Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Aria
I t had been a week since something had shifted in my universe. If someone would’ve asked me even ten days before if I would be smiling at a text message from Crew, I’d have called them on their bullshit.
Not that he couldn’t make me laugh. He’d always been able to do so and we’d texted daily until recently. Us being friends was never in question—at least before our last fight. But things had been strained as Travis had gone downhill. I’d spent so much of my time and guilt trying to help the man I thought was my best friend, that I’d nearly lost so many others in my life.
I’d pushed away so many people because I’d been trying my best to keep Travis safe.
Now as I looked at my phone, my lips couldn’t help but lift.
Crew:
Your brother is hovering.
Me:
Which one?
Crew:
You know who. If it were Sebastian, I wouldn’t be texting. Because he would just stick his daughter on me. You know I can’t say no to anything Nora asks.
Me:
That is true. She has the entire Montgomery clan and their representatives wrapped around her little finger.
Crew:
Is that what you’re going to call me? Your representative? I didn’t realize representatives was another word for your seat. Considering where you sat this morning.
Me:
I am sitting on the other side of the studio from you blushing. I know you can’t see me since I’m in the other room, but the others can see. I know everybody’s going to want to know what I’m thinking.
Crew:
Because you’re wet reading my texts? You think someone has had sex in that office yet? There’s a lot of paint around here. I bet you we could have some fun with some art.
Me:
This is my family’s place.
Crew:
And I am your representative.
Me:
I do not need one of my countless family members to walk into the office while I’m riding your face. Or with your cock in my mouth.
Crew:
Now I’m standing at my easel with my cock pressing against my sweats. It’s not like I can hide that. Your brother is now glaring at me.
Me:
Why is Gus there? I thought he was at school.
Crew:
Graduate students don’t need to be in class all day apparently. Come save me.
Me:
I’m afraid of my younger brother. So I’m going to need an incentive.
Crew:
If you don’t come and save me from your brother, I won’t let you have my dick. How about that?
“Aria Montgomery! You know I can read his texts over his shoulder!” Gus shouted through the building.
I put my phone in my pocket, my cheeks-stained red. “Mind your business, Gus Montgomery!”
“Do I want to know what you’re texting Crew while you’re in the same building?” Riley asked, her brows raised.
“Just the usual things,” I lied as I scurried toward the other half of the building where Crew was set up. Because we wanted the right light for certain mediums, it wasn’t an open floor space. I had been in the darkroom for most of the morning because sometimes I liked to work with film. That meant while Crew and I were in the same building, we had only seen each other for a few moments. I had spent the night at my own house, because I knew if I spent the night at his house every night, and if he did the same with mine, we would be moving way too fast.
As it was, it felt like we were in a whirlwind, and I was just trying to keep up.
“So when did this happen?” Gus asked as he stepped toward me, gesturing between Crew and me .
The rest of my family who happened to be in the building all stared at me, the silence thick.
I met Crew’s gaze. The man looked unrepentant. He shrugged, then leaned against the doorway. I looked down at his tented sweats and raised a brow. He rolled his eyes, then adjusted himself, but I knew that wasn’t going to help.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I lied, knowing the others were staring at me and waiting for an answer.
“Finally!” Riley said as she threw up her hands. “I’ve been waiting for this day for years. It’s a friends-to-lovers. Our time has come!”
“Do I want to know what that means?” Crew asked dryly.
“Wait, you and Aria? Why?” Nate asked. Only he wasn’t looking at me, but Crew, as he said it.
I threw a couple of pieces of paper at my cousin. “Rude,” I barked.
“She’s so high maintenance,” Colin joked, grinning at me. “I guess we’re going to owe you a few drinks for taking her on, Crew.”
Nate snorted. “From the way that Crew is glaring at you both right now, I’m pretty sure you should watch where you sleep.”
Oliver just shook his head as he packed up his sketchbooks. “As much as I love hearing about who my cousin is banging, I’m out. I promised Mom I would help at the store today. And I have a feeling traffic up to Boulder is going to be a bitch.”
“Say hi to Holland for me.” I leaned forward to kiss Oliver’s cheek.
“Will do. And let my big brother, Kingston, know that he owes me.”
“For working at your mother’s shop? Or for something else?” I asked.
“Hell no,” Oliver said mysteriously, before he walked out the building with a two-finger salute.
“Crap. I’m running late for lunch with James,” Nate said, speaking of his twin. “He says he has something to tell me.”
I clapped my hands, excited. “Is he going to propose to Sarah?” I asked. “Oh, I hope so. Those two have been adorable since they were like fourteen.”
“You don’t have to tell me. James can’t stop talking about her, so hopefully he finally popped the question. And then that will keep Mom and Dad off my back. And Brooklyn’s for that matter.” And with that, he ran after Oliver.
Gus cleared his throat. “As much as I love all the family dynamics of everybody else in this room, I want to know when you and Crew became a thing . Because now I have to go bleach my eyes out after looking at those texts.”
Crew shrugged. “You shouldn’t have been reading over my shoulder. Do you want me to steal your phone and see what you’ve been texting?”
My younger brother blinked. “No. But I still want to know when this whole thing happened with Aria. I thought you two hated each other.”
“That was just flirting,” Riley said as she leaped onto the desk next to Colin and crossed her feet at the ankles.
“That’s what I always said, but Leif didn’t believe me.” Colin shook his head at the mention of his older brother.
“You know I have been friends with your family for many years, and I still can’t keep up with who is related to who.” Crew took a few steps forward, and my heart finally eased because he was near. Or maybe I just needed a little more sleep. When he lifted my chin with just a brush of his knuckles and pressed his lips to mine, I sighed into him, wondering why I had been avoiding this for so long.
Riley squealed while Colin snapped a photo with his phone, and Gus let out a disgusted grunt.
“Stop doing that in front of me,” my brother whined.
“You’re the one who made me lie to Mom about certain old school magazines you had in your room. So don’t even,” I warned.
Everybody burst out laughing as Gus flipped me off.
The man I was falling for— or maybe had already fallen for —held me tightly. “Seriously though, I’m going to need a family tree.”
I leaned into Crew’s hold, feeling right for some reason. “We’ll get you a manual. Although you probably should’ve already had it.”
“That’s right. You dated Daisy. And Lex.” Gus pointed at Crew as if he had made a huge discovery.
“You are going to want to lower that finger, son. Just saying.”
“Shiver,” Riley mock-whispered.
“Stop it,” I teased.
“Why are you shivering, baby?” Patrick asked as he walked into the back room and immediately went to Riley’s side. He pressed his lips to hers for long enough that I couldn’t help but blush even as I winked over at Crew.
“It’s an epidemic,” I teased.
“I’m just enjoying seeing Gus squirm,” Crew muttered.
“I heard that,” my brother said.
“It’s getting a little too touchy-feely for me,” Colin complained. “I’m headed over to the café to get some coffee. You want anything?” he asked.
Crew shook his head. “I’m about to take Aria out for lunch, so not us.”
I raised a brow at Crew. “You weren’t going to ask?
“You skipped breakfast and I know you don’t snack while you’re in the darkroom. So you’re going to eat lunch,” he said so matter-of-factly, that I just shook my head as Gus whistled.
“This is going to be fun,” Riley teased.
“Good luck, man,” Patrick said with a laugh. “Dating into this family has its perks, but it is a little overwhelming.
“Good thing I’ve been dealing with Montgomerys for a while,” Crew said with a snort.
“You know Mom is going to want you to bring him for dinner,” Gus warned.
I froze, and Crew rubbed his hand on the small of my back. “I’ll be there Sunday.”
I turned to him, wide-eyed. “What?” My heart raced, and I wondered why I suddenly felt so nervous.
Crew rolled his eyes. “We haven’t been very subtle, so you know your mom already texted me and asked me to dinner. I’ve eaten at your place plenty of times. It will be fine.”
The others laughed while I just stared at him, worry sliding through. “You’ve gone as our friend. Because you know Sebastian and me. But this will be different.”
“I know. It’ll be okay, Aria. Stop worrying. For once. Just breathe.” And then he leaned down and kissed me again, as Riley sighed happily, and the others chatted along.
Crew acted as if he had all the answers while I had none. But maybe that was okay. Maybe he actually had a plan. That would be one of us, and perhaps it would help the overwhelming sense of anxiety currently crawling up my spine.
At least I hoped so.
“I can’t believe you texted him,” I whispered.
My mom just grinned. “Of course I did. You weren’t going to invite him over to meet the parents. Some things are simply needed.”
I grimaced. “It’s only been a week and a half. People usually get months before this moment.” Or longer. Not that the Montgomerys were anything like normal.
“Most people don’t have their daughter’s significant other's phone number to make an evening meal happen.” Tabitha Montgomery winked. “I love that something is happening between the two of you, and I won’t ask for details. That’s your business. Even if there wasn’t, however, I would’ve wanted him here for a meal. With everything that happened in these recent months, he deserves a little comfort as well.”
I relaxed completely, leaning into my mother’s hold. “You’re right. I’m glad that he has you and Lexington’s parents. And frankly all of the aunts and uncles.”
“I’ve never met his parents, but I know a few things and they are lucky I don’t find them and run them down with one of the many cars we have and love. I am blessed with my parents and my in-laws. But I know a few of my sisters- and brothers-in-law had issues with their families. And knowing that they always had us to lean on helped them. Crew would’ve been invited here no matter what. That man needs to have a safe space—and we’re it. And of course, he helped my baby. I’m going to make sure he gets cake.”
I threw my head back and laughed before hugging her tight. My heart swelled at my mother’s words because she was right. Crew needed us even if sometimes I felt as though he forgot that in his urge to take care of everyone else. “Cake solves everything.”
“I thought that was cheese?” my younger sister Dara asked as she skipped into the room and threw her arms around me. She kissed me hard on the cheek and beamed. “Thank you for bringing that beautiful man for dinner.”
I cringed. “Why did you make that sound like he’s the dinner? Plus don’t talk about Crew that way.” My Crew.
My mom just pressed her lips together, holding back a laugh, thankfully not saying anything.
“He’s edible. You know that.”
Pushing at her arm, I tried not to laugh and let her win. “Is he out with Dad working the grill?” I asked, looking throughout the house for him.
“Yes, he’s out there last I saw.” Dara turned to Mom. “Oh, Mom. I forgot to mention that I needed that one paper you mentioned. Is it in the kitchen?”
“Yes, let me show you.” Mom kissed my cheek. “Go rescue your man. Though your dad isn’t as hard as my family was when it came to the third degree.”
Laughing, I pulled away and headed to the back of the house. She was right since I knew my uncles had questioned my father for daring to touch their precious sister, but now they were all best friends. I visited Pennsylvania often to visit that set of cousins and my dad still playfully growled with his in-laws.
My parents’ home was always so comforting. It wasn’t our childhood home, as we had moved a couple of times when I was growing up as the family expanded. The fact that my mother had birthed two sets of twins was a ridiculous feat. I still didn’t know how the two of them made it all work even with the family helping.
And then after Sebastian had Nora, we had all moved into a larger house to accommodate the growing family. I had been in college, while Sebastian had been taking courses, raising his daughter, and preparing to buy into the tattoo shop. Gus and Dora had still been in school, and my parents had done everything to make sure that we were safe, loved, and had two feet on the ground.
My mother was an organizational queen. She kept Montgomery Inc., the family’s first construction company going. Yes, Uncle Wes and the others were fantastic at what they did, but my mother was the planner extraordinaire. My father was a little messier, but not by much. I knew that part of his recovery had been taking control in what he had and that meant he didn’t leave any messes. Even his dark room was pristine so he wouldn’t accidentally harm one of his projects.
The walls were covered in art, some by family members, some by friends. And there were photographs everywhere. Of our childhood, of the family. Mostly ones my father had taken over time. And then a few of mine. That always made my stomach hurt, because I couldn’t help but compare myself to my father. And I knew that was just in my head. Except maybe it wasn’t. Especially because people like that woman couldn’t help but give their opinion on my work.
I wanted to grow, I wanted to get better. And I would. But I still couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever get to a point where I felt like I knew what I was doing.
A hand slid around my waist, and I looked at Crew. “Dad grilling you instead of dinner?” I asked, honestly a little worried.
Crew shook his head. “Nope. We were just out there grilling real food, waiting for Sebastian and his family to get here.”
“Oh, are they here now?” I asked as I went to my tiptoes to look over his shoulder. Crew kissed the top of my head, and I blushed, knowing that my family was outright staring at me. We were all getting used to this new side of my relationship with Crew.
“They were just walking up.”
I pulled on Crew’s hand and tugged him to the side door. Before I could even open it though, Nora made her entrance, her dark hair in pigtails, and her smile wide.
“Aunt Aria? Mom and Dad said that you and uncle Crew were dating, and I had to not ask any questions. Can I ask a couple? Because I have a whole list. ”
I threw my head back and laughed, as Crew let go of my hand to bend down and meet Nora’s gaze.
She was almost seven and had the Montgomery height. The height I hadn’t gotten. I was more like my mother, but Nora got her genes from her father. Sebastian might be my twin, but sometimes I wasn’t even sure we looked like we were from the same family. I knew his daughter was probably going to outgrow me quite quickly.
“What are your questions?” Crew asked, and I bit my lip, telling myself not to let my ovaries have control of this moment.
Nora ducked her head, blushing, and my eyes widened as I looked over her head at Sebastian and an adorably pregnant Raven. Nora never blushed. She was so confident, so this was a surprise. “I don’t know where to start. But how about, if you and Aunt Aria don’t work out, will you still wait for me?”
I pressed my lips together, trying not to squeal at the cuteness.
Crew reached out and tapped Nora’s nose. “I promised you. When you’re thirty-five, and if neither one of us is married, I will fight your father to see if I can have your hand in marriage. However, I’m pretty sure you’re going to find someone your own age. I’ll be old and gross by the time our deal works out. ”
Nora let out a relieved sigh. “You can never be gross, Crew.” And when she fluttered her eyelashes, Raven and I both burst out laughing as Sebastian growled at the situation.
“Nora Montgomery,” my twin snapped. “Are you serious right now?”
“You always said I had to be ambitious.” She reached out and put her hand in Crew’s, and the man I was slowly, okay, not so slowly, falling in love with, just winked at me.
Crew shook his head. “You have some competition.”
“I see that.” I put my hands on my hips before giving Nora a mock scowl. “You need to stop hitting on my man.”
“So I’m your man?” Crew whispered.
I blushed as Sebastian growled once again.
“First, stop hitting on my sister. Second, Nora, Crew is way too old for you. And you’re never going to date.”
“I love this family,” Raven said as she walked in and gave me a hug.
She took my hand and put it on her belly, because she knew I wouldn’t do it myself. The baby kicked and I sucked in a breath, my eyes prickling with tears. And I couldn’t help but smile at how happy she looked. I knew that Sebastian was worried about the pregnancy. After all he had lost his first wife in childbirth. And Raven had PCOS, so she had her own worries but did her best not to show them—not that we let her hide them away. They had been surprised when she had gotten pregnant, but I knew they were so excited for this baby. Hell, I was excited for my next niece or nephew.
“How’s Baby Coffee Bean doing?” I asked.
“Just fine. Although I really want coffee of my own. Considering I own and work at a coffee place,” she said, her voice a little strained as she stared at her husband.
Sebastian scowled. “You know the rules. In fact, you’ve been standing for too long. Let’s get you settled with your feet up.”
Raven just rolled her eyes, gave me a look, and let her husband take care of her.
Nora skipped toward her grandparents, and I leaned into Crew, wondering exactly why this felt so right.
“You doing okay?” I asked, my voice low enough that the others couldn’t hear.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Aria. I like your family. I know them. Maybe it makes this part weird, but I don’t really care. They make you happy, and they want what’s best for you. So if they question me like I’m a suspect later, I’ll take it. If I can handle your attitude, I can handle theirs.”
I narrowed my gaze at him, shoving his shoulder. “ You were doing so well, so caring, and then you veered right off and were a jerk to me again.”
“I can’t be too sappy. You would think I was a pod person or something. I have to pick at you every once in a while to keep you on your toes.”
“I don’t know why but it makes me happy,” I grumbled.
He pressed a kiss to my temple, ignoring the way that both of my brothers glared at him, and then pulled me toward the group. And once again, everything felt far too right.
Dinner went off without a hitch. Of course my family nudged at me and laughed, but they didn’t poke or prod into my relationship. Even my brothers seemed to only be glaring out of habit rather than necessity. Things felt normal. Except for the fact that every once in a while, Crew would wrap his arm around the back of my chair or graze his knuckles along my knee. Then there was the fact we already had a routine without second thought. I wasn’t a fan of cherry tomatoes on a salad, and Crew didn’t like green olives and only liked black ones. So when we dug into the huge Italian salad my sister had made, I had picked off his olives, and he had done the same with my tomatoes.
While my father had just shaken his head, a small smile playing on his face, I realized that this wasn’t the first time we had done this. Crew and I were friends. Yes, we had fallen into each other out of wanting to hide our feelings before, only now there was no hiding.
Except maybe from ourselves.
Us knowing each other’s habits and food preferences wasn’t new. Maybe that’s why it felt like we were going full steam toward whatever came at us. And that worried me. So I wasn’t going to focus on it too carefully.
My phone buzzed as we were cleaning off the table. I looked at the screen, my chest tightening.
Travis:
I’m sorry, boo. You know what happens when I’m in the middle of a project. You just have to remember that sometimes I’m in my own head. But I’m sorry. Can you see me? I miss you.
I put my phone back in my pocket, not bothering to answer. Crew had been standing next to me, and his jaw clenched, but he didn’t say anything.
“I’m not going to answer him.”
He gave me a tight nod, and I hoped he believed me. Honestly, I hoped I believed myself. Because I didn’t know which Travis was texting me. The one who felt remorseful, or the one who needed something. I was afraid it would always be the latter .
As Crew went off to help my mother with something in her office, my dad pulled me to the side. I tensed once again, thinking about that text and what this dinner meant.
“I’m not talking about Crew.” I hadn’t meant to blurt the words, but I was so afraid to say anything that would ruin what was just starting, that I needed these moments to myself.
My dad just smiled. “I love Crew. I trust you.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“We were going to ask Crew to dinner anyway because we wanted to check on him after the incident.” My dad’s eyes darkened and we both swallowed hard. “The fact that he now seems to be dating my daughter is a recent development. And I’m not going to get all alpha male and sit on the porch with a shotgun. Hell, if your mother’s parents had done that to me, I don’t think I ever would’ve made it past the front door. Especially as the man I used to be.”
I reached out and squeezed my dad’s wrist. “You’re the best father. And Mom says you’re the best husband. Just saying.”
He shook his head. “I wasn’t a good husband to my first wife. But then again, she wasn’t a good wife. We said and did things we can’t take back, but I’m not that man anymore.” I didn’t wince as he said it, they were very open about their past, but it still hurt to hear. “My opinion of Crew is that if he hurts my baby girl, I will hurt him. But I’m not going to get in the middle of the relationship.”
“I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, baby girl. But while we talked on the phone about it, I want to talk about that day in your studio.”
I tensed, and my dad pulled me to the porch swing, and we sat next to each other, my toes brushing the hard wood as my dad and his long legs pushed us back and forth.
“I never know how to approach you when it comes to photography. And that might be on me, or it just might be who the two of us are. But the first time you picked up a camera and wanted to learn was one of the best moments of my life.” I smiled at him. He put an arm around my shoulder, and I leaned into his familiar hold.
“I’m always so nervous.”
“Because of what it can mean? Or because of me?”
“I don’t have an answer to that.”
He nodded, and we were silent for little bit longer. “I don’t know how to fix that for you. And maybe it’s not my job to fix it. I’m always here if you need me.”
“I know.” I shook my head. “I just hate the fact that I always feel like I’m searching for something. And that maybe I’ll never find it.”
“I don’t know what I’m looking for when I work on a project. Sometimes it calls for me, sometimes I stumble into it. I don’t have to work every day to breathe, but the feeling that comes from it? That keeps me steady. Just like your mom does.”
“My camera’s in the front foyer. I didn’t want to leave it in the car. But I brought it with me.”
“Good. Good .” And I heard the relief in that. He and Crew had both noticed I hadn’t brought my camera with me everywhere like I used to. It hadn’t felt like an extension of myself like it once had. Honestly, I hadn’t even noticed the lack of it until Crew had set it down on that picnic table.
Now it went everywhere with me. Even if I wasn’t always ready to take a photo.
“I’m going to say something, and I don’t want you to hate me for it.”
I tensed at my father’s words but nodded.
“Watching you with Travis reminded me of what your mother saw before we were together, and I hated that for you. I don’t like the man that I was, and I am grateful every day that you never had to meet him. And I hope to hell that one day Travis finds peace. That he figures out how to help himself. Because that will always be the first step. But I’m going to be a selfish bastard and say that I’m glad you are taking time for yourself too.”
I wiped away a tear and leaned into my father more. “I love you, Daddy.”
He let out a rough chuckle. “I love you too, baby girl. Now, let’s go inside and interrogate your boyfriend.”
I shook my head. “Let’s not do labels. Labels are scary.”
We stood up as my dad laughed. “I will never understand this generation.”
“Okay, Grandpa.”
“You say that, but your brother made me a grandpa when he was nineteen. Any gray hair you may see is all because of him.”
Laughing, we walked into the house as my mother and Gus began to serve cake. Crew walked right up to me and took my hand, a curious expression on his face. In answer, I kissed him softly, and then walked to the foyer to get my camera.
My dad winked at me, and as my family ate cake and softly interrogated Crew, I snapped a photo, and then another, finally breathing.