Page 10

Parker mutters something under his breath about never being safe in his own home, and I beam like the evil genius I am.

“Just remember that payback is a bitch, little sister,” he grumbles.

I raise my hands in mock fear. “Ooooh… I’m so scared.”

Before Parker can retaliate, the front door swings open and Willow enters, with Dallas trailing behind her, carrying my sleeping nephew on his chest.

“Sorry we’re late,” Willow announces as everyone turns in their direction. “Did Hazel make her announcement yet?”

All eyes drift toward me. Shit. When we were texting earlier, Willow alluded to not coming because she wasn’t feeling well. I told her she kind of needed to be here since I had to tell the family something important. Now I’m regretting that decision as I can feel the inquisition beginning to brew.

“What announcement?” Dallas asks, his eyes bouncing back and forth between me and his wife.

Willow winces. “Sorry. I wasn’t sure—”

“It’s fine,” I cut in quickly. “And it’s not that big of a deal, so…”

My mother huffs out a laugh as she takes Michael from Dallas and rubs his back while he stirs awake. “Oh, don’t try to pass it off as nothing, Hazel,” she says, with a warning look directed at me.

“What’s going on?” Penn chimes in.

I exhale sharply. “Let’s eat first, and then I’ll tell you what’s going on, okay?”

Parker eyes me suspiciously. “Now I’m nervous. If Hazel has something important to say, I’m afraid it might involve throwing dildos at our heads if we don’t like it.”

Penn barks out a laugh, shoving Parker’s shoulder.

I roll my eyes but smile at the memory. The time I hurled a very realistic-looking dildo at my brothers during a Carrington Cove Passion Party? Legendary. They’re never letting that one go.

“Just remember what I’m capable of before you react, then,” I warn, even though my stomach churns as I think about having to announce my impending nuptials to my family.

As we settle in to dinner, Dallas eyes me curiously across the table.

“What? Do I have food on my face or something?”

He continues to chew as he stares. “I’m just trying to figure out what this announcement is and how my wife knew about it before I did.”

Willow shoves his shoulder. “Oh calm down, you big ogre. All I know is that she has something to tell us, not what it is, okay?”

His eyes soften as he looks at her. “I don’t like secrets, Goose. You know that.”

I groan. “You act like I’m about to tell you that I’m secretly a stripper who fell for a mafia boss or something.” I pause, then shrug. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that…”

Cashlynn giggles from across the table. “Sounds like the plot of a romance novel.”

“ It was, but my life isn’t that dramatic, okay?”

Dallas grunts. “Then what is this big announcement, Hazelnut?”

I glance over at my mother, hoping she can sense my need for her support right now. She gives me an encouraging nod.

I take a deep breath. “Fine. I do have some news, but your criticism isn’t necessary and just know, no matter what you think, I’m not changing my mind.”

“Not gonna lie, I’m a little scared,” Penn mutters.

Astrid rubs his shoulder but locks eyes with me. “We’re not going anywhere, Hazel. Now, what’s going on?”

“I’m…” The words are on the tip of my tongue, ready to spill out. But I let myself soak in the last moment before this decision actually becomes reality.

“I’m getting married.”

Silence descends upon the table, eyes moving around the table with unspoken questions.

“His name is Gage,” I continue. “He’s Diane’s nephew. We just met and I know it’s fast, but—”

“I’m sorry.” Dallas leans forward, planting his hands on the table as he stares at me like I’ve just lost my damn mind. “Did you say married ?”

“Do you need a hearing aid already, older brother?”

He flips me off before settling back into his chair. “Sorry for being concerned, but—”

My mother interrupts him, waving a hand. “Oh, please. Don’t act so surprised, Dallas. You know your sister, and if she says she knows, well then, we need to trust her judgment.”

Dallas stares at her as if she’s grown two heads. “You’re really okay with this?”

She shrugs. “Even if I weren’t, I can’t control what Hazel does.

And neither can you. Hell, all four of you have made questionable decisions over the years, but did I interfere?

” She glances between Dallas, Penn, Parker, and me.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a parent, it’s that telling you my opinion, especially if it isn’t what you want to hear, isn’t going to change anything. ”

“But—” Dallas starts, but Mom cuts him off again.

“When you joined the Marines, even though your father didn’t agree with it, did I stop you?”

“No…”

She directs her gaze to my second oldest brother. “And when Penn took years to finally go after what he wanted with his business and Astrid, did I butt in?”

“Nope,” Penn replies.

“And when Parker told us all that he was engaged to his boss’s daughter—even though it was fake—did I add my two cents?”

“I mean, you did yell at me after,” Parker interjects. “But you didn’t tell me what to do.”

She points at him. “Exactly. And it worked out in the end. Now, Hazel’s getting married to a man she just met. Instead of questioning it, we should all be celebrating!” She smiles and stands from her chair, heading toward the kitchen.

Parker leans toward Dallas and lowers his voice. “Is Mom drunk?”

“I heard that!” Mom calls out. “And no, I’m not!”

Not wanting this back and forth to continue, I finally stand from my chair. “Look, I know y’all still think of me as a little kid, but I’m a grown woman. And this is what I want.”

“Well, when do we get to meet him?” Willow asks, bouncing Michael up and down on her lap from her seat next to Dallas.

“I was thinking Michael’s birthday party, actually.”

“ You’re going to introduce us to your husband-to-be at my son’s first birthday party?” Dallas glances back at his wife. “Are you okay with that?”

“As long as there’s no drama, Dallas .” She eyes him warily. “Can you be on your best behavior?”

He points a finger to his chest. “Me?”

“Yup. And you two.” Willow jerks her chin at Penn and Parker.

“What did I do?” Penn asks.

“Nothing yet. But I know you three. You’re going to go all big brother on this guy and try to intimidate him.” She hands a dinner roll to my nephew as he settles onto her lap. “If I have to wrangle you three instead of focus on my baby turning one, you will regret the days you were born.”

“I second that!” my mother calls out from the kitchen.

“Looks like I don’t have a say in the matter,” Dallas grumbles.

I cross my arms. “No, you don’t. I told you I’ve already made up my mind.”

“I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.” He looks at my other brothers. “Did you guys know?”

Penn and Parker both shake their heads.

“We weren’t dating,” I explain. “In fact, we just met this past week.”

Dallas stares at me like I’m a puzzle he can’t figure out. “And now you’re marrying him?”

Sighing, I sit back down in my chair and prepare to tell my brother about the wealth I stand to inherit through this ordeal, but my nephew chooses that moment to throw his dinner rolls at his father’s head. The entire table bursts into laughter.

“I think that was your son’s way of telling you to lay off,” Willow says through a laugh. Then she turns to me. “Hazel, I just want to say that I’m happy for you since my husband clearly can’t.”

“ Thank you.”

“Of course. Besides, you know you’ll get your own inquisition from me, Astrid, and Cashlynn later without the boys around,” she says with a wink. Astrid and Cashlynn nod in agreement.

Rolling my eyes, I stand and take my plate to the sink, knowing my confession could have gone much worse. I didn’t even get a chance to tell them about the money, but maybe that’s for the best. If I wait until it’s already a done deal, they can’t try to talk me out of it.

It’s going to be okay. Six months is nothing. Time keeps ticking no matter what, and it will be over before I know it…

So why does it feel like I’m walking into something I won’t be able to come back from?

***

“You look beautiful, Hazel,” my mother says, dabbing under her eyes with a tissue.

I smooth my hands down the front of my dress, offering her a small smile. “Thank you, Mom.”

We’re standing at the back of the courtroom, waiting for Gage. He’s not late this time—we’re just uncharacteristically early because she insisted on driving me over as soon as I finished getting ready.

Even though this wedding isn’t the extravagant affair I once imagined, Mom still tried to make it feel special. We got manis and pedis, did our hair and makeup together, and even had my assistant, Stacy, take photos of everything.

A part of me appreciates it. But the part that knows this isn’t real almost wishes she hadn’t.

The white silk dress I chose is simple, a far cry from the lace-and-tulle fantasy I pictured as a kid.

But what’s the point of pretending?

This isn’t a real wedding.

Obviously, I know that the legality of it is, but if I’m wasting my one marriage on Gage and this arrangement, I didn’t want it to look anything like the wedding I once dreamed about. Especially since my father isn’t here to walk me down the aisle.

“I still can’t believe my little girl is getting married,” she says with a sniffle.

“Not really …”

She cuts me a look. “This is real, Hazel. If you want to back out, I won’t blame you, but—”

“For the hundredth time, I’m not changing my mind.”

She arches a brow. “Then let me bask in this moment since it’s the only one I might get. You’ve made it very clear—”

A throat clears behind us, interrupting her, and honestly? I’m grateful. Her support is appreciated, but her guilt trips are not.

I turn—and forget how to breathe.

Gage stands there dressed in his signature look—all black from head to toe. But this time he’s in slacks, a crisp button-down shirt, and a silk tie. His hair is slicked back and he has a faint dusting of scruff along his jaw.

He looks…sinful.