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Her brother walked in the room at that moment, and she smiled sweetly at his angry expression.
“That’s why we don’t marry strippers at the courthouse after the second date, boys and girls,” Emily beamed in a falsetto voice… simply to goad her brother.
“Em,” Chase growled. “Knock it off…”
“How many rounds of penicillin did you take after the divorce…”
“EMILY MATILDA MARKS!” her mother hissed, aghast. “Johnny is in the next room and that is his mother… even if that was all true.”
“Mom!” Chase snapped, having the good graces to look mortified at this turn of events. “Can you and theHarpy…”
Emily curtseyed.
“… Can you change the subject or drop it completely,” her brother finished angrily, glaring at Emily – who blew him a kiss.
They fought like cats and dogs growing up – and sometimes not much had changed. She adored her brother but would never admit it or let him get the upper hand in an argument, because he could be so pig-headed and arrogant at times.
No one would ever talk trash about him or Karen… except her.
It was a sister’s prerogative, and she would carry that mantle into verbal battle each chance she got with her beloved dork of a brother. To add insult to injury, Emily gave him a mocking salute behind her mother’s back, causing Chase to frown angrily.
Her mother turned around to glare at Emily… and Chase gave her the finger, hiding it the moment her mother turned back around to Chase.
“You two, stop it now…”
“Yes, ma’am,” they chimed obediently in unison, before shoving each other on the shoulder playfully.
“Your balding, Dork…”
“Chicken-legged geek…”
“Karen just pulled up…” her father called out and everyone immediately poured out of the dining room to see what was going on. Karen usually wasn’t this close-mouthed about things and a juicy secret like this was too much to keep hidden.
Walking outside, she saw Karen parked directly behind her and Chase – effectively blocking them in.Dang it,she thought, realizing she was trapped until Karen decided to leave or moved her car.
“There she is…” her mother called out in a sing-song voice that made Emily and Chase look at each other in mock-disgust. Karen was the baby of the family… and if nothing else gave it away?
It was THAT greeting.
Emily got a ‘Hey, you are here. Come help me fold the napkins…”
Chase got the ‘Where’s my drill you borrowed, son?’
… But ‘Baby Karen’got the royal treatment.
“C’mon Karen, we are waiting on… oh well,helloooo! Who is this? Honey, come out here and see what your daughter brought home.”
“Whoaaaboy,” Karen muttered, causing the man with her to laugh as he held out his arm to her sister, who preened immediately.
… And so did her mother.
Vomit.
“Air Force? I didn’t think there was a base nearby…” her brother Chase said bluntly, extending his hand, and Emily almost laughed aloud. Her brother was still in a snit from her goading and obviously sour, if he was questioning the new person outright.
“Chase Marks, nice to meet you.”
“Lieutenant Jace Sorensen,” the man in uniform said agreeably, shaking her brother’s hand and looking at her father in surprise. “Sir, it’s very nice to meet you. Karen speaks highly of you both.”
