Page 39 (2/2)

"Nah," Donovan refuted "Besides, I like spoiling thehted by his words--and actions

He lowered his voice, turning so Cammie and Travis wouldn’t hear

"I know I said I’d keep Travis with o over to visit with o with you after all"

Eve’s forehead wrinkled in concern as she took in the seriousness of his tone "Is everything okay?"

He touched her ar is fine It’s just thatwith o over your situation I’d rather Travis not hear I don’t want to upset his and then back at Donovan "I understand not wanting to upset Cammie and Travis, but shouldn’t I be here when you discuss your plan of action? This directly involves me--and them I want to knohat you have planned"

He pulled her into his ar her head back so she could look at hi her to his body

"I want you to put it all out of yourI want you to focus on is having a fun day withwhat you and Cammie and Travis need Leave this to me, Eve I don’t even want it on your ue, but knew he had a point Though she knew his command for her to keep herabout anything else? Travis and Ca They needed her not to show fear and to display confidence in Donovan’s ability to handle Walt and any other complication that arose But at the same time, such blind faith made her uneasy Even as she knew she could trust Donovan She did trust him But she was terrified of her stepfather and his control His reach His influence and power And it chafed her not to soe was power Uncertainty just bred

Donovan pressed a kiss to her forehead "Trust me, Eve Let me handle this I won’t let him hurt you or Travis or Cahed reluctantly but nodded her agreement

"You’ll tell me after?" she asked in a low voice "Later?"

He stared intently into her eyes, his own blazing with sincerity "Of course, Eve I won’t keep anything from you No secrets I want you to trust ain and his expression eased

"Now, go back over to the table and put on a sive theood day You and they will love my family just as they already love you"

"Okay," she whispered as she pulled away

"Eve," Donovan called out softly as she started to walk back to the table

She stopped, turning back to look at hi a lot, but trust ain she nodded and then turned back to her brother and sister

Breakfast was enjoyable as Cammie kept up a constant streao to Charlotte’s house and play with her toys

Travis didn’t express disappoint his sisters Caious, and Eve could see Travis’s pleasure in her excite solely on one another, that it was baffling and yet pleasing that they now had others they could trust and socialize with

Travis seeer for the visit, even if he would be the onlythe women Maybe because he’d be the only s worked out, he could do all the norirls She cringed at the thought, but her brother was a very handso man And he’d be even ht he’d shed over the last several months

After breakfast, Donovan walked theainst the lake, as did the other residences that housed his brothers and their wives It was already hot, but the breeze fros of a beautiful suet that just days before a tornado had ravaged the area

Here in the isolated bubble created by the Kellys, the outside world was a whole different universe

The woathered at Sophie’s house, with the exception of Rachel, who’d called and said she was running late because she had to change both twins Sophie laughingly inforether, and as a result they ran both Rachel and Ethan ragged

Donovan kissed Eve, ht in front of his sisters-in-law Then he hugged Carave tone to watch out for his women

But Donovan’s sisters-in-law didn’t look at all bothered by the fact he’d kissed Eve In fact they all wore delighted, srins

A few moments after the wo roo harried as she struggled with two squir cross-body and bulged in front of her so it didn’t get in the way of the babies, but it was evident that she was about to lose her grip on one or both

Travis rushed forward, reaching for one of the twins Rachel gratefully relinquished one, and Eve watched in fascination as Travis cuddled the baby in his arled upward in Travis’s grasp and reached for Travis’s face, his grubby fingers pawing at Travis’s laughing rieved tone "He has an obsession with people’s mouths"

Travis chuckled "It’s not a problem I’m used to children"

And yes, he was, since he’d been Ca Even when Eve’s mother was alive, it was often Travis who shouldered the responsibility for his younger sister Travis was too busy worrying over his mother to burden her with Cammie, and so he shielded both as much as possible He’d taken on far too e It was a fact that grieved Eve, but there was nothing to do for it now What was done was done But in the future