Page 29 of An Endless Memory

She dropped her gaze. “Right.” She tugged her hand out of mine and got out of the car.

I had a second before she opened the back door to curse at myself. Get this over with? Good one, Knight.

I carried the diaper bag. The kids were playing in the yard by the shop. Cody had a volleyball net set up, horseshoes, and a few more lawn games were scattered around. The goats eyed us from their enclosure on the other side of the shop. He also had a few head of cattle for his kids’ 4-H projects. His dog was running with the kids.

Several pairs of eyes watched us approach. The curiosity prickled along my skin.

Tova came to take the food. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun and she wore a loose pink sundress that matched what I saw little Charlie running around in. “Lily, so nice to see you again. We have a spot in the shade for you and Kellan.”

Lily’s smile was shy. She looked ready to bolt, but her spine was straight. While she might seem timid, the woman was lined with steel. And covered in that satiny skin.

Tova took the food to the long table. The rest of my family greeted us. Cody watched me with narrowed eyes. Austen and Vienne were like a pair of grinning teenagers, in on the secret everyone else would soon learn. Austen saluted me with his beer. He and Vienne always drank the same thing. Some sort of inside thing they had. Sutton was sitting with her feet on a cooler. She looked concerned. Wilder hovered over her, looking grim because his wife was worried. Ansen stood behind Aggie, his hands around her waist and his chin on the top of her head.

A beat of envy passed through me. My brothers were older than me and still having kids. They had true partners in life. I was entering a marriage arrangement with a woman who was a stranger.

That wasn’t totally true. I knew more about her than most women I dated. Although dated was a strong word.

“Austen said you had to talk?” Cody wasn’t one to wait on business.

Grateful he broke the ice, I nodded and exchanged a glance with Lily. At her faint nod, I answered. “Yep. We’re getting married.”

Sutton’s jaw dropped. Wilder and Cody wore matching poleaxed expressions. Austen and Vienne were avidly watching everyone’s reaction. Aggie’s eyes were wide, but her husband smirked, probably because he still remembered how my brothers and I had run him off when he and Aggie were supposed to get married the first time. We were brothers now, but he liked my discomfort. Tova gasped and grinned like she was delighted.

“Let me explain.” I told them about the trust stipulations. Lily scooted closer to me the more I talked. A guy could get used to her physical proximity.

Cody shook his head, but understanding filled his gaze. Same with everyone else.

Sutton put her feet down. “Lily, you could’ve come to me.”

“I didn’t know what to do.” Lily’s voice was slightly stronger. “I’m really sorry about dragging him into this, but I gave my aunt a name to buy time and then he walked in.”

She’d said my goddamn name. Not some guy from her past or even a fake name. She’d put a lot of trust in me since we met. I wouldn’t take any of this lightly.

“How’s this going to work?” Cody asked.

“I just need to be married for a year,” she said. “Eliot can go about his life, and I’ll live mine. We’ll tell my aunt he has to commute for work.”

Our arrangement wasn’t ideal, but what choice did I have? “It’ll have to look like I live at her place and work out of town.” If my family had any tips, I’d love to know them. “Her dad and her aunt need to buy that this is real.”

Cody frowned. “You’ll need to change your address. And move some stuff in.”

“And you’ll need to come to Crocus Valley more regularly,” Wilder said, his tone neutral. He knew how hard it was to commute. “Where does your aunt live?” he asked Lily.

“In Coal Haven,” she answered. “I don’t know how often she’ll stop in. My parents probably won’t make it here more than a few times a year.”

“You can use work at the clinic as an excuse anytime,” Sutton offered. “We’ll all cover for you.”

Lily smiled at her. I stroked my hand down Lily’s arm. I wanted to tuck her into my side and keep her safe.

“Should work,” Austen said. “Anyone asks, we’ll say you met through Sutton, fell madly in love, but have yet to iron out the logistics.”

“She darn near swept me off my feet,” I joked to take the focus off the knot forming in my chest.

Lily snickered. “That was Bug.”

Cody’s frown deepened as he looked between us. “Will you be married but living the single life in Buffalo Gully? Are you going to go back and announce that you’re married?”

Cody and his damn need to have everything lined up. I could control myself.

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