Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Cammie stood in the cluster of Maverick ladies, absorbed into the fold just as Ava had been, and Gabby, too, who was cooing at Ari’s little girl, Penelope, now three months old. She was surprised Gabby wasn’t in the kitchen fussing over the christening cake—two tiers, one vegan and one with so much butter it would slow your blood flow. But there was time enough for any fussing Gabby felt she needed to do.
In a few minutes, Ava would join the group of women and babies, talking with them, laughing with them. Because this bunch knew how to laugh. But for now, she enjoyed this quiet moment with her big brother Dane, while Troy had his head together with Matt Tremont, and Clay, without a flavor of the month in tow, was engrossed in conversation with Will Franconi.
“Well,” she said softly, reflectively, “together we raised a couple of handsome Harrington boys.”
“And a beautiful Harrington chef,” Dane added.
But perhaps there were still some lessons to impart, especially about love. Their parents’ legacy of love—or lack thereof—had an effect on them all, to the point where she’d kept her long-ago affair with Ransom a secret. And Dane had kept his feelings for Cammie locked down so tightly they were even a secret from himself. She wondered now if one of her other brothers, or even Gabby, was keeping their own secret about love.
“Raising them all,” she mused, “I don’t even remember now how hard it was, after Mom and Dad died.”
Dane snorted. “It’s like women forgetting how hard childbirth is. All you remember is the good stuff, like holding the baby in your arms for the first time.”
She shot him a look. “Cammie’s not…?”
He shook his head. “No. It hasn’t happened yet. But it will when it’s the right time.”
Dane would be an amazing father. He’d been a good big brother to teenage boys, and they’d grown into intelligent, strong men. He’d doted on Gabby, and their sister had grown into a brilliant woman.
“So you’re off to some big gig of Ransom’s?” Dane asked, looking across the room as Ransom pecked Susan Spencer on the cheek and headed toward Paige and Evan, who were each holding a twin.
Her gaze on Ransom’s beautiful face, her heart swelling as he let one of the babies take his pinkie in a chubby finger, she sighed with joy. “We haven’t exactly worked out all the logistics yet.”
She wasn’t the least bit worried. Because they would never let anything come between them again. No matter the compromises they had to make. Compromise was no longer a four-letter word.
“We’re going to Milwaukee to see his brother, Adam, and his family.” She looked at Dane. “Did you know his brother has a chain of burger joints out there? They’re all the rage.”
Dane waggled one of his eyebrows, turning his handsome face comical. “Meeting the family, huh?”
Ava elbowed him teasingly in the ribs, but said nothing.
Then, being older than her and playing the devil’s advocate, Dane echoed her earlier thoughts. “Why is talking about love so off-limits in our family?”
Ava snorted. “You really don’t know?”
Dane’s gaze found Cammie. “I didn’t. Not for a long time.” Then he turned to Ava again. “When we were kids, and I looked at Mom and Dad, it was like they were the only two in the world to each other. I thought that’s what love was supposed to be like. To the exclusion of everything else.”
“But they excluded us from that world too.”
He nodded. “Then I started to realize they were bad examples of love. Two people truly in love have room for more love in their lives than just each other. They have room for kids and family and friends.”
Ava breathed deeply, remembering all the times she’d wanted them to notice her, to see her. “Love is inclusive rather than exclusive.” She laid her head on his shoulder a brief moment. “I wonder what would have happened if I’d said something to you about Cammie right after you went ballistic when Troy asked her out.”
He mused with her. “I wonder what would have happened if I’d asked you what happened between you and Ransom instead of deciding it wasn’t my business.”
Ava shook her head. “We’re talking about Harringtons here. People can’t tell us anything. We have to figure it out on our own. Or wait until Fernsby has a talk with us.”
This time, Dane reared back. “Fernsby talked to you?”
She nodded.
“Hell. He talked to me too.”
They both looked at Fernsby as he stood over a bassinette, holding one of the newly christened babies, though Ava wasn’t sure which one.
At that moment, the man looked up. And winked.
Dane whispered, “That’s scary.”
“Very scary,” Ava agreed.
Except that the last scary look Fernsby had given her four months ago in Dane’s home theater had heralded Ransom’s coming back into her life.