Chapter 54
My body was relaxed as I stared apathetically across the patio table the following Saturday afternoon.
Wyatt and Brody Hayes were sitting in positions mirroring mine—arms crossed, leaning back in their chairs, but unlike my indifference, their jaws were tight as they glowered at me.
I knew it was all a mask. They were trying to make themselves look intimidating, but they didn’t realize I wasn’t easily unnerved.
Morgan stood beside the table, looking silently between the three of us while her parents lingered inside. I met Michael and Julie Hayes thirty minutes ago, and it couldn’t have gone better—we had plans to go to dinner with them next Friday.
Then, her brothers walked in, all assertive, like two alpha males sniffing out the new wolf in the pack.
“We can do this all day, boys,” I said, finally breaking the silence after a good few minutes.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Morgan’s brows raise in surprise at my audacity, and it was all I could do not to laugh.
She really thought her brothers were going to scare me off.
I must not have been doing a good enough job showing her how deep in this with her I was, so I made a mental note to leave no room for her to question it later.
“What are your intentions with our sister?” Wyatt grumbled.
“To love the absolute shit out of her. Can we go now?” I scoffed, then glanced at my watch. “Our tee time is in twenty minutes, and you both owe me a drink from the last time I beat you.”
Wyatt held my stare for another heartbeat before his alpha male mask fell away, and he nodded. “Good enough for me.”
“Yup,” Brody agreed as they both stood from their chairs.
I huffed out a laugh, shaking my head as I followed suit. When I looked at Morgan, her brow was pinched as she looked between her brothers. “Wait, seriously? That’s it?”
“Jesus, Princess. Did you want them to punch my handsome face or something?”
“No, of course not. I already told them your face was off limits.” I snorted at her words as she looked at her brothers again. “But you two have always drilled any guy I ever brought around, so much so that they would refuse to come back around you.”
“Pussy’s,” I muttered under my breath, and Wyatt and Brody both chuckled with nods of agreement.
“That’s because those guys were douchebags,” Wyatt said.
“Yeah,” Brody agreed. “We actually like him. It’s pretty simple.”
“You don’t even know him to like him,” she countered.
“We know enough,” Brody said. “Alright, let’s go.” He and Wyatt walked back into the house.
I looked at Morgan. “See? I told you they didn’t scare me.”
“That has never happened before.”
“Look, I’m just a really likable guy,” I quipped as my arms wrapped around her. “I mean, if I can get you to fall head over heels in love with me, I can win anyone over.”
She chuckled as she looked up at me. “You may have a point there.”
We walked back into her house, and I said goodbye to her parents before we headed out the front door. Her brothers waited in the driveway while I walked Morgan to her car. “Have fun. Try not to beat them too badly.”
I chuckled as I brushed my lips against hers. “No promises.”
I ended up beating them both, then went to pick Morgan up to head out to meet the others that night.
Sunday morning, I stood in my kitchen, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing as I scrubbed a hand down my face. I heard soft footsteps coming down the hall and turned just as Morgan came into view.
“Morning,” she said quietly.
She walked around the counter, running her fingers through her sleep-tousled hair, looking sexy as fuck in just my T-shirt and nothing else.
I smiled as she walked up to me, and my arms looped over her shoulders as I pulled her against my bare chest and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Morning.”
I felt her arms wrap around my middle, her fingers brushing against my back. She tilted her head back, resting her chin against my chest as she looked up at me. “Are you doing anything today?”
I shook my head. “No. Not unless you count,” I quipped with a smirk, earning a chuckle from her. “I thought we could just hang out before we go to dinner tonight.” Her brow furrowed slightly as she blinked up at me. “What?”
“You said ‘before we go to dinner.’”
“Yes…?”
“You have family dinner tonight.”
“Yes.” I tucked her hair behind her ear. “And I want you to come with me.”
“You…you do?”
“Yeah,” I said with a chuckle. “Why do you look shocked?”
“Haley told me how sacred your family dinners were.”
“Oh?” My brow arched. “And when did you two talk about that?”
She snorted. “When we were in Monaco. She wasn’t the biggest fan of a certain someone, and she said she was glad you hadn’t brought her to family dinner because that meant there was ‘still hope’ because you’d never brought anyone, and the day you did, she’d know you were a goner.”
I chuckled, holding her a little tighter.
“She wasn’t lying. I’ve never brought anyone.
I never wanted to. But I do now. And as far as being a ‘goner,’ she’s not wrong.
Not at all. I am so fucking far gone for you, Morgan Hayes, I don’t know where I end and you begin.
I’d say that warrants a seat at the Sunday dinner table. ”
She smiled at me, leaning up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my lips.
Morgan and I started out despising one another. We were the two foes among our group of friends, using one another to scratch an itch while affirming our detestment of each other and vowing it would always stay that way.
But somewhere along the way…something changed.
Moments we shared shifted into more intimate and passionate ones, and vulnerability started to peek through the cracks of our facade. Feelings emerged and flourished, and I unexpectedly found this piece of me I didn’t even know was missing.
I realized that before Morgan, I was simply existing. When I was with her, that’s when I truly felt alive. And all at once, everything I thought I never wanted…I wanted with her. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
When we pulled through the gates of Cliffside Village that evening, I glanced over, seeing the slightly nervous expression Morgan was wearing. I squeezed her hand with mine. “You’ve hung out with Hale, and you've already met my mom before. They already like you. Relax.”
“Okay, well, I wasn’t your girlfriend who was crashing sacred family dinners before.”
I chuckled. “You’re not crashing.”
“You didn’t tell them I was coming, Wes.”
“The look on their faces when I walk in with you will be worth it. And like I already told you, my mom cooks enough food for a damn army, so it’s no trouble. I promise.”
When we pulled into the driveway, Haley’s car was already there, and I grinned even harder, knowing I would get to see both of their reactions at the same time. We got out of the car, walked up the pathway to the front door, and stepped inside.
“Hello?” I singsonged.
“In here!” my mom called out from the kitchen.
My fingers were laced with Morgan’s as I guided her down the hall, and we emerged into the kitchen with my mom’s back to us and Haley on the stool at the counter, scrolling through her phone.
“Hey.”
“Hey. How was—” Haley paused when she lifted her head, her eyes widening when she saw Morgan. Then her gaze dropped to our hands, and her eyes snapped back to mine with a massive grin. “No way…”
“What is it, sweet—” My mom paused when she turned, her eyes shifting between me and Morgan as a slow smile crept across her lips.
“You both know Morgan,” I said casually, fighting back a grin.
“Yeah!” Haley squealed, earning a chuckle from us both.
My mom was trying to tamp down her excitement as she approached the two of us. “Of course. It’s lovely to see you again.”
“You too,” Morgan replied. “I hope I’m not imposing.”
“Not at all,” she answered immediately before gesturing to the open stool at the counter. “Please, come and sit.”
Haley enthusiastically patted the top of the stool before grabbing the bottle of wine, and Morgan laughed, moving to sit beside her as my sister poured her a glass.
I met my mom’s gaze, and I couldn’t help but smile at the elated sparkle in her eyes as she grinned at me.
Because she knew exactly what me bringing Morgan tonight meant.