive. I remember them arguing over who could climb the highest—always Landon. Ski the fastest—always Will. Run the fastest—almost always Wade. Drink the most—always Lucas. The competitions never end when there are seven boys in a family.”
“Was your family like that, too?” Mia asked.
“Not quite as bad as the Abbotts. There’s a big age difference between my older brothers and the younger ones. Grayson and Noah were always trying to one-up each other, though.”
“I was an only child, so families like yours are somewhat fascinating to me.”
“Cameron was like that when she first came around,” Charley said. “Endlessly curious about the family dynamics.”