Own Me (The Wolf Hotel, #5)

I dare glance at Henry.

His expression is peaceful, unruffled. “If it were up to me, Abbi and I would have married at city hall the day we landed back in New York.”

Mama gasps, her fearful eyes flittering to Reverend Enderbey as if merely suggesting such an idea has earned our family a one-way ticket to the fiery pits of hell. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, believe me, I would.” A grin stretches across Henry’s face. The bastard finds this amusing. He isn’t the least bit fazed by Mama’s antics. “But that’s not what Abbi wants, and I will give her whatever she wants as long as in the end, she’s my wife.”

Mama worries her bottom lip. She’s beginning to see she won’t win this. “Fine.” She throws her napkin onto the table and eases her sturdy body out of her chair. “Seeing as you don’t care if your family is a part of your wedding day—”

“I never said that,” I cry.

“—then you’ll be happy getting married without your father and me there, Abigail.”

My stomach drops in despair at the thought of their absence. “Mama …”

But she’s already storming out of the dining room. Moments later, the kitchen door swings open and shuts with a clatter.

My shoulders drop as tears of anger and frustration prick my eyes.

Henry rubs the back of my neck but remains quiet.

“Give her time.” Daddy carves another chunk of his lasagna.

“You think that’ll make a difference?” She didn’t even try to hide her anger from Reverend Enderbey, which means I miscalculated her need to be on her best behavior for an audience. Clearly, I’ve caught her off guard. Is she stubborn enough to follow through with this threat, though?

“Yes,” Aunt May jumps in. “Bern has a big heart, but she’s also used to getting her way. She used to do this sort of thing to me, too, until she learned better. I think this is good for her, to see you all grown up and making your own decisions, even if she doesn’t approve of them. It’ll make things easier for you down the road.”

“Bernadette can be a tad set in her ways.” Reverend Enderbey frowns. “Sometimes she needs to ease herself into new ideas, and there have been a lot of new ideas in her life lately.” He glances at Henry, making his point clear. “Like Roger said, just give her time to digest.”

And give the reverend time to talk her off this hill she sounds determined to die on, he doesn’t say.

I sink into my chair, dejected. “I never thought you guys wouldn’t come.”

“I will be there no matter what, don’t you worry about that,” Daddy promises.

Aunt May reaches over to pat my forearm. “So will I.”

That brings me some comfort, at least.

“Reverend, I know Bernadette asked you to officiate.” Henry smiles at the kindly man. “Would you still be willing to do that in Alaska?”

Reverend Enderbey opens his mouth but falters, his gaze flittering to me, then to his son. Is it weird for him to marry Henry and me after Jed and I were assumed destined for a life together? Because, honestly, this may be a bit fucked up.

“I’m sure Bernadette would appreciate your role in this,” Henry adds. “It would go a long way in helping everyone move forward.” That last part must be directed at Jed.

Smooth one, Henry. It’s an olive branch for Mama, having the reverend there, a way to get something she wants. Maybe it’ll help sway her.

“Celeste and I have always wanted to see that part of the country,” Reverend Enderbey admits.

“Then here’s your chance. Your transportation and accommodations will be covered, of course.”

“How do you say no to that, James?” my father murmurs. It’s so rare that I hear anyone use Reverend Enderbey’s first name. It’s a reminder that, beyond the church and my relationship with Jed, our families have been good friends and neighbors for decades.

“I don’t think he can, so that settles it. We’d be pleased to have you officiate.” Henry reaches for my hand, squeezing it.

The reverend nods, more to himself. “I would be honored to be a part of your day, so thank you.”

“Can I get in on that plane too?” Jed, who’s been unusually quiet this whole time, asks around a mouthful of lasagna.





CHAPTER 6





It’s midnight by the time we walk through the front doors of Wolf Tower. The horde of paparazzi have found someone else to harass, making for a quiet entry into the building. Still, I scan the lobby seating area that serves hotel patrons, bracing myself against the chance I’ll discover a long lens pointed at me.

“Good evening.” Sullivan swipes the key card for our private elevator.

“No, it was terrible,” I lament.

The giant security guard winces.

“Oh. You weren’t actually asking.”

Henry places a hand on the small of my back and guides me into the open elevator. “Good night, Sullivan.”

“Good night, sir. Good night, Ms. Mitchell.” The guard’s sympathetic smile disappears behind the shuttered doors.

I flop against the wall. I can’t wait to crawl into bed. “What am I going to do if she doesn’t come around?” Our little dinner celebration fizzled quickly, with the Enderbeys and Laura returning home, and Henry and my father venturing into the living room with snifters of cognac while I helped Aunt May clean up in the kitchen.

Mama ambled through the door as we were finishing up and announced in a quiet, worn voice that she was betrayed, broken-hearted, and going to bed. She wouldn’t even acknowledge me.

“She could win an Academy Award for her portrayal of the victim,” Aunt May had whispered then, rolling her eyes and patting my arm with comfort. “Ignore it.”

But ignoring Mama’s antics is easier said than done.

“She’ll come around,” Henry promises as our elevator flies to the very top of the building. We couldn’t stop at any of the other floors if we wanted to. This is our dedicated elevator.

“You don’t know Mama. ‘Hell hath no fury like Bernadette scorned.’”

“I know she cares about keeping up appearances. How will it look to her congregation if everyone, including the reverend and Jed, has accepted this marriage and she refuses to? After she’s been running around, planning the entire thing for you?”

“She’ll look petty,” I agree. She’d be the butt of all the church gossip. They’d see it for what it was—Mama trying to get her way. People know what she’s truly like, even if she hides it behind smiles and sweet words. “That was smart of you to ask him to come to Alaska.”

“I’ve handled my share of difficult people in the past. I know how to get my way.”

I don’t doubt that for a second. Henry has had me agreeing to things I never thought I would. “You know, if she does come, she’ll be a pain in the ass the entire time at Wolf Cove.”

“That’s fine. I’ll make Belinda deal with her.”

Picturing Wolf Cove’s previous manager in her tight, cleavage-bearing dress, facing off against Mama—who would no doubt label Belinda a harlot at first glance—is enough to make me giggle.