30. Ian
After runningerrands all over Preston County for Maylene, I returned to her house to find Beau’s car sitting out front. I hadn’t told him where I was staying—or that I was staying—so for him to know I was here meant something was up.
Was I normally suspicious in nature? Nope. But with everyone sticking their noses in my business, I’d begun to wonder if my friends or family had nothing better to do. The Gravel Hill Boys were on a break until October, but I wished we’d just get back on the damn horse already and head out on tour. That would shut everybody up for a few months. Give ‘em all something else to worry about besides me and Madison.
Not that there was a “me and Madison.”
I was heading up the sidewalk balancing a case of diapers and a slew of reusable grocery bags that were currently cutting off the circulation in my arms when the front door swung open and Fiona greeted me with an overly bright smile.
“Hey, Ian. Let me help you.” She reached for the box of diapers.
“What’re you doing here?” I asked, worried that if she knew I was here, maybe Maylene had also told my parents. The last thing I needed was another lecture from my fath?—
“Hello, son,” the man in question said, stepping into the foyer and grabbing several grocery bags.
“What the—?” I couldn’t finish the thought.
Half of Ashwood—otherwise known as my family—was crammed into Maylene’s living room, along with Beau and Brooklynn, who was seated on his lap, Barrett, and Zac. Aurelia and my mother were entertaining my niece, while Meemaw and Pawpaw sat on dining room chairs that had been pulled into the room. Their arms folded somewhat aggressively; they wore matching frowns of disappointment. I had to assume someone told them I’d knocked up a stranger. Bridget’s and Fiona’s husbands sat on the floor while my nephew crawled from person to person. Maylene swept in, grabbing the rest of the grocery bags from my arms, followed by my other two sisters, Bridget and Ellie.
Bailey suddenly appeared from within the crowded room and led me to a chair near the window, facing the center of the room.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded.
“Don’t take it out on me, boss. Your sister demanded my presence, and she scares me more than you do.”
I snorted. “I scare you? If that’s the case, how come you never listen to me?”
“I do listen. I just weed out the nonsense.”
“Which sister?” I asked, since all of them were here—and all, except for Ellie, were scary.
“Bridget,” she said, dropping into a nearby chair.
I found the culprit leaning up against the wall near the kitchen wearing a wide smirk. “I’ll remember this the next time your kid is teething and you want me to sing him to sleep long distance,” I called out to her.
She laughed. “Oh Ian, I have so much dirt on you that you wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh!” Bailey patted the seat beside her. “Bridget! Come sit next to me and share.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake.”
Ma’s head snapped up. “Hush your mouth. There’s babies present.”
“And why are there babies present? Why are any of you present? Is this an intervention or something? And if so, why the hell do I need interventing?”
Zac made a face. “Interventing? Speak English, man.”
“Why are you here?” I growled, for once too annoyed to be afraid of our dark and dangerous drummer. “Why are any of you here?”
“Have a seat, son,” my father motioned at the empty chair. “We need to have a chat.”
“A chat? One to one is a chat. This is one to—” I started to count the number of people in the room, but before I could finish the front door banged open and Maisie walked in.
“Sorry I’m late,” she called. “I brought taco dip.”
A cheer went up around the room as Maisie set her dip on the coffee table.
“Hey, loser,” she said when she saw me standing there with my mouth hanging open.
“What the hell is she doing here?” I demanded.
“Ian, sit down, please,” my father insisted.
This was insane. I had a very good idea what was about to happen. I also had a good idea that two dozen people nagging me wasn’t going to make me make up my mind any quicker about Madison and our situation. While my sisters carried more snacks in from the kitchen like this was a church potluck, I took a slow step backward, followed by another. One quick turn and I’d make a run for it and hop into my car before anyone could stop me. I spun toward the door and slammed into a solid wall of tattooed drummer.
“Get the fuck out of my way,” I snarled.
Barrett stepped out from behind him. “Nice try, buddy,” he said. “We weren’t born yesterday.”
“Sit,” Zac said. His gaze warned me not to mess with him. His hand on my shoulder put a finer point on his command, followed by a shove until my ass hit the chair.
Beau handed me a cold one. I chugged it, then dragged the back of my hand across my mouth and burped for added effect. Make me sit here and treat me like some sort of deadbeat dad, then I’d damn sure act like one.
“Oh, Ian,” Ma scolded. “That wasn’t necessary.”
Beau handed me another, followed by a smack on the back of my head. “Behave,” he warned, although there was a twinkle in his eyes. I already knew how he felt about all this. Guess he was just here for the taco dip.
For the next two hours, I sat and listened to everyone comment, criticize, and cajole. My back hurt, my ass had gone numb, and I had a motherfucking headache to end all headaches.
I was also hangry, but no way was I going to partake in anything from this party of the damned—the damned being me
“Now just hold on a gosh-dang minute.” Apparently, I’d been wrong. Everyone except Meemaw—and Zac, of course, who’d positioned himself by the door to keep me from bolting—had had their say. Not wanting to be outdone, she rose
“Cletus, go cut me a switch,” she instructed my grandfather, who scrambled out of his chair and nimbly picked his way around my cousins—yep, this little party had grown to three dozen. I’d bet anything his sprinting was more about getting the hell out of here than wanting to take a switch to me behind the woodshed. If it would get me out of here, I’d gladly drop trou and take a beating.
“Now, Ma,” my dad spoke up. “Ian’s a grown man. There’s no need to threaten him with?—”
Her eyes narrowed, and Pop slammed his mouth shut.
“A grown man? He ain’t actin’ like one. A grown man doesn’t need to be told what’s right and what’s wrong. A grown man knows how to treat a lady. Knows how to take responsibility. Takes care of his own.” Meemaw’s face remained stern and scolding, but her eyes welled. Forget the switch, that right there hurt more than the beating I was beginning to think I deserved.
“Ian…I know this ain’t how your mama and daddy raised you.” She shook her head and dabbed at her eyes with an embroidered hanky she pulled from the pocket of her dress.
“I never thought there’d come a day, but honestly, this life you lead and the choices you make… I have never been more disappointed in you.”
The living room, dining room, and the foyer behind me all fell silent. Too many eyes to count all settled on me. Heat crept up my neck and spread across my face. The backs of my eyes prickled and burned. I blinked. Once. Twice.
Well, fuck.