Chapter 22
THE RIGHT DECISION
Kenzie didn’t even have forty-eight hours to get her nerves under control before she had to meet some more of Nelson’s family.
Four sisters-in-law and two more brothers-in-law.
It was times like this that made her wonder how crazy she was to make this move.
“Are you about ready?” Nelson asked.
She’d changed three times. All her possessions were put away, what little there was. There was still space in the closet on her side.
“Do I look okay?”
He laughed and pulled her to his side. “You look fine. We are only going to Laken and Jamie’s. It’s a cookout in their backyard, nothing more.”
Nelson was wearing shorts like her. She hadn’t meant for them to be matching, but she’d settled on her tan ones before he changed into his.
At least they didn’t have the same shade of blue shirt on.
“Nelson. Two of your brothers are coming in on a helicopter. Another is a celebrity and professional athlete. Come on. Be serious.”
“I get it. I think little of it. But West is in the Hamptons this weekend and it’s easy to just fly over that way, and faster. Foster and Charlotte are only an hour away from West right now so they come that way too. Braylon is driving with Lily.”
It was hard for her not to think of the fact that she was now part of a family that was headed up by a billionaire.
She didn’t care they came from about as much as she had. They were heads, tails, and behinds above her now.
“Should we bring something? You said no, but in my family, you never show up empty-handed.”
“Kenzie. You met Braylon and West. Relax. You didn’t need to bake anything and we don’t have to buy anything. I’m positive that Jamie is having it catered.”
“Catered? A family cookout is catered.”
“You should hear the whine in your voice. We can stop and get some cheese for it if you’d like.”
She walked over and slapped his arm, or tried to, but he jumped out of the way.
Sometimes it was hard for her to remember who his siblings were when it was just the two of them like this.
Two days of fun and playfulness that told her she had made the right decision.
Until she had to leave to meet his siblings.
“I mean it, Nelson. Put yourself in my shoes.”
“I’d rather put myself in your shorts.” He reached for them and yanked her closer by the waistband. The minute he did it, the button popped off. “Sweet. Guess that’s a sign for a quickie before we leave.”
“No,” she said. “Now I’ve got to change and I’ve already changed three times. I don’t have any more nice shorts. The rest are just jeans shorts or ones I wear around the house.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Let’s go look together.
Jean shorts are fine. They really are. You’re making a big deal out of this.
If I offer to run to the store and let you buy something you’re only going to bite my head off.
” She turned and growled at him. He pointed his finger. “See. I’m trying to be nice.”
She marched up the stairs and into their room. She was more comfortable thinking of it that way now.
He was on her heels and in the closet with her.
She was looking at her shorts and he reached over and grabbed the jeans ones she’d had on earlier.
“These looked great on you. I mean it. I bet Lily or Abby is wearing the same. No one is going to be in a dress or linen pants. We aren’t stuffy.
Everyone will have shorts on except maybe Laken.
She’s big right now and maybe in a dress to stay cool. ”
“Don’t say your sister is big. That’s horrible.”
She dropped her tan shorts and set them aside to sew the button back on another day, then slipped her jean shorts on. She looked in the mirror at the dark denim and rolled up cuffs mid-thigh. Nelson was right—they were fine.
They’d have to be because they were going to leave in a few minutes.
“I won’t say it to Laken’s face,” he said. “I’m not stupid. You look great, you really do. We can go. Once you’re there you’ll relax.”
“If you say so.”
They left and drove the ten minutes to his sister’s house.
Going through a gate hadn’t surprised her. Neither had the massive house that came into view.
The guesthouse in the back that she’d gotten a peek of made her roll her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“His nanny lives on the property?”
“Yes. Janelle is a retired teacher. She lives on the property and cares for Penelope—that’s Jamie’s daughter—and then will also watch Calder when he’s born.”
“That’s what they are naming him?” she asked.
“Yes. My mother was famous for having names that weren’t common so Laken went the same route. She wanted something that meant ‘wild’ for their last name.”
“Are you going to want different names for your kids?” she asked. “Do you even want kids?”
Why hadn’t she thought of this before? She wanted them, just not yet.
“I do at some point,” he said. “But I’m young. We’re young. I’d think you’d want to focus on your career or am I wrong?”
“You’re right,” she said. “At least until I get more settled there.”
“Works for me.” His hand landed on her thigh and ran up it, but with the fit of her shorts, he couldn’t slide his hand under. Probably a good thing though she knew he was trying to distract her. “As long as we get to practice making them.”
“That’s the best part.” She undid her seatbelt and got out. There was only one other car in the half circle out front. She assumed it was Braylon.
They walked around back where they could hear voices.
“We’re here,” Nelson said. “I know everyone is dying to meet my wife.”
“And the way she just pursed her lips says she’s already not used to your antics. I’m Laken.”
Nelson was right: his sister looked ready to pop at any minute. “Please don’t stand. It’s fine.”
She rushed over to shake her hand. “Thanks. Jamie normally has to tug me up from these chairs. It’s nice to meet you. We’ve heard a bit about you. Not as much as my mother would like, but enough.”
“Your mother?”
“She said she’s talked to you twice. She likes to ask a lot of questions, but Nelson cut her off,” Laken said.
He had done that when Aileen had called last night to see if she was settled in okay. She found that sweet when her mother didn’t even call to check on her.
Kenzie had to text that she’d arrived and got nothing more than a quick reply.
Her parents wanted her to make this marriage work, but she still disappointed them.
“Mom can learn a little at a time just like I am,” Nelson said. “Laken’s husband and his daughter Penelope are in the pool.”
It wasn’t that warm to be in the water in her eyes, but she’d bet it was heated.
“Nice to meet you,” Jamie said, waving his hand. “Sorry for being rude over here.”
“Don’t worry.”
“Hi, hi,” Penelope said. The little girl was waving and splashing water all over the pink glasses on her face. Talk about adorable.
“Hello,” she said, waving back.
“You’re Aunt Kenzie. I’ve got lots of aunts now.”
Awww, talk about settling her nerves. “I guess I am,” she said. “And you have a lot of them.”
“Nice to see you again,” Braylon said, walking over. “This is my wife, Lily.”
And Lily had jean shorts on too. That made her feel much better!
Braylon’s wife didn’t look to be much older than her. Nelson had said Lily was younger than Braylon, but not how young.
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
“Here comes the big man,” Nelson said.
She could hear the helicopter coming in the distance, then watched as it came closer and landed on the property behind the pool.
West climbed down, then reached for the car seat to set down, then for his wife.
Foster and Charlotte were out next.
Yep, both were in shorts, tan ones like she’d had on.
Phew. Aside from the multi-million-dollar property and the helicopter entrance, she didn’t feel too out of place.
The helicopter took off once everyone was in the gates of the backyard. How the baby was sleeping through that noise was beyond her though there were little headphones on him.
She knew Samuel was eight months old and definitely had his father’s dark coloring. Abby was blonde and blue-eyed. She couldn’t tell what color eyes the baby had just yet.
“Hi,” she said shyly to West. He still scared the crap out of her, but carrying his child lessened some of the grit from him the first time they met.
West nodded. “This is my wife, Abby. My son, Samuel.”
“I’m Foster and this is Charlotte.”
Kenzie shook everyone’s hands. The tension was building in her shoulders. She didn’t know what to say or how to act.
No one was saying much either.
Nelson moved over and dropped his arm over her shoulder. “Aren’t you guys proud of me? I got her here all on my own.”
There was some laughter at that statement. Mainly from Jamie and Braylon and the women. Foster cracked a tiny grin, West did little other than nod.
“I think I played a part in it,” Kenzie said. “I should start by saying I’m sure you think this is crazy. How Nelson and I met.”
“Not much crazier than West and I having a vacation fling,” Abby said.
“Or Braylon pretending to be my fiancé,” Lily said.
“I was a total loser trying to live on my own and couldn’t walk without tripping over my two feet. Foster saved me more than I care to remember,” Charlotte said.
Kenzie blinked her eyes a few times, pushing the moisture back over them trying to ease her nerves. “Thanks,” she said, clearing her throat. “This is just... a lot.”
“Hey, guys. Come on. I just got her to relax and I don’t need her worked up or stressing again.”
“It’s fine,” she said. “Just a lot to process.”
“Come on,” Abby said. “Why don’t we girls have a talk inside?”
“Someone help me up,” Laken yelled.
West was right there pulling his sister up. “I’m a pro at this now.”
Kenzie waited for Laken, and then the five of them went inside the house.
“Don’t let Nelson mess the place up,” Laken said.
“What?”
“He’s a slob. I’m going to tell you right now all his flaws. You should know going in.”
Kenzie laughed. “Thanks, but he admitted it. I think it’s wasteful to have a cleaner.”