CHAPTER 53 Millie Monroe
Family
I’m meeting Archer’s family. I’ve already met Ford and Tatum, of course, so at least I’ll see two familiar faces. But it’s not just meeting them. It’s proving I deserve to be with Archer.
Maybe they’re not protective over him like that, but it’s still how it feels. Like I have something to prove tonight. Like I have to show that I’m a better match for him than Tatum ever was since she’ll be there, too.
I realize how egocentric it sounds. I’m sure Tatum is nervous for tonight, too.
It’s the first major Bradley family event since their mother’s funeral, and it’s the first major family event where she’s officially a Bradley now.
She’s probably not thinking a single thought about me and what I have to prove.
I wonder if they’ll be protective over him.
I wonder how they’ll act around him. He claims he doesn’t really fit in, he’s not really that close with them, and he’s the black sheep of the family.
But knowing him how I do now, I can’t help but wonder how accurate any of that is or if he just decided to label himself that way as a defense mechanism.
Eventually Archer meets me back at the hotel with a W against the White Sox, and he changes into the suit he brought for the occasion while I get ready, too.
And the look he gives me when I step out of the bathroom fully dressed and ready for tonight stops me dead in my tracks.
“What?” I ask, my hands trembling as nerves tear down my spine.
“You’re gorgeous, Millie.”
“Well, stop looking at me like that, or my panties are going to fall off and then we’ll be late.”
He laughs, and he walks over to pull me into his arms. “Would that be such a bad thing?”
“Not at all, but I’m already nervous, and I don’t particularly want your entire family’s first impression of me to be the girl who made the black sheep brother late because of a quick fuck before the ceremony.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “How will they possibly know that?”
“Oh, they’ll know,” I say. “You know, from the smiles on both our faces.”
He chuckles. “You’re right. But after this shindig, you’re mine.”
“Oh, you better believe it.” I move to my tiptoes and press a quick kiss to his lips. “Maybe at the shindig.”
That gets a bigger laugh, and then it’s time to go.
The wedding is at the Bradley Mansion, and as we pull up, I can’t help but think what a gorgeous setting it is. The Chicago skyline is in the background, and as we walk into the house, Archer looks around.
“Wow,” he murmurs. “It’s the same…but different. There used to be a wall over there,” he says, nodding in one direction. “And there, too.” He looks through the house and out toward the yard, and that’s when I see Madden Bradley.
Holy shit.
I mean…yeah, I knew I’d be seeing all of the Bradley brothers at this thing, and I realize the baseball player is both my live-in boyfriend and my date tonight, but to see an actual NFL player in the flesh, and not just one, but freaking four of them…
I’m not okay.
I think I might vomit.
I suck in a few deep breaths as Madden approaches us.
“Arch!” he booms, and he holds up a hand, which Archer slaps as they turn it into a bro-hug.
“Madden,” Archer replies. “This is Millie. My girlfriend.”
My cheeks turn bright red at the term.
“Millie, my brother Madden,” he says, completing the introductions.
“Nice to meet you,” I manage to squeak out.
Madden sticks out his hand to shake mine, but then he seems to think twice and pulls me into a hug. “You too. And if my brother gives you any shit, you let me know.” He winks at me.
I glance over at Archer, who’s clenching his jaw, and my eyes twinkle at Madden when I say, “Will do.”
“Right this way,” he says, and he escorts us out into the yard, which is set up like a magical fairy garden complete with twinkling landscape lights. The weather is perfect, the sun is about to set, and the guests are arriving and mingling outside before we’ll all take our seats for the ceremony.
“Archer!” Another voice yells, and we both turn around to find Dex Bradley.
Holy hell, he’s even hotter in person…maybe especially because he’s holding a baby boy in his arms.
Wow. I’m literally speechless.
More introductions are made, including to Dex’s little boy, Jack, and then Dex says, “I need to get back upstairs since I’m Mav’s best man.”
As he leaves, Liam Bradley walks in. Good Lord, these Bradley boys are hot as hell, but this particular Bradley boy looks…nervous.
Almost as nervous as I feel.
He greets Archer first, and Archer introduces us.
“What’s wrong?” Archer asks Liam.
Liam’s eyes dart toward the door, and he clears his throat. “I, uh…” He trails off, and he draws in a breath. “I just got a phone call I wasn’t expecting.”
Archer’s brows dip. “Is everything okay?”
He bites his lip as he shakes his head. “I’m, uh…not sure.”
“What’s going on?” Archer asks.
I wonder how often these two talk like this—if at all. I know Archer isn’t close to his family, but maybe this wedding will be the vehicle that allows that to change.
Liam glances around again, and he studies Archer for a long moment as if he’s unsure whether to confide in him. “Not here.” He stalks off, and okay…that was weird, but I don’t have time to dwell on it because Ford and Tatum walk into the yard.
The crowd goes quiet for a beat, or maybe it’s just my imagination.
Tatum breaks the ice by beelining over to me and giving me a hug, and the nerves about being here seem to melt away.
We didn’t exactly get close in the Bahamas, but we did meet before.
A familiar face is a familiar face, and a familiar face breaking the frigid ice at this reunion is maybe exactly what we both needed.
I’m still wondering what’s going on with Liam, but Madden asks everyone to take a seat as the ceremony is set to begin.
Maverick Jennings walks in, yet another star football player who’s about to marry into the Bradley family, and he looks nervous as hell as he makes his way to the altar located under a floral arch.
The music starts, and the rest of the wedding party walks down the aisle.
Dex is with the maid of honor, who Archer tells me is Penny, Everleigh’s best friend.
Archer points out his younger sister Ivy, who is being escorted by another groomsman, Lincoln Nash, the coach of the Vegas Aces, where Maverick is the quarterback.
It’s a truly star-studded event and not one that this travel blogger ever could have imagined she would find herself attending. Every detail is perfect, and no expense is spared.
In a former life—or like three months ago—attending an event like this would’ve been amazing content for my blog. I would’ve spent the entire time taking photos of every last detail.
Instead, I get to be present here. I get to watch and cry and laugh along with everyone else here today.
I took a few photos of the hotel, and I’ll write up a review. Knowing I can do it whenever I want and there’s no pressure is the exact sort of relief I was looking for. I get to do it for fun, and because of that, it’s become fun again.
The bride and groom are beautiful and emotional as they share their vows in front of the crowd gathered, and when it’s all over and they’re officially a married couple, the party begins.
We mingle with guests, and Archer introduces me to everyone as his girlfriend.
Noticeably absent from the festivities is Archer’s dad—something for which Archer seems to be grateful, though he hasn’t said anything about it.
I remember him mentioning that his dad was going to have to go to trial around the time Archer was set to get back on the field, and I wonder if the trial is starting or how all that works. It’s not a question for here, though.
I head to the restroom before dinner and find a line, with the maid of honor and Archer’s younger sister in front of me. I’m not about to interrupt, opting instead to mind my own business, and I swear I’m not eavesdropping when I hear Ivy ask Penny, “So what’s Liam going to do?”
My ears perk up after the strange way he was acting when I met him.
“I’m not sure,” Penny says. “I know he’s not interested in being with her, so I guess they’ll figure out some sort of custody arrangement.”
Custody?
The bathroom door opens, the next person goes in, and both Penny and Ivy turn to me.
“How are things with Archer?” Ivy asks.
“Incredible,” I say, and Ivy pulls me into an unexpected hug.
Emotion pulses in me, like this woman might be my sister-in-law someday.
She’s a couple years younger than me, but she seems so sweet and fun and like someone who could be a friend down the road—if Archer is willing to let his family back in.
This could be my family someday, too. And I want that.
I grew up an only child, and the idea of a big family with lots of siblings has always appealed to me.
I guess both ways have advantages and disadvantages. We get what we get, but we also get the chance to choose.
“Thank you for making him happy,” she says softly. “You light him up in a way I’ve never seen.”
Penny nods her agreement, and I brush the tear from the corner of my eye.
“He’s lucky he found you,” Ivy says.
“I think I’m the lucky one,” I say.
Penny uses the restroom next, leaving just Ivy and me.
“So you’re the youngest?” I ask.
She nods. “Do you have any siblings?”
I shake my head.
“Sometimes growing up, it felt like I was an only child, too,” she admits. “My oldest brother is fifteen years older than me. I came five years after Liam. It felt like I was the oopsie baby, you know? They were all older and into their own things and just saw me as Mom and Dad’s favorite.”
“You were the baby. Of course you were the favorite,” I say.
She giggles and shrugs as she holds up her nails and inspects them in jest. “That’s probably true.”
I laugh.
“Hey, how long are you two in town? I’d love to hang out with you and get to know you more. Are you around to do brunch tomorrow?” she asks.
I nod. “I’m going to the game tomorrow, so I can meet you before.”
She links her arm through mine. “Oh, good! I’m going, too. We all got a suite, so come with us. We’ll hang out before and basically be besties before we even get there.”
“Perfect,” I say with a wide smile.
When I return to Archer, he’s sitting at our assigned table as we wait for dinner to be served. “You were gone forever,” he says. “I missed you.”
I lean over and press a soft kiss to his lips. “Just getting you back for that time in the Bahamas when you left me for like an hour. And I missed you, too. I was busy becoming besties with your sister.”
He pulls a face of horror, and I laugh.
I bump my shoulder into his. “They’re not so bad, you know.”
“I know. I guess I just got used to being on my own. But this?” He holds up his bottle of beer to indicate the room and all of the people in it.
“It’s family.” He leans in a little closer to me.
“I can’t help but think how important I want family to be in my own kids’ lives someday down the road.
And I suppose if I do that, I need to live it.
I want to make an effort to be closer to my brothers and sisters. ”
The words hit me straight out of left field, but then again, that seems to be the case with most things where this man is concerned.
“It’s never too late,” I say softly, repeating the words I said to him when he came to my hotel room to hear me out.
He leans in to kiss me again.
“Get a room!” Dex yells at us from across the table, and we reluctantly pull apart as we both laugh.
This is family. This is teasing and fun, laughter and bonding. It’s everything our future holds for the two of us and for this bigger, extended group, too. It’s baseball games and football games, it’s weddings and celebrations. It’s babies and cousins. It’s love.
And I can’t wait for every second that’s to come.