Page 40 of Fall for You
Family dinners with the King siblings had always been loud and lively affairs. Tonight was no different. And without their dad there to lay down the law and their mom to play peacemaker…
“I didn’t say that!” Brandon shouted. But he was laughing so hard he didn’t dodge Bailey’s dinner roll quickly enough.
Luckily, the Overlands had already finished their dinner, and the other guests had opted to eat in town tonight, so Willow didn’t have to run in and out of the kitchen every five seconds, and no one was around to scare away with their loud laughter and bickering.
In the King household, laughter and bickering always went hand in hand.
Brandon turned to Dallas. “Help a guy out.”
Dallas opened his mouth, but Giselle spoke first. “Sorry, babe, but you got yourself into this.”
She was grinning as she fiddled with the baby monitor, making sure it was turned all the way up, no doubt, to be heard over the ruckus.
Brandon threw his hands up, making everyone laugh as he shook his head with feigned sadness. “See what I’m dealing with here? I’m always being ganged up on.”
Willow giggled, reaching for her water glass. “Poor Brandon. He’s got it so tough here at the inn…what with having to smile and be charming all day long. Must beexhausting.”
She said it all with an impish little grin and zero bite, but Brandon put on another show as he pressed the back of his hand to his forehead like he was going to faint. “Et tu, Willow?”
Everyone laughed. Including Ronnie. She was still chuckling as she reached for another helping of mashed potatoes.
Dallas hadn’t been able to stop watching her throughout the course of the dinner. It was probably borderline creepy, but every chance they got, his eyes would wander across the table again. He couldn’t seem to help himself. He wasn’t sure why her presence here tonight was so compelling—Lord knew she’d stayed for dinner all the time when they were kids.
But back then…well, they’d beenkids.
It was oddly fascinating to see how she fit in so easily as an adult. Like no time had passed, but also…nothing was the same. Kind of like this inn. It held all the memories, but it was also brand-new.
He looked at Giselle and then Drew, who was whispering to Bailey.
It was an odd thing to watch new memories being made in a place that held so much history.
He heard Ronnie laugh at something Willow said. And like a magnet, his gaze was drawn back to her.
She was pretty, yes. This was a known fact. But when she smiled like that—all carefree and truly happy…
He drew in a quick inhale when his heart gave a sharp kick in his chest.
The smile she wore right now was rare. Earlier, when Giselle and Brandon and the others had been asking her about snowboarding and when Bailey had been chatting about Margot’s upcoming wedding…
This was not the smile she’d worn then.
That smile had been strained, and the light in her eyes had dimmed.
He shifted in his seat, the concern rippling through him a little disconcerting.
He was used to worrying about his siblings. It was his job as their brother to look after them. But this was…different.
It wasn’t his right to feel this protective of Ronnie. But that was what he felt all right. As he watched her smile and chat with Giselle, he had this overwhelming urge to draw out a sword and slay all her dragons.
He reached for his wineglass.
That would be much easier to do if he had any idea what those metaphorical dragons actually were. What was it that had her so stressed?
He got a clue when Bailey mentioned her sister’s wedding again.
Like a light switch being flipped, the happy glow in Ronnie’s eyes went out.
“Your sister’s so lucky to have you here to help,” Drew said. “Has she figured out the band situation?”
