Authors: Lori Foster

Say No To Joe? (38 page)

BOOK: Say No To Joe?

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Joe nodded. “Like Luna, I'm rather fond of you both. I'd miss you something terrible if I didn't see you every day.”

Austin grinned. “Yeah. Jamie said you were here for good.”

Joe tugged on his earring. “Yeah, well, this time he's right.”

Luna stopped inside the kitchen doorway and stared at Joe in surprise. “He is?”

Joe moved very close to her. A puddle formed around them on the kitchen floor.
“Now
you're going to start doubting Jamie? Or are you doubting me again?” He didn't seem too happy with that possibility. “After all this time together, did you really think I'd leave?”

“Well . . .”

Joe caught her by the back of the neck and kissed her until Austin hung on his leg and moaned as if in mortal pain. Grinning, Joe said against her mouth, “You love me, I love you, the kids appear to be okay with it.” He paused and eyed them both. “Are you okay with me hanging around?”

Austin whooped. “Will you teach me how to use a knife like yours?”

Joe said, “Uh . . .”

“You'll be like our dad, huh?” Austin stared up at Joe, his small brow puckered. “I don't like Quincy much. I don't want him to be my dad. I'd rather it be you.”

Emotion got a strangle hold on Joe's throat. “You both know?”

Willow looked down at her feet. “Yeah, we overheard some of it through the window, and then Jamie talked to us about it.” She lifted her gaze and gave him a very adult stare. “He said any man can father a child, but only a special man can be a dad.”

Joe looked shattered. He swallowed twice. “I'd love to be your dad.”

Willow wiped her eyes and put her arm around her brother. Her smile wavered, but it was there, a smile of relief and acceptance. She gave a delicate sniff, then half laughed. “It's okay, you know. About Quincy, I mean.”

Luna wanted to cry, too. Willow was so damn grown up for a teenager.

“At least now we understand why he hated us so much. It wasn't anything we did. He's just a very shallow person. In a way, I feel sorry for him. And I really feel sorry for Clay.”

Luna took a deep breath and swallowed down her tears. She had a feeling that if she started crying now, they'd all be bawling in moments. “Clay strikes me as a very intelligent, resourceful young man. He's strong. He'll get through this.”

Austin hung on Joe. “Maybe you can help him, too.”

Joe said, “I'd be happy to try, now that you've all invited me to stay.”

Willow smiled her serene smile. “You'll have to marry Luna. She wants to settle down, to have a family and stuff.”

Luna's face went hot.

“If that's what it takes,” Joe said with mock gravity, and laughed when Luna slugged him. In a gallant display, Joe lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. His voice was soft, compelling. “Will you marry me, Luna?”

Her stomach twisted for a whole new reason. “Do you really love me?”

He grinned. “Yeah, I really do. So damn much, it's almost scary.”

Austin scoffed. “Nothing scares you.” He punched the air twice. “You're too tough.”

“How little you know about women, my boy. They're all terrifying, but Luna more so than the rest. I knew the day I met her that my bachelor days were numbered.”

When Luna still stood there, a little stunned by how things had transpired, Joe drew a long breath. “Okay, let's try another angle. Think of the shock it'll give Zane. He'll probably faint. Now, won't that be fun to watch?”

“Who's Zane?” Willow wanted to know.

“My cousin and a real nice guy. You'll meet him at the wedding, along with the rest of the Winston clan. That is, if Luna will put me out of my misery and say yes.” He eyed her, saw she was still dazed, then continued. “You know, Luna, if you really want family, I have plenty to spare. They could bring a whole passel of cousins to Austin and Willow and we'd have to do those really large holidays and family get-togethers. Once we have the lake open, I just know they'll all want to vacation here, so they'll be forever under foot, and I swear I think Alyx is already contemplating moving in. Between what the lake makes and our combined savings, we should be pretty well setâ”

Luna threw herself against his chest. “Yes.”

With a great sigh of relief, Joe pressed his face into her shoulder, locked his arms around her, and squeezed her tight. After only a moment, he blindly reached out and pulled Willow and Austin into the embrace.

Damn it, she was going to cry after all, Luna realized when she felt tears track down her face. But this time they were happy tears.

Joe kissed her temple. “Hey, it's okay. Remember, Jamie told you so.”

She laughed, pinched him, and said, “I believe it because
you
told me so.”

“Ah. Now we're getting somewhere.”

Late that night, a knock sounded on the front door. Willow went to answer it, followed by Joe. It had finally quieted down a few hours ago, but Joe had been hovering. Alyx claimed it was a habit, that Joe always fretted like an old woman whenever he was worried. Willow didn't mind. She felt so much better about things, knowing why Quincy always treated her and Austin with contempt, and knowing that finally they'd have some peace. Joe and Luna would stay, and she'd be part of a family once more. Thank God, Quincy wouldn't be part of that family.

Even before Willow opened the door and saw Clay standing there, his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched, she'd somehow known it was him.

Her heart twisted at the hurt she saw in his eyes. Her life was finally straightening out, but his had just been turned upside down. “Hi.”

Clay drew a deep breath. “Hi.” He glanced at Joe. “Would you mind if maybe . . .”

Willow opened the screen door and stepped out. “He doesn't mind.” The look she gave Joe told him to get lost. She knew Joe had as much compassion for Clay as he'd had for her and for Austin. Despite his forbidding appearance, he was pretty terrific.

Without either of them saying a word, they went off the porch together, wandering a small distance into the yard. Clay kicked at the ground, tense, silent.

Willow touched his arm. “I'm sorry.”

He laughed and turned his face up to the sky. “That's what I was trying to figure out how to say to you.” He turned to face her, and Willow saw his agony. “I swear, Willow, I didn't know. I remember you asking me about that damn kitten, how upset you got. If I'd known . . .”

She put her fingers to his mouth. “It's okay. You're not responsible for what Quincy did.”

He caught her wrist and pulled her hand to his side. “You're not mad?”

“Not at you.”

His head dropped. “Thanks.” More silence, more tension, then Clay muttered, “I'm so damn embarrassed.”

Willow didn't know if it was the right thing or not, but she stepped up against him and gave him a tight hug. His shoulders were wide and hard, his chest solid. It felt good to be so close to him, even if she only wanted to offer him comfort.

Clay went rigid, but only for a second, then he hugged her back, lifting her right off her feet. She felt him shaking and was afraid he might cry. But he didn't.

“Mom is leaving Quincy.” He spoke against her neck, sounding disgusted. “Not because of what he did, but because he caused so much scandal getting caught. Everyone is talking about it already. All my friends have called.”

Willow smoothed his hair, then leaned away to see his face. He set her back on her feet. “She's not going to move away, is she?” Willow hated the thought of yet another loss.

“I don't think so. Right now she's just talking about making Quincy pay.”

“I'm glad. I'd hate it if you weren't my friend.”

Clay stared down at her. Moonlight filtered through the trees, dappling his skin and adding very mature shadows to his features. He bent and pressed a warm, gentle kiss to her cheek. “You'll be fifteen soon, right?”

“Yes. Another month.”

“Then . . . Maybe, once everything is calmed down again, we can be more than just friends.”

Very slowly, Willow smiled. “Maybe.”

Bryan, Scott, Jamie and Julie Rose came to the wedding three weeks later. Other than those special friends, it was a family affair, held outdoors at the lake. Joe hadn't wanted to wait for a more formal ceremony, and when he'd hesitantly asked Luna what she wanted, she'd wrinkled her nose and said, “I can't imagine me in fussy white lace. No, I'd rather just have fun.” She'd compromised on the white lace by replacing the red streaks in her hair with some very pale blond highlights.

Alyx had agreed to stay with the kids while Luna and Joe took a mini honeymoon for five days. They would stay in an isolated cabin in the woods with nothing to do but love each other. That suited Joe just fine. They'd return home in time for the grand opening of the lake, which would be launched with a kids' fishing derby.

Joe had special events planned at the lake for the rest of the summer, then more seasonal events for the remainder of the year. Already they'd had numerous membership renewals, and Joe had had the lake restocked with bluegill, catfish, walleye, bass and crappie. Soon the field would be cleared to accommodate first-come, first-serve campers. All in all, he was pretty damned satisfied with his progress.

Luna had been stunned with the size of his bank account. Combined with hers, they had a nice nest egg to use for improvements to the house and some investments. The first thing Joe had bought was a king-size bed for their room.

Seeing that Luna was preoccupied with his sister, Joe headed over to talk to Bryan. The bounty hunter leaned negligently against a sturdy tree trunk in isolated splendor. Dressed in a suit, he looked like an entirely different man except that he was still quietly alert. His predatory gaze constantly scanned the numerous picnic tables scattered about the yard, filled with food and surrounded by guests. Joe could appreciate Bryan's wariness in a crowd, since he'd once been the same.

“You look miserable in that tie.”

Bryan acknowledged Joe with a nod. “Hate the damn things.” He accepted the drink Joe handed to him and continued to survey everyone and everything. “It was a nice wedding.”

“The weather cooperated, even if my rowdy family didn't.”

Bryan gave a crooked smile. “They're a boisterous bunch.”

“Yeah.” Joe studied Bryan's drawn expression and sighed. “You know, you look like a man who needs a vacation. You're welcome to come visit anytime. I might not have acted real hospitable that day we met, butâ”

Bryan shook his head. “Forget it, Winston. I threw your lady to the ground. You reacted. No hard feelings.” Bryan tossed back the rest of his drink and said quietly, “Just know that I didn't fight back that day. I let you pound on me because I figured I had it coming for using you to get Bruno. But if you ever tried it again . . .”

Laughing, Joe thwacked him on the shoulder, almost knocking him over. “If either of us gets bored, we'll have to test the outcome of that. But for right now, I'm too damn happy to start taking a chance on getting bruised up again.”

Bryan found Luna in the crowd and smiled. “I can see that.” He hesitated a moment, then narrowed his eyes. “Thanks for the invitation to visit, but I don't think it's necessary. I got used to the place while I was waiting for Bruno to act.” He looked undecided, studied Joe a minute, then admitted, “I bought some land. It's a few miles south of here, just an acre, but it's secluded, near a stream. Nice and quiet.”

Joe was surprised. “You going to build here?”

“I have some business to take care of first, then I'll think on it.”

BOOK: Say No To Joe?

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