Chapter 12

WELLS

We're on the beach waiting for Claudia, Drew, and her one-woman bridal party to show up. None of us, including Jonas, knew that she was even having someone stand up with her until this morning. At breakfast, she informed all of us that her maid of honor would be at the rehearsal. I asked my parents about their thoughts on it as we came down to the beach, but they just chalked it up to Claudia being Claudia.

Thirty minutes after our demanded meet-up time for the rehearsal, I hear Drew laughing as he talks to someone. He comes around the corner with Claudia and some young man I've never seen before. "Sorry, everyone, my maid of honor wasn't feeling well. I think she ate something bad at lunch. She'll be at dinner in a little bit. She was just freshening up," Claudia calls.

"Is everything alright? Does she need anything?" my mom asks, concern lacing her tone.

"Hi, I'm Derek. My girl is fine. I'm thinking the asparagus with eggs wasn't a good combo this morning. She got sick, but she's fine. However, the bridezilla here wanted her to freshen up before coming down." He gives Claudia a vicious glare as he informs us of his date's whereabouts.

"Oh, she's fine. Just a little upset tummy. She'll be at dinner and we can fill her in on the ceremony for tomorrow." Claudia rolls her eyes.

"Not like it's rocket science. There's only two of us standing up here for them," I grumble.

We run through the ceremony a few times as Derek stands in for his girl, whoever she may be. When Claudia is happy that we all know our jobs and the minister has properly read the vows, we're dismissed to dinner.

Thank fucking god because I was about to lose my shit if we had to practice again. It's literally Jonas and I standing at the end of the aisle waiting for this maid of mystery. Then Claudia is escorted down the aisle by Drew and the ceremony officially begins. I'm not sure what Claudia saw each time that we had to start over, but she is on my last nerve.

We walk down the beach a little way to where there is a long table set up under a cabana. The table is already set with fancy silver tableware and candelabras. Servers stand just on the outskirts, waiting for us to sit.

Drew and my dad each take a seat on the opposite ends of the table. My mom and I follow suit, sitting on the same side of the table as my dad. Claudia and Jonas take the seats by Drew and I can't help but think that this is already a family divided since each family is on one side of the table minus Jonas.

The servers step forward filling our glasses with champagne, but as they move to fill the glass at the empty seat across from me, Derek puts his hand over the glass covering it. "She'll have water and a Diet Dr. Pepper if you have it."

Okay, that's a little over the top. His date can't drink? It's just a glass of champagne to celebrate her friend getting married. I think she's a friend, maybe a distant cousin. I don't honestly know since she's a surprise.

"Sorry, I'm late! I got lost in this huge ass place," a familiar voice calls and I whip my head in her direction. My stomach does a flip-flop when I see her. Blonde hair in long curls around her face and barely any makeup on; same as I remember. What I don't remember is the huge watermelon she's sporting on her front side. I have to admit, she's sexy as hell, even pregnant.

"I thought since you were freshening up you'd change out of that ridiculous outfit," Claudia snarks.

"I think she looks divine." I cut my eyes to Claudia. And, lord, does she. The woman who has starred in all my dreams and fantasies is in an olive green, form-fitting t-shirt-like dress with khaki knee-high suede boots. Her eyes are locked on mine, wide with shock that quickly morphs into anger as she takes me in. I can see the wheels in her head turning.

What does she have to be upset about? She's the one who gave me a fake number and made me look like a fool to the stranger I've been texting.

But what if she gave me the wrong number by accident? That means she thinks I just fucked her in an alley and disappeared. And by the look on her face, she's pissed the hell off about it.

Awkwardly, she takes her seat across from me and I smile. She glares at me before turning her attention back to Claudia. This must really be fate. Claudia's friend just so happens to be my little doe. Fate's a cruel bitch, though, since she's here with a date and they're obviously expecting.

"I don't need you defending me. I'm more than capable of handling Claudia on my own." She narrows her eyes at me, speaking through clenched teeth, before turning back to Claudia. "You're lucky I'm here at all, Claudia. I'm starving and I love dinner with a show. So here I am." She grabs a roll from the basket and bites into it.

"Delilah!" Drew hisses. So, her legal name is Delilah.

It suits her.

She is a precious flower. One I wish I could pick the petals off as she screams my name.

"Claudia, will you introduce us to your friend?" my father asks as he takes a sip of his champagne.

"Yes, Claudia, please introduce us," Little Doe mocks, a brow raised at Claudia in challenge. I have no idea what is going on, but Little Doe obviously doesn't care for Claudia, which makes me wonder why she came to support her wedding.

Claudia clears her throat. "Well, we have Jonas, my fiance, his mother Rhonda, father Roy, and his little brother Wells." Little Doe's eyes cut to mine in surprise and maybe a tad bit of panic when I'm introduced as Claudia's soon to be brother-in-law.

Claudia glances around the table nervously before continuing. Gently she grabs Jonas' hand and looks at him. "Jonas. Baby, you know I love you. You came back into my life and while I was a tad mad and surprised, I'm so glad you did. But if we are to live together forever in wedded bliss, I have a confession to make. I invited Delilah to be my maid of honor and I'm sure you're wondering how I know her and why I didn't mention her before?"

"She's a cousin or something, I assume now, after seeing her. I thought maybe a friend, but she's much younger than us, Sweetheart. So a distant cousin then?" Jonas asks.

I wish I could see his face because I notice Drew wince quickly before pulling himself together.

"She's my daughter," Claudia says softly.

"What!" I shout down the table at her. "Did you say, daughter?"

"Yup," Little Doe smiles wickedly. "Mommy dearest didn't want anyone to know since she had me out of wedlock, so she moved to Vermont to raise me in private. A blemish on Claudia's perfect appearance."

"You said you didn't want kids. And you already had a daughter? An adult daughter at that," my mom asks, and I don't miss the disdain in her voice.

"I'm way too old to have a child and no way am I risking having another one like Delilah. She was a handful to raise and look at her now. Pregnant with no husband or man in sight to raise her child. She and her friend here are playing house since the father ran out on her," Claudia quips, one of her lips raised in disgust.

Now I'm really confused because I thought she and this Derek guy were together. He called her his girl and is staying in her room with her since he mentioned what she ate. And I know for a fact the asparagus and eggs benedict is a room service only item.

Are they not together? Is that not his child she's carrying? She's pretty big, so if Derek isn't the father, then who is?

"How far along are you, Delilah?" I ask shakily, even though I have a feeling of what she's about to say.

"Seven months. Thanks for asking, asshole," she snaps before focusing back on Claudia and my brother. My stomach somersaults. If she's seven months along, that puts her creating said baby in March, and —holy shit!

I could be wrong because she obviously could have slept with someone else, but there's a good possibility that the baby is mine. Which also means if she doesn't know she gave me the wrong number and thinks I just didn't contact her, I'm a deadbeat asshole in her eyes. We definitely need to have a private conversation after this.

"Y-y-your daughter?" my brother finally finds his voice and drops Claudia's hand, pushing away from the table. He stands up and begins to pace back and forth, not looking at her.

"Jonas. Baby. She's an adult and she won't bother us or impede our life. She barely speaks to me as it is. And she really hates you, so it's going to be fine. Like she never even existed. I'm far too young and pretty to be a grandma, so we don't have to worry about the kid," Claudia rambles.

"Claudia!" Drew barks and she looks at her dad, who is giving her a look of pure hatred right now.

"Why would she hate me? I don't even know her," Jonas asks.

I look at Jonas and shrug my shoulders as we make eye contact. He looks back to Claudia, arms crossed, waiting for her answer.

"I-I-I…"

"Jesus fucking Christ, Claudia, you really fucking stepped in it this time, didn't you?" Little Doe shouts as she stands from the table, her chair toppling to the ground behind her.

"There's only one reason I could possibly hate your fiancé before even knowing him. After seeing him? You are one twisted fucking woman, you know that? What was the plan here, Claudia? I'd love to know. How did you foresee this playing out for you? Obviously, the story you told me my entire life was a lie, and now you try scamming these people into a wedding? You're fucking disgusting!" She grabs Derek's hand, pulling him behind her as she waddles ragefully away from the table.

"What is she talking about, Claudia?" Jonas asks, his voice shaking.

Little Doe only gets about ten feet from the table before she turns and heads back this way. I'm so fucking confused by what is happening. It seems like Claudia and Drew were up to something and Little Doe pieced it together quickly, but the Covingtons are still clueless.

Delilah stops in front of my brother and looks at him, hands on her hips. "Jonas, is it?" He nods once, staring at her.

"Claudia is a narcissist, dishonest, and just an all-around bully. It was hell growing up with her as a mom. All my life I wondered where my dad was and why he'd just disappear and leave me with her, with how awful she is. Tonight made it abundantly clear that was a lie. If you marry her, I'll never speak to you again. However, if you walk away and leave her sorry ass with her precious Daddy , I'd like to get to know one another. By the way, you're going to be a grandpa." She sets her hands on her belly softly.

At the sound of my mom's gasp, she whips her head our way.

When her eyes lock on mine, she turns white as a ghost and slaps a hand over her mouth. She looks like she's about to throw up. She turns and hurries down the beach as Derek hurries behind her.

"She's mine?" Jonas inquires, who's also pale as hell.

"Yes," Claudia whispers. "I found out the day you broke it off. I went home and told Daddy and we decided I should go to Vermont, where no one really knows us. She's grown, Jonas, she doesn't need us and she rather hates us, if you can't tell."

My brother's eyes are as big as saucers. He stares at his fiance, unmoving except when his hands find his stomach like he's trying to hold in his own vomit.

"Say something, Jonas! We're in love. She's angry, but she'll come around. I didn't mean for it to be a secret, but it's all out in the open now and we can move on. Be a happy little family." She grabs my brother's hand but he rips it away.

"The wedding is off. You're fucking sick, Claudia. I've had a daughter for what? Twenty years?" Jonas spits.

"Twenty-one," she murmurs.

"And you never said a word. She thinks I deserted her! I never would have done that if I had known. Consider this marriage and merger canceled!" Jonas walks our way and my mom wraps her arms around him in a tight embrace.

Jonas' body shakes and I know he's crying, my mother sniffles and I watch amused as she stares daggers at Drew and Claudia.

"We'll fix this, baby. She seems lovely, a little sassy, but lovely. You have a daughter, Son. We'll get to know her and make sure she knows how loved she is already," my mom sobs into Jonas' shoulder. He turns and looks up at me, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Jooooonas!" Claudia screams as she covers her face with her hands. Drew wraps an arm around her shoulder, comforting her.

"I think it's time you two leave. You've done enough," I snap at them.

With his arm still around her, Drew guides his daughter away from the table.

"What do I do?" Jonas murmurs.

"We will collect ourselves tonight and see if Delilah will speak with us tomorrow," my dad tells him, getting up from the table and rubs Jonas' back.

If only this was our last stop along the family fucking crazy train. I have to break it to them that I fucked my niece. And I'm pretty sure she's carrying my baby.