35. Right Reasons

35

RIGHT REASONS

T hree weeks later, Michael parked in front of Jolene and Gavin’s home.

He’d been to the July Fourth party before. Usually because it was a party for the twins prior to the holiday party and Alex was his cousin and Ty was included in the party.

This year he was bringing Kelly with him and he fully expected some Jolene interference.

He and Kelly were prepared to just ignore it though.

To him, they’d gotten through the fight and that was huge.

The past few weeks they were good with each other, but he did feel this underlying net around them that they were trying to untangle from.

Neither wanted to say anything to upset the other and it wasn’t good, but he wasn’t sure how to get through it either.

There was part of him that hoped it went away on its own.

“I’ve heard about this party for years,” Kelly said. “I know it’s grown and so many are invited. Not all staff. I actually was invited last year but had plans with friends and was out of town. I was bummed too.”

“You’ll get the special treatment this year, I’m sure.”

“It’s funny,” she said. “If I came last year, you would have been here, right? Maybe we could have started to talk then. I mean, I’ve been staring at your”—her eyes dropped down to his ass, but she wouldn’t say that with Ty there—“for a long time.”

“I think things happen for the right reasons. I wasn’t here last year,” he said. “Ty was with Electra so I didn’t come.”

He didn’t feel right. To him, he was invited to the kids’ party which included Sam Fierce’s son, Kasey, from Durham, as Cade’s twins and Sam’s son were born on the same night, just one before midnight and one after.

“This year will be fun,” she said. “And I can’t wait for all the kids to see the shirts.”

“It’s nice you had all the sizes,” he said. He’d decided to have red July Fourth shirts made for all the kids that said “Fierce Fourth Of July” and there were red, white and blue fireworks on it, each kid’s name on the back. Having so many running around with the same shirts on, as he knew Jolene would have them put them on, would make it hard to find your kid.

He got one for Ty too, just so he didn’t stand out, even though he wasn’t a Fierce. To him, it had to do with the party.

“Jolene might cry when she sees them,” she said. He was carrying the box and Kelly had the gift bags for the kids in her hands. One for Kasey too. Ty had his bookbag on his shoulder with his bathing suit and life jacket in it. The kids would be in the pool soon, he was positive.

“I’m sure she is going to,” he said. “I’m also hoping it will distract her.”

They got to the back of the house and opened the gate to get in. “I’ve heard rumors of the amount of food and drink here, but holy cow, the setup.”

There was a massive outdoor kitchen that Liam and Aiden were at. Margo and Nic were at another table doing something with food. Many things would have been brought over from the restaurant already. Aiden and Liam would grill burgers and hot dogs for the birthday party and serve their other salads. The rest of the food for the party would come out later.

“Look who decided to show up,” Jolene yelled. “Alex said you’d be here, but I was getting worried that I might scare you away.”

“We don’t scare easily,” Kelly said.

“I’m so glad you could make it this year,” Jolene said to Kelly. “Here, let me take those gifts. I’m going to steal you away and introduce you to the family from Durham. They like to know who is who.”

“Why don’t you wait for a few minutes,” Michael said. “I’ve got something here for the kids.”

“What did you do?” Alex asked, moving over. It was obvious the box was from Marshall Printing.

“Something fun,” he said.

“I know,” Cade said.

“And you kept it a secret?” Alex asked her husband.

“I just found out a few days ago. I saw them,” Cade said.

“We hadn’t planned on telling anyone,” Kelly said. “It was Michael’s idea, but I designed it and then had the information from Easter.”

He pulled the first shirt out and turned it around. “This is for Sidney.” Brody’s daughter. The oldest one here.

Sidney came running with the rest of the girls. There were so many between the Durham kids and Charlotte kids. The boys noticed what was going on and made a mad dash and soon he was pulling out shirts and calling names and handing them off.

“That is the sweetest thing ever,” Jolene said. “I think you might have started a new tradition.”

“It was easy enough,” he said.

“I like the names on the back,” Gavin said, moving over. “So the parents can find their kids. Your idea?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m going to want to be able to see Ty, and if there are so many in red shirts, I’ll go nuts if they are running around.”

“We wouldn’t want you going nuts over that because we know my wife is going to cause it to happen for other reasons.”

“You told me I had to be good,” Jolene said. “And now that the kids have their shirts, Kelley can come with me.”

Michael watched Kelly being ushered away. He wasn’t worried. She knew most of the people here anyway or had heard their names.

He knew everyone, even if he had to try to remember their names.

“Ready for this?” Alex asked him, coming to stand by his side while he broke the box down to put it aside.

“I’ve been here before,” he said.

“But not the center of attention like this,” Alex said. “Jolene is going to be watching you two like a hawk.”

“Nothing to see all that exciting,” he said.

Alex squinted one eye at him. “If you say so.”

“I do,” he said.

“Was Electra mad that Ty wanted to come to the party today rather than go to her house?” Alex asked.

“No,” he said. He looked away and Alex pulled him to the side.

“What’s going on?” Alex asked. “I know you. You can tell me to mind my own business, but I also know that, other than Owen, you don’t have many to talk to about this stuff.”

Owen was out of town again.

And he didn’t want to do it today either during a party.

“I told Electra to step up a few weeks ago and decide if she wanted to be a mother, continue as a glorified babysitter, or just move on.”

“Wow,” Alex said. “You said it just like that?”

“No,” he said. “I should have. But I didn’t. She has canceled on Ty a few times in the past few weeks on Tuesday and one of the Saturdays. I hated to be the one to do it this weekend, but Ty told her on Tuesday he wanted to come to the party.”

“So she jumped at it?” Alex asked.

“Yes. She said she’d take another shift at work.”

“Do you think she’s just passive-aggressively blowing Ty off?” Alex asked.

“I’m not sure. I’ll get to the bottom of it at some point. You know how she is. I’ll only let it go so long. I think she is playing games and trying to come between Kelly and me.”

Alex looked around and saw Kelly laughing with Cade and Ella. “It would take a lot for that to happen.”

“I know. I’m not worried in the least about it.”

Alex eyed him again. “Are you sure you’re not?”

“No,” he said. “And you should be enjoying your kids’ fifth birthday party and not talking to me about these silly things.”

“Then let’s go and enjoy the party,” Alex said.

“I’m not sure you’re doing that great of a job with Kelly and Michael,” Carolyn said later that night.

The party was winding down and it was one big success like it normally was.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jolene said. “They’ve been together most of the party having a good time and laughing.”

She’d seen Michael with his arm around Kelly and her playfully poking at her boyfriend. They even kissed once.

To her, that was a lot of progress.

If she felt that some of it might be forced, she was keeping it to herself.

Maybe they didn’t like all the attention on them.

Nah, Kelly never had a problem with it as far as she knew.

But Michael was different and always private.

“They have been,” Diane said. “I’m not sure what Carolyn is talking about other than you are always pushing for more. We’ve learned that some move fast and some don’t.”

“Now you’re bragging,” she said. “Because Dane and Zander were fast. But some are just slow. Who are you working on now? It’s got to be someone.”

Carolyn and Diane looked at each other and then back to the men who were sitting at the other end of the table.

“Ryder’s friend Hyde is working at the firm now,” Diane said. “I always liked him when they were kids. Not quite as wild as Ryder, but he’d moved after college and now is back. I’m not sure about his whole story and Ryder isn’t saying much. I’ve dropped a few names around Ryder and he tells me to back off.”

“Diane doesn’t like that,” Carolyn said. “The truth is, it’s hard when we don’t see him and have to figure out a woman on top of it. The guys might have to deal with this one and they aren’t moving very fast.”

“They never do,” Jolene said. “If it wasn’t for us women, we wouldn’t have as many successes as we’ve had.”

“I say that too,” Carolyn said. “Then I get reminded we are retired and they are running a firm.”

Diane waved her hand. “We let them think it, but our kids are doing it now and getting ready to take over. Our husbands are more involved with the real estate portion of the business. I for one would like Grant to slow down and retire soon or at least cut back.”

“It is nice being home with Gavin, but we stay busy. I tend to have the kids and Gavin spends more time at the Brewery than anything. He likes to keep his hand in things, but it’s on a part-time basis.”

“That’s what we want too,” Diane said. “But then if they do, they won’t be able to help as much with the matchmaking.”

“Oh,” she said. “You find ways to get it done.”

Her eyes went back to Kelly and Michael and her sisters-in-law caught it.

“We always have all the faith in you,” Carolyn said. “But this time it feels as if you didn’t have much of a say in that relationship.”

She frowned. “I thought of them as a couple a long time ago. That counts.”

“If you say so,” Diane said.

“I do. I’ll get to the bottom of things.”

“So you do think something is going on?” Carolyn asked.

“No,” she lied. “I think they are taking it slow, as they remind me.”

“It can’t be easy being a single father,” Diane said. “We saw that with Walker and Dane, but they came around too.”

“That’s right,” Jolene said. “I’ve got no worries at all this one will work out just right.”

Because she never failed.