by Dawn Brower
The past several days had been filled with stress and a frenzy of activity. Emma had several meetings with Dr. Ellwood discussing Paxton’s physical therapy options. His surgery had gone well. Whether or not he played football again would depend on how physical therapy went. He could be lucky—unlikely, but it was possible. Most athletes didn’t come back from a torn rotator cuff. They lost a lot of mobility. Emma’s job was to help him in any way possible to get it back. Which was why she’d been holed up with Henry for hours at a time discussing strategy and what might or might not work with the quarterback’s recovery. After some extensive research they’d come up with a plan of action. The question was whether or not Paxton would comply and do what was needed to get him back to full strength. They would start working on his treatment a week after Thanksgiving. Giving him a little time to heal from his surgery and Emma a much needed break—she was bone tired.
Emma pushed open the front door to her family home. All had been quiet at Novak Springs as she’d pulled up the drive. She hoped it would prove a sign and stay that way for the entire holiday.
“Hello, is anyone here?” she called out.
No one answered. She walked into the kitchen and found Mrs. Henly bustling around the kitchen. It smelled heavenly. The turkey was in the oven. Mrs. Henly was basting some homemade bread with butter. Apple pies, pumpkin pies, and various other desserts dotted the counter. Emma’s mouth watered as she looked at it all.
“Hey, where is everybody?”
Mrs. Henly turned. Her rosy cheeks accented her salt and pepper hair. She’d been the housekeeper for the family for several years now.
“Oh, dear I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I’m sorry if I startled you,” Emma apologized.
“No, you didn’t. I’m lost in my own world.”
Emma smiled. She adored the woman before her. In a lot of ways, she’d become a second mother to her. “Where are my brothers?”
“Oh, I expect they are around here somewhere.”
“What time’s dinner?”
“We’ll eat in about an hour,” Mrs. Henly replied.
Emma nodded her head at her. “Sounds good. I’ll go locate Ginnifer or Dallas. Haven’t seen them in a while.”
“That reminds me. Wes said to tell you he’s wanting to talk to you when you arrive.”
Damn it. How’d she forget about Wes? She’d been avoiding him for weeks. Now she’d have to pay up and listen to his lecture. Too bad, he’d have to shove it someplace other than in her face. She didn’t have the patience for it today. Emma was thankful for her family and the opportunity to do work she loved. They’d all have to accept it and leave her be.
“Thanks for the heads up.”
Emma pushed the door to the kitchen open and hopped the stairs two at a time leading to her bedroom. She dropped her duffle bag on the floor and fell face first onto her bed. Maybe she could take a tiny nap before dinner. No, she’d never wake up in time if she gave into her exhaustion now.
“Well look who finally decided to show up.”
Emma groaned at the sound of Wes’s voice. Of course he’d come looking for her. Where the hell had he come from? Since when did he become all stealth-like and able to sneak up on her?
“I’m not in the mood to listen to your harassments today.”
“Too bad,” he paused. “Who said anything about harassing you?”
Emma rolled over and looked at him through tiny slits in her eyes. She didn’t want to open them fully. “Isn’t that the whole point of you trying to track me down?”
“No, not really. I miss my sister and wanted to spend some time with her.”
She raised one of her eyebrows in disbelief. “I’m expected to believe that line of bullshit?”
“You don’t think I’d miss you?”
“Oh no, of that I have no doubt. It’s the rest of it I am having a hard time believing.”
Wes leaned up against the door frame and laughed. “Maybe in the beginning I might have considered lecturing you—” He held up a hand, stopping her from speaking when she’d opened her mouth to interrupt him. “No, don’t cut me short. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and Tori made a good point.”
“Tori got you to leave me alone?”
“Not exactly. She said I needed to let you make your own decisions. It wasn’t my job to run your life. If you need me, you’ll let me know.”
“True,” Emma agreed.
“You will let me know, right?”
Emma laughed. “Yes, I will. I’m fine really.”
“That was some game the other day. How is Paxton Kerry doing?”
Emma sighed. “He’s holding his own…time will tell if he’s going to play again.”
“How’s dirtbag taking to being the number one quarterback now?”
Emma never did get used to the names her brothers called Colt. It was hard for her to think of him as anything other than the man she’d loved once upon a time. She couldn’t fault her family though. They were only looking out for her.
“Wes, I don’t want to talk about Colt.”
“Why not?” He stood in the doorway and clenched his fists. “Did he do something to hurt you again?”
Emma shook her head. “No, he didn’t. I’m having doubts he was responsible the first time.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you know that Missy is Melody’s sister?”
“Missy as in Colt’s baby mama, and Melody as in Dallas’s ex-fiancée?”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Colt is not the father of Missy’s baby. Don’t you watch the news?”
Wes walked fully into the room and shut the door behind him. “Yes, I know he isn’t the baby daddy. I was clarifying who we were discussing.” He folded his arms across his chest and stared her in the eyes. “Now tell me what’s going on.”
“I don’t know.” Emma shrugged her shoulders. “I haven’t had time to find anything else out. I was hoping to talk to Tori but…we’ve both been so busy we keep missing each other.”
“Okay, so all you know is that Missy and Melody are sisters. What do you think it means?”
Emma didn’t want to voice what she thought it meant. She thought it sounded crazy in her head. She didn’t want Wes to laugh at her for being ridiculously stupid. “What do you think it means?” she asked him instead.
Wes sighed. “I expect the same as you. I don’t believe in coincidences. Not this close together and having anything to do with that conniving woman our brother almost married.”
Emma nodded. “You don’t think I’m crazy?”
“No. The real question is how much of this did Melody orchestrate and what did she hope to gain by it?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t even know they were related until Colt mentioned Missy’s last name the other day.”
Wes grimaced. “It’s my first instinct to punch something when you mention his name.” He sighed. “But if it’s possible he’s completely innocent we should probably find out what is going on.”
“I know. Which is why I wanted to talk to Tori.”
“Do you really think she’d know something and not tell you?”
“No.” Emma shook her head. “But she might not understand what she does know either.”
“You have a point. Let’s go find my girlfriend and have a chat with her.”
His statement reminded her. Emma had been meaning to ask Wes a question of her own. They exited her bedroom and walked down the hallway.
“When are you going to make her more than your girlfriend?” Emma asked. “I’d like another sister.”
Wes laughed. “Today, maybe, if I get the nerve.” He stopped and turned toward Emma. He pulled a small blue velvet box out of his pocket. When he opened it up a shiny marquis-cut diamond ring sparkled in front of her eyes.
“Oh, it’s so pretty. She’ll love it!”
“Love what?”
They both turned to see Tori walking up the stairs. Wes’s hand flew behind his back to block her vi
ew of the ring. “Nothing.”
“Don’t play games with me. What are you hiding behind your back, Wes Novak?”
Emma stifled a giggle. So much for any romantic proposals her brother might have had in mind. “Go ahead and show her.”
He glared at her. “Not now.”
Tori crossed her arms and glared at him. She began to tap her foot with a mulish expression shadowing her heart-shaped face.
“She’s not going to let it go.” Emma shook her head.
Tori nodded, her caramel-blonde hair floating around her shoulders. “She’s right. Give it to me now.”
Wes sighed and pulled the box out from behind him. He flipped it open to reveal the contents inside.
Tori gasped when she saw the diamond ring in his hand.
“Will you marry me?”
Tori’s hands flew to her mouth, and tears began to spill out of the corners of her blue eyes. “Yes, oh yes I will!” She flew into his arms and began to rain kisses all over his face. “I love you.”
“I love you too, princess.” Wes kissed her.
“Eh hmm… I’m still here you two.”
They pulled apart from each other.
“Yeah, right. Forgot you were,” Wes muttered.
Emma laughed. “Sorry to destroy the mood.”
He pulled the ring out of the box and slid it across Tori’s finger. “Not at all. I have a witness now. She can’t back out.”
Tori laughed. “As if I would.”
“Now that the happy occasion is out of the way.” Emma gestured toward the engagement ring, her lips tilted into a big grin. “I’m happy for you both, and we should plan a big celebration.” Emma bit her lip. “But if you don’t mind, Tori, we were coming to find you to discuss another matter.”
“What?” she asked.
“Did you know that Missy and Melody were sisters?” Emma asked.
“Missy and Melody?” She had a perplexed look on her face. “Claybourn?”
“Yes,” Wes said.
She stopped and tilted her head. “They are sisters?”
“You didn’t know?” Emma asked.
“I did know that Missy’s last name was Claybourn. I never knew Melody’s.”
“I guess that explains why you never mentioned it to me,” Emma said.
This was all so baffling. How could they have had all the information, but never put two and two together? Each one of them knew something, and yet they never sat down to discuss it. The communication levels in her family were abysmal. They needed to start talking to each other more. Communication went a long way in alleviating potential problems.
“Do you think Missy claiming Colt was her baby’s daddy was because of Melody?” Tori asked.
Emma shrugged her shoulders. “It’s possible, but honestly I don’t know. I didn’t know Missy and Melody were related until a couple of days ago.”
“Hmm, it is certainly a possibility and it warrants further investigation. Lucky for you I know someone with high-level clearance that can investigate both of them thoroughly.”
“Eric?” Wes asked.
“Yeah. He’s been hanging around Viv’s a lot getting to know Gabe.” Tori shook her head. Her lips quirked upward, amusement sparkling in her eyes. “They are entertaining to watch. Eric has no clue what to do with a small child. Viv and Eric though—their relationship is a complete mess. I thought Wes and I were bad.”
“Who’s Eric?” Emma asked.
“My best friend,” Wes replied. “You met him before, remember?”
“Oh yeah, I forgot. He helped you two when that criminal kidnapped Tori and her sister.”
Tori’s twin sister, Vivian, had been the one to date Wes’s best friend, Eric.
Eric faked his own death and ran off to work with the CIA. His reasoning was if he was gone, the crime boss out to see him dead would leave Vivian alone. Eric sacrificed their love to ensure her survival. Stupid man—you never get over a love that consumes you heart and soul. Vivian got by, functioned, and survived. She’d been left with little choice. Soon after Eric’s supposed death she’d found out she was pregnant with their son, Gabe. Last Emma had heard Vivian still hadn’t forgiven Eric for his mistake. Emma understood all too well how hard it was to forgive a man for unnecessary heartbreak.
Wes nodded. “Yeah, he also happens to work for the CIA.” Wes looked at Tori. “Do you really think he’ll investigate for us?”
“He owes us, so yeah.” Tori grinned, evilly. “If I can’t convince him, Viv will. He’s been jumping through hoops trying to win her back.”
“And he should. He may have had a good reason for disappearing, but he left her alone and pregnant with his child. He has a lot to atone for,” Wes agreed.
“She’ll forgive him—in time. Viv wants her son to know his father.” Tori hugged Wes. “Plus she loves him fiercely. I know what that’s like. She’s not ready to give in to it again. It’s a scary prospect.”
“Okay. So you talk to Vivian and Eric. Let me know when you have some answers.” Emma grinned. “You know where I live.”
“Hardee har-har.” Tori laughed. “I think I can track you down.”
Emma was still staying in Tori’s guest bedroom. She hadn’t found time to go apartment hunting. With that little mystery solved, she could let it rest until she had more answers. “Okay, let’s go find Ginnifer and Dallas. I think dinner should be ready soon. Plus you two need to share your good news.”
Wes and Tori nodded their heads and started to walk down the stairs. Emma followed behind them. She hoped this Thanksgiving would prove to be one of the best ones they had. They hadn’t had a lot to celebrate before Ginnifer and Tori came into their lives. If Emma had one wish, she’d want to have the same happiness her brothers had found. Maybe one day she’d be as lucky as they were.
Chapter Eleven
The aroma filling the room made Emma’s stomach growl. When she’d entered the kitchen earlier, she hadn’t truly appreciated the scents surrounding her. She couldn’t wait to dig into the food Mrs. Henly prepared for them. With Wes and Tori leading the way, they entered the kitchen to see their housekeeper pulling the turkey out of the double oven.
“Oh good. I’m glad to see you, Wes,” Mrs. Henly said as she slid the turkey onto the counter. “In a few minutes I’m going to require your manly self to come over here and carve this bird for us.” Mrs. Henly winked at Wes, and a pink blush filled his cheeks.
Emma covered a smile with her hand. Mrs. Henly was teasing her brother, and he couldn’t help being embarrassed by the elderly lady’s comments.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure Wes is up to the task.” Emma grinned. “If not I can track down Dallas. He can show him how it’s done.”
“I think I can handle carving a turkey.” Wes damn near growled the words as he glared at Emma.
“I’m sure you can dear.” Tori patted him on the shoulder, reassuringly.
“Are you two trying to goad me?”
“Us?” Tori faked innocence, holding her left hand over her chest. “Why would we ever do such a thing?”
Mrs. Henly gasped. “Is that an engagement ring on your finger?” She rushed over to her side. “Let me have a look. Oh, it’s so pretty. I’m so happy for you both.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Henly,” Wes said.
“What’s all the commotion about?” Dallas said as he entered the kitchen.
“Oh, nothing too big.” Emma flipped her hand nonchalantly toward Wes and Tori. “Wes finally popped the question and Tori consented to put up with him for the rest of her life.”
“He did?” Ginnifer squealed and hobbled over to Tori’s side. “Let me see the ring.”
Nothing like a huge sparkler to get everyone’s attention—part of Emma was insanely jealous. Mostly though she was happy—they both deserved all the joy their love brought them.
“I’m so excited,” Ginny said staring down at the ring on her best friend’s finger. “Have you set a date yet?”
“Easy now, the
man just proposed, Gin. Let them have some time to enjoy being engaged.” Dallas kissed the top of his wife’s head.
Ginnifer sighed. “I know. I can’t wait to officially say she’s my sister.” Ginnifer winked at Vitoria. “I’ve always known you were, now the whole world will too.”
“I love you too, Ginny.”
“Oh.” Ginny winced and held her belly.
“What’s wrong?” Dallas asked. “Is it the baby?”
“I think it’s one of those Braxton Hicks things the doctor said I’d be feeling. Was awfully sharp—ouch.” Ginnifer squeezed her eyes shut as another pain appeared to wrack her belly. “Wow, I didn’t think they’d hurt that much though.”
“Here, maybe you should sit,” Dallas said and pulled out a chair.
“You’re probably right. I don’t much feel like standing around anyway.”
Ginnifer waddled over to the chair and sat in a quick heap. She leaned back into the chair and hissed as she cradled her belly in her hands.
Dallas’s face paled as he watched Ginnifer. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” Ginnifer said. She shooed him away with her hands. “Go see if Mrs. Henly needs any help finishing dinner.”
“I’m not—”
“Go, Dallas, before I hurt you.” Ginnifer glared at him. “You’re smothering me.”
Dallas walked away but kept sneaking glances back at Ginnifer. When she caught him, she scrunched up her eyebrows and pursed her lips in displeasure. Dallas quickly turned away and offered to help Mrs. Henly. “Yeah, so do you need help?”
Mrs. Henly laughed. “You can start carving the turkey and leave your wife be for now. When she needs you she’ll let you know.”
Dallas picked up the carving knife and large fork. He stabbed the turkey and began to slice it in uneven pieces. Each slice was slid onto a plate in haphazard plops. Dallas only had eyes for Ginnifer. He didn’t seem to care if the turkey made it onto the plate.
Wes shook his head and laughed. “Dallas, let me finish carving. If we leave it up to you, there won’t be any meat left for us to eat.”
Dallas handed over the duty to Wes but roamed the room in restless energy. He paced back and forth, doing his best to not bother his wife.