have to show up on Tate’s arm.
“Are you saying you don’t want to be seen with me?” he asked, the teasing light in his eyes helping to set her at ease.
“No, of course not. It’s just that we haven’t actually told anyone that we…that you and I…”
“That we’re an item,” he prompted, his grin growing wider. “Is that the word you’re looking for?”
“Is that what we are?” In actuality, she hadn’t been certain. True enough they’d been spending a lot of time together. Most of it in bed. But they hadn’t actually gone on any official dates, which meant she hadn’t been sure.
Tate turned her to face him, his expression growing serious. “Mary Louise, as far as I am concerned, we are most definitely together. In every sense of the word. So unless you have a problem with that, I don’t see why we shouldn’t use this barbeque as the perfect opportunity to show our families that Chase and Anna Mae aren’t the only ones who are happy.”
“But what about Hannah?” she asked, knowing she was being stubborn.
“I don’t want Hannah,” he said, dipping his head to kiss the end of her nose. “I want you.”
Mary Louise smiled up into his eyes. “And I want you right back. So let’s go to the party.” He slid an arm around her and they walked across the lawn to where everyone was gathered.
“Mary Louise, Tate,” Rita Mae called when she saw them, “I was wondering when the two of you would get here.” Her eyes twinkled with delight as she took in Tate’s possessive hold. “Looks like life has been treating you all well.”
“Indeed it has, Rita Mae,” Tate said. “Your niece has been taking good care of me.”
“Well, someone has to do it.” Mary Louise smiled and accepted a beer from Tate’s father, Zeke.
“Welcome, Mary Louise. I hope my oldest son has been behaving himself.”
It seemed everyone was more in the know than she’d realized. She supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, this was Storm, where everybody knew everybody’s business. Across the way she could see her aunt Anna Mae glowing beside Chase.
“She looks so happy.”
“Some things are just meant to be, I guess,” Zeke said as Alice came to stand beside him.
“Now that everyone is here, we need to get the meat on, Zeke,” she scolded. “Hungry people and all that.”
“Yes, ma’am. I live to serve.” Zeke winked at them and followed his wife toward a group of grills and smokers set off from the back patio.
“And that, sweetheart,” Tate said, “is the picture of a perfect marriage.”
“What?” Mary Louise laughed. “Your mom says jump and your dad says how high?”
“Nah, just her needing him and him making her happy.” He pulled her closer as Tucker and Hannah walked up, the two of them looking delighted and uncomfortable all at the same time.
“Hey, bro, glad you could make it,” Tucker said with a hesitant grin. Things between Tate and his brother weren’t perfect by a long shot, but they were better. And Mary Louise was glad to see Tate returning Tucker’s smile.
“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Tate replied. “Looks like things are going well for the two of you.” For a moment both men looked uncomfortable, and then Tate laughed, his arm sliding back around Mary Louise. “It isn’t always easy to find the right woman,” Tate continued. “But from where I’m standing, it’s well worth the effort.”
Tucker lifted his beer. “To happy endings.”
They all clinked bottles and smiled. Then Hannah’s phone buzzed and she excused herself while Tucker headed off to help his dad.
“That was really nice of you,” Mary Louise said as they walked over toward where Tara and Bryce were holding court with their children.
Tate’s warm gaze encompassed hers. “I meant every word.” Her stomach fluttered and she felt her face growing hot again. Tate just grinned as they stopped in front of his sister’s family.
Bryce was standing just
“Are you saying you don’t want to be seen with me?” he asked, the teasing light in his eyes helping to set her at ease.
“No, of course not. It’s just that we haven’t actually told anyone that we…that you and I…”
“That we’re an item,” he prompted, his grin growing wider. “Is that the word you’re looking for?”
“Is that what we are?” In actuality, she hadn’t been certain. True enough they’d been spending a lot of time together. Most of it in bed. But they hadn’t actually gone on any official dates, which meant she hadn’t been sure.
Tate turned her to face him, his expression growing serious. “Mary Louise, as far as I am concerned, we are most definitely together. In every sense of the word. So unless you have a problem with that, I don’t see why we shouldn’t use this barbeque as the perfect opportunity to show our families that Chase and Anna Mae aren’t the only ones who are happy.”
“But what about Hannah?” she asked, knowing she was being stubborn.
“I don’t want Hannah,” he said, dipping his head to kiss the end of her nose. “I want you.”
Mary Louise smiled up into his eyes. “And I want you right back. So let’s go to the party.” He slid an arm around her and they walked across the lawn to where everyone was gathered.
“Mary Louise, Tate,” Rita Mae called when she saw them, “I was wondering when the two of you would get here.” Her eyes twinkled with delight as she took in Tate’s possessive hold. “Looks like life has been treating you all well.”
“Indeed it has, Rita Mae,” Tate said. “Your niece has been taking good care of me.”
“Well, someone has to do it.” Mary Louise smiled and accepted a beer from Tate’s father, Zeke.
“Welcome, Mary Louise. I hope my oldest son has been behaving himself.”
It seemed everyone was more in the know than she’d realized. She supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, this was Storm, where everybody knew everybody’s business. Across the way she could see her aunt Anna Mae glowing beside Chase.
“She looks so happy.”
“Some things are just meant to be, I guess,” Zeke said as Alice came to stand beside him.
“Now that everyone is here, we need to get the meat on, Zeke,” she scolded. “Hungry people and all that.”
“Yes, ma’am. I live to serve.” Zeke winked at them and followed his wife toward a group of grills and smokers set off from the back patio.
“And that, sweetheart,” Tate said, “is the picture of a perfect marriage.”
“What?” Mary Louise laughed. “Your mom says jump and your dad says how high?”
“Nah, just her needing him and him making her happy.” He pulled her closer as Tucker and Hannah walked up, the two of them looking delighted and uncomfortable all at the same time.
“Hey, bro, glad you could make it,” Tucker said with a hesitant grin. Things between Tate and his brother weren’t perfect by a long shot, but they were better. And Mary Louise was glad to see Tate returning Tucker’s smile.
“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Tate replied. “Looks like things are going well for the two of you.” For a moment both men looked uncomfortable, and then Tate laughed, his arm sliding back around Mary Louise. “It isn’t always easy to find the right woman,” Tate continued. “But from where I’m standing, it’s well worth the effort.”
Tucker lifted his beer. “To happy endings.”
They all clinked bottles and smiled. Then Hannah’s phone buzzed and she excused herself while Tucker headed off to help his dad.
“That was really nice of you,” Mary Louise said as they walked over toward where Tara and Bryce were holding court with their children.
Tate’s warm gaze encompassed hers. “I meant every word.” Her stomach fluttered and she felt her face growing hot again. Tate just grinned as they stopped in front of his sister’s family.
Bryce was standing just
Similar Books
