Fall for Me (11 page)

Chapter Eighteen

Oh, shit, they were coming down the walkway together!
Beth looked out the window in Suzy’s foyer and saw her parents walking alongside another couple that she assumed were Gray and Nick’s parents. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she realized the time of reckoning was close. Despite all her protests, Suzy was still determined that Beth should announce her pregnancy while the parents were here tonight. Nick thought it was a good idea as well. He told her that his parents would be thrilled. She wished that she could say the same about hers.

Gray and Nick came over to her looking unruffled and relaxed. Nick put his hand on the small of her back, offering her a quiet show of support. Suzy flung open the door before the bell rang and she put on her best game face. Her mother and father walked stiffly into the foyer followed by the Merimons.

Beth could see why Suzy liked Gray’s mother so much. She was probably a carbon copy of what Suzy would be like in twenty years. They both had the same sense of style and flair. Suzy greeted their own parents with a simple, “Mom, Dad, good to see you.” She then turned to Gray’s parents and hugged them both with obvious affection. “John and Vicky, I would like for you to meet our parents, Linda and Harris Denton. Mom, Dad, these are Gray and Nick’s parents, John and Victoria Merimon.”

Her parents extended their hands for a formal handshake from the Merimons. Gray stepped forward next and made the introductions of Nick and himself to Beth and Suzy’s parents. Suzy then pulled Beth forward to stand in front of John and Vicky, saying, “I don’t believe you have met my sister.”

Vicky stepped forward and engulfed Beth into a hug, just as she had Suzy, and John gave her a warm kiss on the cheek. “Beth, we have heard so much about you. It’s great to finally meet you in person.” Then, turning to Beth’s parents, Vicky added, “You must be so proud to have these two lovely young women as daughters.” Other than another tight smile, Beth’s parents didn’t comment on Vicky’s statement. All too soon, Beth moved to stand in front of her parents.

Instead of a warm hug from them, her mother asked, “Have there been any new developments in your job search, Beth?”

Why did she always feel like a small child when talking with her parents? She flushed when she noticed all eyes in the room were on her. “Um . . . no. Mom, I’m really not looking for a teaching job right now. I’m enjoying my work at Danvers with Suzy.”

Her mother wrinkled her nose in confusion. “Beth, you have a teaching degree. Why would you want to be your sister’s secretary? You should at least take this time to continue your education and possibly get your credentials to teach at a higher level. Your goal should be a position where you could achieve academic tenure.”

Beth saw Suzy grimace over her mother’s shoulder and mouth, “WTF.” She was extremely grateful when Suzy followed that by saying loudly, “Dinnertime.”

Grateful for the distraction, Beth gave her mother a tight smile and turned to follow her sister to the dining room. Nick leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Damn, you weren’t kidding about them were you?”

She nudged him with her elbow, muttering, “Be quiet before they hear you. This can only get worse. Try to stay off their radar or you’ll be next.”

Gray pulled out a chair for Suzy beside him and then took the seat at the head of the table. Beth and Nick took the seats beside Suzy and their parents. Beth knew that the only thing worse than sitting next to her mother was sitting across from her.

Gray and Suzy had hired a catering company to prepare the meal. The table was laden with smoked turkey and ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and golden rolls. Beth felt her stomach rumble in appreciation; she didn’t often have meals like this outside of Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Nick’s mother clapped her hands in delight. “This looks great, I’m starving. Did you two cook this on your own?”

Suzy snorted. “You know me better than that. Your son may be talented in the kitchen, but that’s about as far as it goes here. He did make dessert though and I licked the bowl afterward.”

Beth braced as she saw her mother shaking her head before adding, “Suzanna has never been a cook so I hope you aren’t marrying her expecting that, Grayson. She has always had a whimsical nature as is evidenced by her choice of professions.” Beth could see her father nodding his agreement. Her mother might be the more vocal of the two, but her father always agreed with whatever she said.

Gray studied Beth and Suzy’s parents and seemed to choose his words carefully. “I don’t mind if Suzy never cooks a meal. She gives her heart to everything she does and that is what I love about her.” He clasped Suzy’s hand in his own and brushed a kiss on her knuckles.

“Aw, thanks, baby,” Suzy cooed. Clearly trying to change the subject, she looked at Gray’s mother and asked, “So, Vicky, how was your trip to Italy?” Gray’s mother took charge of the conversation, telling everyone about their recent anniversary trip.

Beth was grateful to have a few moments of reprieve from further conversation with her parents. Nick reached under the table and rubbed her leg soothingly as if sensing her turmoil. They had barely made it through the first part of dinner and already she wanted to run and hide. It was starting to seem like a really terrible idea to tell everyone about her pregnancy tonight, but she knew Suzy was hoping for the distraction. She, however, didn’t think there was any possible way to intentionally make herself a target for more undivided attention. A phone call or a text seemed like a much better way to let them know. All too soon, Vicky was finished telling about their trip, and Beth’s father took advantage of the silence to make further, awkward conversation.

“Suzanna, do you and Grayson plan to continue living here after you are married?”

Gray spoke up for both of them. “Please call me Gray, Mr. Denton, and yes, we do intend to make this our home, at least for now.”

Beth’s father frowned and she could see the wheels turning in his mind. “Gray, you do realize the risks of living this close to the ocean, don’t you?” Without giving Gray time to answer, he continued. “The risks of everyday flooding will continue to increase as global warming pushes the sea levels to rise. This whole area could be underwater in the not-so-distant future.”

“Dad—” Suzy tried to interject.

“Suzanna, you need to hear this. I know you don’t like to think about world events, but the location of your home is very important and this one is a time bomb. You must also think about the biggest risk factor here: hurricanes.”

“Myrtle Beach doesn’t have many hurricanes,” Gray’s father offered helpfully.

Not to be deterred, her father leaned forward in his chair and presented his case. “This area does have an active hurricane history. All the way back in 1899, a hurricane called the Halloween Storm made landfall on the North Carolina and South Carolina border, causing extensive damage. Then, in 1906, a severe hurricane hit Myrtle Beach washing away homes and hotels. There were other glancing blows, but Hurricane Hazel in 1954 was one of the most memorable. It made landfall at the highest lunar tide of the year, making it that much worse. Hurricane Hugo in 1989 came ashore as a category four hurricane with up to a twenty-foot storm surge. Imagine living here under those conditions. It’s just a matter of time before another catastrophic hurricane such as Hazel and Hugo occurs.”

When her father paused to take a breath, Beth blurted out, “I’m pregnant with twins and Nick is the father.” She knew she had picked a bad moment to make the announcement when Nick choked a sip of iced tea. She reached over to pat him on the back as he tried to take a breath. She risked a quick look around the table and saw everyone’s eyes once again on her. Suzy looked grateful, Gray looked surprised but amused, and both sets of parents seemed to be in a state of shock.

Finally, Suzy jumped up from the table and grabbed Gray’s hand. “I think this calls for a celebration. Gray and I will get dessert and a bottle of champagne to celebrate.” She dragged a surprised Gray out of the room with her, and Beth had a feeling that they would both be sampling the champagne before bringing it back to the table.

* * *

“I thought they had decided against telling the parents about the pregnancy tonight?” Gray asked in confusion.

Pulling a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator, Suzy said, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. This probably saved our ass.” She handed the bottle to Gray and begged, “Please open this now. I need at least two glasses before I go back in there.”

Gray expertly popped the cork and poured two full glasses. “Baby, if I didn’t love you so much, I would be running for my life right now. If they start in on sex next, that’s probably it for us. I don’t think I would ever be able to get it up again.”

Suzy leaned back against his muscular chest and chuckled. “God, you have no idea. This is actually good behavior for them. I have seen far worse.”

With a look of disbelief, Gray said, “You’re kidding.
This
is good behavior. I haven’t had a lecture like that since I put a garden snake in my sixth-grade teacher’s purse.”

Rubbing her bottom against his crotch suggestively, Suzy laughed. “I knew you were a bad boy.”

Gray swatted her bottom playfully. “Behave yourself. I’d prefer not to make out on the counter that your sister and my brother christened before us, and I sure can’t risk your parents walking in on us. I don’t think either one of us would survive that lecture or, God help me, instructions on what we’re doing wrong.”

“Ugh, please don’t say that. I agree on the counter, though. Of course, if Nick and Beth told us everywhere they’ve made out in this house since they met, we would probably have to burn the place down.”

With obvious reluctance, Gray murmured, “We should probably get back in there. Nick and Beth may be in desperate need of our help by now.”

Suzy gave him her best pleading look while running the tip of her tongue around her lower lip suggestively. “Aw, do we have to?”

Gray leaned down to capture her mouth in a kiss that curled her toes and sent liquid heat straight to her core. In a husky whisper, Gray said, “I don’t think a few more minutes will matter either way.” With those words, he wrapped his body around Suzy’s and tried to steal a moment of calm in the storm.

* * *

At the dining table, John finally spoke to break the silence. “So, congratulations, you two. I had no idea that things were so . . . serious between you.”

Vicky jumped up from her chair and came around the table to hug her. “I didn’t think I would be a grandmother for quite some time, but I’m so happy for you. How exciting that my boys have fallen in love with sisters.” Beth saw the quick look that she shot at Nick as she said the
L
word. Vicky hugged Nick next and then John walked over and hugged her as well.

John then clasped Nick on the shoulder and said, “I think we may have missed a talk or two lately.”

Nick smiled up at his father and said, “Maybe one or two. I’m sure you’ll make up for them, though.”

John laughed. “You’ve got that right, son.”

Beth noticed her parents sat as still as statues on the other side of the table. Clearing her throat, she said, “So, Mom, Dad, big surprise, right?”

Her mother looked at her with disapproval in her eyes. “Yes, Beth, it is a surprise and not something we would have expected from you.”

Suzy and Gray entered the dining room just in time to hear her mother’s remark. Beth could tell by the slight stiffening of Suzy’s shoulders that she knew their mother was actually saying that she would have expected it from Suzy. Gray pulled out a chair for her and then deposited the bottle of champagne on the table. He went back to the kitchen and returned with the strawberry cheesecake he had made.

Beth took the reprieve that the interruption had created and smiled at John and Vicky as they returned to their seats across the table. Suzy asked brightly from the head of the table, “Is everyone ready for dessert?”

Gray cut them all pieces of the cheesecake and Suzy walked around the table delivering the dessert and offering a glass of champagne, a refill of tea, or a cup of coffee. John, Vicky, Gray, and Suzy all opted for the champagne. Suzy and Beth’s parents took coffee and, even though Beth knew that Nick wanted the champagne, he took a refill of iced tea just as she did. He was probably afraid that her parents would launch into a lecture on the hazards of alcohol if he indulged.

Beth took a big bite of her cheesecake and closed her eyes in bliss. When she opened them, her mother was staring at her. With a sinking feeling, Beth prepared for what was coming next.

“You do realize that the weight gain from this pregnancy, especially with twins, will be difficult for someone such as yourself?”

Beth could feel the bite that she had taken threaten to come back up as she dropped her head in embarrassment.
Yep, they are all looking at you. Your own mother just pinned the fat cow sign to your forehead for everyone to see. Would it be bad to wish for one of those hurricanes that Dad was harping on earlier? Now would be a good time to be washed away and never have to look at anyone at this table again.

Beside her, Nick set his fork down with a clatter. He looked her mother squarely in the eyes and softly asked, “What do you mean, by ‘someone such as yourself’?”

Beth wanted to crawl under the table and hide. She appreciated his concern, but wanted him to just let it go, rather than make the situation worse.
Now my mother will go into detail about my weight and I’ll be humiliated in front of your parents.

Her father spoke up, obviously missing the edge that had entered Nick’s voice. “Beth spent most of her life clinically obese. Instead of taking control of the situation, as we encouraged her to do when she was young, she let it continue into her adult life, increasing her risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and coronary artery disease, just to name a few things. As Linda was trying to indicate, a pregnancy for someone with little willpower such as Beth could well cause her relapse into obesity.”