Chapter 29
Twenty-Nine
Louise
Ilaugh, grinning up at the third incredibly handsome Macomb man. Good god, the genetics in this family are truly unrivaled.
Blue eyes the same color as Zach’s, but infinitely deeper, as if he’s seen a harsher side of the world than his younger brother. A thick, dark beard covers the lower portion of his face. He’s shorter than Zach by an inch or two, but just as solidly built.
“Woman after my own heart,” I laugh, extending my hand to the woman after she’s finally released from her makeshift gag. She glares at her husband, but one only has to be in the presence of these two for a handful of seconds to tell they absolutely adore each other.
The woman pushes my hand aside and pulls me in for a hug, instead, squeezing me tight.
“Hi,” she says, pulling back and smiling at me.
She has the kindest eyes, a peculiar shade of gray that’s mesmerizing.
Freckles pepper the bridge of her nose and cheeks, and her honey blond hair is tied up in a messy half knot, the bottom half curled around her shoulders.
She pushes clear rimmed glasses back into place on her nose.
“I’m Teddy. It’s so nice to have another girl in the family. Time to even out these numbers a bit.”
Joel groans from behind them, and I raise my eyes to his. He winks at me, which makes me blush. My eyes go to Zach, who just rolls his eyes. Oh good. The pissing contest seems to be over between the two of them.
Or, at least a temporary truce.
The woman I assume is their mother smacks Joel in the shoulder. “You just wait,” she mutters, shaking her head and coming toward us. “You’ll meet your match. And I personally hope she’s as fiery as they come.”
“Jeez, Ma, you could just say you hate me,” Joel chuffs, rolling his eyes. I laugh.
This family is… amazing.
“Jesus,” Zach snorts, shaking his head. His brother once again takes the toddler, still refusing to let his wife carry her, but he extends his free hand toward me.
“Lou, this is my older brother, Xander. You’ve met his wife, Teddy.
This little troublemaker is… Bea?” he asks it tentatively, looking to Teddy for confirmation.
She laughs and nods. “Ha, see. I remembered!”
“This little troublemaker is a year and a half old and just learning to walk because someone doesn’t like to put her down,” Teddy chides, bumping her shoulder into Xander’s.
“What?” he protests, raising his shoulders in a shrug. He bounces the toddler in his arm. “She’s my bug.”
“Lou, you’ve met Joel,” Zach says, nodding his head toward his younger brother. I wave over to him and he winks again. Zach glares at him, which just makes the younger one laugh. “And this is our mom, Lydia. Mom, this is Lou. And this tiny thing is Spencer.”
“Hello, my dear,” Lydia Macomb says as she steps forward.
With the infant in one arm, she encircles my shoulders with the other and pulls me in for a hug.
She pulls back far enough to look me over, and I can’t help the heat that spreads across my cheeks at the scrutiny.
“My word, aren’t you stunning. Both of my boys got so lucky with two knockouts. ”
“What am I, chopped liver?” Joel mutters from several feet away, making us all laugh. “You know what, I’m gonna go hang out with the kids. They’re nicer.”
“I doubt that,” Xander laughs. “Penny is ruthless!”
“So is Bailey,” Zach says, and I have to admit he’s not wrong. “Mom, I’m assuming we’re in charge of dinner?”
“Xander brought steaks,” their mother says, nodding.
“I don’t think the grill has been started yet, though.
Might be the last time this season we get to use it before the snow flies.
I have veggie skewers marinating in the fridge that can go on, too.
And the potatoes are already in the pot on the stove, they just need to be turned on to boil. ”
“Is there anything I can do?”
Lydia shakes her head and nods toward the men. “This is their bonding time after not seeing each other for so long. They’ll all be congregated around the grill for an hour just chatting. I made an apple pie sangria for us ladies.”
“Sounds amazing,” Teddy hums. Nodding toward the baby in Lydia’s arms, she asks, “If she gets to be too heavy, I can take her—”
“Not at all,” their mother assures, then nods at Joel. “Joel, honey, grab down those stemless wine glasses out of the top cabinet, please?”
Zach drops a kiss to the top of my head, the act so natural and effortless. Like we’ve done this for ages.
Joel sets the stemless glasses on the counter and then goes to the fridge, pulling out a glass pitcher filled to the brim. Pouring a healthy amount into each glass, he hands them to Lydia, Teddy, and myself.
“Ladies,” he says, winking at me again. Zach clears his throat, which just makes the youngest Macomb grin.
He turns back to the fridge and pulls out several bottles of beer before handing one to each of his brothers.
Xander instructs Teddy to sit down, causing her to roll her eyes again, but she does as he says. Abigail steps closer to him and asks, “Can I take Bea to the playroom, Uncle Xander?”
“Sure, kiddo.” Handing the toddler over to Zach’s oldest, he grins down at her. “Gosh, I can’t believe how big you’ve gotten. I remember when you were this little.”
“Yeah, we grow up fast when you only see us once every five years,” Abigail deadpans. Zach chokes on his beer and sputters, coughing.
Xander nods sheepishly. “You are absolutely right. I’ll do better, I promise. Now that I’m retired, we’ll come visit more. And you guys can always come to Sky Ridge to visit, too. Not just for a wedding, you know.” The oldest Macomb brother glares over at Zach and Joel.
Abigail disappears down the hallway, toting a chattering Bea with her.
Zach claps Xander on the back and says, “It was a great wedding.” He looks over at me and explains, “Teddy and Xander got married New Years Day at dawn at a scenic overlook that opens up over one of the valleys near Sky Ridge. Everything was dusted with frost, and when the sun came up, it was like glitter had been thrown everywhere. Pretty fucking cool to see.”
Teddy pulls out her phone from where she’s sitting and says, “Our photographer got some great pictures. Would you like to see?”
“Of course,” I laugh, joining her at the table, my sangria in hand. Lydia comes to stand behind us, peering over our shoulders as Teddy shuffles through photos on her phone.
“That’s our cue,” Xander laughs, and the three brothers disappear outside to man the grill, steaks and veggie skewers in hand. Zach winks at me as they exit, and my heart expands just a little more.
I gasp at one photo that Teddy shows us, my mouth dropping open.
Xander, in a charcoal gray suit, and Teddy in an iridescent silver dress with a white fur bolero jacket, standing at the edge of a precipice overlooking a valley between mountain peaks.
They’re standing facing each other, clearly about to kiss, Xander’s hands wrapped around Teddy’s waist, rounded with pregnancy.
The sun is just rising, directly behind them, and the entire landscape shimmers like millions of diamonds.
“Ohmygawwd, this is stunning! Ugh, I adore weddings. There’s a woman my sister knows—my sister is a wedding photographer, by the way—but this woman, her name is Andi, she’s a wedding coordinator that’s looking for an assistant.
I’ve been tossing the idea around to apply.
” I sigh then, taking a sip of my drink.
“But that means I’d have to leave the family business, and I’m not sure my sister or my mom are ready for me to spread my wings, yet. ”
“You don’t think they’d be happy that you get to do what you enjoy?” Teddy asks, glancing at me.
I shrug. “It’s… complicated. My family runs Bliss Garden, we’re a floral nursery that also has a big barn that we rent out for events, and we have a small bar and patio that’s open to the public.
My parents started it ages ago, and then my oldest sister and her husband kind of stepped in to take over after our dad died, and I came home early from college to help.
My sister Sienna—the wedding photographer—told me about the opening, but our oldest sister’s husband died earlier this year, so…
I’ve kind of just stayed to help out as much as I can. ”
Teddy nods, smiling gently. “As a widow myself, I can tell you that your mom and your sister both probably appreciate that more than you know. I lost my husband two years ago. I was pregnant with Bea, actually. My brother insisted I move closer to him after Logan died, so he and his fiancé could help.”
“Holy shit,” I whisper, shaking my head. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” Teddy murmurs gently, smiling sadly.
“It was heartbreaking. And something you never really get over. Having those people closest to me helping out the way they did, it made things easier. Xander…” she glances up at Lydia and smiles at the older woman, “he was incredible. He delivered Bea, actually. And then just never let me do anything alone again.”
“He delivered Bea?” I ask, my eyebrows hiking up to my forehead. Holy shit.
She laughs at my expression, nodding. “Yep. I went into labor at home and he came over and delivered her. He was infinitely grateful that this delivery—” she says, gesturing to the infant still in Lydia’s arms, “—was routine and at the hospital.” She waves her hand then, and continues, “Anyway, my point being, while it’s wonderful that you love your family enough to help out in their time of need, you can’t put your own life and dreams on hold indefinitely.
That’s not fair to you, and though I don’t know you or your family, I have a feeling that they would say the same thing to you, if you talked to them about it. ”
Baby Spencer starts to fuss in Lydia’s arms then, but before Teddy can take her, Xander has appeared, scooping the baby into his arms. He drops a kiss to his wife’s mouth and whispers, “Enjoy your girl time, Mama. I’ve got her.”
Teddy blushes, her cheeks turning rosy as her husband disappears again, baby in tow.