“That’s all well and good, but I meant she’s wary of being a part of a family. I obviously don’t know her personally, but what I have learned makes me sad for her, and also gives me some thoughts on the subject of why you two haven’t been enjoying marital bliss for the past year.”
“We were doing okay a few hours ago until all the families started calling and showing up.”
“Oh, really? Didn’t look that way to me.”
His gut churned over the fact Eloisa might have already phoned for a cab or made God only knew what arrangements while he was talking to his mom. He couldn’t let her up and leave when he was distracted again, and how could he ever hope for a relationship with a woman he couldn’t count on to stand still for more than a few hours at a time?
“Son, you’ve been blessed with family traditions so it seems simple to you. Not so much to others. Like Eloisa perhaps.”
“I know that, Mom, and I don’t take it for granted.”
“I don’t know that I agree with you there. Not that I’m condemning you and your brothers for it. Children should enjoy those traditions and be able to count on them over the years. That gives them roots to ground them when storms hit. Like when your father died. You carried a part of him with you in our traditions.”
“What are you trying to say?” He was damn near turning backflips to figure Eloisa out and now his mom was going on about Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas trees? “Mom, you’re talking chick talk, and I’m a guy.”
“If you want to keep her, you need to help her feel secure.” Ginger released the Stop button and leaned to kiss her son on the cheek. “Now go take care of your wife. I look forward to talking with Eloisa more downstairs whenever the two of you are ready. Your brothers and I will be waiting.”
A half hour later, Eloisa waited in the resort lounge with her luggage and Jonah’s immense family. She was nervous, even lightly nauseated at this unexpected turn.
She and Jonah had barely had time to talk when he returned from the elevator. He’d simply apologized for his family’s surprise intrusion and promised to get her to Audrey before her sister returned from Vegas. He would take care of everything, he’d assured her, giving her a quick but intense kiss before escorting her downstairs.
Fresh paint—mustard yellow—tinted the air and soured her stomach even more. Being with Jonah offered a world of excitement, but very few moments of peace, in spite of the panoramic setting.
Archways framed the two massive walls of windows showcasing the canyon. Stars twinkled in the night sky, the moon climbing. He’d promised they would still leave for Pensacola this evening. He vowed he understood her need to check on Audrey, even if his eyes seemed to say he thought she was overreacting.
Meanwhile, she was stuck in the middle of a very bizarre family reunion. She forced herself not to fidget in the mammoth tapestry wingback. He promised only his mother and lawyer brother knew the truth about their marriage and her family. Apparently the other brothers just thought she was a girlfriend. Having people learn the truth about her background scared Eloisa to the roots of her hair—but at least she didn’t have to deal with everyone knowing.
Yet.
She stared at all four Landis men sprawled on red leather sofas, the only pieces of furniture, other than her chair, not wrapped in warehouse plastic. All four men shared the same blue eyes as their mother. Their hair was varying shades of brown. Jonah’s was longer.
But there was no mistaking the strong family jaw. These were powerful men, most likely stubborn men. She suspected they got it from their mom.
Ginger Landis Renshaw paced on the lanai, taking a work call, her shoulder-length grey-blond hair perfectly styled. Eloisa recalled from news reports the woman was in her early fifties, but she carried the years well. Wearing a lilac lightweight sweater set with pearls—and blue jeans—Ginger Landis wasn’t at all what Eloisa had expected. Thank goodness, because the woman she’d met appeared a little less intimidating.
She’d seen Ginger on the news often enough, reminding Eloisa that she’d followed press coverage of the Landis family all year with more than casual interest. From her attention to the news blogs and video snippets on television, Eloisa knew Ginger was poised and intelligent, sometimes steely determined. Today, a softer side showed as she glanced through the window at her son then over to Eloisa before she returned her attention to her business call.
The whole group was beyond handsome, their unity, happiness and deep sense of connectedness tangible even through the airwaves. And yes, she’d been searching for even a glimpse of Jonah in those photos and broadcasts all year long, too.
How had his mother managed to build such a cohesive family? She searched Ginger’s every move through the glass as if somehow she could figure out the answer like a subject researched deeply enough in her library. Then one of his brothers stepped in front of the window, blocking her view. She searched her memory for which brother…
The oldest, Matthew Landis, was a South Carolina senator and the consummate charming politician. “Our baby brother, Jonah, here has always been good at playing things low-key, keeping a lookout in such a way nobody even knew you were watching, but even we didn’t see this one coming.” Matthew turned to Jonah. “Where have you been hiding this lovely woman?”
Jonah reached from the sofa to rest a hand on her arm. “We met in Spain last summer.”
He kept it simple, uncomplicated. How surreal to sit here so casually in this serene retreat while her world exploded around her.
Audrey’s life in upheaval.
Secrets with Jonah so close to exposure.
Nowhere to hide from the fact that she was falling hard for Jonah Landis.
She folded her shaking hands in her lap and kept up the pretense of calm conversation. If nothing else, she had a brief window with his brothers before they saw her differently. She could use this chance to learn more about Jonah—from someone else this time. “He kept the lookout how?”
Jonah interjected. “Let’s not go there right now.”
Kyle grinned. “Let’s do. The odds are three to one in our favor, bro.”
The world of brothers was fairly alien to her, other than a few brief days nearly twenty years ago.
Sebastian—the lawyer—stretched his arms along the back of the sofa. “He kept Mom from discovering our tunnels.”
“Tunnels?”
Kyle—the brother who’d served in the military—leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “When Sebastian, Jonah and I were kids, during summer vacation, we would pack up sandwiches and Kool-Aid and head out for the day.”
“You played at the beach alone?” She glanced out at Ginger and couldn’t imagine her tolerating that.
“Nope,” Kyle continued, “we went into the more-wooded areas nearby. Sebastian and I dug underground tunnels. Jonah stood guard and warned us if any adults came near.”
Sebastian’s solemn expression lightened. “We would dig the trench, lay boards over the trough and cover the planks with dirt.”
“What about your oldest brother?” She nodded toward Matthew.
Kyle elbowed the esteemed senator. “Too much of a rule follower. He wasn’t invited. Although I guess our secret is out now.”
“Secret?” Matthew extended his legs in front of him. “Did it ever occur to you to wonder why those tunnels never collapsed on top of you?”
Scowling, Kyle straightened indignantly. “We built damn good tunnels.”
“Okay.” Matthew spread his hands. “If that’s what you want to believe.”
“It’s what happened.” Kyle frowned. “Isn’t it?”
The more contemplative Sebastian even shifted uncomfortably until Matthew shook his head, laughing. “After you two went inside, Jonah would go back out and fix your tunnels. He had me stand guard.”
The stunned looks on Sebastian and Kyle’s faces were priceless.
Matthew continued, “He was an architect in the making, even then.”
Brow furrowing suspiciously, Kyle scrubbed his jaw. “You’re yanking our chain.”
Sebastian said, “You two collaborated against us?”
“We collaborated for you. And if you hadn’t excluded us from hanging out in your tunnels we probably would have showed you how to dig them right in the first place rather than laughing at you behind your back.”
Kyle slugged his brother on the arm, which started a free-for-all of laughter and light payback punches between the siblings. Did her Medina brothers share moments and memories like this? Did she have the courage to find out? They had no real connection to her other than blood.
But her sister, Audrey? They may not have had the perfect family circle like the Landises, but she loved her sister and her sister loved her. She had to be there for her.
As Jonah had been there for his brothers all those years ago, protecting their secret while making sure they stayed safe. Even as a little kid, the youngest of the crew, he’d been a guardian, a protector, all things that made her fall even harder for him now.
Her throat clogged with emotion and tears, and God, she didn’t know how much more enlightenment she could take in one day. Her emotions were already so raw.
And scary.
She turned to Jonah, caught his attention and lightly touched her watch. We need to leave, she said with her eyes.
For more reasons than just Audrey. She needed distance to think, because sitting here with the Landises, she wanted to be a part of Jonah’s world so much it hurt. This wasn’t a family who ran from responsibilities or commitments. Jonah was a man to depend on.
And right now, she wasn’t so sure she was the kind of woman he deserved.
The next morning, Eloisa propped her elbows on her kitchen island, a mug of tea in her hands as she sat on a barstool next to her sister. Her married sister.
A thin silver band glinted on Audrey’s finger.
Eloisa and Jonah had taken a red-eye flight back, arriving just at sunrise. She’d hoped they could talk on the plane but he’d received a call from the Peru developers who were working round the clock on plans for the project he would tackle after leaving here.
Leaving her.
After they’d landed, she’d been stunned to find her sister waiting at the town house. With Joey who now stood out on the patio with Jonah.
Eloisa covered her sister’s hand. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you when you needed me.”
“I’m an adult, in spite of what our father thinks. I made this decision on my own.” Her mouth pinched tight. “Joey wanted to elope and leave this town from the start. I never should have let Dad talk me into a big wedding.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. We want the people we love to be happy.”
Audrey looked out the patio doors. “I really shouldn’t be so tough on Dad. I was as guilty as him, being charmed by all the money. Dad was always so freaked out about having enough for Mom. I remember this one time he bought her a diamond-and-sapphire necklace. She loved it, but the whole time Dad kept apologizing that it wasn’t bigger. He said he wanted her to feel like a queen.”