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Alanna couldn’t believe what he was telling her. There was no way that seven men looking the way these men looked, and not a one of them had a girlfriend.
Alanna looked at Ginny, thinking she would stop the men from pulling her leg. “He’s joking?”
Ginny shook her head. “Matthew’s telling the truth. None of them have dated.”
“Why not?” She waited for the punchline, still not believing. Piercing a broccoli spear with her fork, she looked up to see Matthew staring at her intently.
“We’re waiting for our soul mates.”
Chapter Eight
The silence at the table became palpable after he disclosed the truth.
Matthew ignored the kick under the table that Isaac gave him, not removing his gaze from Alanna’s.
“Yes … well …”
From the way she was looking around the table, she thought he was teasing her. He wasn’t. He had never been more serious in his life.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a man waiting for their soul mate.”
Silas cleared his throat. “Here. Try the sweet potatoes.” Passing the potatoes to Alanna, Silas shot Matthew a warning glance.
Matthew resumed eating the food that tasted like cardboard.
“Gavin is my soul mate.” Ginny laid her hand on Gavin’s arm. “We’re very happy. My brothers are determined to outdo me.” Ginny playfully nudged Gavin with her shoulder. “He didn’t believe in soul mates, either. I had to educate him. Took me a while, but I think he does now. Either that, or he’s just pacifying me,” she teased.
Matthew gave his sister a grateful smile, trying not to break into laughter at Gavin’s reaction at finding himself being pulled off the sideline.
“We’re soul mates.” Gavin said, giving his wife a threatening glance for putting him on the spot.
Matthew finally was able to enjoy the food on his plate. Misery does love company.
Gavin’s embarrassment was nothing like the misery he had been dealing with since he had seen Alanna. All he had wanted to do when he came out of his shop and saw her was pick her up, carry her to his trailer, lock the door, and never let her leave.
Reaching for his glass of tea, he had to steady his hand before picking it up.
Waiting for Alanna had tested his endurance. It was only the repercussions that his family would be punished with that had prevented him from making an opportunity to insert himself in her life before the stars had determined they would meet.
He had to tell himself that he wasn’t the only one suffering from waiting. All his brothers were waiting for their time to come. Some, like Isaac and him, were near their breaking points, while Ezra and Fynn were still settling into the fact that their hearts were meant for a certain girl.
Matthew sympathized with them. While he hadn’t fought having a soul mate, Isaac hadn’t given in easily. Each of his brothers dealt the hand they had been given by the stars differently. Silas, Moses, and he were waiting for their soul mates. Isaac, Jody, and Ezra had tried to beat the stars by being with women other than their soul mates. Jody and Ezra had quickly stopped. Matthew hadn’t asked why, nor did he want to know. He could see the regret in their eyes.
Isaac was different; he always had been. Out of all his brothers, he was the closest to Isaac, yet in other ways, he wasthe least like him. Isaac walked in the shadow world, and each time he did, Matthew was afraid he wouldn’t return.
“Only a child as beautiful as Freddy could have been created by that type of special bond.”
Matthew was staring at Alanna when she started talking, and the love he felt for her deepened. He didn’t have to look at Ginny to see Alanna had stolen her heart as well.
“Thank you.” Ginny scooted the platter of roast beef closer to her.
Alanna shook her head. “If I eat any more, I’m going to burst.”
Ginny began to look upset. “You haven’t eaten dessert.” Rising from the table, she went into the kitchen then returned with a strawberry truffle.
Matthew hid his smile when Alanna took one look at the truffle and her eyes widened in pleasure.
“I love strawberries.”
