Wildflowers (JACT 2.5) Page 12

  Evie’s looking on, and I see the unshed tears in her eyes. This moment means so much to her. I know she’s been hoping her family would like me, and now that her mom— her favorite person in the world— has accepted me, she’s gotta feel even more complete.

  I know I do…

  My mother never hugged me like this. I don’t even remember her hugging me at all. And it’s been so long since I got my last hug from Mrs. Monroe. It feels…a lot like family and love and everything good in the world.

  “It’s so nice to finally meet the guy who stole my Evie’s heart.”

  “Stole our daughter is what he did,” a gruff voice grumbles. I tense, realizing I’m about to meet Evie’s dad.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Evie

  “Daddy, stop that,” I say, walking over to my father and giving him a hug. He holds me extra tight and longer than he usually does, as though he’s afraid I’m going to disappear if he lets go. Finally, he lets me go. “Daddy, I want you to meet Joey,” I say, reaching behind me to take Joey’s hand. My mom gives him a little push, and he steps forward.

  “It’s nice to meet you, sir.” They shake hands; my father sizing him up the entire time. Jeez.

  “What kind of man takes a girl away from her family?”

  My mouth drops, as does Joey’s. “Daddy,” I say at the same time my mother says, “Bill!”

  “He didn’t take me away from my family, Daddy. I am doing a job. That Tommy got me. Joey had nothing to do with it.”

  He utters a “hmf,” then releases Joey’s hand and walks around us into the house, my mother following closely behind. Hopefully she straightens him out; otherwise, this trip is going to be cut short.

  “Cut him some slack,” Brad says. I hadn’t even noticed him on the porch, leaning against the wood railing. “You’re his only daughter.”

  “Yeah…well, I’m not a little girl anymore,” I mutter. I turn to Joey; he looks sick. “Listen, we don’t have to stay the night if you don’t want. I’m sorry about my dad. He’s not usually like this.”

  “Of course, we’ll stay,” Joey says. “This is your family. I’m sure our relationship is a surprise and will take some getting used to.”

  Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly love him any more.

  “I knew I liked him,” Brad says, stepping by us and into the house.

  Finally alone, I lean in and give Joey a kiss, then take his hand. “Come on,” I say, and we walk into the house. He mumbles something about entering the lion’s den, but I ignore him.

  We find my parents and Brad in the family room, speaking in hushed tones. Now I’m getting pissed off. I get that we’ve blindsided them, but they don’t have to be rude. I’m an adult, not a child. I’m fully capable of making my own decisions. They don’t have to accept it, but they can still have some decency.

  “You know,” I start, trying to calm my attitude, “if this is a bad time, Joey and I can just leave and come back in March, when the tour is over. Would that be better? Will you all have time to adjust by then? Because this,” I gesture between Joey and me, “isn’t going anywhere. It’s not gonna change. He’s my husband, and I love him. I get that you think I’ve made a foolish decision. But he’s not a foolish decision. Far from it. Loving him and marrying him is the best decision I’ve ever made. It might have been rushed. But who cares? When you know that someone is the one person in the world who was made just for you, why wait? Why waste time apart when you can be together? And yeah, it might be a little unconventional, but since when is anything I do conventional? I’ve been coloring outside the lines since the moment I was old enough to hold a crayon in my hand. When I imagine my future, I imagine it exactly how it is now. I’m living my dream, traveling the country, taking pictures. And now I get to do that with the man I love. The last two weeks, I’ve been the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. If you can’t accept that, if you can’t accept him, then you can’t accept me.”

  I turn from the shocked faces of my parents and brother and walk straight into a wall. At least, it feels like a wall. I look up into the stunned eyes of my oldest brother, Jason.

  “Damn, little sis. I didn’t know you had that in you.”

  “I’ve always had it in me,” I tell him, “y’all just never allow me to let it out.” Still holding Joey’s hand, I tug him past Jason and my other two brothers—Brian and John—who I also hadn’t realized were there and call out behind me, “I’m showing Joey the ranch, figure your crap out.”

  We’re silent as we exit the house and walk across the driveway to the garage. I’m embarrassed about my family’s behavior and my outburst. Joey’s probably wondering what planet he landed on, and what the hell he was thinking getting involved with me. He’s probably going to want to return to the tour immediately. Maybe without me.

  We walk in a side door to the garage, and I flip the light switch, illuminating the cavernous space. “The ATVs are in the back,” I mumble, letting go of his hand and maneuvering through the cars to the far corner of the room.

  Joey grabs my hand and stops me from walking. “Hold on a minute.” I close my eyes and sigh. This is when he tells me he made a mistake, that we’re moving too fast, or something equally as disappointing. I don’t want to hear it. “Look at me.”

  I turn and face him, not wanting to look into his eyes, but forcing myself to do so. He places his hands on my cheeks and presses a gentle kiss to my lips. It helps me to relax.

  “What is this? What’s going on?” he asks.

  I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know.” My eyes fill with tears.

  “Baby…I’m sorry they upset you.” He pulls me against his chest and rubs my back in soothing circles. Ha, he thinks they’re the reason I’m upset? I mean sure, they started it, but that’s not the main reason I’m upset.

  “It’s not them,” I say.

  He pulls away. “Is it me?” A tear drips down my cheek, and he wipes it away with his thumb. “Sweetness, talk to me.”

  “I just don’t want them to scare you away. Their behavior, it’s not very welcoming. It’s anti everything I told you about them.” Joey laughs. He actually laughs. I scowl at him. “Something funny?”

  “Baby, we’ve known each other less than two weeks and just got married in Vegas. I’m in a rock band, for crying out loud…a parent’s dream for their child, especially their only daughter, I’m sure. We’re touring the country—together—so they don’t even get to see you on a daily basis like they could just two short weeks ago. Did you expect them to roll out the red carpet for my arrival? Bow at my feet? Come on, Evie. I think they’re handling it pretty well, considering their world—as far as you’re concerned, anyway—has just been flipped upside down. And what we walked in on? It was most likely Brad and your mom trying to talk your dad down. I think you overreacted a little bit. I appreciate every word you said, and I feel all those same things for you, but I think you were fighting a non-existent battle back there.”

  I feel myself deflate. Jeez. If it weren’t for my jumping to conclusions, I probably wouldn’t get any exercise at all. Joey’s right. I didn’t even give them the chance to speak before I went on the attack. I should know better since it didn’t feel all that great when he did the same thing to me that first day on the bus.

  “Should we go apologize and spend the evening with your family? You can show me the ranch in the morning.”

  I nod, feeling ashamed of my behavior and properly chastised. “Yeah, let’s go.”

  He kisses my forehead, and we exit the garage the same way we came.

  Time to eat crow.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Joey

  Evie and I step through the kitchen door and immediately hear the raised voice of her mother. Evie turns to me, holding onto my arm and putting her finger to her lips. We creep towards the doorway to the living room and listen.

  “Bill, if you don’t cool it and be a little more welcoming, we could lose our daughter. Is that what you want?
”

  “Of course, that’s not what I want,” her father answers petulantly.

  “What do we know about this guy, Mom?” another voice asks, one of her brothers. “She meets this guy and then takes off, touring with his band?”

  “She’s not just with his band. Tommy’s there, too.” Brother Two says. “He’s looking after her.”

  “A lot of good that did since she went and got married,” Brother One retorts.

  “Yeah, and Tommy walked her down the aisle. Tell me, would the Tommy you know do something like that if the guy she was marrying was a bad guy?” After a brief pause, Brother Two continues. “Tommy told me they’re good guys. They don’t party or do drugs; they barely even drink. He said they’ve been respectable the whole trip, just happy to be given the opportunity.”

  “Doesn’t change the fact that my daughter just married a guy in a band. And an up and coming one at that. What kind of future can he give her? How will he be able to take care of her?”

  My stomach knots, and all the blood rushes from my face at her father’s words. I’d do anything in my power to make a good life for Evie, but what if he’s right? What if I don’t have the means to give her what she needs?

  She squeezes my arm, and I look down at her. She’s shaking her head. “Don’t even start thinking those thoughts, Joseph,” she whispers. “You are everything I need and want.” With those words, I feel an immense sense of relief. Even if she did call me Joseph…

  “Since when does Evie need someone to take care of her?” her mother interjects. “She quit letting us kiss her boo-boos when she was five years old. Contrary to what you all might think, she can take care of herself. She’s a strong, independent young woman. She’s doing a job out there, too, remember. Her leaving home wasn’t just about a boy. This is her dream. She’s going to make her own name for herself with her photography. She won’t need to be hanging on the coattails of her husband.”

  Evie’s eyes tear up at her mother’s confidence and praise, and I pull her into my side, kissing her on the top of her head. She was right; she’s got an amazing family. One that loves her so unconditionally and would go to battle for her.

  “They did just get offered a record deal,” Brad offers.

  “And Tommy thinks they’re going to be huge, that they have a lot of talent and not the loads of drama that break some bands up when they hit the limelight. He said they’re the real deal, and he wouldn’t be surprised if their band surpasses Infrared’s fame. And you know how well Tommy does. He’s paid off all his family’s debts.”

  I’m going to kiss Tommy when I see him. Whether he was just trying to pacify Evie’s brother or actually meant what he said, his words—his effort—means a lot to me. Evie squeezes my arm again, a look of pride on her face at hearing her brother’s words. I hope I can make her look at me that way for the rest of our lives. Then I could die a happy man.

  “It’s just hard seeing our baby girl all grown up. I feel like we’re losing her.”

  With one last squeeze, Evie releases my arm and turns the corner into the living room. “I might not be your baby girl anymore, Daddy, but I’ll always be your daughter.” I step in the doorway just in time to see Evie and her dad embrace. “And you’re not losing me, but you are gaining a son, whether you like it or not.”

  Mr. Carson releases her and looks at me over Evie’s shoulder. His appraising gaze makes me feel two inches tall, but at least he’s not glaring at me like he had been on the porch. He moves around Evie and takes a few steps towards me, all eyes in the room on us.

  “It seems I owe you an apology,” he says, stopping directly in front of me. “I was rude and, as my wife informed me, not very welcoming. My daughter is a good judge of character, and I need to trust her instincts.” He holds out his hand for me to shake, and I do, only slightly wincing at his firm grip.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. Evie speaks highly of her family and her home. It’s an honor to be here and to meet you all. I love your daughter, very much. I might not be perfect, but she says I’m perfect for her, and I intend to spend the rest of our lives making her feel happy and loved, and taking care of her…as much as she’ll let me.”

  Her father cracks a smile at that. “She can be a little stubborn,” he says.

  “Hey, now. There will be none of that,” Evie says, walking over and looping her arm through mine, leaning against my side. “No teaming up and trash talking me and absolutely no embarrassing stories,” she warns.

  “Oh, honey! I’m sure Joey would love to see the family albums,” her mother gushes, hurrying over to the built-in bookshelf beside the fireplace.

  Evie groans. “Here we go…”

  We spend the rest of the evening looking at family photos. While listening to their stories, I learn that Brother One was Brian and Brother Two was Jason. John’s a bit quiet and doesn’t talk much, and Brad is the male version of Evie, very friendly and easygoing. He actually reminds me of Alex. All four brothers look like their father, with matching brown hair and eyes. Evie’s the wildcard with her mother’s blonde hair and green eyes. All six of her family members take turns sharing embarrassing stories that accompany some of the funnier pictures. By the end of the night, I’m worried Evie’s face is going to stay that pretty shade of red.

  ***

  The next morning, after a big family breakfast around the large oak dining table at the butt crack of dawn, Evie takes me on an ATV tour of the property. I recognize some of the landscape from her photos, and she was right, it is a beautiful place. One I hope we’ll have lots of opportunities to travel back to. I promise her parents as much. After an equally big lunch, we catch a ride to the airport, this time from her parents. The ride to the airport is similar to the ride with Brad yesterday, with Evie telling her parents all about her travels and experiences and me just looking out the window, enjoying the scenery and the excited sound of Evie’s voice. Her mother promises to throw us a wedding reception after the tour, and the two of them spend a few minutes chatting about that, too.

  At the airport, her mother hugs us both tight and makes us promise, again, that we’ll be back to visit whenever we can. I agree, wholeheartedly, because I do want to come back to this place. Things might have started out a bit rocky with her family, and understandably so, but I think everything is going to be just fine.

  As Evie’s mom embraces her one more time, her father shakes my hand. “Take care of our girl,” he tells me, and damn…I feel the burn of emotion behind my eyes at his obvious, and sudden, acceptance of me in his daughter’s life. “Welcome to the family, son,” he adds, before nodding and walking over to collect his wife.

  I’m still stunned by his words as Evie sidles up next to me, taking my hand in hers. We wave once her parents get into their truck and pull away from the curb.

  “What did he say to you?” Evie asks, a sad smile on her face. I know she’ll miss her family. It’ll be spring before we can make it back down here for a visit.

  “He called me son. He said ‘Welcome to the family, son.’”

  Evie leans into my side, tears in her eyes. “Told you they were awesome.”

  “You did, baby. They are.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Evie

  Eight Months Later

  I fall back into one of the plastic chairs lining the edge of the barn around the makeshift dance floor. My feet are killing me from all the dancing. Scanning the space, I realize just how much effort my momma went through to make this evening beautiful for me and Joey. It might be a little over the top for my simple tastes, but since I didn’t give her a wedding, I gave her free reign with this reception. Gauzy fabric is weaved through the rafters with fairy lights, votive candles in painted mason jars dot each table, and every chair is complete with a large, white ribbon bow. It’s gorgeous.

  I spot my husband, dancing like a fool with Alex and Brad. I knew those three would get on like a house on fire. Brad has certainly made Joey feel welcome during our s
tay these last two weeks on the ranch. Not that everyone else has been unwelcoming, we solved that problem months ago, but there has been a little strain between Joey and the rest of the men in my family. I think it’s due to the fact that they don’t have much in common…except their love for me. They don’t really have much to talk about. Joey’s a city boy; my daddy and brothers are country boys. Oil and water. They respect each other now, though, and that’s what’s important.

  The guys from JACT are here for the weekend, celebrating our marriage with us before having to head back to Charlotte to work on their next album. Joey and I will spend one more week here before joining them. Our trip is cutting it close to their recording time, but since we decided to settle in North Carolina and not Texas, we want to maximize our time here.

  “Cake smash!” Joey calls out as my cousin, Susan, walks in carrying our small wedding cake. Susan’s eyes widen at Joey’s declaration, and she hurriedly places it on the table, probably assuming he’s actually going to smash the cake. Yeah, the rest of the family isn’t quite sure what to make of Joey and his bandmates, either.

  What Joey really means, is that he’s going to smash the cake in my face. It’s all he’s been talking about. Glad to see where his priorities are.

  In no time at all, Joey is across the dance floor, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the cake. I have to laugh at his enthusiasm. He’s like a kid at his birthday party. The thought sobers me, realizing that due to the way Joey grew up, it’s not very likely he had birthday parties as a child. This may very well be one of the few cakes he’s ever had made for him.

  I give him a kiss on the cheek as we stand beside the cake, knife in hand. Susan did a great job on it, going with the flow of our non-traditional approach and incorporating our two passions: music and photography. There are black and pink candy drums, music notes, cameras, and pictures decorating the three-tier, white fondant cake. It’s beautiful and captures our vision perfectly. I find Susan in the crowd around us and smile at her, mouthing “thank you.”