Vance chuckled. “If Galen is in this section of the country and has time, he stops by. About once a year.”
Once a year? Guess she couldn’t tease Galen about being a mama’s boy.
The taxi stopped in a neighborhood of elegant brick houses. The yards had been manicured with more fussiness than Gabi with her nails.
After climbing out of the cab, Sally looked around in disbelief. Who’d ever think that a man raised in a house like that could be so comfortable sitting on the back steps of a farmhouse?
Galen finished paying the driver and shut the cab door.
When he joined her, Sally gave him a nice squishy hug.
“What’s that for?” he asked, his expression a little distant as he looked over her head at his mother’s house.
“Because I like you. Maybe almost as much as I love you.”
The way his eyes turned soft and his mouth curved affectionately would probably sustain her through a battalion of ice mothers. Pulling her close, he rubbed his chin on her head. “You are a gift I never expected,” he said under his breath.
Oh hell. Once released, she had to turn away to swipe at her damp eyes.
With a wink of approval, Vance handed her a handkerchief and ruffled her hair…just so she’d have to laugh and hit him.
By the time they caught up to Galen, he had already rung the doorbell.
The door opened. Galen’s mother was around sixty, almost obsessively thin, hair colored to a rich brownish black, with eyes as dark as her son’s. “Galen, it was a surprise to hear from you.”
Oh boy, Vance was right. Darth Vader at his worst had shown more warmth. Sally frowned. Mrs. Kouros didn’t even appear to notice the bruising on his cheek and jaw. Jeez, most mothers would be busting with pride to have a son like Galen.
Of course, Sally’s father sure wouldn’t win parent of the year either.
Mrs. Kouros looked at Vance. “Vance, you’re looking well.”
“Likewise, Thea,” Vance said easily. Trust Vance to not let anything upset him.
Sally was surprised when Galen tucked his arm around her. “Mother, this is Sally Hart. Sally, my mother, Thea Kouros.”
“How do you do,” Sally said, since the standard
“Quite well, thank you.” Thea’s eyes narrowed as if assessing how closely Galen was holding Sally. Her lips thinned even farther. “How nice you could accompany my son. Please come in.” She stepped back to let everyone enter.
Christ in a corset, if this was Galen’s role model growing up, no wonder he had trouble showing affection. The woman hadn’t even touched her son. As Sally walked past into a house that was as stiffly formal as its owner, she decided on a couple of things.
First. She was going to totally swamp Galen with loving—enough to make up for Popsicle Mama there.
Second. Visits to Maine were going to be very, very rare.
Another day, another parent. Sally suppressed a sigh as Vance drove their rental car through Cleveland, Ohio, and out of the city into pretty tree-lined streets. His parents’ turn today.
She was liable to have a neurosis by the time she returned to Tampa.
They’d spent last night in Mrs. Kouros’s house in three separate bedrooms. And Galen had grown increasingly distant.
But this morning, she’d pounced on him in the shower. It would take a stronger man than Galen to stay uninvolved while having shower sex.
He’d been back to normal—even smiling—at breakfast, and the way Vance had looked at her had made her feel like a hero.
Hopefully, the Buchanans would be nicer. She just had to survive this afternoon, and then they’d be on their way to New York.
As they piled out of the rental car, Galen stopped Sally. “Bring your laptop in, pet. If we have a moment, I’d like you to turn over the Harvest Association files.”
“I said I’d stop.” Hurt made her take a step away. “Don’t you trust me?”
“Oh, baby girl, it has nothing to do with trust.” He put his palm under her chin, stroking her jaw with his thumb. “Since the crime is already committed, I thought I’d see if you picked up anything useful. Be a shame to waste all that illegal information.”
She smacked his arm. “You are so bad.”
“Ayuh.” He waited for her to pull her laptop out of the backseat.
They followed Vance up the sidewalk.
The door opened, and a swarm of children emerged.
“Vance. Galen!”
“Uncle Vance!”
“Unca Vance, hold me!”
The children, ranging from three to ten years old, were treating Vance and Galen like portable jungle gyms to be climbed. Sally grinned as Galen’s deep laugh joined Vance’s easy one.
“Oh my goodness, you’ll think we’re raising barbarians.” The woman in the doorway was probably the same age as Galen’s mother, but there the similarity ended. Chin-length dark brown hair, probably colored to hide the gray, no makeup, no jewelry. In jeans and a blue plaid top the color of her eyes, she gave Sally an entirely comfortable and welcoming smile. “You must be Sally.” She held her hand out. “I’m Bonnie, Vance’s mother.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Sally took her hand, started to shake it.
“Ma’am? Oh heavens, what stories has that boy told you? I stopped beating him years ago. Really.” Still holding Sally’s hand, she pulled her into the house. “Come on in.”
Sally blinked, sputtered out a laugh, and stopped long enough to pick up a three-year-old who’d been left behind in the climb-a-Fed game.
Lunch had been a production with overwhelming amounts of food. As usual, Vance’s sisters had each tried to outdo the others. After being the victim of too many oh-just-try-this-I-made-it maneuvers, Galen felt overfull and in dire need of a nap—which would undoubtedly set the imp off on a bout of old man jokes. Sally had listened wide-eyed as the gang went around the table, each taking a turn at reciting their recent activities. Vance and Galen had gotten grief about the bruising on their faces…and Sally hadn’t smothered her giggles very successfully.
For a bit, everyone dispersed into different rooms and conversation. Galen had joined a couple of Vance’s brothers-in-law to walk off some of the meal in the backyard.
But now work called. After retrieving Sally’s laptop, Galen went searching for her.
In the Buchanan-filled family room, Galen located Sally and Vance. Cross-legged on the rug, she was playing patty-cake with a toddler and giving the child her complete attention as if no one else existed in the room.
Galen’s chest tightened. She would be an incredible mother, wouldn’t she? From across the room, Vance met his gaze. They shared the same vision.
After watching for a bit, Galen pulled Sally away, smiling at the complaints. She was a hit with Vance’s family, both old and young alike. He tucked an arm around her as they left the crowd behind.
“What’s up?” she asked as they crossed into the quiet of the formal living room.
Before he could answer, he heard footsteps behind them. He turned.
Bonnie was hurrying after them with Vance’s father, William, right behind her. She stopped.
“Bonnie, is there a problem?” Galen asked.
