The Hardest Part (Brookside #2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

E mily marked off another day on the calendar with a big red X.

Three more weeks .

Twenty-one days from today, she’d marry Jake at the courthouse in Jackson, and then afterward, she’d put on Miss Lilly’s dress to meet him and Billy at the stones. It’s there, she’d become the wife of two brothers, and they’d both become husbands to her.

Perfect .

The only thing putting a damper on the long-awaited occasion was knowing how badly they grieved. And not just Billy and Jake, but Victor and Justin, too. Emily, her mom, and even Grams went over there often, to help out or cook them a meal.

Most days, Victor didn’t come home until late. Then, he’d pick at his dinner, and go straight up to bed. It was a rare occasion to see Justin come out of his studio. He painted in there, night and day. That left Jake and Billy on their own.

Grams told her not to worry. It had only been a couple of months, after all. Everyone processes loss on their own time, in their own way. “Your job is to love them through it,” she said.

“I am, Grams.” Emily hugged her with a heavy sigh. “I just want everyone to be happy again.”

“It’s there, dear. You just can’t see it right now.” She took a step back, and with a tender smile, brushed the hair from her face. “I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told Arien. Life has a way of giving us our joy back.”

She wasn’t so sure about that. “It hasn’t for Mama.”

“What makes you say that, honey?”

“I dunno.” Emily shrugged. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything. “She pretends to be happy, but when no one’s lookin’, I think that she’s sad—lonely, you know?”

“Hmm.” But she was nodding.

“And soon, Mama won’t have me here anymore.”

“Could be that’s exactly what she needs.”

Her brow shooting upward, Emily looked into her grandmother’s eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Your mother was so young when Timothy and William were killed, but she had you to care for, my dear girl.” Grams drew her to her chest and kissed her on the forehead. “Being on her own just might be the kick in the ass she needs to take a chance on life again.”

Emily tossed the red marker to her dresser and sighed. “Maybe she’s right.”

Then, noting the time, she packed up her veil, got in her car, and drove over to the ranch. Emily was taking her cousin up on the offer she made that time they got their picture taken in Jackson. Arien was talented with a camera, so she knew the photos would turn out gorgeous. Jake and Billy were going to love it.

“God, you’re huge!” Afraid she might come tumbling down, Emily followed Arien closely up the stairs. Seven months along, it looked like she had a basketball in her belly. “I don’t remember Shiloh being this big.”

“Well, there are two of them in there.”

“I didn’t mean for it to sound like that, because you look fucking amazing.”

“For a pregnant chick, I guess.” She giggled, rubbing circles on her belly. “C’mon, I’ve got everything set up in my old room.”

Emily gazed at the pretty sage walls and fondly remembered going with her mom and Grams to choose the paint. She couldn’t believe that it was less than two years ago because it seemed like a lifetime since then. Smiling, she slipped into her lacy white underthings and pinned the veil to her head.

“Oh, Ems, you look so beautiful.” Arien adjusted the tulle to frame her face. “Only three weeks to go until the big day. Are you excited?”

“Course, I am. Weren’t you?”

She pursed her lips, then grinned, the shutter on her camera clicking. “We were too busy putting a wedding together in only two weeks, remember?”

As if she could forget.

“We pulled it off, though, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, we did.” Arien kissed her cheek. “And it was perfect.”

“You’re happy?” It seemed so, but she needed to hear her say it. Emily placed her hand on her cousin’s belly, hoping to feel the babies kick.

“So happy, Ems.” Arien’s soft palm covered her own. “I don’t even want to imagine a life without them.”

Awestruck, Emily felt life move within her.

“Is everything all right?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, swiping wetness from beneath her eyes. “I just feel…I dunno…guilty?”

“Why?”

She hesitated.

“For going ahead with the wedding so soon after losing their mom.” There, I said it. “They didn’t want to postpone it, though.”

“And why would they?” Arien looked at her like the thought alone was ludicrous. “They’ve only been waiting forever to marry you.”

“Because they’re sad,” she reasoned, throwing her hands in the air. “Victor is sad. Justin is sad. Everybody’s sad, and I don’t know how to make it go away.”

“You can’t. And you shouldn’t even try.” Arien took hold of her shoulders and released a sigh. “They’re always gonna miss her, Ems. That will never go away, but it doesn’t mean they can’t feel joy.”

Nodding, she bit into her lip.

“Just love them.”

“That’s what Grams said.”

“Listen to her, Ems.” Arien winked, and then she grinned. “You know she’s always right.”

Billy thought he was ready, but nothing could have prepared him for the feelings that bloomed in his chest when he saw her.

In a simple gown of creamy white, he’d never seen her look more beautiful.

The years of waiting had been worth it, and he’d do it all again to have this moment. To share a life with her. To make Emily his wife.

He glanced at Victor and Justin. Billy patted his breast pocket. They smiled and did the same. Jake clasped his hand, and with thoughts of their mother, his vision blurred. Each man carried a square of cloth from her wedding dress, a symbolic way to have her with them. Matthew Brooks gave his father the idea. He gave Arien a ribbon from Jennifer’s dress the day she married his sons.

Billy felt her spirit.

The mountain hummed.

In his heart, he knew she was here.

And as Emily walked toward them, glowing in the fiery hues of the setting sun, Billy wiped the wetness from his face. He thought of their first kiss when he was fifteen. Bike rides. Sandboxes. Haylofts and bonfires.

Then her mother placed Emily’s hand in his, the other in his brother’s.

This was the important part, the moment the three of them had been waiting for, and with the purest intent and absolute love in their hearts, he and Jake took Emily as their wife, and she took them for her husband. Mind, body, and soul. Together, as a triad, they became whole.

It was good.

It was right.

And it was perfect.

Three hours into the party, after dinner, and dancing, and Maizie’s lemon buttercream cake, Jake traded a look with him, then he swooped Emily into his arms. She shrieked. “Where are we going?”

“Home.”

“Wait.” Justin came running after them. He put a wrapped oblong box in his hands and winked. “Happy weddin’ day. You can open it later.”

Billy tossed the box in the back and opened the door for his brother and his wife. Jake set her down, and while she scooted over, his brother dashed around the truck and got in on the driver’s side.

Jake glanced over at him. “Ready?”

He was. “Yup.”

They pulled away from the ranch, passed the drive to Kim’s Dutch barn, then turned on the road toward town. “C’mon, baby,” she said, tugging on Jake’s arm. “Where are you takin’ me?”

“Told you, wifey.” He chuckled, but refused to elaborate. “Home.”

“Where’s home?”

Wherever you are .

“You’ll see.” Kissing her on the cheek, Jake nudged his shoulder. “Think we should blindfold her?”

“We could.” Billy pictured it in his mind. “Ain’t a bad idea.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I would, and I think you’d like it if I did.” He sipped a sweet kiss from her lips. “But bein’ I don’t have one handy, I’ll just cover your eyes before we get there.”

And a few miles later, he did just that.

The late spring breeze rustled through the trees. Flowers in every color filled the porch. And the sound of the creek welcomed them home.

Jake opened his door. “Got her?”

“Yeah.” Billy guided her out, holding his hand over her eyes. “No peeking, Em.”

How they’d kept this a surprise, he would never know. But they did, somehow. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face.

One.

Two.

Three.

Billy uncovered her eyes, and tucking her beneath his chin, wrapped his arms around her middle. “Open ‘em.”

Her jaw dropped. Literally. “This is ours?”

“Yeah.” With his arm around her shoulders, Jake pulled them both against him. “Billy had a vision.”

“We built it together.” Billy kissed her crown. “With a whole lotta help.”

Family. Friends. Community. It’s the heart of Brookside.

Emily twisted in his arms and gazed up at him. “It’s the most amazing, incredible, beautiful house I’ve ever seen.”

“Just wait, you haven’t been inside yet.” And Jake lifted her into his arms. “We should fix that, don’t you think?”

“I do.”

Miss Kim and their mom, before she died, helped them choose some of the furniture. Justin’s paintings graced the walls. They left most of it a blank slate, so they could fill it with the things they loved, and make it their own together.

“Welcome home, beautiful wife.” Jake set her down. “We love you.”

“That we do,” Billy said, putting the box on a table. “There’s a greenhouse out back. Ruby, Chaser, and Blaze are in the barn. Tanner brought ‘em over this mornin’. I think they already like it here.”

“Aren’t you gonna open it?”

“What?”

Emily tipped her chin toward the table. “The box Justin gave you.”

“Go on.” He chuckled, patting her on the behind.

Like a kid on Christmas morning, she tore off the shiny gold paper and lifted the lid. “Look, it’s a drawing of our house.”

“Justin drew that at dinner the night Billy described his vision for this place.” Jake held up the framed drawing. “You see this, bro?”

He saw it.

Charcoal on vellum paper. As if he’d been inside his head, Justin sketched it exactly as Billy had seen it. But he and Jake built more than a house here. Strengthening their bond as brothers, they laid the foundation for the future of their family, for the life and dreams they’d share with Emily.

“I’m so lucky.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, then did the same with Jake. “I get to love you both all of my life.”

He and his brother exchanged a glance, and Jake hoisted her into his arms. He carried her to their room, and when her feet touched the floor, Billy bent his head and kissed his wife while his brother unfastened her gown.

Jake took his place, and slipping the straps from her shoulders, a cloud of white billowed to the floor. Naked, but for a wisp of lace between her legs, his brother gazed at her, circling her nipples with his thumbs. “We’re the lucky ones, michante .”

After he removed her panties, Jake laid her down on the bed. They each claimed a nipple, sucking, nibbling, and kissing, they worshipped every inch of her skin. They reached the sweet spot between her thighs, and she opened. Her fingers in his hair, Emily yanked his head to her cunt. Hot salted honey. Billy kissed her clit, tasting her sweetness on his tongue, while his brother filled her with his fingers.

“Please.” It was a breathless, whimpering plea.

“Don’t let her come yet, brother.”

He lifted his head from her pussy to see Jake gripping his dick, positioning himself at her entrance. Her body trembled, and her eyes went wide. Billy reached for her hand, and as he held her fingers to his lips, she sucked the air in through her teeth. He didn’t have to see it to know his brother was deep inside her.

“Oh, oh, oh.”

Billy watched her lips part, the bliss on her beautiful face.

Then, withdrawing from her, Jake tapped his thigh.

He pushed himself inside her, and Christ, he’d never imagined it would feel like this. Tight, wet heat squeezed his cock. So tight he didn’t think he could move.

Jake knelt on the bed beside them. His dick, hard and glistening with her sweetness, bobbed between his legs as he rubbed Emily’s clit while he fucked her.

“That’s it, baby,” he praised her. “Squeeze the cum from my brother’s cock.”

And she did.

Billy thrust inside her faster, fire at the base of his spine. He didn’t want to stop, but he couldn’t hold on. Sweet fuck, he was burning alive.

Out of breath, he collapsed on top of her. “I love you.”

Fingers combed through his sweat-drenched hair. “I love you, too.”

“Happy weddin’ day.” Jake smacked him on the ass.

Same to you, brother .

Billy rolled onto his side.

And Jake took his place inside her.