Chapter 54
CHAPTER 54
HAYES
I t was a beautiful day for a wedding. The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and everything had gone off without a hitch. My dad was finally getting to seal the deal. I was truly happy for him. It felt like he was finally getting the thing he had wanted most of his life.
Kathy was absolutely beaming with joy. I swore she was getting younger by the year. Her sons told me how they thought they were going to lose her just a few years ago. My dad had come back into her life and she had made a full turnaround.
I stood back and watched the photographer pose them. My dad’s face was going to crack in half if he kept smiling like that. Not that it was a bad thing. I was glad someone was happy.
“We’re up,” Hudson said.
I groaned. “I’m so not in the mood to keep smiling.”
“Suck it up,” Reese said and slapped me on the back.
The family pictures were more like trying to photograph a small town at this point. The photographer actually had a ladder he climbed up to try and get the entire clan in the shot.
It was our side and then Kathy’s sons and then all the sons on both sides. Then it was the grandkids. The chaos was comforting in its own way—laughter, groans, and the occasional shout as someone’s kid bolted out of frame. I watched as my dad tried to wrangle the younger ones, his tie slightly askew now, and Kathy’s laugh saying she loved the craziness. It was a mess, but it was our family. For a moment, I let myself smile without forcing it.
As the photographer finally called it quits, I glanced back toward the reception hall. I knew she was in there somewhere. There’d been that brief moment during the ceremony when our eyes met, and for a second, it felt like it used to—like we were still us.
Reese clapped me on the shoulder again as we started walking back to the reception. “You good?” he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
“Yeah,” I lied.
I found my seat at the head table. The room was just as chaotic as the pictures had been. Moms trying to wrestle toddlers, people greeting each other, and everyone talking at once with soft music playing in the background. I scanned the crowd in search of Dixie. I felt bad to be leaving her alone but she knew this was the schedule for the first bit. I spotted her sitting by herself, looking out of place and unsure. She was sipping on what I assumed was water and doing her best to be invisible. She looked beautiful. Better than I imagined she would. I had seen the dress but seeing her with the hair and makeup? Damn, she was truly a beautiful woman.
And she was having my baby.
Even though my guts were still twisted up about everything that had happened, I couldn’t ignore her. She looked so lost. Alone. I stood up from the table, grabbed my drink, and made my way over to her, my heart pounding in my chest. She gave me a warm smile that didn’t fully light up her eyes.
“Hi,” I said.
“Hi.”
“How are you doing?”
“I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed,” she admitted, her voice soft.
I pulled out one of the empty chairs and sat down. I had to try to push aside my own turmoil. She was here because I asked her to be. She didn’t have to come. She could have left me hanging. Her being here saved me from an awkward conversation with members of my family.
“You look beautiful,” I said, my voice sincere. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Are you?” she asked, her eyes searching mine for the truth.
I saw the fear there. It hit me hard to see her vulnerability. While I’d been grappling with all of this, she’d been dealing with a heck of a lot more. I felt a pang of guilt for acting like this was happening to me and only me. Like I was the wounded party. I was, but she was still dealing with a lot more than I was.
I opened my mouth to tell her I was sorry but got interrupted.
“Everyone, please return to your seats,” the emcee announced over the speaker system. “We’ll be officially announcing Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft.”
“I have to go,” I said. “I’ll find you when the formal stuff is over.”
She nodded. “Of course. Go. I’m fine. I will be fine.”
I hesitated for a moment, my hand brushing against hers before I stood. “I’ll be close,” I said.
She looked at me like she was holding on to something fragile.
I made my way back to the head table, my mind still half on Dixie. The emcee’s voice boomed again, and the room erupted into applause as my dad and Kathy entered, their smiles wide and their hands tightly clasped together. It was a little weird since they both already had the same last name, but the room erupted in applause and cheers as they made their entrance.
The newlyweds took their seats and thanked their guests for coming. Dinner was served, and the evening progressed nicely. Isaac was caught flirting with someone. Grayson growled at him that the young woman was his second cousin. Isaac was horrified and swore off hooking up at family weddings, which sent the rest of us into fits of laughter.
It was exactly what my dad had warned us about.
I found myself watching Dixie. Thankfully, her table was filled and she seemed to be enjoying her conversations with some of the other wives. The whole setup was a little strange with all of the sons sitting at the head table with wives, fiancées, and girlfriends at the tables around the room. I supposed it didn’t seem odd because everyone knew everyone. We were family and friends.
Grayson stood up from his seat at the head table, a champagne flute in hand. He cleared his throat, and the room gradually quieted, all eyes turning to him.
“Alright, everyone,” he began. “I’m going to try to keep this short because I know some of you are just here for the cake.”
A ripple of laughter spread through the room. He waited for it to settle before continuing.
“First off, I want to say how incredibly happy I am to be standing here today. For those of you who don’t know me—though I think most of you do—I’m Grayson, Kathy’s oldest son. And today, I get to officially welcome Armand into our family. Again.”
There was another nervous laugh.
He turned to my dad with a smile that was both genuine and a little teasing. “Armand, for years, you’ve been this… let’s call it a presence in our lives. You’ve been around so long that most of us can’t even remember a time without you. You’ve been a mentor, uncle, and now—officially—a stepdad.”
The room chuckled once again.
Grayson raised his glass higher. “But more than that, you’ve been a role model. You’ve been there for us in ways that go beyond just being our mom’s partner. And today, we’re all here to celebrate you guys finally getting to live happily ever after. So, to Armand and Mom—may your lives continue to be as full of love and laughter as they are today. Cheers!”
The room erupted into cheers and applause, glasses clinking all around. I raised my own glass, catching my dad’s eye. He smiled at me from down the table. He was absolutely beaming. I didn’t know if I’d ever fully understand the choices he’d made, but in that moment, I was glad he was happy.
As the applause died down, Kathy stood up, her hand resting on my dad’s shoulder. Her eyes shone with emotion as she looked out at the crowd.
“Thank you, Grayson,” she said. “And thank you to everyone here for being part of this day. It means more than I can say.” She paused, her gaze sweeping the room before she turned to my dad.
“Armand,” she began, her voice soft and filled with love. “I’ve spent a long time waiting for this day. Not just the wedding, but the life we’ve built together. The journey hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth every step. You’ve shown me what it means to love and be loved unconditionally. And today, standing here with you, I know without a doubt that this is where I’m meant to be.”
The room was silent now. My dad reached up and took her hand, his own eyes glistening. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. The way he looked at her said everything.
Kathy turned back to the crowd, a tear slipping down her cheek. “And to all of you—our family and friends—thank you for being here to celebrate with us. We wouldn’t be here without your love and support. So, let’s raise our glasses once more—to love, to family, and to new beginnings!”
The room erupted into cheers again, glasses clinking and laughter filling the air. I raised my glass with everyone else, but my gaze drifted back to Dixie. She was smiling as well.
Next, it was Reese’s turn to stand and essentially speak for our side.
He stood, his chair scraping softly against the polished floor. He adjusted his tie and smiled at the room. “Alright, I guess I’ll speak for my brothers. When Dad told us he was marrying Kathy, I’ll admit, I was a little surprised. Not because I don’t love Kathy—I do. She’s been like a second mom to me for as long as I can remember. But because… well, let’s face it, the whole weird family tree thing came to mind.” The room erupted into laughter, and even my dad let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head.
Reese grinned, clearly enjoying himself. “But then I thought about it, and it made sense. Kathy’s always been there for us, for him. She’s kind, and, let’s be honest, she’s got the patience of a saint to put up with this crew.” More laughter. “So, Dad, Kathy—here’s to you. To the love that’s been there all along, even if it took a while to make it official. And to the family we’ve built together, messy as it may be.” He raised his glass. “Cheers!”
The room echoed his sentiment, glasses clinking once more. I glanced at Dixie again and caught her eye. She gave me a small, knowing smile. It was strange to think we were adding to this wild family.
As Reese sat down, the music started up again, signaling the end of the speeches and the beginning of the dancing. My dad stood and extended his hand to Kathy, leading her to the center of the room. They swayed together to the first song, their smiles radiant and their eyes locked on each other. They loved each other. Truly loved each other.
When they invited other couples to join them, I knew it was my chance to talk to Dixie. I approached her and held out my hand. “Would you like to dance?”
“I’d love to,” she said.
I brought her out onto the dance floor with me, a slow song from the seventies playing. I dropped my head to hers, my lips brushing against her ear. “I think I’m ready to talk this through with you.”
She tensed for a moment, then relaxed against me, her body molding to mine as we moved to the music. “Okay,” she whispered back, her voice trembling slightly. “Whenever you’re ready.”
We danced in silence. I had a feeling we were both dreading the conversation. I wanted to hold her and enjoy the moment before we had the conversation that would dictate the rest of our lives.