Page 30 of A Convenient Heart
“Jack, these are my cousins. I wrote you about them. This is Jack,” she said determinedly. “My fiancé.”
Jo’s eyes went wide, while Tillie gasped—“Yer gettin’ married?”
In the flurry of introductions, Nick, the youngest of the four McGraw brothers, was the first to step forward. “Nick McGraw. Happy to meet you.”
Jack reached forward and met Nick’s handshake, but Merritt still had hold of his other arm and couldn’t help noticing that his tension hadn’t eased at the welcoming gesture.
She left his side and went to Drew and Ed. They were standing close enough that she could throw her arms around both of them. “Stop that,” she chided them. “You’re not changing my mind, so you might as well say hello.”
Ed’s crossed arms fell loose first as her normally easy-going cousin patted her back with one hand.
Drew took a moment longer, but then he relaxed his stance, too, and hugged her shoulders before moving to shake Jack’s hand.
“I suppose you all are hungry. Come inside and I’ll start frying up some ham.”
The kids didn’t need a second invitation. They tromped inside like a herd of cattle. Ed followed, eyebrows raised in delight.
Jack hung back and she moved to his side while Drew and Nick were still standing nearby.
“They’re not a bad bunch once you get to know them.”
Jack looked to the side, giving his profile momentarily. “You should spend the time with your family,” he said in a low voice.
She’d expected there to be hiccups, she reminded herself. But not for family to be one of them.
“They’ll be your family in a few days too,” she reminded him. “Come inside.”
He looked like he would argue with her, but she flicked her eyes to Drew, who was watching them intently.
“Didn’t Isaac want to come?” she asked, feigning innocence. “Since you were all worried about me after the fire.”
Her oldest cousin had the grace to look abashed, while Nick hid a grin by turning his head.
“Isaac’s up at the winter cabin,” Drew muttered. “Someone has to watch the cattle.”
It was unspoken, but she knew that Isaac was having a difficult time since he’d come home from his last job with the US Marshals months ago. He’d been closemouthed about what had happened—she wasn’t sure even Drew knew what had sent him home from the job he’d loved—and he rarely came to town.
She saw Drew’s gaze flick behind her just before she felt the warmth of Jack’s hand clasping hers. His tall form sidled next to her.
It wouldn’t do for him to return to the boardinghouse hungry. Relieved, she gave a tug on his hand and pulled him toward the house.
She’d set Tillie on him. Tillie could charm the meanest hen in the henhouse. Jack wouldn’t stand a chance.
* * *
Jack didn’t know what he’d expected the inside of Merritt’s home to look like, but her front room was simple and neat. Two small sofas were kitty-corner on two walls, a low table between them. One entire wall was taken up with a floor-to-ceiling shelf, and it was full to bursting with books. There were even stacks of books beneath the table and on the floor next to the bookcase.
Beyond the sitting room was a tiny hallway to a closed door that he assumed was her bedroom, and past the hall, a doorway that led to the kitchen. The door was open and he could see a small flowerpot on the kitchen windowsill.
Merritt had abandoned him.
At least, she’d excused herself to the kitchen to cook supper. He’d heard the clank of pans, the crackle of kindling taking hold in the stove. The two girls had gone with her. David and Nick had gone to settle the horses and wagon at the livery for the night.
Which left Jack in the room with Drew and Ed.
“Where did you say you were from?”
Drew had asked the question, but Ed’s intense gaze was a mirror of his brother’s.
