CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

VALERIE

I had been wrong.

Really. Really. Wrong.

Though Bryan hadn’t necessarily been right, either.

Garrett welcomed us in as we walked into the enormous home, leading us to the big kitchen where everyone was hanging out. The loud, boisterous sound that radiated from the group of people stopped the moment they all took notice of us standing there.

Grace broke the silence by coming over to hug me, commenting on how cute my shoes were. Releasing me from her embrace, she placed me back at Bryan’s side, his arm wrapping around my shoulder pulling me over, so that my front was protected by his side.

He walked me over to his parents, who were sitting side by side, both staring wide-eyed at us.

“Mom, Dad… This Valerie Duncan. Val, this is my mom and dad, Jenn and Connor Wright,” he introduced us.

Even with the introduction, the kitchen perched on radio silent, nothing like the noisy bunch they had been just a minute earlier. If that wasn’t weird enough, his parents were both looking at me with wide more than surprised eyes.

Almost like they had no idea who I was.

They didn’t seem like the people who had insisted on wanting to meet me.

“Well, umm.” Mr. Wright coughed, clearing his throat. “Very nice to meet you.” He stood, his hand out, and I reached to shake it.

“Great to meet you as well. I have heard so much about you,” I shared, and the handsome older man, who reminded me a lot of Bryan, blushed.

“Good things, I hope.” He winked. I nodded, thinking that Bryan was going to be a fox when he got older.

“Valerie, is it? Nice to meet you.” Jenn stood to shake my hand. I felt the others stare as the scene unfolded in front of them.

Bryan’s hand at the small of back dug into me. “What’s going on?” Bryan asked, looking at his parents, his body completely stiff.

I shouldn’t be here, a voice whispered in the recess of my mind.

“Honey, we just didn’t know that, umm… you were bringing a friend over,” his mom explained. I stood straighter just as deep-toned, soft chuckles started to explode behind us.

I looked at Bryan, not liking the way I felt. They hadn’t been expecting me? They hadn’t asked to meet me? Had Bryan’s brothers played some kind of joke on us? On me?

“Bryan, maybe I should—“ I started to tell him, but he looked past me at his brothers.

“I am going to kill them,” he muttered, his jaw clenched.

“Bryan, this was a bad idea. Maybe I should just go—“

“You guys are dead!” he growled as he glanced at the guys, who were bowled over, laughing deeply.

“Maybe I should…” I start to suggest again. I needed to get out. I needed to leave.

“No. No…” Garrett gasped, breathing in deeply, catching his breath. “I’m sorry, Val. We didn’t think he would actually talk you into it.”

“What’s going on?” their mother asked. I took an abrupt step away from Bryan, creating some space between us. His parents didn’t know about me. They hadn’t wanted to meet me. Nerves and anxiety set in and were shaken and stirred with a healthy dose of panic.

“This is my girlfriend.”

“Roommate,” I tried, too late, to cut him off.

“Roommate?” Mr. Wright asked with wide eyes.

“Girlfriend? Oh, my God! Another miracle!” Mrs. Wright cried happily. I felt like I had entered some type of Twilight Zone.

“Jesus,” Bryan mumbled, running his fingers through his hair, looking behind him. “Payback, remember that!”

“Come on.” Marc grinned. I would have laughed if it weren’t for the fact that I obviously didn’t fit in here.

“So… you two live together?” Mr. Wright asked, and we both turned back to his parents.

“We rent a beach house,” I shared, since Bryan wasn’t any help, seeing as he was too busy threatening his brothers.

“Holy crap! Who invited the reincarnated Marylin Monroe to dinner?” a raspy female voice asked, and the deep laughter of Bryan’s brothers started back up.

Turning around, I watched the older woman walk toward us, and all I could think was, I want to be her when I grow up. Her long more-salt-than-pepper hair was loose and flowy over her shoulder. She was dressed in deep grey leggings, chestnut-brown booties, and a flowy creamy beige tunic with the most beautiful teal-colored scarf over her neck falling loose. “And she’s even prettier face-to-face. Jesus Christ, girl!” she exclaimed walking slowly toward us.

“Umm…” I stuttered, not sure of what I should say.

“Grandma…”

“Shush, Bryan, I will get to you in a minute.” The woman told him, never taking her eyes off me.

“Me? What did I do?” he asked. She threw him a frosty glance that yelled shut it.

“Do you work with our pretty boy over here?” She jerked her chin behind her toward the guys who were trying to calm their laughter.

“Umm. Excuse me?”

“In the movies,” she clarified as she closed the space between us. “Are you an actress?”

“Oh, God no!” I gasped, slightly horrified. Why would anyone want to see me in a movie?

Garrett’s deep laughter barked, and I wasn’t sure but I thought I could feel Bryan’s body shake with silent laughter.

I glanced at Marcus nervously, hating how I had put my foot in my mouth. “I didn’t mean it that way. I just…I mean, it’s me. No one would want to see me in a—”

“What do you do?” she cut me off, now even closer, her cane in hand, and I looked at her.

“I’m…”

“Let me guess!” She grinned, her free hand waving in the air excitedly.

“Shit,” Bryan cursed.

“Don’t use filthy language, you little shit,” his grandma scolded, and I pressed my lips together to stop from laughing.

“Lingerie model!” she exclaimed, her eyes roaming up and down my body.

“Umm…”’

“But the classy kind, like boudoir kind, Dita Von Teese type of modeling,” she guessed, a glint in her eyes, and I wondered for a minute if she was for real.

“Oh, no…” I shook my head, falling in love with the beautiful, crazy, and carefree, hilarious woman in front of me.

“If I looked like you, I would,” she added. I believed her, giggling myself while she ignored her grandson’s groans. “I would. Hell! I would work at a titty bar if looked half as good as you, shaking all my goodies up there, making the men…what’s it called? Oh! They would make it rain!” she eagerly shared as her shoulders shimmied.

Bryan’s arms wrapped around me, and I knew it was because he was concerned about how her comment might make me feel. Something about her, though, made me feel oddly comfortable. That comfort had me saying the last thing I could have ever expected, even if I only muttered it under my breath. “Been there, done that.” My face flamed probably a bright red at the fact I’d said it out loud.

The guys were talking amongst themselves, and I prayed I hadn’t said it loud enough for anyone else to hear. But by the way Nicola’s eyes brightened with clear mischief I knew she had.

Her hands went to my face, and I had to say something before she commented on my slip-up. “I’m an emergency room nurse at Cedars Sinai,” I blurted, louder.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Bryan’s mom said, but I knew that Nicola was still focused on my stupid slip-up.

Her weathered but soft hands stroked my cheeks. “I think you and I are going to get along beautifully.” Her eyes gleamed with joy. “Come on, honey, you need to come sit with me and tell me all about that.”

“Grandma…” Bryan warned, and I knew he’d heard my slip of the tongue.

“I don’t want to hear a thing from you, mister. You have been hiding a beautiful woman like this from us. I should smack you upside the head,” she reprimanded, putting her hand through my arm, holding on to my elbow. “So, you’re a nurse. That must be exciting!”

“It can be.” I sighed in relief.

“How did you two meet?” she asked. It was as if she had super-secret, Jedi-mind powers against people being able to lie to her, or at least me.

“My housemate rented the spare room without telling me, and Bryan scared me half to death in the kitchen.”

“Shit,” Bryan cursed, running his hand over his forehead

“Kitchen?” Bryan’s mom asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah, I thought I was home alone,” I tried to explain, making things worse.

“Jesus, Bryan!” Nicola threw daggers at her grandson.

“I thought she was a guy!” he pointed out, and I rolled my eyes. “What?” he asked me. I looked around, everyone obviously entertained by the show. Where is a deep, black hole I can jump into?

“Boy, do you have two eyes? This”—she pointed up and down at me, my cheeks past flushed—“is aaall woman.”

“Okay.” Jenn stood and walked over to me. “Nicola, let’s give the poor girl a break.”

“I’m just pointing out the—” The doorbell rang and the woman frowned. “Who could that be?”

“I’ll go check,” Marc said, wiping his hands with a kitchen towel.

“So, you two are hooking up?” Nicola asked, her amused stare on both of us, and I turned to Bryan for help, thinking he had NOT exaggerated about his grandmother.

BRYAN

His grandmother was going to make his head explode. Valerie was never going to talk to him because of Nicola. Valerie was going to get home, shake his hand, and tell him it was nice knowing him.

“So, are you?” Nicola asked, and Val’s face went a brighter shade of pink.

“Grandma,” he groaned, wondering how he could possibly be related to the way-too-blunt lady in front of him.

“Nicola, did I tell you I have movie premiere tickets for that movie your old friend is a part of?” Donnie shared as he walked over to the table, sitting on the other side of Nicola, giving Bryan the chance to sit next to his beautiful goddess.

“What friend?” she asked curiously. Bryan didn’t miss the glimmer in Don’s eyes.

“Bill, the producer’s dad, God, what is his name?” He could tell Don was pretending not to remember. “Curtis!”

“What?” She scowled, but he’d seen that look on his grandmother’s face before. One of mock disinterest even though she was hooked on Don’s words. He owed Donnie for diverting Nicola’s attention away from his girl.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Marc shouted, and everyone looked toward the door. Bryan immediately looked toward Garrett, who was blocking the doorway to leave the kitchen.

“I think you should just stay there,” Garrett told him. Bryan scowled as something twisted in his stomach.

“Why?” he asked. Garret’s expression didn’t change. He was solemn and a little pissed off.

“Bryan.” Val’s hand covered his thigh, soothing him and reminding him she was there. His priority was to make sure she was okay. Safe. Protected.

“You need to leave. You have nothing to—” Marcus’ voice rang out as a feminine voice responded. One he knew all too well.

Without thinking, he stood, feeling the way Val’s hand dropped from his thigh, and his eyes connected with his oldest brother’s. Garret stood at the archway of the kitchen, standing guard.

Bryan stalked toward him, but Garret blocked his way. Bryan tried to push through, but his oldest brother wasn’t having it. “Don’t do this, man. Just let Marc take care of it. Go and sit…” Bryan looked at Garrett, and thankfully, the oldest Wright brother knew better. He moved out of the way, giving Bryan the room he needed to get around him and walk to the front door.

Even though he knew she was there, he still stopped in his tracks when he saw her.

“Fuck,” Marc hissed.

“I got this,” Bryan clipped, his jaw clenched hard, not taking his eyes off the woman standing there.

“Bry—“

“Man.” Bryan took a cleansing breath. He knew his brother was only trying to help, but he knew her, and Bryan knew he was the only one who could take care of it. “I got this,” he calmly shared with Marcus and waited till he believed him before turning and heading back to the kitchen.

“Bryan,” she whispered, and his teeth gritted together.

“Let’s go talk outside,” he ordered.

No longer looking at the woman in front of him because between his brothers’ stupid prank, Nicola’s shit earlier, and his fucking ex-wife showing up out of fucking nowhere, he was sure his head was about to explode.

“Outside?” she asked, her face pinched, and he wondered how the hell she could be so damn clueless.

Smooth, creamy skin, round, rosy cheeks, long, brown hair flowing down her back perfectly styled. She looked like time had stood still and she hadn’t aged a day. But he knew better. “Courtney,” he warned.

“But everyone is inside!” she pouted. His hands clenched as he looked deep within himself for patience that had already worn thin.

“Exactly,” he growled. How could she think anyone in his family would want to see her? Why did she think he wanted to see her?

“Bryan, you okay?” his Blondie’s voice asked. His eyes closed. Valerie stood behind him, while his ex-wife stood in front of him. This was not at all what he’d thought his day would be like when he woke up this morning.

Valerie’s hand touched his back, and just like that, she soothed his ragged nerves. He was fucking glad his little goddess hadn’t run off screaming into the hills, away from the clusterfuck of the couple of minutes they’d been with his family.

We should have stayed home, was all he could think.

They could have stayed in bed all day long.

“Who are you?” Courtney’s face twisted in disgust, her eyes pinned over his shoulder and stuck on Valerie.

“Better question is, who are you?” Valerie retorted. “Seeing as you came here and it’s obvious you don’t have an invitation.” His girl was obviously riled up as she walked and stood at his side.

She pushed her shoulder under his armpit, his arm instinctively wrapping around her. He looked down at her and got what she was doing. She was protecting him. He didn’t need her to protect him, but her trying to meant more than she would ever know. And just like that, he fell deeper for her.

“What?” Courtney glared. “Who do you think you are to talk to me like—”

“Enough!” he barked, and Courtney’s face popped up.

“Tell her to go away,” she demanded childishly, cocking her hip. He shook his head.

“Go outside. I will be right there,” he clipped.

“Are you throwing me out?” she shrieked, stomping her heeled foot. “Who is she, Bryan?” Her high-pitched voice started to grate him further, his patience more than ice-thin.

“Go!” he roared. Valerie didn’t flinch at his side. If anything, she held him tighter. Steadying him, anchoring him to her. With her by his side he knew he couldn’t get lost in the riptide of the moment.

Together, side by side, they watched her exit the house, closing the door behind her. His heart raced in his ears. Mine.

“Hey.” She touched his arm, snapping him out of the craziness that was buzzing heavily in his mind. He looked down at her when her hand came to his face. God, he loved her touch. Shit, there was that damn word again. Love. “Talk to me.” Her green eyes searched his face, and he leaned into her caress.

“I bet you’re wishing you would have stayed home.” He sighed, slightly shaking his head, trying to look away, but she brought his face back to hers.

“Not at all.” He wanted to believe her. He wanted to believe that she was happy to be there for him. He’d always wanted that in a partner. Someone who stood steady next to him in the good and bad, weathering any kind of storm by his side.

“Liar.” He winked, his hand moving up to her face.

He couldn’t be around her without touching her in some way. Stroking her cheek, he wished things could be different. That he could give her everything. That thought alone reminded him of how he still needed to tell her something.

“It’s true! You think I want you to handle that”—she pointed toward the door—“alone?” Her green eyes were almost comical. His lips twitched.

How can she make me want to smile in the midst of this mess?

“That’s Courtney,” he told her, and her face softened. “My ex-wife,” he cleared up, and she blinked.

“I picked up on that, handsome.” She gave him a small smile. “We could leave. There has to be a back way to get out of this national park.” He laughed, relaxing further under her touch.

“I wish.”

“What do you want to do?” she asked.

“Leave,” he answered automatically, without a second thought, knowing it would be impossible.

“Then let’s go.” Her hand slipped into his, and he hated that he couldn’t. His heart yelled at him to go. To leave with his girl and ignore whatever the fuck Courtney had going on.

“I have to handle this,” he told her begrudgingly.

“Why?” she asked. Her smile faltered, but she quickly recovered the slip of her mask. She is worried.

He brought her into his arms, holding her tightly, enjoying the easy way she gave in to his touch. “It’s not what you are thinking,” he mumbled into her hair.

“I’m not thinking anything,” she mumbled, her walls clearly sliding into place. He hated it. He hated that Court’s fucking dramatics had done that.

“I know her,” he started to explain when Val tried to pull out of his arms, but he didn’t let her. “If I don’t deal with her now, she won’t stop. She’ll be relentless,” he shared, and it was his little goddess who looked away, breaking their stare. He watched her delicate shoulder lift in a shrug a second before she slipped out of his arms.

“That’s fine. I get it. I’ll go, umm, hang with…”

“Me.” Garrett stepped into the foyer, a glass of lemonade in hand. “Come on, kid, everyone is out by the pool.”

“As long as you protect me from your grandmother,” she told his older brother. Bryan couldn’t ignore the way she fit with everyone.

“Promise.” Garrett winked. Again, Bryan didn’t like it. Not that Garrett would go after his girl, but when it came to Valerie, he was like a caveman.

“Garrett…” Bryan’s deep tone resonated in his own ears. Garrett smiled.

“I got it. I’d never let anything happen to Val.”

“You’re the one who made me come here uninvited,” she pointed out, full of sarcasm, making the big oaf smile through that ugly beard of his.

“You’re always welcome!” Garrett scoffed, and Valerie smiled shyly.

Watching her, shy but so fucking brave to head back into the wolf’s den that was led by his crazy grandmother, all Bryan wanted was to take her in his arms. Shove her into his car and take her back home and have his way with her until she was doing nothing but whimpering his name.

But he didn’t.

He couldn’t.

Instead, he watched her walk off, away from him, so he could deal with whatever bullshit Courtney had brought to his brother’s front door.