Mail Order Stepbrother

by Ward, Kira

  She felt caught in the middle. Not only would this likely cause a rift between Nash and his father, but it could cause trouble between her mother and her new husband, especially when he learned that Amanda had known almost from the beginning. And it was all because of her.

  She couldn’t shake the conviction that this was a mistake.

  “Nash…”

  But it was too late.

  The side door of the limo was wrenched open and a hand reached inside to help her out. Melanie turned once she was on the red carpet and watched the flashes on the many, many cameras around them go off almost all at once as Nash stepped onto the carpet. He immediately reached for her, drawing her tight against his side and whispering, “Smile.”

  She tried, plastering a smile on her face that she hoped looked more genuine than it felt. They made their way slowly, Alyssa and her husband, Robert, not far ahead of them who were, in turn, behind a well-known actor and his model girlfriend. Voices screamed out questions, but Melanie couldn’t really understand one from the other. Nash waved to the crowd held back by ropes and security guards, his name on more lips than Melanie would have imagined. As CEO of Merchand, he was something of a public figure. As the only son of Burton Collins and as handsome as he was, he was something of a celebrity. He had warned Melanie, but this was the first time she was able to witness the full reality

  A reporter being followed around by a burly guy holding a large television camera approached them. “This is Burt Collins, son of the movie producer, Burton Collins. Mr. Collins, have you seen the film yet?”

  Nash smiled at the pretty reporter. “No Susan, I haven’t. But I know from experience that it will likely be worth watching.”

  “You’re not just saying that because your father made the film?” The reporter smiled, a little flirt in her voice.

  “Of course not. I’m not biased in any way.”

  Nash laughed and the reporter joined in. It was then that she seemed to notice Melanie, who was still clinging to Nash’s hand. She seemed a little confused, as though she recognized Melanie but couldn’t remember from where.

  “Who’s your date, Mr. Collins?” she asked. “I’m sure America is dying to know.”

  This was it. Melanie’s heart jumped into her throat even as Nash pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, “It’s going to be okay.” Then he turned to the camera with a big smile and said, “This, Susan, is my beautiful wife, Dr. Melanie Collins.”

  “Wife?” The woman’s eyebrows rose so high that they nearly disappeared in her low hairline. “You’re married?”

  “Yes. For nearly a month now.”

  “How did you manage to keep that secret? You’re one of the most eligible bachelors in the country—“

  “Not anymore.”

  The reporter laughed, but Melanie could see the wheels spinning in her head. But Nash didn’t give her a chance to ask any more questions. Instead, he pulled Melanie away, moving on to the next reporter with the next camera.

  Word spread like wildfire. Melanie could see people pointing at them, leaning over to whisper in each other’s ears. Alyssa turned back several times, a question mark written in the lines on her face. By the time they got to the doors of the theater, word had reached Burton. He was waiting just inside the lobby.

  “What the hell!” he growled as he gestured for them to follow him into a small, side room. Once the doors were closed and the noise of the reporters and the din of the premiere attendees had shut off, he spun on Nash. “What the hell are you doing? Why did you bring her here? And what are you telling those damn reporters?”

  “The truth.”

  “And that is?”

  Nash studied his father’s face for a long moment. “Does it matter what the truth is? Are you going to hear it?”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that you never hear a damn thing I’ve ever said. It means that you’ve never cared about what I want, what I need. It means that I’m tired of letting you walk all over me.”

  “This is not the time or the place for you to have a temper tantrum, Burt.”

  “My name is Nash. My friends have always called me Nash. My wife calls me Nash.”

  “Your wife?” Burton stared at Nash for a long second before his gaze shifted to Melanie. “Was this your idea?”

  Melanie started to speak, but Nash moved between them, pointing a finger at his father’s chest. “This isn’t about her. This is about us.”

  Burton focused on his son again. “Then explain it to me, Nash,” he said, drawing out the syllable of his name until it sounded like a slur. “Tell me what this is all about.”

  “This about you and your narrow focus. It’s about you choosing your ambition over everything else. And it’s about you trying to run my damn life since I was old enough to speak.”

  “I’m your father. I was only trying to protect you, to give you a good life.”

  “By forcing me to watch my mother drink herself to death?”

  A heavy silence fell between them. They stared at each other, neither moving, neither blinking. Burton was the first to turn away, distracted by the sound of Alyssa and Amanda walking into the room. He gestured to them to stay put, keeping them on the other side of the room.

  “I know you’re angry with me,” Burton said slowly, his gaze coming back to Nash. “I know what happened with your mother…it was a difficult situation. And I ran from it for a long time. I thought…” Burton shook his head. “I don’t know what I thought. But your mother had a problem. Nothing I could have done would have changed that.”

  “You weren’t there for her.”

  Burton surprised everyone by nodding in agreement. “You’re right,” he said softly, his voice choked with emotion, “I wasn’t. I screwed up. But I never pretended to be perfect.”

  Nash’s shoulders fell, the tension seeping away. Melanie moved up behind him and ran her hand up his back.

  “Everything I’ve done,” Burton continued, “was for you and your sister, Nash. I wanted you to have it better than I did when I was a kid. I didn’t want you to have to know what poverty is like, what it means to go without.”

  “When does it stop?” Nash asked. “When do you stop controlling us to protect us?”

  Burton shook his head. “I don’t—“

  “You do, Daddy,” Alyssa said from across the room.

  He turned and looked at her, then turned back to Nash. “I gave you an education, a career. How is that controlling you?”

  “It’s not the career I want.” Nash took Melanie’s hand and drew her closer against his side. “I’m giving notice at Merchand. It’s time for me to move on.”

  “And do what?” Burton asked, incredulity in his voice.

  Nash looked down at Melanie and winked. “My wife and I are opening a restaurant.”

  Melanie smiled even as Burton began to protest. But his wife joined them, grabbing his hand and saying, “That’s wonderful, Nash.”

  Burton looked from her to his son. “So, we’re happy about this? We’re happy that he’s giving up a seven-figure income to open a risky business? We’re happy that he’s married to his stepsister and just announced it to the world at large without bothering to tell his father? We’re happy about missing out on the wedding?”

  “Not all of us missed it,” Amanda said quietly.

  Burton immediately pulled away from her, backing up as though running from a wild animal.

  “You’ve all gone insane.”

  Tension flooded Nash’s shoulders again as he turned, frustration flowing from every pore. Amanda’s face tightened, fear and anger snapping at each other in her eyes. Alyssa stayed in her corner across the room, watching to see who would come out on top. Clearly the only one with any common sense left was Melanie.

  “Look,” she said quietly, “we’re a family. We’re a little dysfunctional and we don’t always go about things the way we should, but we are a family. And as a family we have to take ea
ch other for better or for worse because nothing is black and white.” She almost laughed when she realized she was repeating Jack’s words, but they were words that had led her to make the best decision of her life, and she wasn’t about to let anyone disparage that. “I love Nash, and he loves me, and we’re going to have a baby together, so the world is just going to have to accept that. And so are you.”

  Melanie didn’t even realize what she had said until everyone was staring at her. And then Nash grabbed her face between both hands and lifted it so that he was staring right into her hands.

  “Are you serious? You’re pregnant?”

  “Yeah. I took a test last night, then this morning…I was going to tell you later today.”

  “Oh, babe,” he groaned as he began to pepper her face with kisses. And then he laughed. “I’m going to be a dad!”

  “Congratulations,” Alyssa said as she came up behind them. “You’re going to be a great father.”

  Nash laughed again, wrapping his arms around both his sister and Melanie.

  “Congratulations, baby,” Amanda said, hugging her daughter.

  Then they all turned and looked at Burton. He was watching them, his cheeks flaming red, his eyes on the ground. He slowly looked up, moisture in his eyes and his gaze moving slowly over the faces of his children, his stepdaughter, and his wife.

  “Somewhere along the line I forgot what family meant,” he said, his voice low, deeper than before. “But the four of you,” his eyes fell on Melanie for a long second, “you remind me every day. To hell with the press, with careers and money and reputation. This,” he gestured at them, “is all that matters.”

  Amanda held out her hand to him and he moved into their embrace.

  After a moment he stepped back. “However, you will have another wedding so that I can walk this beautiful lady down the aisle and give her away properly.”

  Nash laughed. “I think we can handle that.”

  The End

  I hope you enjoyed this book! If you liked it please leave me a review to let me know what you think. All the best, -Kira

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