Page 15 (1/2)

She bit her lip and sighed "I don’tfrom the thrill of the cole kind of guy"

"You can’t be sure about that"

"If I had a lot ofyou was about me I’m nervous Besides, you don’t do family stuff Why did you say yes?"

He made the turn "Because you asked and it seemed important to you"

Under other circumstances his words would have thrilled her She would have felt an honest-to-goodness flutter right in the center of her chest But not today The dread was too big and growing and this was all going to be a disaster

"It’s ood thing, it’s also…confusing"

"Parents can be that way"

"Do you reed "Not my dad I never knew him I’m not sure my mom kneho he was I have a few fuzzy one She died when I was eight"

He spoke the words easily, as if he’d long made peace with them But hoas that possible?

"Where was Social Services in all this?" she asked "Why didn’t they coet you?"

"I don’t think they knew about me Whenthere most of the tistep to be accepted by all of the drugs, picking upabout life on Saturn "You didn’t go to school?"

"Not after junior high"

"But you’re obviously educated"

"Got , I realized I knew nothing about anything I started reading in ht"

Which was incredible, she thought He was a sophisticated, dangerous

Okay--now her pity party had just taken a turn for the worse Before she’d been worried about ould happen with her father--what he would say in front of Kane Now Kane was even reater

She wanted to tell him about her fears and have him put his arms around her and say it didn’t matter Except she wasn’t sure he would In truth, what she really wanted was for him to say he loved her and, to quote Marina, ere the odds of that happening?

But he liked her He liked her and he was dating her and Kane didn’t date, so that was so on to that and pray for a o one afternoon with her father and not have hi As tears were the last thing she wanted to deal with, she drew in a deep breath and changed the subject

"The kittens are really growing," she said "They’ll need a bigger box"

"I’ll get one this week"

She forced herself to think about Jasmine and her beautiful kittens and how precious they all were That was safe Kittens and chocolate and how Kane touched her in the night

The knot loosened a little…right until they pulled up in front of hershe sounded more excited than she felt

They walked inside Everyone else was already there and called out greetings Her father stood in the center of the group, as always

He looked the saht Still handsome and blond, with a deep tan and blue eyes that were perood hurin "I’ve heard so much about you"

The two ood, Daddy" She stepped into his embrace

His ar and apprehension She knew the hits were co It was just a matter of when and where

She stepped back, but her father kept his arm around her shoulder

"This is how it should be," he said "Back with all irls"

Willow stepped free of his e?" she asked, although she could see the happiness on her ood to have hi to Ryan Julie stood next to her fiancé, holding on to his hand as if she would never let go Families were coht," Jack said to Kane "You work for Ryan here"

Kane nodded "I run security for the various co"

"Ryan says you’re the best in the business"

"I knohat I’"

"Impressive" Jack slapped Kane on the back "Good Good At least you’re not like Willow’s other losers"

"Dad," Marina said quickly, taking her father’s hand "Co University of Washington We can watch our guys kick their Seattle butts"

Willow appreciated the save, but wished it hadn’t been necessary She felt heat on her cheeks and the knot in her stomach had turned to dread

Her father allowed himself to be turned away But at the step down to the falad Willow’sup I’ve alorried about her She’s never been as smart or pretty as her sisters I wondered ould want her It’s good to knorong"

Willow felt as if she’d been hit with an emotional baseball bat Her face fla what else to do, she fled into the kitchen where she picked up a knife and began cutting bread into slices As she didn’t knohat they were having or what herup the recipe But she had to be doing soot all blurry and she couldn’t see anything She tossed the knife down and gave in to the tears

Then her sisters were there