One Big Happy Family

by Andrea Edwards

  God, this was one of those times when she wished she were an only child. Were her brothers’ own lives so dull that they had nothing better to do than meddle in hers?

  “The wedding was really nice,” Kevin said.

  Sam paused, her sandwich half in her mouth, and searched his eyes for any hidden meanings. She saw none.

  “Yeah, it was,” she said. Maybe her brothers hadn’t said anything to him. Hard as that was to believe, it was a possibility.

  “Cassie and Jack are lucky to have found each other.”

  “I think they know it,” Sam agreed.

  “That is what makes it so special,” he said.

  They ate in silence for a time. Sam was surprised by his insight; most men that she knew would have talked about the food or the weather or the college football games they were missing. But then Kevin was not like most of the other men she knew. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized that.

  “Want a refill on your iced tea?” he asked.

  “Nope, I’m fine.”

  He took his own glass and went back inside the little Amish sandwich shop. They’d been having lunch here together on an almost-regular basis now, even claiming this outside table as their own. Although that would change once the weather did. Autumn was here and then winter would be—

  “Place is crowded lately,” Kevin said, coming back to their table. “Want to try that new Chinese restaurant tomorrow?”

  She shook her head. “I’m taking the rest of the week off. The bed-and-breakfast is opening Friday and there’s still a mountain of things to do.”

  “Need help?” he asked. “I’ve got some vacation days left—”

  “No, don’t be silly,” she said quickly, even though she would have loved to have him at her side. “Save it to do something fun. Something with your kids.”

  He frowned at her. “They’re in school.”

  “Don’t they get a fall break? They certainly get Thanksgiving and Christmas off.”

  “And they probably already have plans for them,” he said. He drank down his iced tea and gathered up the remains of his lunch. “It’s not like we don’t spend some time together over the holidays, but they always have set up plans with their friends.”

  “Maybe because you have nothing set up.”

  He got to his feet. “Are you done with your lunch?” he asked and picked up her scraps along with his.

  She took her cup and the napkins to the trash with him. “I bet they’d love to take a trip someplace before classes start up again after Christmas. That way you could still have Christmas Day with your in-laws and time with the kids.”

  He bent down suddenly, as if offering her a good view of his hair. “Want to just pull me across the countryside and be done with it?” he asked.

  “Huh?” What was he talking about?

  He straightened. “Isn’t that what you said John Wayne did in one of his hated movies—dragged some woman across the countryside?”

  “I wasn’t being John Wayne,” she protested, then frowned at him. “Was I?”

  “Just a little.” He took her arm and led her down the block. “Want to walk around a little before we go back to work?”

  “Sure.” She fell in step next to him, letting her hand find his. “I didn’t mean to sound officious.”

  “I know.” They crossed the street and wandered into a little park area with fountains. “So, have you done anything about looking for your father’s family?” he asked.

  “What’s this—tit for tat?” she asked with a laugh.

  “Well, if you get to play John Wayne, don’t I get a turn, too?” They sat on a bench that surrounded the largest of the fountains. “It only seems fair.”

  She leaned back, letting the midday sun spill over her face. A gentle spray of water from the fountain hit her back. “As a matter of fact, I made some calls,” she admitted.

  “Really?”

  It was strange. If it had been any of her siblings asking if she’d followed one of their suggestions, she would have put them off; refused to admit that she had taken their advice. But she didn’t mind making such a confession to Kevin. She didn’t feel like she had anything to prove to him.

  “There’s some sort of tribal council that keeps records for the reservation,” she told him. “But even if his family didn’t live there, they might have a record of them. Depends on how active they were in tribal activities and rituals.”

  “Sounds promising.”

  She just shrugged. “It has potential, but I’m not getting my hopes up at all.”

  “Did you call them?”

  She shook her head. “I wrote. They want all inquiries in writing.”

  “So you have to wait it out.”

  “It’s not so bad,” she admitted. “I have lots to do in the meantime with the inn.”

  “My offer still holds.”

  Sam laughed and got to her feet. “I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for lunch.”

  “Thanks for the company.” He got to his feet also and took a step closer to her. “I suppose I should also thank you for the advice—”

  “That you won’t take.”

  “I think it’s really sweet of you to offer.”

  “I haven’t been accused of being sweet in a long time.”

  “Well, I think you are.” He slipped his arms around her, pulling her into a light embrace. “And I have to admit that I like someone bossing me around once in a while.”

  “I’m available anytime,” she said. Her arms went around his waist. “You feel the need to be bossed, you just call me.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  His mouth came down to meet hers, bringing a feather-light touch of heaven. She felt all the joy of Christmas and birthdays and laughter swirl around her. The sun was no match for the warmth that was bursting forth from her heart. She wanted it to engulf both of them. She wanted it to draw them closer and closer until their souls felt no fear.

  But they were in downtown South Bend, at high noon, and Kevin was already pulling away. Her lips ached to feel his longer, stronger, deeper.

  “Dinner tonight?” he asked.

  She shook her head, her heart suddenly heavy. “I don’t think I can spare an evening this week. We’ve got lots of help,” she quickly added. “But I need to be there.”

  “I think if s getting to be time for the bank to do another checkup, don’t you?” he asked.

  “As long as ‘the bank’ isn’t using its vacation time to do so.”

  “The bank is not to be questioned.”

  “The bank is not above my scrutiny.”

  “You are a tough critic.”

  She reached up to plant a quick kiss on his lips. “Nope. I have it on good authority that I’m sweet.” She grinned at him. “See ya.”

  She hurried off, back to work, conscious that his eyes were following her. And conscious that somehow her heart was lingering behind in the sweetness of his gaze. She turned the corner with a mixture of longing and relief.

  Chapter Ten

  “Darn nice of the boys to bring some extra hands along,” Sam’s father said. “Now we’re sure to be in good shape for tomorrow.”

  She and her father were standing in the hall looking into the kitchen, where Sam’s brothers and some of their friends were sipping coffee and munching on sweet rolls. And, as coincidence would have it, each friend looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. It was just too much. Sam felt her jaw muscles go tight.

  “And on a Thursday evening, too,” her father continued. “They’ve all got work tomorrow.”

  Her father might be taken in but she wasn’t ready to anoint anybody into sainthood. “I’m not so sure it’s all that great,” Sam said. “We’ll have to wait and see if they’re able to get off their duffs and do any work.”

  “Sam, it’s only right to feed the boys first. After all, they are donating their muscle.”

  “We don’t have much left to do that requires muscle.” S
am observed,

  He stood there and looked at her for a long moment. Sam would have loved to stare her father down but there wasn’t even a trace of irritation in his soft, loving eyes. She quickly turned away.

  “Sam,” he said gently. “This isn’t like you. Don’t you feel good?”

  “I feel fine,” she said briskly as she forced a smile onto her face. “I think I’ll start making the beds.”

  “I’ll see if the boys want anything else,” he said with a quick nod and a smile. “And then I’ll put them to work.”

  “Dad, I didn’t mean—”

  But he was gone before she could finish. Maybe that was just as well. She went upstairs and got the linen cart out of the storage closet.

  In order to keep peace in the family, Sam figured that it would be best to stay away from her brothers and their friends. She went into the two-room suite in the southwest corner of the house to begin making up the beds. All the furniture was in place and there was no need for any testosterone-fueled muscle. She slipped earphones onto her head and turned on her tape player before getting to work.

  This nonsense with her brothers and their friends was really stupid. What was she supposed to do? Pick one of the three friends and send the others home?

  “I pick bachelor number two,” she muttered under her breath and briskly snapped a sheet out over the bed. “Yeah, right.”

  What was really funny was that she didn’t know the men her brothers had brought along. Apparently they’d decided to bring in some new blood, figuring that she had already rejected the friends she’d previously met.

  That was really stupid. It wasn’t like she’d rejected anybody. She’d just had other things in her life. And still did. It wasn’t that she and Kevin were super serious about their relationship. He was just a nice guy and she enjoyed his company. No more, no less.

  Suddenly there was a light touch on her arm and she screamed, almost jumping out of her skin. “Why are you sneaking up on me like that?” she shouted at Larry.

  “I wasn’t sneaking up on you,” her brother protested. “You probably have your tape player turned up too loud.”

  “I do not.” She glared at him.

  Larry rolled his eyes up at the ceiling and shook his head. “I just wanted to introduce you to Clark.”

  “Clark?”

  “Clark Wiggins,” the man at Larry’s side said. “Not Clark Kent.”

  Sam looked at him. Clark was a blond, blue-eyed almost-hunk. Nice looking, in a boyish sort of way. “That’s good,” she said. “Because we don’t have any phone booths.”

  “Phone booths?”

  Both men uttered the words, looking bewildered, but Clark smiled first. “Oh, I get it,” he said.

  Score one for old Clark Wiggins who, at the moment, seemed a little swifter than her brother Larry. But nowhere near as swift as Kevin.

  The words had barely began to echo in her mind when Sam felt ashamed. That wasn’t fair. She and Kevin were beginning to get to know each other. Their minds seemed to travel on the same wavelengths. Plus, Kevin had never been pushed on her by her brothers. There was no way that Clark What’s-His-Name could compete.

  “What do you guys want?” Sam suddenly felt very tired. “I have a lot of work to do.”

  “That’s why we’re here, Sam,” Larry said. “We want to help you.”

  Yeah, right. Help her get a date so that she’d never have to go out with that old graybeard, Kevin Delaney.

  “Fine.” She felt her tone growing sharp but figured, the heck with it. She didn’t start any of this. “Take some sheets and make the beds in the suite across the hall.”

  “Darn it, Sam. Why don’t—”

  “Come on, Larry,” Clark said. “We can do that.”

  Clark didn’t sound like too bad a guy. He was probably even a nice guy. Or maybe he just sounded good compared to her brother.

  “Just go—”

  “Hi, sis.” Bobby stepped into the room with his prize. “How’re things going?”

  Before Sam had a chance to groan, Adam and his buddy came in, too. The six of them were all standing there, staring at her. The weariness in Sam’s body was being pushed out by a growing irritation. She wasn’t thinking of groaning anymore; she wanted to scream.

  “Get out of here. All of you.”

  For a moment, six pairs of eyes stared at her. Then her brother Bobby spoke up. “It’s okay. She’s been working hard lately. And she’s been getting a little tense.”

  She glared at him. Yelling wasn’t very nice. Besides, it wasn’t doing any good. She would be better off wringing his neck.

  “And you know—” Bobby shrugged and lowered his voice “—it’s probably that time of the month.”

  He was going to die. Right here and now. Her eyes searched the room for something heavy enough to bash in his skull with, but light enough for her to lift.

  “Hello.” Kevin stood in the doorway to the suite, holding a big bunch of yellow roses.

  “Jiggers, guys,” Bobby said. “It’s the banker.”

  Kevin’s eyes calmly swept the room while her brothers glared at him and their buddies exchanged puzzled glances. Sam wondered how much her brothers had told their companions. Based on her own experience, she figured whatever they’d said was too much.

  Kevin turned his attention back to Sam. “I just dropped by to see how things were going.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Bobby sneered. “Are you sure you didn’t just come by to evict our sister? You know, like foreclose on her mortgage.”

  Sam went over and took Kevin’s hand, pulling him over to her side of the room. “Don’t pay attention to him. He’s just a little on edge today.” She let her voice drop down to a hoarse stage whisper. “It’s that time of the month.”

  A smile peeked around the corners of Kevin’s mouth, warming Sam’s heart. Unfortunately, Bobby’s face was also getting red. That meant trouble ahead. Big trouble.

  “Bobby,” she said. “You guys go downstairs and find something useful to do.”

  “Who died and made you boss?” Bobby retorted loudly.

  “What are you folks up to?”

  Her father’s voice was soft and gentle but brought instant quiet. His eyes swept around everyone, then settled on Bobby, the eldest.

  “I need a few of you fellas to move some boxes into the storage closet up here. A couple more can trim the grass around our sign.” Then he turned to Sam. “You have enough help up here with the beds?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  She suddenly felt eight years old; somewhat in awe of that stern but gentle voice. And also glad to see her brothers get their comeuppance.

  “How many flowers you got there?” her father asked, turning to Kevin. “A dozen?”

  Kevin nodded.

  “You know,” her father said, “one of those roses in each room would be nice.”

  “I don’t think we have enough vases,” Sam told him.

  Her father stepped out into the hall, giving her a quick wink before hurrying away. “Adam, we need a dozen bud vases, all the same kind.”

  The rest of the conversation drifted away as her father went after her brother. Her father liked Kevin. She was sure of it. Not that it mattered any. And not that it should matter. But it was nice to see.

  “So where do you want me to start?” Kevin asked.

  “Is this that bank checkup you mentioned?”

  “Yep.” He bent down as if checking the tautness of the sheet she’d spread over the bed. “We want to make sure you’re handling things all right.”

  “And how are my bed-making skills?”

  “Adequate.”

  “Just adequate?”

  He stood and was somehow right next to her. Close enough for her to hear the racing of his heart. Close enough to feel the tension in his gaze.

  “We have very strict standards at the bank,” he said, his eyes imprisoning hers.

  His voice was so low that it seemed only her heart could hear him. And how h
er heart ached to answer. She wanted to let her lips touch his and whisper words of love and longing into his soul. She wanted her hands to feel the wonder and strength of him. She wanted to breathe in that faint scent of mint that surrounded him, the heat that vibrated in the air around them.

  “And can I ever measure up?”

  “I’m sure,” he said softly. “With the right guidance.”

  “Hands-on training?”

  “Of course.”

  “We should start soon.”

  “Before bad habits creep in.”

  “Come on, Larry,” a male voice from the hallway snapped. “Hold that end up.”

  “I am,” Larry snapped back.

  Sam practically jumped away from Kevin, then grinned ruefully at him. “I don’t know why I did that,” she said. “I don’t care if my brothers see us together.”

  “We could arrange that,” he said, his eyes gleaming.

  But she shook her head. “Then we’ll never get this place ready to open.”

  His sigh was long and loud. “So, what do you want me to do? Start with the pillows?”

  Sam went back to the bed, snapping another sheet over the first one. “You don’t really have to do anything.”

  “Haven’t I ever told you? I never do anything I have to.”

  Sam laughed. “What are you, the James Dean of the banking world?”

  “He was from Indiana, you know.”

  “Yes, I know,” she replied. “But so what?”

  He stepped close to her, very close. His hand went behind her as he bent near. “So we have something in common.”

  Suddenly it was hard to breathe. Hard to even think. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for Kevin to stay up here, helping her make the beds.

  “Here are some extra towels,” Sam said as she patted the pile on the dresser. “And there are extra blankets in the closet. Just call if you need anything else.”

  “Thank you,” the older man said. “I’m sure we’ll be just fine.”

  “Oh, Gene, come look!” his wife called to him from the window. “There are swans down in the lake. Come look.”

  Sam just smiled and shut the bedroom door on her way out. The place was humming today. She’d never seen the windows shine so or the woodwork look so rich. The rooms seemed cozy and warm, the halls seemed filled with sunshine. With all the guests arriving, it was as if the house was coming alive.