nervous.”
Sabrina frowned and elbowed her. “Shut it, Bethany.”
Lauryn looked over at Bethany “Then concentrate on how happy you‘ll be once
you are married. I‘m sure it will make the wedding planning go quicker.”
Bethany exhaled heavily. “I can always hope.”
When the conversation stayed on the wedding Lauryn excused herself and
made her way toward the front door. Her head was reeling from the conversation she
had just been a part of. Walking outside, she took a deep breath of much-needed fresh
air. It was a very beautiful day. The weather was holding up nicely, considering what
they‘d had to deal with lately.
She saw the older generation of men standing around chatting and headed in
their direction. They all greeted her warmly.
Alan stepped closer to her. “What brings you out here?”
She patted her full stomach. “I needed a little fresh air after the wonderful lunch
we had.”
Edward, Steve‘s maternal grandfather, chuckled and rubbed his own stomach.
“After all these years of good eating, it‘s amazing I can still see my feet.”
They all shared a laugh while Lauryn stood watching them. It was amazing
how well they all got along. If her family had been able to do the same she might not
be in the process of trying to find them now. She wasn‘t wholeheartedly looking for
them because she wasn‘t quite sure it was a step that she wanted to take yet. There
had to be a reason that her family hadn‘t been able to get along. She wasn‘t sure she
wanted to reignite a conflict if it still existed. Bottom line was, she couldn‘t face
another rejection.
She looked up as Russell, Steve‘s paternal grandfather, called her name. “Yes?”
“What‘s on your mind?”
She looked at him with puzzlement and he smiled. “You looked like you were
in a faraway place, so I figured I‘d ask.”
“Oh. I‘m sorry. I drifted off into my own thoughts for a minute.”
“What were you thinking about, if you don‘t mind me asking?”
She stared at the older man, wondering if he would understand her dilemma.
“Well, I was wondering how you guys get along so well.”
His brows furrowed together in an adorable fashion. “What do you mean?”
She sighed heavily and told him about the feud on both sides of her family that
had left her without a family. Russell nodded his understanding, placing an arm
around her. “Well, the thing that keeps us from feuding is we all understand each
other. We respect one another‘s opinions even when they differ.”
Lauryn understood the importance of tolerance. She had seen enough conflict
at her old job as well as in society to know that if some people would just mind their
own business, there would be a lot less of it.
“My grandson must have missed you.”
She looked up and saw Steve was heading their way. Her heart rate sped up
and he smiled as he neared them.
“Hey Dad, Grandpa Russ, Grandpa Ed.”
He stepped up on the other side of her. “You ready for that ride?”
She blushed slightly at the seeming double innuendo. Anyone who hadn‘t heard
their earlier conversation would have no idea what he was talking about. She hoped
he was referring to horses, otherwise she would die from mortification. “Yes, I am.”
“Good. We‘ll saddle up Bruce.”
She waved at the men who had briefly kept her company. “It was nice chatting
with you.”
She allowed Steve to lead her in the direction of the barn. She watched him pull
a saddle and bridle off the wall, but she could hardly focus. Even through his shirt she
could see his muscles ripple. She bit her lip to hold in a whimper. Lord, the man was
walking temptation.
He drew her out of her wicked thoughts as he opened the door to the horse‘s
stall and stepped inside to saddle the horse. He caught her watching and pointed out
the steps to her as he went along. Still, she knew if she had saddle a horse on her own
she would be in trouble. It was labor intensive
Sabrina frowned and elbowed her. “Shut it, Bethany.”
Lauryn looked over at Bethany “Then concentrate on how happy you‘ll be once
you are married. I‘m sure it will make the wedding planning go quicker.”
Bethany exhaled heavily. “I can always hope.”
When the conversation stayed on the wedding Lauryn excused herself and
made her way toward the front door. Her head was reeling from the conversation she
had just been a part of. Walking outside, she took a deep breath of much-needed fresh
air. It was a very beautiful day. The weather was holding up nicely, considering what
they‘d had to deal with lately.
She saw the older generation of men standing around chatting and headed in
their direction. They all greeted her warmly.
Alan stepped closer to her. “What brings you out here?”
She patted her full stomach. “I needed a little fresh air after the wonderful lunch
we had.”
Edward, Steve‘s maternal grandfather, chuckled and rubbed his own stomach.
“After all these years of good eating, it‘s amazing I can still see my feet.”
They all shared a laugh while Lauryn stood watching them. It was amazing
how well they all got along. If her family had been able to do the same she might not
be in the process of trying to find them now. She wasn‘t wholeheartedly looking for
them because she wasn‘t quite sure it was a step that she wanted to take yet. There
had to be a reason that her family hadn‘t been able to get along. She wasn‘t sure she
wanted to reignite a conflict if it still existed. Bottom line was, she couldn‘t face
another rejection.
She looked up as Russell, Steve‘s paternal grandfather, called her name. “Yes?”
“What‘s on your mind?”
She looked at him with puzzlement and he smiled. “You looked like you were
in a faraway place, so I figured I‘d ask.”
“Oh. I‘m sorry. I drifted off into my own thoughts for a minute.”
“What were you thinking about, if you don‘t mind me asking?”
She stared at the older man, wondering if he would understand her dilemma.
“Well, I was wondering how you guys get along so well.”
His brows furrowed together in an adorable fashion. “What do you mean?”
She sighed heavily and told him about the feud on both sides of her family that
had left her without a family. Russell nodded his understanding, placing an arm
around her. “Well, the thing that keeps us from feuding is we all understand each
other. We respect one another‘s opinions even when they differ.”
Lauryn understood the importance of tolerance. She had seen enough conflict
at her old job as well as in society to know that if some people would just mind their
own business, there would be a lot less of it.
“My grandson must have missed you.”
She looked up and saw Steve was heading their way. Her heart rate sped up
and he smiled as he neared them.
“Hey Dad, Grandpa Russ, Grandpa Ed.”
He stepped up on the other side of her. “You ready for that ride?”
She blushed slightly at the seeming double innuendo. Anyone who hadn‘t heard
their earlier conversation would have no idea what he was talking about. She hoped
he was referring to horses, otherwise she would die from mortification. “Yes, I am.”
“Good. We‘ll saddle up Bruce.”
She waved at the men who had briefly kept her company. “It was nice chatting
with you.”
She allowed Steve to lead her in the direction of the barn. She watched him pull
a saddle and bridle off the wall, but she could hardly focus. Even through his shirt she
could see his muscles ripple. She bit her lip to hold in a whimper. Lord, the man was
walking temptation.
He drew her out of her wicked thoughts as he opened the door to the horse‘s
stall and stepped inside to saddle the horse. He caught her watching and pointed out
the steps to her as he went along. Still, she knew if she had saddle a horse on her own
she would be in trouble. It was labor intensive
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