Patricia Kay - His Brother's Bride-To-Be

“Hey, do you want me to come? I’m due for some vacation. And Brian could oversee the gallery for a couple of days…or even a week.”

“Oh, Nora, that would be wonderful. Would you?”

“Would Elliott mind?”

Jill smiled. “Elliott will love that you’re coming.” She didn’t add that Elliott would love anything that made her happy. She didn’t have to. Wasn’t Nora the one who had urged her to marry Elliott?

“So what about the daughter?”

“Why don’t I just wait and let you see for yourself what she’s like?”

“That bad, huh?” Nora said wryly.

Jill grimaced. “I shouldn’t judge her after just one day.”

“Hey, I can usually size someone up after just one hour, and you’re no slouch in that department, either.”

“Maybe, in this case, I’m too prejudiced to be fair. After all, to her, I’m an interloper here, and I’m younger than she is. If I were in her shoes, I’d probably hate me, too. But let’s not talk about her now. I want you to meet her first, give her a chance to settle down a bit. So,” she said more brightly, “when can you be here?”

“How long a drive is it?”

“It took us about five hours.”

“Let’s say tomorrow afternoon, then. If there’s a problem with Brian, I’ll call you back.”

“Oh, Nora, thank you. Elliott told me he’s invited a few close friends to come and meet me Saturday night. I was a bit nervous about it even before I knew about Stephen, so I’m really glad you’ll be here, too.”

After Jill gave Nora directions, she said goodbye. Once the connection was broken, Jill sat there thinking. Knowing Nora was coming made Jill feel better. Maybe she was being too dramatic about everything, making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe there was some reasonable solution to her problem, something she couldn’t see, but Nora would.

At the very least, with Nora there, Jill would feel less alone.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Jill said for perhaps the hundredth time since Nora had arrived.

The two women were dressing for the evening in Jill’s bedroom. Although Elliott had objected, saying they’d be more comfortable if Nora took one of the guest bedrooms in the main house, Jill had insisted upon giving her bedroom to Nora, and Jill herself would sleep in the other twin bed in Jordan’s room for the duration of Nora’s visit.

“I don’t mind at all,” she’d told Elliott. “It’ll be fun. We’ll probably be staying up till all hours talking.”

Sleeping arrangements at the ranch were delicate, anyway. Jill knew Caroline was probably convinced that when Nora wasn’t around Elliott would probably sneak out at night and join Jill in her bedroom. Stephen probably thought so, too.

The truth was, Jill had made it clear to Elliott up front how she felt. And he had completely understood her belief that an intimate relationship between them would be a very bad example to set for Jordan. “We can only be together if Jordan spends the night somewhere else,” she’d explained.

It was Elliott who made the decision that he could wait until they were married. “It won’t be easy,” he’d said. “But you’re worth it.”

“You look awfully serious,” Nora said.

“Oh, sorry.” Jill wished she could stop thinking about her problems. This was supposed to be a happy time for her—the beginning of a new chapter in her life. “I was daydreaming, I guess.”

“Worrying is more like it.”

Jill made a face. “You know me too well.” She fluffed her hair, wishing she’d had time to get it trimmed before leaving Austin.

“You look wonderful,” Nora said.

Jill studied herself in the full-length cheval mirror. Tonight she wore brown linen slacks and a coral sleeveless sweater. “Do you think so?” she asked doubtfully. “I’m not sure about this sweater.”

“It’s beautiful. What’s your problem?”

Nora herself wore black linen pants, a matching tunic top and chunky silver jewelry. As always, she looked sophisticated and classy.

“I wish I could wear black,” Jill said. She leaned closer to the mirror and inspected her face. Was that a pimple on her chin?

“Black isn’t your thing,” Nora said. “You look great. Stop stalling.”

“I’m not stalling. I think I have a pimple.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. Your skin is perfect. And you are, too, stalling. I, on the other hand, can hardly wait.”

Nora had arrived at the ranch a couple of hours earlier. She had yet to meet Caroline or Stephen and she was unabashedly impatient.

The words were barely out of her mouth when there was a knock at Jill’s bedroom door followed by “Mom! I’m goin’ over to the house.”

“Jordan, wait for us.” She walked over and opened the door. “I just have to put on my jewelry and we’ll be ready to go.”

Jordan, who had spent the entire day outside with Elliott, had showered earlier and was now dressed in clean jeans and a yellow shirt. His first choice had been a much-beloved Brad Paisley T-shirt paired with ragged jeans, but Jill had quickly squashed that idea.

“Well, hurry up,” her son said now.

She couldn’t help laughing. “If you stop whining, I will.”

He rolled his eyes and plopped down on her bed. His expression said grown-ups were weird.

Jill reached for her jewelry. Diamond stud earrings—a gift from Elliott in April on her birthday, a thin, silver bangle bracelet and her diamond engagement ring completed Jill’s preparations.

The ring had been a bone of contention between her and Elliott. She felt it was much too big—a two-carat, round diamond set in platinum. Jill could only imagine how much it had cost. But Elliott wouldn’t listen, saying he couldn’t take the ring back and that he wanted her to have it, period. Jill had reluctantly given in, although she had to admit the ring was gorgeous. She was probably the only woman on earth who would rather have something smaller and simpler.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.