by K. C. Crowne
“What’s your dad do for a living?”
Her eyes narrowed. I thought she might not answer, but she eventually sighed and muttered, “He works in the casino industry.”
“I suppose that makes sense. What’s he do?”
“What’s it matter?” she snapped back.
I was taken aback by her response and glanced at her. She adjusted in her seat as if trying to get comfortable but struggling to do so.
“It doesn’t. It was just a question. I’m trying to make conversation to ease the tension, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry,” she said with another sigh. She turned back to the window. “I just don’t like talking about my dad too much. We don’t have the best relationship.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “I’ll stop asking about him.”
I’d rather talk about you, I thought to myself. But I kept that to myself. Emmy was clearly not in the mood for flirtatious gestures.
“I appreciate it, Graham,” she said softly. “I’d really rather not talk about my past at all.”
I heard the sadness in her voice, and it struck a chord deep within me. I wanted nothing more than to find out what was hurting her and to fix it – even though I knew it wasn’t always possible to fix everything. Especially when it came to past hurts and family.
We pulled onto the road leading to my house. We had to cross another bridge to get there, and as we did, I made a note of the water rising higher. It wasn’t flooded, and it was perfectly safe to cross, for now at least. Emmy gasped as we drove across, likely remembering how she came close to dying only hours before.
“It’s okay, the water isn’t high enough to wash it out,” I reassured her.
She nodded and choked out the word good just as we got across it. It was a short bridge, thankfully so. And from there, only a few more minutes until we’d reach our cabin. It was coming up on dinner time, and I knew my mother was planning on making her famous meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I looked forward to getting out of the rain and hoped Emmy would find some comfort with my family.
I parked near the porch, giving Emmy a quick shot to the front door. I glanced at her and asked, “Ready to make a run for it?”
She offered a small smile. “I don’t think we have much of a choice, do we?”
“Not unless you want to wait out the storm in the truck, and from the looks of it, this rain isn’t going to let up anytime soon.”
She nodded. “On the count of three then?”
“One...two…” I reached for the door handle. “Three!”
Her door opened at the same time and we both ran toward the front door. We had to slow down for the steps to the porch, but as soon as we made it to the top, the awning covered us and protected us from the rain.
“Cute place,” she said, looking around.
“Yeah, I think it’s pretty cozy,” I said. “Before we go inside, I just want to let you know that I live with my three brothers and our mom is currently visiting, so it’s a bit crowded.”
“That’s fine. It’s only for one night, and I promise to be out of your hair.”
“Stop saying that, Emmy. You’re not a problem at all.”
I opened the door and was hit with the warmth from the fire and the smell of Mom’s cooking. I let out a satisfied sigh as I closed the door, shutting out the rain and cold. There was nothing more comforting than being inside a warm house during a thunderstorm.
“Thank goodness you’re here, Graham,” Mom called from the kitchen. “Dinner is almost ready and—” She popped her head into the living room and stopped talking when she saw Emmy. Mom smiled brightly at me and stepped into the room, wiping her hands on her apron. “And who do we have here?”
“Ma, this is Emmy. She’s a, um, a friend of mine,” I said. “Emmy, this is my mom.”
“Please, call me, Lillian, dear,” my mother said, offering Emmy her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lillian.”
Mom continued giving me a sideways glance, and I knew what that look meant. In all the years I’d been alive, I had never brought a woman home to meet my mama.
“It’s nice to meet you, darlin’. Goodness, you’re soaking wet, you must be so cold. Graham, be a saint and grab this girl something dry and warm to wear, will ya?”
“Of course,” I said, heading for the stairs. I shot a look at Emmy, making sure she was okay being alone with my mother. My mama was a typical Southern woman with kindness and grace, but she could be a bit overwhelming sometimes.
Emmy was smiling widely and looked content, so I ran up to my room. I dug around for whatever I could find. Anything of mine would be way too big for her, but I settled on a sweatshirt that would probably swallow her alive. I had to admit, she would look cute as hell in it, though.
When I came back downstairs, sweatshirt in tow, Emmy was surrounded by my brothers as well.
“I see you’ve met the whole crew,” I laughed.
“Your mama was just starting the introductions,” Emmy said.
“Well let me take it from here,” I intervened. “This here is my twin brother, Samuel. Don’t let him lie to you, I’m actually the older one.”
“By two minutes,” Samuel said with a grin. “And we’re not identical, obviously. I’m the better looking one.”
“I can certainly see the resemblance,” Emmy laughed.
Samuel and I were a lot alike. We were both big men with broad shoulders, dark hair, and a beard. But that pretty much summed up all my brothers. Samuel was about an inch shorter than me, if that. His hair was cut short to his head, even shorter than mine. Except for his nose being a little crooked from a high school fight and a tiny birthmark above his lip, we looked almost exactly alike.
“And this is Doc.”
“You can call me Mason,” my brother said with a smile.
“Why do they call you Doc?” Emmy asked curiously.
“Because he’s a doctor. Or rather, an ex-medic with the military,” I explained.
Mason was slightly shorter than Samuel and me, but what he lacked in height, he made up for in his build. He was built like a linebacker. His hair was grown out but styled neatly and a shade darker than Sam and me, closer to black.
“And finally, meet Eli,” I said, gesturing to the last man in the room. “The youngest Harvey brother.”
“Previously the youngest,” Eli added, shaking Emmy’s hand. “And it’s a pleasure to meet you, darlin’.”
“Previously?” Emmy asked, casting him a questioning look.
“Yeah, it’s a long story, but we recently found out we have another younger brother we didn’t previously know about. He lives here. That’s why we’re here,” Eli explained.
Eli was the wildest of the Harvey clan. A partier and a playboy who swore he’d never settle down. I saw the way he looked at Emmy, and without intending to, I let out a low growl. Both Eli and Emmy looked at me. I stared at my brother, my meaning clear: Stay away from her. She’s mine.
Eli chuckled. “Alright, got it. I’ll back off.”
Emmy’s cheeks flushed and she hugged her arms against her chest, and I remembered the sweatshirt. I lifted it towards her.
“Oh yeah, here you go. Slip into this to warm up,” I said, speaking softly to her.
“Thank you,” she said. “Can you point me in the direction of a bathroom?”
“Right this way,” I said, placing my hand on the small of her back as I led her to the hall bathroom. I glanced over at my shoulder and caught Eli watching her ass as she walked. I shot him a murderous look. He smirked at me but turned away.
Emilia
The dining room table was a bit cramped as we all gathered around for dinner. They’d pulled an extra seat for me next to Graham. I was on the end across from their mother, who started passing around a bowl of mashed potatoes as soon as I took my seat. Everyone was talking, and the room was a bit loud - but it was a happy sound. I enjoyed the laughter and the chatter of a full home, and it brought a smile to
my face.
“So you all live here, right?” I asked Graham.
“My brothers and I do, but Ma is just visiting,” he said. A grin spread across his face. “We keep trying to convince her to move here, but we’re not having any luck.”
His mother stopped him. “I have my life in Tennessee. My church, my sisters and brothers, everything is there. I’m too old to leave everything behind.”
Graham shrugged. “She’s as stubborn as the rest of us.”
“I can understand, though,” I offered. “I mean, I never wanted to leave Liberty. When a place feels like home to you, it’s hard to pack up and go.”
Lillian smiled at me and said, “See, now there’s someone who understands the concept of home. I knew I would like you, Emmy.”
Lillian passed around the meatloaf next. I hadn’t had meatloaf since I was a little girl, and as soon as the dish was in my hands, the scent of it made my stomach growl.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a real, home cooked meal,” I revealed.
“Oh, why’s that, dear?” Lillian asked.
“My dad raised me alone, and he’s too busy. Plus, he’s not much of a cook.”
I left out the part about us having a chef the last few years. The problem with him was he always tried to make the fanciest of dishes for us, most of them too fancy for my tastes. It often felt like going to a restaurant rather than eating at home. Until I was there, at a table with all of them, I didn’t even realize how much I missed this type of family meal. One made with love, and not simply to showcase your skills with exotic spices and new cooking techniques.
I took a bite of the meatloaf and my eyes nearly rolled back into my head. I didn’t even know what I’d been missing all these years; I’d always assumed meatloaf couldn’t possibly be that good.
“Like it?” Lillian asked from across the table.
“Oh my God, I love it,” I moaned.
“I’ll have to share the recipe with you,” Lillian said as she took a bite.
“I’d love that.”
“Ma, you don’t just give out family recipes,” Samuel said from beside her.
“I do when the person is worthy,” she said with a wink.
We shared a look, and it was almost like she somehow knew, but she couldn’t possibly know I was pregnant with her grandchild. But there was something in that look. She seemed to think I was with Graham.
I looked at him, wondering if I should say something, but he didn’t seem to notice. I decided to let the comment slide.
Mason and Samuel were talking about a shed they were building, while Eli was talking to his mother and making plans for her travel back to Tennessee. Everything just felt so perfect. This family loved each other, they looked out for each other. I hadn’t experienced anything like it since my mother died, and while I was happy to be part of it, I was sad that this was the closest I’d probably ever get to a normal family life.
I placed a hand on my belly without thinking, as if I could communicate with the child growing inside me. I made a mental promise to him or her that I would do everything in my power to give them this kind of life. It might just be the two of us, but we could be close. I’d take care of that baby, love him or her unconditionally and cook meatloaf and grilled cheese sandwiches, and we’d sit down to eat dinner together every night. Most of all, I’d be there for my child - to make sure he or she felt loved and would always come first to me.
“So, what do you do, Emmy?” Lillian asked, interrupting my thoughts.
“I’m a student,” I said softly, then corrected myself. “Well, I’m currently out of school, but I’m hoping to start a master’s program next fall.”
“What are you studying?” Mason asked.
“My undergraduate degree is in psychology, and I’m looking into programs to become a therapist,” I said.
“That’s very impressive, dear,” Lillian complimented, waving her fork playfully at me. “See, I knew you were smart the moment I laid eyes on you. You’re definitely more than a pretty face, and I can see why Graham likes you.”
My cheeks burned and I averted my gaze for a second. “Thank you.”
I didn’t want to break the news to her that I wasn’t dating her son. I glanced at Graham again, and our eyes met. He did like me; I could see it in his eyes. He stared at me with such admiration that I felt guilty for ever thinking he might be only interested in one thing. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy with a stable family life, someone I could see myself dating if the circumstances were different.
I knew I would end up hurting us both if I entertained such thoughts, however, so I turned my attention back to my dinner.
Once the meal was over, the guys started collecting the dishes.
“Your turn on dish duty tonight, Eli,” Mason said.
Eli gathered the plates with a sigh but didn’t argue. It was nice seeing a bunch of grown men helping around the house. I imagined my father was the kind of man who expected his wife to handle all the cooking and cleaning while he sat in front of the television.
“I can help,” I offered, standing up with my plate in hand.
“No way,” Eli said, taking my plate with a grin.
He headed to the kitchen, and the rest of the family made their way out of the dining room, leaving just Graham, Lillian, and me.
“I think I’m going to retire to my room. I have a long day of traveling tomorrow,” Lillian announced, placing both hands on the table to rise. “But it’s been a pleasure meeting you, Emmy. I hope you’ll stay for breakfast before I head out tomorrow afternoon.”
“I—” I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to get this woman’s hopes up that I would stick around, that I was dating her son, but a part of me wanted to stay and have a family breakfast with them. “I’ll see what I can do. It’s been a pleasure to meet you too, Lillian.”
She left the dining room, leaving Graham and me alone. I was exhausted from everything that had happened that day even though it wasn’t that late.
“So we have a full house, as you can see,” Graham commented thoughtfully. “You’ll take my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch down here. Follow me, I’ll show you to my room.”
I followed him, trying my damnedest not to stare at his ass as he walked to the staircase. Graham had told me he wasn’t a stripper, which I now believed. But seeing his tight ass, I could see why someone might make such a mistake. He had the body and the rugged good looks to pull it off - and he had. I still thought about the way he’d stripped off his clothes. And then later, the way he looked in my hotel room, naked and all mine. And the way he felt when I…
We reached the top of the stairs, and I was breathless, not from the stairs, but from remembering the body-shaking orgasms he’d given to me.
He turned and glanced at me, cocking an eyebrow. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, my cheeks burning red.
“Not feeling light-headed or anything, are you?”
“No, not light-headed,” I assured him, adding in my head, at least not from the stairs or the accident earlier. Because I was feeling a little lightheaded from being this close to him again. “I do have a question though.”
“Shoot.”
“Why did you strip if you’re not a stripper?”
He looked sheepish for a quick second. “I didn’t want to leave. If I had to take my clothes off to get you to let me stay that night, it was a small price to pay.”
I blushed furiously. He smiled at me and turned to continue on to his room.
We walked to the end of the hallway and entered a room on the right. The place was pretty cozy with a hand carved wooden bed frame up against the wall draped with a forest green duvet. A dresser on one wall with some shirts folded on top. A desk on another with some paperwork alongside a laptop computer. With no photos on the wall or anything, it felt fairly bare and incomplete.
“We’re only staying here until we figure out a more permanent place,” he said, as if
reading my mind. “This is only a temporary rental.”
“What are your plans?” I asked.
“We’re thinking of buying some land and building a few cabins for ourselves,” he said. “Trying to talk Ma into joining us, but you see how that went.”
“Have you all always been close?”
He nodded. “Yeah,” he answered, then furrowed his brow. “It was hard leaving our mom behind, but she’s encouraged us to set up out here. We have family out here we never got to know, and she wants us to strengthen those bonds.”
“She’s a good woman,” I said.
“That she is.”
I met Graham’s gaze, and neither of us spoke for a few moments. I got lost in the fantasy, thinking I could tell him about the baby and we could be a family. I pictured us having a property, a home of our own beside his brothers. His mom would be delighted to have a grandbaby, that I was sure about. I could see her visiting often. All of us around a giant family table, laughing and smiling. My child deserved that kind of life, with a family that cared for him or her.
I hadn’t realized I was leaning into Graham, and he was lowering himself closer to me. Our lips were so close. My phone buzzed in my purse, taking me by surprise and pulling me back to the here and now.
“Let me check on that,” I muttered, pulling away.
I dug around in my bag until I found my phone. The message that popped up on the screen filled my veins with ice water.
You can’t run from me, Emilia. You’re mine, and I will find you and make you my wife. Nothing and no one will stop us from being together.
“Is everything alright?” Graham asked.
My knees went weak, and I had to sit down on the bed. “Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine,” I lied.
“You don’t look fine,” he said, taking a seat next to me.
I turned off my ringer and hurried to put it back in my purse while trying to keep my composure. “It’s just family stuff,” I said. Which wasn’t a complete lie.