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The brothers all looked touched. Gabe raised his glass in a toast. “To Mom. I’m so glad that you’ve finally found someone extraordinary to share your life with. You deserve it. Alexander, as you are a biochemist, a genius, and a tenured professor, I expect that you will be very civilized and take excellent care of my mother. Not that she needs it—we all know she can take care of herself. And the rest of us.” Gabe secured his arm around my waist, pulling me closely against him, making me feel included, safe, and loved. Making me feel like I was part of the family.
“To Mom,” Levi said, raising his glass.
“Mom,” Asher said.
I clinked my glass too, feeling warm and happy inside.
Cynthia dabbed her eyes again. “I’m so glad we’re all going to be close again,” she said, sniffling. “I missed my Gabey. And now, especially with Lauren in the picture, being in California’s going to be so much fun.”
I felt Gabe stiffen. “Huh?”
“Alexander’s accepted a faculty position at Stanford, sweetheart,” Cynthia said. “So we’re moving out in the spring. And your brothers are too. Levi’s decided to expand his West Coast operations.”
Gabe turned to Levi. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d made it official?”
“Don’t sound so excited,” Levi said. “Besides, the way you’re burning through my agents, you should be relieved that we’ll be closer. I’ll be able to ship an endless amount of men over, and I won’t have to charge you airfare for a change.” He grinned at Gabe.
“I’m coming too,” Asher said. “I’m sick of the winters out here. Besides, I wouldn’t want Mom to miss me too much…since I’m her favorite.”
There were more drinks, discussions about the upcoming move, then we all stumbled off to our respective hotel rooms. By the time we climbed into bed, I needed a fire hose, or quite possibly a gamma ray, to blast Gabe’s booze breath away from me.
He crawled toward me on the bed with droopy eyes and a happy, slightly dazed look on his face. “Lauren, I’m coming for you…”
I rolled out of his way as he collapsed onto my pillow. “Babe.” His voice came out muffled. “Where’d you go?”
I couldn’t help laughing. “Away from your dragon-like breath, babe. Go to sleep. I think you and your brothers finished almost all the alcohol in the bar.”
“Babe. Come back.” His voice was still muffled against the pillow.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I sank back down beside him on the bed and ran my fingers lightly through his coarse hair. “I will not be kissing you until that breath has abated—hopefully by tomorrow—but I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”
Ever. Because, after being lonely my whole life, I’d finally found a home.
GABE
The wedding was scheduled for four o’clock at the Parish of St. Paul in Cambridge, affiliated with Harvard University—Alexander was a proud graduate, and I was an equally proud dropout. After the ceremony, we’d head back to the Four Seasons for the formal, proper reception Cynthia had planned. More than two hundred guests would attend the black-tie affair.
I adjusted my tuxedo while Lauren finished with her makeup. “I don’t know why my mother’s insisting on having a big, formal wedding. It’s her second marriage, and quite frankly, they’re old.”
“Stop.” Lauren frowned at me. “She seems happy—I think she wants to celebrate. Plus, she said they have a lot of friends coming. It’s sort of a going-away party for them too.”
I popped an ibuprofen—my mother’s impending move, my persistent hangover, and my nerves about other things were giving me a headache. “I can’t believe they’re all moving out to California. I have a feeling they’re going to try to cramp our lifestyle.”
“You should be excited.” Lauren hustled out to the bedroom to get dressed. “You’re lucky that they’re going to be close by. I think it’s wonderful.”
I followed her, looking for my other cufflink, and saw Lauren zipping up her dress.
My heart stopped as I looked her up and down. “Holy shit, babe.”
“What—is this not the right kind of dress?” She looked panic-stricken as she smoothed it. “Hannah picked it. Oh no.”
“Stop right there. Turn and look at me, so I can see the whole thing.”
She stopped and turned. The black-sequined gown was floor length, strapless, and fit snugly, embracing her curves. I put my hand over my heart, making sure it was beating again. “I take back what I said about my mother insisting on a formal wedding. I’m thrilled about it.”
“Okay…?” She sounded confused.
“You look absofuckinglutely gorgeous in that dress.”
