Page 19 of You Complicate Me

One huge breakfast—Nadine was probably rethinking her all- you-can-eat home fries policy right about now—and an abnormally silent car ride later, Grace and Nick arrived at the resort where they’d spend a week up to their necks in family activities before the big event.

At the end of a tree-lined gravel lane about a mile off the main road, the River Oak Resort and Spa sprawled across what looked like acres and acres of lightly wooded landscape. The structure itself looked to be the love child of an old Southern plantation and the fancy hunting cabin her dad and his old war buddies rented every year during elk season in the Rockies.

The resort’s website boasted a par-three golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, horseback riding, and croquet, of all things, in addition to a full-service spa and a small casino. The resort’s grounds also had private cabins surrounding the fully stocked lake. All in all, the place had a little something for every kind of guest, including wedding planning services for people who weren’t old enough to buy their own beer, apparently.

Nick seemed thrilled to hand the keys over to the valet. She was pretty sure he’d spent the better part of their drive silently cursing the slow-as-Christmas Ford.

God knew he hadn’t spent any time talking to her.

She was so irritated with him she didn’t even protest when he grabbed her bags and his. Telling him she could carry her own luggage would mean talking to him, and if he wasn’t talking to her, she’d be damned if she was going to talk to him.

She refused to dwell on how immature that sounded, even in her own head. Or on how easily he toted her bags and his, muscles rippling gracefully with each movement. Bastard.

Grace forced a smile for the older gentleman who held the door for her as she entered the lobby. Nick, right behind her, thanked him. As usual, his voice caused her nipples to perk right up. How the hell did he do that?

The desk manager smiled warmly as he checked them in. “I hope you enjoy your stay,” he said, then made arrangements for a bellman to deliver their bags to their rooms.

She and Nick mumbled something that sounded vaguely like thanks before going back to studiously ignoring each other.

A shriek sounded from the top of the winding oak staircase, catching Grace’s full attention.

“Nicky!” the woman shouted again, waving her arms like a crazy person fighting off imaginary bats.

Grace turned and glanced at Nick, brows raised, but he didn’t notice. He was too busy grinning and moving toward the stairs. Toward the woman.

She was, Grace noticed with no small amount of distress, the kind of woman who inspired loathing and fits of jealous rage in other women. Her hair, which trailed down to the middle of her back in soft glossy waves, was so black it looked blue under the lobby’s soft, incandescent lights, and bounced wildly as she moved, making it look like she’d just stepped out of a Pantene commercial.

She looked to be about five-eight, weighing no more than 110. Grace could hate her for that and the hair alone, but there was also the woman’s face to consider. It was a perfect oval with nice high cheekbones, a little button nose, and a rosy pair of Angelina Jolie lips.

And she was running toward Nick as if she intended to grab him and never let go. Worse yet, Nick didn’t look the least bit appalled by that prospect.

The mystery woman took the last three stairs at once and bounced into Nick’s waiting arms. Grace heard a snarl, almost as if a feral cat had been turned loose in the lobby. It took her a moment to realize the ugly sound had come from her own throat.

The woman tightened her grip around Nick’s neck. “What took you so long?” she asked. “I thought you’d never get here!”

He chuckled and shook her from side to side as he hugged her, earning a little giggle that ended in a snort. Even that little foible was charming.

Okay, this woman had to go.

“We ran into some trouble on the road,” Nick said, setting her away from him with a playful shove.

“We? Who’s we?” she asked in her sweet soprano.

Finally seeming to remember that she was in the room, Nick turned to Grace. “Grace, I’d like you to meet my little sister, Sadie. Sadie, this is Grace. Your future sister-in-law.”

And once again, Grace felt like the biggest bitch in the free world.

Sadie turned a huge, warm smile on Grace. “Oh my God. I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like I know you already.”

Air wheezed out of Grace’s lungs as Sadie grabbed her and hugged her with a surprising amount of strength for such a willowy girl. Grace’s wide eyes flew to Nick pleadingly.

Nick gently pried his sister off Grace. “Let her breathe, Sadie.”

With her space no longer invaded, Grace gave Sadie another once-over. This time, she was more objective, knowing the woman wasn’t Nick’s friend with benefits or something.

Upon second glance, Sadie was no less enchanting. She shared a perfect olive complexion with her brother, but her eyes were a little bluer than Nick’s, less oceanic, more navy. Lovely, nonetheless.

Hell, she looked as if little woodland creatures helped her get dressed every morning. Grace would love to hate her a while longer, but the completely open smile on her face made that difficult. She could totally see why her brother was in love with Sadie.

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