Page 85 of Damien
Beatrice stops his brooding in an instant. “Boy, don’t look at us like that. You know better, and you shouldn’t worry. We like Vanessa, and we’re just havin’ a moment here—before you so rudely interrupted. You get off your high horse and let us finish.”
Damien ignores the matriarchs in the room as he focuses on me. “You’re okay?”
Nodding quickly, I blurt out, “Yes. Grandma’s right. We’re just having a moment. You can just go away and stop worrying.” I smile at his overprotectiveness, and an unshed tear breaks free and rolls down my face.
Gah, what is it with this family? They’re making me so emotional. Quickly, I brush it away and attempt to deflect, “Is Julia being good with your dad and brothers?”
“Don’t worry about her,” Daisy assures me. “Davis is a med student, and this isn’t Trent’s first rodeo. If he survived Dani, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“Speaking of Dani,” Damien changes the subject. “She’s the one who planned this little reunion. Why in the world is she in Tacoma?”
I swear, I see something flit across Daisy’s features, but it’s gone so quickly, I could’ve imagined it. “She’ll be here tomorrow. She’s left strict instructions to be ready by noon for the photographer. We’re meeting over at Luke’s to do our family photoshoot on his beach.”
“I still don’t see what the fuss is with suits,” Damien grumbles.
Beatrice chimes in, “Hey, mister-too-big-for-my-britches, I for one can’t wait to see us all in our Sunday best. I’m not gonna be around forever, ya know. So pipe down and let me enjoy this.”
“Geez, Grandma. No need to lay it on so thick. Dani’s just extremely vague and has been ghosting me when I text her these past few days.”
“You know Dani. She’s probably working hard. You know how stuck in her head she gets,” Daisy explains.
“That’s an understatement,” Damien grumbles as he shakes his head. “I’d better grab the drinks and get back out there.”
Seeing his hands are full, I offer, “Here, let me help you.”
Before leaving, I turn to Beatrice and place a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you. I appreciate what you said earlier.”
“It’s not a problem. Now go enjoy that sweet girl of yours. We’ll be out in a bit to join you.”
I’m surprised to find a large deck with an enormous yard beyond it. Julia’s playing on a rope swing that looks like it’s seen better days. But the rope looks sturdy enough for what she’s doing, so I let that worry go.
Sipping on my bottled water, I take in Damien and his brothers as I listen to their steady conversation. It’s evident they’re related. Each is well over six-feet tall. They all have the same shade of brown hair, but each is styled uniquely to himself. Their family traits also include broad shoulders and square chins. Damien’s hair is tight on the sides, but a bit longer on the top. Davis looks the most like Damien, but he’s skinnier, and his hair is cropped short. Derek, on the other hand, has longer hair and is bulkier than the rest, but the similarities remain. With all these handsome men in the family, I wonder what their sister looks like.
It's interesting to see their family dynamics. It’s been Vince and me for so long, I find it entertaining to see how the nuances of a large family play out. There’s laughter, ribbing, and jokes to go around but under it all, I can tell they care for one another. Their antics may be loud and boisterous, but as time goes on, they subtly check in on one another and have meaningful conversations among themselves.
“How’s the house coming along, Dame?” Trent asks with interest.
Damien fills him in on the remodel. His brothers interject here and there to ask questions, and since I already know most of this, I focus my attention on Jules. I can see her smile from here as she swings back and forth. She’s thoroughly entertained, and I can feel her joy from here.
Damien must notice because he whispers, “Don’t worry, I tried that thing out myself. If it can hold me, I’m sure she’s safe.”
That would’ve been a sight to see. Yet, my chest tightens over his simple gesture all the same.
“Oh, I wasn’t worried,” I admit.
“That thing was around when we were kids. We were placing bets on which one of us would break it—but no such luck,” Derek admits.
“It may have been my suggestion,” Trent interjects. “Though I had nothing to do with the bets these fools placed. I didn’t want that sweet little girl getting hurt. Though I’m sure she got quite a laugh watching these idiots do their best to break it. I think it’s safe to say that rope isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Speaking of going places…” Derek pipes in. “How long is your job at CRU?”
“It’s scheduled to last a year, so I’ll be done next spring.”
“Then where are you heading off to? Is that project in New York still the next viable option?”
My heart sinks to my stomach at the thought of him leaving—period. But New York? Why hasn’t he told me anything about this?
I feel Damien’s eyes on me as I focus intently on the suddenly fascinating water bottle in my hands. I can’t look up if I tried, in fear of showing the thousands of thoughts racing through my mind.
