“Beck is in his room, getting ready. Heavenly’s finishing up in the bathroom. She’ll be down to help soon. Hudson is?—“
“Still sleeping, I’ll bet.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s a teenage boy, after all.”
“Exactly. I’ll wake him when I go back upstairs.”
Grace grinned as she pulled out serving platters. “Perfect. Guests should start arriving around nine-thirty. We’re expecting people to come and go until noon or so. Beck, Heavenly, and Hudson’s flight leaves a little after four, right?”
“Yeah, I should have plenty of time to get them there afterward.” Seth watched his mom arrange bagels on a plate like it was the most important task in the world.
And to her, it was. She had no goddamn idea that sixteen years of silence had just shattered in her oldest son’s bedroom.
His mom and Carl moved around the kitchen together, working in silent harmony as she spread out food while Carl ferried champagne flutes for mimosas from the dining room.
Suddenly, she sighed and whirled to Carl. “We forgot more orange juice.”
Carl set the crystal down, turned to his new wife, and took her hands. “It’s fine. If we need more, we’ll get more.”
That should be the least of his mom’s worries today. “I’ll go later if you need.”
“Thank you.” She smiled brightly. “I hate to trouble you but?—”
“It’s no trouble, Mom.” He pressed another kiss to her cheek, willing his voice to remain steady. “The mini-mart is just down the road.”
“You’re right.” She let out a steadying breath. “I shouldn’t be nervous. Everything will be fine.”
“Exactly what I’ve been saying,” Carl poked before he sent Seth a sideways glance. “It’s like she actually listened to me for once.”
Seth forced out a hollow laugh and did his best to tease back. “Don’t get used to it.”
After his mother huffed and threatened to snap a dishtowel at her husband, they went back to preparing for brunch. Seth was grateful that it kept them occupied…and prevented them from questioning why his behavior was off.
His shoulders loosened a fraction. Maybe he’d managed to bury his disquiet enough that no one noticed.
Mom wiped her hands on a towel with a little scowl. “If you two are done giving me a hard time, I think we’re in good shape. I just need an extra hand or two whenever Beck or Heavenly come down.”
“They won’t be long,” Seth promised, already heading for the stairs. “I’m going up to get ready.”
He took them two at a time, eager for a few minutes alone to center himself. Just that brief exchange had proven that shoving aside the turmoil in his head wouldn’t be easy. And the fact that the people he lived with were flying home today—leaving him to tell his mother the gaping secret about his love life while not telling her what his father had left him?
Seth’s gut twisted. Could this get any more unnerving?
When he reached the second floor, he pushed open the door to his bedroom and shut it behind him with a ragged exhalation.
Heavenly was waiting, wrapped in a robe, damp curls tousled around her face. She took him in with a frown. “You look…off. Are you all right?”
“Fine.” The word came out sharper than he’d intended. Instantly, guilt twisted through him, and he gentled his voice. “Just…hate that you’re going home without me. I’ll miss you.”
It wasn’t the whole truth. But the lie would protect her.
Heavenly softened against him, cuddling close. “I’ll miss you, too. But it’s only two days.”
She was right, but with everything bashing around his brain pan… “That’s two days too many.” Even if it was true, he had to stop bleeding worry and start distracting her. “But…guess what I found?”
When he tipped his chin toward the dresser, Heavenly whipped around. Relief washed over her face when she spotted her engagement ring. “Thank goodness!”
Seth crossed the room and plucked up the ring. “As I suspected, it fell when I bumped into this hunk of wood last night.”
He clasped her hand and slid the ring back onto her finger, then pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. He needed this, needed to feel her, solid and warm and safe against him.
