“You sound like an expert.” Grant smiled. “You have kids of your own?”
For a blink of an eye, he saw a sadness come over her, and just as fast it vanished.
She shook her head. “None of my own.” She turned to Heath. “Who is this handsome young man?”
“Heath,” Toby answered. “My brother.”
“I’m Heath, Mama.” He held out his arms, inviting her to pick him up.
Without hesitating, she pulled him in close. Holding both Toby and Heath, she smiled. “I’ve never seen such beautiful boys in my whole life. Are these two your baby brothers?”
Toby nodded. “That’s Nate.”
“He’s Seth,” Heath chimed in, kissing Maude on the cheek.
“They’re beautiful, too,” she said, the edge in her tone completely gone. “Now, you boys need to sit back down in your big boy seats. She lovingly helped them get settled. “I bet your mommy is gorgeous.”
“Their mothers were both beautiful,” Grant told her gently. “Just like our boys.”
“I’ve learned how most relationships in Wilde work—one woman with multiple husbands. Is it possible that some families have more than one wife, too? Do you two share two wives?” She shook her head. “The more I learn about Wilde, the more confused I get. Wait. You said ‘were beautiful.’ Oh my God, I’m so sorry. No wonder you were having trouble keeping up with your boys.”
The waitress came out from the kitchen. The second she spotted Toby, she came over. “Thank God. I see you found Toby.”
“We didn’t, Diana,” Grant said. “This lovely lady did. She found him outside.”
Diana smiled. “That’s wonderful. We were all so worried.”
“I’m actually picking up Carol Wilde’s lunch order,” Maude told her.
“It should be ready in ten minutes.”
“Make it twenty,” Grant said. “We want to buy Maude’s lunch today.”
Diana smiled. “Sure thing. What can I get all of you?”
They gave her their order, and she headed back into the kitchen.
“I’m stunned that you know our Aunt Carol,” Grant said. “Wilde is a small town, and I thought I knew everyone she knew.”
“Are you serious? Carol is your aunt?”
“Her husbands and our dad were cousins, but we’ve always called them our aunt and uncles.” Greg saw the corners of her mouth turn up into a beautiful smile. “Dad didn’t have any brothers, but he and our three uncles were just like brothers.” Then something crossed his mind that didn’t sit right with him at all. Could she be a new love interest for Carol’s three sons—Dan, Dillon, and Craig? “Would you mind me asking how you know our aunt?”
“My sister and I are staying with her and her husbands,” she stated with a grin. “Your aunt is a bit of a devil, isn’t she?”
“Why would you say that?” Grant asked.
“I may have only known your aunt for a day, but it’s obvious to me that Carol is a hopeless romantic. My sister, Mary, is completely enamored with her three sons, and Carol and her husbands are thrilled to death with that.”
Every word that came from Maude’s lips was like honey to his ears. He loved the sound of her voice and the passion behind every syllable. “That still doesn’t make our aunt a devil, does it?”
“Oh no? I’m betting that this little favor to pick up her food was just a ruse. Did she know you two were going to be here at lunchtime?”
He and Grant nodded.
“Actually, Aunt Carol suggested this outing to us last night,” he told Maude. “She reminded us how long it had been since we’d left our ranch. In fact, she insisted we take this break.”
“See. I knew it.” Maude sighed. “I believe she might be trying to play matchmaker with us.”