Page 10 of Just One Promise (The Carter Brothers 3)
“Oh yeah.” Audrey doesn’t seem nervous. I told her while we were in the kitchen earlier that this may seem too soon for most, but it’s not. It’s everything I could ever want. My heart and soul knew what it wanted the moment we locked eyes on the dance floor.
In one hand I have the platter, and my other hand is on the small of her back as we walk into what I know all too well will be chaos, but the best chaos you can have with our family.
Not knocking, we walk into Rome and Summer’s place. It’s more of a home now than ever, I can hear Sawyer and Parker in the distance.
“Hey,” I say as we walk into the kitchen, setting the platter down on the counter. I see my mom, Rome, Summer, Mason, Quinn, my nephews Sawyer and Parker, and my niece Alana. She’s my girl, and she knows it all too well. She toddles right up to my leg and lifts up her arms, I comply.
“Hey, baby girl,” I tell her as she snuggles into my chest, her head in the crook of my neck. Her thumb finds her mouth, turning to look at Audrey. Only then do I introduce her to everyone.
My breath stops, I see the look in her eyes, that soft feeling comes over me, and I know I’ll do anything to make Audrey never want to leave.
“Somebody’s tired,” Mason quips.
“Nah, she just loves her Uncle that much. Everyone, I’d like you to meet Audrey,” the arm not holding Alana, stays firmly on the small of Audrey’s back.
Mom is the first one to come up to us. She kisses my cheek and moves right to Audrey. “I’ve heard so much about you already, thank you for coming today, I’m Tina. You’ve met my boys already, but these are their wives, Summer and Quinn,” she hugs Audrey.
And this is why I fucking love my family. The girls come up and hug her too and then she’s whisked away to the back patio. I’m left with my brothers, mom, my nephews, and Alana, who’s still in my arms.
“Think he’s sunk Mason?” Rome chuckles.
“Like an anchor, brother. Like an anchor,” Mason replies. I grunt, not saying a word.
“My boys, when did you all grow up on me,” Mom says as she tries to not let tears shed from her eyes.
“Ah, fuck, Mom. You know I can’t handle your tears,” Rome goes to mom, hugging her.
“Rome! What have I told you about your mouth? How Summer deals with it, I’ll never know,” she admonishes.
“Summer likes my mouth just fine,” Rome replies, when he lets her go, a smile on his face.
Mom rolls her eyes, picking up what he’s laying down.
“Alright, let me take my girl and set her down for a nap,” Mason tells me.
“No way, it’s my time. She’s good where she’s at,” I move, turning away from him.
“Whatever, it’s your funeral when Quinn can’t get her down at bedtime. Be prepared.”
“Yeah, sure. Quinn loves me, she knows Alana loves me more, probably more than she loves you,” I joke.
“What the fuck ever, don’t spoil her with too much sugar. I’ll have your ass for that,” he grunts and leaves.
I take my time, talking to Alana, even though she doesn’t reply a lot, mainly she shakes her head no or tells me yes. When I see her eyes start to droop down, I take her to Parker’s room and lay her in his crib before going to rescue my woman from the herd.
16
Audrey
Heath’s family is just like him, welcoming and sweet, and he’s got a big family. Unlike my own family. My father raised me, he’s an only child, and unfortunately his parents had him late in life, so it’s just the two of us.
I’ve texted him, called him, and sent him pictures since I’ve been here. I even sent one of Heath and me. It was a photo of the two of us with the sun slowly rising in the background.
My dad, being his loving self, told me to be careful but have fun. He’s a free bird, as soon as I moved out, he sold our small home, and has been moving every year all around Europe. I love that he’s off galivanting the globe, but I miss him like crazy too. When I told him, I was taking a vacation, he wanted me to come to France with him, but he was in the midst of moving and it was going to be a hectic time.
Looking at Heath’s family, it makes me miss my dad though. I look around, Rome can’t keep his eyes off of Summer or their two children, his eyes always bouncing off one or the other. Mason always has a hand on Quinn since Heath took Alana the moment we got here. Speaking of that, I’m twenty-five years old, my ovaries should not be going into overdrive, and my mind should not be thinking what it would be like if we made a child of our own.
