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CHAPTER TWELVE

Suki

“This duck is going to be fabulous,” Harry promises as he chops fresh spices on a wooden cutting board. “I always sell out of this early at the restaurant.”

I look up from the potatoes I’m peeking at and blow him a kiss. “I owe you for this.”

He waves a hand dismissively. “I’m happy to be here. You know my family only talks about sports and politics on holidays. And they serve that canned cranberry gel garbage.”

“I love you, but that stuff is delicious.”

He cringes dramatically. “It’s not even food. Wait until you try my cranberry orange relish. We’re serving it on baked Brie.”

I don’t remind him that I’ve tried his relish already. I’m just not a fancy food girl. Give me some old-school Kraft macaroni and cheese any day.

Mara and Dex are spending Thanksgiving with their families. They’re coming over tomorrow night to play games, though--a tradition we started three years ago.

Darling waddles into the kitchen and comes over to me, snorting as he sniffs the ground for scraps. When he finds nothing, he looks up at me with a pleading expression.

“That baby is hungry,” Harry says.

“He wants Goldfish,” Olivia says from the other side of the kitchen, where she’s peeling and slicing apples.

“He ate a Costco-sized box in two days,” I say. “Plus his regular diet the vet wants us feeding him.”

“Come here, Darling.” Harry bends down, offering Darling a Ritz cracker with seafood dip.

Darling inhales it, then nuzzles against Harry in thanks.

“Uncle Harry could never say no to you,” Harry croons. “You’re just a big sweetheart.”

That sweetheart dragged a bunch of hay into our bed a few days ago and I had to wash the sheets and blankets to get rid of all the little shards. He also shredded several pairs of Carter’s underwear, which the girls found hilarious.

But he’s doing well with house-training. I give him pieces of granola bars when he potties outside and he caught on pretty quickly. That pig would dance a jig if he thought he could get food for it.

“Hey, Harry.” Carter walks into the kitchen with a smile and my heart skips a beat.

He goes over to Harry, hugs him and thanks him for helping. I don’t know if my heart is reacting to the way he looks in his navy Brooks Brothers sweater with a dress shirt beneath it or to his greeting of Harry.

I really like how warm Carter is to my friends. He makes sure they feel welcome when they’re over.

“You look great,” Harry tells Carter. “I feel underdressed.”

“We’re all underdressed compared to him,” I say, gesturing at my ripped jeans and my T-shirt, which has a big slice of pumpkin pie covered with whipped cream and says, ‘It’s me, pie. I’m the problem it’s me.’

“Well, I’m meeting my in-laws for the first time,” Carter says. “I figured I should look decent.”

My stomach rolls with dread. I just texted my family this morning to tell them that the “boyfriend” I invited them to meet today is actually my husband. My phone is currently face down on the dresser in the bedroom because managing the incoming texts would be a full-time job.

I check the clock on the wall. Based on the drive time from their home in Chicago, if my parents got in the car as soon as I sent the text, they could be arriving any minute. My brothers Nate and Sean are riding here with them, and Jack is coming this evening; he and his girlfriend driving from Philadelphia.

“So...my family hasn’t known about our marriage for long,” I say casually.

“What does that mean?” Carter asks. “How long is not long ?”

I keep my gaze on the potatoes, knowing I should have told them sooner. I just knew how it would go. Invited for a holiday or not, my family would have come running here in reaction to the news that I got married to a man I haven’t even known for three months and they weren’t invited.

“I told them this morning.” I look at Harry immediately. “What should I do with the potatoes when I’m done peeling them?”

Harry is staring at me, open-mouthed.

“This morning?” Carter demands loudly. “Are you fucking kidding me, Suki?”

“It’ll be fine,” I lie. “I just wanted to wait as long as possible because I knew they’d be...opinionated about not getting invited to the wedding.”

He glares at me. “Should I get my pads on? Is this going to get ugly?”

Charlotte and Hallie come into the kitchen with Charlotte saying, “Darling, let’s get your Thanksgiving sweater on!”

The sweater is cute as hell. Clothes made for bulldogs fit Darling well, and this sweater is plaid with fall colors. He rolls onto his back for belly rubs and I try to exit the conversation with Carter by helping the girls put the sweater on him.

“Suki.”

Carter’s beside us now, not letting me off that easy. I look up at him, trying to figure out what to say when the doorbell rings.

“I’ll get it!” Hallie runs off, Darling trotting behind her.

Charlotte looks between the two of us, reading the situation well and leaving, too. I stand up and take Carter’s hand.

“Let me handle it. I promise it’ll be okay.”

He looks over his shoulder, making sure Olivia is gone, too. “They have to think we’re madly in love. If they don’t, they’re going to hate me for asking you to marry me so fast.”

“I can--we can convince them. I think.”

“Where is this guy?”

I close my eyes as I hear my stepdad’s deep voice. Tony has always been more like a dad to me than a stepdad since I was a baby when my dad passed away and my mom married Tony three years after that.

Carter gives my hand a little squeeze and releases it, turning toward the family room just as my dad walks into the kitchen.

“Mr. Brennan, it’s great to meet you, sir.” Carter walks over to him and extends his hand. “I’m Carter Stanton.”

Dad ignores his hand, looking at me with an expression that’s a mix of anger and hurt.

“What is this, Suki? You married this man we’ve never even met? Is this a joke?”

My mom is right behind him, and when she sees Carter’s outstretched hand, she comes to the rescue.

“Tony.” She nods at Carter’s hand.

Dad begrudgingly reaches out and shakes Carter’s hand. Carter extends his hand to my mom next.

“Mrs. Brennan, I’m glad to finally meet you, ma’am. Thanks for making the trip to spend Thanksgiving with us.”

She shakes his hand and smiles. “I’m Reina and he’s Tony. Thank you for having us. We’re excited to meet your nieces and spend some time with all of you.” She takes my dad’s arm and looks up at him. “Aren’t we, Tony?”

“Yes,” my dad grates out, his eyes narrowed. “Really excited.”

I go over to my parents, hugging my mom tightly.

“Thank you, I love you,” I whisper in her ear.

Then I hug my dad, who softens. His expression is filled with love when he stands back and looks at me.

“I expected to get a visit from any man who wanted to marry my little girl. I thought I’d walk you down the aisle. Why did you have to rush things?”

I open my mouth to respond, but I can’t think of an answer. Carter jumps in.

“It was my fault, Mr. Brennan. Suki and I are so in love I just couldn’t wait another day to marry her. And you’re right. I should have asked your permission.”

Dad scowls at him. “You wouldn’t have gotten it. I don’t even know you.”

“How about some appetizers?” Harry says brightly. “I thought I’d put some things out on the buffet in the dining room.”

“It smells wonderful in here,” my mom says.

She grabs my dad’s arm and practically drags him from the kitchen. I look through the open doorway and see my brothers, Nate and Sean. Nate is bent down petting Darling and Sean is talking to Charlotte.

I don’t get to see my brothers enough. Nate is a firefighter in Des Moines and Sean is a middle school social studies teacher in Minneapolis.

Carter and I go into the family room together to greet them. They both hug us and congratulate us, but I can see my brothers not so secretly sizing Carter up.

“That was a nice six-hour trip listening to Dad rant nonstop,” Nate says wryly.

“Can you blame him?” Sean gives me a questioning look. “That was a pretty huge bombshell for a text.”

Carter slides his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. “It’s my fault we didn’t handle things better. I’ll do my best to make it up to all of you.”

“I’ll never not see Suki as my kid sister,” Sean says. “It’s hard to imagine her as someone’s wife.”

“She’s amazing.” Carter gives me a loving gaze so convincing it makes my heart pound. “She’s the most nurturing, funny, kindhearted woman I’ve ever known.”

“I already like you better than her last boyfriend,” Sean says. “Fancy job or not, he was a jackass.”

“No shit,” Sean agrees. He looks over at Hallie. “Sorry.”

“They’re used to it,” Carter says. “What can I get you guys to drink?”

I return to the kitchen to help Harry with the cooking, trying to keep an eye on things in the family room. My parents are talking to the girls and Carter is sticking close to my brothers.

“Mara’s going to be so bummed she missed this one,” Harry says lightly, passing me a glass of wine he just poured me.

I sigh wearily. “Isn’t it funny how your parents can take you from feeling like a fully functioning adult to feeling like a kid who needs to go stand in the corner?”

“We’ll look back and laugh at this one day,” he assures me.

Carter’s teammate Bash arrives next, lightening the mood since he’s unaware of the tension. Our housekeeper Andrea and her son Drew also arrive. They don’t have any family here, so I invited them to spend the day with us.

By the time we get the meal on the table, I’m optimistic that my dad’s bad mood has passed. Carter takes my hand beneath the table, probably hoping my family will see him being affectionate.

He releases it quickly, though, standing up with his water goblet in hand.

“Hey guys, just a quick toast.” Everyone quiets and looks at him. “We’re so glad all of you could be here with us today. Thank you to Harry and my beautiful wife for preparing this meal, it looks incredible.” He meets my gaze, my heart still fluttering from the beautiful wife thing. “Suki, anyone who’s lucky enough to be around you is better for it. I’ll keep spending every day trying to make you half as happy as you make me.”

Glasses clink, but my glass just stays frozen in the air as Carter sits down, still looking at me. He leans over and gives me a quick kiss, leaving me even more dazed.

This whole fake relationship thing is playing with my head. I remind myself I’m only Carter’s “beautiful wife” to help him get custody of the girls.

“So Carter, how many times have you been married?” my dad asks, his tone less than friendly.

“Just this time.”

“Did you get my daughter pregnant?”

“Dad!” I snap, mortified.

“Mrs. Brennan, your olive dip is absolutely divine,” Harry says smoothly. “I’d love to get the recipe from you.”

Carter puts a hand on my knee beneath the table, silently reassuring me. I knew this day wouldn’t be perfect, but I thought my dad had more tact than this. Asking if I’m pregnant at the Thanksgiving table? My mom is going to give him hell later.

“Want some turkey, Darling?” Charlotte leans over to haul the twenty-five-plus pound pig onto her lap.

Carter frowns. “Hey, Char, I don’t--”

Darling gets his front two feet onto the table, scrambling out of Charlotte’s hold. It feels like I’m in slow motion as I lunge at him. He tramples my beautiful floral centerpieces on his way down the dining table, knocking over water goblets and stepping in the gravy.

He’s going for the giant bowl of garlic mashed potatoes at the end of the table, and when he gets there, he dives in with his whole face, snorting as he inhales the food.

Everyone scoots their chairs back from the table, watching Darling in stunned silence. I exchange a horrified look with Harry.

Carter goes to that end of the table and wraps his arms around Darling’s midsection, picking him up and carrying him away. Darling looks back at all of us, his snout covered with mashed potatoes. It almost looks like he’s smiling.

Hallie is the first to laugh. The other two girls look at me, trying to decide if it’s okay to laugh. When I look at Harry, he’s smiling.

“I’ll go see what else we can whip up,” he says, getting up from the table.

Charlotte gives me a remorseful look. “I’m sorry, Suki. That was my fault.”

I laugh because what else can I do? Once my family sees me laughing, they join in. Other than my dad, who still looks pissed off.

“Girls, why don’t we work together and get this mess cleaned up?” Sean says, rising from his chair.

When Carter comes into the kitchen a few minutes later, he’s taken his sweater off and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. He sees me holding a pan of sweet potato casserole with a pig footprint in it and takes it, moving it onto the island.

“Darling is in our shower,” he says. “I put some blankets in there. Hopefully he won’t ruin anything.”

Bash comes up and puts a hand on my shoulder and a hand on Carter’s. “I wasn’t hungry anyway. You want me to see if I can find an open carryout place?”

Carter nods. “That’d be good, thanks.”

Bash walks away and I step closer to Carter, whispering, “I’m sorry about my dad.”

He opens his arms and wraps me in a hug, kissing the top of my head. “We’ll get through it.”

Fake relationship. Not his real feelings. I have to remind myself yet again because he smells really good and I didn’t realize just how much I needed a hug right now.