conversation, it had been impossible for her to keep the children straight. She'd also been aware of Alex's unfriendly attention and Katherine's subtle study. She was emotionally exhausted by the energy of the family and doing her best not to screw up.
'What did you think?' Mark asked, after he settled into a black leather chair she suspected was his favorite, and she'd picked a place on the sofa opposite.
'You have a wonderful family.'
'They're loud,' he said cheerfully. 'Katherine is brilliant with them. Adopting was her idea, you know. I wouldn't have thought of it. At first I wasn't sure. I didn't think I could love someone else's child as much as I could love my
'I could tell.' He'd interacted with all the children. They obviously adored him.
'Katherine insists on being involved in every aspect of their lives. We have Yvette, who helps out, but that's only so Katherine can pursue her charity work. If she didn't have that, she would be handling everything on her own. I travel a lot, back and forth to D.C. She's practically a single parent, but she never complains. It's just who she is.'
As Dani had been impressed by Katherine, she agreed with the praise. But despite the words, she couldn't figure out what Mark really thought about anything.
She was being crazy, she told herself. Obviously Mark adored his wife and family. Who wouldn't? Yet she had no sense of emotion coming from him.
She reminded herself she didn't know the man. That until that morning, they'd never met. Maybe she could give him a break.
'I, ah, took the DNA test,' she said. 'The results should only take a couple of days.'
'Good. I already know the outcome, but being sure is a good idea.'
She nodded, feeling awkward. How could he be sure? And if he was, shouldn't the moment be more… something? She told herself not every situation could be scripted, like a TV sitcom, yet something felt missing.
'I want us to get to know each other,' Mark said. 'Why don't you come by the office for lunch? It will be more quiet than here.'
'I'd like that,' Dani said.
He probably felt as weird about all this as she did. Lunch was a great idea. After a few low-key meetings, she was sure they would start to connect. All this strangeness would fade and they would understand each other. They would be family.
Alex picked up his car keys. Dani had left a few minutes ago, so he could go home now. He'd been unwilling to leave before her, as if without him watching over her something bad would happen.
'You're frowning,' Ian said as he rolled up. 'You were frowning all during dinner.'
'I'm cautious.'
'I like her. She thinks I'm funny.'
'She was being polite.'
Ian grinned. Most people wouldn't know what the twisted expression meant, but Alex saw the humor lan's uncooperative muscles tried to hide.
'You don't want anyone to know, but I think you like her, too,' Ian said.
'I don't have any feelings about her.' Which was almost true.
'She's pretty.'
Alex shook his head. 'You're seventeen. You think every female is pretty.'
'They're my hormones and I can use them if I want to.' His grin faded. 'Seriously. You should lay off her. She was cool.'
Dani had reacted well to Ian, Alex thought. He would guess her past was the reason.
An afternoon on the Internet had turned up a lot of information on Danielle Buchanan, the youngest of the four Buchanan siblings. In college, her fiance had been injured playing football. Despite the fact that he was a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair, Dani had stayed with him through his intensive therapy and then had married him. She knew what it was like to live with someone who didn't fit in.
'I don't trust her,' Alex said.
'Because she's Dad's real kid?'
Alex stared at his brother. 'Why would you say that?'
Ian rolled his eyes. 'I'm stealthy, remember? I heard Mom and Dad talking earlier. I know who she is.'
There was worry and fear in his voice. Alex dropped to a crouch and took Ian's twisted hand in his own. 'We don't know for sure yet. The DNA tests will take a couple of days. But even if she is Dad's daughter, you're still his son. This is your family and you're not getting away from us.'
'She's normal.'
'All the more reason not to like her.'
Ian grinned again. 'I saw you looking at her during dinner. You thought she was hot.'
Alex straightened. 'She's okay.'
'You need to get laid.'
'I'm not having this conversation with my seventeen-year-old brother.'
'You don't have my good looks and charm,' Ian told him. 'But you could still go for it. Unless I get there first. We're adopted. It's not like she's a biological sister. Think she'd want to go to prom with me?'
'She's too old for you.'
'You know what they say about older women.'
Alex squeezed Ian's shoulder. 'Go torture someone else. I'll see you in a couple of days.'
'So you're going for it with her? Because if you're not, I want to know.'
'Say good-night, Ian.'
'Good night, Ian.'
CHAPTER FOUR
Dani pulled up in front of Gloria's house. Climbing out of her car, she stared at the elegant, three-story building that had been constructed nearly a hundred years ago.
When she'd been little, the house had terrified her. As a teenager, it had represented a way of life she couldn't understand. In her early twenties, she'd seen the structure as something to be conquered. Later, it was like her grandmother-unapproachable and solitary. Now it was just Gloria's house. Not good, not bad, just a place where someone lived. Someone who wasn't the person she'd first imagined.
She'd both loved and hated Gloria for so long, it was hard to let go of either feeling. She'd resented the other woman's harshness in declaring that Dani wasn't a real Buchanan. But in the past few weeks, Gloria had apologized several times for what she'd done. She'd claimed to have changed and from Dani's perspective, she actually had.
Oddly, Dani found herself missing Gloria as her grandmother. Not the meanness or the impossible standards, but the connection. Gloria had been a part of her world since her birth and now they weren't related at all. Perhaps the smartest decision would be to walk away but Dani couldn't bring herself to let go.
She climbed the steps to the front door and rang the bell. Reid, the middle of her three brothers, opened it and grinned at her.
'We're not interested, but thanks for coming by.'
She pushed past him before he could close the door. 'Very funny.'
'Hey, kid.' Reid wrapped an arm around her. 'How are you doing?'
'Good. Dealing with a lot of stuff.'
Reid led her into the living room, where Cal, her oldest brother, and Walker, her youngest, waited. Both men
