Chapter One
Corner Café (Boston) four months later
Nate stared at the office building across the way and smiled. He looked down at the hot coffee as he lifted it up to his lips. He heard the snow beneath someone's feet being crushed as they approached the table. The iron back chair rubbed against the cement as they pulled it out. He shook his head. There was no need to wonder why he had decided to pull up a chair.
"Curiosity, got the best of you, Jim?" Nate asked without looking over at him.
"A mission," Sterling replied.
"You just wanted to get out of the house away from two screaming babies."
"I have something for you. That peace offering I talked about," Sterling sighed.
Nate looked over at him seeing bags under his eyes. It was obvious that Sterling was once more back to square one with fatherhood. Nothing said it all than the bags under the eyes. Nate smirked and looked back at the office.
"Alright, let's see it," Nate replied.
Sterling slid him a file and Nate glanced at the blue file folder. It was thick with information and perhaps a contract tied to the end of it somewhere.
"You've done a lot of thinking about this, Jim," Nate remarked as he flipped through the thick file.
"Of course, I make sure I have everything covered." Sterling pulled his coat a little tighter to fend off the cool spring air. "What is it with you and sitting outside?"
"Needed the fresh air." Nate stopped when he noticed some highlighted areas. "You really don't hold back how things should be. How about what they want?"
"Let's face it, Nate; Spencer will not be so willing to share his sister with my family. She is going to be a part of it regardless if he likes it or not. I don't see why we can't find a middle ground."
"How about a house?" Nate remarked.
"On what salary? Grant's piss poor government salary barely provides reasonable accommodations."
"There's always loans, a little help from family."
Sterling smirked and looked at the office. Nate closed the file and leaned against the iron back chair. He sighed and looked around. He knew the rest of the team would be curious on how this peace offering was going to work.
"How much of this wedding are you really paying for, Jim?" Nate asked.
"I knew Spencer was on a budget, what does crime pay these days?"
"You're lucky Eliot isn't here. There are other people to help pay for this wedding."
"That's right, I forgot about the Merry Men to help out their own." Sterling folded his arms. "You've kind of adopted your own family, Nate. Isn't parenthood great?"
Nate looked at Sterling as he had the same smirk on his face that he always did when trying to bring him down.
"Have I missed anything?" Sophie's voice came from Nate's left.
He looked over at Sophie seeing shopping bags dangling from her wrists. He smiled a little seeing she already was preparing for the event before they even had an answer. She stopped short and looked at Sterling.
"Sterling," she gave a sharp tone.
"Sophie," Sterling replied.
She pulled up a chair and sat all her bags down. Nate glanced down at a couple of the bags and raised his brow at her. She smiled and kicked the bag under the chair.
"Bridal gift," Sophie said.
Nate gave a nod and patted her knee.
"Where's Agent Graham?" Sophie asked Sterling.
"Back in New York with the children." Sterling glanced over at her.
"Such a shame she'll miss the good news and the excitement afterwards."
Nate glanced over at Sophie as she tried to make conversation with Sterling. Of course Sterling was not really one for conversation on certain topics. If the subject of him or work came up then there was no real way to shut him up.
The door that led to the office opened and the three looked up. Hillary walked out and walked across the street in their direction. Sophie grabbed Nate's arm and he patted her hand. She didn't show any emotion.
"So?" Sophie asked first as she approached.
"Eliot's still talking to Grant." She looked at Sophie.
She looked at Sterling as he stood up. She walked over and kissed his cheek.
"I see you got away for a little," she said.
Sophie and Nate looked at her as she seemed comfortable to kiss Sterling on the cheek. Nate shook his head.
"Coleen wouldn't let me go without contact," Sterling said as he pulled out the phone.
Hillary smiled and glanced over at Nate and Sophie. She was a perfect balance between the two parties. A hard ass when she had to be and the future add on to the Sterling and McCoy family. Sophie wrapped her arm around Nate's.
It was another fifteen minutes and half a cup of coffee later when Grant walked out. Eliot soon after followed behind the young agent. They both crossed the street and both parties waited to hear the official news.
Grant grabbed Hillary's hand and kissed it.
"So, after seeing all views and hearing negotiations, Hillary and I are getting married," Grant said with excitement.
Hillary pulled out the ring from her pocket and slipped on the two carat diamond ring.
"Oh, Hillary, that is one beautiful ring!" Sophie lifted up her hand.
"Don't think about swiping it," Sterling remarked.
Sophie glanced over at Sterling.
"It's insured right?" Sophie joked.
"And we couldn't guess who insured that ring." Nate stood up.
"I remain in good favors," Sterling remarked.
Eliot looked at Sterling and wrapped his arms around his sister. He kissed her cheek while everyone else tried to make nice.
"Spencer, you may take a look at this at your leisure," Sterling said handing Eliot the file. "My offer stands here."
Eliot opened the file and looked through it. He glanced up at Sterling and Sterling smiled.
"Don't think waving your money around my sister is going to make her like you more." Eliot closed the file.
"Oh, I don't need money to make a future family member like me. I have my charm and wit to do that."
Eliot handed Hillary the file. They both looked at the detailed outline of financial payments Sterling was willing to put up. Grant looked over his shoulder at Sterling.
"You don't have to do this," Grant said. "Hillary and I were planning to have a small wedding."
Hillary placed her hand on Grant's arm and he looked at her.
"Of course, it is up to you both if you want what I'm offering." Sterling looked at both of them.
"Let's let them enjoy the excitement before we pressure them with the next part of planning a wedding," Nate said.
"I agree," Eliot stepped up.
Sterling nodded and extended his hand to Eliot. "I suppose congratulations are in order for you, Spencer. Brother of the bride."
Eliot looked at Sterling and Grant and Hillary glanced over.
"Congratulations, Sterling."
"Still not willing to put the past behind you, Spencer?" Sterling pulled his hand back.
Eliot glanced at Hillary. She shook her head as her brow wrinkle with disappointment. Not even her happiness was enough to push their differences aside.
"Well, I'm sure all that will change." Sterling looked at them. "If you excuse me I have a wife to call to tell the news."
Sterling lifted his phone and turned his back on them. Hillary gave Grant's shoulder a light touch. She went after Sterling.
"Jim," she called.
He turned and looked at her. She smiled as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Thank you, that's very nice of you to offer to help us out." She glanced up at him.
"You are so much different than your brother, Ms. Spencer. That's a good thing too. He'll come around. But you're welcome."
He leaned forward and kissed her head before he went on. She looked back at the group and Eliot stared at her. She did things to prove a point and trying to keep the peace between the team and Sterling was going to be a hard task.
"Well come on kids let's go get warmed up and call the team," Nate said.
Grant reached out his hand and Hillary grabbed his hand.
"He'll come around." Grant kissed her hand.
Later that day
Eliot casually sat at the bar sipping on a beer as he listened to the chatter the others made about the wedding.
"How did Grant afford such a beautiful ring?" Sophie asked.
"I don't know and I don't care, I'm engaged! He could have giving me a simple ring and it wouldn't have mattered," Hillary said.
She glanced at Eliot still not too keen on the wedding. She slid out the booth and walked over to him taking a seat beside him.
"That wasn't very nice of you," Hillary remarked.
"What I do?" Eliot turned to her.
"He was just trying to be nice despite the history," Hillary said. "He's a good man, El. And you have to give him credit for coming to make that peace between the team."
Eliot sighed and grabbed Hillary's hand. She looked at him with such hope in her eyes.
"It's not the past that has me feeling this way," Eliot remarked.
"What is it then?" Hillary asked.
He shook his head and took a swig of his beer. Eliot hated talking about feelings to anyone especially his own family. They weren't the put all your feelings on the table and let's figure them out kind of family. They were suck it up and deal with it later kind of family.
"It doesn't matter, as long as you're happy," Eliot said with a smile.
He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and closed her eyes. She always knew that her brother would take care of her regardless of what happened. They were family and family came first.
"El, could you at least try to be civil?" Hillary asked.
"I can't promise you I'll be perfect, but I'll try my best." He kissed her head. "For you and only you."
"Thanks," she whispered.
Grand Plaza Hotel
Grant flipped through the file that Sterling made up. He looked at the amber liquid that filled the crystal glass. There was so much mixed emotions about having more than half the wedding paid for by his family. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
"There won't be any trouble with my bride's brother will there?" Grant looked up at Sterling.
"Of course not, I won't allow it." Sterling shook his head. "I'm sure your bride will talk to her brother about this same topic. I have no grudge against Eliot Spencer. But I can't speak for him."
Grant lifted up his glass and smiled. "What are we drinking too tonight?"
"A brighter future," Sterling said as he lifted his glass.
"Finding what was once lost," Grant said.
"Ah, that's a good one." Sterling smiled. "To finding what was once lost."
They tapped their glasses and downed the rest of their drinks.
"I'll be heading back to New York, I am sure your bride and yourself will be staying down here to make plans?"
"Of course. Hillary and I are going to start calling around for venues in the Boston area, but don't worry we'll price things in the New York too. We'll come up one day next week for dinner and let the women chat about wedding stuff."
"A hen party, I can't wait." Sterling smiled. "Make sure you remind your bride that Coleen wants to have a family dinner."
Grant nodded. "I will remind her."
Author Notes: Ah the joys of weddings….family drama on both sides. Hope this is a little light reading compared the other stories. :-D enjoy.
