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“Brianna.” Aunt Melanie smiles. “Come sit down with us for a moment.”
I take a seat next to my new aunt. “Hi, Lauren. Did you enjoy the concert?”
Lauren fans herself with her hand. “I did. I’ve always been a rock and roll enthusiast. I’m sure Jack loved it as well.”
Jack Murphy, with reddish-brown hair and his mother’s blue eyes, is my newly discovered cousin, Lauren’s son. He’s around here somewhere.
“This must be a lot for you to take in,” I say. “I suppose you never imagined having this many relatives foisted on you at once.”
Aunt Lauren nods with a smile. “It’s been something, all right. But honestly, I’m thrilled that you’ve all been so accepting of me.”
“I knew they would be,” Aunt Ruby says. “We’ve known about Ryan’s true parentage for the last twenty-five years.”
“Not all of us,” I can’t resist saying.
Just one of the many things my parents, aunts, and uncles chose to keep from my generation. They thought they could protect us, or some such nonsense.
“I know,” Aunt Melanie says, again with a smile. “If it’s any consolation, Bree, Aunt Ruby and I wanted to tell all of you a long time ago. We got outvoted.”
I hold back a frown. “Yeah, I heard all about it. Donny and Dale leveled with me. I kind of understand. And I kind of don’t.”
“You’re a smart girl,” Aunt Ruby says. Then she turns to Lauren. “I just wish we’d known about you. You’re a full-blooded Steel.”
“I’m still not used to thinking of myself that way,” Lauren says.
“You’ll get used to it soon enough,” I say with an eye roll. “Lots of parties here at the main house. We Steels throw a party every time someone passes gas.”
Aunt Ruby erupts in laughter, though Aunt Melanie narrows her eyes at me. Then she laughs as well.
“I suppose, Lauren,” Aunt Melanie says, “you may as well find out what kind of people we are. We don’t mince words.”
Lauren returns the laughter. “My kind of people, then.” She turns to me. “I understand congratulations are in order. You’ve graduated college.”
I give her a smile. I like Aunt Lauren. “Yeah. A semester early.”
“So what do you plan to do now?”
I shift my gaze between Aunt Ruby and Aunt Mel. I haven’t told my parents my plan to go on tour with the band. I probably shouldn’t tell my aunts yet.
“Well… My plan was always to stay here on the ranch. I’ve been working with my father since I could walk. Dale, Brock, and I are the only three of all the Steel kids who have taken an interest in running the ranch. Unless you count my cousins Bradley and Henry. They run our nonprofit foundation, which is related to the ranch but doesn’t require getting your hands dirty. And Dave, who works on the financial end with Uncle Bryce.”
Aunt Lauren raises her eyebrows. “Really?”
“Donny’s an attorney, Diana’s an architect, Gina’s an artist, Ava runs a bakery in town, and Angie and Sage… I don’t think they know what they want to do yet.”
“So you, Brock, and Dale all work on the ranch, then?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m sure your father’s excited to have you come work with him full-time,” Aunt Ruby says.
Guilt takes a swing at me. I still have to talk to Mom and Dad about my plans to go to Europe with the band. I’ve sworn Donny to secrecy, but he insisted I tell them soon, which I’m choosing to interpret as the day before I leave.
“We haven’t really talked about it yet.” I rise. “It was nice talking to you. I hope you feel welcome here, Lauren. Or should I call you Aunt Lauren?”
“Lauren is fine.” She smiles. “But I could get used to Aunt Lauren if you want to call me that.”
“Well, that’s what you are. I’ll see you later, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Mel,AuntLauren.” I smile as I spy Jesse standing under one of the gazebos with a bottle of beer. I walk toward him…but my brother waylays me.
