Page 12 of The Hardest Part

“Fine, the first Wednesday then.” In a quick, fluid movement, his brother pulled Emily to his chest and he kissed her.

When their lips unlocked, she bit her lip, fingertips rubbing his pec. “Why is your mama so…I dunno…out of sorts over Uncle Matty getting married?”

“C’mon, Emily, you know the answer to that,” Jake said, tucking a glossy curl behind her ear.

Justin came up behind them. “He married an outsider.”

“So? Plenty of folks have. My grams was an outsider once.”

True, but then that wasn’t the actual issue here.

“Melinda Brooks is one of a kind. It takes a special person to embrace our way of life. It seems as though your uncle has cast aside what we hold sacred—to my sister, at least.” Justin squeezed Emily’s shoulder. “She fears he could lose favor, and that, as you well know, would affect every last one of us. I don’t believe so, of course.”

Bingo. That’s what Jake feared, too.

“Finding love again, Arien,anda new baby? He saw all of this, you know. So, the way I figure, he’s gained favor, if anything.” Emily glanced up at him. “Right, Jake?”

He wanted so badly to agree with her, but he couldn’t.

“I think so, too, dear girl.” Justin opened his arms wide and wrapped her up in a great big hug. “After all, is there any greater gift than that?”

Jake couldn’t think of one.

Every good thing in the world is born of something not.

Yeah, maybe she was right.

She blamed John Jacoby.

If it hadn’t been for that miserable old coot showing up on Thanksgiving like he did, the talk with Arien wouldn’t have gone down the way it had. Emily was sure he didn’t come by to wish Tanner a happy birthday. More likely, he wanted to check out Uncle Matty’s new wife and determine if her daughter was worthy of his grandsons.

Probably wanted to start trouble, too.

Which, of course, he did.

“You’ve broken tradition, yet you have been greatly favored,” Jacoby told his one-time son-in-law.

Innocuous enough, right? But that seemingly innocent statement was loaded. Her new cousin picked up on it right away, questioning the meaning behind the man’s words.

They’d talked it over together beforehand. Uncle Matty, his new wife, Jennifer, and the boys had decided an honest but gentle approach with Arien would be best. Emily, Billy, and Jake would extend their support and provide backup if needed. Because understanding life in Brookside wouldn’t come easy to someone who hadn’t been raised here.

“Me and your mama discussed how to explain our ways to you. Planned to sit with you tonight and do just that.” Clasping his wife to his side, Uncle Matty came forward. “I know you’re probably wondering how it is Kellan and Tanner are so close in age, especially their mothers being sisters and all.”

The boys were born three months apart, so Emily had a pretty good idea of what Arien must be thinking. She was wrong, though. And while she’d only known her since Sunday, she already liked her and wanted her to be happy here. Her arm linked with her step-cousin’s, Emily glanced down to see Tanner holding the girl’s hand so tightly that the whites of his knuckles showed.

“Our customs, how we live, the reason we prosper, goes all the way back to when Brookside was founded. I think you’ve already figured out we don’t do things the same here, and here…”

And here we go.

Emily watched her uncle’s chest rise as he paused to take a breath. “…marriage is between a man and two sisters or a woman and two brothers.”

“Huh?”

Arien wore the same expression on her face Emily often had during trig class.

Jake got down on his haunches in front of her. “Our unions are triads. There is a universal power in three. The nature of the world is tripartite—heavens, waters, and earth.” Then he took Arien’s other hand in his. “As are human beings—mind, body, spirit. The triad is the whole, you see. It is all. The beginning, middle, and end.”

Emily saw Arien’s hazel-green eyes flick over from Tanner to Kellan. Arms folded across his chest, he stood by the fireplace, the look on his handsome face inscrutable. Not even a smirk. Sheknew his tells, though, and the nervous tick in his jaw gave him away.

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