Ever After (Nantucket Brides 3)

Jamie saw the grimace and pulled the blanket up to cover himself.

“You want to tell me about her?”

“No,” Jamie said. “Not yet.” He kept looking around the garden.

“She took a nap,” Kane said. “Your mother went up to check on her and

she was stretched across the bed asleep. I have a favor to ask of you.”

“About what?” Jamie asked, his voice cautious.

“Take care of your aunt Jilly tonight. We’re all going out to dinner and I think it might overwhelm her. We arranged that you and Hallie would have her and Uncle Kit over for dinner. Something quiet.”

They both knew Kane was lying. A full family dinner, probably in some restaurant where they’d reserved every table, would be too much for Jamie. Kids screaming and running around, adults laughing, glad to see one another, would be as loud as a battlefield.

“Sounds good,” Jamie said, but he didn’t meet his father’s eyes. “When’s the groom going to get here?”

“As soon as he can. Speaking of grooms, Graydon’s wedding is tomorrow morning. Some of the kids are setting up a screen in Kingsley House. You want to go there or have a setup put in here?”

Jamie had to look away and swallow a few times before he answered. He knew that his family meant well. Their constant, never-ending care and concern for him were based on love. He knew that and appreciated it. However, the last few days with Hallie, being yelled at, being told to do things, had been the best he’d felt since he was pulled out of the wreckage of an armored vehicle.

“Put in a set here,” he said at last.

“Todd said—”

“Don’t send him,” Jamie said quickly.

Kane’s eyes widened. Since they were born, the twins had been inseparable. The only argument they’d ever had was when Jamie said he was going to serve his country. Todd had gone berserk, shouting at his brother, saying that he was a fool and that he could be killed. It had taken three Montgomerys and a Taggert to hold Todd down, while Jamie just stood there, unbending in his resolve. “Todd will want to see the wedding with you.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jamie said and there was a flush on his cheeks. “But he and Hallie don’t get along. He keeps testing her.”

“He thinks she’s a gold digger?”

“He thinks she’ll leave me when she gets tired of my…of my…” He couldn’t finish or meet his father’s eyes.

“What do you think?”

“That if she’s smart, she’ll run away.” He was scratching one of the scars over his rib cage.

“I think that if she’s smart she’ll overlook a few mosquito bites and see my son underneath.”

“Thanks,” Jamie said and met his father’s eyes.

“Are you hungry? Your mother yet again packed your refrigerator full of food. She’s becoming great friends with Dr. Huntley’s wife, Victoria. I think they’re going to collaborate on a book. A sort of murder mystery cum ghost story. Your mom found a lot of info about your Tea Ladies ghosts and gave it all to Kit.”

Jamie nodded. He knew what his dad was doing. He was putting Jilly and Kit, the calmest people in the extensive family, together with his injured son. It was certainly well meant, but Jamie couldn’t suppress the resentment he felt. He needed to be singled out, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be. Poor, pitiful, damaged Jamie.

“That all sounds great,” Jamie said as he got off the table. “Hallie and Uncle Kit had some meeting at two A.M. and now they’re friends.”

“Did they?” Kane asked as he handed his son his clothes. “But Kit doesn’t talk to anyone.”

“Everybody talks to Hallie and everybody likes her,” Jamie said, sounding almost defensive. He had his back to his father and didn’t see the smile that reached down to Kane Taggert’s very soul. This girl was putting life back into his son, and for that Kane was deeply grateful.

“So I’ve heard. Raine can’t shut up about her.”

“What does that mean? Two sentences?”

“Four!” Kane said and they laughed, the tension between them broken.