Page 100 of A Duke for Stealing
“Indeed,” Alistair agreed. “Here’s to outgrowing boyhood and becoming men.”
They tipped their glasses toward one another and drank to the two toasts. No longer afraid of over-imbibing, much like he used to, Everett had laced the lemonade with Bourbon. It felt good to be able to have a drink with his friends once again, while also remaining the responsible and caring father and husband he had become. Balance, he discovered, was not as difficult as he’d always feared. As long as those who kept the balance were worth it.
Rose and his niblings? They are worth more than anything in the world. Everett lifted his head to the joyful sounds of giggling and looked across the patio where he and his friends were standing, onto the lawn. He took in the beautiful sight of his nieces playing croquet with Rose, Theo, Ophelia, Seraphina, Amelia —and even Betty.
Like him, Rose’s mother had been through quite a transformation herself. As far as he knew, the matriarch had not touched a drop of alcohol in months- or a man. The rumors of her promiscuity had dwindled to almost nothing, and she had become much closer to Rose and his niblings.
He had heard that their first introduction to Betty had been unpleasant, but now the girls always crowed with glee when Betty visited them in Stapleton.
“You can do it, grandmama!” Diana urged Betty presently. “Just one more swing and you shall put our team in the lead!”
Everett watched, amused, as Betty’s expression grew into one of great concentration, and whacked her ball. She missed, and though she frowned, Diana, Rose, and Amelia all assured her that all was not lost.
“Alright, my little spitfire, it is your turn,” Ophelia said to Leah.
Everett’s smile grew as Leah absolutely beamed, taking her stance by her ball. All of Rose’s friends seemed to adore Diana and Leah, but it seemed that Leah and Ophelia had become the quickest of friends. His niece’s fiery spirit was brought out even more when Ophelia was around, and Ophelia seemed to adore growing that brilliant flame within Leah.
“Your nieces seem quite taken with their new aunts,” Tristan said at Everett’s side, “Though I watch Leah with Ophelia. Before you know it, the woman will have the young girl espousing matters of equal rights.”
Everett laughed as he watched Leah score another point for her team.
“I am afraid that will happen either way,” Everett replied, as Leah’s team hailed her with support for her good shot. “Leah certainly has a stubbornness to her that far surpasses Diana’s. I must admit, though, I quite like how she questions things. It will make her strong.”
It was Rose’s turn now, and Everett focused on watching his wife line up her pink ball. His smile widened as he watched her fall into deep concentration as she readied her shot. He rather loved the way he wiggled her hips a little every time she was about to swing her mallet.
She moved through her swing, and Everett couldn’t help but join in their gleeful shouts as she scored a point. Rose’s face turned to him as he heard her congratulations, and the smile she made his heart swell with love. Never.Nevercould he have predicted that he would love someone so entirely. Yet once he stopped fighting his feelings, it became the easiest thing in the world.
It had been four months since they’d made their own vows every morning, every night, and every second available in between, and thus far, they had not broken them. Even now, with all of their friends around, Everett was trying to work out a way to steal her back to their shared quarters for a little mid-day romance.
“You do know we all know what that look on your face means,” Dominic stated, stirring Everett from his thoughts.
“Yes, I am well aware of what that obsession feels like,” Hugo remarked with a knowing smirk.
“Shall we take your niblings and their new aunties for a stroll to the lake so you and your wife may have a moment alone?” Alistair goaded.
Even though he knew his friends were teasing, he was very much tempted to say yes.
“Do not threaten me with opportunity,” Everett chuckled, raising a challenging brow to his friends, “For Iwilltake it.”
While Everett, Dominic, Hugo, and Alistair laughed, Tristan frowned.
“God, if this is what marriage does to a man, then I am grateful to have stepped around it,” he stated.
“Oh, come now,” Everett insisted, turning to his friend, “You? Out of all of us sinners, are there any that shall not be married? I do not believe it. You are the saintliest out of the five of us.”
“I would take offense to that,” Dominic spoke up, “If that were not precisely true.”
“Here, here,” Hugo murmured.
“I do not agree at all, as I believe I was quite the saint before I joined this sinful group,” Alistair remarked.
They all looked at him with raised brows, and then the five of them burst into laughter.
“Seriously, though,” Everett went on after they got their chuckle in, “Tristan? You will not look for a wife? With your golden reputation, your options would be limitless.”
Tristan grew unusually somber at the question and stared down into his drink.
“It is a matter for another time,” he stated quietly. “When there is much less at stake.”
