Page 88 of Love and Other Trials
Arial looked at Dax, waiting to see whether he’d tell them about the rest of Tiffany’s behavior. He’d wanted to stop the wedding as much as anyone, and God knows he’d told Rob everything to no avail. But he only stood there, his body tense beside her.
Frank looked off, his mouth twisting. “I’m not from a perfect family, God knows, but I respected my stepdad when my mom remarried. I even came to like him. Rob’s not even starting on that foot, and I’m not sure Tiffany is going to help any.”
“He’s repeating his own family issues.” Perry’s tone was clipped. “Dax, did you tell Ariel? Rob had trouble with his stepdad growing up. For the five years his mom and stepdad were married, anyway.”
She wanted to put her hands over her ears, especially when she thought about the baby they were bringing into the world—the one only she knew about. “I know this is hard, but we need to remember that they love each other and want to get married. We have to make this the day they want.”
Because Ariel didn’t like the niggling doubt still swirling in the back of her mind. If Tiffany was going to complain about sod lines, what else could she find fault with tomorrow? She wanted to trust her sister and the moment they’d shared, but she had too much evidence to the contrary.
“You mean what Tiffany wants, which you can never seem to deliver despite all you do,” Jeffrey bit out. “Sorry, Ariel, I’m still really pissed that she’s extorting you over your grandma’s house. It’s below the belt and then some.”
She winced. Jeffrey might as well have poured gasoline on their already heated conversation.
“What’s this about extortion?” Carson asked, flicking his sports coat open. “Ariel, honey, that’s the lowest of the low. I know we’re probably being way too honest here, but no one should treat anyone like that—especially family. Now I’m really concerned for Rob.”
“You’re telling me,” Perry added, his entire face narrowing.
While Dax’s jaw audibly cracked, he didn’t fill his friend in, and for that, she was grateful. Her usual peacekeeper role felt like too great a task right now. She’d rather run from a gator. “Please—it’s not helpful to focus on. Look, I’m exhausted, and I’m sure y’all are too after everything with the mud pit. Thanks, by the way.”
Carson’s gaze was downright flinty. “You’re welcome, but you shouldn’t be the one to say thank you.”
“Hey!”
They all turned at Rob’s shout. He was striding down the path, alone, a bottle in his hand.
“What in the hell are you guys doing?” He slapped Carson on the back when he reached them and gazed around the now-quiet group. “Looks like you’re plotting a mission to down the enemy.”
Jeffrey sputtered out a laugh before he silenced himself. “Sorry,” he coughed.
Ariel sent him a pleading look.
Rob wrapped his arm around Perry and pulled him closer. “This here’s a celebration.”
“Is it, man?” Carson asked, brows mashed together. “Because we’re a little concerned about you and how things appear.”
“What the hell?” Rob spat. “Dax, did you say something?”
Dax only shook his head.
“He didn’t have to,” Perry continued after a look at Frank and Gunner. “We’ve got eyes.”
Rob tapped his fingers to his temple. “Do you? Because you all sound like a bunch of babies, crying over a whole lot of nothing. I’m getting married tomorrow, dammit, and like I said, this here is a celebration. Who wants to grab a drink?”
Dax took a step forward and gripped Rob’s shoulder, the action speaking of longtime friendship. Ariel wondered how much it had cost him. Carson and Perry looked as tense as statues, and Gunner’s and Frank’s body language wasn’t much better. “All that manual labor has us wanting to up and cry like those babies you mentioned, Rob. We’re going to grab some shut-eye. You should try to do the same. It’s going to be a big day tomorrow. We can hang out all day and toast to your future.”
Rob’s eyes lowered a moment before he shoved Carson and Perry away. “Yeah, we’ve got all day, right? Tiffany is going to be doing the whole bride thing, starting with all that hair and beauty stuff at eight in the morning. God, I’m so glad not to be a girl.”
Dax nudged him, and Rob’s head snapped up as he glanced her way. “Sorry, Ariel.”
“No problem.” She took Dax’s arm. “See you in the morning, everyone.”
She kissed Jeffrey’s cheek, inclined her chin to the other men, and then made herself start walking. Dax walked stiffly beside her. When they reached the cottage, she let Sherlock out. Dax was in the shower again when she came back in, and seeing her through the steamy glass door, he opened it a crack with a tired smile.
“Come on in here, Elizabeth, before you fall down.”
She stripped slowly, feeling off-center and a little sad. For her messed-up family, for Rob, and for how sometimes life just couldn’t be perfect—no matter how hard you tried.
The hot water was comforting as Dax made room for her under the spray. But so were his strong hands on her shoulders, massaging away the tension, and something deeper, something she didn’t want to name because it would break her heart.
