The Best Thing (Stevens Book 8)

Chapter 24

What was it they said about the best-laid plans? Beth sighed as thought about what was to be her wedding in Texas. Now it would have to happen another way, and she had to admit that waiting was making her anxious. Beth wanted Wyatt's ring on her finger. The more she thought about it, the more she knew she needed it to believe that her dreams were finally coming true.

Beth pushed the button on the elevator to take her up to Wyatt's office. She had never been there before, but the family had canceled the trip to Texas and rallied the forces in New York, and they had all been summoned to Wyatt's office.

Wyatt couldn't tell her what had happened, but he said it was vital that she and her family should be there because tomorrow could be a very different world for the Stevens family. It was all so vague that Beth hadn't a clue what he was talking about.

She looked down at the ring on her finger and smiled. It was perfect. Wyatt had taken her out the next day to pick a ring. He had told her to pick whatever she wanted. She had chosen a 1920 white gold and diamond ring in a European cut. It was a delicate and subtle and fit her finger perfectly.

The elevator stopped, and Beth exited into a long carpeted hallway, reading the signs on the door until she found the one she was looking for, and as she pushed open the door, she was meet with almost her entire family. Taking stock of everyone, she noticed that the only ones missing were, Uncle Bryce and her mother and father. Otherwise, all seventeen of them were there. Beth's gaze darted around the room, landing on a woman behind the desk who looked a little bit overwhelmed as Uncle Mason tried to charm a few secrets out of her.

Aunt Grace saw her and patted the open chair next to her, so Beth made her way there, her eyes meeting Mave's along the way. Mave gave her a tentative smile, and Beth gave her one back, but she wasn't one hundred percent ready to forgive her yet.

When they had found out the trip to Texas had been canceled, Wyatt had suggested that she tell her family they were engaged, but Beth had told him no. She knew whatever was going on was terrible and she didn't want to pull attention towards herself when everybody should be focused on the matter as hand. Whatever that might be. It didn't seem right.

Wyatt had tried to tell her that there was never a wrong moment for good news, but Beth disagreed, and he promised to keep it silent as long as she continued to wear his ring and not deny it if anyone asked her.

Beth knew no one would notice, so she agreed.

The door to Wyatt's office opened, and Byrce asked them all to join him. It was a tight squeeze as one by one, they all filed into the room. There weren't enough chairs for everyone to sit, so the younger generations stood with a few of her uncles. Beth found herself wedged between Mave and Alistair on the far side of the room. Wyatt's eyes scanned everyone, landing on her and dropping to her finger to make sure she was wearing the ring, and Beth couldn't hide her slight smile.

"He's still as handsome as ever, isn't he?" Mave said softly under her breath.

He was handsome and powerful looking as he leaned against his desk at the head if the room.

"We have a problem," Bryce said as he looked as Rainer and Alice, who were sitting next to each other on the settee. "We as a family are going to be thrust into the spotlight. I know for some of us," Bryce turned and looked at Mason, "that's not a big deal, but for most of us it is going to be a weary business. I need to preface this by saying that we need to close ranks. We keep each other safe and our personal business as private as possible."

That had been an unspoken rule in their family forever, and the fact that Uncle Bryce was reminding them of it worried her. She looked towards Wyatt, who was looking at her father.