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"Hope, this is Reese, the father of these hooligans and Drew's older brother," Anna performed the introductions.
He inclined his dark head toward her. "Nice to meet you."
"Same here."
Reese Blackwood was a couple of inches taller than both his brother and his father. His hair was walnut brown, the ends curling into the collar of his flannel blue and gray plaid work shirt, and his square jaw sported what appeared to be a couple days’ growth of beard. Although handsome like his brother, his features were drawn, almost flat, his mouth a thin, hard line.
Despite his hooded gaze, Hope saw he bore the same blue eyes as Drew and their father, the same piercing blue he'd obviously passed on to his own sons, only in Reese's, there was no brightness. No devilment lurking in their depths. Only a deep and haunting sadness.
Hope's heart broke for him.
"Sorry about their display of poor manners," Reese added with a nod toward his sons.
"Yeah, sorry," both boys muttered, their eyes lifting to their father's.
"No worries," Hope assured them. "Maybe you can show me your horses while I'm here."
Both their features lit up like miniature Christmas trees. "Maybe we could go riding one day," Alex suggested, his eyes dancing with excitement before his gaze narrowed as a thought occurred to him. "You do know how to ride, don't you?"
Considering she'd likely been on the back of a horse before taking her first steps, Hope suppressed a laugh. "Yeah, I know how to ride," she assured him.
Before any further discussion continued on the subject of horses, the back door opened, ushering in a gust of cold air and a slender older woman with soft green eyes and stylishly coiffed white hair. On her heels followed a tall, strapping man with a thick silver mane and the same stunning blue eyes as every male in the room.
"Thought someone was supposed to call us old folks when Uncle Drew got here," the giant man stated, his voice a booming baritone as his eyes settled on the youngest of his great-grandsons.
"Oops," Zach gulped. "Sorry, Pops."
Chuckling, the older man ruffled the boy's hair. "Guess we'll forgive you this time. Right, Grandma?"
"I suppose," she replied with a smile in her eyes. Then her gaze lifted to the grandson whose arrival Zach had neglected to announce. "Drew." Her smile widened, and her arms opened wide.
Without hesitation, Drew pulled his grandmother in for a big hug. "Hello, beautiful," he greeted, dropping a kiss on her powdery cheek.
"She's not the only one here, boy."
Laughing, Drew stepped back but kept his arm around his grandmother's thin shoulders. "Pops."
The older man enveloped Drew's outstretched hand. "Glad you're here, Andrew."
"Me too," Drew replied, turning toward Hope. "Grandma, Pops, this is Hope Logan. Hope, my grandmother, Sarah Blackwood, and my grandfather, Zeke."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. and Mrs. Blackwood." Smiling, Hope extended her hand, but instead of taking it, Zeke pulled her in for a bone-crushing bear hug.
"We're not much on formality around here, girlie. Just call me Pops or Doc." He nodded toward his wife. "And the light of my life here can be Gran, Grandma, or Sarah."
With a smile that crinkled the corners of her lovely eyes, Sarah squeezed Hope's hand. "That's right."
For the next hour or so, they all sat around the family room, catching up as the rest of Drew's family trickled in. Holden was first, then Jack and a woman he introduced as his best friend, Tess. Once everyone was in attendance, they all enjoyed a slice of Anna's homemade apple pie topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Quietly, Hope sat back and observed the Blackwood reunion. Despite everyone but Drew living in Beaumont, she gleaned from their conversation it was still difficult to ever have everyone under the same roof at the same time. Hope could also tell by the smile that hadn't left Anna's face since they'd arrived how delighted she was to have all four of her boys within hugging distance.
It tugged at Hope's heart. She thought about the baby she carried. Another branch on the Blackwood family tree to be welcomed and loved by everyone in this room.
By nine o'clock, they all appeared to feel the effects of the long day. Most had been up well before dawn, either busy with traveling, manual farm labor, or any of the other bazillion things to do on a working horse and cattle farm.
"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm beat," Drew declared, his attention shifting to his mother. "Where do you want me to put our things, Mama?"
Zeke leaped to his feet. For a big man, he moved with the grace of a cat. "You're gonna be staying with us," he informed them.
