When I'm with You (Hope Town #3)(14)

Dani breaks away and gives me a hug before pulling me forward. Megan smiles and gives me a hug as I walk by, and then Stella, Lyn, and Lila are next before my sister gives me one of her bear hugs that I swear cracks a rib every time.

“About time you got here!” she yells after backing away.

“Don’t start. Dad was in the driveway when I pulled up.”

She laughs, and the others follow suit. “I told you. Over the shoulder threats are never made lightly by him.”

“Yeah, yeah … what did I miss?”

“Oh, nothing,” she says sweetly, a little too sweetly.

“We’re planning Saturday night,” Dani says, earning a scowl from my sister.

“And that would be the party I didn’t ask for?”

She nods, and I see the others’ smiles grow. Shit … this can’t be good.

“Would anyone care to fill me in?”

Each of them barks out a ‘no’ at the same time, and I narrow my eyes. No one moves to speak, but Stella starts laughing so hard that I worry she might fall into the lake.

“I’m not sure I like the way this is going right now,” I admit, feeling even more uneasy about the weekend plans I don’t want.

“Well, you don’t even need to worry about a thing. We’ve got it covered from your makeup and hair, all the way down to what underwear you’re wearing under the dress we’ve already bought. All you have to do is show up at Dani’s house to get ready around dinnertime Saturday.”

I narrow my eyes at my sister, but before I can speak, Axel bellows out that it’s time to eat. “This conversation isn’t done,” I threaten, but they all wave me off as they start to walk up to where the food is being set out on one of the custom-made buffet-style bars that line the Reid’s outdoor kitchen of sorts.

I do my best to ignore the huge six-foot-four man wearing a tutu as I fix my plate and wedge myself between Cam and Colt at the large table. I swear this thing is big enough to fit a whole football team, but even with all that space, I feel like nowhere is far enough away with Nate here.

My eyes never leave my plate, but I see him sit down across from me next to his sister and Cohen. I can see him out of the corner of my eye bend down to kiss his nephew, Owen, before looking back in my direction.

Conversation flows easily when we’re all together. Typical catching up on what everyone has been doing. When Melissa, Greg’s wife and Cohen’s mom, asks about my art exhibition coming up, I finally look up.

“It’s already looking to be pretty big. From what the owner of the gallery has said, there are already whispers of a few pieces that she anticipates will sell quickly.”

“That’s wonderful, Ember!” she praises. “You know we’re all going to be there.”

“Hell yeah, we are,” my sister yells from the other end of the long table.

“Maddisyn Locke,” I hear my mom scold. “Children at the table.”

I watch Maddi raise one perfect brow at her, and I know she’s about to throw some of what my dad calls sass. “Need I point out that these children have heard much worse from every person in attendance, especially all you elders?”

I hear a grumbled ‘sass’ from the end my father is sitting at, and my mother just laughs.

“Nate, how are things going at the club?” Asher’s wife, Chelcie, asks.

I look back at my plate but listen for his answer. Truth be told, I’ve been curious about this new project of his. But not enough to ask anyone openly about it. I’ve followed the news on social media, which it seems like you see something everywhere. Every local radio station is plugging the opening of Dirty Dog, but no one knows much besides it being billed as the biggest thing to happen to the Atlanta area club scene in decades. All everyone sees are the pictures of the old Club Carnal, what used to be a popular club years and years ago, transformed into a huge and breathtaking mix of class and rustic flair. Everything on the outside has been pictured everywhere. The huge warehouse covered in brick is now painted black with steel accents. When the Dirty Dog logo went up, in all its bright red glory, it popped so brightly it demanded attention.

“Sold out every weekend for the next three months. We didn’t do tickets for the weekday nights, but I’m pretty confident that it will be crowded. Or hopeful, at least.”

“Well, isn’t that lovely,” she says, looking over at where Nate’s mom, Izzy, is sitting across from her. I don’t miss the look that passes between them, but it shocks me to see the worry on his mother’s face.

Worry? Anyone with eyes and ears can see the hype surrounding his grand opening is going to carry for a damn long time. If I let myself, I would feel so much pride for him.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“You going to dress up like a fairy on opening night too, little princess?” His sister laughs at him but snaps her mouth shut when he turns slowly to face her.

Cohen, not ever one to miss anything, takes his son from Dani’s arms just as Nate stands from the table. He bends his tutu-covered waist and pulls his sister from the table before tossing her over his shoulder.

“You big jerk! Let me down, Nate! Daddy, tell Nate to leave me alone!”

“Nate, leave your sister alone.” He complies, stuffing another piece of steak in his mouth and not even looking in their direction.