Page 78 of Their Greatest Strength

“If you give her a chance, I think she’ll surprise you. The two of you would get along.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he turns his head, focusing on me. “This marriage is a fucking sham, Jamie. You don’t have to tell me the truth, but I know you better than you think I do.”

“Believe what you want?—”

He clears his throat pointedly. “I wasn’t done. I’m just telling you how it’s most likely going to be here, and I guarantee your mother is going to be in the same boat as me. However, if you say Blakely’s good people, then I’ll respect that, and I know everyone else will too. You’re a grown man, and your choices are your own. However, I am going to tell you to be careful. Whatever you’re doing here has the chance of turning sour.”

“Isn’t that risk there with everything?”

He chuckles, patting my shoulder. “Yeah, it is. I’m just speaking from my own experiences here a bit. Your mom worked real fucking hard to get me to open up, and there were times where it was the last thing I wanted to do. If Blakely is anything like me, it won’t be easy for you.”

None of this is news to me. Blakely isn’t an easy woman, but I’ve never wanted easy less than I have with her. Fake or not, she’s one week away from being my wife, and I have the next two months to break down the walls my dad’s describing.

The challenge doesn’t scare me.

It excites me.

24

BLAKELY

My mom isthe complete opposite of Gracie Bateman.

Nate and I were raised with the knowledge that our existence was a burden. The money it took to pay for groceries, the roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs was a nuisance. I heard several times over the course of my life that it would have been easier if she only had to take care of herself and not two children who were never quite grateful enough for hersacrifices.

Dad was always the one who tucked us in at night and made sure our supper was heated the entire way through when Mom left it out for us to serve ourselves. He tried his best to pick up the slack. To this day, I’m positive that if it weren’t for us, he’d never have stayed with Mom. He was the glue keeping our family together, and once he passed, that glue dried up, and the two halves fell apart.

I’m only grateful that Nate was young enough when she left to not have bonded much with her. He missed her the first few months after she left and wouldn’t sleep anywhere but beside me for several more after that. Then, he started growing up too fast.

I blame our mother for many, many things, but the mostimportant is the loss of Nate’s childhood. Ten years old is too young to have to be without a father and a mother.

Being here in this house with a family who bursts with love and appreciation for one another has been hard for me to witness. They haven’t had to do anything more than offer hugs and smiles and kindness, but it’s been more than enough.

From the moment I met Jamie, it was painfully obvious that he was raised well. Not only with respect and love but also support and guidance. There’s a light inside of him that shines from the deepest crevice of his soul. Every day I spend with him, he tries to draw something similar out of me, and I’m growing to hate my inability to flash him with a bright light even once.

It’s obvious that his mom doesn’t trust me, yet she hasn’t treated me any differently than I’d suspect she would if she did. There’s something incredible about that.

“So, I guess I’ll just come out and ask,” she starts, palming the mug of coffee in her lap. I hold my breath. “How much of the wedding has been planned so far? Do you have a dress? Flowers? Avery runs a flower shop, and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind helping.”

Those weren’t the questions I was expecting at all.

Releasing my breath, I tuck my leg further beneath my body. “I’m nearly done. Tony got us in touch with a planner, and we’ve made a lot of progress. I haven’t gotten a dress yet, and we decided on roses, but if you all think there’s something better?—”

“Roses are beautiful. Don’t feel pressured to include me. I’m sure whichever shop you choose will do an amazing job,” Avery says gently.

Nova watches while Nate peels the foil from his tart before picking up one of her own and copying him.

She grins at it and then says, “My mom’s shop is the best. You should use her flowers. I’ll help and make them extra beautiful for Uncle J.”

“If you’re available, Avery. I’m sure Jamie would love you to be involved,” I tell her.

Flowers don’t matter to me. We could not have any, and it wouldn’t be the end of the world. In the grand scheme of things, they’ll die faster than our marriage will.

Excitement sparks in her eyes. “Absolutely. If you give me your number before you leave today, we can chat about them a bit more.”

Gracie doesn’t bother hiding how pleased she is by what just happened. In fact, I think it only makes her more confident to keep pushing.

“What about a dress?”

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