“Hey,” he said, interrupting them. Then, looking at Garrett, he asked, “You mentioned letting us know what we’re supposed to bring for dinner tonight. Did you find out?”
“Actually, Mom is going to call and let you know. She knows we’re going out for breakfast and said she’d call Mia and let her know.”
“That’s fine,” Mia said as she picked up her mug and sat down at the kitchen table. “You guys go and have fun, and once I hear from Grace, I’ll run to the store and get whatever we need. It’s no problem.”
He walked over and kissed her. “I love you, and thank you for being so understanding.”
She laughed. “Of what? I love that you are going to get to have this time with your brothers! Go!”
He kissed her again and promised to see her later.
It wasn’t until they were out in Garrett’s car that he spoke. “So where are we going for breakfast? I didn’t think anyplace was even open.”
Jackson clapped a hand on his shoulder from the backseat. “We’re going to Pops’…I mean, Aunt Susannah’s because we have a surprise for you! Mom’s there waiting for us.”
“Um…what?” Then he looked at Garrett. “But you just said she was going to call Mia.”
“And she will. Don’t worry,” Garrett replied with an easy grin.
“I’m not worried,” he countered, “just a little confused. Why couldn’t we just bring Mia along?”
“Do you see Emma anywhere in this car?” Garrett asked.
“No, but…”
“I told you he was going to argue,” Jackson said as he leaned back in his seat. “After all these years, he still hates not being the one in control.” He laughed before adding, “Maybe take the long way so he has to stew for a little longer!”
“No, no, no,” Garrett chided. “It’s Christmas, so we should be nice.”
“You both suck,” Austin murmured as he racked his brain for what the surprise could possibly be.
And then it hit him.
“Oh, God. Please tell me Dad’s not back again.”
“What?!” Garrett cried. “No! Please, I wouldn’t do that to you. Not after everything you’ve been dealing with. Trust me. Plus, it’s Christmas. No one would be that mean.”
“I would,” Jackson commented. “I just wish I had been here when he showed up the last time. I would have loved to give him a piece of my mind.”
“You sure you have enough that you can afford to give some away?” Austin teased as he jumped in his seat when Jackson kicked it.
“Ha, ha. Very funny. Anyway, it’s not Dad, and we’re less than five minutes away, so…relax.”
Easy for him to say; he knew what the heck was going on. If they would just give me a hint…
“I can hear you thinking from here,” Jackson said, lightly kicking the seat again.
“Hey! Quit kicking,” Garrett snapped. “Those boots are likely to rip the damn upholstery and we just got this car. Don’t ruin it.”
Behind them, Jackson groaned. “Good Lord, I might as well not even be on leave. If I don’t have my CO telling me what to do, I’ve got both of you. Jeez.”
They carefully turned onto the long and winding driveway that led to their great-grandfather’s house–now the Magnolia on the Sound B&B. There were quite a few cars there and Austin wondered if Jill, Dex, and Simon had left yet.
Together the three of them walked up the wide steps leading up to the massive wrap-around porch. An image of them as little boys running up these same steps came to mind, and Austin couldn’t help but smile. For years he had taken things like this and his family for granted, and he realized at that moment how lucky he was.
Garrett stepped in front of them when they reached the front door and gave him a stern look. “Before we go in there, you need to promise that you’ll keep an open mind.”
With a groan, his head lolled back. “What have you done?”
Before anyone could answer, their mother opened the door. “Finally! What took you boys so long?”
Jackson gave him a hard shove, and before he knew it, they were all in the grand entryway of the house.
Well, them and…what looked like most of his extended family.
His cousin Mallory was there with her husband–and Austin’s friend–Jake. Next to them were Mallory’s brother Sam and their mother, Susannah. Then, glancing around, he spotted his cousin Mason and his wife Scarlett, Aunt Georgia, Peyton and Ryder, and then Sydney and Jill.
“What…what’s going on?” he asked, unsure of who exactly he was directing that question to.
His mother came to stand in front of him and took both his hands in hers. “We all know how devastating it was to have to cancel the wedding,” Grace began, “and we’ve all been on the phone with one another for days trying to think of something we could do to help.”
“Mom, it snowed and everything closed down. I appreciate the concern, but…”
That’s when his Aunt Susannah came forward with a shy smile. “Austin, we realize the weather was to blame, but you had worked so hard to plan the wedding on such a short timeframe and, in case you need reminding, that’s sort of our family’s specialty.”
He chuckled because he’d told Mia the same thing.
But that still didn’t explain what was happening right now.
“We want you and Mia to get married here today,” Susannah went on. “I don’t know if you remember Jake and Mallory’s wedding–which was also mine and Colton’s wedding–but there is plenty of space here in the house and everything is decorated and ready to go.”
Glancing around, he knew it would make a beautiful setting, but…
Peyton stepped forward. “I have the staff at the café on standby just waiting for me to give them the word to start cooking. Along with the staff down at the Mystic Magnolia who are willing to lend a hand as well.”
“Um…”
His cousin Sam was the next to speak up. “You know Shelby’s father is a pastor, and he is ready to come and officiate today.” He paused with a small laugh. “He said that his favorite weddings to perform are for our family, so…”
“I don’t even know what to say,” Austin said after a moment, and before he could expand, Jill stepped forward.
“Simon is still here and would love to sing, and Dex is meeting with him and the rest of the band to figure out the best way to set up.”
Someone cleared their throat, and he recognized Violet Jones–she was Sydney’s sister-in-law and the travel agent who helped plan their honeymoon. “Because of the storm and flights being canceled, I know you missed your trip. I hope you don’t mind, but I was able to reschedule everything and even managed to get you an upgrade at the resort.”
“What?!” he cried, unable to believe his ears.
She nodded. “You’ll leave on the 27th–it was the earliest I could get–and you’ll come back on January 3rd. I have all the documents ready to go.”
“No one tell Mia!” he called out, then looked at Violet. “I swear you’ll get all the credit, but I’d like to be able to give her something on Christmas morning.”