We all chuckle.
“Ha ha, old man.” He tries to look unamused, but those ice-blue eyes betray him. “But I don’t remember the last time you were here. Or any of you, for that matter. I think we’ve all kind of been slacking on our duties to the family bar lately.”
“And maybe taking our sister for granted in the process,” Hen pipes up.
Everyone shifts, looking uncomfortable. But no one bothers trying to deny it.
“It’s true,” I speak up. “Lance, when you handed the bar over to her, it’s like everyone disappeared. She suddenly had all the responsibility and none of the support.”
I might be crossing a line, especially when all of them were nice enough to take me out tonight, but I don’t care.
I will always stick up for my wife.
“I appreciate you saying that, Hollis,” Lance says, leaning back in his seat. He scratches a hand down his wiry beard. “I didn’t mean to make her feel like she didn’t have our support. I…” He shakes his head. “I thought I was giving her space to make it her own.”
“I don’t have a good excuse. I’ve just been too wrapped up in my own shit,” Myles admits. “But I’ll try to make more of an effort and stop by more often.”
“Unfortunately for me, casually stopping by the bar is impossible now,” Zander says as he nurses a beer. “It’s a damn shame because I miss this place. But it doesn’t mean I can’t check in. Pres is my sister. Period. And I’ve been seriously slacking on my big brother duties.”
How does he do that? How is it so easy for him to claim the Creeds as his own? He even has the fucking family tattoo on his arm. Meanwhile, I can’t even hear someone call me by my wife’s last name without freaking out.
“She should be proud of everything she’s accomplished in the last year.” We all turn. Cash looks around and rolls his eyes. “What? I can say nice things.”
Everyone erupts in laughter. He just keeps glaring at everyone like we’re all fools. When the noise finally subsides, he turns to me and leans in. “I know things haven’t been easy for her the last few months.” He gives a meaningful look. “I’m glad to see they’re looking up.”
He then turns back to his whiskey and doesn’t say another word.
Holy shit, he knows. Maybe not about the fake marriage to cover up Jace’s break-in, but he must know enough, and he’s not saying anything.
I suddenly have a new appreciation for my grumpy brother-in-law.
The back door opens, and we all turn. In walks Asher, wearing a flannel, baseball cap, and tennis shoes.
“Damn, Ash,” Zander calls out. “You look almost normal with that disguise.”
“Almost.” He chuckles, walking behind the bar to pour himself a beer. He’s surprisingly adept at it. Considering Pres told me his family is Scottish royalty or something, I didn’t figure it was a life skill he would have acquired. “Not sure how long it will last, but it was nice to take a drive down the coast without someone on my tail for once.”
“Well, dressed like that, you kinda look like the dude I stood behind at the pharmacy, so I think you might get away with it for a while,” Myles chimes in.
I don’t think anyone, including Ash, believes Myles for a second, but I’m sure he appreciates the sentiment. Even in a simple flannel and faded jeans, there’s something about Asher that makes people turn their heads and notice him.
With his beer poured, a dark stout, he takes a seat. He looks around the table before that intense gaze settles on me. “Congrats, mate. Or should I say congrats again?”
“Either works.” I chuckle.
“So what’d I miss?”
“Actually,” Hen says. “I was just about to go around the table and ask everyone to bestow their words of wisdom on our young groom.”
“Words of wisdom?” Cash grunts. “Zander and Dad are the only two who are actually married.”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t mean they’re the only two who have been in love. Come on, it’ll be fun. Dad? Why don’t you start? Age before beauty and all that.”
Lance rolls his eyes, but looks amused. “Advice, huh? Well, there’s the classic never go to bed angry. But I’m guessing you want something a bit more personal.”
“Not too personal, please? None of us wants to leave here permanently scarred,” Myles pleads.
“All right.” He chuckles. “I’ll try to be mindful of that.”
