Heartwishes (Edilean 5)

“No need for that. Last night I told Mom and Dad that I’d broken up with Jean. And I said you and I were now a couple.”

Gemma glanced skyward for a second. “They’re going to hate me.”

“Far from it,” Colin said. “Actually, now that I think about it, they seemed almost glad.”

“Glad that you broke up with a woman they love and ran off with someone they barely know?” When Colin didn’t say anything, just kept staring at her, she said, “What is it?”

“My mother.”

“What about her?”

Colin came out of his trance. “I was just thinking about how my mother is a force of nature. And when she wants something, she goes after it.”

“And what she wants is—” Gemma took a step back and put her hands up. “Rachel said your mother wants grandchildren.” Her eyes widened. “From me? I’m still trying to figure out what you like for lunch! I’m not ready for anything else. We need to—”

He kissed her on the mouth. “I know. Talk, get to know each other, that sort of thing. So you know where the church is? No, wait. I’ll pick you up and we can go together.”

“That’s a lot of trouble,” she began. “I’m—”

“I agree. It is a great bother,” he said quickly. “If you were living at my house, it would be much easier on both of us.” With another quick kiss, he turned away.

“It’s too early to even think of that!” she called after him.

He turned around, walking backward down the center of the street, his arms outstretched. “What more could you want, Gemma? What man have you ever met who comes with a whole town attached to him?”

“Yeah, that’s the problem,” she called back. “I’d be moving in with all of Edilean.”

“Sounds like heaven to me,” he said as he got into his Jeep.

“And maybe to me too,” Gemma said quietly as she opened her car door. She grinned all the way back to the guesthouse.

“Why didn’t you tell me that we were expected to have dinner at your parents’ house?” Gemma said to Colin. They were in his Jeep and heading toward the Frazier estate.

“I didn’t know,” he said. “But my sister and her boyfriend flew in from California last night. It was totally unexpected. I’d like to see them and for you to meet them. I think you’ll like Frank. He’s Mike’s best friend. They’re both policemen about to retire and they both love all that kicking and boxing stuff that you do. How’d you like church?”

“It was nice,” she said, thinking of what he’d just told her and what she’d seen this morning. “The people seemed . . .”

“Seemed what?” he asked.

“I’m sure I’m wrong about this, but they seemed almost relieved that I wasn’t Jean.”

Colin laughed. “People in Edilean don’t hide their feelings very well.”

“So you agree that they don’t want you to be with a tall, gorgeous lawyer?”

Colin groaned. “I’m not touching that one! I think you’re beautiful just as you are. As for Jean, she’s a difficult person to know, and she’s not one to attend the local Scottish Fair. Speaking of which, you better put in your order with Sara now for your dress. What medieval person do you want to be?”

“A tall, gorgeous one. Think Sara can do it?”

Colin pulled into the driveway, turned off the engine, and looked at her. “What’s really bothering you?”

“I’m afraid of facing your mother. Will your whole family be there?”

Colin glanced at the half a dozen cars around them. “Yes. Everyone wants to see Ariel and Frank. Even Pere is here, and you haven’t met him.” He took her hand in his. “Gemma, if you want to go somewhere else, we can. But the truth is that I’m beginning to think that everyone is glad that I broke up with Jean.”

“Maybe your friends, but I saw how friendly Jean and your family were with one another, and—”

He kissed her hands, front and back. “If anyone is the slightest bit less than welcoming to you, we’ll leave, all right? We’ll go to my new house and eat cold chicken off each other’s naked bodies, and I’ll drink champagne out of your bedroom slipper. Sound good?”