Chapter 6
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Tiffany asked her husband the second Deacon was through the screen door that led to their back deck.
“Why was he in our house when I wasn’t here?”
“Are you seriously implying that you have something to worry about? That the minute your back is turned, I’d go running into the arms of your brother?”
“I’m not worried about you. It’s him I don’t trust.”
“News flash—it takes two to tango, and neither of us is interested. He’s my brother-in-law, for crying out loud. He asked to borrow an iron. I offered to do it for him. He was entertaining Addie. Unless you’re spoiling for a really big fight, stop making it into something it wasn’t.”
She took Addie from him and headed for the stairs to change the baby and put her down for her morning nap. Sometimes she thought baby Addie understood everything that went on around her. Addie gazed up at her mother with wise eyes and a furrowed brow, feeding off Tiffany’s annoyance.
How could Blaine even hint at such a thing? Deacon was his brother. Why did Blaine have to be so intense when it came to him? He seemed like a nice enough guy, and he’d been nothing but polite and respectful toward her and Addie.
“Your daddy is in bad need of an attitude adjustment.” Tiffany picked Addie up off the changing table and snuggled her for a few minutes before putting her in her crib with a light blanket over her.
As always, the baby popped her thumb into her mouth and rolled onto her side, as ready for her nap as her mommy was.
Ashleigh had fought the naps, but Addie was a big fan.
When she was certain the baby was settled, Tiffany left the room, closing the door behind her.
She had monitors strategically positioned around the house so she’d hear her if she woke early.
Tiffany went into her own room and stopped short at the sight of Blaine stretched out on their bed, hands behind his head, the picture of relaxation at a time of year when he almost never fully relaxed.
She eyed him suspiciously. “What’re you doing?”
“Taking a break. Care to join me?”
“No, I’m mad at you.”
He propped himself up on an elbow and gave her an imploring look. “Please?”
Tiffany found him irresistible, even when she was mad at him. She sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around her legs. “I’m here.”
“Not close enough.”
“As close as I’m getting until you explain to me what that was about downstairs.” The familiar scents of sandalwood and citrus coming from him would normally have her snuggling up to him. Not today.
“He irritates me.”
“Okay, but what’s that got to do with you basically accusing me of being inappropriate with your brother?”
“I didn’t do that.”
“Ah, yes, you certainly did.”
“Well, that wasn’t my intention. My ire was directed at him, not you.”
“And why is that? You invited him to stay with us. Did you expect him to never venture across the yard? He has nieces here that he’d like to get to know. Addie took to him immediately.”
Blaine scowled at that news.
“If you didn’t want him here, why’d you invite him to stay in the apartment?”
“I didn’t exactly invite him.”
“Huh?”
“So when I had to go to the mainland last week?”
“What about it?”
“It was because he’d gotten arrested after a bar fight. I made a deal with the local chief not to press assault charges against him if I made him disappear for the time being. That’s why he’s here—and trust me, he doesn’t want to be here.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that when it happened?”
“Because I didn’t want you to know my brother is a fuckup before you even met him. If I had a dollar for every scrape I got him out of when we were kids, I’d never have to work again. I’d sort of hoped those days were behind us.”
“I thought he was a cop, too?”
“He was. In Boston for ten years. He was medically retired after he blew out his knee on the job.”
“If he’s such a fuckup, how did he keep that job for so long?”
“Like I said, I thought he’d finally grown up. Clearly, I thought wrong.” He reached across the space between them. “Are you going to forgive me?”
“Not yet. Did you ask him what the fight in the bar was about?”
“Does it matter? He got himself arrested and run out of town.”
“Yes, it matters. Why would he get into a fight over nothing?”
“It was over a woman, or so he said. I don’t want to talk about him anymore. Is Ashleigh still at Maddie’s?”
“Yes, but I’m not done talking about him or what you implied downstairs. I understand that your brother irritates you for whatever reason, but that’s no excuse for acting like a jackass when you came home to find him here.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you really, or are you just horny?”
“Can’t I be both?”
“I’m hurt that you’d suggest I’d be unfaithful to you.”
“I’m very sorry I hurt your feelings. I know you’d never do that.”
“I wouldn’t. Not ever. Especially with your brother, who I only just met. Just because I sell frisky stuff at my store doesn’t mean—”
He kissed her deeply, thoroughly. “I’m profoundly sorry, baby. It was shitty for me to even hint at such a thing.”
“You owe your brother an apology, too.”
His nose wrinkled. “No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. And until you apologize to him, we’re shut down for business.”
“By shut down, you mean…”
She got right in his face, her nose touching his. “No sex until you apologize to him—and you’d better mean it, because I’m going to ask him.” When she started to get up, he stopped her with his hand on her arm in a light grip.
“By no sex, you mean…”
“No. Sex. Of. Any. Kind. Until. You. Apologize. To. Deacon. Am I clear?”
Blaine moaned and fell back on the bed. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me.”
“You’re the one who started it by making absurd accusations. Once you clean up your mess and do a good job of it, I’ll consider reopening for business. Until then, your hand can be your new best friend.”
He groaned dramatically, and Tiffany had to bite her lip so she wouldn’t laugh at his pathetic performance.
She pulled her arm free and got up to spread her yoga mat on the floor to get her workout in while Addie was asleep. If she put on one hell of a performance for her horny husband, well, he had only himself to blame for her performance—and the large bulge in his shorts.
Julia made herself presentable for the brunch, determined to get through the last of the family obligations before she’d be free to figure out her own shit.
Another meal to suffer through while her stomach was so agitated that eating would be a chore.
Anxiety was a bitch on a good day, and she hadn’t had many good days since Mike had cleaned out her bank account and broken her heart.
Hopefully, her insightful family members wouldn’t be monitoring too closely what she ate—or didn’t eat.
Ever since she’d first landed in the hospital, her struggles with food and eating had become a family matter, when she’d have preferred to keep her problems private.
When they were together, she felt like everyone was always keeping tabs on her, which meant forcing herself to eat, even when she had no desire whatsoever to do so.
She’d learned to give them just enough to keep them off her back. Her food issues were nowhere near as severe as they’d once been, but during times of extreme stress, the old issues came roaring back to remind her she was powerless against them.
Julia was the last one to join the party on the deck, and her mom greeted her with a hug.
“How’d you sleep?”
Awful. “Great. You?”
“I was awake half the night.”
She looked amazing to say she didn’t get much sleep.
In fact, Julia didn’t think she’d ever seen her mother looking prettier than she did today, in a flowing white summer dress that offset her deep tan.
Her chin-length blonde hair curled at the ends, and her makeup made her blue eyes pop. “How come?”
“Have a seat, and I’ll tell you.”
Julia slid into one of two remaining seats and greeted her siblings, including Katie, who sat with Shane across from her.
Charlie’s stepdaughter, Stephanie, was also there with her husband, Grant McCarthy.
Julia was about to ask Owen if he knew what was up with their mother when Deacon came up the stairs to the deck, wearing a pressed light blue dress shirt and khaki shorts.
For a moment, she was struck dumb by the sight of his handsome face.
And then he smiled.
Ah, that damned dimple is so sexy.
“Deacon,” Sarah said. “I’m so glad you could join us. Have a seat next to Julia.”
What the hell was her mother up to?
Deacon sat and leaned in to whisper to Julia, “Morning.”
“Hi.”
“Your mom invited me. Hope it’s okay.”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Now that you’re all here,” Sarah said, reaching for Charlie’s hand, “Charlie and I have a very special announcement to make.” She glanced at Charlie, who looked at her with such a fierce kind of love that Julia was actually a little jealous, which immediately made her feel small and petty.
“We’re going to be married this morning while you’re all here! ”
Sarah’s announcement was met with applause, excitement, tears and an outpouring of love from Sarah’s seven children and Charlie’s stepdaughter.
“If Owen and Stephanie wouldn’t mind joining us up here,” Charlie said gruffly, his voice wavering with emotion he couldn’t begin to hide.
Shane’s father, Frank McCarthy, a retired Superior Court judge who’d also married Katie and Shane, came onto the deck to do the honors for Sarah and Charlie.
Sarah kissed Charlie on the cheek. “Be right back.”
“Hurry.”
Sarah went into the hotel and reemerged a few minutes later, escorted by her parents, Russ and Adele, who were beaming with happiness. What it must mean to them to see their only child finally settled with a man who loved and respected her the way Charlie did.
Julia watched the proceedings with a feeling of detachment even as her heart swelled with happiness for her mother.