law frowns on that sort of thing. There’s also the can of worms you could be opening. Do you really want to hear Jeff coming on to your sister? Is that going to make you feel any better?”
Brenna shook her head. “You sound like Katie, which is both weird and unattractive. But I know what you mean. What she meant. Do I want to know exactly
“I’d think about it.”
“Fair enough. But assuming I want to go forward with it, do you think it will work?”
“As your lawyer-”
She rolled her eyes. “Zach, be a regular guy for once. It’s not like I don’t know you slept with my sister.”
He took a step back and bumped into the sofa. He hadn’t blushed since he was about fourteen, but he would almost swear he felt heat climbing his neck.
“She didn’t”-he swallowed-“Katie-”
“Spilled the beans. Details and all. We were tres impressed.” Brenna laughed. “Stop looking so horrified. I’m teasing. She said you guys did it and that was all. Despite the large quantities of wine we had all consumed, she kept to generalities. Neither Francesca nor myself would be able to pick you out naked in a lineup.”
“Great.” He might never have had a sibling, but if he had, he doubted he would have shared
“Now that I can blackmail you in front of my grandmothers, answer the question. Do you think my plan to use Francesca against Jeff will work?”
“Brenna, I can’t commit-”
“Yes or no?”
He grinned.
She clapped her hands together. “I knew it!” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best. Now go be tortured by my grandmothers. I’m going to call Francesca and tell her it’s on.”
Brenna hurried out of the sitting room. Zach followed more slowly. While he applauded her ingenuity, he hoped her plan didn’t jump up and bite her in the ass.
He headed for the kitchen, then stopped when he spotted Katie in the living room. He entered through the arched doorway and found her sitting on the floor. Stacks of beaded lace flowers stood in piles all around her. As he watched, she counted out groups of ten and placed them next to those already counted. With each group of ten, she made a note on the pad of paper resting on her right thigh.
He glanced around the room. Bags of lace flowers stood by the rust-colored leather sofa. Small containers of beads cluttered together on the glass-and-wood coffee table.
Plans for the wedding, and the dress, were moving forward. He’d expected to have it stopped by now. But David and Mia hadn’t broken up, and the wedding date crept closer.
A lace wedding gown lay draped over the loveseat. He frowned, not realizing Katie had already started sewing the dress.
“Hi,” he said as he approached. “They let me in the house. Want to run and grab the pepper spray?”
She turned toward him. For a second her expression didn’t change, and he wondered if she was still mad.
“I don’t think I’d go for anything that boring,” she said. “Instead I’d attack you with pruning shears.”
“Sounds painful.”
“At the risk of being rude, why are you here?”
He sat down. “I have some papers for Brenna.” He frowned as he realized not only had he left them in the car, but they hadn’t talked about them. “Grandma Tessa found out I was driving up and invited me to stay for dinner.” He leaned forward. “I’m in love with her cooking.”
“We all are.”
“Still mad?” he asked.
“Not at you. David’s not one of my favorite people.”
“He’s a kid.”
“He’s cheating on my sister.”
“Maybe it was just one of those things-cold feet, a last hurrah.”
She shook her head. “That hardly makes it all right. He’s cheating or just cheated that one time. Neither is acceptable.”
“So you believe me?” He wouldn’t have guessed that was possible.
“I finally realized you wouldn’t lie. You’re way too upfront for that. Why slip in a side door when you’re willing to blow up the main entrance?”
“An interesting metaphor choice.”
“I’m an interesting woman.”
“Yes, you are. Interesting, beautiful, exciting. Desirable.”
She grinned. “Zach, this is my grandfather’s house. You can’t possibly have sexual thoughts under this roof. If you do, your pride and joy will shrivel up to the size of a walnut.”
“That would be tragic for all of us.”
“I’m not going to say yes. You already think too highly of yourself.”
He smiled. “I’m not the one who was screaming that night.”
She ducked her head. “A gentleman would never bring that up.”
“I thought my bringing it up was the entire point.”
Her mouth twitched. “You’re evil.”
“I’m tempting. There’s a difference.”
He straightened and decided to give them both a break. Mostly because this
He pointed at the piles of lace stacked around the room. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to figure out where we are, numbers-wise, with the lace flowers. Everyone is complaining about being tired of beading, but we still have a long way to go.”
“When did you start sewing the dress?” he asked.
She frowned. “I haven’t. I’m thinking I’ll get it started next week. I made an under-dress first.”
He pointed at the finished gown draped over the love seat. “What’s that?”
She followed the direction of his finger, winced slightly, then ducked her head to focus her attention back on the lace flowers. “Inspiration. It’s an old dress Grammy M made. I wanted to study some of her workmanship.” She made two more piles of ten, then returned her attention to him. “So how are things with you?”
Maybe it was a trick of the afternoon light, but he would swear he could see flecks of gold in her brown eyes. She wore a sweater that hugged her curves, and tight black jeans. The combination made it difficult to follow the conversation.
“Great,” he said when his brain finally kicked in. “David and I had a long heart-to-heart. Things are better now.”
“I’m glad,” she said sincerely, then finished her counting with a sigh. “Just like I thought. We’re not keeping on schedule. I guess everyone has so much going on.” She grinned. “I don’t suppose now that you and David are speaking that you’d be willing to bead a flower or two?”
“Not a chance.”
She glanced at the doorway, then at him. “Any more news on Julie?”
“No. I haven’t seen her around, but I don’t see much of David.”
“I want to talk to Mia about it, but I don’t know how without telling her what you saw.”
“I’m having the same problem with him. I was thinking-”
Before he could continue, he heard voices in the hallway. Both grandmothers swept into the room. He rose automatically, then wished he hadn’t when he found himself hugged, kissed, and cheek-pinched. Grandma Tessa might not be twenty anymore, but she had a grip that could snap metal.
“You’re too skinny,” Grandma Tessa said, poking a finger at his midsection. “Working too hard, eh? Not getting proper meals. Katie, why aren’t you cooking dinner for Zach? He’s family. We have to take care of him.”
Rather than answer, Katie only smiled, but Zach saw her lips moving and suspected whatever she was saying would cause her grandmother to dive for her rosary.
Grammy M clapped her hands together when she spied the wedding dress draped over the love seat.
“Oh, Katie, did you show this lovely gown to Zachary? Lookin’ at it still brings a tear to my eye.” She brushed
