My face is so hot it’s going to catch on fire. I can’t even see Brody beyond the group hug. They all talk at once, clearly excited to have me here. It’s kind of nice. I’m not used to having a family. Even growing up, it was just me, my parents, and strangers all around.
These Wilde wives are so warm and inviting that I almost don’t care that I’m probably never leaving this mansion. Brody might think he’s going to talk me out of staying in Wilde, but he’s not going to win that argument. If he feels the need to be in San Antonio so badly, he can go back without me. And I’m confident that’s not going to happen.
“I knew it,” Arianna finally manages to say, clapping her hands together. “I knew it from the moment he stepped into the library two weeks ago. And now you’re here.”
I can’t keep from giggling. “I’m just here for breakfast,” I lie.
They all laugh.
Claire grabs my hand. “Gretchen made a huge breakfast. We’re going to eat in the dining room.”
As Claire drags me across the kitchen, I catch Gretchen’s eye. She’s grinning like it’s Christmas morning. Apparently, Brody was right. She loves adding new blood to the household. “Welcome to the Wilde family,” she says.
I flush again. I’m not actually part of the family, and it’s madness for anyone to assume I’m going to be a permanent fixture, but it’s infectious. Maybe there is something in the paint. Instead of lead or some other poison, it’s an aphrodisiac.
Brody parts the gaggle of women with both hands before pulling me against his side. “They’re like vultures,” he jokes.
“Oh yeah,” Reagan says, grinning widely. “You’ll be married in less than two weeks.”
I sigh. According to Brody, she’s not wrong. His plan is two weeks from yesterday.
We all shuffle into the dining room. It’s so elegant, it takes my breath away.
Emilia pulls out a chair. “Warning. We’re all working our way through the million rooms in this monstrosity. Some of them haven’t been touched in decades. The place is filled with hidden treasures. But be careful. It’s easy to get lost. Step into a hallway and shout if you get turned around.”
I laugh. “It can’t be that bad.” Brody pulls out the chair next to his sister and helps me get settled before taking the one on the other side of me.
Arianna shakes her head. “Oh, it’s worse than you can imagine. I’ve been here the shortest length of time, and I get nervous every day.”
Dallas kisses the top of her head. “I will always find you, baby.”
She grabs his hand and squeezes it, her face radiates so much love. That is contagious, too. The love in this room. It must be driving Emilia batty. I’m pretty sure she has a thing for Haden, who’s arriving soon to manage the renovations on the property. He works for Brody, so I haven’t mentioned a word to him about Emilia and her infatuation with Haden. I have no idea how he might react to finding out his sister has the hots for his employee. I don’t even know for certain I’m correct. I’m guessing based on how many times she mentioned Haden at book club and the dreamy look in her eyes when she spoke of him. Was that only yesterday?
Gretchen bustles around the room, setting platters of food up and down the long table. It’s enormous and can easily hold far more people than are seated in here this morning, but there are nine of us on one end.
My stomach grumbles as I inhale the smell of bacon and sausage, the predominant scents in the room.
Suddenly, Claire covers her nose and takes deep breaths through her mouth. Morning sickness. No one else seems to be suffering from it yet. Okay, maybe Reagan is. She tucks her face against Tiago’s neck, and the man scoots his chair back and hauls her onto his lap. He rubs her back and whispers something in her ear.
My heart is racing. These men are huge and dominant and overwhelming, but they love their wives so much it’s palpable.
Dallas fills a plate for Arianna.
Ryder butters toast for Claire before leaving the table and returning a minute later with a lemon-lime soda.
Brody grins at me as he reaches for my plate. “Anything you don’t like, baby?”
Again, I feel like it’s Christmas morning and all the family is home for the holidays, except every day is like this here. This entire extended family lives in this house. I’m warm all over. That grows as my man fills my plate before his own. It continues to expand when he sets his palm on my thigh absently, rubbing my bare skin so that I can hardly focus.
“Did she tell you her pen name?” Emilia asks her brother.
“Nope. She doesn’t need to. And even if she did, I would lie to you all and tell you she didn’t.” He takes a bite of pancake.
Emilia sighs. “Poop. I’m so curious. What if her books are in the library here and we don’t even know it?”
“There’s a library?” I ask, sitting taller.
Arianna groans. “The biggest personal library I’ve ever heard of. It’s amazing. We’ll show it to you after breakfast. But there aren’t many modern books in it. Emilia is joking about that. You’re welcome to add to it if you want, though.”
