Heartland. Sara Walter Ellwood
and sat on the recliner facing a flat screen TV. “That’s true. We know you never had sexual feelings toward her as a girl, but you can’t deny you’ve always been taken with her. I remember when she played in Dallas the Christmas before you married Raquel. I had to practically hogtie you to keep you from making a jackass of yourself when those two security guards wouldn’t let you backstage.”
“I wanted to say howdy.” He would never admit how enthralled he’d been by the eighteen-year-old woman as she belted out her hit-making country pop songs to a stadium full of screaming fans. She still ensnared him in her beauty. Frustrated at himself for letting his brothers’ teasing bother him and for his foolish behavior, he headed toward the kitchen.
He could never admit he destroyed her speeding ticket. Hadn’t he done it to be able to see her again? “That’s all I was doing tonight. Being neighborly. I’ve had about enough of you two hayseeds. I’m collecting my son and going home.”
Their snickers followed him into his sister-in-law’s domain. EJ and Vince’s wife, Clare, had gone to school together, and she and Raquel had been best friends. The petite blonde turned away from the stove after setting a large pan of lasagna on the burner. Before she had a chance to greet him with more than a bright smile, his other sister-in-law, Judy, grinned at him from the counter where she tossed a huge bowl of salad.
“Hope those meatheads haven’t been tormenting you too much.” Judy wiped her hands on her apron and stepped over to him. The curvy brunette hugged him. “You doin’ okay?”
Judy and Tucker had finally gotten married three years ago after more than fifteen years of an on-again/off-again relationship. When she was younger, she had a reputation of being easy, which working at the local honky-tonk hadn’t helped. Having three kids with Tucker before he’d actually put a ring on her finger hadn’t improved her standing among the more snobbish folks in town either. Despite her own wild ways, she was good for his beer-drinking, rowdy brother, even if Tucker didn’t always agree.
EJ knew she was asking about his mental state and returned her embrace. “I’m good.”
Clare stood beside him with her hand on his arm, offering her own quiet support. “Glenda called me today.”
He moved away from the women and narrowed his eyes on Clare. “What did she want?”
If his mother-in-law harassed Raquel’s friends, he would have a nice long chat with her. Enough was enough. His wife was dead and this constant reminding everyone who had known her of the fact wasn’t healthy.
Clare frowned and folded her arms over her rounded belly. She was about eight months pregnant with her and Vince’s second child. Their son was the same age as Austin. “Glenda wanted me to convince you to go to dinner at the Marshalls’ place.”
EJ fisted his hands at his sides and gritted his teeth. “I already told Trevor I wasn’t coming to dinner. Where’s Austin? I’m going home.”
Clare took a step toward him. “Why not stay here for dinner? You and Austin are always welcome.”
He glanced from the women’s hopeful expressions to the massive pan of lasagna. His brothers stood in the doorway between the big country kitchen and the living room. From the TV room their kids were laughing and making a general ruckus. Did he want to go home to an empty house and be alone?
He let out a breath as he met Clare’s compassionate blue eyes, then nodded. “Okay.” With a smile, he looked around the room again, taken aback by the relief radiating from his family. “Let’s eat. I’m starved.”
Vince and Tucker cuffed him on the shoulders as they passed him to the large trestle table set with an army of plates.
“Because sitting in that big office of yours is hard work,” Tucker winked at him as he sat in the same place where he’d sat since they were kids.
“Daddy!” Austin ran into the kitchen with the other kids and bounded up into his lap.
“Hey, buddy.” Hugging his son close, EJ kissed his forehead and ruffled his white-blond hair. He turned back to his smirking brother. As he considered his comeback to the familiar barb, the memory of stopping Emily in her fancy sports car and the confusion thinking about her had caused him all day flooded his mind. “Trust me I’d love to see you dealing with a speeder with a chip on his or her shoulder any day.” Not to mention the county’s distrust. Judy dragged over a highchair and set it beside him. As he sat Austin in the chair, he thanked her, then changed the subject. “I think we should eat. That lasagna smells delicious.”
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