Page 23 of An Endless Memory

The silence stretched on. “You’re at Lily’s. She just had a baby.”

“It’s not like that.” I pinched my eyes shut. All my brothers were too damn nosy—and too suspicious of my intentions. I’d have to give him some info. “Not exactly. We’re getting married.”

“What the fuck?” he sputtered.

“You can’t tell anyone. Not yet.” I’d have to make time for an explanation. “She can’t keep the house if she’s not married and then she’d have to uproot the kids and quit her job. It’s her grandma’s stipulations.”

“Grandma’s stipulations? What kind of crazy bull?—”

“Of all people, we should be familiar with relatives fucking us over after death.” He went quiet, which was exactly what I expected. Barns had been selfish in the trust he’d formed before he died. I was as stuck as Lily. “I’ll explain more later. Right now, I’m really damn hungry, and I need my overnight bag. Can you grab it from my pickup?”

“Sure. Whaddaya want to eat?”

“Anything that won’t give me gut rot.”

“You realize only the gas stations are open right now.” His heavy exhale gusted over the line. “Just so you know, I’m telling V so we can be shocked and appalled together.”

“I’m with you, man. I’ll tell the others at the picnic.” A worry for another day. A day real soon.

He grunted and got off the phone.

I sat on the couch and stared at the wall, working over everything Lily had told me until headlights swung down the drive. I hooked the baby monitor to my belt and crept out the door. I didn’t care to wake Lily, but I certainly didn’t want her to run into Austen. I already felt like I was invading her place.

Vienne hopped out first with two plastic bags in her hand. “You’re getting married?” she whisper-shouted.

Her sandals slapped the ground. She was in shorts and a T-shirt like my brother. I’d make a joke about them being married so long they were dressing alike, but humor wasn’t my priority.

I nodded, my throat working. Saying the words to her made it more real. Married.

Her gaze dropped down. “Oh my god, is that a baby monitor?”

“You’ll have to get familiar with one in, like, six months.”

She gave me a saccharine-sweet smile. “Don’t wiggle out of telling us what’s going on, Daddy Eliot.”

“She needs sleep.” I told Lily if Kellan woke up tonight, she only had to feed him, and I’d rock him until he went to sleep. She’d warned me he was fussy. She’d made a lot of excuses as I had herded her to bed. She’d been ready to drop, or she might’ve kicked me out.

Vienne’s eyes went liquid. “Aw, you’re so sweet.” Concern infused her gaze. “Marriage?”

“For a year. Then the house will be hers.”

Austen approached and handed over my duffel bag. “Are you moving here?”

Did he sound hopeful? I shook my head. “You know I can’t do that. This house isn’t hers as much as the house on the ranch isn’t mine.” I had to be married to my job to stay in that place. Thanks, Barns. “I can’t risk it. We just have to make her aunt think I’m residing here.”

I took the bags from Vienne. She stared at me. Same with Austen.

“You’re supposed to marry her and live here?”

I shrugged. “We have to provide a marriage certificate. Otherwise, we could fake that too.”

“Shit,” Austen said softly. He held his hand out. “Gimme your keys. We’ll drop your pickup off.”

Relieved I wouldn’t have to herd everyone out of the house to get my pickup in the morning, I did as he asked. “Thanks.”

He inspected me. Most of the time, I didn’t see much effect of the military on him. He was the same laid-back Austen. Then moments like now, when I itched under the collar from his open scrutiny? Yeah. I could see it.

“You’re welcome,” he finally said. “See you Sunday?”

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