Page 87 of Wishing for Love

“Jamie’s daughter will be there, but she’s only two,” Phoenix said, coming into the kitchen. “Her name is Penelope. Let’s take one more bathroom run before we hit the road.”

She knew that Laken’s boyfriend was Jamie Wilde. Talk about being out of her element with the people she was going to be meeting. But she had to remind herself that most of the family she’d met so far were down to earth.

She walked Elsie to the bathroom, let the little girl go one more time, then did a second glance to make sure they weren’t forgetting anything.

“Let’s hit the road,” she said. “I’ve got snacks for Elsie and us.”

“Thanks,” he said. “I don’t think of those things. I understand her not being that hungry this morning. She isn’t used to being up this early.”

“Me neither,” she said. Crystal hadn’t gotten up this early since her last job when she had to be at the daycare by six when they opened.

Now she just needed to be downstairs by seven before Phoenix left. She got up twenty minutes prior to shower and change and then went downstairs to get breakfast ready once Elsie was moving around.

“It’s nice you think of things I don’t,” he said, leaning in to kiss her.

They didn’t worry about that anymore in front of Elsie.

Though they were showing more affection, she was still living in her suite and going to Phoenix’s room when they were going to have sex. She never spent the night completely and normally woke up to return to her room.

There was no reason to push that right now, but staying in a hotel, they were going to be in the same bed all night.

They had a suite, so they had their own room and Elsie in another bed off the living room. That was all she’d been toldabout where they were going. That and West owned the hotel so he could be discreet with the guest list.

She found the whole thing funny but understood it too.

Just like she’d been able to keep her relationship with Phoenix a secret from her family other than Taylor.

“You’re quiet,” she said hours later in the car. Elsie was out cold and she found that she was dozing too and tried to stay awake, but it was hard without them talking.

“Just thinking of things,” he said.

“Work or us?”

“A little of both,” he said, turning to smile at her. “Nothing horrible.”

“Are you nervous about me meeting your family?”

“No,” he said. “Not at all. They all know what is going on. Are you nervous? There is no reason to be.”

“I am a little. I’m really out of my element. Billionaire secret weddings, celebrity TV personnel, business owners and now your family. I don’t know where we are going either.”

“The Hamptons,” he said. “West has a home on the bay and he’s having the wedding there. I found out last night. Braylon let it slip in the text and I don’t think he meant to.”

“Oh,” she said. “But everyone will know when they get there today, right?”

“I’m sure on the flight it will be announced to everyone else. West’s siblings all know. If West worried it’d be leaked to the press, he wouldn’t have invited that person.”

“Even family?” she asked.

“None of my family would do those things. Now it’s possible they could be dating someone who would let that slip, which is why things weren’t told. But none of my siblings are bringing a date.”

“I’m the only one?”

“Yes,” he said. “My sisters, London and Paris, they might ask you the most questions. They are the closest to me in age. They are both protective of their brothers.”

“Which is sweet. Are you protective of them?”

He laughed. “I was when we were younger. They hated it, but it’s what an older brother does. They are both independent and now I don’t want my hand slapped.”

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