“Seriously, it’s just not a big deal to me. Or Hud. We didn’t want the wedding. We just wanted the marriage.”
Rory and Will both aww’d while I rolled my eyes.
“Please. You just wanted the wedding night,” I said, easing the tension as everyone shared a laugh.
“If you think we had to wait for the wedding night, you haven’t been payin’ attention,” Mac said wryly.
“Tell us everything!” Will leaned toward Mac. “When did all this come about? How long have y’all been…married?” She said the word like she still couldn’t believe it had happened.
“Last week, right after Hud got home. Not only did we not want to make a big fuss and take away from your day, Will, but with the funerals, and Nat helpin’ Asher out, it just wasn’t a good time. But even if it wasn’t a good time, we couldn’t wait another day.” She took a deep breath and shrugged. “So, we drove to Parkersville so no one around here would blab and got married in their courthouse while we were both wearin’ jeans and T-shirts.”
Rory shook her head. “I hope you’ve enjoyed married life so far.”
“Yeah, why’s that?”
“Well, I just mean, seein’ as Momma’s gonna kill you and all.”
“Speakin’ of Momma killin’ people…” I said. “I hope y’all’re ready to be on that list, ’cause you can’t tell her any of this. The fewer people who know about it, the better.”
“You’re gonna outright lie to Momma and Daddy?” Rory asked. Guess the goody-two-shoes was still buried deep in her.
“And Gran?” Will said, hitting the nail closer to the head.
I hated the idea of keeping this from Gran, but I didn’t see how to get around it. If everyone in town knew it was a farce, Judge Seville would too. And I couldn’t risk the kids’ placement with Asher just because I wanted to share some secrets with my grandma.
“Yes,” I said. “To all of them. We need to keep it to just the four of us.”
“And Nash,” Rory said. “He already heard your big mouth spill it when you walked in.”
“And Nash,” I agreed. It wasn’t like Asher wouldn’t have told him anyway.
“And Finn,” Will piped in, her expression conflicted. “I can’t keep things from him. He has a way of gettin’ ’em out of me.”
“I just bet he does,” I said with an eye roll.
“Well, if y’all get to tell your boyfriends, I sure as hell get to tell my husband.” Mac crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, raising a brow as if challenging any of us to argue.
Great, so the only people who knew would be my three sisters—one of whom was the town mayor, and another who gossiped nearly as bad as Havenbrook’s mail carrier, Edna—as well as each of their significant others.
One thing was for sure—if we managed to make it to the hearing without the judge getting wind of this, it’d be a miracle.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ASHER
“I can’t believeyou’re gonna getmarried,” Nash said, shaking his head as he stared over at me. “ToNat.”
I rolled my eyes and threw a wadded-up napkin at my friend. “So you’ve said.”
Laughing without restraint, Nash batted the napkin away. “I’m sorry. This is just a lot to take in.”
“You think it’s a lot foryouto take in?” I gestured behind me to where June, Ava, and Ella ran around the yard, Owen bouncing happily in his jumper in the middle of it all. “I’ve sort of been thrown into the middle of a shitstorm, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
Something in my tone must’ve tipped off Nash, because he sobered immediately and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “You’re right. This is a big deal. An even bigger deal than when I moved in with Rory.” He laughed. “Remember when I didn’t want to tell Nat that detail?”
“I remember when you didn’t even want to tell her you were just datin’ her sister.”
“I thought for sure she’d never speak to me again—after rippin’ off my balls, of course. It was always us three against the world, including her sisters.” Nash grinned, shaking his head.“Now, beyond all odds, I’m with one of those sisters, and it looks like it’ll be you two against the world.”
