All Consuming

by Burton, Jaci

  Hannah laughed. “You can always go back on vacation. Or for your first anniversary.”

  “I’m hoping to be pregnant by our first anniversary.”

  “That’s sweet news to my heart,” Laurel said. “Josh and I are so ready for grandbabies.”

  “Aww,” Becks said, chin in her hand. “Babies. I can’t wait for babies. Your babies, that is, Carmen.”

  “Not in any hurry, huh?” Hannah asked.

  “Not in the least. I want to get married, run around the house naked with my husband for a year or two. Then we can talk babies.”

  Laurel gave Becks a smirk.

  “Sorry, Laurel,” Becks said. “Probably too much information.”

  Laurel shrugged. “Hey, I still like running around the house naked with my husband.”

  Hannah laughed.

  “Oh my God, Laurel,” Becks said, laughing. “Now that is too much information.”

  “Hey, can’t I have a sex life, too? I mean, no kids running around my house anymore. What are Josh and I supposed to do around here at night? Watch the news?”

  “What are you all talking about?” Kal asked as he walked in to grab a few beers from the fridge.

  “Your parents’ sex life,” Hannah said.

  “And, I’m out.”

  Eyes wide, Kal made a beeline for the back door, causing all the women to burst into wild laughter.

  “Can I clear a room or what?” Laurel asked.

  “You’re the master at it, ma’am,” Carmen said.

  Laurel shrugged. “Hey, if you can’t embarrass your children, you’re doing parenting wrong.”

  “I’m definitely filing that one away for later,” Hannah said.

  They took their drinks outside and sat at the table on the shaded porch. It was a humid, hot day, and all the guys decided to get into the pool. Carmen fitted Oliver’s cast with the airtight waterproof cover, which fit perfectly, but wasn’t bulky, so he’d have mobility.

  Hannah went over to him. “No roughhousing. No jumping in the pool. You get too rambunctious in the water, I’m pulling you out. Understood?”

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  Josh came over and put his arm around Oliver’s shoulders. “You have four firefighters here. And I have very strict pool rules, which I’ve already told him about. We’ve got this, don’t we, Oliver?”

  “Yes, sir.” Oliver gave Josh a wide smile.

  Hannah could tell Oliver was taking this seriously, so she nodded. “Okay, then. Have fun.”

  She took a seat and picked up her drink, sipping it while she watched Oliver do his best not to jump headfirst into the water. She’d put him in swimming lessons when he was a baby, wanting to make sure he would always be safe in the water. He knew how to swim, plus, Josh was right—her son was surrounded by the best lifeguards she could ever hope for. She didn’t have to worry about him.

  The guys batted a ball around in the pool, and Edgar lay at the edge of the pool and barked until Jackson tossed a tennis ball and the dog went to chase it.

  Hannah couldn’t imagine a more idyllic Saturday evening.

  “How’s the wedding planning going, Becks?” Hannah asked.

  “Good. Got the venue, the caterer, the cake and the invitations ordered. We decided on a deejay instead of a band, so that’s taken care of. Now I just have to find a dress.”

  “Do you have a certain dress in mind?” Laurel asked.

  Becks shrugged. “I don’t know. Not really. I want to find something I love, but I’ve had no luck so far. I’ve tried on several. None of them feel like the right one.”

  “It can be hard to find a dress,” Carmen said. “It’s more like a feeling you have when you put a dress on that you know it’s your dress. The dress.”

  Becks nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly the problem I’m having. Plus going by myself means I don’t have anyone to offer opinions.”

  “Aww, I’d have gone with you, honey,” Laurel said. “All you had to do was ask.”

  “I didn’t want to bother you.”

  Laurel pinned Becks with a look. “We’re family. Family is never a bother.”

  Becks leaned across the table to squeeze Laurel’s hand. “Thank you.”

  “I’d go, too,” Carmen said. “I’m loaded with opinions.”

  Hannah didn’t want to insinuate herself in a family thing, so she stayed quiet.

  “What about you, Hannah?” Becks asked. “Would you be interested in coming along and offering up your thoughts?”

  She internally squealed with delight. “Are you kidding? I’d love to.”

  “Great.” Becks beamed a smile. “Let’s figure out a day and time that works for everyone.”

  It turned out that tomorrow would be the perfect day that worked for everyone. Even though it was a Sunday, the bridal shops were open, and everyone had the day off, so they made plans to have brunch and then shop.

  “I’m so excited,” Becks said. “Thank you all for agreeing to go with me. There are a few shops I haven’t been to yet, so I hope you don’t mind doing a circuit with me.”

  “We’re excited, too, Becks,” Laurel said. “I’ll bet you decide on a dress tomorrow.”

  “I can’t wait,” Hannah said. “I love dress shopping, even if it isn’t for me.”

  Becks laughed. “Tomorrow is going to be so much fun.”

  They decided to change and get into the pool to cool off. Hannah slid into the water and swam over to Oliver, who was obviously having a blast. Josh had given him some goggles, so he dived to the bottom of the pool searching for the items that Jackson, Rafe and Kal had tossed down there. When he surfaced, he grinned at her.

  “Can we get a pool, Momma?”

  “Maybe someday. When we have a house of our own.”

  “I like swimming.”

  “I can tell. Are you having fun?”

  “Yeah. And I like this bubble over my cast. Carmen said it . . . uh . . . unflates or somethin’. Anyway, we can take it home and I can have it for the shower.”

  “Deflates,” she corrected. “That was very nice of her.”

  “Yeah. I’m gonna go play ball, okay?”

  She smiled. “Sure.”

  Hannah swam over to the side and rested her arms on the edge, enjoying the cool water while she watched some of the group play ball.

  Kal swam over to her. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, why?”

  “Because we’re all playing and you’re over here like you’ve been excluded.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on. Play with us.”

  She laughed. “Okay.”

  They ended up stringing a net and playing a game of water volleyball. Oliver was situated on the shallow end of the pool with Laurel, Josh, Becks and Hannah, while Carmen, Jackson, Rafe and Kal had the deep end.

  It was so much fun Hannah nearly choked down swallows of pool water laughing. The Donovans definitely played a cutthroat game of water volleyball. No one gave an inch, which Hannah liked. And they treated Oliver like a member of the family. Josh even lifted Oliver out of the water so he could spike a ball over the net.

  Jackson shot his father a look. “That’s cheating.”

  “Yeah, show me where in the rule book.”

  They switched up teams midway, and she and Kal ended up on the same team at the deep end of the pool, which meant that Hannah had to tread water while playing. She noticed Kal stayed close to her, even wrapping his arm around her a few times while they switched locations. It seemed as if he found every opportunity to get close to her, to grab her hand or touch her in some way. And he was always smiling at her and asking if she was okay.

  Small gestures, but to her, they meant a lot.

  In the end, Hannah had lost count of which team had won the most games. All she knew for sure was that she was utterly exhausted and needed a drink. They all climbed out of the pool and dried off. Hannah went inside with the women, and they made side dishes while the guys started up the grill and cooked pork chops for dinner.
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br />   Hannah helped with the mashed potatoes, spinach, collard greens and carrots, along with a delicious fruit salad.

  “Kal tells me you don’t eat meat, Hannah,” Laurel said while they sliced tomatoes and mozzarella to make a caprese salad.

  “I’m not a vegetarian. I just don’t eat a lot of meat. I’ll be digging into those pork chops tonight, though. I think I worked up a meaty appetite in the pool.”

  Laurel laughed. “Me, too.”

  Dinner was amazing, and Hannah ate a bit of everything, including a pork chop, which was delicious.

  “You ate meat today,” Kal said. “Does that mean we’ve dragged you over to the carnivore side?”

  “For today you did. I couldn’t resist the pork chops. This barbecue sauce is ridiculous.”

  “You can thank Kal for that,” Josh said. “He made it.”

  She looked at him. “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Spicy,” she said, swiping through a bit of it that remained on her plate. “I like it.”

  He reached under the table to squeeze her thigh. “You’re spicy.”

  She laughed.

  After dinner they wrapped up the leftovers and cleaned the dishes and the kitchen. Hannah made plans to meet up with the women tomorrow morning for brunch, and then, since it was getting late, they said their goodbyes and headed home.

  It didn’t take five minutes on the road before Oliver was asleep, his head resting against one of Kal’s rolled-up jackets.

  “He had a busy day,” she said. “He’ll be out for the rest of the night.”

  Kal grinned. “He had fun today.”

  She sighed and leaned back against the seat. “You have such an amazing family, Kal. All of them. Your parents, your brothers, the women. They’re all just . . . perfect.”

  “I don’t know about perfect. We have our flaws, Hannah. Just like every other family. But they are pretty awesome.”

  “They sure are.”

  He turned the corner, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel. “You know, every damn day I wake up I realize how lucky I was to be adopted by the Donovans.”

  She looked over at him. “I don’t know. I think they were pretty lucky to find you.”

  His fingers stilled. “What?”

  “They’re the lucky ones. Look at you, what an amazing man you’ve become. They must be so proud of you. If Oliver could turn out to be even half the man you are, I would consider myself the luckiest woman in the universe. Parents don’t consider themselves to be life givers. We consider ourselves lucky to be given these gifts of children who constantly surprise and challenge us. You were the gift to them, Kal. You and Jackson and Rafe. They were the lucky ones.”

  He pulled over, parked and leaned over. He cupped her neck and took her mouth in a deep, soul-shattering kiss. When he pulled back, he said, “No one’s ever said that to me. That my parents were lucky to have me. I mean, my parents have, because of course they would. But no one else. Until you.”

  She wound her hand around his wrist. “They should have.”

  The way he looked at her, the deep emotion in his eyes, made her want to hold him, made her want to wrap her body around him and never let go. But her son was in the back seat and she couldn’t. And he knew it, too, because he put the truck back in gear and drove her home.

  He carried Oliver inside, and Hannah took over from there, getting him ready for bed. Her kid was like a zombie, nearly sleepwalking through brushing his teeth and getting into his bed, where he fell straight back to sleep.

  She came back into the living room. “He’s out. Again.”

  Kal nodded. “I’m taking off.”

  She pressed her body against his. “I wish you could stay here.”

  “Me, too.” He kissed her, a long, passionate kiss that left her wanting.

  But then he stepped back and opened the door. “Night, Hannah.”

  She shuddered out a sigh. “Good night.”

  She leaned against the door and watched him walk to his truck. It wasn’t until after he’d pulled down the street and disappeared that she closed and locked the front door.

  Things were getting so complicated between them. And at the same time, becoming all too clear.

  She had feelings. Deep, genuine feelings for Kal.

  That’s what scared her.

  CHAPTER 23

  THERE WAS NOTHING MORE FUN THAN A DAY OUT WITH A group of women Hannah really liked. The fact that one of those women was Kal’s mother made it even more interesting to her.

  They met for brunch at the Alchemist. Laurel had made reservations, so they didn’t have to wait long, and they were seated at a table with an amazing view of the quirky gardens. It was fun, and they all ordered coffee and the Alchemosa with champagne and passion fruit.

  “So, are you ready for the day?” Hannah asked Becks.

  Becks nearly vibrated in her chair. “I am beyond ready to get a dress and check another thing off the list.”

  Carmen laughed. “You have a book with lists, don’t you?”

  “Yes. A ridiculous number of things on said list. Who knew that so much went into getting married? We should have eloped.”

  “Bite your tongue,” Laurel said. “I want weddings for each of my boys.”

  “Just kidding. Mostly.”

  “What was your first wedding like, Hannah?” Carmen asked.

  “Very small. We got married in my parents’ backyard. I wore a short white dress I got on sale at the department store, and I think we had maybe twenty people there. We bought the cake at the local grocery store, and my mom fixed lasagna and salad for dinner. It was very bargain-basement. But I was happy it was over, and then my husband and I moved to Georgia the following week.”

  Becks blinked. “How romantic.”

  “Yeah. Not at all. I was young and eager to get away, but my mom insisted on me having a wedding, so . . .”

  “But just think,” Becks said. “Next time you get married, you can have a big fancy blowout.”

  Hannah laughed and lifted her glass to take a long swallow. “That is never going to happen.”

  “Never say never,” Carmen said. “I swore I’d never get married again. Now look at me. And I had a big ole wedding, too.”

  “Okay, fine. I won’t say never again. But I just can’t see the big fancy dress and a reception and all of that. I mean, I have a kid now.”

  Three sets of eyes stared at her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “So because you have a child that precludes you from a celebration of love? A celebration of two people who love each other, that includes your son becoming part of that family?” Laurel pinned her with a look.

  Hannah opened her mouth to answer, then closed it. “Okay, fine. I can’t speak to the future, because I have no idea what’s in store for me. But no foofy white dresses for me.”

  “I definitely cannot see you in a foofy white dress,” Becks said. “For that matter, I can’t see me in a foofy white dress, either.”

  Carmen took a notepad out of her bag. “No foofy white dress. See? We’re making progress.”

  They all laughed.

  The food was amazing. They all got something different and shared bites, which was delicious, tasty fun.

  After they sat and had a couple more of those amazing mimosas, they paid their bill and headed to the first bridal salon. When they walked in, Hannah could tell from Becks’s wide-eyed look that she was nervous. Hannah hooked her arm into Becks’s.

  “We’re going to conquer the wedding dress demon today. Remember, this time you’re not going into this alone. We’ve got you.”

  Becks smiled. “Right.”

  The first dress Becks tried on was a strapless silk mermaid style and looked amazing on her, showing off her creamy skin and unique tattoos. When she turned around to face them, they were all grinning at her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You look like a bride,” Laurel said.

  “You don’t thi
nk the tattoos are too much?”

  “I think my son loves you and your tattoos. Do you think he’d want you to hide who you are?”

  “Good point, Laurel. And thank you.”

  “How do you feel in the dress?” Carmen asked.

  “Like a summer sausage. How do women dance in these things?”

  Hannah snorted. “Okay, so not that one.”

  Becks tried on two more at that store, but Hannah could tell they weren’t the right style, color or fit for her. Her eyes didn’t sparkle when she came out, so they gathered up and left. At the next store, Becks couldn’t even find a dress she was willing to try on, so they headed to the third store.

  Outside the shop, Becks took a deep breath and let it out. “This is so discouraging.”

  Laurel patted her on the back. “You’ll find the one. If not this store, then we’ll find another.”

  Becks nodded, but Hannah felt her tension as they walked inside.

  A salesperson named Sally met with Becks and sat down with her, asking her what she was looking for.

  “Not too tight, not overdesigned or ball gowns,” Becks said. “Something . . . I don’t know, me.” She sighed. “I’ve tried on a lot of dresses and just haven’t found the right one yet.”

  Sally nodded. “Sometimes it takes a while. How about you wander for a few minutes and see if something sparks your interest?”

  “That sounds good.”

  They all walked the store with Becks. Hannah saw a lot of dresses she liked, but it wasn’t her wedding, and she wasn’t choosing a dress for herself. This was Becks’s day, so she and Carmen stayed a step behind while Laurel talked with her about some of the dresses.

  When Becks stopped at one dress, she looked. She felt. She stared. Hannah could tell that particular dress captured her. And why wouldn’t it? It was a porcelain pink, with tulle and just a touch of lace at the waist. It was elegant but not fussy.

  Sally came over. “Would you like to try this one on?”

  Becks nodded. “Yes, please.”

  “Let’s get you into a dressing room, and I’ll go grab one in your size. Ladies, if you’ll follow me to the seating area.”

  They all took seats near the dressing area.

  “That dress,” Carmen whispered to them, as if afraid to say anything that might jinx it.