“Holy shit,” Avery said, shaking her head as she squeezed Will’s hand. “I can’t believe you’re gonna be amom.”
Will breathed out a watery laugh, her eyes wet. “I know, right?”
“That’s enough of that now,” Rory said, blotting a tissue under Will’s eyes. “We don’t have time to redo makeup, so there’ll be no more tears.”
“You heard the sergeant.” Nat tucked her camera back in its bag. “No cryin’ allowed.”
“Well, this has been quite the month, hasn’t it?” Gran said. “Three of the Haven girls married, one pregnant, and one steppin’ right into a built-in family…”
The smile slipped from Nat’s lips as Gran’s words sank in. Yeah, she’d stepped into a built-in family, all right. One she wasn’t going to get to keep when this was all said and done. One she’d never wanted from her life in the first place.
So then, why did the thought of leaving when this was all over fill her with so much dread? Why did she miss them before she was even gone?
Nat shoved that thought down and cleared her throat. “It’s not quite a built-in family yet. We’ve gotta get custody first. The late nights and early mornings have been real, but it’s all just temporary for now.”
“Are y’all really worried about Asher gettin’ permanent custody?” her momma asked, shooting a concerned glance to Gran. “I thought you were just sparrin’ with your daddy when you mentioned it at our house.”
Nat lifted a single shoulder. “I don’t know if I should be, but, yeah. I am. The Haywards haven’t even called to check in on the kids, but they’ve got money. Connections. You know as well as I do exactly what that means.” Ironic that she was facing down the one thing she’d run away from her whole life.
“Well, surely Judge Seville will do what’s best for those kids,” Momma said.
“C’mon, Momma, Seville’s a good old boy, and he and Asher have bad blood. Hell, all three of us do, except Daddy got me out of that trouble, like he did everything else. I just hope it doesn’t affect the outcome.”
Because she didn’t know what she’d do if the Haywards were granted custody. She’d always liked June and Owen, having hung around them whenever she’d been home, but in the weeks she’d spent in their presence practically twenty-four seven, she’d come to love them. And Asher…losing them after his sister would be a blow she wasn’t sure he’d come back from.
There was a knock at the door before Daddy poked his head in and froze, his eyes meeting each of them in turn. He stepped into the room and cleared his throat. “Y’all just about ready? The minister says it’s time,” he said, his voice gruff.
“Just gotta get my dress on, Daddy,” Will said from her perch, still wrapped up in her silk robe. “And I guess Nat does, too.”
He stood there for a moment before nodding and then turning away. “Two receptions in one month is hard enough on the wallet. Sure hope I’m not payin’ by the minute for this,” he grumbled, shutting the door behind him.
“Stubborn ass can’t even say we look nice,” Nat said with an eye roll.
“Yeah, well,youdon’t.” Mac shoved Nat’s garment bag at her. “Get dressed while we help Will, would you?”
“Still, he could’ve saidsomething,” Nat said as she draped the dress over the back of a chair.
“You know Daddy complains about money when what he really means is I love you,” Rory said, unzipping Will’s dress as Avery held it up so it didn’t drag on the floor.
Momma hummed. “He may not have said the words, but it certainly wasn’t allergies makin’ his eyes wet.”
“She’s right, you know,” Gran said. “The fool doesn’t know how to tell y’all how much he loves you, but he does.”
Nat couldn’t attest to that. And she certainly wouldn’t hold her breath to hear it from the man, since she never had in all her twenty-six years. Probably some daddy issues to work through there, but her docket was already full to bursting, so she’d have to save it for another time.
She stripped down and tossed her shorts and tank into her oversized purse before slipping into her bridesmaid’s dress. “See? I’m ready, and y’all are still gettin’ Will situated.”
“Thanks for your help, by the way,” Mac said with an eye roll.
“Before we go out there,” Avery said, fixing Will’s veil, “I just wanna thank you for makin’ me maid of honor so I can walk down the aisle with Drew. I truly appreciate it.”
Will laughed. “You and I both know it’s not Finn’s twin your eye’s gonna be on.”
“Oh,really,” Nat asked. “And who might this other guy be?”
“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
“Mhmm, sure you don’t,” Will said wryly before turning around to face them.
