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“And Gage? He’s on the same page?”

I turn back to look at the man in question. “Yeah, he is.”

“You sound disappointed about that.”

Spinning back to my brother, I say, “Believe me. There is nothing more than irritation between Gage and me regarding this situation.”

“ He seems like a decent guy, Hazel.” He shrugs. “Granted, I’ve only been able to assess his cornhole skills, but...”

I chuckle. “I’m sure he is a good guy, but earlier this week he acted like marrying me was worse than getting a root canal.”

Dallas glares at him over my head. “Maybe I should put him through a few tests, then.”

I smack his chest. “Please, no. Just let me get through the next six months unscathed.”

He flashes me a sad smile. “Fine. But if at any point he treats you poorly, you tell me. Husband or not, I’ll set him straight.”

My defenses soften just a little bit. “I appreciate that.”

He pulls me into his chest. “I love you, Hazelnut.”

“Love you too.”

“Part of me is glad that Dad isn’t here to see this, though. Not sure how he’d feel about this type of marriage for his baby girl.”

One tear slips down my cheek at those words.

***

“Well, I guess we can leave for real now,” I say, making my way to where Gage is now standing with my whole family. The rest of the party guests have left by now, and after everything we’ve endured today, I’m more than ready for some space from them.

“Nonsense. Your mother was just about to tell us what happened during your senior year of high school,” Gage says, an all-too-pleased grin on his stupid, sexy lips.

I twist my head in my mother’s direction so fast that I momentarily see st ars. “What?”

“Your brothers think this is the craziest thing you’ve ever done in your life, but I think that night I got called down to the school and found you in a room with half-naked teenage boys was worse than this.”

The air shifts.

Three heads snap toward me.

“What the fuck, Hazel?” Dallas practically shrieks. “Is this what Mom’s been talking about when she tells us you weren’t a saint growing up? Naked boys in a classroom?”

“Oh, get your mind out of the gutter!” I fire back. “Jesus, Mom. You had to lead with that?”

She shrugs, completely unbothered. For a moment, I wonder if she’s beginning to go crazy as well. “That was the wild part, in my opinion.”

Astrid raises her hand. “Please tell us there is more to this story before my husband has a heart attack.” She rubs Penn’s chest as I catch how tense his entire body is.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I explain, “It was nothing like what I’m sure all of your dirty minds are thinking, all right?”

“So what happened then?” Willow asks, looking both entertained and horrified.

I lift my chin. “The reason all the boys were in their underwear was because I beat them at strip poker.”

Cashlynn wheezes. “Oh, Jesus. That’s great!”

“Wait, why were you playing strip poker at the high school?” Dallas demands, pulling my attention back to him.

“Corey Johnson was talking about how good he was at poker during English class.” I roll my eyes at the memory.

“He was so cocky, and all I wanted to do was shut him up. Well, Dad taught me how to play when I was the last kid living at home, so I knew I could beat him. I challenged Corey to a game, but he was too afraid to lose, so instead of just him, I challenged the entire baseball team. Turns out none of them could resist the opportunity to exercise their misogyny and said they’d only play if we played strip poker.

” I shrug. “Didn’t work out that well for them. ”

Willow slow claps. “Damn, girl. I’m impressed.”

Astrid giggles. “That’s the Hazel Sheppard I know and love.”

Standing proud, I take a bow. “Thank you.”

Gage lets out a low whistle. “Damn, Spitfire.”

“So why were you called down to the school?” Penn asks our mom.

“Sheriff Thompson had to go check on things because someone reported ‘unusual activity,’” she says, using air quotes.

“It was the trespassing that almost got me arrested,” I admit, even though this secret has been kept for so long that the idea of it coming out now is making me want to run right into the ocean.

“But when he walked in and found the entire baseball team in nothing but their boxers, looking humiliated, while I was fully clothed and grinning like a damn champion…he decided to let our parents handle it.”

“You almost got arrested?” Parker asks, clearly pleased with this information. “I don’t know why that makes me so happy.”

“‘Cause you’re a dickhead,” I reply.

“I thought that was your nickname for me,” Gage chimes in, pulling my attention to him.

“That was just the most PG one I could think of for you,” I fire back at him.

Willow and Astrid snicker from the side. “Oh Jesus, these next six months are going to be entertaining as hell,” Astrid says.

Parker nods. “Agreed.” Then he sniffs the air. “Do I smell some meddling lurking on the horizon?”

Cashlynn smacks his chest. “Oh, behave.”

“ Um, excuse me. Do you not remember how she meddled in our relationship?”

She leans in closer to my brother. “I do, and I believe you benefited from her meddling, did you not?”

Parker squeezes her ass, grinning. “I did. But there’s something you need to understand about siblings, baby. All’s fair in making the other one pay for any minor inconvenience they cause.”

“Is that how the saying goes?” Gage asks, reaching for my hand. And even though I should protest, I don’t. The heat of his palm feels too good against mine.

It’s not about the fact that I actually have a person that’s on my side for once.

Nope. That’s not it at all.

“Speaking of minor inconveniences,” Cashlynn says, turning back to all of us. “Don’t make any plans the second weekend in August.” She looks back up at my brother with love shining in her eyes. “You all have a wedding to attend.”

“Ah!!” Willow, Astrid, and I scream in unison.

“Not wasting any time, huh?” Penn asks, patting Parker on the back.

“Nope, I told you it was happening this summer. It’s time to make this official.” Parker turns back to me and winks. “Hell, even Hazel beat us down the aisle.”

I roll my eyes. “Ha, ha.”

Gage clears his throat. “Congratulations, Parker,” he says, reaching out to shake his hand before facing my family again.

“I have to say, today has been entertaining and a relief. It was a pleasure to meet you all, and I appreciate you for supporting Hazel and me throughout this journey. However, I can tell by the look on my wife’s face, that if I don’t get her out of here soon, she’s going to erupt like a volcano. ”

Wil low and Astrid giggle and my mother clasps Gage on the shoulder. “You’re getting to know her quite well already, it seems.”

“That glare of hers isn’t exactly subtle, Catherine.” Winking, he pulls me toward the house, keeping my hand in his as he waves to everyone. “See y’all next time.”

“Be prepared for a rematch!” Parker calls out as Gage leads me along the side of the house and back to my car, my mind reeling from everything that transpired since we arrived.

“I don’t know whether to thank you or be mad at you,” I say once we settle in and Gage turns out onto Bayshore Drive, the warmth of his hand fading quicker than I expected. Since I had a few glasses of wine and Gage didn’t drink at all, he insisted he drive us home.

“A simple thanks will suffice.”

“You’re good, I’ll give you that.”

“Good at what?”

“Putting on a show.”

Gage peers over at me for a split second before staring out the front window. “It wasn’t a show.” He huffs out a laugh. “Your family is something else, though.”

I sigh dramatically. “They’re a nuisance.”

“Nah. They’re just protective of you.”

Staring out the windshield, I swallow down my usual sarcastic reply. “Yeah, you’re right. We always look out for each other.”

And in that split second, it dawns on me—Gage will never have that.

Diane was his last living family member, and after these six months, when this is all over…

He’ll be completely alone.