AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She raises a brow at me. “How do you know I haven’t changed my mind? Maybe I want to go by Reed.”
I know she’s teasing me since we discussed this. Well, I insisted she change her name. It’s the only thing I asked for. If she feels as if she’s belonged to me from the beginning of our union, I’m hoping she’ll find it easier to stay for the rest of our lives.
When I growl at her, she laughs. “Gotcha, Mr. Weston.”
“That’s husband to you.”
With a nod, she moves in for a kiss that’s sweet and slow and full of promise. “So…husband, how long do we have to stay here and make nice before we can get out of these clothes so we can get sweaty together?”
“Still can’t get enough of me after this morning? And last night?”
“Never,” she says softly.
God, I must be smitten because all I can do is hold this woman close and kiss her breathless.
“Hey, get a room,” Maxon shouts as he, Trace, and Griff enter the tent, Keeley and Britta beside them.
I give him a good-natured laugh. “So the day you got married, you wanted to shake hands and dance and mingle without any thought of being alone with your bride whatsoever?”
He scowls. “Shut up.”
With a rosy blush, Keeley laughs. “He’s often surly, but that day… I swear he was barely civil to guests about two hours into the reception. I had to coax him into cutting the cake before he grabbed me by the hand and led me off to the bedroom.”
Everyone laughs as more guests fill in. I introduce Harlow’s siblings and their wives to my family, and they all start chatting immediately. Everyone seems to get along, find something in common, despite coming from really different places and backgrounds. I couldn’t ask for more.
Then Barclay and Linda Reed creep into the tent, glancing around, looking extremely out of place. As soon as Harlow spots them, she tenses.
“Relax. It will be all right,” I assure her.
“They’re going to make a scene. Because we planned everything without my mother, she will criticize every bit of this ceremony. She expresses her hurt by hurting others. My dad… I have no idea how he’ll retaliate, but it won’t be pretty.”
I lead her to a quiet corner and take both her hands in mine. “I want to give you another wedding gift.”
Harlow immediately touches the necklace at her throat. “You don’t have to get me anything. This is already more than I need. It’s so beautiful, by the way. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. But I want to give you something youreallywant. The thing is, you have to tell me if you can live with it. Because once it’s done, it will be damn hard to undo.”
She frowns. “What do you mean?”
“I can make your parents leave you alone for the rest of your life, probably your brothers, too. They’re okay with my idea. If you don’t want them in your life ever again, all you have to do is say the word.”
Surprise transforms her face. “Really? It’s so…sudden.”
“I know. So if it’s not something you want, I won’t do it. If it is, then I’ll make it happen.”
“That’s going to cost you a fortune, I already know. I can’t let you—”
“Money isn’t the issue. I don’t care how much I have to drop if having them out of your life will give you peace of mind.”
Harlow’s face fills with emotion, with gratitude. Lips trembling, brows knitting, cheeks turning red, she looks seconds away from crying. “You don’t even know what happened with them. Why would you do this for me?”
“Because they’re the kind of parents who weren’t there for a nineteen-year-old girl who needed their help. And because I love you. My job now is to make you happy, and I intend to do it so well you’ll never want to leave.”
Tears roll from her eyes and down her cheeks. “It probably sounds terrible because they’re family and we’re supposed to stick together. But that’s not the sort of parents they’ve ever been. I don’t want them anywhere near our son or daughter, and I’d be forever grateful not to have to see them again.”
I’m relieved that I read her right and she’s not offended by my offer. “I have paperwork and a checkbook. I’ll take care of it.”
The tent fills up quickly after that. We eat dinner, toast our union, cut the cake, have our first dance. Every time I see one of Harlow’s parents trying to approach her, I whisk my wife into another conversation or activity. It doesn’t escape my notice that Linda Reed has spoken to no one, as if she finds all these people beneath her, even her own daughters-in-law. Barclay has ignored everyone at the reception except my agent, Cliff. Clearly, Harlow’s father has figured out that my professional right hand can open doors and he’s determined to fast-talk and suck up until Cliff gives him the time of day.
