Page 63 of Tristan’s Temptation

“Yeah.” The game came back on and Tristan sat there, hugging his pillow and staring at the television, but he had no idea what was happening on the screen. He had the sense Adam wasn’t really paying attention either. “You aren’t mad that I broke the rule?”

Adam chuckled and then he barked a laugh. “Oh, you’ll pay for that. But no. I’m not mad. I couldn’t be happier. She’s great. She’s really great.”

Tristan relaxed. Collapsed. What a relief.

He felt so much better.

One hurdle over.

Now all he had to do was get Shannon to say yes.

The game heated up and Adam’s attention swung back to the screen. In a minute he was screaming at the players once more. Tristan finished his beer and stood.

“Hey, bro. Get me another beer, will you?” There was a strange expression on Adam’s face but Tristan couldn’t be bothered to work it out.

“Sure.”

Tristan wandered into the kitchen—thinking about Shannon, plotting how to find her, corner her, force her to listen to him—but something made him stop at the threshold. His mother and Kat had their heads together and they were whispering.

Now, that was pretty typical of the two. Mom had taken to Kat like a mother duck takes to ducklings. She’d always wanted a daughter and had been cursed with rowdy boys. But they weren’t whispering softly and they were both so absorbed in their furtive conversation they didn’t even notice him.

“How far is she along?” Mom’s eyes were alight with glee.

“Not far.”

“How exciting. I can’t wait.”

“It’ll be tough for her.”

“I’m sure. But I was a single mother. I survived. Besides, she’s practically family.”

Kat sniffed a little and covered Mom’s hand with hers. “I am so glad to hear you say that.”

Tristan grabbed a brownie off the cooling rack.

“Careful, dear, those are hot.”

“Okay, Mom. What are you guys talking about?”

Was it his imagination or did Kat pale a little when she saw him? “Nothing!” she warbled.

Tristan opened the fridge and pulled out the milk.

“Don’t drink out of the carton, dear. Get a glass.”

Obediently, he complied. “Didn’t sound like nothing.”

“It’s just wonderful. Someone’s going to have a baby.”

He bit into the brownie. It was hot. He took a quick snort of cold milk. “Really? Who?”

Mom sighed. “Don’t talk with your mouth full. For heaven’s sake.”

Tristan swallowed. “Who?”

“No one,” Kat snapped.

At the same time, his mother chirped, “One of the girls at your office.”