Raney glanced at Dalton. He seemed as baffled as she was. “Grady asked you to marry him? And you said no? Why?”
“I already told you. He nags me all the time. Sort of like you and Mama, if you must know. And for the record, I’m not an idiot. I can manage my own life.”
And how’s that going for you? Raney couldn’t say that, of course, or point out that if Joss was so adept at managing her life, why was she living at home again, unemployed, with an unplanned baby on the way and an unplanned future ahead?
“So, you don’t intend to marry him,” Dalton said as if trying to find a place for that idea in his head.
“Not unless he quits ragging on me and doesn’t insist I give up my music.”
“He’s asked you to do that?”
“He implied it.”
Dalton got that look on his face again, but before he said anything, the hall clock chimed the hour.
Raney checked her watch and saw that it was almost time for supper. The mutes would be showing up soon, and she had planned to talk to Glenn about turning over the AI program to Dalton. She stood, figuring this was a good place to stop before Joss and Dalton said things neither would like hearing.
Knowing his manners, Dalton stood, too.
“We’ll finish this later, Joss,” she said to her sister. “It’s almost supper. You have time for a quick shower, if you want.” If she came to the table looking as weepy as she did now, the mutes would turn tail.
“I think I’ll skip dinner tonight.” Joss stuffed the money and letter back into the mailer they’d come in. “I’m not hungry.”
“You need to eat something. I can have Maria send up a tray.”
“Don’t bother. I think I’ll take a nap instead.”
Seeing her baby sister hurting threw Raney back into the anxious-big-sister role she thought had ended years ago. It was weird, but nice to be needed again. “I’ll come up and check on you after the guys leave. We can talk then.”
“Dalton’s not allowed upstairs.”
It was no surprise that Joss would want Dalton there while they talked. He had that effect on people. Calm, reassuring, willing to listen. It made people open up to him, like she had that night here on the veranda, and today, when she’d spewed all that garbage about Trip. Maybe he could help her little sister, too. “All right.” She patted Joss’s shoulder. “Go take your nap. I’ll have Maria set aside a plate.”
As she watched her sister walk away, Raney felt Dalton’s arm slide across her shoulders. Pulling her against his side in a one-arm hug, he muttered, “You’re a fucking saint,” and kissed her temple. “And a hell of a good big sister.”
She leaned into him, needing the support, the strength of his arm around her. “And you’re a good big brother.” She certainly hoped that was the way Joss and Dalton felt about each other. “I wish you’d been around in her wilder days. You might have kept her in line better than I did.”
“I doubt Joss was as wild as everybody thinks she was. Just . . . flighty.”
Raney wondered if that was code for dumb. Although she didn’t truly think Joss was dumb. She was too creative, too curious and enthusiastic about everything around her. Dumb people were boring. Joss was anything but that. “Then why was her bra hanging over the goalpost upright the morning after homecoming?”
A chuckle. Another kiss on her cheek. “The guys are still doing that?”
“What guys?” She drew away to look at him. “What are you talking about?”
He pulled her against his chest and this time wrapped both arms around her, loose enough that they could still see each other, but close enough that she could feel the heat of him from her waist to her knees. It was nice.
“Buddy Anderson and I threw that bra up there our freshman year.”
“You did? Why?”
“To drive the cheerleaders crazy trying to figure out who it belonged to.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “You have the cutest nose.”
Raney remembered seeing bras on the goalpost crossbar several times. She didn’t realize Dalton had started it all. “It wasn’t Joss’s?”
“Hardly. She would have been a kid at the time. But maybe she got in on the act later. Lots of girls gave bras to their boyfriends to toss up there. Thought it made them cool. Want to go to my room? You could watch me shower. Or something.”
“Mama said no hanky-panky. Her house, her rules.”
A kiss at the corner of her mouth. “Mama’s not here. I’ll make it quick. Ten minutes, tops.”
“I hope you’re not bragging.” She turned her head in case he wanted to kiss the other side of her face. Which he did. “Who owned the bra you tossed up there?”
“Mrs. Langers.”
Raney’s mouth fell open, snapped shut. “Toby’s mother? Oh my God.”
“Buddy pulled it off their clothesline. Do you know how hard it’s going to be, sleeping in the same house with you and not sneaking up to your room?”
Raney had to laugh, picturing two gawky fourteen-year-old boys boosting a bra. Probably the first one they’d ever touched that hadn’t belonged to a family member. At least, she hoped so. “No wonder Toby hates you.”
“He never knew.” He nibbled a trail down her neck. “Sort of wished now that I’d told him. You smell good.”
“Horse manure and alfalfa. It’s called Cowboy’s Delight.”
With a sigh, he lifted his head. “You’re not taking this seriously, are you? Here I am doing my best work and you—”
“I’m worried about Joss. She looked so broken. I don’t know how to help her.”
“You can help her by not worrying so much. She’ll be fine.”
“You think so?”
“I do. In fact, after considering everything she said about the guy, I’m thinking Grady Douglas might be exactly what your sister needs.” He gave her a last quick kiss, then let his arms drop back to his sides. “I’ve got to shower. You should, too.
