“Milton is a fine match, Evangeline. Strong faith, a Godly duty to family and community.”
“No, I know, I just…” I trail off.
“Speak.”
I glance up at my father, and his look softens. “Speak, Eva,” he says gentler this time.
“I don’t feel ready. And I don’t even know him.”
My father smiles as he moves towards me, his hands on my shoulders. “You will be ready, Eva. It’s God’s plan for you and Milton to marry.”
I resist the urge to counter with that it’s actually my father’s plan for me to marry Milton, not God’s, but I bite my tongue. After all, I’m feeling the heat and the shame of sin enough in this moment.
“I know we haven’t always lived like some of your peers, Eva,” my father says quietly. “I know we didn’t raise you the way Reverend Hammond raised his children, but I’ve only ever wanted for you what any father wants for his children — what our Father wants for all of us.”
“Happiness?”
“Submission and humbleness before God, Eva. And a place in his kingdom come the rapture.”
I look at the floor. “Thanks,” I say automatically.
“Now, go get changed.”
I glance up. “Why?”
“Because we’re going to meet Milton downtown for dinner, so you can have a proper introduction to your new husband.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Rowan
“Sláinte.”
“Sláinte.”
I clink my beer across the table with my brother and my best friend before taking a sip.
“Nice of you to drop by, asshole.”
Kyle rolls his eyes at me. “What are you, Mom? Giving me shit for not being ‘home’ enough when I do live in New York?”
“I am but her agent,” I shoot back, winking at my little brother as I take a slug of beer. “Nah, you know she’s psyched you’re back, man, even if it’s a quick visit.”
“I’ll be back and forth to Boston the next week, so yeah, I’m around. Viv’s going to come out in a few days too.”
“Nice.”
“It’s also just so much fun busting your balls,” Silas grins, elbowing Kyle as he winks at me.
“I can’t believe you moved in with Vivian.”
Silas laughs. “I can’t believe she let him move in.”
My brother is living proof of good things happening to good people. He’s just that kind of guy that finds good people in the world. In college, it was his roommate Austin Taylor who ended up going pro with football and who basically got my literal genius of a brother to start stepping away from his computer once in a while.
And now, it’s Vivian Ames — yeah, that Vivian Ames. Famous socialite, sister to Austin’s wife Natalie, and a genuinely amazing girl. The two of them moving back east from LA is actually awesome, even if they’re in New York and not Boston.
Or hell, Shelter Harbor, where Silas and Ivy settled in.
“Missing LA yet?”
“Hell no.” Kyle frowns. “No, not at all.”
“He misses his boat.”
I laugh as Kyle sighs, nodding. “Yeah, I do miss that boat.” He glances up at me. “How about you man? How’s business going?”
“Busy, actually. I’ve actually got an employee now, which is the only reason I’m out with you two instead of buried at the bar.”
“That’s awesome, dude.”
“Thanks.” I grin. “I’m actually supposed to go relieve her in a few hours, but I’ve got time for a couple first. How about stuff with you guys?”
The two of them groan in unison.
“Busy as fuck,” Silas mutters.
Between Silas’s past as thief – and a pretty fucking great one — and my brother’s history of working cyber security for the FBI, the two of them teaming up to hit the private sector as a securities firm last year just made sense. Business is doing fantastic for them — I know that without actually having to ask. And honestly, I couldn’t be prouder of either of them.
“Your sister is going to fucking skin me if I keep dipping out on weekends for jobs, you know,” Silas mutters, taking a sip of his Guinness.
Kyle rolls his eyes. “Cool, yeah, I’ll just tell our growing list of million dollar clients that you need some time off to go catch up on Netflix with your wife. Sounds great.”
I snort a laugh. “And how is the domesticated life?”
“Great!”
Kyle and Silas answer together and I roll my eyes. “You know, you guys used to be fun when you were single.”
Silas gives me a look. “I was seventeen and stealing cars when I was single.”