Part 41 (1/2)
”G.o.d, you're just like Mom,” Maggie grumbled as she returned to her seat and put her seat belt on.
”Thank you.”
”I'm buckled, Mom, now tell me your news.”
When Jill hesitated, Kate filled in the gap. ”She's doing the horizontal bop with Reid's son, Ashton.”
”Kate!”
”What? It's true!”
”Shut the front door!” Maggie said. ”A father and son? What about me? Is there one left for me?”
Jill and Kate laughed. ”We've got them all,” Kate said. ”Sorry.”
”You two were never very good at sharing.”
”Don't pout, Maggie,” Jill said. ”There's a whole crop of Southern boys waiting to meet you.”
”Except Dad is going to be here, and he loves to ruin my fun.”
”Mine, too,” Kate said, wondering if he was going to ruin her fun this weekend. She sure hoped not. They'd spoken a few times in the last few weeks, sticking to neutral, nonconfrontational subjects. He'd agreed to spend the holiday in Nashville and attend the wedding. Kate was trying to be satisfied with the partial victory but hadn't dared broach the subject of him giving her away.
”When can I see my dress?” Maggie asked.
”As soon as we get to my place,” Jill said.
”And when do I get to meet my future brother-in-law?”
”In the morning,” Kate said. ”We're having a girls' night tonight while he puts the finis.h.i.+ng touches on the Bunkhouse.”
”What the heck is the Bunkhouse?” Maggie asked.
”Just you wait and see,” Jill said.
With the help of Ashton, Buddy and Buddy's eighteen-year-old son Harry, Reid got the furniture distributed in the Bunkhouse. When Buddy decided the place needed a woman's touch, he called Taylor, who promised to be right over with Ms. Martha and the girls.
They arrived a short time later with pizza, beer and soda, and Reid had to admit they truly saved the day. They'd taken all the items Reid and Kate had bought in a shopping frenzy and put them together to make a warm, cozy, inviting s.p.a.ce for Kate's family.
”It looks awesome,” Harry declared over pizza when the work was finished.
”I can't believe how fast you built this place,” Buddy said.
”That's what he does,” Ashley reminded her father.
”Thank you, Ash,” Reid said, thankful that Buddy and his family had been frequent visitors in St. Kitts. He would've hated to be a stranger to his best friend's kids.
”Are you nervous?” Taylor asked Reid. ”With all the in-laws coming and the holiday and the wedding?”
”Not really. I'm looking forward to finally being settled with Kate.”
”Been a long time coming,” Buddy said, holding up a beer bottle.
Reid clinked his bottle against his friend's, sharing a smile. ”Yes, it has.”
”I'm so very happy for you and Kate, Reid,” Martha said. ”I know I wasn't always happy for you two, but she's a grown woman now who clearly knows her own heart.”
”Thank you, Martha. It means a lot to me that you approve.”
”All my friends think it's really cool that I get to be a junior bridesmaid in Kate Harrington's wedding,” Georgia said.
”Don't they know who Mom and Dad are?” Harry asked his youngest sister.
”Sure, but they're nowhere near as cool as Kate is,” Georgia said with a sly glance at her parents, who were, as always, sitting close together on the sofa.
They also spoke as one in protesting. ”Hey!”
Georgia laughed at the faces they made at her. ”Well, it's true.”
”Sheesh,” Buddy said. ”You give these kids your heart and soul, and they grow up to be rotten brats.”
”Yes, they do,” Martha said with a pointed look at her son.
”Wow,” Ashton said, laughing. ”Rough crowd.”
”You know it,” Buddy grumbled. ”I'm abused in my own home.”
”Not by everybody, baby,” Taylor cooed at him.
”Thank G.o.d for you,” Buddy said, kissing her right on the lips in front of their four disgusted children.
Reid laughed, amused as always by the Longstreets.
”We'd better get home,” Taylor said. ”One more day of school before vacation.”
The girls let out enormous groans.
”Not for me,” Harry said, grinning from ear to ear and looking more like his father with every pa.s.sing day. ”Yet another benefit of college life. A whole month off at Christmas.”
”Shut up, Harry,” Chloe said in a sinister tone that shocked Reid. He wouldn't have thought sweet Chloe was capable.
”All right, citizens,” Taylor said in the no-nonsense mom voice that worked every time. Reid was never quite sure how she managed to pull that off. ”Let's go before this descends into all-out Longstreet warfare.”
Reid walked them to their cars, where Harry wisely chose to ride with his dad while the girls and Martha went with Taylor. ”Thanks a million for all the help.”
Taylor gave him a big hug. ”We're so thrilled for you and Kate. We can't wait until the wedding.”
”Thanks, Tay. Love you guys.”