“Look, I’ve come face-to-face with people like Benito my whole life, and they never go quietly into the night. Am I reading into Mila’s brothers too much? Probably. It’s just because I don’t know what’s coming, but I know something is. There’s nothing more terrifying than a man with nothing to lose, and Benito has nothing. It makes him dangerous and unpredictable.”
“I get it, I do. I just don’t want you getting so lost in the idea that something bad is going to happen that you miss out on all the good stuff.”
He smiled softly. “I won’t, but making sure my family is safe will always be a top priority.”
“Okay. So…” I clapped my hands and stood. “You shower and get ready for your parents. Toni is leaving soon to go get them at the docks.” Gideon’s parents traveled by yacht pretty much all the time and had sailed in from Antigua.
“Fine.” I followed him out and left him to get clean.
I’d just reached the landing when I saw Jennifer and Olivia by the front door. “Take it easy, Jennifer, and we’ll see you Saturday.”
“Uh…thanks, uh…” Her eyes flitted between me and Olivia. “Right, okay. So practice, Olivia, you’ll do great, and I’ll be right there with you.” Her cheeks pinked, and she turned abruptly and left.Weird.
I shook my head. Great, now Gideon was making me paranoid too. “Okay, Livy, go get ready for your grandparents; they’ll be here soon.”
“Kay-kay.” She practically skipped up the stairs.
By the time Gideon’s parents arrived, he was visibly more relaxed and while there was no doubt that he was still worried, it was good to see him laugh and enjoy his folks.
Our alarm wentoff at six in the morning on the day of the wedding. We had to get everyone gathered and head down to the venue by noon. It was going to be a long-ass day.
I had my tuxedo in a garment bag and brought it downstairs, where Livy was running around in circles and singing some song about people getting married. Florence, Gideon’s mother, was cooking at the stove while Gregory, Gideon’s father, was sitting at the table with Owen reading some book about pirates.
“Morning!” Florence smiled as I poured myself some coffee.
“Good morning. You didn’t have to cook, there’s gonna be breakfast at the venue.”
She waved a hand at me. “Nonsense, I don’t cook often anymore. It’s nice every now and again.”
I shrugged. “If it makes you happy, Flo, then you do you.”
She giggled and squeezed my arm. “I adore you, Penn.”
“And I adore you.”
I didn’t spend a lot of time with Gideon’s parents, but they’d accepted me right away and whenever we did get together they made me feel like I’d known them my whole life.
Gideon came down the stairs, his garment bag in hand. He placed it next to mine, and I poured him coffee.
“Yes, caffeine.” He cupped it in his hands and sipped as though he were drinking water from the fountain of youth. “I feel like I’ll be living off coffee all day.”
I kissed the side of his head. “I’ll be your supplier.”
“Food’s ready.” Florence carried a large platter of scrambled eggs to the table. Bacon, sausage, and hash browns were already there.
“Wow, Mom. This is a lot. There’s going to be breakfast at the venue.”
I stopped him. “She knows and doesn’t care. Eat the food.”
He laughed, and soon we were all digging into the home-cooked meal. Once we were done, everyone freshened up, grabbed their clothes, and we were being shuffled off to the venue. We had to take like four SUVs; between all of us and the security Gideon had demanded, it was a crazy caravan of people.
I reached over to Gideon and slotted my fingers between his. “You good?”
He nodded. “I’m fine. I just hope it’s a perfect day for Alex and Mila.”
I squeezed his hand. “It’ll be a day to remember.”
I couldn’t be sure but I swore I heard him mumble, “Hopefully a good one.”
