Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
RHETT
“Are you sure I look okay?” Natalie asked, smoothing her hands down her pale pink dress.
“You look like a cute little Barbie Doll.” I bopped her on the nose, but she didn’t look amused.
“I knew I should have worn the black dress.” She swatted my hand away.
Natalie tried on ten different outfits before deciding on which one to wear. She was afraid of being over the top or too casual. If you asked me, she could have worn a plain white T-shirt and baggy jeans, and she still would have looked beautiful.
“I don’t want to screw this up.”
“You won’t.” I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles.
“So, what did you tell them? How much do they know?”
“I haven’t told them a thing.”
She looked ready to kill me. “Why would you spring this on them like this?”
I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I didn’t know how to tell them. I figured they would go easier on me if you were there.”
She rolled her eyes. “They are going to think you knocked me up and I’m trapping you for a paycheck.”
My hand paused on the door. “That’s actually not a bad idea. Wanna ditch this place and go make a baby.”
“If I thought you were joking, I would laugh. But you will use whatever excuse you can if you think it will lead to sex.”
“Look at you.” I smirked. “You can already read my mind. We are officially a married couple.”
She swatted my shoulder and straightened her dress. “You should have told them.”
I pushed the door open, not bothering to ring the bell. As soon as we stepped inside, loud voices and laughter filtered throughout the house. But conversations came to a screeching halt when I entered the kitchen.
My mom’s eyes went to mine and Natalie’s linked hands.
Cruze, our housekeeper and childhood nanny, broke the silence. “Rhett, my beautiful boy. It’s good to see you.” She closed the oven and walked over. I noticed her limping on her left side. She’d been slowing down over the years, and my parents had been struggling with how to handle the situation. She refused to retire, but sadly, we all knew that day was slowly approaching.
Her wrinkled hands cupped both sides of my cheeks. “I miss you. You never come to see me anymore.”
“Now that the season is over, I have more time for visits.” I smiled into her brown eyes, which held so much warmth and fond memories.
She clucked her tongue and shook her finger in my face. “Like I haven’t heard that before. You don’t fool me. You’re lucky I’m sending you home with some food. ”
“Oh, yeah. What did you make?” I peered over at the stove.
“I made a tray of enchiladas and tamales. I also wrapped up some churros for you to take.”
“You rock! This is why you’re my favorite,” I whispered in her ear so my mother couldn’t hear me. Her homemade churros were the best.
She kissed my cheek and pulled back. “And who is this beautiful lady?”
My hand went to Natalie’s back. “Everyone, this is Natalie.”
Cruze pulled her into a hug while my mom politely shook her hand. My dad stepped forward in a blue suit. His hair had more gray now than black, but he was tall and built for a man in his early sixties.
“Clayton Daniels. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
She returned his handshake, her nerves visible in her wobbly smile. “Thank you. It’s great to finally meet all of you.”
My brother, Ford, waved and eyed me firmly over the rim of his glass while my sister looped her arm through my brother-in-law’s.
“I’m Reagan, and this is my husband, Wess.” He was blond and skinny and stood out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the family.
“Uncle Rhett,” my niece, Saylor, screeched and ran toward me. Her blond curls bounced as she leaped into my arms.
“What’s up, Say? How are you doing, baby girl?” I spun her around like an airplane.
Her sweet little laughter floated through the kitchen. “Uncle Rhett, put me down so I can show you my new gymnastics flip. ”
“Gymnastics, huh?” I smiled while sliding her down my chest.
Just then, Violet came wobbling forward, holding on to a stuffed lamb while smiling beneath her pacifier. Their kid was always happy.
“There’s my girl, baby V.” I held my hands out so she could run into them. The back of her diaper bounced, looking like it weighed ten pounds.
“I gots something for you, Uncle Rhett.” Saylor held out a small beaded bracelet. “It’s a friendship bracelet in your team colors, orange and blue.” I spun the tiny block of letters that spelled out Daniels#89. “I want you to have it.”
I balanced Violet on my hip and grinned down at the little cutie. “I love it, baby girl.” I held my wrist out. “You want to put it on me?”
Saylor eagerly slipped it over my wrist. It was tight and barely fit, but she was so excited to see me wear it I didn’t want to take it off.
“How’s it look?” I held my arm out so Natalie could see.
She smiled at Saylor. “It’s the prettiest bracelet I’ve ever seen.”
Saylor grinned up at the woman at my side. “I can make you a friendship bracelet too. I have a brand-new bead making kit.”
My sister took a sip of her wine and set it down. She walked over, placing her hands on Saylor’s shoulders. “I need you to help Cruze find a pair of clean clothes for baby V first.”
“Come on, girls,” Cruz said as they both started jumping up and down. She picked up Violet and held her hand out for Saylor, and we watched them disappear down the hall together .
My heart hammered in my chest as my eyes moved across every one of my family members. The thought of breaking the news to them like this was unsettling. They might drive me crazy sometimes, but I loved this stuffy little bunch.
I fidgeted with the collar of my dress shirt. Despite my attempts to reassure Natalie that things would be fine, my stomach was suffering from a sudden bout of nerves.
“I have some news, and I figured I would share it while we are all here together.”
I took Natalie’s hand in mine, her fingers still as a statue, and met my mothers’ eyes. She was going to be the toughest one to convince. “Natalie and I got married.”
My mom’s eyes widened, and her jaw slacked open before forming into a frown. No doubt this news caught her off guard and messed up her plans for me to marry Claire.
“Wait, did you say you’re married?” My dad was the first to speak. His voice was tight as Ford and Reagan exchanged glances. I knew they would have a hard time accepting this. That’s why I wanted to tackle it head-on and get it over with.
My parents might have been a little too buttoned-up for my tastes, but they were everything to me. They loved their kids unconditionally and were devoted to their family. Guilt was coming at me from every angle, twisting my insides up.
“Am I missing something here?” My sister, always the drama queen, crossed her arms and glared at me. Her husband sat beside her, looking too scared to speak.
The tension in the room was mounting by the second.
“This can’t be right,” my brother said while pouring himself a generous glass of bourbon .
My mom stared at me, her mouth open and closed as if she were searching for the right words. I felt a knot form in my stomach. “How could you do this without telling us? What am I supposed to tell the Settlers? What about Claire?”
I shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Natalie beside me. I couldn’t believe I was stupid enough to think this would be a good idea. I was hoping my family would give her a warmer reception.
“Mom, I was never going to marry Claire. I don’t have any romantic feelings for her. That was always your idea, not mine,” I explained, trying to keep my tone gentle.
She wrung her hands in front of her. “But you two were together…”
“Mom, listen to me. Claire and I were never together in that sense. She either misread things or she lied to you. Regardless, it was never going to happen.”
She nodded and looked at Natalie. “I’m sorry. That was very disrespectful of me. I’m just in shock. Please forgive me.”
Natalie gave my mom a warm smile. “It’s okay. I understand.”
My mom picked up her wineglass and turned her attention back to me. “Tell me you at least got married in a church.”
My family had always been traditional and set in their ways. My free-spirit and easygoing personality was a far cry from the life I was born into.
“No, but we did get married by Elvis. Isn’t he one of your favorites?” I smiled at her, hoping she would go easy on me. She folded her arms and stared me down, letting me know my little grin wasn’t working on her.
I walked over to place my hands on her shoulders, hoping to put whatever reservations she had to rest. “Mom, look at me,” I said gently, hoping to appeal to that soft spot that she had for me. She could be overbearing and critical at times, but at the end of the day, I was her son. “I’m sorry. It was a quick ceremony. We wanted to keep things simple.”
Her eyes darted from me to Natalie, curiosity evident in her expression. “Can you tell us how you guys met?”
“Sure,” I said. “We met in Vegas right after the Super Bowl.”
“Why the rush?” My sister’s voice was laced with skepticism.
I knew my family would have questions and think this was impulsive, but I hoped they would eventually support my decision. Maybe I was wrong.
“I didn’t rush into anything. I knew right from the start that Natalie was different and marrying her just felt right.” I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “I know this is a lot to take in, but I was hoping you guys would support my decision and welcome Natalie into the family.”
I wasn’t going to get into too much detail. How Natalie and I got here wasn’t any of their business. They didn’t need to know the specifics. The only thing that should matter to them was my happiness.
“I apologize for being blunt,” Reagan said to Natalie. “This is odd, even for Rhett.”
“Reagan, let’s not make things more awkward,” I said, not appreciating her jab. Normally, I could handle my sister’s sarcasm, but I was feeling protective of my wife and trying to ease her discomfort.
Ford set his glass down. “Rhett, a word please.”
Reagan shared a look with the rest of my family. “We’ll go take the girls out on the swing set. Natalie, would you like to come see the playground out back? ”
“I would love to.” Her smile softened slightly, but I could still see the worry in her expression. Despite how we got together, she was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. If my family had an issue with my marriage, that was tough shit.
I turned to my wife. “You sure?”
“It’s okay. Go.” Natalie placed her hand on my arm. I found it ironic that she was offering me comfort when it should have been the other way around.
I kissed her on the head. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”
Dad held up his hand when his cell phone rang. “I’ve been waiting for this call. It won’t be long. You guys head into my study. I’ll take this in the parlor.”
Ford and I walked over to the set of doors that led to my dad’s study. I took a seat across from him and prepared myself for the interrogation.
“Rhett, you’ve always been a little wild, but this is crazy, even for you. Marrying someone you barely know. Come on. Something about this isn’t adding up.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Why can’t you just be happy for me?”
He scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. “Not only is this sudden, but you always said you never wanted to get married. Now, you’re going to commit your life to a complete stranger?”
His words stung; she might have been a stranger when we first met, but things had changed. “I understand your concerns, but you’ll have to trust me on this.”
“That line might work with everyone else, but it doesn’t work with me.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you sure this doesn’t have anything to do with Mom shoving Claire down your throat?”
My brother was way too smart for his own good. I fully expected him to demand a further explanation, yet I was hesitant to give him the full story. The truth was buried beneath layers of judgment and insecurities. He would see me as weak and desperate, a man who succumbed to fear and pressure.
This arrangement might have started out as a way to get everyone off my back, but Natalie and I ended up connecting on a level that I never anticipated. I might have married her out of desperation, but I was staying with her out of love.
“Why are you probing so hard? What are you trying to accomplish, exactly?” If his intent was to get under my skin, it was working.
Ford steepled his fingers together, contemplating me. “If that isn’t a politely scripted answer, I don’t know what is. You might be the black sheep in the family, but you still know how to avoid answering questions.”
I glanced down at my watch, noticing it was only six thirty. “I’m not avoiding anything. It’s actually quite simple. Natalie is my wife. End of story. Why I married her is nobody’s business.”
Did I expect my marriage to raise a few red flags? Yes. Did I expect this level of scrutiny? No, but I should have.
“Oh, so you’re keeping your personal life personal now, huh?” His tone was colored in disbelief.
All I could do was laugh. “What is your problem?”
He leaned back in his chair. “This seems pretty fast, so I’m not buying it.”
My jaw tightened. “I don’t care, and just because you’re forced to sit behind a desk and work for Daddy doesn’t give you the right to question the decisions that I make in my personal life.”
He narrowed his eyes, not liking being called out. “Did you ever stop to think about what this would do to the family? ”
“See, that’s where you and I are different.” I pointed my finger at him. “Every decision you make, from your color-coordinated socks to who you marry, revolves around how it impacts the family. Your happiness is secondary. I’m just not made that way.”
His nostrils flared, telling me I hit the nail on the motherfuckin’ head. Ford married Bailey straight out of college. She was pretty, sweet, and well pedigreed, but she wasn’t the love of his life. No, that title belonged to Savannah Mills. She was a caring waitress who waited tables at the local country club. She was also a single mother with a dad in prison. Not exactly “marriage material.” My parents gave him a choice, and he chose Bailey. She wasn’t horrible, and he could do much worse, but if he could go back, I think he would choose differently.
He held onto the sides of his chair in a death grip. “You’re an asshole.”
“What can I say, brother.” I bent my knee and dusted off my leg. “You bring out the best of me.”
I got off on screwing with him, especially when he was in a mood. Ford wasn’t always this uptight, but I guess living a life full of resentment would drain all the fun out of a guy.
“You’re just jealous because I inherited the brains in the family.” He tugged on his wool sweater vest and crossed his legs. I wanted to make fun of his pleated slacks and leather loafers but figured I’d already said enough.
“Yep, that title goes to you, but I’m okay with being the better-looking one.”
He exhaled loudly and leaned back in his chair. “Listen, I know I’m being a dick, but you blindsided us. Do you know anything about this woman? This is strange, even for you. I want to know what we’re dealing with here in case she’s some gold digger with a dark past. All it takes is one little Google search to find out everything you need to know.”
“She doesn’t have a shady past, and she’s not a fucking gold digger.”
“Did she sign a prenup?”
“My managers are handling everything on my end.” I was hoping my answer would satisfy him. If he found out the truth, he would flip.
“Has she ever been arrested?” He reached into the desk and pulled out a notepad from the top middle drawer.
“Not that I know of?”
“What is her financial status? Any outstanding debt? Does she work?” He started scribbling things down.
“She has a job.”
“What does she do?”
“She works in the public relations department for the Arrows.”
He lifted his head. “I thought you met in Vegas?”
“We did. She was hired before we met.”
His gaze bore into mine; his expression was unreadable. “What does management think about this?”
I tapped my fingers against the armrest. “I haven’t informed them yet.”
“Don’t tell me you would be stupid enough to violate a no-fraternizing policy.”
My lip tightened. “It’s a little more complicated than that.”
He dropped his pen on the desk and pushed the notepad aside. “How complicated?”
I hesitated for a minute. “She’s Beau Landers’ niece.”
There was a moment of stunned silence before he started swearing under his breath. “Please tell me you’re joking. ”
“Even I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
“Seriously, Rhett. What on earth would possess you to marry Beau Landers’ niece? That’s just asking for trouble.”
“I’m pretty sure it had something to do with the tequila I was drinking that night.”
He looked at me like I had sprouted a third head.
“Jesus Christ.” He plowed a hand through his hair. “So, you were shitfaced out of your mind.”
“You know how Vegas is,” I joked, but the dude didn’t crack a smile.
“No, actually, I don’t know because I’m not fucking crazy like you. How do you think Beau will react to this news?”
I hesitated, my gaze drifting over to the bookshelves on the wall. “I’ll find out soon enough. We plan on telling him as soon as he gets back from Africa.”
His expression softened. “Do you want me to fix this? I could have this gone by morning. Just say the word.”
That was the last thing I wanted.
I sighed, trying to get him to understand. “This isn’t a mistake that needs to be fixed. I love her and want to stay married to her.”
“I don’t know, brother, you hardly know this woman. Maybe you should think this through before making any final decisions.”
I coughed into my hand. “My mind is already made up. This is what I want. We just need to get her uncle on board.”
Ford leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. “Do you think that’s going to be a problem?”
I scratched my head. “He might've told Natalie that he wouldn't approve of her dating anyone on the team and wouldn't hesitate to trade anyone who tried to get close to her. "
Ford inhaled sharply. “Rhett, only fucking you.”
My dad walked through the door, pocketing his phone. “What did I miss?”