LITMIR.BIZ

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look funny.” After some tickles, the giddy girl dropped the subject.

      The rain had subsided for the present, and the dreaded daytime heat hadn’t started yet. Marley dressed in red shorts, a sleeveless T-shirt and her sandals, grabbed Michelle’s hand and headed for the kitchen staircase. They passed the assortment of gifts stacked in the playroom on the second floor while Michelle pulled her pink suitcase with Dora emblazoned on the side.

      Buster, the family’s old mixed-breed dog, bounded over, and Marley leaned down to pet him, roughing his neck and ears the way he liked. Michelle went to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck. “He’s glad to see me.” After the watchdog wagged his tail and pulled out of the embrace, he rambled toward the stairs that led to the living room, where he usually stayed.

      Michelle started after the dog, and Marley had to rush to reach her. “Come with me. We’ll get some breakfast.” She pulled the girl in the opposite direction and headed toward the stairs that led to the kitchen. Having two staircases had provided easy access and escape for her and her sisters but had often proved a bane to their parents and grandparents.

      Michelle pulled back. “I don’t want to. I want to go to Kenny.”

      “Your mother will take you later.” Marley sighed. This experience with her niece had been a wonderful revelation. Children were tolerable in small doses.

      As they passed Lindy’s room, Marley had another idea. Should she risk waking her? Had Lindy finally forgiven her for the stained dress? Hesitantly, Marley knocked on the door. “Lindy, you decent?” They’d had little time to talk since her arrival thanks to the spilled juice.

      “Marley? Sure, come in.”

      Lindy sat in the middle of the bed, dressed in summer pajamas, rubbing sleep out of her eyes as Marley entered the room. Lavender violets covered the white walls as well as the curtains, bedspread and canopy bed. A menagerie of stuffed animals lay strewn around the purple rug and topped every available surface. Marley pushed several aside to sit on the edge of her sister’s bed, while Michelle warily glanced at her aunt. When Lindy didn’t appear ready to scold her, Michelle dived into a group of bears on the floor and began to play.

      Although twenty-one, Lindy still looked like a child hardly old enough to take on married life. Her long blond hair was swept over her shoulder in loose abandon. Marley had always considered Lindy—the baby of the family—a little spoiled. But then hadn’t she contributed, always giving in to any demands made by her sister or the family.

      After making a face at Michelle, Lindy leaned across the bed to greet her niece. “Hi, Shelley.”

      “My name’s Michelle.”

      “Oh.” Lindy straightened, suppressing her amusement. At least she wasn’t scolding any more. She turned to Marley. “You’re sure an early riser, all dressed and everything. Did the past few days make you decide to have kids?”

      “This one has been way more active than any of you were.”

      “As I recall, you always calmed us down with your guitar. Why didn’t you bring it this time?”

      My fake fiancé made me forget it! “Too much luggage.” As the firstborn, Marley had received lessons in guitar and dance, an opportunity that dried up as more and more daughters joined the family. Lindy patted the mattress close to her. Marley moved over and was immediately entrapped in Lindy’s arms.

      “Oh, I’m so excited for you,” Lindy said as she squeezed.

      “Me? Why me?” Marley asked, returning the hug. She avoided entangling herself in the long blond hair. Memories flooded back of trying to brush out her sister’s snarls and listening to her scream. During their early years, they had been devoted to each other.

      “Your engagement, silly.” Lindy pushed away, flipped her hair behind one ear and focused those blue eyes on her. “If only we could have made it a double wedding. When am I going to meet this Brant? He’s coming to my wedding, isn’t he? The best man can’t get leave from the army. I know it’s last-minute, and we’re devastated, but I was hoping maybe Brant could fill in.”

      Marley choked on her own saliva and started to cough so hard, Lindy gave her a couple of whacks on the back until she was able to catch her breath again.

      Michelle walked over carrying a large gray rabbit and attempted to climb onto the bed between her aunts. Marley quickly picked her up and placed her on her lap, relieved by the distraction. Lindy pulled the little girl away and handed her another stuffed toy before setting her back on the floor. “Your aunt Marley and I want to talk.” She turned to Marley. “So tell all. I want every detail. Can you get him here for the wedding?”

      Marley smiled in an effort to match her sister’s gush of joy over Marley’s engagement, which every member of their family had duplicated. The struggle at false effervescence strained her cheeks, and she fought to remember what she’d spent hours rehearsing on the five-hour plane trip. The double wedding bit was something she hadn’t anticipated.

      Marley cleared her throat. “Unfortunately, Brant has to work.” She tried to swallow without choking this time. “He really felt bad about not being able to attend.” Another lie. She’d nearly had to hog-tie him to keep him from joining her.

      She had fabricated him to suit her family: a businessman and mechanic for Marley’s pragmatic grandfather; a traditionalist and financier for her conservative mother; an outdoorsman and athlete for her active brothers-in-law; and a cowboy for her romantic sisters. Only the cowboy part bore any semblance to the truth. That acting career? She’d never speak of it. Not to mention that Brant’s scruffy beard and worn-out cowboy attire would have sent her mother into a fit.

      Lindy reached for Marley’s hand. “Where’s your ring?” Marley had placed it in her pocket, not feeling it necessary to always wear it, especially when she washed her hands or worked in the kitchen making meals.

      Lindy watched as Marley slipped her ring back on. “Where did you meet him? At his ranch?”

      “He...” Marley hesitated, not willing to continue the deception. Clearing her throat, she replied, “Enough of that. I’m here for your wedding, not mine. Give me the rundown on the future Mrs. Dennis Kellner.” Marley had met Dennis when she’d first arrived. She’d helped all her brothers-in-law before their weddings and, at Lindy’s insistence, taught Dennis some fundamentals in dance. Marley liked him, a nice man who obviously loved her sister.

      Marley forced herself to relax as Lindy accepted the spotlight and elaborated on the details of the big event only a few days away. Most of the rest of the conversation blurred as Lindy made glowing statements about Dennis, the love of her life.

      “Oh, and you’ll get to meet Denny’s older brother.” Lindy’s shoulders dropped, and she looked a forlorn heap in the middle of the bed. “I had planned to pair you off with him, but now that you’re engaged...”

      In an attempt to avoid discussing her engagement again, Marley asked, “So what’s Denny’s brother like?”

      Lindy leaned closer. “Looks to die for,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper. “He told Den he’d steal me away from him if I wasn’t a blonde.”

      “Sounds like you’ve got a crush.”

      “On him? No way. He’s too old. Besides he likes redheads. When Denny mentioned that you were a redhead, Rick sounded interested. Maybe you know him. He went to your college.”

      “PITT?” Marley asked, referring to the University of Pittsburgh. “Sorry. It’s a pretty large campus, and I don’t remember any Rick Kellner.”

      “His name’s not Kellner. His mother remarried after divorcing Rick’s father. His last name is Brewster and most people call him Richard, but I know him as Rick.”

      “Richard Brewster,” Marley said, drawing the name out. It couldn’t be. Not her Richard.

      Marley held her breath, waiting to hear more

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