“How do you know this woman’s not some kind of con artist?” Walker demands.
My brother’s on the paranoid side, which I understand. Tanner and I are well known amongst the fans of our respectivesports, but Walker isfamous-famous, like can’t walk down the street in Nashville or New York without getting mobbed kind of famous. Moving back to Marble Falls has brought him peace and quiet, but he’s still guarded as hell around anyone new.
“She’s an heiress to one of the oldest fortunes in America,” I tell him. “Or she would be, if she hadn’t turned their money away. Why does she need my cash, when she could have had her family’s?”
Walker’s eyes narrow. “So what’s in it for you?”
Sadie elbows him. “Walker! You don’t ask a man that question when he tells you he’s getting married.”
“I wouldn’t ask, if this were a real marriage. Instead of whatever sham we’re hearing about now.”
“It’s not a sham,” I say abruptly.
Except… isn’t it?
Walker doesn’t back down an inch. “You’re talking aboutmarriage, Slade. It’s not a fucking business deal or a joke. It’s supposed to mean something.”
Dad leans forward. “Now, now, son, let’s not be so hasty to judge. I’m sure there are nuances here none of us have understood yet.”
He sends a wink my way, like we’re in on something together.
I frown. I don’t know what he thinks he knows.
Although he did say he looked up Lila, probably saw her headshot on her website and knows how pretty she is, so maybe he’s imagining all kinds of things that aren’t there.
“No, really, bro.” Tanner’s looking at me like I’m crazy now, which is kind of insulting considering he rides angry bulls that want to kill him for a living. “Is this a hostage situation? Blink twice if someone’s blackmailing you.”
Now I’m getting genuinely irritated. “This is a favor to a friend. And she’s coming here tonight to join us, and if I hear asingle word against her, or our situation, out of any one of you, she and I are walking right out that door.”
Now Walker’s got a more considering look in his eyes. “You’re mighty protective of a ‘friend,’ my brother.”
Sadie strokes her fingertips over the back of his palm and my brother relaxes even further under her touch. She says, “I think it’s very gallant. A spontaneous proposal of marriage just to help her out? It’s actually pretty romantic.”
“It’s not,” I assure her. “It’s practical.”
Tanner shakes his head. “I’m not buying it. Something’s fishy here. Something you’re not telling us. Is it?—”
Just then the door to the private room opens.
Every head swivels and every pair of eyes lands on Lila.
The collective impact of every Rhodes’ family member’s eyes on her makes her pull up short. She blinks back at them, and offers a smile.
“Um, hi. I’m so sorry I’m late. There was a situation with a thousand-pound credenza going up on a crane to the second story and…”
I stand and go to her side. Instinctively, I wrap an arm around her waist. My lips brush lightly against her cheek in the barest kiss.
Not that I need to put on a show for my family, but I’m introducing the woman I’m marrying, and it feels right to show some affection.
“Glad you made it,” I murmur.
Her eyes come to mine, warm and a little surprised, and I become aware that my entire family has gone very quiet behind me.
With a hand at the small of her back, I steer her to the chair next to mine and pull out hers for her. When she sits, I drape my arm across the back of her chair.
“This is Lila,” I announce. “Myfiancée.”
There’s still total silence around the table, which for a Rhodes family gathering, is vanishingly rare.
