To Love and Protect (Must Love Diamonds 4)

“Too bad he’s got a date,” Raine said.

“That’s his sister, Solana.”

Her cousin gave her a little nudge with her elbow. “That’s good news.”

Refusing to let her mind—or her heart—go down that road, she kept her lips zipped.

“Doesn’t he have a brother, too?”

The question had Shelby biting back a grin. Raine didn’t fool her with the innocent act. She knew damn well he had a brother. Because while they’d both voiced their teenage appreciation for Dev, her cousin had actually had a thing for the youngest Torrez, though she’d never openly admitted it. But she had flaunted her red bikini in front of Reyes every chance she got on that visit.

And last summer, when she’d been visiting after one of her equestrian events, Shelby was positive Raine had gone down to the barn with the excuse of going for a ride, but it had really been to try to get under Reyes’ skin. Instead, he’d gotten under hers. Her cousin had been fuming when she’d joined her at the pool after her ride.

“Reyes is home sick, unfortunately,” she informed Raine.

“Oh.” A wealth of disappointment filled that one little word. Shelby wished he had been able to make it just so she could’ve watched the fireworks.

She did a quick scan to make sure Maria wasn’t on the warpath, saw Blake still distracted by Noelle, and lightly touched Raine’s arm. “Come on, walk with me before the general comes back. How’s your shoulder doing?”

She’d had surgery a month ago after a pretty serious accident during her final jumping event of the season.

“Good. I ditched the sling for the wedding.”

“I noticed.” As they walked, she glanced sideways at her cousin’s plum sweater dress with lace detail down the length of the sleeves and across the neckline. “And love that dress by the way. You look great.”

“Thanks.”

“Have you started riding again?”

Raine shook her head. “Doctor won’t clear me for a couple of weeks yet. I’m chomping at the bit, though.”

“I bet.”

They reached the groom’s dressing room by then, and slipped inside to deliver Roxanna’s message. Loyal was the most straight-laced one of the family, and seeing his happy smile made the assignment totally worth the trip. After quick hugs and well-wishes, Shelby hurried Raine back before Maria came looking for her. Her cousin broke away to join her parents and four brothers in the church, while she went to line up with the wedding party at the back for the start of the ceremony.

A half-hour later, while standing on the altar steps during the exchange of vows, she reflected on how much had changed over the past two years. Today was wedding number four for their family, and there were already two babies. Plus, she was pretty sure Loyal and Roxanna would be planning babies soon, and Celia and Robert had been trying to get pregnant for a few months already as well.

Which left her and their half-sibling, Grayson, still standing.

Still standing.

That thought brought a smile. Because, seeing the love shining in Loyal’s eyes as he said, “I do,” she knew he was one hundred percent happy to have fallen. All of them were.

A tiny spurt of envy subdued her smile. While she still didn’t know Grayson well enough to know how he felt about love and marriage, she wanted what her older siblings had.

Love.

A partner.

Babies.

It didn’t have to be right away, but someday. Maybe soonish.

She glanced at her half-brother on the opposite side of the steps, who was practically the mirror image of the groom. Though he was only a groomsman, he looked more than a little claustrophobic in his tux, especially without his service dog, Remy, at his side. She definitely could not imagine him saying, “I do,” anytime soon. Heck, she didn’t think he was even dating anyone—and if he was, it clearly wasn’t serious enough for that someone to be his plus one to the wedding.

However, if she was imagining a groom…

Shelby found her gaze on Dev at the end of the second row before she realized she’d even turned her head. Her heartbeat skipped hard. Damn it all anyway, he was still the man who came to mind when she pictured her own wedding day.