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"Okay" Lori slid a bit closer and placed her hand on his ar her touch him even in the most casual way When she’d asked if he loved her, before the wedding, he’d been as honest as he kne to be in his response Now he asked himself if the tenderness he felt, this joyful expectation, could be love He hoped so He wanted to love Lori He was excited about having children with her She’d be a good ood father

The courthouse wasn’t far from his sister’s duplex When he parked there, he saw Mack working outside, pruning souy who always found so repairs, he was puttering in his garage or gardening

Mack and Linc had talked the previous week regarding Mack’s relationship with Mary Jo Linc felt his sister had reed to marry him He’d come to like Mack and believed the other man would not only look after Noelle, he’d do what he could to keep David Rhodes frohter to er door and helped Lori out His soon-to-be brother-in-law sent hilance

"Mack McAfee, this is my wife, Lori"

Mack’s mouth fell open "Your wife?"

Lori moved closer to Linc’s side

"When did this happen?"

"About ten o"

"Does Mary Jo know about this?"

"Not yet We stopped by to tell her"

Mack stared at them both

The door to Mary Jo’s half of the duplex opened and when she saw Linc in his suit--with Lori beside him--she frowned She looked at Mack for an explanation

"Your brother’s got news," Mack said, standing back, his fingers in the pockets of his jeans

Mary Jo returned her attention to Linc, who placed his arm around his wife "Mary Jo," he said formally, "I’d like you to meet your new sister-in-law, Lori Bellaed open, much the way Mack’s had "You’re rinned sheepishly and nodded

"You didn’t say a word about this to me!"

"To anyone" Linc wanted her to understand that she hadn’t been excluded "The boys don’t know yet"

Shaking her head, Mary Jo turned to face Lori "You really married my brother?"

Lori nodded "I love him"

"You do?" Linc echoed When Lori had asked hiht be that sure about her own feelings, especially this soon

"She must love you," Mary Jo said "Well, come on in Your name is Lori?"

"Yes" Lori broke away from his side and followed Mary Jo into the house

Linc remained outside with Mack He inclined his head toward the door "Mary Jo’s not upset, is she?"

Mack lifted his hand in a gesture that suggested Linc’s guess was as good as his "I’d say we’re both , you know"

"I could have," Linc agreed, "but I didn’t"

Mack laughed "If you’d been willing to wait, we "

"We didn’t want to wait" Linc kicked at the grass with the tip of his shoe, then figured he es he planned toto Cedar Cove"

Mack’s nod didn’t reveal anything one way or the other

"Lori," he suddenly said "Lori Bellauy who used to work for Allen Harris--"

"Yes," Linc interrupted sharply "But that’s in the past"

Mark nodded again "What are your plans now?"

"I’ll bethe co things on their own" Privately, Linc had set a ti an offshoot of the business here"

"What about Lori?"

"She’ll continue working until she gets pregnant" Linc intended to do his part to make sure that happened as quickly as possible "After the baby’s born, she wants to stay home"

"Mary Jo wants to keep her job," Mack said

That didn’t surprise Linc He just hoped Mack understood what he was letting himself in for when he married her He’d never knooman more obstinate than his little sister

The two men went into the house and Lori smiled at Linc "I invited Mary Jo and Mack to join us for our wedding dinner"

Linc forced a smile in response "What about the baby?"