Page 68 of Loving You

Before I could say anything to that, Mom corralled us all to the table. In the bustle of everyone moving to slot babies into high chairs and dodging Jake and Jackson as they carried in a huge platter of grilled meat from the back porch, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was Will who was right.

I wanted to believe April would tell me if she’d seen her ex. Some part of meneededto believe that. But the reality was, she’d kept it hidden until she had no choice but to share it.

She had a choice now, though, didn’t she? People who cared about her knew what was gong on, and she was safe at my house now. What if she thought she needed to keep her concerns—or worse, her very real fear—tucked away again?

As we sat down, I resolved to talk to her about it later and listened respectfully as Mom said a prayer. Jackson dove into the food the second it was over, and everyone laughed at his growing teen-boy appetite.

“Well, April, you fit right in. Your mother might hate me until the end of time, but I’m so pleased to have you with us.” Mom pinched some salad with tongs and dropped it into her bowl before passing it to Jake, who gave her an odd look.

My focus shot to April, her brows high on her forehead. “Oh, she doesn’t hate you, Mrs.—Jenna.”

My hackles rose at seeing April so uncomfortable. What the hell was Mom thinking, tossing that out there like it was a normal thing to say?

Yes, the stupid feud did exist, and yes, it sounded like Mrs. Carrigan was the one holding tightest to it, but that comment made me wonder if my mom did too in some weird way.

“Mom, that’s messed up. You can’t say shit like that,” Will said, beating me to the punch in sticking up for my woman.

“What do you mean? I’m saying I’m glad April’s here and that our families’ pasts haven’t… influenced her willingness to be involved with a Walker boy.” She winked at April, her way of softening the comment.

But still.

“I love my family, but I’m not sure anything could’ve kept me from Eric once he decided he didn’t hateme.” April gave me a look, her eyes sparkling, and I relaxed. She wasn’t upset.

Caught in her blue gaze, I spoke without thinking. “I never hated you, love.”

She blushed prettily at my words, which had been low enough for the sentiment, but loud enough that apparently everyone heard it.

“Holy shit! Stern-but-fair Eric is a romantic,” Sammy exclaimed, punctuating his next words with obnoxious claps. “I. Am. Here. For. It!”

Rachel grabbed at his hands to quiet him while Willa clapped along with her daddy, Jake and Ellie laughed, and Will wagged his brows, nudging me from the seat on my other side.

This family.

Then Mom beamed over at me like I’d said the best thing she’d ever heard, and my flash of embarrassment over their antics fizzled into gratitude.

When my gaze settled on April, that gratitude took on a whole new flavor as she gave me a smile full of promises I’d collect on later.

“Shut up, Sammy. We’re happy for you.Bothof you,” Ellie said, giving me and April a sweet smile.

After a bit more razzing, the family moved on from that little display to wedding talk, and soon we were packing up leftovers and bidding my mom good night.

When her door shut and we all filed to our cars, Sammy stopped April and me before we could leave. “Hey, so. We’ve gotta deal with this feud shit before the wedding, right?”

April blew out a breath and crossed her arms. “Thank you. Yes. I don’t blame your mom for saying what she did, but clearly this is a very active thing in both of their minds. I think it’s time to stage an intervention.”

Jake curled Ellie into his chest. It was blatantly obvious that his protective nature and love for her had him trying to shield her from any additional wedding stress.

But Ellie lifted her chin, not looking the least bit rattled by the topic. “I don’t want the wedding to be a thing between them. We sort of broached it when we asked to have it at the B&B, and of course your mom waved it away like it was nothing and we were silly for bringing it up. But I have wondered…”

Will wandered back over from his truck after he’d buckled in Lea. “Yep. Time to get this shit good and buried.”

I had to smile at his frankness. “All right. April and I will figure out the when and where, and then we’ll make it happen.”

Somehow, we’d put a necessary end to this feud, once and for all. And it was necessary. Jenna and Candace needed to bury the hatchet one way or another, because if I had any say in it, the Walker and Carrigan families would—ideally in the not-too-distant future—be joined as one.

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