Chapter 33 Cody
Cody
Family is not an important thing, it's everything.
~ Micheal J. Fox
Leave it to my sister to stretch a wedding out as long as possible.
The guests left late last night and the rest of us stayed to help the cleanup crew.
Today, she and Westley have arranged for a brunch with the newlyweds for just our immediate family and the friends who traveled here on Westley’s behalf.
He leaves in two days to go back to Iceland to finish the movie he’s directing, so I guess they have every right to as many wedding events as they want in the meantime.
I think I’ll want Carli alone after we’re married. Thankfully, I’m about to see her. The Buckners have been considered extended family for as long as I can remember, so they’re on their way over to join us for the newlywed’s family brunch.
Mrs. Buckner walks in first, holding a breakfast casserole with potholders.
“Lily!” Mom calls out. “Let me take that for you. I’m so glad you could make it.”
The two of them walk toward the kitchen as Dad greets Mr. Buckner with a handshake.
Mr. Buckner looks at me and then walks with Dad into the kitchen. I still need to talk with him. I’ve been so consumed with Jace and McKenna’s reactions and the wedding that I completely forgot to talk to Carli’s parents.
Carli walks in next and I stride toward her as if it’s been weeks, not hours since I last saw her.
Jace walks through the entry, stepping slightly in front of Carli and extending his arm in front of her like a mom does when she hits the brakes too hard.
He acts as if his hand is there for me to shake, but it also serves as a checkpoint between countries.
And I’m not sure I have a current passport.
Carli nudges Jace out of the way. "We got the message, Jace. You're not completely on board yet. Holster your arm for now."
Jace shrugs her off.
I take his hand as if all he wanted to do was shake mine—something I don’t ever remember us doing before. He shakes it with an extra potent squeeze.
I drop his hand, rubbing mine.
"I'll get there,” he promises, looking me in the eye. Then he adds, “Give me a year ... or ten."
Carli shakes her head. “Take all the time you need. We’ll be here—together.”
I pull her into a hug when Jace walks further into the room. She sinks into me and sighs. Then I speak to her in a voice that’s just between the two of us. “I tried to put myself in his position last night. I laid in bed thinking what it would be like to walk in on him and Mac.”
“And?” Carli asks.
“I’d be mad. Upset that he did it without talking to me—that he hid it. I’d feel betrayed. He needs time. We’ll give it to him. I think he’ll come around.”
She smiles softly at me. “You’re incredible, Cody Lawson.”
“I’m glad you think so. I want to be incredible for you.”
McKenna and Westley arrive. They slept in and look like they’re practically wearing halos with the way they’re glowing. His hand is on her back and she’s smiling warmly.
“Carli!” she shouts. The two of them hug and I step back.
We’ll figure out how to share her over time. For now, Mac gets first dibs.
Westley stands behind McKenna, never leaving her side. Throughout the morning, he checks on her, serves her, and tolerates all the teasing the Lawson boys throw his way.
Ethan walks over when Carli’s back at my side, my arm wrapped loosely around her waist.
“It's going to take a minute for us to adapt to this,” he tells us both.
I tug Carli just a millimeter closer, my grip on her waist tender, but unmoving.
“Take all the minutes you need,” Carli says, smiling.
“Would it help if I kissed her right now?” I tease.
“No. Not at all,” Ethan fakes a gagging noise, the one we’d all make when Dad would walk into the kitchen and kiss Mom when we were growing up. “Man,” he says. “I need brain bleach.”
The three of us laugh.
Luke joins us, addressing Carli as if I’m not even here. "Are you sure about this one? There are other, more handsome Lawson boys around this ranch, you know."
Carli’s answer is swift. She looks to the left and the right and then back at Luke. “I don’t see any.”
“Ouch, Carli!” he shouts. “You wound me.”
Ethan says, “Luke, you’re going to have to find another woman to pester now.”
Mom saves Carli and me from more teasing by ushering all the guests into the kitchen.
Dad clinks a glass.
“Thanks, everyone, for being here—for making it back after such a big night. We just wanted to gather with those closest to the couple this morning after their wedding. You know,” he looks at Mom and smiles. “I’m a firm believer in interrupting my children’s honeymoons.”
Laughter fills the kitchen.
“Seriously, though, Westley, welcome to the Lawson family. I couldn’t have asked for a better match for our Mac. And McKenna, I got you this.”
He pulls a compass out of his pocket. “It’s so you can always find your way back home.”
“Awww,” Carli says, wrapping her arm behind me and leaning in.
I look down at Carli.
“She’ll be back,” I promise, even though none of us know what McKenna’s real plans are down the road.
She nods. “I know. She’ll be back or I’ll be hunting her down.”
I smile, and not only because I love Carli’s humor and spunk.
I glance around the kitchen at our family and the friends who are our family of choice.
We hid in the shadows for their sakes. In the end, our plan ruptured, but our hearts were in the right place.
And now, I get to hold her in front of all of them.
They may not all be thrilled about it yet, but they’ll get there. I know it.
I give Carli a squeeze and she leans into my side.
“I love you,” I whisper into her hair.
She tips her head up and stares into my eyes. “I love you too, Cody.”
Mom announces, “Okay, everyone, fill your plates and grab a seat anywhere you’d like to eat. There’s room at the table, or the living room. Make yourself at home, as always.”
We form a loose line and fill our plates and then people sit all over the house, on couches and stuffed chairs, at the table, a few even sit on the porch swing. Carli and I eat with my brothers, McKenna and Westley, and Jace on the sectional in the living room.
“What are you two doing when you finally take a honeymoon?” Ethan asks.
“We were talking about Bali,” McKenna says. “Or maybe Australia.”
“Wow,” Jace says. “I’ve never even left America.”
“Me either,” Ethan says.
“Really?” Westley says, his shock evident.
A chorus of “me either” follows. Turns out us ranchers like to stay close to home.
“Where do you want to take our honeymoon?” Carli whispers to me.
“Anywhere,” I say, smiling at her.
“Anywhere?”
“Anywhere you are. That’s where I want to be.”
She smiles and leans into me. I wrap my arm loosely behind her shoulder and we finish our meal with our siblings chatting about places Westley has traveled.
After brunch, I walk Carli out.
I lean in and place a soft kiss on her lips. She steps forward, wrapping her arms around my neck, and kisses me more fully. I hold her, aware we’re in front of everyone who matters.
When she pulls away, I say, “I like being able to kiss you without worrying who will see us.”
Jace walks by us and says, “Still not okay!” but he keeps walking and glances back with nearly a smile on his face. Maybe it won’t take ten years.
I kiss Carli again, quickly. "I kind of liked sneaking around, though.”
“Me too,” she says, smiling up at me.
“I might miss the thrill of it," I confess.
Her grin is playful, her voice hushed. "Anytime you want me to meet you on the old Waddell property, send me a text, and I'll sneak out in the dark of night to meet you."
I wrap her in a hug. “I think I want to meet you here on Lawson Ranch … and at your cabin … and your parents’ house … at the bakery … the town hall … hmmm …” I scratch my chin trying to think of other public places we haven’t been seen together yet.
Carli laughs. “I’ll meet you anywhere. We’ve got time now. All the time in the world.”
I reach over and interlace our fingers. “Yes. You’re right. We’ve got all the time in the world.”