Page 26 of Somehow You Knew

“But—” Dallas starts, but Mom cuts him off again.

“When you joined the Marines, even though your father didn’t agree with it, did I stop you?”

“No…”

She directs her gaze to my second oldest brother. “And when Penn took years to finally go after what he wanted with his business and Astrid, did I butt in?”

“Nope,” Penn replies.

“And when Parker told us all that he was engaged to his boss’s daughter—even though it was fake—did I add my two cents?”

“I mean, youdidyell at me after,” Parker interjects. “But you didn’t tell me what to do.”

She points at him. “Exactly. And it worked out in the end. Now, Hazel’s getting married to a man she just met. Instead of questioning it, we should all be celebrating!” She smiles and stands from her chair, heading toward the kitchen.

Parker leans toward Dallas and lowers his voice. “Is Mom drunk?”

“I heard that!” Mom calls out. “And no, I’m not!”

Not wanting this back and forth to continue, I finally stand from my chair. “Look, I know y’all still think of me as a little kid, but I’m a grown woman. And this is what I want.”

“Well, when do we get to meet him?” Willow asks, bouncing Michael up and down on her lap from her seat next to Dallas.

“I was thinking Michael’s birthday party, actually.”

“You’re going to introduce us to your husband-to-be at my son’s first birthday party?” Dallas glances back at his wife. “Are you okay with that?”

“As long as there’s no drama,Dallas.” She eyes him warily. “Can you be on your best behavior?”

He points a finger to his chest. “Me?”

“Yup.Andyou two.” Willow jerks her chin at Penn and Parker.

“What did I do?” Penn asks.

“Nothing yet. But I know you three. You’re going to go all big brother on this guy and try to intimidate him.” She hands a dinner roll to my nephew as he settles onto her lap. “If I have to wrangle you three instead of focus on my baby turning one, you will regret the days you were born.”

“I second that!” my mother calls out from the kitchen.

“Looks like I don’t have a say in the matter,” Dallas grumbles.

I cross my arms. “No, you don’t. I told you I’ve already made up my mind.”

“I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.” He looks at my other brothers. “Did you guys know?”

Penn and Parker both shake their heads.

“We weren’t dating,” I explain. “In fact, we just met this past week.”

Dallas stares at me like I’m a puzzle he can’t figure out. “And now you’remarryinghim?”

Sighing, I sit back down in my chair and prepare to tell my brother about the wealth I stand to inherit through this ordeal, but my nephew chooses that moment to throw his dinner rolls at his father’s head. The entire table bursts into laughter.

“I think that was your son’s way of telling you to lay off,” Willow says through a laugh. Then she turns to me. “Hazel, I just want to say that I’m happy for you since my husband clearly can’t.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. Besides, you know you’ll get your own inquisition from me, Astrid, and Cashlynn later without the boys around,” she says with a wink. Astrid and Cashlynn nod in agreement.

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