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Paige was about to make a comment when suddenly Clint Westmoreland, who was standing in the group, exclaimed, “Who the hell is that guy that just walked in?”
Everyone turned toward the entrance of the ballroom. It was Chance Steele, one of Cheyenne’s cousins, who answered, “That’s Dominic’s best friend, Matt Caulder. They were raised together as brothers. Do you know him?”
Before Clint could answer, his brother Cole and his sister Casey, along with their spouses, walked up. Nadia noticed that the same shocked look that was on Clint’s face was on his siblings’. His sister Casey asked Clint in a deep, emotional voice. “Do you see that guy’s face, Clint?”
“Yes, I see it.”
Now everyone was curious as to what was going on. Nadia studied the guy who seemed to be in his midforties and who she thought was very handsome and distinguished looking.
“Hey, while you’re all interested in the guy, I want to know about the young woman with him,” Alisdare Westmoreland said. “Is that his wife, girlfriend, sister or daughter?” Nadia could only assume Alisdare, who at twenty-nine was single and worked as a FBI agent, was hoping it was one of the latter two.
“The young lady with Matt is his daughter,” Sebastian Steele, another one of Cheyenne’s cousins, said. He turned to Clint. “Why the interest in Matt? What’s wrong with his face?”
Clint glanced over at him and said, “Nothing, other than it’s the spitting image of our Uncle Sid, and we want to know why.”
It was after midnight when Jaxon opened his hotel room door and stepped aside to let Nadia enter. Thanks to Dominic everyone attending Cheyenne’s birthday party was given complimentary accommodations. Jaxon had upgraded to one of the larger suites on the other side of the hotel for privacy.
A lot of celebrating had been going on, not just for Cheyenne’s birthday but once news got around that the Westmoreland triplets—Clint, Cole and Casey—had found their long-lost cousin, the son of Sid Roberts, the legendary rodeo star and renowned horse trainer. Matt Caulder had never known the identity of his biological father, but that night he learned that Sid had hired someone to find him, and they’d looked for him for years, but they never found him. Everyone was excited when the triplets’ father, Corey Westmoreland, had welcomed Matt to the Westmoreland family as an honorary member. In a shocking move, Bart Outlaw had done the same.
Jaxon was glad that since accepting his relationship to the Westmorelands, Bart was doing a better job of connecting. Jaxon’s Outlaw cousins thought Bart’s marriage to Claudia had a lot to do with it and Jaxon would agree. Bart could still be his ornery self at times but these days he was more hospitable and sociable. Jaxon’s parents had even invited Bart and Claudia to Virginia over the summer, so his mother could visit with her cousin Bart. The two couples got along wonderfully.
“It was a great party, wasn’t it?”
Nadia’s words cut into Jaxon’s thoughts as he leaned against the closed hotel room door and watched as she kicked off her stilettos. She had worn a short and sexy dress that showed what a great pair of legs she had. “Yes, it was. There were quite a number of revelations tonight. The one that really took me by surprise was Quade and Cheyenne’s announcement that they’re having another baby,” Nadia said. “Their triplets are in their early teens. But they’d always said they wanted other kids. It will be funny if they have another set of triplets like Bane and Crystal.”
“Well, according to Quade they aren’t worried about it. If it happens, it happens,” Jaxon said, moving away from the door. “And what do you think of Quade’s father James’s announcement that he’s located more Westmorelands?”
Nadia chuckled. “From the cheers that went up around the ballroom, I think everyone was happy and excited about it. James is considered the genealogist in the family. I understand he’s been on the trail of those particular Westmorelands for a while. Ever since it was reported in a national newspaper some years back that the wife of some man with the last name Westmoreland had given birth to quadruplets.”
Jaxon smiled as he came to stand in front of her. “I’m sure that was the first clue there might be a connection.”
“What?”
“Multiple births. It seems such a thing runs rampant with the Westmorelands and Outlaws.”
Nadia threw her head back and laughed. “You noticed?”
“Can’t help but notice. I think Adrian and Aidan get a kick out of fooling me every time. I still can’t tell them apart.”
She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Maybe one day I’ll let you in on the secret as to how to do that.”
He leaned in and nibbled around her lips. “Promise?”
“Um, yes. A number of people were surprised to discover we’re together. Mostly the ladies. The men, however, didn’t seem surprised. Would you care to explain that?”
He leaned back and stared down at her. “They weren’t surprised because they knew I intended to marry you.”
She lifted a brow. “And just how did they know that?”
“I told them when we were together at the poker tournament in Westmoreland Country.”
“That was in August. Three months ago.”
“I know,” he said, smiling. “I knew from the first that you were the woman for me. Am I the man for you, Nadia?”
She lifted up on tiptoes to brush her lips across his and whispered, “Yes, Jaxon, you are definitely the man for me.”
“Good.” He then swept her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He placed her on her feet beside the bed. Stepping back, he reached for the duffel bag he’d placed there earlier and retrieved a small white box. Kneeling on one knee in front of her, he said, “If you believe that then will you marry me? Will you share my life, my name and my babies as my wife?”
