Page 67 of A Family Kind of Wedding (Forever Family 3)

“Good.” Brynnie pushed herself upright. “I don’t think I could live through it again.”

“The next time you meet someone interested in looking at that place, give me a call,” Jarrod said.

“I don’t need—” Katie stopped short. How could she complain about his overbearing, big-brother tactics when he’d risked his life for hers? “Okay, I’ll be more careful and take someone with me.”

“I’m gonna hold you to it,” Jarrod warned, leveling a finger in her direction. But he couldn’t hang on to his glower, and the smile that twitched at the corners of his mouth let her know that all was forgiven.

The conversation grew lighter, and the kids strayed upstairs. Luke, seeing that all was well, tried to leave, but Jarrod stopped him in the foyer near the staircase. “Seems to me you might just be the reason my sister’s alive.”

Luke’s gaze touched Katie, still seated in the chair near the fire. She felt her heartbeat elevate from just that one glance. What was it about him that made her so crazy? It seemed that she was either ready to murder him because he was so bullheaded, or she was melting at his touch, dreaming of making love to him forever. The man was just plain confusing. There were no two ways about it. She climbed out of her chair and went swiftly to the entry hall. A slow smile stretched across Luke’s mouth. “My guess is that your sister here would have done just fine on her own,” he said to Jarrod. Again Luke’s blue eyes found hers. “I just didn’t want to take any chances.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. Stick around,” Jarrod invited.

“Please. Stay. I’m sure this clan is going to be clamoring for food at any second,” Katie agreed.

“I’m already taking care of it.” John joined them in the foyer. “Everyone’s invited out to the ranch. I know it’s late, but we need to celebrate. Brynnie and I’ll pick up ribs and chicken down at Mel’s Barbecue. Meet us at the ranch in an hour.”

Luke started to protest, but John put on his I-won’t-take-no-for-an-answer smile. “It isn’t every day someone saves my daughter’s life, though it has happened in the past.” His gaze slid to Mason for a second, before returning to Luke. “Please, son. It’s the least we all can do.” He stuck out his hand, and Luke clasped it firmly. “All right. I’ll be there.”

“Good.” John turned toward the parlor and announced that the entire family was invited.

“It’s so late,” Tiffany said, blushing as Christina yawned and rubbed her eyes. “We need to get her home.”

“She can bunk down on one of the beds in the guest rooms,” Brynnie offered.

“I don’t know…” Tiffany looked at Katie, then, moistening her lips, glanced in Bliss’s direction. “Okay,” she finally said, her shoulders straightening a bit as she seemed, for the first time, to accept her position in John Cawthorne’s family. “We’ll be there.”

Katie could have dropped through the floor. Never would she have believed Tiffany could capitulate.

“Good! Good!” John said, practically beaming. “Come on, Brynnie, we’d better get a move on. We’ll see you all in an hour.”

Katie was stunned. Every member of the family had agreed to show up at Cawthorne Acres. In a flurry of activity, they left, climbing into individual cars and trucks that roared away from the apartment house, leaving Josh, Katie and Luke standing in the moon-washed backyard.

“Who would’ve thought?” she said, tousling Josh’s hair.

“What d’ya mean?”

“I never thought this family would get together. Never. This is a red-letter day,” she said to Luke as everyone dispersed.

“I’m just glad you’re okay, Mom,” Josh admitted.

“Me, too.”

“Why don’t you go check on Blue, and we’ll get ready to go?”

Josh hesitated, as if he were about to argue, then lifted a shoulder. “Sure.”

“Good.” She turned back to face Luke. “Now,” she said as a cloud shifted over the moon, “you and I need to talk.”

“Do we?” In the half light his teeth flashed white, and she reminded herself that despite everything she was still angry with him. That he’d deceived her.

“Yep. Just because you probably saved my life today,” she continued, “doesn’t mean you’re off the hook, Gates.” She angled her face up to his and said, “There’s still that little matter of your deal with Ralph Sorenson. No matter what happened with Ray Dean, I think you used me and my son. For your own purposes.”

He stared down at her so intensely she had trouble meeting his gaze. For a brief second she thought he might kiss her, but then she changed her mind when he looked away. His eyes narrowed as he stared into the distance, but, she suspected, he saw only what was deep in his own mind.

“I guess you have the right to think anything you damned well please,” he finally muttered. “Can’t say as I blame you.” He turned on his heel and started toward the carriage house. “Give my regrets to your father and Brynnie.”

“But—no. Wait.” She caught up with him, touched his arm, and he spun again, facing her with an expression of exhaustion and pain.

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