pretty good with animals. We always had pets around when I was growing up.“
“For some reason Specter and Colby have agreed to disagree. They have their own private war going. I try to remain neutral.“ She handed Brandon the beer and poured herself a glass of iced tea. “Have a seat.“
Brandon dropped into a kitchen chair, his casual sprawl reminiscent of his father’s easy masculine grace. His young face was set in serious lines as he spent a few seconds groping for the right words. “I came by to ask a favor, Miss… I mean Diana. A big favor.“
Diana’s heart sank. “If this has anything to do with family matters, Brandon, I would prefer to stay out of it. After all, I’m just a friend of your father’s.“
Brandon’s eyes widened. “You’re more thana friend. I can tell by the way Dad looks at you.“ A dull red tinged his cheeks. He looked away. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I know he likes you. A lot. And, well, I thought maybe you could talk to him. God knows I can’t.“
“Have you tried?“
Brandon nodded wearily. “I tried again last night after Robyn went to bed. It was a disaster. We ended up yelling at each other. I’ve always been able to talk to him until now. But his mind is absolutely closed on the subject.“
“He’s got his reasons, Brandon.“
Brandon grimaced. “He thinks history is going to repeat itself. He won’t even listen to me. Heck, all I want to do is talk to him about it, you know? I want to explain about Robyn and her folks.“
“What about Robyn and her folks?“ Diana asked.
“They’re always on her back. Always telling her what to do. They scream at each other, and then they scream at her. They won’t let her do anything on her own.“
“How did she get permission to come up here with you?“
Brandon’s mouth tightened. “They think she’s with a girlfriend on the coast.“
“Oh, brother.“
Brandon stared at her helplessly. “You see what I mean? I’ve got to talk to Dad. And fast. I want to ask him some questions. If I could just get him to be reasonable, maybe I could decide what to do.“
“Brandon, I don’t think anyone could get your father to be reasonable about something unless he wanted to be reasonable about it. And in this case, where he feels he’s right, I suspect the chances of me being able to influence him are absolutely zero. I think your best bet is to just back off for a while. You and Robyn are going to be together at school next year, aren’t you?“
“Yes.“
“Well? It’s not as if someone is going to pry the two of you apart. Why rush into marriage? Give it some time. Let your father see the relationship is solid and for real, if indeed it is solid and real.“
Brandon looked down at the can in his hand. “Robyn doesn’t want to wait. She wants to get married so that she can get away from her parents.“
“What about you? What do you want to do?“ Diana asked gently.
“I… care for her. A lot. I kind of feel sorry for her. If she wants to get married right away, then I guess that’s okay with me.“
“Are you sure, Brandon?“
He looked up, dark eyes almost fierce. “I’m sure!“
“All right. Calm down. I was just asking. The decision to marry is a very big one. Look at me, I was never able to make it,“ Diana quipped.
Brandon looked puzzled. “You’ve never married?“
“No.“
“No kids?“
“No kids.“
“Don’t you want any?“
Diana laughed. “Even if I did, it’s a little late to start having them now,“
“That’s not true. You’re not that old,“ Brandon said with awkward gallantry. “You hear about those famous movie stars putting off having babies for years.“
Diana grinned. “Thanks. Unfortunately, I’m not a famous movie star.“
Brandon turned brick red. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…“
“Forget it. I know what you meant, and it’s very kind of you. Another beer?“
“No thanks.“ He paused. “Getting married
“For some reason Specter and Colby have agreed to disagree. They have their own private war going. I try to remain neutral.“ She handed Brandon the beer and poured herself a glass of iced tea. “Have a seat.“
Brandon dropped into a kitchen chair, his casual sprawl reminiscent of his father’s easy masculine grace. His young face was set in serious lines as he spent a few seconds groping for the right words. “I came by to ask a favor, Miss… I mean Diana. A big favor.“
Diana’s heart sank. “If this has anything to do with family matters, Brandon, I would prefer to stay out of it. After all, I’m just a friend of your father’s.“
Brandon’s eyes widened. “You’re more thana friend. I can tell by the way Dad looks at you.“ A dull red tinged his cheeks. He looked away. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I know he likes you. A lot. And, well, I thought maybe you could talk to him. God knows I can’t.“
“Have you tried?“
Brandon nodded wearily. “I tried again last night after Robyn went to bed. It was a disaster. We ended up yelling at each other. I’ve always been able to talk to him until now. But his mind is absolutely closed on the subject.“
“He’s got his reasons, Brandon.“
Brandon grimaced. “He thinks history is going to repeat itself. He won’t even listen to me. Heck, all I want to do is talk to him about it, you know? I want to explain about Robyn and her folks.“
“What about Robyn and her folks?“ Diana asked.
“They’re always on her back. Always telling her what to do. They scream at each other, and then they scream at her. They won’t let her do anything on her own.“
“How did she get permission to come up here with you?“
Brandon’s mouth tightened. “They think she’s with a girlfriend on the coast.“
“Oh, brother.“
Brandon stared at her helplessly. “You see what I mean? I’ve got to talk to Dad. And fast. I want to ask him some questions. If I could just get him to be reasonable, maybe I could decide what to do.“
“Brandon, I don’t think anyone could get your father to be reasonable about something unless he wanted to be reasonable about it. And in this case, where he feels he’s right, I suspect the chances of me being able to influence him are absolutely zero. I think your best bet is to just back off for a while. You and Robyn are going to be together at school next year, aren’t you?“
“Yes.“
“Well? It’s not as if someone is going to pry the two of you apart. Why rush into marriage? Give it some time. Let your father see the relationship is solid and for real, if indeed it is solid and real.“
Brandon looked down at the can in his hand. “Robyn doesn’t want to wait. She wants to get married so that she can get away from her parents.“
“What about you? What do you want to do?“ Diana asked gently.
“I… care for her. A lot. I kind of feel sorry for her. If she wants to get married right away, then I guess that’s okay with me.“
“Are you sure, Brandon?“
He looked up, dark eyes almost fierce. “I’m sure!“
“All right. Calm down. I was just asking. The decision to marry is a very big one. Look at me, I was never able to make it,“ Diana quipped.
Brandon looked puzzled. “You’ve never married?“
“No.“
“No kids?“
“No kids.“
“Don’t you want any?“
Diana laughed. “Even if I did, it’s a little late to start having them now,“
“That’s not true. You’re not that old,“ Brandon said with awkward gallantry. “You hear about those famous movie stars putting off having babies for years.“
Diana grinned. “Thanks. Unfortunately, I’m not a famous movie star.“
Brandon turned brick red. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…“
“Forget it. I know what you meant, and it’s very kind of you. Another beer?“
“No thanks.“ He paused. “Getting married
Similar Books
