Expecting the Rancher's Heir by Kathie DeNosky

just prayed with everything that was in her it was the right one.
    â€œAvery and I missed you at lunch yesterday,” Erica said, hugging Melissa close. “Are you all right?”
    Feeling guilty for avoiding her newfound sister for the past week, she nodded. “I’m fine. I’ve just been preoccupied lately with…a new project.”
    Melissa truly liked her half sister and regretted that her father hadn’t let them all know about her.But whatever Donald Jarrod’s reasoning had been, the family hadn’t learned of her existence until the reading of their father’s will two months earlier.
    â€œLet’s go in and see what McDermott has up his sleeve,” Guy’s twin, Blake, suggested as he joined them. As usual Blake had his trusted secretary, Samantha Thompson, at his side, and Melissa wondered for at least the hundredth time since meeting her how long it would take for Blake to realize what a beautiful woman Samantha was.
    As the five of them entered the Sky Lounge, Melissa immediately spotted Shane at the doorway of one of the private gathering rooms, greeting her family as they arrived. He always looked good to her, but tonight he looked positively devastating in his black suit and tie. Very few men could look at ease in business suits as well as jeans and a work shirt. Shane managed to do it effortlessly.
    â€œWhere’s Gavin?” he asked when they reached him.
    â€œHe should be here shortly,” Blake answered, shrugging. “As we were getting on the elevator, I saw him in the lobby, talking to an old friend of his.”
    Motioning toward a large round table in the center of the room, Shane smiled congenially. “Have a seat and we’ll get started as soon as he gets here.” Trailing behind the two couples, Melissa stopped when Shane touched her arm. “I want you to sit in one of the two chairs tipped up against the table,” he whispered close to her ear.
    Seeing the chairs with their backs leaning against the table’s edge, she nodded. Walking over, she set the chair upright and seated herself. She knew from the look on Erica’s face that her sister expected Melissa to sit in the empty chair beside her. She hated that she might have hurt Erica’s feelings, but she was sure her sister would understand once she and Shane explained the purpose of the party.
    â€œSorry I’m late,” Gavin apologized as he and Shane approached the table together. “I ran into one of the guys we graduated high school with and stopped to say hello.”
    Once her brother was seated with the rest of her family, Shane straightened the chair beside her, but instead of seating himself, he remained standing. “I know you’re all wondering why I invited you here tonight,” he said, making eye contact and smiling at each individual at the table.
    â€œWell, now that you mention it, we did—” When his oldest brother elbowed him, Trevor stopped short to glare at Blake.
    Shane smiled. “I don’t blame you. I would have been curious, too, Trevor.”
    Melissa tightly clenched her hands, resting in her lap. He was about to reveal the secret they’d kept for the past two months, and although it would be a relief to have their affair out in the open, she just hoped they were doing the right thing.
    Lost in thought, she was surprised when Shane reached down to take her hand in his and pull herup to stand beside him. “Since your sister’s return to Aspen a few months ago, we’ve been seeing each other and our relationship—”
    â€œI knew it!” Trevor said triumphantly. Obviously proud of himself for noticing what the others had missed, he added, “When I saw the two of you together back in July, I knew something was going on.”
    â€œDon’t break your arm patting yourself on the back there, Trevor,” Gavin said drily. “I suspected Melissa was hiding something, too. I