Chapter 17 #2
“All your doing.” Rising on her tiptoes, she gave me a quick kiss, then took a huge step back. “Now, let’s get dressed. Without any interruptions.” She attempted to sound stern as she said the last three words, but her smile gave her away.
She dressed in a breezy pink dress that showed no cleavage, but half her back was bare.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I said.
She startled, looking up in the mirror on the dresser door. She was putting on earrings and hadn’t seen me approach.
“Thank you,” she said softly. Her cheeks turned pink.
“Why do you always blush when I say you’re beautiful?”
She shrugged, fumbling with her fingers at her ear.
“Let me do that,” I offered. “You can’t see anything.”
I finished clasping her earrings. It felt so domestic to do this for her, and it seemed so damn right. This whole day had been incredible.
“Come on. Let’s join the party.”
She took my hand, and we headed outside.
A lot of my parents’ friends had already arrived by the time we made it to the backyard. Mom and Dad must have told them I was here, because no one acted surprised to see me, just happy.
I introduced Isabelle to everyone. We had four more cousins from Dad’s side, but they lived in the next town, so I wasn’t as close to them as I was to Donna and Jana. Speaking of which, they were both looking at me with a familiar expression.
I was certain they were going to want to know more about my relationship with Isabelle, but I assumed they’d wait until tomorrow.
I was wrong. They both flanked me when I went to the second grill my dad had especially bought for this occasion, for the sole purpose to keep the food he’d already grilled warm.
“Cousin dearest, we want to know everything about Isabelle,” Jana said.
“Right now, before you return to New York,” Donna added.
“You do have a phone, you know,” I teased.
“Yeah, but we’re so much better at drilling you face-to-face,” Jana said with a grin. She nudged me with her shoulder playfully. “Come on, let’s fill our plates and move away, or we’re going to smell like smoke. And people might realize we’re gossiping.”
“ You’re gossiping,” I pointed out, but we did move away from the grill. We’d each put kabobs and grilled veggies on our plates.
Donna put an arm around mine. “No, no. You’re about to as well. You’re out of practice, but we’re going to remind you how things work in this family.”
I glanced around, looking for Isabelle. She’d been talking to Dad last time I checked. Now she was with Mom and my aunt.
“Aww, you know what? You don’t even need to say anything. Look at you, searching around for Isabelle,” Donna said.
“She’s my guest here. I want to make sure she’s having a good time.”
“Sure, that’s why you look at her like this. You care about her,” Jana added.
“I do. Very much,” I replied.
Jana and Donna exchanged a knowing look.
“Why are you two so coy?” I asked.
“Nothing…well, we got the impression that Isabelle cares about you a lot too when we were out today. Just in case you’re interested.”
“I am interested.”
Donna grinned. “See? You do remember how to gossip. Thank God.”
“What did she say?” I prompted when neither of them volunteered more information.
“It’s not just what she said,” Jana informed me. “The way she said it is important too. With dreamy eyes and a lot of… heart? I can’t explain it.”
“Well, you’re not being a lot of help to our broody and fortress-loving cousin here.”
I stopped in the act of plunking my fork in a grilled bell pepper. “I’m neither of those things.”
“Ummm, yes you are,” Jana insisted. “You’ve always been like that, but even more so after what happened last time you were here.”
Frowning, I considered her words. “I did what I had to do.”
Donna smiled sympathetically. “You haven’t been home in years, Brayden. You think keeping everyone at arm’s length somehow protects us.”
“It does,” I insisted.
“The security measures you have in place do the job just fine,” she went on. “Last time took us by surprise. But we miss you, and I think I speak for everyone when I say we don’t mind taking extra precautions if it means spending more time with you.”
“But you all visit me in New York,” I countered, remembering the incident all those years ago when a group of fans followed me here. They vandalized my parents’ house while we were out on a walk. I’d never seen my folks so scared.
“Which is fine for us,” Jana said. “You know we love the city. But Esther and Mark don’t like leaving their home as much. They don’t feel comfortable in New York. Esther especially loves having you here, in her home.”
I said nothing. Honestly, I was so taken aback by this conversation that I didn’t know what to reply.
“But Isabelle’s definitely on your case. I like her. Don’t push her away, or I’ll fly to New York and give you a piece of my mind. You know how mean I can get.”
“Oh, I know,” I said with a grin.
Instinctively, I looked around the yard for her. She was at the drinks table, filling her glass with lemonade. She glanced over her shoulder, as if feeling I was watching her. I winked. She made a “come here” motion with her finger.
“Awww, look at him,” Jana said in a fake whisper.
I gave them the side-eye before heading to Isabelle. I set my empty plate on the corner with side dishes so I could wrap an arm around her waist from behind and kiss the side of her neck.
“How is it going?” I asked. “Anyone drive you crazy yet?”
“Not at all. I got so much intel from everyone. It’s amazing.”
“Define intel.”
“Ha! No I won’t.”
“Isabelle…”
“Don’t use that sexy voice,” she chastised in a whisper. “We’re in public.”
“But it’ll get me what I want.”
She turned around slowly, tilting her head playfully. “Hmmm… no it won’t. Just because you’re too self-assured.”
I laughed, kissing her neck again. “So you’re having fun?”
“Oh yes. The crowd is a blast.”
Right then Mom announced we were starting a game of charades, something we always did on her birthday. We’d given her the gifts before. I gave her a special spa gift card—she could order all their services to be performed at the house.
“That’s a very unusual tradition. How did it start?” Isabelle asked me.
Everyone moved toward the left side of the yard, where the game would be taking place. Isabelle and I were the only ones left at the table.
“You really want to know?”
She grinned. “Yeah, why not?”
I’d never met anyone so interested in that sort of detail.
“When Jana was seven, she wouldn’t stop playing even when Mom wanted to bring out the cake. So Mom suggested we all play one game together before the cake. Everyone had so much fun that we did it again next year, and eventually it became a habit.”
She chuckled, rubbing her palms together in excitement.
“Okay, well, I suck at charades. Will you be on my team and save my ass?”
I tilted forward until the tips of our noses almost touched. “I don’t think so, Miss You’re Too Self-Assured.”
“Are you saying my ass isn’t worth saving?” She wiggled it, taunting me.
A deep sound reverberated from my throat.
She stilled her movement. “Holy shit! That got me a growl? You’re so easy tonight, Mr. Clarke.”
I blinked, confused. “How does a growl equal easy?”
“Well, I have a scale. A groan means you’re on edge. A growl means you’re very close to finding an excuse to pull me in a dark, secluded corner and have your way with me.”
I burst out laughing, but before I had a chance to reply, Jana called us all to the section of the yard where we were playing.
“Come here, you little vixen. I’ll be on your team and save your ass.” I winked at Isabelle.
Taking her hand, I didn’t miss her smug smile as we joined everyone else.
My cousins’ words were still ringing in my mind.
Had I really been keeping everyone away?
Built a fortress, as they called it? It hadn’t been my intention.
But this feisty woman I was crazy for had somehow seen right through me.
I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to have her in my life.
“Hey, Mr. Clarke, I like that smile.” She pointed at my mouth. “And I want to hear all about it later. But right now, I need you to focus.”
She was only going to hear about it in New York. Because I’d decided I would do anything in my power to keep Isabelle in my life. I just needed a good plan.
One she couldn’t say no to.