Page 33 of Family Bonds- Kelsey & Van

Hey, do you want to get married and have kids? You’re a keeper. Might as well run out and get the wedding bands for the trifecta of how to make a man run fast in the other direction.

“No,” he said. “I need to be honest with you.”

She lifted an eyebrow at him. “What have you lied about?”

“Why I’m here,” he said.

“Here in my house or here on this island?”

“The second one,” he said.

“Come in and have a seat,” she said. “Do you mind if I change? I’d like to be in comfortable clothing if I’m going to get hit with a confession that might piss me off or make me sad. I’m thinking it’s going to be the first one.”

“Most likely,” he said. “Go on.”

She snorted at how easily he agreed with her assessment and went to her room off the living room and pulled out shorts and a T-shirt.

Her skirt was off, along with her summer sweater. Her motions were jerky because she was already getting herself worked up.

She’d kicked her shoes off and they’d hit the wall loudly. Jesus, he probably thought she was throwing a fit in here.

Once she was changed, she came back out. “Sorry about the noise. My shoe hit the wall.”

“Did you throw it against the wall?” he asked.

“Only from my foot. I kicked it off. I will admit I might have used a bit more force than necessary.”

“I know I’m bombarding you like this. I just needed to get it off my chest.”

“I’d ask if you’d like a beer, but I don’t have any. I’ve got some scotch, but I’m not sure I want to waste it on you if I’m going to be pissed off.”

He laughed at her. A forced one. “I don’t blame you.”

“Well,” she said, sitting on the couch. He was in the chair. “Spit it out. Why am I going to be pissed at you rather than saddened?”

“My name is Donovan,” he said.

“Okay. No biggie. I like Van better. It suits you.”

“More than my mother calling me Donnie?” he said drily.

“Yeah, that’s not you. What else?”

“I told you I moved here because of an inheritance.”

“Yep,” she said. “You wanted to start over, and I don’t blame you. It’s a great place to do it.”

“My grandfather was Barry Elson,” he said.

Her jaw dropped. He knew she’d know the name.

“What?” she asked. “That’s my father’s business partner in some properties.”

“I’m aware of that. What I wasn’t aware of was who you were until you said your last name on Friday night.”

Which explained why he’d had the reaction he did.

She was playing it in her mind for a second and then said, “I’ll give you a pass there. But once you knew, why didn’t you say anything?”

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