Callum It had been a long week with way too many late nights at the office, too many phone calls, and too many people pulling at me from every direction, but all of that faded as I turned up the long drive toward my family’s estate. I’d been looking forward to this all week, seeing Maisie again and getting to spend some time with her and Brody. If it had been up to me, we would have been at the courthouse today, signing papers and making it official, but I’d promised my dad I’d bring them to dinner first. Tonight, my family would meet them and hopefully start to understand this wasn’t just some impulsive move on my part. Once that was done, we would talk timeline again. Maisie had seemed onboard with this new plan, too. In the back seat, Brody smooshed his face against the window. His breath fogged the glass as his wide eyes tracked every house and tree. “Whoa,” he breathed, craning his neck as we rolled past the sprawling lawns and stone driveways. “This place is huge. Is that a castle?” I couldn’t help but smile as he pointed toward the older, stately manor house tucked among the trees. I had to admit, its ste ep rooflines and ivy- covered stone did give it a fairytale sort of vibe. “That one’s my brother, Jameson’s, place. He lives there with his wife, Sadie, and their dogs.” Brody pressed closer to the glass, as if trying to catch a glimpse of a fictional creature between the trees. “It’s so cool. Does that whole lake belong to you, too?” I chuckled, knowing which lake he was talking about without even having to look. “Y ep, that one and a few more like it on the property. Although Jamie likes to think of that one as his instead of ours.” We drove a little farther and rounded a curve in the road. A sleek, modern home came into view, all glass and clean lines, perched like it belonged in a magazine spread. Brody’s jaw dropped. “What about that one?” “That one’s mine,” I admitted, catching Maisie turning sharply toward it in the passenger seat. “Technically. I don’t stay there very often.” Brody leaned forward between the seats, his eyes huge. “It’s yours, but you don’t live there?” “Not really,” I explained, smiling as I glanced at him in the rearview. “I used to, but these days, I mostly crash at my place in the city. This house just exists at the moment. Traffic, you know?” He looked like he was trying to process someone telling him they sometimes forgot they owned a rollercoaster. My gaze slid to Maisie, curiosity about her reaction sliding through me. She didn’t say anything at first, just sat there in a pretty, floral-patterned dress and a light jacket, with her spine ramrod straight and her eyes wide.
I caught the flicker in them, though. To me, it looked like part disbelief, part wariness, and part something else entirely, and I grinned. This was exactly why I’d been looking forward to the weekend so much—to see her again, to be near her, and to be able to gauge her reactions to things. As we passed the sleek lines of my house, I leaned closer to her and muttered low enough that Brody wouldn’t overhear me. “I’ll show it to you soon. Just in case we ever feel like we need more space.” Her gaze flicked toward me and she blinked rapidly, like she was startled. We hadn’t talked about living arrangements again, but I already knew how that was going to go. She was set on her little home, which meant if this marriage was going to work, I would be the one moving in. Fine by me. We rounded the last turn and the Westwood mansion came into view, sprawling and intimidating even to me—and I’d grown up there. The car crunched over the gravel, and before I could even cut the engine, Maisie’s hand touched my arm. “Callum.” Her voice was tight and quiet, so soft that I could barely hear her, but I saw the shimmer of nerves in her eyes. “I haven’t talked to Brody yet.” I exhaled, relieved that was all it was about, and nodded. “It’s fine. Don’t stress. My dad’s good at ke eping secrets. I doubt even my mom knows for sure just yet.” She pressed her lips together and sat back just as Brody bounced in his seat, already eager to leap out and explore. “This place is so cool. Did you really live here?” I laughed. “I did, buddy. Wait until you see the backyard. There’s enough space for several football teams to kick a ball around.” Brimming with excitement, he opened his door and we followed. The front doors opened before we’d even knocked. My family had always been like that, loud and present. Garvey appeared first, naturally, and I spoke to Maisie and Brody under my breath. “That’s our butler. Garvey. He’s been with us forever. He’s super judgmental and uptight. It’s best to just ignore the disapproving looks you’ll get from him.” Maisie’s footst eps faltered but only for a beat. My mom came gliding out of the house then, practically flying down the st eps like the most graceful rocket that had ever been shot. “Maisie! Welcome, darling. We’re so happy you could join us.” She pulled a very surprised Maisie into her arms, brushing a kiss to each of her cheeks before she let go and turned, a huge smile on her lips. “You must be Brody. It’s wonderful to meet you, honey. Tell me, are you allergic to ice cream?” “No,” he said softly, glancing at Maisie, then at me, and then his gaze darted back to my mom and he grinned, like our lack of admonishment meant he could eat only ice cream for the rest of his life if he wanted to. “I’m not allergic at all. Have you got any?” “Well, young man.” CC slung her arm around his shoulders and started leading him to the stairs. “I don’t just have any. As it happens, I have a secret stash of the best ice cream in the world. I’m willing to share, but only if it’s okay with your mom and you eat all your vegetables at dinner.” He groaned. “I knew there would be a catch.” Maisie glanced at me, smoothing out the skirt of her dress. I held my arm out to her and she took it. “He’ll be okay with her, right?” she asked.
“Well, all four of us Westwood boys are still standing, but it’s been a while since we were seven. She might need guidance on appropriate ice cream serving portions, but he should be alright otherwise.” Jameson and Sadie said hello to Brody at the top of the st eps when he and Mom reached them. Then Harrison appeared with Laney in tow. That meant only Sterling and Dad were waiting inside instead of coming out to greet us. I introduced everyone, ignoring the way my brothers were grinning like they knew this was more than just an arrangement for me. Of course, Jameson knew she and I had a history because I’d told him, and from the looks on Harrison and Sterling’s faces, the asshole had blabbed about everything. We walked into the dining room. Dad gave Maisie a quick, polite onceover and gave her hand a gentle shake. “Welcome to the Estate, my dear. Just let Garvey know what you’d like to drink and he’ll have it brought to you.” She was a block of tension by my side, but she managed to smile at him as she withdrew her hand. “Thank you, sir. Thank you also for having us over.” Mom ushered Brody into a seat at the head of the table opposite Dad, lowering herself into the chair next to his. Dinner was a blur of noise, conversations from all around the table overlapping with the clatter of plates and cutlery in the background. Underneath it all, however, I could’ve sworn I felt something sharper. I knew it was because for once, all eyes were on me. Dad’s assessing gaze, Jameson’s amused glances, Sadie’s knowing smile, Laney’s sweet, understanding attempts to draw Maisie into conversation, Sterling’s arched eyebrow, and Harrison’s smug fucking smirk. They all knew, and they were being damn loud about it without saying a word. I wasn’t used to being on this side of it. I was never the center of attention at the table, but now, the spotlight was on me. For once, I didn’t hate it. Mostly because Maisie was sitting right there beside me and Brody was across the table, holding court with a story about his last game. If I was being honest, I’d admit that in this moment, the weight of my family’s expectations didn’t feel like a burden. It felt like possibility. “Brody, I’d like to hear about your game too,” Sadie said warmly. Laney was on her other side and she leaned over as well, already asking about hockey, his school, and all of the rest of his hobbies. In no time at all, the two of them had him giggling, distracted from the fact he was surrounded by strangers in a house too big to be real. That left CC free to lean forward, her eyes bright and curious as she turned them on Maisie. “I’m so happy you two could join us tonight, darling. Tell me everything there is to know about you. Where did you grow up? Do you cook? Are you a coffee-in-the-morning person, or one of those crazy people who skip it?” Maisie blinked, laughing softly before an overwhelmed smile spread across her lips. “Oh, uh, okay. Well, I grew up in Michigan, I do cook, and I’m not human until after my second cup of coffee.” “Excellent,” CC said seriously, nodding like she was taking mental notes. “Those are important qualities. A love of coffee means you’ll survive in this family.”
Sterling was seated beside Mom, and he gave Maisie a polite smile as he tuned into the conversation. “What about your family? Are they still in Michigan?” “They are,” she said. “They even all still live in the same neighborhood where I grew up, exc ept for one of my brothers. He moved across town for his job.” Harrison perked up instantly, suddenly grinning at her like he’d just met a celebrity. “Yeah, Carter Morgan. I’m a huge fan.” Maisie chuckled, her head shaking slightly as her cheeks flushed. “He’d be mortified if he heard you say that. To us, he’s just Michael.” “Michael?” Harrison said, leaning over like he just couldn’t help himself. “No, I’m talking about Carter. The way he makes it feel like you’re right there at the game with him? Legendary.” Maisie’s smile turned proud. “He really does love what he does. He works so hard, but his first name is Michael. Michael Carter Morgan. He thought Carter sounded cooler for TV.” “I didn’t know that. Does he talk shop with you?” Harrison asked excitedly, completely skipping past her brother’s name or any questions about who he actually was, interested solely in his career. “Does he give you the inside scoop? Predictions?” “Not really,” Maisie said. “When we talk, he usually just wants to ask what our mom wants for her birthday or find out whether I’m ke eping up with laundry.” Jameson leaned back in his chair and smirked. “It looks like we’ve finally found someone Harrison likes more than Callum.” “Hey,” I muttered, but I couldn’t help the grin that spread on my face. “It’s not my fault none of our ancestors have gone into the sports industry. Hell, I would’ve loved to be a broadcaster. I would’ve been great at it, too.” Jameson rolled his eyes at me before he focused on Maisie. “What about you? I heard you used to be a diver. Have you stuck around the sports industry yourself?” “No, I’m a teacher. Math. At a charter school just outside the city.” “A teacher,” Mom said warmly. “How wonderful, and math? You must be a genius.” Maisie’s cheeks flushed the prettiest rosy hue of pink I’d ever seen. I imagined it had to be the same color she would blush after a particularly satisfying orgasm. Internally, I groaned and tried to dislodge the thought. I’d been so good about ke eping my mind out of the gutter recently, but shit, I really was attracted to this girl. While I tried to remind myself that she was going to be my wife and that I had to ke ep myself under control—at least for now, until she was ready to not lock herself in a bathroom after just a kiss—their conversation k ept flowing. Sterling’s voice broke into my thoughts, quiet but surprisingly kind. “Do you get to see your parents much? It must be hard, with them still in Michigan.” Mom nodded her agreement and glanced at Brody. “They must miss him something awful.”
“We don’t see them as much as we’d like,” Maisie admitted. “My dad is a teacher too, so it’s hard for him to get away outside of breaks. My mom is actually flying out here in a few days, though. Just for a visit. I can’t wait.” My fork paused halfway to my mouth. Her mom is coming? Is it because of us? She must’ve already told her what was happening, and the thought stirred something in me. If Maisie was inviting her mom, maybe I needed to st ep up my plans for a ceremony. A courthouse wedding suddenly felt too small and too impersonal, not nearly nice enough. “Family support is everything,” CC said warmly, reaching out to brush Maisie’s arm. “That’ll be so special, having her here. You must invite her to dinner, darling. We’d love to meet her.” “Special?” Jameson snorted. “The poor woman will be pulling her hair out five minutes into dinner. The first Westwood family dinner is more like a trial by fire. We should spare her.” Maisie blushed again, and my thoughts rapidly flew right back into the gutter, but I forced myself to remain present in the conversation when she smiled. “Well, so far, I’m surviving.” “Oh, no, darling. You’re thriving,” CC corrected. “It feels like you’ve been with us every week for years.” Sterling added dryly, “You’re doing better than most of us did at our first dinner back here, facing the interrogations about what we’re doing with our lives.” “Speak for yourself,” Jameson said. “I charmed everyone instantly when I got back from college. I had my shit together.” Mom rolled her eyes, but Maisie laughed, and the sound was soft and genuine this time, her nerves obviously slipping away. I leaned back, just watching her fit in, answering Harrison’s rapid-fire questions, fielding CC’s curiosity, taking Sterling’s gentle prompts without shrinking, and laughing at Jameson’s jokes like she’d been sitting at this table for years. Possibly for the first time ever, I really felt a strange sense that having her here with us was right. I’d heard Sterling and Jameson talk about it, but I hadn’t really understood what they meant until right this minute. We’d all brought women home before, but usually, it was a disaster. Now, however, it felt like the ground beneath me had steadied. When we were finally done eating, Sadie and Laney immediately turned to Brody, luring him outside with CC tagging along. All three women fussed over him like he’d been part of the family forever. Maisie went too, a little hesitant at first but already laughing at something Laney had said as they went out to the patio. I stood to follow, but I barely got two st eps before Sterling, Jameson, and Harrison closed ranks around me like wolves who had scented blood. “So,” Jameson drawled. “This is really happening? You’re actually marrying her?” I gave him a narrow-eyed look. “Yeah, that the plan. Thanks for telling everyone, by the way. Way to steal my thunder.” Harrison shook his head in disbelief. “She’s awesome, Cal. I love her. She even laughed at my jokes.”
“She didn’t laugh at your jokes,” Jameson cut in. “She was laughing at mine.” “She answered all my questions thoroughly and patiently,” Sterling remarked. “She’s definitely better than I expected from a woman you found in the newspaper.” I snorted. “Wow. High praise, and I didn’t find her in a newspaper. I met her at college, remember? That ad I put in the paper just brought her back to me.” Jameson smirked. “Seriously, though. How’d you manage to get her to say yes? Blackmail? Bribery? Did you promise her a house if she stuck it out for six months?” “Maybe he offered her free season tickets,” Harrison suggested. “That would get me to consider it.” I rolled my eyes, trying to push through them. “You’re all hilarious.” “No, but really,” Jameson said, grinning like the devil himself. “I mean, she knows you, right? Like, really knows you? The snoring, the fact that you leave your socks all over, that you—” “Goodnight,” I cut him off, shoving past them all and fighting my way through. “Go bug someone else.” Their laughter followed me as I slipped out the side door toward the garden. I was halfway to the patio when I nearly collided with my father. Harlan had a glass of bourbon in hand, watching me with that unreadable expression he wore so well. For a second, I braced for impact, but instead, he simply nodded. “She’s a fine woman. Educated. Well spoken. Driven. You did well bringing her here tonight.” Something in my chest tightened. “Does that mean you approve?” “Of course,” he said as if it had been a given. “Maisie will be a credit to this family. The boy is a breath of fresh air, too. It’s been too long since we’ve had a child running through this house.” I didn’t know what to say. Approval from my father wasn’t something I ever expected to get or even to care about again, but hearing it now, about Maisie, hit differently. Nodding as relief sw ept through my insides, I finally excused myself to go find them. By the time I made it outside, laughter was echoing across the back garden. Brody was darting across the lawn, hot on the heels of Jameson’s dog, Hooch, and some of the puppies he and Sadie were forever fostering. His sneakers kicked up divots of grass as Sadie cheered him on from the st eps. Maisie stood nearby with Laney and CC, her hair catching the glow of the porch lights as she smiled at something one of them said. I’d just started toward her when Sterling appeared at my side. As quiet as ever, his hands were tucked into his pockets. His eyes followed Brody’s chase across the yard. “You know, no one’s ever going to realize he’s your st epson. The two of you look so much alike.” I let out a laugh, though the thought caught strangely in my brain. “Do we? I actually thought he looked more like you.” “Nah.” Sterling shrugged, watching Brody a little more closely. “You’ve got the same eye shape and the same grin. It’s uncanny, really.” He gave my shoulder a quick pat. “I need to get Laney home before she collapses. She’s finally not feeling so darn sick all the time, but now, she’s got all this energy until
suddenly it runs out. Have a good one, Cal.” He took off toward her, but I stayed rooted where I was, watching Brody collapse into the grass with the puppies piling over him in a tangle of limbs and tails. Sterling’s words echoed in my head, sticking harder than they should have. We did look alike. More than a little, if I was being honest. I’d noticed it before, but it was suddenly taking up an enormous amount of space in my brain. It’s funny how life works, bringing Brody and me together when we look so much alike, but we’re not related at all. Just crazy, really.