Terms + Conditions (Strangers #3)

Chapter Forty-One

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

THEN

July 2024

IT’S BEEN A LITTLE over a week since our fight about Wichita. Thursday night was the first time I’d seen my wife since she slammed the guest room door in my face and told me to go fuck myself last Friday. Did I deserve it? Probably. That didn’t make it sting any less. I had hoped we could have at least talked about what happened, but I get the feeling that won’t happen any time soon.

On Thursday night, we’d had dinner at Mom and Dad’s because Michaela came home for the first time in almost two years. When I got home from work that day, Elizabeth stood in the kitchen, flipping through the mail. That’s how I knew she was still alive inside that room. Every day, I’d bring her mail in from the box and set it on the counter; the next day, it would be gone. “We need to be there at six-thirty,” she’d said, passing a few envelopes my way and leaving without a second glance.

She’d kept herself preoccupied this weekend between that dinner and today, Sunday. She wasn’t home, and I’m not sure where she went, but I woke up Friday morning to an empty house, and it stayed that way until eight o’clock this morning when I heard the garage door open. She had no choice but to come back today because we’re hosting Uncle Jim and Dad’s birthday party. The family has no idea Elizabeth and I are on the outs, so we have no choice but to pretend to be happy with one another.

“You need anything?” I ask, walking into the kitchen.

Elizabeth busies herself, setting out the food for the party. Normally, she’d make everything herself, but today, she chose to have it catered by The Gathering Place, a local restaurant in Winchester, citing a busy schedule. Whether that was true or not, I don’t know, but it was an excuse no one in the family would question. Neither Dad nor Uncle Jim seemed to mind the change, but they still requested I make a few burgers—just in case. They were simple men who didn’t always like all that “fancy shit at these restaurants nowadays.” At least that’s what Dad said a few years ago.

Without the need to prepare the rest of the meal, I felt like a useless lump most of the day. I was used to running around like a headless chicken, putting the finishing touches on things and completing her last-minute requests, but there was none of that today, and it felt…wrong.

“Nope,” Elizabeth says without looking.

This is awkward. We’ve had our fair share of needing to put on a brave face in front of the family, but I think this might be the hardest time yet.

I should apologize. Start paving the road toward a more friendly cohabitation for the rest of our marriage. Stepping up to the island, I try to start the conversation, but I’m interrupted.

“It smells amazing in here,” Nina says, walking in from the foyer hall, dressed more for a board meeting than a casual family birthday party: high-waisted navy-blue dress pants, a cream satin camisole, a tan blazer, and leopard print heels. “I’m so glad you went with GP; I've been craving the lamb meatballs.”

She swoons over the food Elizabeth has already set out and gingerly lifts the lid on another container, searching for said meatballs.

I can almost guarantee Nina and Elizabeth kept the restaurant in business for the first two years it was open. They used to go there for two meals a day sometimes—especially Nina, whose office is only a few blocks away.

“Damn, dressed to impress, Nin?” Elizabeth pokes fun at her outfit.

“I just got done with a client. Sue me.” Nina’s gaze finally finds me across the kitchen, and the corners of her mouth lift slightly before she diverts her attention to the food on the counter. “Anything I can do?”

I don’t even get a hello or a hug?

“No, I don’t—Shit! They didn’t give me the potatoes.” Elizabeth groans and searches for the receipt. “I don’t have time to go and get them, can you—”

“I got it,” I say, and for the first time all day, Elizabeth looks at me.

Reaching for the receipt in her hand, I let my fingers graze hers. I’m surprised when she doesn’t pull away from my touch, but her fingers remain in the same place under my hold. “You guys can finish up around here. I’ll just be in the way.”

Elizabeth sighs before relenting and dropping her hold on the receipt.

I lean in to kiss her cheek gently, and I’m even more surprised when she doesn’t pull away, but she can’t. Nina would know something was up if she did that…unless Nina already knows.

It’s not like her to not at least say “Hi, Bub!” when she walks in, but today, I barely got any kind of acknowledgment.

Shit…she knows. She has to know.

“I’ll be back,” I whisper, but Elizabeth has already turned back to working on the food presentation. Nina doesn’t say anything as I stuff the receipt into my pocket and leave. They’re waiting for me to leave so they can talk about it, and before I can even shut the garage door, I hear Elizabeth start venting to her sister.

“Thank God,” I say, pulling into the driveway behind a black Escalade.

I wasn’t sure Finn would show up; he was in a weird mood yesterday when I ran into him, but I’m glad he did. His weird demeanor probably had more to do with Oliver and that project he is making Finn work on—or it was just Oliver in general. That seems more likely. Finn’s adoptive father always had a way of getting under Finn’s skin like no one else could.

I grab the brown paper bag with two extra-large tubs of potatoes from the front seat and another brown bag with a bottle of wine—Elizabeth’s favorite. The restaurant had added it to the pile as an apology. Instead of going straight inside, I walk to the front door where Finn’s black Escalade now occupies the circle in front of the steps. Michaela stands with her arms crossed tight across her chest and her lips pulled back in a scowl.

“Why the long face, Shortcake? Not happy to see me?” Finn asks, and while I may not be able to see it, I can imagine the biggest smirk on his face. He loves taunting my sister, and she makes it too easy. When she could just walk away, she stands there and feeds into his shit, only making it worse. At this point, I don’t know if they will ever grow out of it, this back and forth has been going on for almost thirteen years, maybe longer.

“I thought that was you!” I clamp down on his shoulder, disrupting their stare-off, and my sister’s glare turns on me. “Glad you could make it.”

“What is he doing here?” Michaela hisses.

God, she is such a drama queen.

“Oh, c’mon, Shortcake ,” Finn coos, and Michaela’s lip twitches. She hates it when he calls her that. “Don’t be like that. I know you missed me.”

“Don’t call me that !” Michaela swats away his hand when he outstretches it to ruffle her hair. She has always hated his nickname for her, but it stemmed from her difference in height compared to the rest of us. I don’t think she’s grown an inch since her freshman year of high school, stuck at five-foot-two for as long as I can remember. Even Nina stands a few inches taller than her without heels. Unfortunately for her, my sister did not inherit the Davis height genes, so the nickname stuck.

Michaela turns back to me, repeating herself. “What is he doing here?”

“We ran into each other in town yesterday,” I say with a simple shrug.

I don’t know why she is having such a cow about this—it’s not like this is the first time Finn has been to a family function. And whether she likes it or not, it won’t be the last.

“I invited him because Mom and Dad will want to see him before he jets off again.”

Finn has been out galivanting a little more than usual lately. It’s been hard to keep up with where exactly he’s been, so when I saw him it felt like fate. My sister could deal with her emotions for a day because while she may not be excited to see him, everyone else would be.

“I’m going to be sticking around for a while,” Finn says, opening the back of his Cadillac and reaching inside. He pulls out a decent-sized box covered in wrapping paper with the poop emoji on it. He nods with a smirk when I laugh at his choice of paper, and I notice Michaela roll her eyes. She thinks we’re children, both of us. But hey, Dad will get a kick out of it, and that’s all that matters.

“You’re sticking around? What did Mommy and Daddy cut off your allowance?” Michaela quips.

Oh boy, here we go.

“From those split ends and your outfit, I’d say Nina did, too,” Finn quips.

Damn, that was good. But I can’t let them start now. Dad and Uncle Jim will be here any minute and I already have to juggle myself and Elizabeth today. I don’t feel like playing referee in a Finn-Michaela verbal match.

“Alright, you two, enough,” I say, stepping between them. “Can’t we agree to get along for one day?”

“Easier said than done, Joshy-boy,” Finn says, lugging the poop emoji gift box up the steps.

Michaela glares at him, and I won’t lie, I’m a little scared she’s going to trip him on the way by, but she doesn’t. That’s a win, right? Right.

“For Dad and Uncle Jim, can you please not start any shit today?” I ask, earning an offended glance from her. On cue, two more cars pull into the driveway, parking behind Finn’s Cadillac. The birthday boys have finally arrived. “Just behave for one day. That’s all I ask,” I beg before turning to greet them.

“The party has arrived!” Dad says, stepping out of the car. He rushes to the passenger side to open the door and help Mom step out—it’s a small gesture, but something he has always done for her. Growing up, I told myself I wanted to do the same for my wife one day, but Elizabeth doesn’t always like to let me, especially when we’re in the middle of a tiff.

“We were starting to think you got lost.” I laugh, hugging my parents and then Uncle Jim.

“Your father decided this morning was a good time to trim the trees around the house.” Mom shoots Dad a glare, but he only shrugs. That’s just how Dad is, we all know it.

“Heard anything from Nick?” Uncle Jim asks.

“I haven’t, but we can ask Nina if she knows anything. I’m sure he’s almost here.” I smile at my uncle, but I know it’s not convincing.

Nick was supposed to be home yesterday, but his return flight has been pushed back about five times since he landed in California on Monday. He’s been getting pulled all over the place since taking a job with Villa Inc. last year, becoming one of the principal architects at the firm under the Villa umbrella. I don’t think I’ve seen him in almost a month—since his birthday last month. He was home last weekend for about two days before he had to leave again, and I didn’t want to interrupt the little time he and Nina got together, so I didn’t even try to contact him.

The new job keeps him busy by sending him around the country mostly to clean up messes and offer insight to their newly acquired companies. Occasionally he serves as a consultant to other firms, helping them find solutions for any problems they’re encountering on their current projects. I don’t know that it’s exactly what he envisioned for his career, but it allows him more flexibility and the opportunity to be closer to his wife—considering she’s co-owner of the whole operation. Under Nina and Kai (mostly Nina), Villa Inc. has become three times the size while Ric was still running it, officially becoming the world’s largest investment company as of February. Nina had taken on a larger role when her brother took a step back to be a dad three years ago. And she never stopped, even after Kai returned. I think Kai preferred it that way. His sister was far more like their dad than he was and she enjoyed the job more than Kai did. When Ric passed, I was surprised he initially left the company to Kai, but I wasn’t surprised when Nina ended up taking over.

I think it’s starting to wear down on Nick and Nina— the distance—because he has been traveling with her a little more than normal lately. When he mentioned that a few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure how that worked with his job, but I guess it doesn’t matter when you’re married to the big boss. I was happy they were making it work. I couldn’t do what they do, that’s for damn sure.

With the way Nick’s schedule has been continuously pushed on this trip, I have a feeling he won’t make it today, but I don’t want to be the one to break Uncle Jim’s heart. I know he’d been looking forward to seeing his son. I’ll let Nina do that…

“Well, c’mon. Everyone else is here, and food should be about ready. I have to throw the burgers on the grill.” I usher them up the steps and into the house, shooting my sister another warning glare as I pass by.

Walking inside, Elizabeth greets us in the foyer with open arms and a warm smile. She embraces my parents and Uncle Jim before coaxing them further inside with the promise of food. Before she can follow, I grab her hand before she can run away and spend the rest of the day up Nina’s ass to avoid me.

“Something I can help you with?” Elizabeth asks, taking a step back, but doesn’t try to pull out of my grasp yet.

“Does Nina know?” I ask.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play coy, Sugar. Does Nina know ?”

Elizabeth scoffs, running her tongue across her teeth, and steps into me. She removes her hand from my grasp, draping her arms around my shoulders and leaning close. She whispers, “She doesn’t know anything she doesn’t need to know.” Elizabeth pulls back to look up at me sweetly, but her eyes tell a different story. “Now, give me a kiss. Everyone’s watching.”