Page 84 of The Wrong Groom

Chapter 28

Gabriel

As we pull into my mother’s driveway, there are already two other cars parked beside one another along the edge of the stone foundation, plus a matte black motorcycle that could only be Dominic’s. My brothers, with the exception of Beckett, have already arrived. I kill the Maserati’s engine and glance at Alexis, sitting in the passenger seat.

She’s quiet, her hands folded in her lap, but I can see the way her fingers worry at the edge of her handbag. Her expression is composed, but I’ve learned to read the subtler signs. The slight furrow between her brows. The way her shoulders are just a little too stiff.

“Hey,” I say. “You alright?”

She offers me a tense smile. “Of course.”

“There’s no need to be nervous. They’re going to love you.”

“I’m not n-nervous,” she says quickly.

I raise an eyebrow, leaning back in my seat. “Uh-huh.”

Alexis glances behind us at Peyton, who is fast asleep in her car seat, then sighs. “It’s just… everyone already has their own opinions about me. About this situation. I d-don’t feel like I’m going to be able to⁠—”

“You’ve got nothing to prove,” I say reassuringly. “Just try to enjoy yourself, okay? My mom puts together a really great dinner party.”

This isn’t really a Camille Thorne dinner party, of course. That would involve several dozen people and a catering team. It’s just the two of us, my brothers and Chloe, and Ivy and Jackson. Even though Jackson and his younger sister aren’t Thornes by name, we’ve known them both for years, long enough that they’re basically family.

Alexis lets out a shaky breath, then nods as if she’s steeling herself. We step out of the car, and I open the back seat to rouse Peyton, who blinks at me with groggy eyes.

“Wake up, sleepyhead.” I ruffle her already-mussed curls fondly. “We’re at Grandma’s.”

She yawns, seeming like she’s about to drift back to sleep. Before she can, I unbuckle her car seat and scoop her up in one arm, letting her lean heavily on my shoulder.

When we reach the porch, Alexis pauses again as I reach for the brass knocker. The sound of laughter from inside filters through the door.

“They’re just my family, sunshine,” I tell Alexis, shifting Peyton in my arms so I can meet her eyes more fully. “It’s not a boardroom or a gala. Nobody’s here to judge you.”

Her lips part, then press into a thin line. “I know… I just don’t want to mess this up.”

“You won’t,” I say firmly. “You couldn’t, even if you tried.”

“I don’t know about that.”

I reach out and put two fingers under her chin, lifting it so she’s looking at me again. “I do.”

For a moment, there’s quiet between us, the noise from inside fading into the background. Alexis smiles faintly.

“Okay,” she whispers.

Satisfied, I shift Peyton on my hip. She’s asleep again, her curls tickling my neck. I raise the brass knocker and rap it against the door.

It doesn’t take long before I hear footsteps on the other side, and then the door swings open to reveal Ivy. She’s smiling brightly, a glass of white wine in hand and a flush creeping over her cheeks. “Hey!” she greets us with her usual exuberance. “You made it!”

I scoff. “What do you mean, ‘you made it?’ Beckett’s the one who’s late.”

She laughs, waving her phone. “He’s already texted me. He’s on his way. Apparently, he ‘forgot.’”

“Forgot?” I roll my eyes and adjust Peyton’s weight on my hip. She lets out a little squeak of protest at the disturbance. “Classic.”

“Is Peyton tired?”

“She’ll perk up in a few minutes,” I say. “She was fast asleep in the car.”