Ashley placed her hand on her waist. “We’ve been looking all over for you two.”
Judy’s daughter reminded Tory so much of her big sister even down to the straight long blond hair and hazel eyes. “We thought we would let the men prepare dinner.”
“Dad-dy—is.”
Tory pressed the ice-cold drink to her forehead, thinking about Slade’s expertise in the kitchen, which consisted of boiling water and opening cans. “He is?”
“Uncle Slade is getting pizza for dinner,” Jamie piped in. “Daddy and him are driving into town right now.”
“Where’s Grandma and Grandpa?” Judy asked, finishing the last of her lemonade.
“Grandma is still taking a nap. Grandpa is watching the news.” Ashley grabbed her mother’s arm. “Come on. Daddy will be back soon with dinner. We were supposed to find you.”
Judy threw a helpless look toward Tory. “I knew it was too good to last.”
Tory checked her watch. “I guess thirty minutes is better than none.”
Mindy followed Ashley’s lead and took hold of Tory’s arm, pulling on her. “Come—on.”
Tory blew a long sigh out between pursed lips. She’d wanted to explain to her sister about the sleeping arrangements but hadn’t found the right words. They had sipped their drinks, stared at the horses in the paddock and hadn’t said more than a few words in the past thirty minutes, relishing the silence instead.
“I believe our quiet time is up, sis,” Judy said, laughing as her daughter tugged her toward the house almost at a jog.
Mindy and Tory took up the rear at a much slower pace. “Jam-ee—calls—Dad-dy—Un-cle—Slade. Do—you—uh—” she paused for a few seconds “—think I—could—call—Ju-dy—Aunt?”
“She’d be flattered. We’re all family now.”
“I’ve—been—think-ing. Can—I—call—you—Mom?”
Stunned, Tory halted in her tracks, tears springing to her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. The question, spoken so casually, robbed her of coherent thought.
“If—you—don’t—want—”
Tory swallowed several times. “I would love for you to call me Mom,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
“Why—are—you—cry-ing?”
Tory smoothed back Mindy’s hair, then swiped at the wet tracks running down her cheeks. “Because you’ve made me so happy.”
“Do you—think—Dad-dy—will—care?”
Would he? Slade still had so much guilt over the car wreck that had taken his wife’s life. Yes, he wanted Tory to help him raise Mindy, but even though they were married, she really didn’t feel like his wife. They were housemates with a license declaring them husband and wife. That piece of paper was only one small part of it.
“Honey, you’ll have to ask your father that. I can’t answer for him.”
Mindy took her hand. “Then—I will.” She started for the house again.
Tory reached out to open the screen door when she heard a car coming down the lane toward the house. Slanting a look over her shoulder, she saw Slade and Brad pull up in front and climb out of the silver sedan. “Dinner has arrived.”
“I—love—piz-za.”
“So do I. It’s just never on any diet that I know of.”
“Diet?” Slade carried five large boxes. “What diet?”
“The diet I need to start after this weekend.”
Slade’s gaze traveled slowly down Tory’s length before reestablishing eye contact with her. “Why? I don’t see the need.”
Heat, having nothing to do with the ninety-degree temperature, flamed her cheeks. “I’ve been fixing more full-course meals than I usually eat. Trust me. I need to cut back.”
“I like you just the way you are.”
Slade’s impish grin that curved his mouth curled her toes. “Pleasantly plump?” For a few seconds she’d forgotten that Brad and Mindy were standing close, listening to every word said.
“The pleasant part is right.” Slade’s grin grew to encompass his whole face, down to the twinkle in his eye.
Brad cleared his throat. “If we don’t get these inside, they will be stone-cold.”
“I—like—cold—piz-za, Uncle—Brad.”
Everyone looked at Mindy, surprise on Brad’s and Slade’s faces. Tory watched Slade’s reaction to what Mindy had said. His surprise quickly transformed into acceptance.
He thrust open the door, holding it for Mindy and Tory to enter the house first. “You might like cold pizza, but I don’t.”
“We probably should reheat them anyway. That’s a fifteen-minute drive.”
When Tory came into the kitchen, she immediately turned the oven on to four hundred degrees. Slade and Brad laid the five boxes down on the counter and quickly escaped to the back deck while the women reheated the pizza.
Outside, the house shaded the wooden deck, offering some relief from the temperature while a light breeze stirred the hot air, making it bearable. Jamie darted down the steps to the yard and dashed across to the tire swing. He conned Ashley into pushing him by promising he would do the same for her. Mindy stayed on the deck watching them from the railing.
Slade folded himself into a cedar lounge chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. “Are you okay with Mindy calling you Uncle?”
“You bet.” Brad sat next to him. “You have a wonderful daughter.”
Slade’s attention shifted to Mindy who braced herself against the railing. She was tired. He could tell by her drooping shoulders and the fact she hadn’t joined the other two at the swing. Ever since Tory’s family had arrived, his daughter had been going a mile a minute, trying to keep up with everyone. He longed for the day when she would race across the yard, leading the pack, instead of following slowly behind.
“I don’t think I’ll have any trouble getting her to go to bed tonight, especially with the kids camping outside. She’s so excited about that.”
“Saturday after the carnival Judy and I are heading to Grand Lake to camp for a few days before we head home. Tory’s parents are going back to Dallas. We would love to take Mindy along.”
“Camping? If she wants to go, that’ll be fine with me. I can rearrange her therapy sessions if need be.”
“Ashley will be thrilled. She’s been talking about taking Mindy with us. Jamie, too, even though she’s just a girl, he said.”
The way Tory’s family had taken Mindy into their hearts only reconfirmed he’d made the right decision in marrying Tory. “Sweetheart?”
Mindy twisted around,
