“My mother is a Hammond. As in Senator Hammond.”

A brief blank expression on Eliza’s face faded as she realized who Carter meant.

“Maxwell Hammond?”

“Right.”

Eliza blew a whistle through her lips. “That’s some big money and influence.”

Carter took a drink of the wine and let the crisp flavor float over his tongue. “They used all of it to try and break up my mom and dad. It didn’t work.”

“That’s sweet. I mean…it sucks that your extended family would go through those efforts, but cool that it didn’t work.”

“It was ugly from what I’m told. She never really mended her relationship with her brother, and he’s been anything but loving every time I’ve ever seen him. Outside of big family functions, weddings, funerals, we don’t see him or my mom’s side of the family.” In a way, Carter running for office was exactly what his mother’s family would have wanted. But he wasn’t doing it for them. He was doing it for his father. The joke was on the Hammonds.

Eliza asked a few things about his family and his years in New York.

He told her about Roger and Beverly. He suggested they visit them and the baby girl who’d been born the week prior, once things settled.

“Mr. Billings, Miss Havens, we are on approach, please fasten your seatbelts.”

Carter moved to the seat beside Eliza and belted in. She glanced out the window and started to bite her nails. He grasped her hand and held it between them. “They’re going to love you.”

“I’m not nervous,” she said, defensively.

Yeah, right.

****

Eliza wasn’t sure what she expected, but the people responsible for Carter’s existence weren’t it.

Abigail Billings was a young sixty with only minimal lines on her face to give away her age. Her strawberry blonde hair looked as if she spent time every month in a stylist’s chair.

Carter’s father went by the name of Cash, and Eliza could see the humor behind the man’s gaze when he sized her up at the door.

“So you’re the woman tying my son down,” he said with a cocky grin after their brief introduction.

Abigail swatted her husband in a playful manner, and Eliza took the opportunity to see just how much like Carter the Billings were. “I think we should wait until after we’re married before I break out the restraints.”

Cash burst out in laughter, and Carter’s face grew red.

“Oh, I like her, Carter,” Cash said as he placed a hand behind Eliza’s back and led her into their modest living room. Their Arizona home sat beside one of the many golf courses peppering the landscape. It wasn’t a mansion, but it wasn’t typical suburbia either.

“We’ve been so excited to meet you, Eliza. We didn’t know Carter was seeing anyone seriously.” Abigail offered refreshments and Carter sat beside Eliza on the sofa.

“Eliza and I have known each other for years.”

“So you said on the phone,” Cash said.

“It’s only recently that we started dating.” Eliza could see that Carter’s parents were going to drive this question so she did her best to keep things as honest as possible. Although their faces were filled with excitement, there was a small measure of apprehension there, too. Carter was their only child. Eliza didn’t think it would be normal for any parents not to question a child’s swiftness to the altar.

“Eliza is a close friend of Samantha,” Carter explained. “I think we both avoided dating because of our mutual friends.”

She caught Carter smiling her way and grinned back. What he said was certainly true for her. Of course, he left out the part where they argued most of the time when they were in the same room.

“It appears you overcame those concerns.”

Carter lifted his chin. “You can see why,” he told his father.

Eliza felt her cheeks grow warm with Carter’s praise. He sounded convincing, even to her ears.

“So why the rush wedding?”

The need to nibble on her nails grew strong, but Eliza squelched it and tried to relax and let Carter answer his father’s direct question.

“A couple of reasons, really. First is because I want to claim Eliza as my wife to the world.”

“How very caveman of you,” Eliza teased. Claiming her meant protecting her. She did her best not to read any deeper meaning into his words.

Carter grasped her hand and held it.

“And the second reason?” Abigail asked.

Carter’s face softened as his eyes searched Eliza’s. “I would think that is obvious.”

Wow. Eliza’s heart flipped in her chest. Carter really had missed his call to Hollywood. If she wasn’t aware of his real reasons for marrying her, she’d believe he was a man desperately in love.

Abigail released a long sigh.

Cash stood and moved to his son’s side.

Carter pulled Eliza to her feet before accepting his father’s handshake and bear hug. “Congratulations, son.”

Eliza felt a small pang of guilt when Cash hugged her and welcomed her to their family.

They ate dinner in comfortable conversation. Abigail asked about Eliza’s family and she told her they’d died when she was young. There was only a moment of sadness that passed over the other woman’s face, but then Carter turned the conversation to other things.

Eliza couldn’t help thinking about her parents while seated alongside Carter’s. They would have loved Carter and applauded his desire to protect her. Then again, if it wasn’t for their death, Eliza wouldn’t be marrying the man at her side.

Abigail addressed Eliza and pulled her out of her thoughts. “Has Carter warned you about my brother?”

“He’s said a few things.”

“He’s a typical politician. Believe none of what he says.”

“Hey!” Carter scolded his father.

“Present company excluded.”

“He’s right, Eliza. Max believes he is the authority on everything and everyone. If you show him a weakness he’ll exploit it.” Abigail was serving coffee in the living room while she delivered her warning about her brother. “He’s managed to overshadow my father after years of trying.”

“Is he really that bad?”

“Worse. The only thing I can praise him for is my sister-in-law, Sally. Truth be told, I don’t know why she stays with the man. She’s undeniably sweet and an utter pushover. Perfect for Max.”