Page 13 of The Reason I Married Him
“About marriage,” Mac says, bouncing into the kitchen. “Are you going to marry Aunt Hattie?”
Well, leave it to the four-year-old to tell it like it is.
I glance over at Hattie, who is now bright red.
Hayes scoops up Mac and says, “Probably.”
“Probably? Why just probably?” Mac asks.
“Well, you see, she does this thing that I’m not sure that I like yet, and I need to figure out if I want to spend the rest of my life dealing with this thing that she does.”
“What does she do?” Mac asks in almost a whisper.
I lean in, as do Hattie and Ryland, wanting to hear the answer.
“I don’t think I should tell you. It’s kind of gross.”
“What gross thing do I do?” Hattie asks, offended.
A subtle grin spreads over Hayes’s lips as he says, “She drinks pickle juice straight from the jar.”
“Ewwwwww,” Mac says as she looks over at Hattie. “Why don’t you use a cup?”
That makes us all laugh because I’m pretty sure that’s not the offense Hayes was talking about. Then again, Mac loves pickles as well, so drinking pickle juice wouldn’t faze her.
“Go to the bathroom and wash your hands, Mac,” Ryland says. “Dinner is on the table.”
“Okay,” Mac says. Hayes releases her, and she takes off toward the bathroom.
That’s when Hayes eyes all of us. “Marriage, that’s what you’re talking about?”
Hattie points at both me and Ryland and says, “They were, not me. I was just sitting here telling them that I love you.”
Hayes smirks and walks over to Hattie. He places his hand on her thigh and lightly kisses her. “Nothing is going to happen until I talk to your brother.”
“You know, some might say that’s a misogynistic, old-school conversation that takes the power out of the woman’s hands. Why does she need her brother’s permission to get married?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest.
“Glad to see you’re your typical curmudgeon self today, Aubree,” Hayes says before walking over to the fridge and pulling out the watermelon.
“I wouldn’t say that’s being a curmudgeon. I would say it’s sticking up for all women. We can make our own decisions.”
“You can,” Hayes counters. “Just because her brother says yes doesn’t mean Hattie will say yes.”
Hattie sticks her finger in the air and says, “Uh, for the record, I would say yes.”
Hayes glances over his shoulder. “Good to know.”
“Well, don’t you think you should talk to both me and Ryland?” I ask. “He might be the older brother, but I’m the cranky witch of a sister who can make your life a living hell if I don’t approve.”
Hayes chuckles. “Noted to include you . . . if that conversation ever comes up.”
Mac runs into the room and shouts, “Uncle Ry Ry, watch this.” She leaps into the air and lands on her knees before doing a tuck and roll right into one of the dining room chairs.
“Jesus Christ,” Ryland says as he walks over to her. “Are you okay?”
“Wasn’t that cool?” Mac asks, tangled in one of the chair legs.
“Yup, the coolest,” Ryland replies, his voice full of sarcasm. “Now, let’s sit down and get you a plate of food.”
