Now that they’d been together and Jenna had complete access to his financials, totheirfinancials, and she saw the good it did, her relationship with it had changed somewhat. At least to where they could joke now.
She playfully swatted him, and he pulled her into a hug because he could and he took any opportunity to touch her. When he did, he noticed a fourth passenger, a stranger, getting out of the truck. A stunning brunette walking withhis mom. She was moving a little slow, their heads were down, and they looked to be talking about something… serious. His mom seemed to be purposefully blocking her from anyone in the back seeing her.
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “Who’s that?”
“Where’s Dawson?” Jenna asked.
“I still can’t believe you and my mom have the same favorite show.”
His mom learned English watchingDawson’s Creek. She loved the show and rewatched it as much as his wife did. She and Jenna already had their first annual Dawson’s Creek Binge Retreat planned. They were going to go away, on a retreat, to watch a TV show. Deacon didn’t get it, but he guessed it wasn’t for him to get.
“I know, it’s the best thing ever!” Jenna beamed. “Anyway, where is he?”
Deacon motioned to the firepit behind him. Jenna nodded.
“Well, remember when you asked if any of your brother’s had kids and your mom said that her oldest was serious about someone, and she thought it would happen but it didn’t. Well, that’s her. We were getting our nails done and she saw her through the window. She hadn’t seen her in ten years.”
Deacon watched the women going up the steps and then looked over at his brother, who was standing around the fire pit.
“Does Dawson know she’s here?”
“No.” Jenna shook her head. “Your mom was cagey about that. When we drove up and saw it was a wedding and the girls yelled surprise, Sadie asked, ‘Wait, then is Dawson here, and your mom said he had a work thing.”
“A work thing?” Deacon repeated staring straight at his brother.
“I think she might be trying to play sneaky Cupid.”
“I hope she knows what she’s doing.”
“Mom!” Blake shouted.
“Mama!” Tabby yelled.
Jenna looked up at Deacon. “It still gets me.”
“Me too.” Deacon loved that Tabby had someone to call mama.
She still had Kristin’s photo on her nightstand, they said good morning and good night to her every day, and she knew Kristin was her mom, would always be her mom. That would never change, but now she also had a family, a sister, a mama and cousins and aunts and uncles, an abuela and a Papa Chuck.
They walked up the steps and followed Blake and Tabby down the hallway to the library, which had been transformed.
Halfway down the hall, Blake instructed, “Close your eyes.”
Jenna put her hand on Deacon’s forearm and did as she asked.
After two steps, Blake spun around and stopped, so Deacon and Tabby did the same, which caused Jenna to as well.
Blake pointed at Jenna. “Actually, I don’t trust you.”
“Ah!” Jenna’s eyes flew open as she pretended to be offended.
Deacon was on Blake’s side. If someone would peek, it would be Jenna, she was a control freak. Shesaidshe liked surprises, but the truth was, she hated anyone knowing anything she didn’t know.
“Can you blindfold her?” Blake waved her hand between Deacon and her mom. “Do you have something you can use?”
“Sure.” He nodded and reached into the back pocket of his slacks where he had a handkerchief.
As he folded it, Jenna’s eyes twinkled up at him and she asked with the innocence of an angel, “You don’t want to use your tie?”
