Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Brooke
“D on’t be nervous. You know them already. You don’t have to be scared.”
I narrowed my gaze at Leif. “So says the man who is about to take me to a Montgomery family dinner, as if it’s not a daunting task.”
“It’s not going to be too daunting. I promise you.”
“I’m excited. Will there be cheese?” Luke asked, and my lips twitched as Leif took a staggered step back, his hand over his chest. “Will there be cheese? It’s like you don’t even know me, kid. Of course, there’s going to be cheese. It’s a Montgomery dinner.”
“What if somebody doesn’t like cheese comes to visit, would they be kicked out?”
Leif lifted Luke into his arms as my son began to laugh, and I ignored that little clutch of my belly at the sight. We were walking up the long driveway to Austin and Sierra’s house, and from the cars already parked in the driveway, we were possibly the last ones there.
I didn’t like being late, but I’d had a morning meeting with a few advisors that hadn’t been able to be postponed. Leif understood, and he told me his family would as well, but I still felt bad about it.
“If someone does not like cheese, then they are forever ostracized.”
“What does ostrich-sized mean?”
“What that means it’s a big bird,” Leif said, laughing at his own joke as I rolled my eyes. “But ostracize means that they are forever kicked out of the family.” At Luke’s wide eyes, Leif tapped Luke on the nose. “But I was only kidding. If somebody doesn’t like cheese, that just means more cheese for us. However, if you bring in any processed or fake cheese into the house, you are forever gone. That is a fon-don’t, not a fondue. It must be gouda to be good.”
I rolled my eyes. “How many cheese jokes do you have for this?”
“I have amassed a countless supply of cheese, dairy, and cow jokes from a long life of cheese-related humor. Just know that this will not be the first time you hear them, nor the last. It’s sort of what you’re forced into since you’re with me.”
He took my hand and my heart sped. Here I was, meeting the family, about to go to an actual dinner, and bringing my son. This was a big step. A scary one.
Leif’s parents lived less than twenty minutes away, in the suburb just north of ours. They had a large house that I knew was Montgomery built. It was a two-story place with beautiful corbels under the eaves.
It looked like a home, welcoming, and with the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, it was gorgeous. Leif told me that there was a huge deck on the back, one where he and his family had eaten countless dinners. Tonight, we would be eating inside since the mosquitoes were terrible.
“This home is beautiful. It’s like something out of my childhood dreams.”
“Well, that’s a nice thing to hear when I walk outside,” Sierra said as she opened the door and beamed at me.
I blushed, not having realized that she was there. “Oh, well, I love the house.”
“So do I. Austin had it built before we were married, and I moved in and never left. We have done some renovations to keep it updated and the like, but the Montgomerys know how to build.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Austin said as he came up behind Sierra and put his hand on her shoulder. He was a full head taller than her, his big beard flecked with slight to moderate granite. They looked happy and in love and as if they had been made for each other.
That was what I wanted. That settled happiness still seemed to thrive even after four children and countless changes. Could I have that with Leif? I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure if I could trust myself enough for that, but maybe I should try.
Luke scrambled down out of Leif’s hold and practically ran toward Sierra.
My eyes widened as Leif’s mom bent down and lifted Luke up to her waist.
“Hello there,” she said, laughing.
“It is good to see you again. Thank you for welcoming us into your home.” Luke said it slowly, reciting everything I had told him, and Sierra beamed as Austin rubbed his mouth, holding back a smile.
“We’re trying,” Leif said, and once again, my heart did that pit-pat thing.
Because he said we .
We were trying. Together.
I was in love with Leif Montgomery, and I needed to come to terms with that.
“Come on inside. We’ll get you all situated with the Montgomerys,” Austin said as Sierra moved into the house, Luke in her arms as the two of them talked.
I bit my lip, walked inside, and handed over the bottle of wine I had brought.
“Like Luke said, thank you for welcoming us into your home.”
“Thank you for bringing this stranger with you, since I never get to see him these days.” Austin took the bottle from my hand and then held me close, giving me a big bear hug.
I swallowed hard, tears stinging my eyes.
What was with me?
Leif hugged his dad and then gestured towards the living room.
“And here is the rest of my immediate family. There’s Colin.” He pointed to a tall man with dark hair and thick-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. I knew that Colin was finishing up his last year of college. He grinned as he came toward us.
“Finally, the woman that tamed the beast.”
“Colin,” Leif growled, but Leif’s little brother waved him off, picked me up around the waist and twirled me around the living room.
“Welcome to the Montgomerys.”
I sputtered and laughed. “He said you were going to be the one that made a scene.”
“At least I’m living up to my expectation.”
“Okay, hands off my woman,” Leif growled as he pulled me back.
“Seriously? You decide to go with my woman ?” I asked, laughing.
“I’ve got to claim my territory. There are a lot of freaking Montgomerys out there. This is why it’s just the immediate family today, rather than all of the cousins and aunts and uncles. I don’t think you’re ready for that kind of dinner.”
“Nobody is,” a young woman said from the couch as she stood up, her twin brother beside her.
“Gideon, Jamie, this is Brooke. And over there, in Mom’s arms, is Luke.” My son waved from Sierra’s arms, and I had to wonder if I was ever going to hold my son again tonight, because he looked mighty comfortable in Sierra’s arms. Of course, that just made me smile.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Gideon said, grinning. “Will you drive us around? Or let us drive your car?”
“Gideon Montgomery,” Austin growled, though I could hear the laughter in his tone.
“What am I missing?” I asked as Leif pinched the bridge of his nose.
“The twins are trying to get their driver’s licenses, which means they need adults who are suckers enough to let them drive their cars. Do not touch Brooke’s car. She has Luke to drive around, so if you wreck it, then Luke won’t have a car.”
“Well, that’s a leap of logic,” Jamie said with a teenage roll of her eyes. “We’ll be careful, and it is not like Luke would be in the car as we drove.”
I held up my hands in surrender. “I’m not getting in the middle of this, but I bet you Leif could help. He is the big brother, and he’s nice.”
“Brooke,” he growled, but his eyes were filled with laughter.
“Oh, we already like you. You’re going to fit nicely,” Austin said as he squeezed my shoulders and led me to the sitting room.
“We all helped cook, so Sierra didn’t have to do it all on her own, but she’s still the best cook of us all.”
“I’m catching up,” Colin said, his chin raised.
“Yes, you are,” Sierra said, grinning. “Now, what can we get you to drink?”
“Milk?” Luke asked as he came practically barreling towards my legs.
I laughed, thankful that Leif kept me standing upright.
“We do have milk, as long as it’s okay with your mom,” Sierra answered.
I nodded. “Milk is good, but you also need to have water. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Come on. I have the perfect cup for you. It used to be Leif’s. I don’t throw anything away.”
Austin rolled his eyes, much as his teenage daughter had. “I don’t know why she said that. She’s constantly cleaning out the house so we don’t end up like hoarders.” he grumbled.
“Let me guess. She finally threw away those old shorts that were more holes than cloth.” Leif grinned.
“They were fine.”
“Dad, you used to have to wear shorts underneath them so you didn’t get arrested for indecent exposure.” Jamie added with a huff, her eyes dancing.
Austin growled though it was halfhearted. “I swear, I’m outnumbered by all of you.”
“I don’t know. I seem to be the one surrounded by Montgomerys. I think Luke and I are the ones outnumbered.”
“Okay, fine. I guess that counts.” Austin winked. “Come on, let’s get you that drink, now that Luke is taken care of.”
Soon, I found myself laughing over barbecue ribs and fajitas, two foods that Leif loved, and they hadn’t been able to choose which one to eat. There was pico de gallo and cilantro, beans and a fruit salad, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw. Somehow it was the perfect amount of food for everybody though, without anyone feeling like they had to overeat. Everything was delicious, and I knew I needed a recipe or two for the sauce at least.
“Are these tortillas homemade?” I asked, after Luke and I shared a final one.
Sierra grinned. “Yes, one of my nieces went down to San Antonio for school for a while and learned how to make them from her roommate’s family.”
“I’m jealous.”
“I can teach you. It’s fun. I bet Luke would have fun making them, too.”
Luke grinned, his mouth closed but full of tortilla.
“I’m going to take that as a yes,” I said with a laugh.
“I know you only wanted immediate family here,” Austin said after a moment, looking at Leif. “But I wanted to invite Lake, as I need to meet this man of hers.”
“You know, I haven’t met Zach either,” I said with a frown. “That’s weird, right?”
“They are both constantly out of town, and when they are in town, they want to spend time together. I guess it makes sense.” Leif said as he shrugged. “I met him on that double date. Remember?”
“Oh yes, when you went on a date with my nanny,” I teased.
The table broke out into laughs and hoots as Luke’s eyes widened.
“You and May?”
“I just went out to dinner with May. She’s nice. But you know, I have a thing for your mom.”
Everybody laughed louder as I shook my head, blushing.
“Of course you like Mom. She’s the best,” Luke said, as if that was everything in the world, and went back to his tortilla.
“Well then,” Austin said, clearing his throat even though he was still laughing. “I still want to meet him. I know that my cousin Liam, Lake’s father, can handle it, but since she lives near us, I feel a sense of responsibility for my generation.”
“I’m sure Lake can handle everything on her own,” Sierra said, admonishing her husband. “But if we happen to invite her over for dinner just because, maybe with a few of the nieces, she can bring her boyfriend. Then we can meet him and interrogate him.”
“I’m going to have to take notes on how you think,” I said with a laugh.
“Before you know it, your kids are asking to go to school dances, go on dates, to drive. Then it’s college, starting their own business, and bringing home a lovely woman that we adore, along with her amazing son.” Sierra winked, and I blushed even harder as Leif let out a sigh.
“Subtle, Mom.”
“You know I try.”
“Speaking of dates, we saw Sebastian and Marley out at the Connolly Brewery for dinner yesterday.”
I turned to the twins, frowning. “Marley is Sebastian’s girlfriend, right?” I asked.
“Yep, and I keep waiting for him to propose already,” Jamie said, that teenage winsome note in her voice.
“They’re too young to get married,” Sierra said before she stiffened. “Great, now I sound like an uppity mother from a TV show. But they are only eighteen.”
“Sebastian’s nearly nineteen,” Leif corrected.
“And they do love each other. I just still think of them as babies. And that’s on me.” She narrowed her eyes at the twins. “You two are fifteen. So don’t even start thinking about it.”
“I’m just saying they’re adorable,” Jamie said.
“Don’t worry. I’m looking to get married once I’m old, like thirty.” Gideon grinned as he said it, and Leif rolled his eyes.
“You’re lucky there’s a kid here.”
“You are lucky that I’m here,” Luke said as he beamed, and I cackled, the rest joining me.
By the time we cleaned up and headed out to the porch for the evening, Leif cleared his throat and whispered something to Jamie. She gave him an odd look and then nodded before holding out her hand.
“Hey, Luke, do you want to see our playroom? It’s changed over the years, but there might be a couple of toys to show you.”
Gideon stepped right up as if the twins had mind-reading abilities. “Yeah, come on, kiddo.”
Luke looked at me and I nodded, knowing why Leif wanted Luke out of the room along with his youngest siblings.
The three walked away, and Austin gave us a worried look before clearing his throat. “What is it that you want to tell us that you didn’t want little ears around for?” he asked, his voice soft.
Colin, I noticed, had been allowed to stay, but considering he was an adult, that made sense. Sierra slid her hand into Austin’s while I did the same to Leif’s.
“I have to tell you something, and you’re going to get mad, but let me get through it.”
I squeezed his hand again, and Leif let out a breath before explaining the entire situation about Roger.
As expected, Austin growled and threw his hands in the air. “Why the hell didn’t you tell us?”
“Austin, let him finish,” Sierra put in, even as she glared at her son. “Once you’re finished, then we can yell at you.”
“Damn straight,” Colin added.
Leif ran his hand through his hair and went through every detail, sparing no feelings, and even mentioned how he had broken up with me for those few short minutes.
Colin reached out and smacked the back of Leif’s head, but nobody admonished him for it. Instead, they continued to listen to Leif. When he finished, I hugged him tightly and moved back so Sierra could hold her son. Colin began to rant, repeatedly going over what happened and asking questions. Leif answered systematically, and I knew this was hard for him.
Then Austin spoke, and everyone quieted. “All this time. All this fucking time, Leif. You never told me. I don’t know why.”
Because Sierra was holding her son, Colin came up to me and hugged me tightly. It was as if I was part of the family already, and tears slid down my cheeks. I looked over and saw Sierra was crying, too.
Austin sighed. “I wish you would’ve told me all those years ago about everything that happened to you. I thought I knew, I thought you would have told me, but you didn’t. We’re going to have to work through that, but the thing is…we’re family, Leif.”
“I know that, Dad, I promise you. I’m sorry.”
“We’re a family, meaning we’re going to handle this together. I know you thought you had to handle this on your own because you’re the oldest and because you feel like everybody is trying to lean on you. We talked about this. We’ve all got you. People younger than you, older than you, all of us. So, we’re going to deal with this as a family.” Austin Montgomery looked at me then, his eyes directly on mine. “And that means you too, Brooke. You and Luke. We’re all a family in this. So we will protect each other, and we will keep that man out of our lives. Just like we should’ve done all those years ago. Come here, son,” Austin growled as he moved forward and opened his arms. Leif went straight into them, as did Sierra. Colin tugged on me, and suddenly the five of us were hugging, laughing, and crying.
In that moment, I knew I truly loved Leif. His family loved him so much that while they were angry that he had hidden this, they loved him more than that anger. They cared for him and wanted to keep him safe. And they wanted to keep my son safe.
I had fallen in love with Leif Montgomery.
And I was truly scared I could lose him if we didn’t protect him.
But right then and there, I let the Montgomerys hold me, and I imagined what it would mean to have a family like this.
And what it could mean if this was truly mine.