“I’m so sorry.”
“Carinõ, it’s fine. Ideal? No, but when have we done anything the easy way.”
This day was nothing like what I’d planned, and to be honest, I was on my last frayed nerve. I planned to meet the boat, whisk Hayden back to base so he could change, and we could fuck, and then bring him here. Nowhere in my plan did I believe I would have to chase him down and convince him not to leave without eating. Introducing him to my parents had been a fleeting thought thatmighthappen in a few weeks or months.
I glanced around at all the extra tables and fumed. Now, I knew why Walker and the others had added them to the yard. When Walker suggested a homecoming for Hayden, I didn’t realize he was going to invite half the fucking family. And now that I thought about it, I was positive he had a hand in getting my father to leave the damn ranch.
I spotted a table tucked away from the others and made a beeline for it. When we reached it, I looked at Foster’s two younger kids and said, “I think your Mama is looking for you.”
It was a lie I knew worked because adults had used it on me more times than I could count as a kid. Mama’s only looked for you during an event like this for a couple of reasons: to give you something to do, introduce you to someone you didn’t want to meet, or check you weren’t getting up to anything. As long as you stayed out of their sight, you were golden, and these two must have realized it because they flew from the table as fast as their legs would take them.
“That’s a handy tactic. Wish it would work on my Marines.”
I laughed. It was strained but still a laugh. “Yeah, I don’t think it would have the same effect.”
He sat our plates down and pulled out my chair, surprising me. I smiled up at him as I sat. “Thank you, Papi.”
“What do you wanna drink? We didn’t grab anything.”
“Would a fifth of liquor be too much?”
He smiled. “How about I grab us a couple of sodas?”
“I couldn’t help but overhear and thought y’all could use some liquid courage. So, how about a bucket of beer?”
I looked up as Brock set the bucket of beer on the table.
“Thank you. Hayden, this is Brock.”
Hayden made to stand, but Brock laid a hand on his shoulder. “Keep your seat, man. You may be in uniform, but we don’t stand on formalities around here, and no one is going to say anything if you have a drink or two with your food.”
“Good to hear it. This place…”
“Yeah, Walker and Matthew have expensive tastes, but don’t let that, or the ranks they hold, fool you. They’re as down-to-earth as anyone I’ve ever met. And I grew up in foster care.”
He disappeared as my mother’s voice floated toward us. I looked at Hayden. “You up for this?”
He huffed a laugh. “Nowhere near it.”
“I love them. They are great people, but Mama had complications and nearly died so I’m their only child. They can be smothering at times, but I want you to remember, no matter how this marriage began, you are my husband.”
“And if they don’t like the fact you married a poor Hispanic Native American?”
“Is that what you’re worried about?”
I nodded.
“My family… my whole family are allies, but I know people say that and aren’t. I am a bisexual man raised on a ranch in Texas, but let the family prove to you they don’t give a fuck.”
His parents joined us, and Declan said, “Just follow my lead, okay?”
I nodded, and his Mama and Daddy got situated across from us.
“You boys didn’t have to wait on us. That was awfully sweet.”
“I was all for digging in, but Hayden insisted we wait.”
“Aren’t you a gentleman?”
