Finally, the plane touched down with a gentle bump. Seth’s anxiety ratcheted up. He just had to keep everyone happy and his secrets intact until after the wedding.
As they taxied to the gate, Seth turned in his seat to catch Beck’s eye. “You two good back there?”
“Great,” Beck replied, but Seth caught the tension in his posture. Heavenly looked nervous, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Hey,” Seth said softly. “Stop worrying. Everyone will love you.”
“I hope so,” she whispered. “I just… I want to make a good impression.”
“Be yourself and you will.”
When the plane rolled to a stop, Hudson gathered his backpack. “So what can I expect? Will your family give me the third degree?”
“First of all, they’re your family, too. Grandma Grace will want to know everything about you. Fair warning: besides being very Catholic and traditional, she’s not exactly subtle.”
“Got it.”
“She means well. And your uncles Jack and Connor… Well, don’t take advice from them—on anything.”
“Why not?”
“Because they’re twenty-two, impulsive, and they’ll try to drag you into shit you’ll get grounded for. You’ve been warned. Make good choices.”
They made their way off the plane and through the jetway, Hudson sticking close to Seth’s side as they navigated the crowded airport. The kid looked wide-eyed, taking in everything—the controlled chaos of travelers, the cacophony of announcements, the sheer scale of it all.
“Baggage claim is this way.” Seth guided the others.
As they walked, he found himself falling into step beside Beck while Heavenly and Hudson chatted about a funny T-shirt in a passing sundry shop. This was probably the last chance they’d have to talk freely until they were all home.
“You good?” Seth asked quietly.
Beck’s expression was carefully neutral. “I’ll do my best not to screw this up for you.”
“I know, and I’m sorry to put you through this shit. It’s temporary. I promise.”
“Heavenly and I will hold you to that.” Beck’s voice was low, meant only for Seth’s ears. “I’m not a good liar, and I’m nervous as hell about pretending she means nothing to me.”
“Four days,” Seth vowed.
“Four days,” Beck seconded. “I don’t know if I can keep up the farce for longer than that.”
“I won’t ask you to. After the wedding, you’ll never have to pretend again.” Seth looked forward to that day.
They reached baggage claim and found their carousel, joining the crowd of waiting passengers. Hudson stood next to the conveyor belt, absently watching the luggage go by.
Their bags finally appeared. Together, they made their way toward ground transportation, a surprisingly cool breeze whipping in the air. A few minutes later, they were settled in a black SUV, Hudson claiming the passenger’s seat so he could gawk at the city.
“First time in New York?” their driver asked, catching Hudson’s wide-eyed expression.
“Yeah,” the kid replied. “It’s something…”
The driver, a middle-aged man, laughed. “We’re barely out of the parking lot. You ain’t seen nothing yet, kid.”
Since the driver already had Grace’s address in Westchester County, Seth settled back to watch the familiar landmarks—and the traffic—slide by.
Sandwiched between him and Beck, Heavenly took in the sights with wide eyes, clearly fascinated by her first glimpse of New York. On her other side, Beck held her hand, alternately squeezing and thumbing her knuckles while Hudson kept up a steady stream of questions about everything he saw.
“It’s so bright and noisy here. How did you ever sleep when you were a kid?” Hudson asked.
