Chapter 6
Six
Eliot
On Sunday, Lily, the kids, and I were loaded and heading to Cody’s. He’d have his shop open for the picnic and then he’d have a cordoned-off spot to shoot fireworks. I didn’t know if the kids or Lily would make it the whole night.
I drove through Crocus Valley and aimed for the other side of town. Lily’s knuckles were white on the bowls she held. She had insisted on making a pasta salad and a dessert for the family picnic. The corners of her eyes were pinched. She was stressed.
My nerves were on high alert. I’d spent the morning messaging my employees, telling them I might need another day away for family business. Hopefully, there’d be no more tractor DUIs while I was away.
Chambers told me to tell everyone hi. If I mentioned I was getting married, he’d be delighted. If I told him I was leaving my wife in Crocus Valley alone with her two kids, he’d kick my ass like a proper dad.
I had messaged Austen and told him to let the others know I was bringing Lily and we had to talk to everyone. That way, my siblings were prepared to see me show up with her.
Last night, she hadn’t let me do bedtime duty alone. She hadn’t let me do much. She’d made a delicious cheeseburger pasta dish for dinner, then she had rocked Kellan while I read a book to Cali.
We didn’t talk about the wedding or discuss how the residence would work. Between the groceries, feedings, naps, playtime, meals, cleanup—there hadn’t been time. Or so I told myself. Once we started discussing details, then it’d become real. From her story, she’d been manipulated into marrying once. This time wasn’t much different. But I’d treat her better than that dick ex of hers.
By the time I was done with the story and Cali was tucked in, Lily had been yawning. I’d sent her to bed, then remained vigilant on baby duty all night. Kellan and I partied for a few quiet hours when he fussed every time he wasn’t held, then he’d passed out.
Instead of the couch, I got her grandma’s old room. I dozed in the lingering scent of old perfume, with a corn snake in a large enclosure pushed between two dressers.
“Is Ivy going to be there?” Cali asked. Ivy, my niece, was a few years older than her, but Cali idolized her already.
“Absolutely,” I said. “I bet she’ll show you her goats.”
“Goats, Mom!” Lily had decided to tell Cali about us later. Otherwise, she might blurt it out before we even reached the shop.
Lily smiled at me, and I grinned back. The moment stabbed right through my psyche. How easily could I fool myself that this was real? My bachelor days were done. But that would be fake. We were pretending.
I parked. Cali shouted, “Ivy!” and ran out.
Lily let out a slow exhale. I grabbed her hand. “We got this.”
She gazed at my big hand over her small one. Her skin was warm and soft like I imagined the rest of her body was. I’d caught a glimpse of her white bra when she’d been sleeping last night. I’d felt like a damn creeper, but also—I had no regrets.
She swallowed hard. “Is it going to be okay?”
“Promise.”
She lifted her gaze to mine. Denim-blue eyes that should be full of humor were too serious.
“You have beautiful eyes,” I murmured.
A faint blush stained her cheeks. “Thanks. They’re the only thing that survived the pregnancy unscathed.”
“Trust me, Lily. I don’t know what you looked like when you were pregnant or before, but nothing got ruined.”
The flush deepened.
Fuck, I was flirting with her when she was worried about being driven off by my siblings. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
She dropped her gaze. “Right.” She tugged her hand out of mine and got out of the car.
I had a second before she opened the back door to curse at myself. Get this over with? Good one, Knight.
I carried the diaper bag. The kids were playing in the yard by the shop. Cody had a volleyball net set up, horseshoes, and a few more lawn games were scattered around. The goats eyed us from their enclosure on the other side of the shop. He also had a few head of cattle for his kids’ 4-H projects. His dog was running with the kids.
Several pairs of eyes watched us approach. The curiosity prickled along my skin.
Tova came to take the food. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun and she wore a loose pink sundress that matched what I saw little Charlie running around in. “Lily, so nice to see you again. We have a spot in the shade for you and Kellan.”
Lily’s smile was shy. She looked ready to bolt, but her spine was straight. While she might seem timid, the woman was lined with steel. And covered in that satiny skin.
Tova took the food to the long table. The rest of my family greeted us. Cody watched me with narrowed eyes. Austen and Vienne were like a pair of grinning teenagers, in on the secret everyone else would soon learn. Austen saluted me with his beer. He and Vienne always drank the same thing. Some sort of inside thing they had. Sutton was sitting with her feet on a cooler. She looked concerned. Wilder hovered over her, looking grim because his wife was worried. Ansen stood behind Aggie, his hands around her waist and his chin on the top of her head.
A beat of envy passed through me. My brothers were older than me and still having kids. They had true partners in life. I was entering a marriage arrangement with a woman who was a stranger.
That wasn’t totally true. I knew more about her than most women I dated. Although dated was a strong word.
“Austen said you had to talk?” Cody wasn’t one to wait on business.
Grateful he broke the ice, I nodded and exchanged a glance with Lily. At her faint nod, I answered. “Yep. We’re getting married.”
Sutton’s jaw dropped. Wilder and Cody wore matching poleaxed expressions. Austen and Vienne were avidly watching everyone’s reaction. Aggie’s eyes were wide, but her husband smirked, probably because he still remembered how my brothers and I had run him off when he and Aggie were supposed to get married the first time. We were brothers now, but he liked my discomfort. Tova gasped and grinned like she was delighted.
“Let me explain.” I told them about the trust stipulations. Lily scooted closer to me the more I talked. A guy could get used to her physical proximity.
Cody shook his head, but understanding filled his gaze. Same with everyone else.
Sutton put her feet down. “Lily, you could’ve come to me.”
“I didn’t know what to do.” Lily’s voice was slightly stronger. “I’m really sorry about dragging him into this, but I gave my aunt a name to buy time and then he walked in.”
She’d said my goddamn name. Not some guy from her past or even a fake name. She’d put a lot of trust in me since we met. I wouldn’t take any of this lightly.
“How’s this going to work?” Cody asked.
“I just need to be married for a year,” she said. “Eliot can go about his life, and I’ll live mine. We’ll tell my aunt he has to commute for work.”
Our arrangement wasn’t ideal, but what choice did I have? “It’ll have to look like I live at her place and work out of town.” If my family had any tips, I’d love to know them. “Her dad and her aunt need to buy that this is real.”
Cody frowned. “You’ll need to change your address. And move some stuff in.”
“And you’ll need to come to Crocus Valley more regularly,” Wilder said, his tone neutral. He knew how hard it was to commute. “Where does your aunt live?” he asked Lily.
“In Coal Haven,” she answered. “I don’t know how often she’ll stop in. My parents probably won’t make it here more than a few times a year.”
“You can use work at the clinic as an excuse anytime,” Sutton offered. “We’ll all cover for you.”
Lily smiled at her. I stroked my hand down Lily’s arm. I wanted to tuck her into my side and keep her safe.
“Should work,” Austen said. “Anyone asks, we’ll say you met through Sutton, fell madly in love, but have yet to iron out the logistics.”
“She darn near swept me off my feet,” I joked to take the focus off the knot forming in my chest.
Lily snickered. “That was Bug.”
Cody’s frown deepened as he looked between us. “Will you be married but living the single life in Buffalo Gully? Are you going to go back and announce that you’re married?”
Cody and his damn need to have everything lined up. I could control myself.
As if he saw the irritated expression on my face, he shrugged. “What if Weston decides to travel to Buffalo Gully for a surprise visit?”
Lily glanced at me and moved a few inches away. “I don’t see why you have to give up your personal life. I mean, as long as you’re discrete you’re free to…uh, date.”
She would raise two kids by herself while I could fuck around? We both lived in small towns, and Buffalo Gully wasn’t that far away from where her parents lived in Billings. The world could be a connected place. I wasn’t letting her family get word that her husband was inside another woman while she was short of sleep or crying on the floor.
I was better than that. “There is no single life while I’m married.” I shook my head. “No. It’s fine. I’ve gotta be at the ranch as much as possible if I’m going to be gone more.”
All my brothers raised their brows. Fucking Ansen smirked. He was enjoying the hell out of this.
“You need a prenup,” Cody said. He smiled at Lily. “No offense, but you’d want to protect yourself too.”
The idea of a prenup scratched under the surface of my skin. Lily wouldn’t try to take me to the cleaners. I didn’t have to know her long to know she wasn’t like that.
Lily snorted. “All he’d get is debt.”
“We don’t need a prenup. Nothing is mine.” I returned Cody’s hard stare.
“Married for a year,” Wilder echoed. “Shit. When’s the big day?”
“Monday, if that’s even an option.” I checked with Lily. Her nod was shaky. Her aunt needed a document as soon as possible. “The courthouse is open.”
“I can do it during lunch,” Lily told Sutton.
Sutton shook her head. “You are getting the day off with pay for a wedding. No arguments.”
Lily bit her plump lower lip like she’d been ready to do just that.
I clapped my hands together. They had the news. Lily hadn’t relaxed, and she was still holding the baby carrier. “I know you fools can’t make a good burger. Let me start the grill and get this party started.”
Lily
Cali danced in the yard with the other kids. She’d gotten a tour of the place and all the animals. I was surprisingly relaxed even while surrounded by Eliot’s family. They’d been strangely accepting, but from what Eliot had described of their situation, it made sense. Their support reminded me of my family. So did their readiness to step in. I got lucky with in-laws for a fake marriage.
“I’m really happy Eliot’s helping you,” Sutton said to me. “He’s a good guy. A little grumpy, but it’s just a hard shell.”
I hadn’t seen the grumpiness. “He’s been so helpful. I’ve caught up on so much sleep.”
“Good to hear.”
“How are you feeling?”
She pursed her lips. “My blood pressure is still creeping up. My doctor’s appointment is tomorrow, so I might not see you at work on Tuesday. I’ll work from home, and Wilder will be my legs.”
“How’s he doing with all this?”
“Fine, but also so worried.” She shrugged. “We’re so close, you know? But Wilder’s keeping me distracted, and he’s stocked up on puzzles.” She grimaced. “I’ll most likely be doing desk work remotely.”
I hadn’t worked at Sutton’s Animal Clinic for long, but I only knew the job with her kind smile there.
“What does your family think about all this?” she asked.
I ran my lower lip through my teeth. “They don’t know.”
Her eyes went wide. “What? How don’t they know?”
“My aunt gave me time.” I let out a dry laugh. “And I think she’s not looking forward to facing down everyone with the details.”
“What do you mean?”
“Aunt Linda doesn’t have kids, and it’s just her and my dad, so Grandma divided the land up, and none of my siblings are married.”
Sutton braced her hands on the armrests and leaned forward. “ All of your siblings have to get married?”
“All five of them.” And they didn’t know it yet. “My dad’s going to flip.” Everyone would. Aunt Linda would have seven people facing her down between my five siblings and two parents. I wasn’t close with her, but I could commiserate. I was also salty toward her.
Sutton gasped. Aggie and Tova approached. Vienne ditched a tame game of volleyball to come over. Austen had been barking out orders for everyone to take it easy and keep it safe for her.
“Mind if I join?” Tova asked, pulling a folding chair closer.
Aggie did the same and grabbed one for Vienne.
Sutton glanced at me, an apology in her eyes.
“Not at all.” I didn’t mind talking with them. Their demeanor was different than Carter’s family. I sensed nothing but genuine concern and caring from the Knights. I should have been gun-shy after my marriage, but I was also exhausted from the last month of stress. I was trusting them with my biggest secret, one that involved more than me. I wouldn’t keep Eliot from getting help where he could. He would be giving up a lot.
He should’ve run as soon as he heard me say his name.
I was surrounded by women who reminded me of my sisters. They would be in-laws for a year and already I was more comfortable around them than my former in-laws. “I was just telling Sutton about how my family’s going to react when they learn what they have to do. They’ll each have their own property to inherit.”
Everyone was looking at me, waiting. That part was new. I got run over a lot in our big family gatherings.
“I have three sisters and two brothers,” I explained, “and if they want the property my grandma’s leaving them, they all have to get married and live there too. I have the house and forty acres.” I ticked one finger up. “I’m not sure how the rest is broken up, but there’s a cabin that Grandma kept up on the far edges of the land. My grandpa built it so he and his hunting buddies would have a place to stay. She rents it out now.” I put another finger up. “Then there’s a house with some acreage she and Grandpa bought on the edge of town. It bordered some of their land, and they wanted a rental property.” A third finger. “Then they bought another section that had an old house on it. Grandpa liked to rescue homes. Um…I’m not sure if there’s just land left or if they bought more that they didn’t talk about.”
Vienne danced her fingers up one of the long necklaces she wore. “They’ll all be moving here?”
“I really don’t know.” I would love to have them live close. I barely remember the days when we lived in Crocus Valley, but I recalled being happy. Our house had been smaller but everyone had been around. After we moved to Billings, everyone grew up and went to college one by one until only I was left. I missed the chaos of a full house. I missed having family close.
Carter had tried to seclude me. I could see that now while I was surrounded by near strangers. I hadn’t been able to form a support network like this when I’d been with him.
“When does this all have to happen?” Tova sounded as scandalized as Vienne had.
“Seven years.” After a year of wondering where I’d live, where I’d work, and trying to answer people who asked the same, tonight was refreshing. I got the perk of being the first to hear everything. “Seven years from when Grandma passed, everything that isn’t claimed will get sold, but it can’t be sold to family.”
“What happens if someone doesn’t marry, or the marriage doesn’t last?” Vienne asked.
“I dunno. I think Aunt Linda would sell it and donate the money.”
Aggie tipped her head. The wind rustled her fluffy curls. Mine would puff out like that if I didn’t use product after my shower. I’d look like an electrocuted dandelion, but on Aggie, it was pretty. “What’s your aunt’s incentive to see everyone succeed in marrying?”
I chewed my lower lip. “I don’t know.” Like me, my aunt probably didn’t want to see what my grandparents had worked so hard for getting dissolved. Grandma had wanted us happy, and this was her wild way of forcing our hands, of molding us into her vision of happiness. But what did my aunt want? Certainly not the headache of telling everyone about the rules and then enforcing them.
Tova frowned. “There must be something she gets for the ideal resolution your grandma wanted.”
I could ask my aunt, but ultimately, I wanted the house. I could commiserate with my siblings, but they’d have to figure it out for themselves.
“Does she want them all to return to Coal Haven?” Sutton asked. “They were all born there too, right?”
I nodded. “Yes, and my mom wished we could move back. She never liked Billings as much, and she missed helping my grandparents farm and ranch. Grandma loved my mom, so maybe this was a way to get us all to relocate?”
“Do you want them to?” Sutton asked.
Longing tugged at my heart. I wanted this with my own family—barbecues, parties, and laughter. “Sort of, but we’re not close like you guys. We all scattered after high school.”
“We weren’t as close as we are now,” Aggie said. She lifted her can of sparkling water toward a house across the road. “The guys would gather for working cattle and stuff in Buffalo Gully, but they weren’t especially close. I moved first and then life kind of piled all of us here, and it changed. Except for Eliot. I wonder if sometimes he isn’t worried we’ll forget about him.”
I’d never forget Eliot.
“Now we have an excuse to see him more.” Sutton grinned at me. “Thanks to our future sister-in-law.”
The longing pulled harder on my heart. Future sister-in-law for a year. There was an expiration date on this relationship.