"Madeleine," Patience said. "Please."
"Why are you even here?" Maddy demanded as she snarled at her mother.
"Leave her alone," I said, pushing forward. Not that I got far with Archie and Hank both acting to shield me from both sides. "I invited her and my grandfather. I'm surprised they made it, but they are welcome."
Shock traveled over her face and for a few seconds, she ripped her gaze from them to me and I read every ounce of the hatred shimmering in those eyes. Yeah, that expression would have had me tucking tail before and keeping my head low, but I refused to do that.
Not now.
Not ever again.
"Hank," I said, deliberately turning away from her. "Would you like to meet my grandparents? And Grandpa Ted? Maybe even Jeremy?"
Oh. I hoped he was still here.
Hank glanced down at me and then up again toward Maddy and he twisted. Archie loosened his grip on me. Jake had his gaze pinned on Maddy behind me, so did Archie. Ian swept a look over me before he started watching her too. Coop winked and made a face like, holy crap, could I believe this craziness?
Why yes, yes I could.
My life had definitely gotten crazy this last year. I glanced from Coop to Hank's face then to my grandparents. Patience looked pale, but my grandfather glared at Maddy. He hadn't said a word to her. Ted had also maintained his defensive posture.
Crazy, yes.
But I wouldn't trade my family for anything, not when Hank offered me his arm and I tucked mine through his and let him guide me through the guys as they closed ranks behind us. Maddy said my name, but I didn't respond.
"You know what I'd really like?" Hank asked as we continued toward my grandparents.
"A pony?" I suggested before crossing my eyes and making a face. Because if we were going to be in the theatre of the absurd, we might as well really go for it, right?
He laughed. "Maybe later. No, I wanted to get a photo with you if that would be all right?"
Oh hell, I was about to cry all over again. I took the time during introducing Hank to Ted, then to Maddy's parents to try and compose myself. Like Hank, they wanted a photo with me too. Grandpa Ted pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket, as did my grandfather. They both offered them to me after photos. They did the same with Archie.
Then to my enormous surprise and delight, they gave envelopes to all the guys. There were photos. Lots and lots of pictures. The guys and their families. All of us. Me and my dad, man that was so weird to say. Archie and I even managed to get Jeremy to pose with us. Marsha and Lyssa hadn't lingered after all the family drama, but they did give us hugs and wish us well.
After pictures with my grandparents, and when the heat seemed to get to them, Jeremy went to fetch the car. Archie and I promised them we'd come for breakfast the next day. They were staying at the club rather than Archie's.
Somewhere during all the craziness, Maddy left. But Eddie lingered, as did Muriel. Jake pulled me over to talk to his dad and Klara. He said he was gonna go grab dinner with his family and when I offered to go with them, he gave me a kiss and murmured, "Next time, Baby Girl. Go spend time with your dad, yeah?"
My dad.
Wow.
Yeah.
"See you in a few hours?"
"Definitely," he promised. I got hugs from all the girls and then we had to assure his dad and Klara that we would join them for dinner another night. Alicia gave me a fierce hug, and when I asked her if she was okay with all of this, she smiled at me.
"I'm just fine, sweetheart. Go enjoy time with your dad. I like him," she said with a nod.
"Me too," I admitted. I liked him a lot.
Even more, he seemed to like me.
Not just how I made him look.
As Jake left with his parents and siblings, I glanced over to the shady area where the guys waited, with the rest of our—wow it really was kind of our—rapidly expanding family.
We'd graduated. We'd survived senior year. Holy hell, we'd done it.
Ian held out a hand to me, and I hurried back over to join them. Today was an awesome day and I didn't give Maddy another thought.
She'd taken up enough of my time.
Chapter Five
A Question About Priorities
Archie
We took the time for photos. Despite the lingering sense of tension left behind after Maddy's not so gracious exit, the early afternoon turned out to be relatively pleasant. We hadn't even left the event center grounds yet, though Jake and his family had left to go get a meal together. I half expected Frankie to go with, but she stuck it out with her dad instead.
Made sense.
Currently, she and Hank were chatting with Bubba and his parents. Grandpa had taken the Graysons back to the club with him. Jeremy had given me a nod and then cast a look at my parents. Yeah, I still needed to talk to them. Shockingly enough, they'd remained throughout the chaos of photos being taken. Neither had stepped up to be in any photos save one that Grandpa requested, and I'd acquiesced. It was one of the three of us—me, Grandpa, and Edward. Muriel had not been invited, and she hadn't tried to intrude.
Most of us had shed our robes, and Coop loped over from where he'd walked his mom and sister to their car. "Hey, you think we're going to try and head out to grab food together somewhere?"
"Maybe." I shrugged. "But I think Frankie and Hank are going to be attached at the hip for a while. So, if your parents and sister want to grab lunch with you, go. I've got our girl."
He chuckled, and then glanced over at her. "A part
