Page 30 of Bound and Blitzed

“Gage! He’s a nice boy,” Grandma says.

“He’s pushing forty,” Cohen mutters.

“A nice boy,” Grandma repeats.

“Well, Valentina wasn’t at the party,” Arlene explains. “This is a new development.” She wags a finger between me and Avery.

“Huh,” Harold grunts.

Grandma’s mouth drops open, and her eyes nearly bug out of her face. “You’re not in the family way, are you, Valentina?”

Cohen’s beer literally flies from his nostrils.

Oh, shit. My hands go numb as pins and needles travel down my legs. I open my mouth, but no words come out.

“Mom!” Arlene says, horrified.

Joe pours more wine in my glass. “You’ll need it,” he murmurs.

Raia pounds on Cohen’s back.

“Of course not!” Avery says. “What kind of man do you take me for?”

When his family is silent, he winces, and I immediately feel awful for him. In fact, as ridiculous and unbearable as the past forty minutes have been, spending time in the Callaway kitchen has given me insight into Avery’s life.

And I understand why he wants his family’s respect so badly. They’re good, down-to-earth people and it must be hard to not truly fit in with them. It’s a feeling I identify with because while my family is hardly this entertaining, I’ve never liked feeling distant from them. Like something is wrong with me.

“Don’t answer that,” Avery adds, lifting a warning hand. “Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Raia, Cohen…” He glances at each person present.

“We’re all here, bro,” Raia jokes.

“The only way this could be better is if Uncle Jim were present,” Cohen remarks.

Raia elbows him in the ribs, and he winces.

“Valentina and I married yesterday because the way we feel about each other… Well, I’ve never felt about any woman the way I do for Lena. I have a demanding career with a lot of travel coming up and the thought of not coming home to her is one I didn’t want to consider. I know this isn’t what you expected from me, but I hope you can welcome Valentina into our family. Because she’s not going anywhere.” Avery holds my gaze and the emotion in his eyes is genuine. It’s honest and earnest and it nearly undoes me.

My heart stutters, and my throat tightens. He’s claiming me in front of his family as if this is real. As if we’re intending to stay married.

“She’s it for me,” he tacks on.

“Well, if she likes birds, she’s obviously one of the good ones,” Grandma replies, affronted.

“You still should have had a minister present.” Harold shrugs.

“We would have liked to attend your big day,” Arlene tosses out.

“Or helped plan it,” Raia adds.

I look at her. This woman who is now my sister-in-law. “I’m sorry, Raia. My only concern with Avery’s and my eloping is that we unintentionally stepped on your toes.” My voice is clearer than I would have thought possible, and I realize the wine is giving me liquid courage.Thanks, Joe.“Our timing was…well, tacky,” I admit. “But when we were together…” I look at Avery. He’s staring at me as if he’s holding his breath. As if whatever I’m about to say is the most significant thing he’s ever heard. “We couldn’t bear the thought of wasting one more day apart.”

“Oh, well, that’s just beautiful.” Grandma takes a cocktail napkin from the island and dabs the corners of her eyes.

Arlene has a hand pressed to her heart, her eyes swimming with emotion.

“You’ll do just fine,” Joe whispers.

Raia gives me a shaky smile and pulls me in for a hug. Over my shoulder, she says to her brother, “You did steal some of my thunder, you jackass. But you couldn’t have picked a better woman so… I’ll get over it. Only because Vale had the guts to speak up about the thing we were all thinking.”

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