Eighteen.
Duke
“Duke, wake up. There’s someone at the door.”
My eyes snap open at the sound of her honey-sweet voice. My arm is wrapped around her, keeping our naked bodies pinned against one another, and our legs intertwined.
I groan, hauling her flush to my chest to cuddle and go back to sleep.
A loud bang hits the sturdy oak of the front door, echoing throughout the cabin.
“Go see who it is.” Maci yawns, sliding deeper under the blanket.
I huff in annoyance. “It’s Sunday. Fuck ‘em.”
The banging continues.
I sigh loudly with a bit of an aggressive edge to it that earns me a soft peck on the cheek. “Fine,” I grunt, keeping her covered as I get out of bed and walk to the bedroom door.
“Put some pants on first, babe.” She giggles.
I stop and stare down at my half-chub of morning wood, and grumble under my breath. I grab a pair of sweats and yank them on. The commotion at the front door gets louder and more impatient. “I’m going to kill whoever the hell that is,” I growl as Maci tries to hide her laughter under the covers.
I storm to the front door, unlock the deadbolt, and fling it open with more force than necessary. It takes a moment to register that it’s my brother and his fiancée standing on the front porch. “What?”
Frankie, Cassidy’s overweight redhaired dachshund, yips in greeting. His whole body wiggles in excitement when I stare down at him.
Butch looks at me strangely. “What are you wearing?”
I waste a glance at my only piece of clothing being black sweat pants with a huff in frustration. “If that’s all you came here for, I’m seriously going to kick your ass.”
Cassidy tips her head to the side. “What’s on your nose?”
Oh.I reach up and peel off the nasal strip bridging my nose.
“Who is it?” Maci asks, coming out of the bedroom dressed in a pair of flannel pajama pants and my thermal long-sleeve. My heart and cock pulse in rhythm at the very sight of her.
This woman has no idea what she does to me…
Cassidy holds up two brown paper bags. “We brought a peace offering,” she says, nudging my brother with her elbow. A cardboard tray containing four steaming drinks in his hands.
Frankie squeezes his thick waist between my leg and the doorframe. His nails click against the hardwoods as he scurries toward Maci cooing at his approach.
“You going to let us in?” Butch grunts.
“No,” I deadpan, ready to slam the door shut and let Frankie stay when Maci slides in beside me.
She takes the door from me and opens it all the way. “Come on in,” she says sweetly, like the angel she is.
I rake a hand through my disheveled hair with a sigh and move to the side.
Cassidy sets the bags down and starts removing a slew of muffins, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches. “I didn’t know what you might be craving this morning, so we brought a whole bunch of stuff. Do you like butter or cream cheese on your bagels, Maci? I brought a side of both,” she says, taking the tray of drinks from Butch who’s attempting a heated stare-down with me.
Maci smiles, bringing four plates to the table and a water bowl for Frankie. “I’ve got this berry-flavored cream cheese. It’s so good. Did you want to try it?”
“Mmm, absolutely,” Cassidy beams, turning to Butch and me. “Come sit, Duke. Babe, remember what we talked about?” She raises a brow, crossing her arms in challenge to the giant dick in the room.
He grunts, taking a seat beside her.
I sit and lean back with my arm thrown over my girl’s chair, tugging her close. My brother watches my actions with a stern expression and a lingering question in his eyes.
My only response is to boldly tilt her chin up. Maci meets my gaze with a small smile playing on her lush lips. Everyone else in the room disappears when my lips touch hers. I kiss her softly and fight down a weighted groan rising in my chest.
“I knew it.” Cass claps, bouncing in her seat. “I told you. They are together.”
My brother rubs his jaw, eyeing us as my arm drops around her waist and she leans into me. Cassidy places the coffee in front of Butch and me, while handing Maci her matching drink of a peppermint mocha—heavy on the whipped cream.
“Listen, Cass,” I start, clearing my throat. “I appreciate you bringing breakfast, but what are y’all doing here?”
“It was either us or Ma,” Butch says flatly.
Cass sips her drink. “We’re here to apologize for yesterday. We didn’t know you guys were living together. Julie feels awful about the whole thing. And we do, too. We should’ve been more sympathetic to the situation.”
My brother scoffs, earning a glare from his fiancée.
“Y’all should feel like shit,” I agree.
“Duke,” Maci scolds, “It’s not their fault they didn’t know. We weren’t exactly being open about what’s going on between us.”
Butch’s brow furrows. “And what is goin’ on between the two of you?”
Cassidy swats his arm. “We’re not here to interrogate, remember? We’re here to apologize and grovel for their forgiveness.”
Maci laughs. “There’s no need to grovel, Cassidy. It’s totally fine. Apology accepted.” Her all too forgiving, beautiful eyes meet mine. “Right, honey?”
My jaw tightens. The urge to say, ‘No, make them grovel.’ lodges in my throat when she gives me that sweet, encouraging smile. I opt to kiss her instead, then turn to my future sister-in-law, currently carrying my niece or nephew and trying hard to keep my asshole brother reeled in. “Yeah, we’re good.”
Butch lifts his chin to me. “Sorry, man.”
“Don’t apologize to me. You’re my brother. I don’t have a choice but to deal with your bullshit,” I say, looking at my future tucked under my arm. “Apologize to Maci.”
Maci shakes her head. “No, it’s—”
“I’m sorry for how I’ve acted these last few weeks,” he tells her. “I’ve been less than welcoming to you, and I apologize for that.”
Cassidy and I share a look, and she bites her lip with a smile.
Maci nods. “Thank you.”
A beat later, Cassidy asks, “So now will you tell us what’s going on with you two? Are you…?”
I grin from ear to ear, peering down to see Maci blush. “We’re together.”
“When did she move in?” Butch asks.
“Few weeks ago,” I admit. “We made it official last night.”
“I’m really happy for you guys,” Cass adds, all giddy beside my stonewalled brother. “Julie is going to flip. She seriously thought Beau ruined whatever was happening between you two. Clayton had to hold her back from coming here—literally.”
I scoff, knowing she isn’t exaggerating in the slightest.
“I don’t want to be the one to pry here…” Butch starts, eyeing me uncertainly.
Of course, he does. The bastard can’t help but insert himself when it comes to me finally moving forward with my life.
Before I have a chance to tell him it can wait, Maci says, “It’s fine.”
His attention, and question, solely directed at her. “Have you talked this out? Not to state the obvious here, but you’ve got a kid on the way that ain’t my brother’s.”
Cassidy throws her hands in the air, and I scowl right along with her.
“That’s none of your—” I begin to say, my blood boiling, when Maci stops me with a raise of her delicate hand.
“They’re family,” she says. “He has a right to be worried about you.”
Debatable, I seethe.
“We talked about it in depth, actually,” Maci replies honestly. “We understand what we’re getting into with starting this relationship now, but we owe it to each other to give this a try before the baby comes.”
“I assume you know about Rachel?” he asks, and Maci nods. “Then you already know why I have concerns for my brother and this relationship.”
“I do,” she says, but…she doesn’t.
I haven’t told her that not only did I lose my wife, but our unborn child she was carrying. I’m just not sure…how to say it? How she’d feel about it? What difference it makes?
“There’s nothing to worry about, Butch,” I chime in, needing to deflect the direction of this conversation until I’m ready—and know how to handle it. “We’re doing this aiming for the long haul.”
Maci’s eyes soften, and Cassidy bursts into tears. Frankie whimpers at her feet—whether that’s because she’s upset or looking for food, it’s hard to say.
“Christ, Sunshine.” Butch chuckles, wrapping an arm around her. “What the hell ya crying for? I thought you wanted them to be together.”
Cass waves her hands at her eyes, blowing out a shuddering breath. “Well, y-yeah, but they’re just so cute t-together.”
Maci laughs, leaning into me. I hold her close and rub the side of her growing bump. A wave of happiness, joy, and purpose settles over me.
Everything is finally falling into place.