Carry Me Home (The Home Series: Book Three) (14 page)

“I don’t think she does,” he began and my stomach knotted when I realized he was going to tell his family.

“You let him answer for you?” Paul laughed, but I didn’t say anything.

“I don’t answer for her,” Evan said, eyeing his brother. “The reason I said that is,” Evan continued and I felt him reach under the table and take my hand I’d been trying hard to conceal, placing it for all to see on the tabletop. “Riley and I are getting married.”

The room went dead silent and as I looked around the table, Evan’s entire family was staring at me as they all sat motionless.

“You’re getting married?” Julie finally said and I noticed her expression wasn’t changing. 

“We got engaged when I went down to visit
last weekend,” Evan said and I waited for more reaction, but the table remained quiet until Julie slowly got up and walked over to Evan and I. 

“Well…congratulations,” she said, and I couldn’t help compare her reaction to my mom’s.  Her congratulation sounded obligatory and I hoped it was just due to surprise and not the fact she didn’t want Evan marrying me.  She leaned down and hugged me from my place still on the chair.  When she pulled back, she took my hand and looked down at the ring. “It’s a beautiful ring, Evan.  Nice work.”

She hugged Evan and the table came back to life. 

“Yes, congratulations,” Tom said, coming over to us and hugging both Evan and me.  Paul stood
up and shook Evan’s hand and then turned to me.

“I just met you tonight, Riley, but welcome to the family,” he said, leaning in for a hug.

“Thanks, Paul,” I said as everyone returned to their seats and continued eating quietly for a few minutes until Evan’s mother started talking.

“Have you thought about when the wedding might be?” Julie asked and I saw how she was addressing Evan and not me.

“We haven’t discussed it much yet,” Evan said, looking over to me. “We’re thinking it’ll be after Riley graduates.”

“Well, we’ll have to get planning then so I can book the club,” Julie said, tak
ing a bite of her pot roast.  I glanced over to Evan, wondering what club she was talking about. “Speaking of the club,” she continued. “We’ll go there for dinner tomorrow to celebrate.  Dinner and dancing will be fun,” Julie continued and I hoped my cringe wasn’t obvious when I realized she must be talking about a country club.

Evan was looking at me again, this time wanting my approval.  I couldn’t say no.  That would be rude and not the best sta
rt to my relationship with my future mother-in-law, so I nodded and smiled.

“Sounds good,” I said and continued with my meal.

Chapter Nineteen

I hadn’t planned on dinner and dancing at Evan’s family
’s country club, therefore, I hadn’t packed anything that would be fitting.  We made an unexpected trip to the mall and I found a cute pink dress that I figured would work.  Julie asked us to meet at the club at six o’clock and after we were both ready, me in my new dress, my hair tied up into a loose bun with a few wispy pieces framing my face, and Evan in a black suit, we headed out. 

Evan told me not to be intimidated, but I was when we pulled into the parking lot and I saw the impeccable white building at the end of the perfect green grass.  I held onto Evan’s hand as we entered the
upscale club and walked into the dining room, greeted by music and people dancing.  Evan knew exactly where he was going because we weaved through the tables effortlessly and a moment later, we were with his family.  His parents and brother were waiting for us and I put on my best smile as we sat down.

“You look lovely, Riley,” Julie said and I instantly felt more at ease.  She seemed warmer tonight, no doubt due to the ability to process our news for twenty-four hours.

“Thank you,” I replied just as a waiter in black pants and a white shirt and black tie approached the table, wanting to take our drink orders.  Julie insisted I splurge and have a glass of wine.  I didn’t want to argue, so I agreed and a couple of minutes later, I was sipping on a glass of chardonnay and ordering the New York strip. 

“So, Riley,” Julie began. “You have another year of college, correct?” I nodded and she continued. “And what are you studying again?”

“Physical therapy.”

“Interesting field,” she said, taking a sip of her wine. “What do you want to do with it?”

“I haven’t decided exactly.  I’m thinking I may look into something with Veteran’s Affairs,” I said and noticed the surprised look on Evan’s face.  I hadn’t told him about Jesse’s idea and I really hadn’t given it much thought since he’d suggested it, but it just slipped out and I realized how much I liked the idea of it.

“Really?” she asked, looking genuinely interested. “What prompted an interest in the VA?”

“A friend of mine suggested it.  We have a good friend who lost a leg during a tour in Afghanistan.  I think I might want to help people like my friend.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea,
” Julie said and I just nodded.

“Thanks
,” I said as a server appeared with our food. 

I was quiet as we ate, half-listening to what they were all saying.  I finished my steak, which I had to adm
it was a little dry considering this was supposed to be some hoity toity country club in addition to the fact that Kansas City was supposed to be renowned for its beef, and then excused myself to the bathroom. 

As I walked the halls, searching for the restroom, I looked around and knew it
would be a perfect place for a reception.  It had a Victorian feel that reminded me a bit of New England and I found it odd to find that familiarity in Kansas City.  Still, even if it had the high end feel of a place I always thought I’d get married in, part of me found it difficult to think about getting married anywhere but Carver.  I had too many memories there.  It was the place that felt like home, but then I stopped in front of a large oil painting of the Kansas countryside and realized even though it felt like home, it couldn’t remain my home, not if I was marrying Evan.  Carver offered nothing for us in the way of our future and I was surprised when the painting became blurry by the tears that started forming unexpectedly in my eyes.  I didn’t dare blink because I knew they would spill down my cheeks, destroying my make-up and basically forming a target on my face that would tell Evan I’d been crying.  Instead, I walked quickly into the bathroom and shut myself into a stall, grabbing some toilet paper and dabbing at my eyes.  I didn’t even know where the tears had come from.  I looked down at my dress and shook my head at the fact that I was locked in one of the fanciest bathroom stalls I’d ever seen and I suddenly longed for a pair of cut offs and flip-flops while flying through the summer air as my hair whipped around me on the back of a quad, a fire crackling in the distance as train whistles and country music serenaded me. 

I wasn’t bac
k in Carver though.  I was in Kansas City and I couldn’t stay in the bathroom forever, so I took a deep breath and left the safety of the stall.  I washed my hands and looked in the mirror as I straightened my hair and checked my teeth before leaving the bathroom. 

As I got closer to the dining room, I heard muffled voices around a corner I was nearing.  I recognized one of them as Evan’s and I slowed down.  I knew I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help myself as Evan’s voice and the other voice, which I identified as his mother
’s, got clearer.  I stopped, hovering near the safety of the wall that separated us, hoping they wouldn’t hear me. 

“I just want you to be sure about this, Evan,” I heard his mother’s voice say.  She was trying to speak quietly, but it wasn’t
quiet enough and I could hear every word.

“I am sure.”

“You’re only twenty-two.  You just graduated from college.  You don’t need to settle down right away.”

“Mom, please.  I wouldn’t have asked Riley to marry me if I wasn’t serious about this.  I love her.”

I felt myself take in a quiet breath as I waited for her response.

“I know you love her,” Julie continued and I could hear determination in her voice. “I just don’t want you doing anything you’ll regret.  I wish you’d just think about it. 
Just slow down a little.”

Even though Evan was trying to dissuade his mother’s doubts, it hurt knowing she needed dissuading.  It would be hard having a good relationship with a mother-in-law who never wanted me to marry her son in the first place.  I waited anxiously to see how Evan would respond to Julie and I got nervous as it seemed to take him forever to answer. 

“The only thing I’ll regret is not marrying her.  Now let’s get back to the table,” he said and then I heard their footsteps walking away.  I waited for a few moments and just stood there, trying not to let his mother’s words get to me.  I understood her concern.  I’m sure my mom felt the same way, but it still didn’t make it any easier to hear. 

Chapter Twenty

The trip to Kansas City hadn’t been horrible…well, maybe getting to know Julie better had been horrible, but now that Evan’s family knew and my family knew, it was official and Evan couldn’t have been more anxious.  I, on the other hand, was still getting used to the idea of getting married.  I felt guilty a
bout not being as excited as Evan and now that I was back in Carver, I was lonely.  My mom was out with Jack, my grandmother was gone, my fiancé was four hours away and my friends were all living their own lives.  As I looked around the old farm house, I knew there was no reason to stay here.  My life wasn’t in Carver anymore.  It hadn’t been since I left for college.  Kansas City wasn’t that bad either.  It was a big city with culture and great restaurants and entertainment.  While it wasn’t Boston, it had the atmosphere I longed for when I first came to Kansas.  Maybe spending the summer in Kansas City was exactly what I needed.  I could focus on Evan, the way it’d been when we’d been in Manhattan, and I could finally close the chapter on my life in this tiny town I’d once despised.  It could just be the town I came back to to visit my family and look back on the good and not so good memories I had here. 

My phone beeped, seeming extra loud in the empty house, and I grabbed it off the coffee table.  It was from Jesse and I don’t know why it caused me to smile before reading it, but it did. 

JESSE:
BRANDON & MANDY ARE MEETING OVER AT MY HOUSE TO HANG OUT.  WE’RE ORDERING PIZZA. WANNA COME?

I didn’t even have to think twice before I responded back.

ME:
SURE. 

JESSE:
SEE YA IN 30.

I got my butt off the couch and went upstairs to get ready.  I’d been slumming it in a pair of yoga pants and a threadbare t-shirt I’d thrown on after work.  I exchanged it for a pair of cut-offs and a vintage looking red t-shirt and then looked in the mirror.  I ran a brush through my hair, pulling through the mats that had formed as I’d lounged on the couch, the back of my head pressing into the cushions.  Once it was smooth again, I brushed on a little mascara and blush and then texted my mom to tell her I was going out, before heading over to Jesse’s place. 

When I pulled in, I saw Mandy’s car was already there and figured Brandon was probably with her.  As I walked towards the shed, I could hear music flowing from inside.  I thought it was Luke Bryan, but I wasn’t sure.  Jesse would be ashamed if he knew my knowledge of country music was still as pathetic as it’d been before he left. 

I walked into the shed and heard pool balls clanking over the music and the smell of pizza wafting from the game room in the back.  I headed towards it just in time to see Brandon sink a solid red ball into the corner pocket.  He looked up at me and then smiled smugly as he balanced his pool cue on the floor.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?” I asked him and he just continued to grin as he motioned towards the couch with
his eyes.  Mandy was sitting there, arms folded as she glared at me.

“Someo
ne’s not too happy with you,” Brandon said and I heard Jesse laugh as he lined himself up for a shot.

“
I’ve never really been mad at you, Riley,” Mandy began. “Not even when you left Carver without telling us.  Nope.  I’ve never been mad…not until right now.”

“I take it Jesse told you?” I said, looking over to him, but he just kept focusing on the pool table.

“Yes.  Jesse told me.”

“Sorry.  I thought you would’ve told her by now,”
he said as he attempted to hit a striped green ball into a side pocket.

“I had to hear it from Jesse.  Not from you and that is why I’m mad at you.  How could you not tell me?  It’s been like a week since you got engaged and I had to find out from
Jesse
of all people…which is totally weird in its own right.  Why didn’t you tell me?” she continued to pester in the high-pitched voice she always used when she was really annoyed.

“I haven’t really told anyone.  I’m sorry.”

“And why not?  This is incredible news!  You’re the first of us to get married.  You should be shouting it from the rooftops.”

“I’m not married yet,” I laughed.

“Don’t be dumb.  You know what I mean.  This is fantastic.  We have so much to start talking about. I mean…I’m assuming I’ll be a bridesmaid, and Laura and Holly too.  We’ve got to get them both down here so we can start planning.”

“Take a breath, Mandy,” I laughed and she just rolled her eyes. “But, yes,” I said, trying to appease her. “Let’s try and get everyone together and we can do some planning.”

I could tell by the way she looked at me, she still wanted to be upset at me, but she cracked a little smile and nodded in a way that told me she was already in the process of figuring out how to get everyone to Carver.

“Speaking of planning, my mom’s wedding is
sneaking up on me.  How much do I have to pay you guys to help me with the centerpieces?” I said, looking around at the three of them.

“No charge,” Brandon said as he leaned in to take another shot.

“You know we’re here to help,” Mandy said. “Besides, it’ll give us some practice for your wedding.”

“I’m in,”
Jesse added.

“Thanks.  I appreciate it.”

“Let’s go get some drinks for everyone.  We were just waiting for you to get here to start eating,” Mandy said and then walked over to Brandon, taking him by the arm. “Gimme a hand.”

I was surprised that Brandon didn’t protest and instead, followed her obediently to the house, leaving just Jesse and me
and the soft croonings of Rascal Flatts.

“Help
yourself to some pizza,” he said as he hung up his pool stick and I walked over, grabbing a plate and placing a piece of pepperoni on it before sitting down on the old couch that had been in the room for as long as I’d known Jesse. 

“S
o, how was your trip?” he asked, getting himself a slice too.

“Um…it was okay.”

“Are you sure?  Because I used to know you pretty well and whenever you used um in a sentence, it wasn’t a good sign.”

He hesitated for a moment, but then he sat down on the couch too, making sure to leave a cushion between us. 

“I’m just trying to get used to this whole engagement thing.”

“What’s there to get use
d to?  He asked you to marry him and you said yes.”

I couldn’t tell if I imagined the edge in his voice or not.

“It’s just a lot to think about.  There’s so much planning and there are decisions to be made.” My voice was hasty, I knew that, but it was just pouring from my mouth. “Evan’s mom wants us to get married at their country club and Evan’s already talking about booking our engagement photos and I have to decide if I’m going to move in with Evan in Kansas City for the rest of the summer like he wants me to and to top it all off, I really don’t think Evan’s mom likes me.”

“Hey,” Jesse
said, his voice sweet and soothing and it caused me to stop and take a breath. “Slow down.  You’re rambling and just like with your use of um, rambling tells me you’re stressing out.”

“You think you still know me so well,” I said, glancing over to him and he looked taken aback, but then I smiled. “You probably do.”

“Then just slow down.  If you wanna talk, I’m here.”

“I don’t want to burden you with my problems,” I said and then stopped and looked at him again.
“If you could even call them problems.  I mean real problems are not having enough food or money or a place to live.  I’d hardly call my issues problems.”

“If they’re stressing you out then they’re problems and you need to talk about them.”

I turned my body to face Jesse and I was reminded of our relationship before everything went down with Alex…before we were a couple…before he broke my heart…when we were merely friends…best friends.  I could talk to him about anything and he always knew what to say.

“It was just weird…hanging out with Evan’s family.  Telling them made it even more real.” I was twisting at the ring on my left hand nervously.

“Riley,” he began and I could tell he was proceeding with caution. “Do you want to get married?”

“What?” I exclaimed. “Of course I want to get married.” I knew I was glaring at him, but he was probably used to it.  I’d often glared at him when he was trying to get into my head.

“Then what’s the big deal about all the planning and stuff?  That’s what happens when you get married.”

“You don’t think I know that?” I spat at him.

“It’s nice to see how easily you’ve regained your ability to jump down my throat.” He started laughing and I couldn’t help it when I started laughing too.

“I’m sorry,” I s
aid. “I guess I’m just nervous is all.”

“Of course you are.  Anything unknown is scary,” he said and I had a feeling he wasn’t only talking about my wedding. “It’ll all work out though,” he said and then paused for a moment before continuin
g. “Why do you think his mom doesn’t like you?”

I sighed and leaned back onto the couch,
turning my head to look at him.

“I overheard a conversation between them.  She told him she didn’t want him to do anything he’d regret.”

“And what’d he say?”

“He said the only thing he’d regret is not marrying me.”

Jesse didn’t say anything for a while and I watched him out of the corner of my eye.  He was thinking about something and I would’ve loved to have been able to get inside his mind and find out what it was. 

“Regret,” was all he said and it grew quiet again for a few moments before he leaned back and turned his hea
d to me, our eyes meeting. “Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.”

“That quote is so cliché.  You don’t really believe that, do you?” I said quickly.

“Yes, I do,” he answered and as I looked into his familiar eyes, I wondered if maybe I did too.  All of the pain from the summer his dad died came washing over me like an open wound.  I felt the tear in my heart as I read the letter that told me he was leaving as if it were yesterday.  I’d been shattered when he left because I’d never loved anyone so deeply or so completely.  And then I thought of the good times we shared…the almost magical times.  I knew people spent a lifetime searching for even a minute of the happiness I’d shared with Jesse and I wondered if the quote might be true after all.  Would I trade what I’d shared with Jesse to avoid the hurt and sorrow his leaving had given me?  No.  I knew I wouldn’t change it for anything, because despite the pain, I knew he’d loved me and I knew part of him probably still did, even though life had had other plans for us. 

“I guess m
aybe I do too,” I said quietly and then he sat up, peering out the door.

“Seriously, where are they with those drinks?”

“Let’s just go inside and get some ourselves,” I suggested.

“Good idea,” he said and I followed him out of the shed.

When we walked into the house, I expected to find Brandon and Mandy, but it was quiet and Jesse and I looked at each other curiously. 

“Where the hell are they?” he asked, peeking his head into the living room and then down the hallway.

“Any sight of ‘em?” I asked and he shook his head.

He reached into the fridge and handed a soda can to me and then got one for himself before we headed back outside.  We’d only taken a few steps away from the house when a soft giggle caused us both to stop.

“Did you hear that?” he asked.

“Yeah.
  It sounded like Mandy.”

Jesse didn’t say anything, but he turned in the opposite direction of the shed and headed towards the side of the house.  As we got closer, I heard rustling, like feet scraping against dirt and rocks and then a squeal and Jesse and I looked at each other knowing it was definitely Mandy.  Jesse raised his eyebrows and shot me a playful grin, encouraging to me to follow.  When we turned the corner, we both stopped when we were greeted with the image of Mandy leaning against the siding, Brandon’s arms around her.  As they kissed, it looked as if it’d been a while since they’d come up for air. 

Jesse cleared his throat, but as I looked at him, I could tell he was trying not to laugh.  Their heads jerked up and they stared at us, looking guilty as sin.  Mandy looked mortified, and while Brandon looked embarrassed, there was also a smugness on his face, so typically Brandon.

“Looks like we’ve been caught,” he smiled while Mandy hid her face in his chest.

“And how long has this been going on?” Jesse asked.

“Yeah,” I added. “Is this a new thing or are you two involved in some torrid love affair?”

Mandy finally revealed her face, but she didn’t look at us.  She was looking at Brandon and she was smiling at him. 

“Well, I’m not sure
I’d call it torrid,” Brandon said. “But it is pretty hot.”

Mandy finally pulled away from the wall and linked hands with Brandon.