Celebration Dinner

After getting ready, I took Shay’s hand and we hurried down the hallway. We were running about five minutes late for dinner. I’d taken a bit more time than I should have, showing her just how much I loved her.

We’d had to rush through a quick shower, then scramble into our clothes. I knew my dad was going to be ticked off about our tardiness; he’s a stickler for schedules.

As we walked in, he stood up, shooting me the glare I knew was coming. “So good of you to finally join us, son. We’ve been waiting to start dinner until you arrived.”

“Sorry, Dad,” I said, lowering my head. “After we finished talking to Mom, it took us a bit longer to get dressed than I thought. I apologize for that.”

“It was my fault, sir,” Shay said, meeting his gaze. “I asked him to lie down with me for a few minutes, and we fell asleep. Please don’t be mad at him.”

My dad softened, smiling at her.

“It’s fine; I remember what it was like when Emma was pregnant. She did the same thing with me. We’d have to be somewhere, lie down for a few minutes, and end up falling asleep. Have a seat, my dear.”

I chuckled quietly at how well that worked. He’s always had a soft spot for women, and seeing her pull off the lie so smoothly made me proud.

Not that I’d told her to do it, but I guess when she saw the look in his eyes, she decided to take the blame for our lateness.

I pulled out her chair next to my mom, and then I sat down on her right. I usually sat next to my dad, but my brother had taken that spot due to our lateness.

The first course was a small appetizer that my mom loved, white beans and prosciutto bruschetta. It was a staple at our big dinners.

After that came an Italian salad and then the main course, a choice of steak or fish. I chose the steak, while Shay went for the fish. I wasn’t surprised; she’d told me how much she loves seafood.

When we’d finished our main course, a choice of panna cotta or cannoli was offered. I’m not a big fan of panna cotta, so I went for the cannoli.

Shay chose the panna cotta because she thought it looked like cheesecake. It’s not, of course, but after her first bite, I could tell she was smitten with its sweet taste anyway.

My dad stood up once we’d finished eating.

“Thank you so much to each and every one of you who helped protect my family and keep your own families safe.

“This job wasn’t easy. Having someone threaten to take down this peaceful organization that we’ve built on trust and respect was a hard blow.

“But we all pulled together to make sure that threat didn’t hurt anyone else. My son will take over my position within a year, so I hope that the relationships I’ve built with you will extend to him.

“If it hadn’t been for him and his friends, this plan wouldn’t have worked as well as it did. Everyone, please raise your glasses and give our gratitude to them. To Zane and all of his friends.”

Everyone raised their glasses and echoed my dad’s toast. I was so glad that this would eventually be our life—Shay’s, mine, and our children. I couldn’t wait for that time to come.

Shay was becoming very comfortable here and seemed more at ease with the idea of moving here. My mother adored her, and after my dad cooled down with her apology, I knew he liked her a lot too.

“Son, I need to talk to you after dinner, if you don’t mind.” My mother’s gentle voice pulled me from my thoughts.

Smiling, I said, “Of course. Should we go out to the gardens or to the parlor?”

“The gardens, please. I love to walk around there after dinner when the sun is starting to set. Shay, will you be okay in here with the guys until we’re done?”

“Yes, Mama. I can hang out here with those three goofballs.” She nodded toward Forest, Noah, and Conner. “They’ll keep me company and can also escort me wherever I want to go in this place.”

“Hey! That’s not a nice thing to say about your personal bodyguards until the boss comes back!” Conner clutched his chest like he was wounded.

Shay tossed her cloth napkin at him, which he swatted away easily. They all laughed as my mother rose. I stood up after her. She gave Dad a kiss on the cheek, and I offered her my arm as we walked outside.

As we pushed open the two large oak doors, she looked at me with a smile. We stepped outside and walked deep into her creation, a garden that had taken her about two years to perfect.

“Zane, there are some things I need to talk to you about. I know Shay is a wonderful woman from the time we’ve spent together. She’s breathtaking, smart, and very talented.

“She told me about her art collection and how she wants to start drawing and painting too.”

“Yes, Mom. She’s very talented. I’ve seen sketches of her work, and they’re all incredibly lifelike. Her eye for artwork is also one of the best. There are a few rooms here that I’d love to turn into an art studio for her.”

“What about her parents? Are they going to be okay with her living in a different country? They won’t be able to see their grandchild whenever they want to.”

“We haven’t talked to them about that yet, but if they want to see us, my plane can bring them anytime they want.

“If she wants to see them and I can’t go, then one of my most trusted friends, if not both of them, will go with her to ensure that she and our child are completely safe the entire time.”

“If they need to, we have plenty of room here for them to move in. There’s the in-law suite that was just remodeled last year.”

“I would never keep her parents away from her. We’ll have to talk to them and see what they want to do. Her parents are very well off, so if they want to sell their business and live here, that’s fine with me.”

“Remember this always, son. It’s important to maintain a good relationship with them. You don’t want them to resent you for taking their daughter away.”

My mom’s eyes were a whirlpool of emotions.

“Mom, don’t stress. We’ll have a chat with them when we return. They’re aware of me and know we’re here on family business. Plus, she talks to them daily.

“I’ve spoken to them a few times when they’ve called and she’s been in the shower. You brought me up to be respectful, and I’ll always be that way. I’ll never come between her and her family, or prevent her from seeing them for any reason.

“I may be a ruthless leader in my business, but family always comes first, along with maintaining peace within it.”

She planted a kiss on my cheek, then gave my hand a reassuring pat.

“That’s my boy. I’m so proud you’ve held onto the values we’ve instilled in you all these years. Now, it’s getting a bit nippy, and I don’t want to leave your girl alone with those monkeys for too long.”

I chuckled. “They’ll take good care of her. If they don’t, they know they’ll have the boss to answer to.”

We both stood up. “Let’s head back. I know you want to spend as much time as you can with her. These past few days have been pretty chaotic for you and your team.”

She looped her arm through mine as we strolled around the garden. She pointed out the new flowers she’d added since my last visit.

Eventually, as the sun disappeared behind the horizon and darkness began to creep in, we made our way back inside.