Chapter 6

Chris shook his head as he stared down at his sister in amazement. “I don’t get it, Shel, how can you stand going there?”

“It’s for Sara.”

“Right. She really needs to hear what a failure her mother is.”

“She knows better. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Depends on your definition of wrong. According to the family, it’s marrying your high school sweetheart and getting pregnant before your twenty-first birthday.” He kept the rest to himself. And watching your husband go off to war. And before your baby is even born, getting news of his death.

“True. But maybe they’ll be different this time.”

“Keep dreaming, sis.”

“I wish you’d come with me. You didn’t visit them over Thanksgiving, and you were in San Francisco.”

“Yes, and I had a very pleasant Thanksgiving.” He’d spent it with friends. People who actually liked him and appreciated him and respected the career he’d chosen. “And I plan to have an equally pleasant Christmas.” Hopefully with the McCullough family. But if not, at least he would not be subjecting himself to the lectures and insults that he would be forced to endure in his family’s home.

Shelly sighed a deep, cutting sigh. His arm went around her shoulders and he pulled her against him. She didn’t deserve the crap they dished out, any of it. To him, she’d done it all right, especially the part about having Sara, his niece, their grandchild. As far as he was concerned, if they were so horrified by the fact that since her hero husband had died, she was waiting tables for a living, that was their problem. Snobs, the lot of them, especially the male side of the family. But the women went along with it all, the attitudes, opinions, behavior. Apparently, they had no other choice. It was expected of them.

But he understood. Shelly longed for a family. Unfortunately she was sadly mistaken if she thought theirs could actually ever be one, in the true sense of the word. It would be the same formal Christmas it always was with the men dominating the conversation and the women drinking too much. Gifts would be plentiful. They would dote over Sara and lavish her with presents they thought she should have and should want. And snide insults would fly like daggers throughout the evening. A few at each other. Even in his absence, several would be aimed at him and at the “hobby” he was wasting his time on and his failure to uphold the family image. And far too many insults would be directed toward Shelly and the choices she had made.

Another of those deep sighs. But this time he recognized it as something else. She was tired. She’d lost weight recently, weight she couldn’t afford to lose. Her dreary beige waitress uniform was hanging on her even more than it normally did. Her thick brown hair looked thinner for some reason. And her brown eyes that had once glowed with vibrancy still had not recovered after eight years.

“Please tell me you’re not thinking of moving back.”

Shelly shook her head against his chest but he stepped away so he could see her face. She refused to look at him. He tilted her chin upwards and forced her to meet his eyes. “What is it, Shel?”

“I’m just so tired is all. Sometimes I’m so exhausted I don’t know if it’s day or night. If I moved back, I wouldn’t have to work so much. The money I get from Max’s military benefits would cover more of my expenses. This isn’t a cheap place to live, and with my recent car repairs . . . .” She sighed again, her shoulders slumping lower. “But I love it here and so does Sara. She’s been through enough. I really don’t want to pull her out of her school. I’m just so torn.” She was speaking so softly, Chris could barely hear her. “And I don’t have enough time for her and I hate that. She’s growing up so quickly. And I can scarcely pay for her dance lessons and she wants to take more. Not enough time, not enough money. The story of my life.”

He hadn’t realized things had gotten so bad. He had a sudden urge to buy a house in Winslow, move her and his niece in with him, and take care of them. But before he could even express his thoughts, she pressed a finger to his lips and said, “You’re not going to rescue us so don’t even say it.”

“You’d go home to them before you’d let me help you?”

“Even if I think about it sometimes, I’d never go back. Way too many strings attached.”

Ropes, Chris corrected in his mind. The hanging kind.

“But you don’t need to be saddled with a sister and a niece. You have your own life and a career that takes you all over the world. The last thing you need is to be tied down to a little town like Winslow. I don’t even know why you’re still here.”

He laughed. She really was tired if she’d missed all the signs. Okay, a minute ago she had no clue, but his laugh had just handed her one on a platter.

“Ahh, it’s not because of Sara and me. It’s a girl!”

“A woman,” he corrected.

“Okay, a woman.”

“An incredible, gorgeous—” his hand covered his heart—“breathtakingly vibrant woman.”

“Oh, my God! You’re in love. My big brother is finally in love!”

He cocked his head to the side and didn’t bother denying it.

“Wow! Who is she? Tell me everything! Is that why you rented that little apartment in Canden Valley? I thought you were working on a series of photographs of the river.”

“That too.” Liar. Well, he had taken a few shots of the river and he would take more. And he had taken several photographs of Winslow and its beaches and cliffs and the Pacific Ocean for his other book. But recently all he could manage to point his camera at was a beautiful dancer who lived in the tiny village of Canden Valley . . . and per her request, her students.

Shelly took his hand and led him over to the couch where they sat side by side. He told her the least amount he could get away with about Anne.

“She sounds amazing.”

“She is. So, you see, I have an ulterior motive for being here. But I do think it would make sense for me to rent a bigger place and for you and Sara to move in.” As much as he wanted to stay in Canden Valley so he could be close to Anne, he knew he needed to do whatever he could to help his sister.

“No way! We aren’t going to mooch—”

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard. “When did you ever mooch anything, Shelly?” He chuckled. “Except that time you conned Lizzy Andrews out of her chocolate chip brownie in second grade?”

“Be serious. I’m not going to become your charity project.”

“How about this? I need a decent place to live locally. And someone to cook me a decent meal now and then so I don’t kill myself with TV dinners.”

“When you put it that way—”

“So, you’ll do it?”

“No. But it’s a kind offer,” Shelly said.

He groaned. She wouldn’t take anything from him. But the truth was, it wasn’t just for her. Recently he’d had the urge to settle down. Of course, that urge had come on the heels of having just seen Anne Jameson for the first time, but still—It was a valid desire. He could continue to travel for his work, and he would have a home to return to.

“Wow, you’re really into this girl, aren’t you?”

“Woman. What makes you say that?”

“The dreamy look in your eyes.”

Great. Now all he had to do was think of her and he looked pathetic. He’d have to perfect that nonchalant look of indifference he’d been working on. “What will it take for you to consider moving in with me?”

She laughed and nudged him in the arm with her elbow. “What will it take? It will take you getting married and settling down with your new family.”

“And then you and Sara will move in?”

“Only if there’s a guest house on the property.”

“Done.”

“Yeah right. Have you asked her to marry you already or something? Oh, my God! Have you?”

Now he was laughing.

“What?”

“I haven’t asked her on a date yet.”

“Seriously?” Her brother the heart throb was reluctant to ask a girl out?

“Seriously.”

Shelly stood up and stared at him as if that would give her a better angle to express her scorn. “Christopher Newell, what are you waiting for?”

“An opportunity for her to get to know me better without her thinking I’m a stalker.”

“Which clearly you are.”

He cringed.

“What happened to my creative brother? You can’t even come up with a way to get her to go out with you?”

“I’m working on it. Don’t worry. Caution and patience are called for in this situation.”

“Mom?”

They both turned at the sound of Sara’s voice. The eight-year-old was standing in the hallway.

“Hi, Uncle Chris. Can I show you guys something?”

“Of course, honey. What is it?”

Sara ran across the room and stood in front of them. “A new dance move I made up.”

Shelly sat back down on the couch to watch her daughter who twirled and leaped into the air, then rolled onto the floor, extending her legs then drawing them back to her chest and out again before she returned to a standing position to take a proper bow.

The brother and sister applauded, and Shelly turned and looked at her brother, whispering, “She deserves to take more classes.”

Chris tapped his foot as he considered that statement. “I think I have an idea.”

“No, you’re not paying for them.”

“What if it’s more for my benefit than yours? Or even hers?” It was only fair that Sara benefit from his plan. After all, watching his niece dance with so much passion and wonder had been the inspiration for his attending Anne’s performance several months ago.

“I’ll consider it,” Shelly said. The light went on and she smiled. “Would this involve using my daughter to get to your dream woman?”

“Absolutely.”

“Well, in that case, you’re on.”

“You’re a traitor, Skye McCullough, that’s what you are.”

“Sorry, cuz, I couldn’t help it. I fell hard for the guy. It doesn’t hurt that he has the sexiest ass this side of the Mason-Dixon Line.”

“True.” Although Anne had to admit that she’d been admiring another great ass recently.

“Hey, watch it!”

“Just saying.”

“Saying’s okay. Looking’s okay. Touching is another matter. Unless I’m the one doing the touching.” Skye gazed lustily across the room at the subject of their conversation.

Anne laughed at her smitten cousin. “Don’t I recall your going on about how disgusting Sophie and Sean are with their public displays of affection? You and Nick have them beat hands down.”

Skye appeared only slightly embarrassed. “Like I said, I can’t help it, especially when that fine ass is on the back of a horse, unsteady as it may be.”

Kelly McCullough Burnett smiled as she pulled out a chair to join her two cousins who were obviously deep in conversation about one of their favorite subjects. Horses. Or was it men?

“Hey, little cuz, what are you doing over in this neck of the woods? Sit,” Skye said.

Kelly sat down between the two women. “I was feeling antsy so I went riding out at the ranch for a bit. Stopped in to say hi to my folks before heading back to Winslow. Are they around?”

“Your dad’s in his office. Not sure where your mom is. Want something to drink?”

“I have to drive home so I’d better stick with root beer.”

Skye held up her own bottle of Thomas Kemper’s finest and pointed to Kelly. Nick nodded and brought another bottle over to the table, giving Kelly a quick kiss on the cheek before returning to his post behind the bar.

“So, what am I interrupting? You two looked like you were deep in conversation.”

“Skye was just lusting after her fiancé, as usual.”

Skye leaned back in her chair and gazed across the room. “Well worth lusting after.”

“Definitely,” Kelly agreed.

“Hands off. He’s mine.”

Anne and Kelly laughed. “It’s good she knows it,” Anne said.

“We’re just jealous. How’s your love life, cuz?” Kelly directed her question at Anne.

“Nonexistent. Yours?”

“Same.”

“Sorry,” Skye said. “I’ll try harder not to gloat.”

“Does that include not talking wedding?”

“Of course not, especially since you two will be in it.”

“We will?” Kelly had assumed Anne would be in it since the two cousins had been best friends and next door neighbors since birth.

“Yep. If you’ll do it.”

“Of course I will.”

“Good, then that’s settled. The two of you and Sophie. I asked Cassie too, but she’s afraid she’ll be as big as a house by then so she declined. And maybe Megan, but she’s so busy—”

“Who’s standing up for Nick?”

“So far, Sean, Matt, and Nick’s best friend, Trent, from the Bay Area.”

“Attached?”

“Don’t think so, why?”

“Just wondering.”

Anne and Skye exchanged glances. Kelly was the one they called the sweet cousin. She was, after all, a kindergarten teacher. She was also the one who never complained and always seemed content with her life. And never swore. Obviously they had failed to corrupt her.

“Horny?” Skye asked, causing Kelly to choke on her soda.

“Skye!”

“Sorry. So are you?”

“None of your business.”

“You’re my bridesmaid. That makes it my business.”

“Well, then, I’m perfectly fine.”

“Just antsy.”

“Right. Antsy doesn’t mean horny.”

Anne took a sip of her tea. In Skye’s book it did.

“So, have you picked out our dresses?” Kelly attempted to change the subject.

“Not yet. I’m open to input. We just need to come up with a pattern or even a picture so Mom can make them.”

“Aunt Ivy is amazing.”

“Canden Valley’s own Martha Stewart,” Skye said. “She’s definitely amazing. But I do think with all these weddings suddenly, she’s a bit overwhelmed. Thank goodness Cassie and Alex’s wedding is going to be casual and small.”

“Because yours isn’t?” Anne asked.

“Hey, you know my mom would kill me if I didn’t let her do it up the way she loves to do things. But it’s good timing because Arielle’s parents will have moved here by then. Her mom is going to work with mine.”

“At the B&B?”

“That and they’re considering starting a wedding planning business.”

“Great idea,” Kelly said. “But there aren’t that many weddings in the valley.”

“They’d probably advertise in Winslow as well. But you do realize that to date only two of the McCullough cousins are married. That leaves twelve weddings to plan.” Skye grinned. “Including mine.”

“There’s no guarantee we’ll all get married.” Anne held her chin high as if to make a statement.

Skye caught herself before she could roll her eyes at her stubborn cousin. After all, hadn’t she been equally stubborn only a few months ago? “Well, I’m sure some of you will. So, on to my wedding. Do you guys wanna have a brainstorming session? Maybe next weekend? I thought the four of us—you two and Sophie and I—could stay at the B&B for the night. Scan the wedding websites, look at magazines, roast marshmallows.”

“It’s December. The B&B isn’t booked?” Kelly asked.

“Not next weekend, but starting right after that, it’s slammed. Or we could wait until after the holidays.”

“And Cassie and Alex’s wedding which is in January?” Anne said.

“To say nothing of Christmas,” Kelly said.

“And my production of The Nutcracker.”

“And isn’t Sean whisking Sophie off on their delayed honeymoon any minute?”

“Good point. Okay, we’ll wait until late January. But not a minute longer.” This was better, Skye decided. After all, with a little nudge in the right direction, Anne’s weekend would be occupied by a man who might actually be able to convince her that marriage was a possibility in her future too.

Kelly smiled and finished her root beer. “I’m gonna go say hi to Dad. Then I need to get back to Winslow. I have a lesson on shapes and colors to plan for tomorrow.”

As soon as Kelly had left the table, Skye said, “That girl seriously needs to get laid.”

“Antsy isn’t the same thing as horny,” Anne said.

“Isn’t it?”

Okay, maybe it was, Anne thought, her mind drifting to a gorgeous photographer who had her so perplexed and bemused that she could hardly even dance.