LITMIR.BIZ

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of freckles on her nose, smiled. “We’re so glad Toby finally brought you out to meet his crazy family.”

      Angie and Stacey had graduated from high school together, although they really hadn’t run in the same circles. Stacey, who’d gone on to nursing school after graduation, had been more of an academic and tended to hang out with the smarter kids. And Angie had been all over the campus, hanging with the members of whichever social club she was trying out that semester.

      “Thanks for including me.” Angie placed the brownies on the sideboard, next to a Bundt cake in a covered dish and a plate of lemon bars. Toby’s mom had been right. They were certainly dessert-friendly in this household. She hoped everyone was as sweet as the offerings on the countertop.

      “Can I help you guys with anything?” Angie asked, noticing that Stacey was putting the finishing touches on a cheese-and-vegetable platter.

      “Julia and Gabi are setting the tables outside,” Delaney said, as she stirred something that appeared to be potato salad. “And we’re almost done in here.”

      “Why don’t you pull up a chair?” Stacey nodded to one of the empty barstools on the other side of the kitchen island. “Tell us what you’ve been doing with yourself since high school.”

      “Now hold off a moment,” Jeanne Marie said. “It’s only fair to offer Angie a glass of wine or some iced tea first. The least we can do is let our guest wet her whistle before you launch into a full-blown question-and-answer session.”

      When Jeanne winked at Angie, and her daughters laughed, easing the awkward tension, Angie couldn’t help but join in the merriment. If Stacey and Delaney could make light of their overly curious natures, then so could she. Besides, she had nothing to hide.

      Well, nothing except the fact that she had the hots for one of their brothers.

      “I think I’ll take an iced tea,” Angie said, “but you guys keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll get it.”

      She’d no more than crossed the kitchen and was reaching for the pitcher when Justin rushed into the room, his eyes bright, his excitement impossible to ignore. “Angie, I was telling Uncle Galen about your candy brownies, and he wanted me to bring them out to the tree house so we can all try them.”

      If there was anyone who loved sweets more than the Fortune Jones family, it was Justin Hemings. And since he’d been eyeing those brownies and asking for a taste ever since she’d arrived at the Double H, Angie knew when he was still trying to finagle an early treat.

      “You tell Uncle Galen that we have so many desserts to choose from that it’s best if he waits until after dinner. That way, instead of having only one treat, he’ll be able to try them all.” Angie pointed to the counter holding the sweets.

      Justin hurried over to look at his many options. His eyes darted from side to side, unable to settle on a favorite.

      “Did you make all of these?” he asked Angie. Before she could answer, he looked at Jeanne Marie and continued. “Angie makes the best cupcakes with little race cars on the top. And she makes us pizza with our very own favorite toppings. And she puts extra butter on the popcorn because that’s how Toby likes it best. She’s the best cooker in the world. I’m going to tell Brian about the desserts. C’mon, Angie. You gotta come see the tree house.”

      And with that, Justin shot out the open sliding door, running as fast as he talked.

      Angie looked at Toby’s sisters, who both seemed eager to pounce on her with questions, but Jeanne Marie saved her by saying, “Let’s go see the tree house. Then you can meet my husband. That will give my daughters plenty of time to strategize about what they want to ask you.”

      Grateful to have escaped what she was sure would have been a barrage of questions, Angie tossed them each a smile and went outside with Jeanne Marie to a built-in barbecue, where Deke was preparing to grill hamburger patties and hot dogs.

      “Honey,” Jeanne Marie said, “this is Angie Edwards, Toby’s friend.”

      Deke, a tall, rugged man with a thatch of thick gray hair, turned to Angie and greeted her with a hint of a smile. “It’s nice to meet you. We like it when the kids bring their friends home.”

      “I’m glad to be included,” Angie said. “Where’s that tree house I heard so much about?”

      Deke pointed about fifty yards from the house to a huge tree where Toby stood with his brothers Jude, Liam and Galen. The men were watching Brian swing while laughing at something Liam said.

      “The boys found that ole fort the first day Toby brought them to the ranch,” Deke said. “But we hadn’t realized how rotten some of that lumber had gotten until Justin fell and bumped his head a couple of weeks ago. So we wouldn’t let them play on it until I could find the time to replace some of those old boards.”

      “Well, it looks as though they appreciate your time and effort,” Angie said. “In fact, if I wasn’t wearing a dress, I’d join them on that swing.”

      Jeanne Marie laughed. “And I might take a turn with you. When our sons were little, we used to have overnight campouts in that fort.”

      “You slept outside with them?” Angie couldn’t imagine her mom doing something like that.

      “I did until they stopped being afraid of the bogeyman. After that, whenever they had those campouts I stayed inside and enjoyed the peace and quiet with their daddy.”

      Deke grinned and gave Jeanne Marie a little pat.

      It was heartwarming to see such a loving couple. She’d never seen her parents show each other any affection.

      “Honey,” Deke said to his wife, “can you please go in the house and get a clean platter for me to put the cooked meat on?”

      “I’ll get it,” Angie offered. “Everyone else has a job to do. I better earn my dinner, too.”

      “Then you go on ahead,” Jeanne Marie said with a laugh. “We wouldn’t want you to feel excluded.”

      Angie started toward the house, just as Julia Tierney was coming outside with a pitcher of lemonade and a stack of red plastic cups.

      “Hey,” Julia said. “I heard you were coming. It’s nice to see you outside of the Superette.”

      Angie smiled. “It’s nice to be here. In fact, I’ve only been on the ranch a few minutes, but everyone has been so warm and welcoming. You’re lucky to be a part of this.”

      Julia, who’d recently become engaged to Toby’s brother Liam, had a glow about her these days. “I’ve really been blessed. I’ve fallen in love with the greatest guy in the world, and he has a wonderful family.”

      “You know,” Angie said, as she stepped aside, “I’d better let you put that lemonade down before you drop it. Besides, I finally have a job to do and don’t want Deke to think I’m lagging.”

      Julia smiled. “I’ll talk to you later.”

      As Julia passed through the doorway and onto the patio, Gabriella Mendoza followed behind her, carrying a platter of lettuce leaves, tomato slices and other hamburger fixings.

      Gabi was also sporting a diamond engagement ring these days, courtesy of Jude, another of Toby’s brothers. The two had met after Gabi’s father, Orlando Mendoza, had been seriously injured in a plane crash.

      Orlando had been a pilot for the Redmond Flight School when the accident happened. And Gabi had flown out from Miami to be with him as soon as she’d gotten the news.

      “Hi there,” Gabi said. “It’s good to see you again.”

      “Same here,” Angie said. “How’s your dad doing?”

      “Much better. Thank you for asking.”

      “I’m so glad to hear that.” Angie again stepped aside to let Gabi pass,

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