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She had no idea, but as far as I was concerned there would be nothing fake about this–not on my end. I’d wanted her for too long; now I just had to not screw it up.
It was the perfect early summer afternoon, not too hot or cold, the slightest breeze ruffling the new leaves on the trees. The sun was bright and golden, the humidity of late summer still just a distant threat, and for some reason I had no qualms about lying to the people who were the most important in my life–probably because as far as I was concerned the news was sudden and startling, but the idea of Madelyn being my wife didn’t freak me out. As far as I was concerned, maybe it was sudden but it certainly wasn’t a lie.
I tried not to dwell too much on the whole no sex thing, because we’d figure that out later. If I could convince her this was more than something temporary, I didn’t see any harm in renegotiating that particular point.
We arrived five minutes early, which meant in services time that we were already late, and Madelyn made a startled noise when she saw Hailey and my dad already sitting with Kennedy and Teagan on the patio. Apparently they’d gotten some kind of urgent memo and had decided to show up early, which was a real accomplishment for Kennedy. That woman was going to be late to her own funeral.
“Cheers.” Kennedy lifted a tall, frosty glass as Madelyn sank down opposite her. “I finally got this one to give up the boobs.” She leaned over and kissed the top of Teagan’s head. “Thank God, too. Those teeth…it’s like stuffing an angry rat in your bra.”
Dad choked on his swallow of beer and Hailey rolled her eyes but smiled. She was used to Kennedy’s mouth by now, and thanks to Kenny’s Irish heritage and huge family full of boisterous brothers, she wasn’t exactly shy.
“So, Adam...” Dad had finally recovered and his eyes swiveled up to the server who deposited a full glass in front of Madelyn and me before handing us menus. Madelyn took a sip and made an appreciative noise.
“What’s the reason for the fire drill?”
“No drill, Dad.” I cleared my throat, and the big hand that clapped my shoulder signified Steve’s arrival. “Just, uh…wanted to get together with the people who are most important to us.”
There was mischief lighting up Hailey’s eyes and I knew I was about to give her the scoop of all scoops. I had no doubt the gossip would be around town even before the next mass.
“There are two reasons to call a summit like this,” Kennedy announced as she lifted a hand to wave the server over, gesturing toward Steve. “One of them is that the two of you have decided to stop playing and you’re finally doing it.” She nodded resolutely to cap her sentence and Dad choked again. “The only other reason I can think of is that you’ve knocked her up. So…either way, doing it.”
That was Kennedy, full of class and grace, and only three sips into her drink.
There was a weird smile on Steve’s face when I finally looked at him, and his eyebrows raised slowly then lowered again, but he didn’t say a word.
“Not exactly either of those things–or that thing,” I said slowly, and Kennedy looked disappointed. “But let’s not rule all of that out just yet.” I grinned at Madelyn.
Hailey started bouncing in her seat like a little kid, reaching across to take Kennedy’s hand like she needed the emotional support for the next words out of my mouth.
“The thing is…” Madelyn’s chair scraped and I felt her lean into my side, so I lifted an arm to put around her shoulders when her fingers wrapped around my thigh. “We’re doing something sort of unconventional–and quick.”
Hailey had a hand over her mouth and she was squeezing Kennedy so hard, the poor woman’s eyes were bugging out.
“We’re getting married at the courthouse on Thursday morning.”
There was an explosion of sound that startled Teagan, who started crying, and Steve leaned over to scoop her out of the high chair.
Dad was slack jawed, Hailey was clapping her hands together and chanting, “I knew it, I knew it!” and Kennedy was holding what were probably the broken fingers of one hand with the other.
“Just in time for the home study,” Steve said so softly that no one but Madelyn and I heard it, and I looked quickly down at her. She lifted one shoulder in a small shrug, so that I knew she’d told him something about Daniela, and probably recently.
Shaking my head tightly at him, he read theDon’t you darein my eyes and he nodded once, but I saw the disappointment in his expression. He looked disappointed withme.
“Holy shit, Mads!” Kennedy’s face was bright red. “Way to pull one over on us–I didn’t see this one coming.” She paused for a moment, her expression sobering. “Oh, but your mother…” She pulled a real face. “She’s going to lose her shit.”
A collective chuckle rounded the table, because saying something that mild about Mrs. VanBuren’s predictably nuclear reaction was a kindness. She could invent drama where there was none, and launch a guilt trip like it was a military invasion: with speed, precision, and perfectly dialed-in verbal missiles.
“I’ve decided not to tell them.”
That shut everyone up real quick.
“That seems like a bad idea,” Steve said slowly, clearly the other VanBuren expert at the table. He had even more experience with their mother, due to being older than Madelyn, and his teeth were set in an uncomfortable grimace. “When she finds out, and she always does, there will be massive fallout.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“We can have a fancy one later.” Madelyn waved her hand in the air and I knew what that meant: she didn’t want one, and if no one brought it up we wouldn’t talk about it again. Her fingers squeezed my leg as she said it, maybe involuntarily, like she was reassuring me.
“How on earth are you going to be ready for a wedding in less than two days?” Kennedy squeaked, her eyes wide. “When’s the last time you even went dress shopping, Madelyn?”
