Page 65 of Letters of Faith
I snap the towel at her legs like she did mine earlier until she’s running out of the kitchen, her hair flying behind her as she giggles.
Fifteen minutes later, she returns with her makeup done and a dress that nearly makes me swallow my tongue.
She grins when she sees me staring. The little vixen—she knew exactly what that dress would do to me.
“You look beautiful, Peach,” I say, stepping towards her to kiss her and maybe run my fingers through her hair to mess it up a little, but the doorbell rings before I can make it to her.
“Showtime,” she says. “Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” I grumble.
I follow behind her as we walk to the door, and when we are in the foyer, I stop right behind her, placing my hand on her shoulder as she opens the door. We’re a united front, ready to take on the people in our lives together. It’s nice having her on my side—or rather by myside because there’s a difference. Even with Nate here, she was always on my side—Nate was too, but now she’s standing by my side as my girl, and that’s so much better. I just wish it didn’t have to mean that Nate is gone, too.
Ellie and Harper stand on my front porch, waiting to come in. Ellie’s smile is genuine as she looks between Georgia and me, but Harper looks like she’s stepped on a rotten egg. Her nose is scrunched up in disgust, and not for the first time, I’d like to knock that look off her face, but instead, I paste on a smile as I wave Ellie into the house. When Harper passes by, I let it drop into a sneer.
“Your home is so nice, Grayson,” Ellie says, looking around the foyer.
“Thank you. Georgia decorated it,” I say, pulling Georgia to my side.
“Of course she did,” Harper mutters under her breath.
“What was that, Harper? I don’t think I heard you correctly. Were you telling Georgia how great of a job she did?” There’s none of the niceness I had for Ellie in my voice. Instead, it’s ice cold. This is one time I will let my anger show. Ellie allows Harper to get away with a lot of things because she feels sorry for her. She hated that she couldn’t make her husband stay around for her kids, but I don’t care what Harper’s excuse is. She’s not going to talk to Georgia like that in my house.
Harper sends me a glare but otherwise remains silent.
Georgia clears her throat and steps forward to Ellie. “Here,” she says, taking the dish that’s in Ellie’s arm. “I’ll take that and show you to the kitchen.”
Ellie follows her, chattering about the house as they go. I stay where I am, crossing my arms as Harper watches them go. It’s time this little problem Harper has is taken care of once and for all. When Georgia and Ellie disappear into the kitchen, Harper turns her attention back to me, glaring.
Lowering my voice, I say, “This is how this evening—and really anyother interaction you have with Georgia—is going to go, so listen to me closely because I won’t repeat myself. From now on, you’re going to treat Georgia with respect. You’re going to drop this attitude that everyone owes you something because they don’t—especially Georgia. It’s not her fault Nate loved her, and it’s not her fault that Nate died. So grow up and get over it because if you don’t, you will see a side of me you haven’t. I’ve let you be a brat because you’re Nate’s little sister, but that good grace is gone. Test me if you want to, but you won’t like it.”
Her eyes are angry, and her nostrils flare as she steps right up to me. She’s significantly shorter than I am, so she has to look up to talk to me, ruining any power she thought she held.
“You better watch yourself, Grayson. I know more than you think I do.” She twirls on her heel and stomps away from me.
There’s another knock at the door, and this time, it’s Georgia’s parents, with Brooks, Kip, Emryn, and Avery standing behind them. I didn’t think I’d ever see the day I’d welcome the presence of my brother and father, but here it is. Hopefully, they will serve as a barrier to Harper’s attitude. Stepping aside, I motion for the group to file in.
“Georgia is in the kitchen,” I say to her parents. Her dad claps me on the back as he walks by, but her mom stops right in front of me.
“It’s nice to see you, Mrs. Williams.”
“Oh, hush,” she says, wrapping her arms around me and holding me tight. My body stiffens involuntarily, but I didn’t expect this from her. She’s not typically an affectionate woman. She loves Georgia, but the woman knows how to wear a stern face. “Thank you for bringing my daughter back to me.”
It’s a whisper in my ear, but I can feel those words through my whole body. A knot sticks in my throat, so instead of responding, I nod. She gives one short jerk of her head before stepping back and following her husband to the kitchen.
Brooks is next through the door, making smooching noises as he passes. I stick my foot out again to trip him, but he notices this time, jumping over it and laughing. Avery follows her daddy and shakes her head, scolding me with a, “That wasn’t very nice,” and a wag of her finger. Emryn follows the pair, laughing at their antics and kissing me as she passes.
Kip is the last person to enter, and he waits inside the foyer as I close the door. His hands are shoved in his pockets as he stares at the floor. When he raises his eyes to me, there are tears in them.
“Thank you for the invite, Son,” he says, emotion clogging his voice, and oddly, it doesn’t make me want to rage against him.
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Voices and laughter surround me at my dining room table. When I bought it, Georgia advised me to buy a big one so it could be filled with friends and family. At the time, I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I didn’t think there would be a day when more than three seats would be filled, but as I look around, I’m glad I took her advice.
Georgia stands and starts to clear the table, and I stand with her, moving to help.
“You cooked. I’ll clear the table. Sit,” I demand, taking the plates from her hand. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Brooks make eye contact with Kip and dip his head towards me.
