Page 96 of Filthy Twisted Devil

“You owe me,” Jasper mutters, chugging his pitch-black coffee.

I roll my eyes. “You shared a room with Wade your whole childhood. Doing it again for a week isn’t going to kill you.”

“It’s not going to kill me,” he clarifies. “It’s Wade you have to worry about. He got on me this morning for not making my bed right. I had to listen to a whole lecture about hospital corners. If he keeps it up, he’s going to end up with my boot up his ass.”

“You can always pitch a tent in the backyard if you’re that annoyed with him,” I suggest. “But take it down by sunrise. I don’t want it in any wedding pictures.”

“The wedding is for one day, not a whole week.”

I ignore him. I know that when I asked to hold the wedding here, Jasper and Reed wouldn't realize that a wedding takes more than a day. There’s the rehearsal dinner, the brunch the morning after, and of course the bridal party will be staying longer. They never imagined they’d have to deal with more than twenty-four hours of visitors.

Wade, at least, went in with clear eyes. He might not be an event planner, but as a foreman, he's the closest thing in the house. He knows how hard it is to get people in and out of somewhere this remote, both staff and guests.

Still, Wade isn't exactly happy about giving up his guest house. We have multiple houses across the ranch for the seasonal staff to use. That was before more housing opened up a half-hour drive away. We still offer the houses to farm hands to stay in during our busy season, but they rarely take us up on it. I don’t blame them. The single apartment building and the trailer park over in the larger part of Sundre are close to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and our town’s single restaurant and bar.

Jasper is still complaining to nobody when I head out to make sure the houses are stocked and guest-ready.

Wade’s house is the closest to the main house. I put James, Maura, and Hazel in there, partly so they wouldn’t have to walk far if they needed help with the baby and partly because Wade is the neatest. As I expected, he made sure to leave the house pristine. He even changed the sheets and put out fresh towels, and I remind myself to hug him for being so helpful.

Despite his complaining, Jasper made sure the house he shares with Reed wasn’t a total disaster. I have to give the kitchen a wipe down, but the main spaces and Jasper's room were clean enough. Reed’s room, unfortunately, is a complete disaster. Clothes are strewn everywhere, and half the band posters he’s tacked to the wall are peeling at the edges. I don’t even want to know why he has a sword on the desk he stole from me. I just shut his door, and plan to tell Pippa and Ryan to stay clear.

It's a bit of a hike for me to get to the staff cottages. The smaller one has been renovated recently, with ivory walls and maple-washed wood. I suspect, based on the pink bedspread and matching curtains, my brothers have kept this house open for me, in case I ever planned to move back. A small pit forms in my stomach. The careful renovation is a gesture of love, one they must feel like I threw back in their faces. Just another reminder that I chose to leave them.

At least the house is perfect for Cat and Nate. Nate made sure to send baby supplies ahead, so I confirm that the bassinet and changing table are ready to go. I instructed Reed to set them up a few days ago, but it’s always 50-50 with him whether he’ll listen. In this case, he did me a solid.

The last house I've visited several times over the past few days. I transformed the largest cabin into a bridal suite, putting vases of wildflowers in every room and a handwritten note on Brinley’s pillow. I stocked the fridge and cabinet with all her favorite snacks, and made sure a guest room was photo-ready for bridal prep. I even hung up a white silk robe reading “bride” across the back. It’s exactly the kind of corny gift that Brinley will roll her eyes at but secretly love.

Once I’m satisfied with Beau and Brinley’s house, I let out a breath. The guests start arriving this afternoon, and we’re as ready as we’ll ever be.

I’ve set up the main house for a welcome party. The kitchen is fully stocked with drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and I can smell the burgers Wade’s grilling out back. Mom, Jasper, and even Reed are sitting on the front porch with me, waiting for our guests. Everyone flew together in James’s private jet, except for Luke, who had an Air Canada meeting and had to fly out the next day. I try not to let myself feel disappointed.

With each couple renting their own car, I’m not surprised that their arrivals are staggered based on driving style. The first car to come down the drive is a flashy Ferrari convertible, which I’m not surprised to see Ryan driving.

“I'm sorry I broke your gates,” he says by way of greeting, handing me a metal hinge. Jasper stares at him, horrified.

“I would offer to fix it, but I don’t want to make things worse than they already are,” Pippa says, then turns to my mom. “You must be Eden’s mother. She’s told me so much about you, Mrs. Locke.”

“You can just call me Rose,” Mom says.

Pippa leans down and folds Mom into a fierce hug, which makes her laugh and makes me love Pippa even more fiercely.

Jasper takes the hinge out of my hand. “I’ll be back,” he mutters, running into the house for his suitcase.

Nate and Cat arrive next in a sensible SUV. I jog down to help them with baby Sylvie.

“How was the drive?” I ask.

“As expected,” Nate replies.

“Seriously, as expected,” Cat tells me quietly, pointing to a printed-out list of directions by the dashboard. “He’s got printouts with the routes to the nearest hospital, by the way. He wants everyone to take a copy, just in case.”

I nod. “From him, I'd expect nothing less.”

Nate drives the many suitcases he packed over to their guest house while Cat joins the party. Mom melts when Cat hands Sylvie to her. “You’re just the sweetest little thing,” she coos. “You have the most perfect eyes in the world, and the most perfect tiny hands, and the most perfect smile!”

“There's still one more baby coming,” Reed reminds her. “Try and save a few superlatives for her.”

The whole group whoops when Beau and Brinley pull up in a pickup truck.