Page 83 of From Grumpy to Forever
We were married.
Avery was part of the family.
She wasn’t losing the inn.
Everything was good now.
They needed to get over it.
And they would.
But I knew my siblings and I knew that they loved any opportunity to give one another a hard time. I also knew that, as a general rule, we didn’t lie to one another. And despite how many times my brothers told me they understood, I know it still stung that I’d deceived them—or tried to—in such a major way.
I was going to feel bad about that for a while. And that was mostly why every time I was the butt of one of their jokes at the family dinner, or they raised their glasses in yet another toast to the happy couple, I simply swallowed down my annoyance and smiled.
Besides, celebrating Avery and the fact that not only was she legally my wife, but she was really my wife, was never going to get old.
I looked at her now across the room, talking with my twin, and felt such a surge of love it took me by surprise.
“That’s not a look I’m used to seeing on your face, brother.” Ethan elbowed me sharply in the ribs as he sat down next to me. He handed me a glass of beer. “Try this one. It’s a lager.”
I took a sip. “I like this one.” I wiped my lips with the back of my hand. “Way better than that hoppy shit.”
“Hey. IPAs are very popular right now.”
“Sure they are.” I shook my head and took another drink of the crisp, cool liquid. “With the hipster, bougie crowd. But real men like real beer. I’m glad to see you’re going to offer some drinkable brews.”
Ethan laughed and smacked me on the back. “It’s good to see that marriage hasn’t softened all the grump right out of you,” he said. “You wouldn’t be the same old Reid if you weren’t still a grumpy asshole.”
I scowled at him and shook my head.
“Seriously, brother. I know we’re giving you a hard time, but we’re all really happy for you both. Avery’s awesome.”
“She sure is.”
“Obviously we would have preferred it if you’d let us in on the secret, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we understand. It was a complicated situation.”
To say the least. No one was happier than I that it was over and done with.
The day after Judge Baker’s final decision, Avery and I, along with her lawyer, William, had joined him in his office to sign off officially on the paperwork. Shortly after, I had William draw up the paperwork that would put the inn in Avery’s name only.
I planned to spend the rest of my life with her running the Tamarack Inn, raising a family, and generally being happier than I ever had in my whole life.
But the inn was hers. It always had been and it always would be.
“How did Mom handle the news?” Ethan asked, and I groaned.
Calling our mother and telling her about my marriage to Avery for the first time had been difficult, but somehow she’d appreciated the romance of the story I’d spun for her that we just couldn’t imagine waiting a moment longer and rushed into our vows.
When I told her the truth, she was less understanding and had given me a piece of her mind. Not that I expected any less. I knew that once she met Avery, all would be forgotten. She’d always wanted a daughter, and there was no doubt she’d fall in love with her daughter-in-law just as quickly as everyone else had.
“She’ll be okay,” I told him. “Or she won’t.” I shrugged. “I can’t change things now.” Nor would I want to. Although I didn’t love everything about the way it went down, I wouldn’t change it because, at the end of it all, I got Avery. And that’s all that mattered.
Ethan laughed and raised his glass to me. “Congrats, brother.” We clinked glasses.
I’d just taken a drink of my beer when Quinn ran up behind me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders in an aggressive bear hug. “Uncle Reid! Did you hear the news?”
Somehow I managed to swallow my beer before reaching around me and grabbing my niece in an effort to unwind her from my back. I took a moment to give her an extra hug. I was lucky my niece was so easygoing.
