Page 86 of Paths
“Okay,” Grady starts in a voice that sounds practiced and clearly demands attention. “I should’ve told you about Maya. But fuck, have you all ever heard of an invitation? Or at least a phone call to warn me of this shit?”
“No, and no.” The woman with blonde highlights steps forward and juts her hand out. At first I thought she wanted to shake mine, that is, until she rips my left hand out of Grady’s to inspect my ring. “It’s huge. And beautiful. And huge.” She looks up at her brother and smiles. “To think you did this without our help. I’m proud of you.” Looking back to me, she adds, “I’m Peyton, number two.”
Overcome by … everything really, all I can think to do is question, “Number two?”
“Yeah, sister number two,” she confirms. She waves her hand toward another sister, the one with shoulder length dark hair and a fuller face. “Raine thinks she’s special since she’s number one.” She flips out her other hand to the side toward the younger ones and continues, “Holly is number three and Gracie is four.”
Holly’s the one who announced how cute Grady and I are, and Grace was the one who jumped into her brother’s arms.
It’s hard not to be overwhelmed but … I am.
I open my mouth again to properly greet them when Grace hits Grady’s arm and exclaims, “You’re getting married and didn’t tell us? Wait. You’re not already married, are you?”
“No,” I respond quickly. “We’re not married. We’re,” I pause to collect my thoughts so I don’t ramble. “He gave me a ring just last night, in fact. So, it wasn’t that he didn’t tell you, there just hasn’t been time. He did tell me about you all, though. But, ah, not enough. Still, he wasn’t keeping anything from you. It’s just been a busy…” I think about it, not wanting to admit it’s only been weeks, although Grady would insist it’s more like months, “time.”
“You just got engaged last night?” Holly exclaims and grabs my hand, dislodging me from Grady. She pulls me into a huge hug. “Congratulations!”
“Well, it seems we got here just in time,” Peyton says, with a hint of sarcasm. “Who knows how long it would’ve taken Grady to call us. They probably would’ve been pregnant before we heard from him.”
Holly just releases me when these words float through the air, making me gasp.
“It’s cold.” Grady changes the subject and puts a hand to the small of my back, giving me a push. “Can we take this inside?” I’m about to take a step through the gaggle of sisters when Grady stops and states, “You look funny. What’s wrong with you?”
When I look back, his arms are crossed, and he’s glaring at Raine, sister number one.
Raine smiles big, her shoulders rise, and her arms come out to her sides. “I was going to wait to tell you, but it’s hard to keep it a secret anymore. I’m pregnant!”
I start to smile at her news until I hear Grady growl, “What the fuck?”
When I look up to him, he doesn’t appear happy about becoming an uncle, even if Raine seems overly happy about her announcement.
Raine rolls her eyes. “Would you stop? I’m married—get over it.”
Really confused now, I look back to Grady and he’s closing his eyes and shakes his head.
Honestly. I don’t know when I’ve ever been more confused.
Sisters one, two, three, and four don’t seem a bit phased by Grady’s unhappiness about number one being with child, and they all turn toward the house, but not before Grace threads her arm through mine and pulls me with her.
When I look over, she leans into me as if she’s telling a secret, but in the same boisterous voice only the Cain sisters have managed to perfect, says, “Don’t mind him. Raine’s hubby, Alex, is the bomb. Grady knows it down deep, and even paid for their wedding, but he only did it because he loves Raine, and the whole time he grumbled about poor Alex. I mean, Alex is an accountant, and a good one. He does all our taxes. It’s convenient. Grady just refuses to believe any of us have sex.” She turns around and gives her older brother a glare when we reach the front door.
I don’t have a chance to turn to see Grady’s expression, because the next moment, Raine opens the front door and Christmas music is blaring from inside the house.
Grace doesn’t miss a beat. “Come on, Crew told us about the vineyard next door. We’re going to do a tasting and you’re coming with us.” She looks straight into my eyes and is as serious as serious can be when she demands, “And you’re going to tell us all what happened to your face.”
I let out a little puff of air and look over at the man whose ring I’m wearing, whose baby I could be pregnant with, and whose sisters just ran roughshod all over us. I widen my eyes and silently plea for help.
And damn him, what does he do?
He leans down and kisses me.
Then I hear catcalls through the Christmas music.
What. The. Hell?
*****
Weston MacLachlan –
