Her Accidental Husband(50)

Other emotions seemed to keep pushing up at him, wanting to battle him for attention, demanding to be analyzed, considered, pondered, but he pushed it all to the back of his mind. Today was his brother’s wedding day. Whatever other emotions he might be feeling would have to wait.

Fifteen minutes later, and with some help from the front desk, Cruz found the Garden Room where the pre-wedding lunch was scheduled. The room itself, though bright and airy thanks to the natural light that filtered through the full ocean-facing windows, wasn’t very big and he doubted at first he was in the right place. Then he heard the laughing and shouts from the open patio door and looked out to see several tables already filled with food and people.

The moment he stepped outside, his boisterous Mexican family, who he probably hadn’t seen for five years, besieged him, swarming him with kisses and hugs and demands as to when he was going to be the next Sorensen to walk down the aisle. His sisters sat back at the main table with their mother, wide satisfied smiles on their faces, probably having something to do with the fact he was now the center of the aunties’ attention instead of them. Even his Aunt Glenda, Kate’s neighbor, was smiling a little too smugly at the comments.

He was well aware that Payton wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Same with her mother, and he felt a pang of guilt at the battle of a different kind she was going through now.

Kate and Dominic sat together at another table, already packed full with their relatives. They had blissful and glowing looks on their faces as their hands twined together. But he saw a certain something in Kate’s eyes as she sipped her drink and stared at him a minute too long for his comfort before returning her attention to his Aunt Essie.

It was with relief that he sank into the chair next to his youngest sister, Benny.

“Glad you could finally make the show, bro,” she said and bit into a buttery-looking croissant. “If one more of our well-meaning aunties asked why I was here all by my lonesome and that they had several young men they’d be happy to make my introduction to if I was that hard up, I’d have drowned myself in the ocean. They didn’t seem to hear me explain that a pediatric residency at a premier children’s hospital doesn’t really allow for much of a social life—or that I’m not looking for one.”

He grabbed the bottled beer he’d had the forethought to snag from the refreshment table and took a long pull, enjoying the cool taste as it went down—a different experience from the almost burning tequila of last night. “Yeah, but it wouldn’t hurt you to occasionally put your toes in the water. Get out there once in a while.”

“Said the pot to the kettle. That’s rich coming from Mr. I-Don’t-Do-Commitment, working probably as much if not more hours a week than I do.”

Which was all true. Except for the part where less than twenty-four hours before he’d made the biggest commitment a man could make to another person. He looked across the table to his other sister, Daisy, who had a slight smile on her face as she watched her three kids run around with their cousins. She looked amazing for a woman who’d been through so much these past few months. Her weasel of a husband had taken off with their money and some girl half his age, leaving her to pick up the pieces.#p#分页标题#e#

Benny followed his gaze, dropping her tone to more of a conspiratorial whisper. “At least the aunts were a little kinder to her, mostly muttering curses at her waste of an ex-husband, intermixed with prayers that he get what’s coming to him. That got her actually laughing. I’m just glad he signed the divorce papers and didn’t fight her on custody of the kids.”

Him too. Not that anyone thought the weasel really wanted to be tied down to three kids—no matter how awesome his two nieces and nephew were. No, it was more the kind of thing Daisy’s ex would have done just to add a little salt to the wound. The guy was lucky he didn’t have two broken legs. Kate had swooped in and made sure that Daisy got what she was owed and then some. Something Cruz would be eternally grateful for.

A wisp of long dark hair flew across Daisy’s eyes and she brushed it back and caught them both staring at her. “You guys don’t have to look so tragic,” she said and laughed. “I’m doing great. Better than great. Did Benny tell you I was promoted at the bakery? Gina’s even giving me artistic license to create a few of my own recipes that we’re going to add to the daily specials.”

“Not even surprised, sis. When you set out to do something, you always kick ass.”

A hand slapped him on the shoulder. “Language,” his mother said before leaning over to give him a hug and kiss on the head.