Rocky Mountain Rebel

Chapter Eleven

Joel was too slow to get around in time to open the door for Vicki. She met him at the front of the truck, rubbing her palms against her thighs while she stared at the big old ranch house Blake and Jaxi lived in as if she were facing a firing squad.

“You okay?” he asked.

The crease between her eyes smoothed a little as she pasted on a smile. “Just wondering how this is going to go over. I’ve never been to a family meal that didn’t end with shouting or some kind of argument.”

Well, hell. “That sucks.”

She shrugged. “It’s life, but I’d hate to bring my special brand of joy into your world.”

“Oh no, don’t you go thinking my family is perfect. We fight plenty.” Joel held out his hand, and she slipped her fingers into his and clung on tight. “Six boys? You think there’s never been shouting at our table, you’re not thinking too hard.”

“Yeah, well…” She blew out a steady breath then lifted her pretty eyes to meet his. “Thanks. For everything. You like to live dangerously, and I appreciate it.”

“Hey, remember, you’re helping me as well,” Joel pointed out. “Come on, Blake and Jaxi will wonder what we’re doing in the yard.”

Her obvious fears made him more aware, though. They stepped into the house and were greeted by his brother and sister-in-law. Blake’s smile was a little tighter than the day before, and Jaxi was…not typical Jaxi.

Normally she was all welcoming and the perfect hostess. Now she stood quietly, waiting for Joel and Vicki to join them in the kitchen.

Screw it, his family would have to get used to this. There was no harm being done, and he’d have to make that extra clear.

“Hey, Jaxi, you know Vicki?”

The two women eyed each other like cats meeting on unfamiliar territory.

“Hi.” Jaxi nabbed one of the toddler girls racing under foot and settled the child on her hip. The wide expansive of her pregnant belly didn’t give a ton of room for the little one’s legs to wrap around. “Thanks for offering the extra arms. You can see we need them.”

Vicki nodded, sliding up to the table. “You’ve been busy.”

“I’ll say.” Joel chose to ignore the awkwardness and instead gave his approval to the load of food on the table. “Did you let anyone else cook this year?”

Jaxi pulled a face. “I went overboard a little, but whatever. You bottomless pits will have no problem finishing it.”

Joel picked up a cardboard box, smiling at Vicki. “I’ll take this to the truck. Back in a minute.”

She nodded, stepping out of his way.

Blake joined him. They were slipping their loads into the truck cab when Blake cleared his throat. “What are you up to?”

Joel pulled back until he could see Blake’s face. “What?”

“Jaxi told me who Vicki is. I had no idea when I met you in the barn. Why are you going out with her?”

Sheesh. “So, when you met us in the barn you thought I was having fun with some great girl and you had no problem with it, but now suddenly you do?”

Blake raised his hands in protest. “Hey, all I know is Jaxi went real quiet when I mentioned Vicki’s name, and she wasn’t too happy about hearing you were tangled up together.”

“Don’t worry. And don’t you dare be rude to Vicki. She’s alright, and we’re having fun, and that’s all you need to know.” Joel stomped back toward the house. Good grief. Jaxi was the first one to make trouble? He hadn’t expected that.

Inside though, the women seemed to be getting along fine. Jaxi was adding more food to yet another box. Vicki was tying shoes on the twin toddlers, Rebecca and Rachel, both little girls chattering a million miles an hour at the newcomer.

Jaxi poked the box he’d picked up. “Put that down for a minute, there are things we need from the cold room. Let me show you.”

Eight months pregnant, and she still had enough leverage to haul him down the hall toward the basement. He went willingly enough, at least until she got him into the confined space, whirled on him and crossed her arms. She spoke softly but loud enough he got that she was pissed. “What the hell are you up to, Joel Coleman?”

God. “Getting pickles, I assume.”

She lifted a finger and shook it in his face. “Don’t even try it, mister. If it had been Jesse showing up with Vicki, I could have bought this as some kind of twisted joke, but you? You don’t usually think with your dick.”

“Fuck, Jaxi, why don’t you tell me what your opinion is? I’m not sure I’m clear.” Joel leaned on the wall and stared down, thankful for the final growth spurt that allowed him to tower over her, because she was a force of nature without being the same size as him.

“You want it explained? The Hansol family is not who I expected to see you hanging out with.”

“And I’m not.” Joel held up a finger in imitation of her early motion. “I’m seeing Vicki, who is one of the family, but she’s not her family.”

She wasn’t impressed. “I thought you had more sense.”

“I thought you knew how to mind your own business. Oh, wait. No, I knew you wouldn’t do that. But I hoped you’d do better than to jump to conclusions.”

“She’s not good enough for you,” Jaxi snapped.

“Not your decision,” Joel tossed back.

She continued to give him the evil eye, her breathing sharp and tight. Then she exhaled slowly. “I’m worried, okay?”

He nodded. “I get it. But I’m a big boy, and this thing between me and Vicki is between me and Vicki. Not trying to be rude, but it’s true.”

She snorted. “Except, it’s not just between you. You’re bringing her to the family table. You’re mixing her in with our group. It’s not a private event anymore, and so I want to know if you’ve thought this through.”

Oh fucking hell, no. She wasn’t going to go there. He wasn’t going to let her.

“You might want to stop now before you really put your foot in your mouth,” Joel warned. “I love you to pieces, but you’re not the head of this family. And while I respect you for the many things you’ve done to make the Coleman clan better over the years, if you’re trying to dictate who I can date, you’re going too far. You’re not going to be that kind of woman, are you?”

She stuttered to a stop, eyes wide. Speechless.

Joel felt like a shit. He wanted to tell Jaxi everything would be fine, but this was the first of many battles. He’d made a commitment to Vicki to help her, and if he couldn’t convince his own family to give the girl a chance, they were fucked.

For a moment he wondered if it was worth it. If sticking with the plan was the right thing to do.

Then he remembered the sound of Vicki’s laughter the day before, and how she’d been so patient later teaching him to roll piecrust. How they’d just talked, and none of it had been awkward, or dirty.

And yet she put up with this kind of crap all the time? The judging, and being cast aside? He was amazed Vicki hadn’t simply up and left town years ago.

He lowered his voice and put every bit of sincerity into it he could. “You’re very special to me, Jaxi, and we go way, way back. I love that you care about me, but Vicki deserves to be judged on her own merits. That’s all I’m asking, okay?”

Jaxi had bit down on her bottom lip, body tight with frustration. But she nodded slowly. “I…can do that. And I get what you’re saying, but I hope to hell you know what you’re doing.”

“I do. Trust me.” Joel stepped in and wrapped his arms around his sister-in-law and squeezed her carefully.

She hugged him back for a minute, sighing heavily again.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just feel a bit of a fool.”

He chuckled. “Welcome to my world.”

Jaxi pushed him away. “While you’re down here, we may as well grab some stuff. You and Jesse need any canning?”

Joel shook his head. “Later. Let’s get over to Mom and Dad’s before they send out search crews.”

They were talking about her. Vicki concentrated harder on the task Mrs. Coleman had assigned, but it wasn’t as if laying silverware on the table was going to distract her from noticing.

Interestingly, though, the Colemans didn’t do their gossiping out in public, like most folks. No, they took it out of the room, which meant there were little excursions of duos and trios casually hauling Joel outside or to the basement or even behind the massive swinging door leading to the kitchen.

Vicki straightened the knife she’d laid on the linen tablecloth and tried not to mind. At least they weren’t being in her face rude.

“Can I help?”

She looked up to find Beth Coleman smiling at her. “Nearly done.”

Beth nodded. “Good, then I’ll get you a drink, and we can visit until dinner is ready.”

“Just water for me, thanks.” Because she needed to keep her wits about her.

Vicki ended up sitting by the fireplace, glass of ice water in her hand and wondering if this was the start of the inquisition. Only what followed was nothing like she’d expected.

“You live in town, right?” Beth asked.

“Dresh Apartments.”

Beth laughed. “Really? That’s one of the places I tried to get into when we moved into Rocky, but it was booked solid.”

“It’s not a bad complex. I have a bachelor suite.”

Little-boy hands tugged at hers until her lap was clear and someone short crawled up and settled in like he owned her. “But you’re a girl. You can’t live in a place for bachelors.”

“Robbie is very concerned with using proper words,” Beth explained. “Honey, in this case it means a certain kind of apartment, not that it’s for bachelors only.”

He frowned, seriously considering it all. Vicki thought he was about the most adorable thing. “Your mom is right. It means I have everything in one room. Well, except the bathroom, that’s separate, but the rest is one big open space.”

The ensuing conversation about apartments that slipped into discussing shops in Rocky versus Beth’s experiences back in Calgary was so comfortable and easy that Vicki relaxed. Joel finally escaped the interrogation crew and joined them, curling up at her feet where he was immediately piled on by another little boy and one of Jaxi’s girls.

It was peaceful, pleasant and just about every picture-perfect situation she’d ever seen on television.

Of course, it was bound to blow up in her face.

“Ten minutes until we’re ready.” The warning shot out, and Vicki wiggled herself free of little people and Joel’s hand that had somehow landed on her knee.

“I need to wash my hands. I’ll be right back.”

She escaped to the bathroom off the hall, patting her face with water and wondering if anyone would notice if she hid there for the rest of the day. So far the gathering hadn’t been terrible, but this was about when things had to go to hell.

One pace into the hall she jerked to a stop. The man blocking her path had a familiar face, with the same intensely blue irises Joel possessed, but unless he’d changed clothes in the last five minutes, this had to be Jesse looming over her.

She took an uneasy step backward.

He frowned. “Now what the hell was that for?”

Vicki caught her fingers together and measured the distance between him and the wall, calculating if she could slip through the tiny gap. “What are you talking about?”

Jesse leaned to the side, blocking her escape route. “Honey, that look of panic in your eyes just now? That’s not the way to make me feel all cozy and warm.”

She didn’t want him to feel cozy and warm around her, but hell if she’d say that. “You surprised me. Didn’t expect anyone to be waiting in the hall.”

Jesse examined her slowly, his gaze far less sexual than she’d anticipated. “I thought I should say hello before we get herded to the table. Joel says you’re alright, and he likes you, so I’m going to give you a break.”

Her temper flashed. “Oh, are you now?”

“Yeah.” He grinned, and she got even more pissed off.

Funny how his expression didn’t give her goose bumps of desire, not when the smile wasn’t real, when it didn’t reach his eyes the way it did with Joel. She figured even as identical twins, she could spot who was who if Jesse kept that stick up his butt.

“Maybe I don’t need you to give me a break. Maybe I just need you to step aside so I can join my boyfriend at the table.”

Jesse’s expression slipped to a scowl. “Don’t push it, honey. You’re being watched, closely, and the first thing you do that steps over the line, I’ll make sure you’re out on your ass.”

God. Like he was one to judge her? Vicki’s nails dug into her palms as she fought to keep from tossing words in his cocky face. Or worse, tossing her fists into his gut to remove that self-righteous attitude. “Fuck off, Jesse, and get the hell out of my way.”

“Don’t start a war you can’t win, little girl.”

She lost her meager control. Stomped forward and slammed her heel down on his instep. When he swore and jerked his leg out of her way, she shot past his bulk and popped through the doorway to the main room, heart pounding like a drum.

If her purse had been somewhere other than on the coffee table, she would have left right then and there. Walked to the highway and all the way into town if necessary.

But Joel rose and came toward her, the smile on his face turning to concern.

“What’s up?” he whispered as he slipped her fingers into his.

Escape was impossible. She’d make the best of it and then never again agree to attend one of these events. “Nothing. Everything. Just…let’s sit down.”

“I saved you a seat by me,” Robbie called out.

Joel had her by the hand and wasn’t letting go. “Sorry, short stuff. She’s my date, so she’s sitting beside me.”

Robbie pouted until Gramma asked him to ring the bell to call everyone to the table. While he happily raced off, Joel tugged her in close and leaned down to speak quietly. “You okay?”

She took a deep breath, wishing she could lean her forehead on his chest for a while and hide. “This being-your-girlfriend thing isn’t working too well.”

He snorted. “Yeah, it’s been interesting on my side as well. We’ll compare notes after dinner. In the meantime, stick it out. I think the toughest part is over.”

“God, it better be.”

He squeezed her fingers as the dinner bell rang, and people pulled out chairs and settled children into place. Joel led her toward the middle of the table where she discovered to her delight Beth was seated across from them.

There was hope for survival. Especially when the food arrived. And continued to arrive.

Obviously, this was one of those households she’d heard about where food equaled love. Not like the family where she’d grown up. She examined the bounty of the home-cooked meal and compared it to the one year her mom had bothered to notice the holiday by prodding her current lover to pick up a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

This was a different setting, a different environment altogether, and suddenly even Jesse being a jerk she could understand. They were guarding their own. Protecting the family from an outsider, and she could hardly fault them for circling the wagons.

She didn’t like it, but she could see why it was happening.

Vicki got lost in the passing of platters, gravy bowls and side dishes. She avoided looking at Jesse who fortunately was on the same side of the table as her and at the extreme end.

The longer the meal went on, the less tense the situation got. There was still the occasional time she looked up to see someone glance away, but more often instead the person smiled.

And offered more food.

“You want the mashed potatoes?” Travis held out the bowl. “I did the honours, and I am the king of mashing them.”

“King of eating them as well,” Joel joked. “You sure you can’t put the rest of what’s in the bowl on your plate?”

“I’m being a gentleman and offering our guest a spoonful before I claim the remains.” Travis shook the bowl. “Go on, you know you want some.”

“I’m going to explode.” Vicki turned down the offer. “You go ahead.”

More talk. More laughter. More food. She really was getting uncomfortable. She never ate this much. Platters were removed, bowls were nearly empty when Mike spoke from the head of the table. “You know, I think this is the biggest Six Pack-only gathering we’ve had yet.”

Vicki quickly counted heads. Seventeen. Three single Coleman boys and five kids. Three couples, four counting Joel’s folks.

Her cheeks flushed. Five couples counting her and Joel.

Weird. And hugely uncomfortable.

Mike pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. Silvery-grey painted his temples, and a dusting of lighter strands shot through the dark brown hair on his head, but he was obviously the sire of the six grown men gathered around the table. He cleared his throat.

A toast or something was coming. Vicki planted her hands in her lap to stop from fidgeting.

“When you boys were little, every Thanksgiving we’d go around the table and get you to tell us what you were the most thankful for.”

“I remember that.” Daniel pointed at Joel. “Especially the year Joel shared he was most thankful we hadn’t been caught making rope swings in the barn like you’d told us not to.”

Laughter rose to cover Joel’s protest. “I was five. I was very thankful.”

“Rope swings?” one of the little boys asked.

“Don’t go getting any ideas, young man.” Beth turned to her husband. “You want to let your dad finish speaking?”

Once the amusement died down, all eyes returned to Mike who was nodding, a contemplative expression softening the lines on his face. “I’m not going to get us to do that this year, mostly because there are so many of you if I let you get talking, we’ll never get to dessert. But it did remind me. Every year I’d expect you to say one thing, and damned if nine times out of ten you didn’t surprise me with something else. And you boys always seemed to focus on a different topic than your brothers.”

His gaze trailed down the table as he spoke, lingering for a moment on each person before moving to the next.

“You might all be my sons, but you’re all unique. Over the years you’ve brought different things to this family, both good and bad to be honest, but I’m glad of it all. It’s made us have to band together, and it’s made us learn. And now that there are others than just blood joining us, each of them brings something special with them as well. Things that can make this family stronger and richer because of who they are.”

Vicki kept her chin in place as Mike met her eyes. She refused to turn away, hardly daring to think what it sounded like was true. That he was asking his family to give her a break.

That she was welcome in their midst…

“So as the head of this part of the Colemans, I’m going to give thanks for us all this year.” Mike raised his glass and everyone scrambled to copy him. “To family. Whatever that looks like. Constantly growing, constantly changing, let’s celebrate our strong roots even as the branches reach in new directions.”

Vicki raised her glass, adding her “to family” more hesitantly than the others around her. Clinking glasses with Joel, with Beth. Turning to the other side and connecting with Travis and others farther down the table.

It was the strangest sensation ever. Like she’d stepped into a warm embrace when she’d expected to be slapped. Joel rested his hand on her thigh and squeezed softly, and her throat tightened a little with the sheer flood of emotion washing over her.

God, what she wouldn’t give for her and Joel to be real. Guilt at pulling a fast one should have shaken her to her core, but all she could think of was how good it felt to experience this at least once in her goddamn life.

Fuck doing the right thing; she ached to have this kind of acceptance.

When she glanced at the head of the table and caught Mike smiling at her, she wasn’t sure what to do. He lifted his glass and nodded briefly, then turned to his right and kissed his wife before loudly announcing it was time for dessert.

Vicki put her glass down and snuck her fingers into Joel’s. His bright smile had a shot of surprise in it, but he didn’t let go until they had to have two hands to deal with the plates of pie being passed along.

What a topsy-turvy day it had been.