LITMIR.BIZ

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looked up to find Kenyon leaning against the carved oak door, powerful arms crossed over his chest. “It was the news she was hoping for.”

      “What about you, Mia?”

      “What about me?” she asked.

      “Do you want children?”

      An uncomfortable silence followed his query. It was the first time any man had asked whether she wanted children.

      Jayden had asked her to marry him even though they’d never talked about whether either of them wanted children.

      “I suppose I’d like a couple.”

      “You suppose?”

      “If I met someone and loved him enough to marry him, then of course I’d want to have his children.”

      “Why do you make marriage sound like it’s a gift wrapped up in a neat little bow?”

      “Why are you so cynical, Kenyon? Please don’t tell me you don’t believe in marriage?”

      His lids lowered, the gesture hiding his innermost feelings. “I believe in marriage. In fact I tried it once.”

      “What happened?”

      “We weren’t as compatible as we thought we were.”

      “Was she a local girl?”

      Kenyon shook his head. Closing the distance between them, Mia patted his shoulder. “That’s where you went wrong. Next time you should look for someone who is geographically compatible.”

      “I’ll try and remember that the next time I date a woman,” Kenyon said over his shoulder when Mia walked past him, the subtle scent of her perfume trailing in her wake.

      He nodded, thinking about her response. Maybe Mia was right. If his ex-wife had been a local woman, beyond a doubt they would’ve remained married. But he was never one to dwell on the past and what wouldn’t or couldn’t be. He’d dated a number of women since his divorce, yet none were able to touch that part of him that made him want to commit. When he thought about them he was forced to admit that none were like Dr. Mia Eaton—sexy and totally unforgettable.

      Chapter 4

      By late morning the entire household was awake and buzzing about the news that there would be another Yates later that year. Selena’s announcement that she and Xavier were expecting a baby elicited shouting, backslapping and an abundance of good wishes and congratulations.

      After a brunch of scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, sausage links, sliced melon, mini corn muffins and fluffy biscuits slathered with butter or Lily Yates’s homemade jams and preserves, the men retreated to the family room to watch the New Year’s football games.

      Wearing a bibbed apron belonging to Geneva, Mia had remained in the kitchen to help out cutting and dicing ingredients for the many dishes that would grace the dining room table for what would become a traditional New Year’s celebration.

      It was close to four in the afternoon when everyone sat down at the table in the dining room, but only after Geneva had walked into the family room to turn off the television amid shouts and groans from the men.

      Mia had been too exhausted at Selena and Xavier’s wedding to join in the levity and eat, drink and dance with the Yates family, but working alongside the women in the kitchen, and engaging in conversation with the menfolk as they came to get something to eat or drink whenever there was a pause in the game, made her feel as if she was truly a part of their family.

      Her gaze shifted to Roland Yates, who’d recovered from overindulging the night before, as he sat down at the table opposite Geneva. The tall, handsome sheriff of Matewan was grinning like a Cheshire cat. If Selena was her mother’s daughter, then Luke and Keith were their father’s sons. Both of them were tall, gangly and had inherited Roland’s light-brown complexion and ruggedly handsomely features. Mia was surprised when she was told the brothers had married sisters Christine and Cassandra. The identical twins reminded her of delicate black Barbie dolls. The only difference between the two was that Christine was six months pregnant.

      Mia had been instructed to sit next to Kenyon, and when she glanced around the long, rectangular table she realized all of the men were seated next to their spouses: Xavier sat with Selena, Keith with Christine, Morgan with Sylvia and Luke with Cassandra. Lily sat on her son’s right, while Geneva sat at the other side.

      A hint of gray stubble dotted Roland’s recently shaved pate as he gave each one at the table a long, lingering stare. “In all of my fifty-six years I can’t remember welcoming a more joyous new year. I know I speak for Geneva when I say we are truly looking forward to becoming grandparents. My baby girl is now a married woman, and she and Xavier are expecting their first child.” His gaze shifted to his eldest son. “Keith and Christy, we can’t wait to meet our twin grandchildren.”

      Lily placed a hand on her son’s. “Are you certain you’re sober?”

      A rush of color darkened Roland’s face. “Of course I’m sober.”

      Lily gave him a skeptical look. “I’m only asking because your father, God bless the dead, would start preaching like he was in church when he had too much to drink.”

      Geneva decided to save her husband further embarrassment when he opened and closed his mouth several times. She extended her hands to Selena on her right and Keith on her left. “Grandma Lily, will you please say the blessing.”

      Waiting until everyone held hands, Lily bowed her silver head. “Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. Peace be to this house, and to all that dwell it in. Amen.” A chorus of amens followed as everyone reached for the napkins at their place setting.

      Mia leaned closer to Kenyon, her shoulder pressing against his muscled one. “You’re going to have to let go of my hand so I can eat,” she whispered, staring at the dark stubble on his jaw.

      Staring at her under lowered lids, he smiled. “You have nice hands.”

      “Thank you.”

      It was with a great deal of reluctance that Kenyon released Mia’s hand. He’d spent the morning and most of the afternoon half-concentrating on the images flickering across the television screen. It had been a tradition for as long as he could remember that the men in the family commandeered the kitchen for a Christmas sit-down supper and the women did the same for the New Year’s Day celebration. His father had had to repeat a question twice before he was able to focus enough to answer him. When asked if he was tired he’d lied and say yes, when the truth was he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman who was to become Jonesburg’s newest resident. Whether in a pair of jeans, or tailored slacks and sweater—everything about Mia Eaton screamed big-city sophistication.

      Once his divorce was finalized, Kenyon had promised himself that he wouldn’t get involved with a woman like his ex-wife. As long as he and Samantha were living out of suitcases, sleeping together in hotel rooms or touring the world’s capitals their lives were perfect. However, whenever they returned to Jonesburg it was as if she would become a different person—someone he’d recognize but not know. She’d complained that she felt as if her spirit had died whenever she’d returned to his hometown.

      Kenyon had tried to compromise in order to save his marriage when he’d agreed to move to Chicago and into a high-rise overlooking Lake Michigan. Then, the tables were reversed because he felt as if he was drowning in a mass of humanity whenever he walked the streets of the Windy City. He’d found it too noisy and congested, and the weather much too unpredictable. Either it was too hot or too cold—unlike Mingo County, where there was a definite change of seasons.

      He was never able to get used to the steel-and-glass buildings and the lack of trees, grass, gorges and mountains. West Virginia was one of the most picturesque states in the country. It had been a while since he’d thought about Sam, as he’d called her, and he knew it had something to do with Mia. Both were tall, slender and extremely attractive. It was Sam’s

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