He bit his tongue before the words could slip out. Ever since he’d learned the truth, he couldn’t help wondering why Della had always treated him like the favorite. Before, he’d figured it was because he was the youngest, the baby of the family, but now, the cynic in him suspected she’d lavished so much attention on him because she felt bad about lying to him.
“Don’t push me on this,” he finally said, taking a moment to look each one of his brothers square in the eye. “I’ll work things out with her in my own time.”
Nate didn’t look happy.
Jake mumbled something less than complimentary under his breath.
But Owen, as usual, tried to see the bright side. “Hey,” he told Nate and his twin, “he didn’t say he’s cutting her out of his life. They will work things out.” Owen shot Austin a stern glare. “Right?”
“Right,” he answered vaguely.
A short silence fell, the sounds of the party drifting into the gazebo and reminding Austin of the fact that they couldn’t hide out here all night.
“We should go mingle,” he said, turning toward the steps.
Nate cleared his throat. “This doesn’t change anything, by the way.”
Austin bit the inside of his cheek and slowly turned back around. “No?”
“Fuck no,” Nate declared. “You’re still our annoying little brother. You know, the pest who used to spy on me when I had girls over?”
“And the asshole who put poison oak inside my pillowcase that one time?” Owen piped up.
“I don’t give a shit whose sperm gave you life,” Jake said with a shrug. “You’re one of us, and we love you.”
Austin’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Had Jake really just given a declaration of love? Wow. Clearly being with Bree had softened the guy.
“So stop being a sulky motherfucker and be part of this family again,” Jake finished, proving that he was still as crass as ever.
Austin took a breath. “I’ll try.”
Chapter Eight
It was official—Mari adored Austin’s family. She couldn’t explain it, but as she wandered around the party and mingled, she felt like she’d known everyone her entire life. Maddie’s sarcasm made her laugh constantly, and listening to the brunette bicker with Austin’s brother Owen was insanely entertaining. Bree was super nice in a quiet, laidback way, which seemed to compliment Jake’s prickly nature. Charlotte, of course, was so easy to be with, but Mari spent quite a bit of time getting to know Nate too, who was gruff and intelligent and funnier than she’d expected.
She also spent a good portion of the evening with Austin’s mother, and it didn’t take long for Mari to decide that Della Bishop was the sweetest woman in the world. Her love for her sons was undeniable, and she went out of her way to make sure every guest at the party had enough to eat and drink. As Della bustled around from person to person, Mari felt a flicker of admiration toward the woman.
The best part of the night was that she could feel Austin softening toward his family. He was more talkative than she’d ever seen him, and though he tensed up whenever Della joined the conversation, he had actually smiled at his mother several times and even laughed at one of her jokes.
And yet just when Mari decided that the party was a great success and a big step toward progress, a new arrival joined the fold and screwed it all up.
She and Austin had been telling Bree and Jake about the towns they’d visited during the road trip, but when a tall dark-haired man appeared on the deck, Austin halted midsentence.
Mari took one look at the newcomer and knew he was Austin’s uncle. Well, father. Rice Bishop shared Austin’s classically handsome features, but more importantly, he had the same striking moss-green eyes.
Rice hadn’t seemed to notice Austin yet. He’d made a beeline for Della, who stood near the deck railing with Nate and Charlotte.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” they heard him say. “I got a flat tire on the way here, stopped to fix it, and turns out my spare was flat too! I had to wait two hours for Joe to drag his ass out of bed to tow my truck to his shop.”
Mari didn’t catch what Della said in response—she was too busy watching Austin’s reaction to his father’s arrival. He had a stricken look on his face, and was already edging away from Bree and Jake as if planning his escape.
“Be cool, little bro,” Jake murmured.
Austin didn’t answer. He simply turned to Mari and said, “I think I’m ready to call it a night.”
Masking her disappointment, she offered a quick nod. “No problem.”
She tried to look on the bright side, which was that Austin had stuck it out for much longer than she’d expected. For several hours, in fact, and he’d even been the one to cut the first piece of chocolate cake and hand it to his mother. So all in all, she couldn’t complain that they were leaving, even though she would have liked to stay and chat with everyone a while longer.
They said their goodbyes to the folks milling on the grass, then headed for the deck. Wariness trickled along Mari’s spine as the two of them ascended the wide stairs. Austin’s body language became rigid and detached the closer they got to his mother and uncle.