Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
HAYES
W e were back at the country club. I had a feeling it was Kathy’s idea. She wanted me and Isaac to see the whole wedding planning process in case we were bit by the bug to race down the aisle.
The place reeked of old money, and judging by Kathy’s satisfied nods as we walked in, I knew she was already imagining it as her wedding venue. Isaac muttered something under his breath about the air smelling like “pretentiousness and overpriced crab cakes,” which made me stifle a laugh.
My dad and Kathy insisted we come along for a wine and dinner tasting. According to my dad, our opinions mattered. I was going to call bullshit on that. We were two of how many? And our taste buds weren’t exactly refined. If they wanted an expert, I was pretty sure Dane would be the guy to bring along, considering he was a chef. His wife, Ginger, was a food expert. They were certainly more qualified to judge food and wine pairings. I just ordered what I thought tasted good. I regularly accepted the suggestions from servers, and those arcade hot dogs had blown my tits off the other night.
A man who introduced himself as Pierre greeted us with enthusiasm. He had the wiry build of someone who lived on espresso and stress, and his tailored suit looked like it cost more than some people’s cars. Beside him stood Claire, his assistant, who couldn’t have been more than twenty-five. She kept glancing at Isaac like he was the human equivalent of a dessert menu.
That was pretty normal. The Bancroft family had been blessed with very good genes. People often said we were carbon copies of one another with only minor differences. They weren’t wrong. We did all resemble one another. My cousins were often mistaken for my brothers and vice versa.
“Welcome, Bancrofts!” Pierre said, clapping his hands together. “Tonight, we’re taking your taste buds on a journey. I’ve curated an exquisite selection of dishes paired with our finest wines to give you a sense of what we can offer for your special day.”
Dad nodded, approval already written on his face. Isaac, however, looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. He and I weren’t the country club type. There were about a hundred other places we preferred to hang out. Still, I was hungry, so food would be nice.
We were led into a private dining room that screamed exclusivity. Everything from the white tablecloths to the sparkling chandeliers was calculated to impress. Pierre gave us a brief history of the club while Claire poured water and giggled every time Isaac so much as blinked in her direction. He pretended not to notice, but I caught the slight upward twitch of his lips.
If she wasn’t careful, she was going to find herself on Isaac’s tasting menu.
“We will be delivering the first course in just a moment,” Pierre said proudly. “Please, take a look around and enjoy the ambience.”
They rushed away, leaving the four of us sitting at the table.
“Isn’t this beautiful?” Kathy gushed.
My father agreed enthusiastically, taking in the luxuriousness of the surroundings with a nod. “Absolutely, Kathy. They’ve done a fantastic job with the renovations. Brought this place into the new century without sacrificing it’s charm.”
“You know, for all their talk about tradition, I bet half the history here is invented to keep the membership fees high,” Isaac said nonchalantly.
I smirked, covering my mouth with my napkin to hide my smile. “Probably. And for every invented story, there’s probably a real scandal they’ve neatly swept under these plush carpets.”
Dad scowled at me. “It’s stunning. I don’t care about the history.”
“Me either,” Kathy said with a small laugh. “I just wonder if this dining room is big enough.”
“It’s big enough for the immediate family, but I don’t know about other guests.”
“They advertise they can accommodate two hundred and fifty people,” Dad said.
“Which is barely big enough for the brothers and cousins,” Isaac quipped.
“Stop.” Kathy smiled. “Our blended family is perfect and amazing and beautiful.”
The first course arrived: a perfectly seared scallop sitting on a bed of citrus glaze with microgreens that probably had more nutritional value than the entire dish. Kathy sampled it, her eyes lighting up. “This is delightful.”
Pierre beamed as if he’d cooked it himself. “Only the best for the Bancrofts.”
Isaac popped his scallop into his mouth and shrugged. “Tastes fine. Where’s the steak?”
Kathy shot him a warning look. “Be polite. This is an important decision.”
While we enjoyed what I would lovingly refer to as “rabbit food” Kathy brought up the coming trip.
“I’m planning a dinner on the beach,” Kathy said, her voice full of excitement. “It’ll be the one night we’re all together. I want everyone there.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
“It’ll be so special,” Kathy continued. “The kids will love it too. I’ve been talking to the resort about accommodating such a large group. They’re going to bring in extra staff to ensure the dinner goes off without a hitch.”
Isaac groaned. “Or, here’s an idea: leave the kids at home and let the adults have some actual peace.”
“Isaac,” Dad said sharply.
“What? It’s a valid suggestion. I mean, come on, ever since everyone started falling in love and getting married, the family’s multiplying like rabbits. I don’t even know all their names. I know it’s been joked about before, but we seriously need everyone to wear nametags.”
“Isaac,” Kathy repeated, this time more firmly.
“What? You’re going to tell me it’s not true?” He leaned forward, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “How many more Bancrofts do we need? There’s a population cap, you know.”
I smirked, unable to resist. “Worried about your inheritance?”
Isaac flipped me the bird.
“I was told we were on the brink of world domination with our numbers,” I said.
“I think we’re there,” Isaac said. “I’m going to have to start asking women for a DNA sample to make sure I’m not related to them. I don’t want to end up taking my first cousin to bed.”
“Isaac!” Dad’s voice made it clear he didn’t like the conversation.
But honestly, he wasn’t wrong. And I wasn’t going to bring it up in front of Kathy, but there could be cousins all around the world. I didn’t know if there was a way to ever know for certain.
“Dad, do you want me to marry my cousin and end up with two-headed babies?” Isaac asked, deadpan.
Claire returned with another bottle of wine. She giggled loudly at the exchange, drawing everyone’s attention. The poor girl turned neon pink and bolted back to the kitchen.
I chuckled and nudged Isaac. “You should bring her to the Maldives. And the wedding.”
Isaac’s glare could’ve cut through steel. “Are you high?”
Kathy sighed, clearly done with our nonsense. “Focus, please.”
The second course was risotto with truffle shavings, paired with a bold red wine. Even Isaac couldn’t deny it was good, though he grumbled something about wanting to speed the courses up. Kathy and Armand discussed the venue’s capacity, the acoustics, and the flower arrangements, while Isaac and I exchanged looks of mutual suffering.
Again, I felt like there were at least twenty other people that should have been a part of this little adventure. Maybe someone that had been married or was looking to get married.
The third course arrived, presented as a delicate composition of lamb cooked three ways, each representing a region of France. A small card beside each serving explained the origins and cooking technique, which was a nice touch. Kathy seemed particularly interested in this detail, reading each description aloud for us.
Dad took a minute to appreciate each dish before tasting. “It’s like taking a culinary tour without leaving your seat,” he remarked with genuine admiration.
Pierre danced into the room. “What do you think? If lamb isn’t your choice, I’ve done something similar with pork.”
“It’s amazing,” Dad said.
“Really good.” I nodded.
Pierre seemed delighted with our reactions. “Thank you, Mr. Bancroft. We pride ourselves on not just providing a meal, but an experience.”
Isaac rolled his eyes so hard I thought they might stick that way. “It’s lamb. Baaa.”
I stifled a laugh with my napkin, trying not to draw attention to our little side conversation.
Kathy glanced between Isaac and me, her expression oscillating between annoyance and amusement. “Well, I think it’s beautiful. It’s important that every detail is perfect for the wedding. We want our guests to enjoy themselves.”
Dad nodded in agreement, carefully placing his knife and fork on the empty plate. “The presentation is excellent, Pierre. This could very well be the place.”
Pierre bowed slightly, a proud smile lighting up his face. “It would be our honor to host such a distinguished event.”
The atmosphere slightly eased with Dad’s endorsement of the venue, but Isaac still seemed uninterested, swirling the remnants of wine in his glass absentmindedly. “Let’s hope the DJ is as good as the chef,” he muttered under his breath, more to me than anyone else.
“I’ll have the next course delivered,” Pierre said.
“Thank you,” Kathy replied. She seemed relieved at Dad’s approval.
The conversation drifted toward the floral arrangements again as Kathy pulled out her tablet, showing us a gallery of past events held at the venue. The images displayed beautiful settings, each with its own charm.
“That one.” She pointed to a picture with an elaborate setup of roses and lilies intertwined with delicate fairy lights. “That seems perfect for an evening ceremony.”
Dad nodded his approval. “Maybe we don’t need to bring in an outside florist after all.”
When dessert arrived—a decadent chocolate torte with a sweet port—we were all very excited to dig in. My first thought was Dixie. I knew she would love this. Dane’s lava cake had practically had her climaxing. This one looked even better.
As we ate, Kathy revealed a new bit of information. “By the way, Hayes, we’ll be on the jet with you.”
“Great,” I said flatly, already imagining the hours of family small talk. I had been hoping we would be able to join the Mile High Club. Oh well.
“And Kameron might join us,” she added. “Along with Zara and Luke.”
There would definitely be no sex with my nephew on board.
After the tasting ended, we made our way to the parking lot. “Have you decided if you’ll be bringing your new girlfriend?” Kathy asked me.
“Girlfriend?” Isaac grinned.
“Yes, Dixie has agreed to come with us,” I said.
“Have you prepared her for how overwhelming this trip might be?” Kathy asked with genuine concern.
“She’ll handle it,” I said. “She knows I have a large family.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting her,” Kathy said. “Should I call and reserve her a private room or bungalow?”
“No. She’ll be with me.”
Isaac burst out laughing and clapped me on the back. “Thatta boy.”
Kathy looked less amused but didn’t press the issue further. As I got into my car, I could feel her eyes on me, her wheels turning. The Bancroft family loved a good interrogation, and I had no doubt I’d be grilled again before the trip was over. Dixie was going to have a long flight. Kathy was a gentle interrogator, but it would be an interrogation, nonetheless.
I couldn’t help but think about how Dixie would handle the trip. The chaos, the extravagance, the Bancroft-level expectations were all a lot and I had grown up with it. But then I thought of her stubborn streak, her ability to laugh things off, and the way she always met me head on. She’d be fine. Hell, she would probably end up being the highlight of the whole trip.
Still, I made a mental note to prepare her for the insanity. Because if there was one thing I knew about my family, it was that they didn’t do anything halfway. She was going to have to be on her toes.