it. “I got it. Connections. Eddie, Alex’s driver. Ex-cop. Background check. A-okay.”
“Why didn’t you say that before?” Austin asked. He might have seemed mellow, but Ev knew different. “Don’t worry. Just hurry.”
“Be there in a jiff,” Peg said, her voice growing more distant as Rico hustled her away.
Austin tilted his head toward the door.
Evelyn took his not-so-subtle hint and went around Shane to exit. Before she left, she scowled at him.
He just smiled, slow and sexy.
There he went again, making her knees weak.
His hand settled on her lower back. Ev sucked in a sharp breath. Why did he have to touch her like that?
“Heard that,” he whispered.
She shivered. “Weren’t supposed to,” she said in a low voice.
“Hey, hey, none of that,” Austin insisted. “Right in front of me, too?”
Wincing as he cussed, Evelyn marched into the receptionist area. There must have been more than twenty people staring at her as she emerged.
“Auntie Ev!” Stu’s twin boys rushed to her, grabbing her around the waist and hugging her. There were babies squealing and reaching for her. Seven to be exact. Some were restrained in strollers or by their parents, but they were all calling for her.
“Giggly. Wiggly.” She hugged them back. “Let me look.” They backed up a step. “So handsome. You lost a tooth!” she exclaimed. “Did it hurt?”
“Nope.” He stuck his thumb at his brother. “He did it. We gots a string—”
“And yanked it out.” His twin demonstrated the tugging motion.
“Guys, save the gory stories for later.” Stu smiled and directed them out the door. “Last one at the wedding eats a worm.”
“Yuck!” they said in unison, rushing toward the elevator and poking at the button.
Stu’s wife rolled her eyes and hiked up the little girl on her hip. “Boys—gotta love ’em.”
Once the King sisters were assured Peg’s needs were taken care of, they, along with their families, left the executive floor to get to the wedding area.
Evelyn patted her brother on the arm. “You’re next, slugger.”
He nodded at Shane. “You still didn’t give me the details, Ev, about him. Don’t think I’m going to let it drop.”
Sneaking a peek at Shane, she caught his stunned look. “What?”
He shook his head. “Kids.” Holding up his hands, he counted off seven. “The pictures. That was all of them. Right here. In one room.”
Grinning, she shrugged. Her cheeks warmed. “Lucky, aren’t I?”
His sober look made her heart twinge. “No, Evelyn, I think they’re the lucky ones.”
Why had he gone all serious on her?
Chapter 12
Beaming as she stood beside her brother, Evelyn looked out over the crowd. Seated were the family and extended family members. Standing, all lined up in a big giant circle, were the King’s Department Store employees and their families. She waved at Bruno and some others, found her roomie, and wished she’d had a chance to thank Paige for the beautiful wispy, pale gold bridesmaid dress she’d whipped up.
With utter silence, everyone waited for Peg.
“Holy crumb cakes and cucumbers,” she cried coming around the corner on her father’s arm.
Everyone began to chuckle.
“Oh, honey, it’s perfect,” her mother said, clutching her hands together. Peg’s brother put his arm around his wife as she held their little boy, both of them glowing with pride at Peg.
“That’s our Peg,” Dolly called out, standing and waving. “Look at how beautiful she is, Eddie!” She nudged him.
The man sitting at her side rose, and held his fingers in his mouth and let out a whistle. Others stood and began to clap. The applause grew.
Peg’s dress, short and the color of champagne, sparkled under the lights. Her ever-present clipboard, decorated with white roses, shook in her hands. It seemed like her father was holding her up as she tried to put one foot in front of the other.
“That’s my girl,” Austin said, joining in
“Why didn’t you say that before?” Austin asked. He might have seemed mellow, but Ev knew different. “Don’t worry. Just hurry.”
“Be there in a jiff,” Peg said, her voice growing more distant as Rico hustled her away.
Austin tilted his head toward the door.
Evelyn took his not-so-subtle hint and went around Shane to exit. Before she left, she scowled at him.
He just smiled, slow and sexy.
There he went again, making her knees weak.
His hand settled on her lower back. Ev sucked in a sharp breath. Why did he have to touch her like that?
“Heard that,” he whispered.
She shivered. “Weren’t supposed to,” she said in a low voice.
“Hey, hey, none of that,” Austin insisted. “Right in front of me, too?”
Wincing as he cussed, Evelyn marched into the receptionist area. There must have been more than twenty people staring at her as she emerged.
“Auntie Ev!” Stu’s twin boys rushed to her, grabbing her around the waist and hugging her. There were babies squealing and reaching for her. Seven to be exact. Some were restrained in strollers or by their parents, but they were all calling for her.
“Giggly. Wiggly.” She hugged them back. “Let me look.” They backed up a step. “So handsome. You lost a tooth!” she exclaimed. “Did it hurt?”
“Nope.” He stuck his thumb at his brother. “He did it. We gots a string—”
“And yanked it out.” His twin demonstrated the tugging motion.
“Guys, save the gory stories for later.” Stu smiled and directed them out the door. “Last one at the wedding eats a worm.”
“Yuck!” they said in unison, rushing toward the elevator and poking at the button.
Stu’s wife rolled her eyes and hiked up the little girl on her hip. “Boys—gotta love ’em.”
Once the King sisters were assured Peg’s needs were taken care of, they, along with their families, left the executive floor to get to the wedding area.
Evelyn patted her brother on the arm. “You’re next, slugger.”
He nodded at Shane. “You still didn’t give me the details, Ev, about him. Don’t think I’m going to let it drop.”
Sneaking a peek at Shane, she caught his stunned look. “What?”
He shook his head. “Kids.” Holding up his hands, he counted off seven. “The pictures. That was all of them. Right here. In one room.”
Grinning, she shrugged. Her cheeks warmed. “Lucky, aren’t I?”
His sober look made her heart twinge. “No, Evelyn, I think they’re the lucky ones.”
Why had he gone all serious on her?
Chapter 12
Beaming as she stood beside her brother, Evelyn looked out over the crowd. Seated were the family and extended family members. Standing, all lined up in a big giant circle, were the King’s Department Store employees and their families. She waved at Bruno and some others, found her roomie, and wished she’d had a chance to thank Paige for the beautiful wispy, pale gold bridesmaid dress she’d whipped up.
With utter silence, everyone waited for Peg.
“Holy crumb cakes and cucumbers,” she cried coming around the corner on her father’s arm.
Everyone began to chuckle.
“Oh, honey, it’s perfect,” her mother said, clutching her hands together. Peg’s brother put his arm around his wife as she held their little boy, both of them glowing with pride at Peg.
“That’s our Peg,” Dolly called out, standing and waving. “Look at how beautiful she is, Eddie!” She nudged him.
The man sitting at her side rose, and held his fingers in his mouth and let out a whistle. Others stood and began to clap. The applause grew.
Peg’s dress, short and the color of champagne, sparkled under the lights. Her ever-present clipboard, decorated with white roses, shook in her hands. It seemed like her father was holding her up as she tried to put one foot in front of the other.
“That’s my girl,” Austin said, joining in
Similar Books
