Chapter Forty-Four
Grace
“Are we ready?” I asked, surveying everyone dressed and ready in their finery in the living room. Well, everyone except me. I’d put my dress on at the club.
“Yeah, um, how are we getting there?” Wes looked at everyone.
Verity held Hope, who napped on her shoulder. Tru was braiding Jett’s hair.
“Hale, please don’t touch that,” Brennan said through gritted teeth as Hale picked up a small statue.
“Grace, I think Hale, Chance, and Dare should go with you, Mercy if there’s room,” Verity said.
There was something about the way she said it that made me think that perhaps some of my siblings needed to talk to me. Which was fair.
“Okay, we can’t fit all four of us in my truck legally. But Spencer already said that we could take his car…” Mentally I counted. How were we going to do this?
She started unfolding some rectangles that were with their luggage. “I have the car seats for Tru, Pax, and Hope.”
Oh. They would be in car seats. I loved how they just folded up like that. I suppose when Tru visited us, they’d be sending one for her.
“Do we have cars we can put car seats in?” Wes gave us a baffled look.
“Jett’s the police officer; ask him. Also, since you three seem to think that I’m going to have triplets, you can figure out where to put them.” It came out cranky. We were behind schedule because Pax had gotten stuck in a vent, and then we had to get him changed.
“Triplets?” Verity looked startled. “Are you pregnant?”
“Not pregnant. But twins run on both sides of my family apparently, and the guys all seem convinced that I’m going to have Spencer’s triplets.” I rubbed my temples.
Hale thought for a moment. “I think the world needs that.”
No. The world did not.
“I think the only car we can put three car seats in is Spencer’s. Well, and Evan’s. But Evan isn’t here.” Jett rubbed his chin. “We can’t put those car seats in the trucks, and we can only fit two in my car.”
“Okay, so Wes, Verity, and the car seats go in Spencer’s car. Jett, can I drive your car?” I mentally counted.
“Um, I guess. Who does that leave?” Jett looked around.
“It means that you and Bren get to take Mercy and me on your motorcycles.” Riley, who wore the elegant green jumpsuit from the mall, struck a pose.
“Okay…” Brennan nodded. “I’m supposed to take Spencer’s motorcycle, anyway. Riley, Mercy can wear your helmet, and you can wear Evan’s?”
Mine was with the things I was bringing with me to the venue, since Spencer and I were leaving the party on his motorcycle.
“Oh, that sounds amazing,” Mercy agreed, looking stunning in a similar jumpsuit, only in a leaf pattern. It might be a popular style right now.
My guys all wore suits with green ties and pocket squares that matched Riley.
“I’ll take a motorcycle,” Hale offered.
“No. I think we’re set?” Brennan looked to Verity.
“Um, okay.” Verity bit her lower lip.
“Jett could also take Mercy and Riley in one of the trucks,” I offered.
“Oh, come on, Ver,” Mercy pleaded.
“Fine.” She sighed.
Hale laughed. “I mean, you rode a motorcycle in a bikini.”
“It was for a photo shoot, and we weren’t going fast. Okay, let’s get everyone packed up.
Here, take this.” Verity handed Brennan and Wes each a car seat then grabbed the third car seat and the diaper bag, while still carrying Hope.
“Okay, you know who you’re going with. Everyone load up and mind your buddy. ”
“Got mine.” Mercy grabbed Riley’s hand and raised it. “This is going to be amazing.”
Verity and Wes started leading everyone to the garage.
“Breathe.” Brennan held me to his chest. “It’ll be okay. Creed is taking them after this, right?”
I sighed. “No. They’re staying here. Spencer and I will just cancel the hotel.
In the morning, Creed will pick them up, except for Verity, who is leaving tonight, and Mercy, who has plans with Riley, and take them to the adventure park.
We’ll go to brunch with Spencer’s family from Greece, after that, Mercy and Riley have their own plans.
I have lunch with Spencer and his mother’s family from New York.
Then, whoever wants can go to the adventure park for fireworks and dinner.
After that, they’re all going on a late-night flight home.
Mercy’s visit has been cut short so that she can return with them. ” At least she was coming back soon.
“Absolutely not.” Brennan shook his head.
“I’ll book them a family suite at the adventure park hotel, and Creed can take care of them all, well, except for Mercy.
I can handle one well-behaved, self-sufficient teenager over for a sleepover.
But all of them… no. And I’m not the one teasing you about triplets. ”
“I know.” I hugged him tighter.
“You and Spencer should have your night together. We’ll meet you for brunch. I probably will opt out of fireworks at the adventure park. But Wes, Evan, and Jett fucking love that place.” He sighed.
“Grace, are you okay?” Wes came back in.
“She needs a hug.” Brennan let go of me.
Wes pulled me to him. “We’re not having eight kids.”
“Agreed.” I closed my eyes.
“Sister, are you coming? Can I drive?” Hale yelled.
I sighed. “I’m coming, and no. We’re not putting the top down either.”
“Well, no, it’ll mess up your hair.” Hale stood there, looking like trouble even in his suit, wearing fancy cowboy boots and a dressy cowboy hat. Chance and Pax also had on their nice boots, hats, and bolo ties.
“See you there.” I gave Brennan and Wes a kiss.
I got into the car with my three brothers, and we started driving to the country club, my dress and everything in the tiny trunk.
“Hey, um, can you explain why and how you put Mom in jail?” Chance inquired from the back seat. “No one will tell us anything.”
“Yeah, even Verity and Creed are being assholes about it.” Dare shrugged and looked at his brothers. His suit was very Victorian rake. He had on more eyeliner than I did and looked amazing.
“I mean, I know she stabbed your mate. I was there, but there’s more to it, right?” Hale’s brow furrowed.
“What is baby trafficking, anyway? Babies can’t drive.” Chance frowned.
“It’s when you sell a baby.” I sighed. “Short version, you know I’m your dad’s from before he met your alpha moms, right?”
Heads bobbed. How did I explain this gently?
“One of your moms didn’t want me around after my mom died and gave me to my mom’s mom.
But, she didn’t talk to your dad about it first. She then gave my aunt money to take me far away so that your dad would never find me, which in the eyes of the law is selling me, and is what got her arrested.
” My gut churned. “There’s more to it, and I can tell you later. ”
“Oh. Okay. That is weird. Mom likes kids more than Mumsy but not as much as Mama.” Chance frowned. “But you found us, and that’s why the parents are mad?”
“No one told me that I wasn’t supposed to find you.
Though I wasn’t looking. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for your mom to end up in jail.
Truly, I didn’t know about any of this. Meeting Creed at the conference was a surprise.
I thought that my dad abandoned me; of course, I also thought my aunt was my mom,” I added.
“She stabbed Spencer because she was mad at me.”
Chance frowned. “Okay. I don’t know if Mom should be in jail because it makes everyone sad, but selling babies sounds wrong. Not telling Dad things is very wrong and usually ends with much yelling. Stabbing people is also wrong.”
“I wasn’t trying to wreck your family. I’m sorry.” I sniffed.
“No one thinks you are, Sister,” Hale said gently. “You were a baby, and none of this is your fault. But the parents aren’t telling us shit, and Verity and Creed are like, This isn’t our story to tell, so we wanted to ask you.”
“I’ll answer everything I can,” I promised.
“Are you rich?” Chance asked. “Your house feels like a rich person’s house. I love the little house your big house has.”
“She’s mated to a billionaire. Of course she has a nice house.” Dare smacked his younger brother in the head.
“Oh. I thought she mated to that Greek man.” Chance blinked.
“Yeah, a Greek billionaire who runs a biotech company that works with secret government agencies.” Dare rolled his eyes.
As we drove, I answered their questions, which were less about their mom and more about why I didn’t have any pets, and the sports and video games I liked, and what exactly I did for Compass BioTek. I tried to learn about them, too.
“You play the cello?” I asked Dare. Right, Tru told me that he was a musician.
Chance rolled his eyes. “All the time.”
“It’s called practicing. I play a few different instruments, but mostly the cello. I’d like to do more with it, but the parents are about as excited at the idea of me majoring in music as they are at Mercy becoming a professional athlete.” Dare sighed.
“I play the piano, and while I never wanted to major in it, music is so helpful for so many reasons. If you want to do it, go for it,” I encouraged. “I support doing what you love. For me, it was math–and no, my parents didn’t want me to study math.”
Hale started laughing. “Yeah, you didn’t grow up with us. That would be an acceptable major.”
“What did they want you to be?” Chance asked.
“A teacher. Teachers are great, I just didn’t want to be one,” I said as we drove through the gates of the country club.
“This is where the party is? What is this place?” Chance asked.
“Spencer’s golf and tennis club. Hale, why aren’t you allowed around bouncy castles?” I asked as we turned into the parking lot.
“What? I am so allowed around bouncy castles. Ugh, you fill one bouncy castle with helium borrowed from the university chem lab.” Hale made an exasperated face.
Yep. This was my brother, the chemistry major.
We parked. Eunice, the fancy wedding planner, waited for me, looking stressed.
“There you are,” she said as I got my dress and things out of the trunk.
“Sorry, we’re running behind.” I saw Wes drive up in Spencer’s car, followed by the motorcycles.