by MJ Masucci
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you to watch for that,” Brooke said as she took Savannah back into her arms.
Everyone was cordial to Xander, which made Ava breathe a sigh of relief. Ever since he came back into her life, Michael was aloof when he was around. But today he shook his hand, and they even hugged. Walter suggested they throw the football around outside and maybe play a game of touch. He managed to talk David into joining them. He narrowed his eyes at Xander then followed Michael out the back door.
Though it was chilly, Ava decided to escape the crowd and sit on the back porch. She watched as the men played touch football and it looked like everyone was having fun until David tackled Xander, landing on top of him. He pushed him off, and she saw David hit him in the mouth with his elbow. Xander lunged at him as blood trickled from a cut on his lip. Walter was fast enough to hold Xander back while Michael held onto David.
“You don’t fucking deserve her,” David screamed as he struggled against Michael’s grip.
“She made her choice. I didn’t force her.” Xander wrenched out of Walter’s grip as Ava ran down the stairs to distract him back to the house.
“Fucking asshole. I knew this was a bad idea,” he said.
She followed him inside as the other three men looked after them. In the bathroom on the first floor, Ava cleaned the cut at the corner of his mouth. It was small, but it had bled enough to drip onto his shirt.
“I told you that he wants you.”
“I’m sorry this happened. We shouldn’t have come here.”
“Sweetheart, you can’t avoid your family because your stepbrother wants to fuck you. It’s his problem, and he needs to get over you.”
“I doubt it’s just that he wants to have sex with me. It’s more. He wants all of me and not just in his bed.”
“I don’t want to discuss it. I feel like going out there and announcing we’ve married already. This is making me crazy, keeping quiet.”
“I’ve thought about it, too. We can’t because it will destroy the holiday for everyone.”
Xander screwed his face up in pain, “Do you know how that makes me feel when you say that? Like them finding out we are married is so devastating it will wreck everyone’s good time?”
“I didn’t mean it like that, and you know it. Don’t start an argument.”
He pushed past her, “I’m going for a walk, alone.”
She cleaned the bathroom and went to find a book to read in the library. She didn’t want to be near anyone, looking through the shelves, she found an old copy of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” It had been ages since she read it and she plopped down on the large leather couch. Her concentration was so intent that she didn’t hear Brooke come into the room.
“Walter told me what happened outside. Does this have to do with what you told me about in September?”
“Yes. David can’t let me go. It was one time.”
“He talks about you non-stop when you aren’t here. He loves you, and I don’t mean in a brotherly sort of way.”
“I know he does, but I love Xander. It amazes me that he talks about me all the time. He has not a word for me when I’m here.”
“He’s hurt, and he feels rejected.”
“Well, I can’t change his feelings. I want my friend back, not this jerk who can’t get over his jealousy of my husband.”
“Your husband?”
“My soon-to-be husband.” Ava looked down at her hands and began to pick at her nails.
Brooke put her hand under her chin, “Look at me.”
Ava swung her green eyes to meet her sister’s blue ones.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
“No.”
“I know you. The minute you’re nervous, you pick your nails and look at your hands. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. You’re so suspicious.”
“I just know you. Why would you say Xander’s your husband when he’s your fiancé?”
“It was a slip of the tongue. In a few short months, we will be married.”
Xander had returned from his walk and came into the library to talk to Ava. Brooke quickly blurted out, “So how was the wedding.”
His jaw dropped, and he stared at his wife, “You told her?”
“No, she didn’t. You just did.”
“Fuck! Brooke, you can’t tell anyone. Please!”
“I’m not going to tell anyone, but I do want details.”
They sat down with her and in low tones, told her the story of how they became man and wife. Brooke thought it was romantic that they went to Key West and got married.
“I wish I was there.”
Ava hugged her sister, “I wish you were, too. But you will be there for our ceremony. You should see the dress that Rachel is making me; it’s gorgeous.”
They all got up when they heard Felice calling everyone for dinner, and Xander ran upstairs to change his shirt quickly before other family members saw the results of David’s elbow. The table was set with linens, china, and silverware. A beautiful vase of festive flowers sat in the middle of the table as a centerpiece. Ava caught David watching her from the corner of his eye the entire meal. She watched him intently, willing him to look up at her but he avoided her eyes.
That night in bed, she decided not to wait for Xander to come to her. She wanted to make love but didn’t want to be in the room next to David. She crept out of her room and went across to Xander’s. The light was on, and when she opened the door, he was sitting in bed reading “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
He smiled at her, “I hope you don’t mind that I’m reading this.”
“Not at all. It was one of my favorite books when I was a child.”
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to sleep in the same bed tonight.”
“Why? Because of what happened this afternoon?”
“Well, yes, that and you told Brooke.”
“Ah, technically you told Brooke. She isn’t going to tell anybody. Remember, she got pregnant before she got married, which means that she was having premarital sex so why shouldn’t I? Especially since there is no danger of me getting pregnant.”
“I know, but your father seems to hold you to a different standard than your siblings. Did he think you would remain a virgin until you married?”
“I’m not sure if he thought or believed that I would.”
“If he only knew.”
They stopped talking when they heard the hallway creak as someone walked past the bedroom.
“Do you want to sleep in here tonight,” Xander whispered.
“I do. I don’t want to sleep alone.”
He smiled and pulled the covers back for her to slip in next to him. That night they skipped having sex. She wanted to make love but being close to him and breathing in his scent through the night was just as good.
The rest of the holiday weekend went smoothly because David chose to stay at his friend’s house starting Thanksgiving night, though Ava didn’t know when she had gone to Xander’s room. He had given no one reason, but they all assumed that it was related to the fight he had with Xander. When he was questioned, he just said he had plans with that friend.
Unfortunately for Ava, she was dragged by her stepmother and mother-in-law to shop on Black Friday. The stores were a madhouse, and she couldn’t wait to get out of them. She did manage to score some nice deals on a couple of cashmere sweaters for Xander and some silk thigh highs for herself. She had a plan for the thigh highs once they got back to New York.
On the plane home Saturday afternoon, Ava snuggled up to Xander. This time the seat next to them was occupied, and they couldn’t spread out. They made the best of it by trying to nap on the flight, which was complicated since the plane was to capacity. She woke to Xander’s gentle kissing of her neck as the plane taxied down the runway at JFK Airport.
After they had deplaned, Ava went to use the restroom. Stopping in a small shop as he waited for her, Xander paged through a magazine. He got a distinct feelin
g that he was being watched and he scanned the airport but to no avail. He couldn’t see anyone.
The airport was teeming with activity and cabs were plentiful when they got outside. As they got into a cab, a large black sedan came far too close to them, making the driver curse. The car continued, but not before Xander got a look at the man in the passenger seat. He looked very familiar, and he wracked his brain to remember where he had seen him before. Ava, seeing him deep in thought, touched his sleeve to get his attention.
“What’s the matter?”
To not cause his wife concern, he told her nothing. But the encounter nagged at him. Where had he seen that man before?
Two hours later, they settled on the couch in Xander’s apartment.
“I have something to tell you,” Ava said.
“Is it a good something or a bad something?”
“Um, a little of both. I was notified last week that I'd been accepted to the bar.”
“That’s wonderful; I assume that’s the good news. So what’s the bad?” He said as he kissed her.
“I was accepted under my married name. I filed an amendment as soon as I changed it. You know as well as I do that I cannot practice under my maiden name because it’s no longer my legal name.”
“So what’s the issue?”
“I can’t be listed at the firm with my maiden name when I am practicing under Wilder.”
He took a second and then his eyes opened wide, “Oh. Yes, that does present a problem. How are you being paid, though? You didn’t change your name with HR?”
“I didn’t, and the checks are being direct deposited in the one account I left with Keene on it. So we have two alternatives. One, I don’t practice until after we have our ceremony or two, we tell the partners and everyone else.”
Xander ran his hands through his hair and knitted his eyebrows together while she waited for him to agree on a solution. “No question. We reveal we’re married. I don’t want you to postpone your career. You worked hard, and you deserve to start practicing now that your name change is complete.”
“But this is going to cause major problems personally for us. Everyone is going to be upset that we got married and told no one.”
“At this point, we are painted into a corner. Think about it, your Uncle, Jacob, my father, your father and your brother work in the legal field. They’re going to question why you haven’t come forward to ask for your own office and start practicing. What are you going to tell them? That you worked so hard all these years and you aren’t ready?”
“Yes, but…”
“There is no but. We’re going to have to tell them and if they get angry at us, so be it. Frankly, I’m relieved. I want to tell everyone we’re married already.”
Ava started to chew on her bottom lip, and he pulled at it with his index finger to release it from her teeth.
“Stop worrying; we will be fine, and you’ll finally get to work as an attorney.” He grinned widely at the thought.
Unfortunately, she didn’t share her husband’s exuberance. Inside she felt fearful, not of finally becoming an attorney, but of what her family would say when they knew she had hidden the wedding. She couldn’t bear to see the disappointment on their faces that she had gone behind their backs and married without telling them. But then she felt angry; maybe Xander was correct in saying that she was held to a higher standard than her siblings.
“Will you go with me when we tell the partners?”
“Of course I will.” He pulled her into his arms, “Everything is going to be alright, you’ll see. Stop worrying. I have a hankering for Soul Burger. Can we order that for dinner?”
Ava had no appetite in anticipation of what Monday was going to be like when they told the partners, but she agreed. Her stomach was in knots, and when Xander went to place the order, she began chewing her lip and picking at her nails.
“Stop it,” Xander said over her shoulder.
“Stop what?”
“Ava, why are you so worried?”
“I don’t want to disappoint anyone.”
He sat next to her and took her hands in his, “You could never be a disappointment. You’re intelligent, kind, caring, beautiful and sexy as hell. You work hard, and you deserve the career that you will be starting soon. Don’t let this upset you. It’s a time to be happy, and if others are not happy for us, then there is nothing we can do.”
“I just hope you’re right.”
“I know I am; you’ll see.”
But as Xander went to the lobby to get the food, she wasn’t so sure.
Chapter 29
Monday morning had a slow start. First, Ava did not want to get out of bed. Xander came from the bathroom after his shower and rubbed her leg to wake her. Once she was awake, he went to the kitchen to prepare coffee for them both. Rather than get up, she pulled the covers over her head and began dozing. Minutes later he came in to wake her again.
“Come on; it’s almost six.”
“I’m tired.”
“Didn’t you sleep last night?” He knew the answer already. She had tossed and turned most of the night, waking him several times. He had tried to soothe her by taking her in his arms, but she pushed him away, not wanting comfort. His feelings were hurt, but he didn’t let her know; he realized that she was tussling with her own emotions. Instead, he moved over to his side of the bed and faded off to sleep.
“Just a few more minutes and I’ll get up.”
He went into the closet and began to dress. She was still in bed, curled up under the covers when he came out.
“Sweetheart, get up. It’s 6:15. You need to get in the shower.”
“I know. Stop nagging me.”
He took his coffee and went to the kitchen to drink it while he read the sports page of the New York Times.
Eventually, she pulled herself out of bed somewhere around 6:30. In the shower, she leaned under the water and hugged herself. She felt sick to her stomach and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed for the day. But it was time to face the music. They had made a decision to marry without thinking of the future ramifications. Now it was time to face them. She started to feel angry that they would need to defend their actions.
The anger coursed through her veins as she dried herself then got dressed. When she was doing her makeup, Xander came back to the bedroom.
“Whoa, I’ve never seen that ensemble before,” he said as he admired the the navy blue business suit and heels she was wearing.
“I was saving this for my first day as an attorney. I guess today is as good as any day to wear it.”
“You sound angry?”
“I am. I can’t believe we are going to have to defend our marriage.”
“You’re anticipating again. Let’s tell our story and see what happens. I don’t care if they’re upset. We’re adults, and it was our decision.”
“You know your father is going to be pissed.”
“If he is, then he is. He always liked you. When we were apart, and I acted like a stubborn ass, he kept telling me to go to you. Does that sound like someone who is going to be pissed his son married the woman he kept trying to get him to get back with? I doubt it.”
“I feel fierce today.”
“You look fierce. And dare I say that you will have your own office. Do you know what I mean?” He raised his eyebrows.
She chuckled, “I think I get your drift.” She slid the wedding band off the chain that was laying on the shelf, and held it for Xander to put on her finger, then continued to get ready for work.
Xander sat on the bed watching her intently as she was careful with her appearance and applied more makeup than normal. The skirt she was wearing hugged her ass in just the right way, and he felt a stirring in his pants. He had left the room before he made them very late.
At the office, he left Ava sitting at his desk while he went to his father’s office to request a meeting with the partners. He texted her to let her know that they had the partner’s attention in
fifteen minutes in the conference room.
Ava looked at her phone and felt a surge of fear go through her. Now was the time. She began chewing on her lip, messing up the gloss she had applied earlier. Digging in her purse, she took out a compact mirror and put on more with shaking hands.
As she walked to the conference room, she took deep breaths to calm herself. The anxiety had been rising since they had left the apartment this morning. It had gotten worse when they entered the building, enough for her to feel her chest tightening.
Upon entering the room, she saw Xander sitting in one of the chairs. He noticed her face had become crimson.
“Sweetheart, calm down,” he got up from his chair to meet her.
“I’m okay.”
“You’re not,” he said as he placed his hand on her chest to feel her heart pounding hard within. “You’re heart is beating like a rabbit. It’s going to be alright.”
They were startled by the entrance of both Peter and Brian, who progressed to the opposite side of the table.
“So do you want to give us a preview of what this is?” Peter asked.
Xander spoke, “We prefer to wait for Daniel, so we don’t have to repeat it.”
“Very well.”
Xander looked up at his wife and noticed she was looking down at her hands in her lap. He could hear soft clicking and knew that she was picking at her nails. She glanced up at him, and he mouthed “Stop it,” which she did.
Three minutes later, all of the partners were sitting at the table waiting for them to reveal their secret.
Ava cleared her throat, “We, well, I have a dilemma with working as an attorney for the firm.”
“You’re not leaving us are you?” Daniel asked with a look of alarm.
“No, nothing that drastic. I was accepted to the Bar Association last week.”
The partners congratulated her, and her uncle’s face shone with pride.
“However, there’s an issue.” Xander decided to stand behind her chair and give her extra support as well as a position of power to the partners (and his dad).