18. Chapter 18 #2
I glance at Alyssa as a swarm of feelings hits me.
Ones I can’t say out loud to her ex’s mom.
Not when I haven’t even figured out how to share them with her yet.
So I settle for something that hopefully sets the record straight without revealing too much.
“Alyssa has made the past three years in Louisville feel like home.”
“That’s nice.” Her tone is full of condescension.
I hate the way she’s speaking about Alyssa. The way she tries to make her feel small. So, I go to bat for her.
“Did you know that Alyssa is consistently booked out months at a time at the salon? I couldn’t be more proud of her.
” I move my hand to Alyssa’s waist and squeeze, hoping she doesn’t think I’m saying this all for show.
“Most of the wives and girlfriends of guys on my team are her clients. After they went to her once, they said they never wanted to go to another stylist.”
Mrs. Vanderbilt tilts her pointy chin up haughtily. “How wonderful.”
The sound of a knife clinking on a glass draws our attention to the small stage set up near the pool.
“That’s our cue. This has been…enlightening.” Mrs. Vanderbilt loops her hand through her husband’s waiting arm and heads toward the small stage.
“I don’t like to speak ill of other people,” Jen whispers, coming to stand at her daughter’s other side. “But that woman is as horrible as ever.” She leans forward, shooting me a grateful smile. “Thank you for standing up for my girl.”
“Happy to,” I say. “I wish I could’ve said more.”
“You were perfect.” Alyssa wraps her arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest. “I’m glad you’re here.”
I melt into her touch, pressing my cheek to the top of her head and holding her close.
The spell of the moment is broken when there’s a tapping sound over the speaker system.
“Is this thing on?” Bradley’s voice grates through the microphone.
“We’ll talk more later.” Jen gives Alyssa a pointed look before rejoining her husband, who sips on a drink and looks completely oblivious to everything that just went down.
I move my gaze back to center stage, where Bradley and Bianca are standing in front of a large arch covered in white florals.
The flowers match the bouquets atop the tall pillars around the pool in between small cabanas that provide covered seating still open to the warm Caribbean air.
I don’t want to know how much they’re spending on this wedding if this is just their welcome party.
“Hello, everyone. Thank you all so much for coming to celebrate the event of the year,” Bradley says into the mic.
I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing at the insanity.
“We look forward to reveling with you all week leading up to our big day.” He turns and smiles stiffly at Bianca.
“I can’t wait to marry you, Baby Cakes.”
“Thursday can’t come fast enough, Shnookums,” Bianca coos.
They finish their welcome speech, and the majority of guests do a golf clap.
I lean down and whisper in Alyssa’s ear. “I guess they still haven’t moved past those nauseating nicknames.”
She lets out a small laugh. “Obviously not, Pooh Bear.”
I squeeze her hip, making her squirm. “You couldn’t have come up with anything more masculine than Pooh Bear?”
Alyssa shivers. “Says the guy who called me Sugar Lips.”
Her voice is a little husky. Maybe this game plan the guys came up with actually has some merit.
“Do you think they caught on that we were making fun of them?” she asks.
“They’re too stuck in their own world to realize that.” My thumb grazes her hip bone, and I accidentally brush her warm, smooth skin exposed by her crop top. My body tenses, suddenly on high alert from how soft and perfect she is.
“Hi.” Alyssa’s older sister, Maddy, slowly makes her way out from the resort, her hand resting on her pregnant belly.
She’s due in August, and last time I saw her she was complaining to Alyssa about how much faster she’s showing with her third pregnancy.
Her brown hair is up in a gold clip, probably to keep her hair off her neck in this heat, but her cheeks are still flushed.
Maybe overheating is another pregnancy symptom I don’t know about.
“Sorry we’re late. I have to pee all the time. ”
“I’m not sure they wanted to know that.” Her husband, Elliott, steps up beside her, holding their two sons who are trying to climb him like he’s a jungle gym.
“Oh, they’re family.” Maddy’s eyes light up when she sees me. She pulls me in for a hug. I shift as much as possible to not crush her belly. “It’s been too long.” She turns to her kids with a conspiratorial smile. “Boys, look who’s here.”
They stop their scrambling for a second to glance my way.
Then suddenly they’re on the ground and running toward me.
I crouch just in time to avoid getting rammed in the crotch by three-year-old Crew.
He flings his arms around me and squeezes tight.
I think we could all learn a little something from kids and the way they love people out loud and unashamedly.
Though, I could do a little less with the headbutts to the crotch.
“Austy here!”
“I’m here for the wedding, buddy.” I poke his belly, making him giggle. “Just like you.” I extend my free arm as eighteen-month-old Rhys reaches us. “Hey, little guy.”
He smiles big, making his chubby cheeks even rounder. “Austy!”
I pick them up, holding a boy on each hip. I turn to Elliott and shoot him a look. “How are you going to hold three, man?”
“My job will be keeping these two rascals occupied and far away from the newborn.” He ruffles his kids’ hair. “As you saw, these two are in a rough-play stage.”
“Rough?” I fake-gasp. “These two angels?” I bounce Crew and Rhys in my arms, making them belly laugh.
“They always ask to see Austy on the TV.” Maddy’s face lights up as she looks at her boys. “Crew wants to be a baseball player, just like you.”
I grin at the blond-haired boy who honestly looks like a mini version of his aunt, though I’d never tell Maddy that since she’s the one who had to carry him for nine months and give birth. “You wanna play baseball?”
He nods, a shy smile on his face.
“Then I’ll have to teach you.”
Crew’s eyebrows shoot up and his blue eyes sparkle with excitement. He scrambles out of my arms and runs to his mom. “Austy teach ball!”
Rhys grabs my face between his little hands, making me look at him. “Me?”
“You want me to teach you, too?” He squeals in delight, so I take that as a yes. “Okay, I’ll show you both when we get home.”
I glance at Alyssa to check on her and am pleased to find she’s already looking up at me, her pink lips slightly parted.
Before I can put a name to the way she’s staring at me, her expression shifts into an easy smile.
She extends her arms to Rhys, who easily moves over to her and giggles as she lifts him above her head.
This is my first time seeing Alyssa with her family since I realized my feelings for her weren’t platonic, and let me tell you, watching her hold her nephew fills my mind with images of a future I never pictured.
One with me and her and blonde-haired, blue-eyed babies that look just like their mama.