Chapter 4
Chapter Four
brADY
T his morning, we were stopping by the senior center to plan our engagement party. I was more than a little nervous to face Mabel and her friends. She was sharp, seemingly knowing everything that was going on.
I was worried she'd figure out this whole thing was a sham.
I picked up Hazel at her place. She lived in an apartment but wanted to live on the beach.
She couldn't afford it on a librarian's salary.
I wished I'd invited her to move in with me years ago, but Dalton was the co-owner of our house, and he thought living with a girl would make it harder for us to date other women.
Secretly, I think he'd always been jealous of my relationship with Hazel. He didn't have the same outlet from our family. And they could be a lot sometimes.
Hazel opened the door, wearing a long skirt, a T-shirt, and sandals. Her dog, Max, pushed at her knees until she let him greet me.
"Hey, bud." I let him sniff my hand. Then I petted him.
"When are you going to let me have this guy?" He was the sweetest golden retriever, but he had to be cooped up in her tiny place.
"I'm never giving him up. You can stop asking." Hazel gave Max a treat so she could close the door.
"You can bring him to my parents' house later."
Her expression softened. "He'll love that. He adores the beach."
Hazel frequently parked at my house and walked the beach with Max.
On the way to the senior center, Hazel was a bundle of nerves. "This will be a big test for us. You know how Grandma and her friends are. They gossip about everything, and they'll know we're not telling the truth."
I rested my hand on her knee to settle her fidgeting. "How are they going to know that?"
She gave me a look. "Because we're not really engaged."
"All we have to do is go along with the party planning and have a good time."
Her nose scrunched. "Don't you feel bad that they're planning a party to celebrate a fake engagement?"
"If we both get what we need, then it will be worth it in the end." It would be better if it were real, and I was still holding out a little bit of hope that I could convince Hazel to give me a chance.
She sighed and looked out the window. "I hope you're right. Grandma has been so happy since she found out we were engaged."
"That's all that matters."
She glanced over at me. "You don't think she'll be shattered when we break up?"
"I think she'll be okay because, ultimately, she wants you to be happy. Besides, she adores planning parties."
I pulled into the center's parking lot, and Hazel said, "That's true."
Inside the center, Mabel and her friends—Blaire Edith, and Sofia—were gathered at a large table along with a few of Hazel's friends: Ivy, Elena, and Kinsley.
Hazel kissed her grandmother's cheek. "I didn't realize everyone would be here."
"How were we going to plan your party without your bridal party?" Grandma asked.
Hazel frowned. "I haven't chosen my bridesmaids yet."
Ivy's eyes widened. "Are you saying we won't be in your bridal party?"
"No. Of course not. It's just?—"
Hazel was overwhelmed with everything: the stress of keeping up a facade and the futility of planning a fake engagement party. I rested a hand on her back to reassure her. "She's consumed with wedding planning."
"That's what you have us for," Mabel said eagerly. "Now sit down so we can get to work."
I sat next to Hazel and listened as Mabel led the meeting. "We were thinking you could have the party at the resort. They have a room with glass windows that will give you a view of the ocean."
"That would be gorgeous," Hazel said softly, and I wondered if that was where she'd dreamed of having her engagement party.
I wanted this to be real, to give her everything she'd ever desired. If only she'd pick me to be her man.
Mabel beamed. "I thought you'd like it."
"Do we know how much it will be to rent the room?" Hazel asked.
Mabel waved a hand. "Don't worry about cost. This is my gift to you."
"Grandma—"
"I won't hear about it. We thought we'd have everyone dress up, serve some finger foods and cocktails, do a few speeches, then dance the night away. It's a celebration after all."
"Who were you thinking of inviting?" Hazel asked.
Elena pushed her tablet over to Hazel and tapped on the screen.
Hazel's eyes widened. "That's a lot of people, practically the whole town."
"The locals have known you two since you were babies. Everyone wants to celebrate your relationship with you."
"That's sweet," Hazel managed to say, and I rested a hand on her left thigh, squeezing in order to reassure her I was with her on this. She wasn't alone.
"We appreciate this, Mabel. But my family will want to contribute too." I didn't want the burden to rest solely on Hazel's family.
"They'll get the rehearsal dinner. That's tradition."
Except there wouldn't be a rehearsal dinner or a wedding. Now I knew why Hazel was nervous about meeting with her grandmother today. We were lying to her and everyone else. It didn't feel great even if we'd get what we wanted at the end.
I couldn't help but think I was getting more out of this deal. I was securing a designation that could lend credibility to my show, but Hazel wasn't getting the same kind of thing.
My viewers loved her. Maybe I could make her a permanent part of the show. Then I could pay her, and she'd be able to afford the beach house she'd always wanted.
I didn't like the idea of her living there alone though. Or dating someone else for that matter.
"I was thinking we could have arrangements around the room with white flowers. What do you think?" Mabel asked Hazel.
"What do you think, Brady?" Hazel asked me.
I moved my hand from her thigh to the back of her chair. "I want you to have whatever you want. The night should be magical, a celebration of our love."
I kissed her softly. It was part of the act, but I also wanted to connect with her, to show her everything was going to be okay.
"You two are so sweet," Elena said.
Hazel pulled back from me, a little confused as to what just happened.
Mabel grinned, looking at the two of us. "I can't wait until you two have some grandbabies."
Hazel sighed. "I think we're a long way from that."
Mabel waved a hand between us. "I can tell when a couple is in love. You two are going to make it."
We went through the drink and food menu, then set a date for the party in a few weeks. Hazel hugged her grandmother. "Thanks for throwing us an amazing party. It's going to be lovely."
Mabel patted her cheek. "I always knew you two would get together."
I tipped my head to the side. "How were you so sure?"
Mabel smiled. "A boy doesn't spend that much time with a girl unless he likes her."
It was the truth for me, but it felt weird hearing an outsider say it. I wondered if Hazel believed her.
"I guess you were right after all," Hazel said with a smile at me.
"I didn't want to step in though. I wanted you two to figure it out on your own." Grandma turned away from us, walking toward the door.
"You ready to get out of here? I told my parents we'd stop by after this meeting," I said to Hazel, hoping she wouldn't get freaked out by her grandmother's comments.
"Let's go."
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side. I was enjoying this easy way I could be with her now that she was mine. I leaned in to say softly, "It can't possibly be as weird as planning a fake engagement party."
She raised a brow. "Are you sure about that?"
"You've spent your whole life around my family. It won't be any different than any other time."
Hazel shook her head. "I hope you're right."
But it was weird taking a woman home who was my fiancée.
Hudson recently started dating Elena, and Dalton was starting a family with Oakley.
I wondered how the news had been received.
I had no doubt my parents would be happy for me, but would they try and talk me out of it?
Would they say I wasn't mature enough to get married?
It was always a concern when it came to my dad. He tended to assume I was irresponsible. But I felt like I had more together than Dalton or Shep and Coop. I just wished my family could see it.
Hazel insisted on stopping at a local grocery store to buy flowers for my mom.
"You know flowers aren't necessary. My mom loves you."
Hazel touched my stomach. "You and me? This is different. No matter how much you want to think it's not."
I sucked in a breath at her touch. "She'll love them regardless."
"That's all that matters," Hazel said softly, and it reminded me how much I liked her as a person. She was sweet, always taking care of those around her. Whoever ended up with her would be the luckiest guy in the world. I hoped it would be me.
At my parents', I parked next to the other Kingston Construction pickups, helping Hazel out of the truck. I let her carry the flowers, since they were her gift.
At the door, I opened it without knocking.
Inside, I followed the noise to the kitchen and then the door which was open to the deck where the large table was being set for dinner.
Mom and Dad added a screened-in deck to the house after we moved out.
Now they used it to entertain when we all came home for family dinner.
Mom wiped her hands on a towel and moved around the table with a smile on her face. "What's this I hear about an engagement?"
"Mom, meet my fiancée," I said proudly.
"Welcome to the family." Mom hugged Hazel tightly. Then she pulled back, still holding her shoulders. "I can't tell you how happy this makes me." She dabbed at the corner of her eye with the end of her apron.
"Please don't cry, Mrs. Kingston."
She waved a hand at Hazel. "Oh, please, call me Joy. You're family now."
Hazel's eyes were suspiciously shiny now too. "I brought these for you."
Mom accepted the bouquet of sunflowers. "These are gorgeous. Let me put them in water. They'll look perfect on the table while we eat."