Both men wore the look of contrition as they turned away from one another. Catching Joe’s eye, Dani smiled as she shrugged her shoulders and went to her husband. “You go ahead, grab something to eat. I’ll look after this little one.”
Nodding, he passed the baby off then leaned down and whispered something private in her ear that made her cheeks flame scarlet and a smile pull across her face. Dani had no clue what he’d said, but her reaction alone was enough to give her tingles.
Would she ever share that kind of intimacy with anyone?
Glancing up, she found Ransom staring at her intently, almost as if he could read the question in her mind. Her stomach flipped and she looked away.
Chatter flooded into the kitchen as Rebel let himself outside, then promptly cut off as he shut the door behind him, leaving Dani, Joe, Ransom, and Seraphim to absorb the awkward silence.
“I just love the matching outfits,” his mother said to Joe, admiring the sunshine yellow dress wrapped around the baby she held cradled in her arms. “Although, it does make it impossible to tell them apart.”
“What’s life without a little mystery?” Joe grinned, and Dani got the impression that it was an inside joke.
“Do you hear that, Rosemary? Your mother is testing the limits of a poor old lady’s feeble mind.”
“Feeble my eye,” Ransom chuckled. “If that’s true, then you’re the sharpest old woman I’ve ever met.”
“And lucky for me that I am or I’d never be able to keep you and your brother in check. Do you need any help getting settled?” she asked Joe. “I can do diapers if you’d like.”
“Sure! Who am I to argue diaper duty.”
A commotion out on the deck called everyone’s attention. Thick, billowing clouds of smoke poured from the grill, fairly blocking their view outside as it licked at the windows and doors.
Ransom cursed and moved for the door. “Dad’s burning down the house again.”
“Oh, hell. Leave the man alone for ten minutes… I’m sorry, Joe, it looks like I’ve got to recuse the man-child and dinner before they both burn to a crisp.”
“No problem. You go ahead and take care of Vincent. I’ve got everything handled in here.”
“Where do you want this little princess?”
Joe’s gaze darted. “Um, the car seat should be fine.”
Looking around and realizing that she was completely alone now, with Ransom off saving the day, Dani suddenly felt very adrift. “I can take her,” she blurted, surprising herself. She’d held a baby once, but that inherent motherly instinct women often spoke of that was supposedly responsible for sparking a need to procreate had, thankfully, never struck her. So, it wouldn’t hurt to lend a hand where one was needed.
“Are you sure?” Joe asked, the hope in her eyes and tone thinly veiled.
Slipping off her stool, Dani accepted the wiggling mass of tiny human and nodded. “I’m sure.”
While Ransom’s mother ran off to perform damage control duties, Joe scooped up a giant diaper bag that looked like a hand-stitched quilt, and said, “Follow me.”
SEVEN
“ARE YOU SURE WE’RE allowed to sit in here?” The plush white décor and pristine white carpet screamed stain-me-and-die. Every fiber of Dani’s being resisted the need to follow the leader and turn back to the safety of the kitchen where at least a spill or scuff could be easily cleaned away.
Stepping down into the sunken living room, Joe walked across the carpet and claimed a chair that looked like it cost as much as her rent payment. “I know what you’re thinking. I felt the same way my first time here, but it’s really not as scary as it looks. Vincent and Seraphim aren’t as uptight as the furniture suggests. They’re actually really down to earth.” She waved her over and, against her better judgment, Dani kicked off her shoes, crossed her fingers, and cautiously stepped down onto carpet that felt like cushiony clouds of heaven beneath her bare toes.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I need to feed these two before they start squawking.”
Cradling Rosemary in her arms, Dani shook her head as she eased down onto a tufted arm chair. “By all means. Do what you gotta do.”
“I promise not to flash you.” Draping a scrap of giraffe covered fabric over her shoulder, she began tugging at her blouse, and Dani turned her gaze toward the many shelves that housed a number of thick books and colorful baubles made of glass, porcelain, plastic, and polished metals.
“So, how long have you and Ransom been dating?”
Rosemary shifted, her head craning toward her mother’s voice. Adjusting her hold, Dani said, “We’re not technically dating.”
“Friends with benefits?”
“Not exactly.” Though, that might be nice. She’d never had one, but many of her friends had. No strings could be interesting, but Dani wasn’t sure she was the type that could handle that. She had a habit of getting attached. Catching Joe’s curious expression, she was compelled to explain.
“We’re just…friends. Kind of. I’m not really sure what we are exactly.”
“Do you like him?”
“What’s not to like?” He was a successful teacher, good-looking, honest, and nice.
Josephine just smiled, as if she approved of her answer. “Where did you two meet?”
Oh great, just the kind of question she didn’t want to answer. Her lips tightened. “In a bar.”
“Don’t look so ashamed,” Joe admonished. “That’s innocent compared to where I met my husband.” That piqued Dani’s interest, and she knew it. Twisting around to make sure no one was within earshot, she whispered, “A strip club.”
Oh. My. Dani’s eyes widened in shock. “Were you…?”
“A dancer? Yes. And he was one of my customers.” Tugging a corner of the blanket to preserve her modesty, she continued on as if they were merely talking about the weather. “We didn’t have a traditional relationship by any means, and it started off rocky. Did Ransom tell you about any of this?”
“I don’t think so, no.” Unless…No. Joe couldn’t be the woman he was talking about, could she? The one he’d loved but lost to his brother?
Hell. Of course she was. Rebel was married to Joe. It didn’t leave much room for error.
Josephine confirmed as much. “I met Ransom in class. I was one of his students. Unfortunately for both of us, I didn’t realize he had a twin brother, and neither of us could have known that I was already seeing Rebel at the time. Needless to say, there was a lot of confusion. But things worked out how they were supposed to.”
Except that Ransom had been hurt in the process. Dani wanted to be angry at Joe and Rebel on his behalf. The end result of their triangle had broken him, but she couldn’t seem to find it in herself to be mad. After all, it had brought him into her life.
But her heart still ached for him and what he must have gone through. Was still going through. The only thing that kept her from lashing out was that Ransom needed her now, and she wanted to be needed by him. Now that she’d learned the truth of his past, the source of his pain, it felt imperative that she help him. That she be the one to fix him, make him whole, help him to see that he could love and be loved the way he was meant to be.
More than anything, she wanted to be his safe place.
The baby fussed in her arms, and Dani realized with a start that it could sense her emotional distress. With a soft hand, she petted its downy black peach fuzz.
“I’m glad he has you to confide in, even if you’re not technically dating,” Joe said as she shifted her daughter and closed up her blouse. “He hasn’t been himself lately, and we’ve all been worried about him. Having a woman in his life might be just what the doctor ordered.”
“I don’t know how much help I can be,” Dani admitted, “but I’ll certainly try.”
“He’s a good guy. He’s just lost right now. Be gentle with him, give him some time. He’ll come around to seeing what’s in front of him.”
Dani frowned, unsure of her meaning.
<
br /> “You seem nice, you’ve got Seraphim’s stamp of approval, and Rosemary is a good judge of character like her father. The only people she allows to hold her are her grandparents and Ransom. Aside from me and her father, of course.”
So she had a baby’s approval. That was…odd, but nice. Dani smiled down at the little girl. Jade green eyes stared up at her and her round cheeks puffed up to reveal a gummy smile. Oh, wow, was she adorable.
Dani’s chest tightened and she held her breath, afraid to give thought to the errant feeling.
“Okay, time to switch.” Standing, Joe went over and exchanged babies, then settled back in to start the process of feeding all over again. “I swear, I’m going to be picking my boobs up off the floor after these two are done with them, but Rebel is adamant that they breast feed instead of using bottles.”
What a jerk. It wasn’t as if it was his body to dictate. Dani bit her tongue before she could give voice to the thought. “That’s unfortunate. He could share in feeding time if you used bottles. I hear it’s a good bonding experience.”
“It is. I love our time together, when it’s all quiet and cozy and we just look into each other’s eyes. But when Rebel gets an idea into his head, there’s no arguing with him. He’s a lot like his mother that way.” She laughed.
Dani grinned, thinking of how Seraphim was in the kitchen with Ransom. She’d been shocked at first when she’d hauled off and slapped him in the arm, but after hearing that he’d been out of town and then returned without so much as a call home to let her know he was okay, she saw her reaction for what it really was: a mother worrying for her child.
“I can see that. So, I don’t hear any sirens or shouting. I guess that means dinner isn’t ruined.”
“God, I hope not. You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted Vincent’s barbecue ribs.” Her eyes rolled back in ecstasy, and Dani couldn’t help laughing. She liked this woman. She made her feel comfortable, at ease.
In fact, she hadn’t experienced a single stomach cramp in all the time they’d been in the living room. Maybe it was the lack of stimulus that eased her nerves, or maybe it was the company, but Dani was grateful for it.
The last thing she wanted was a repeat of freshman year orientation. She shuddered, stomping the memory down before it could gain traction.
Thank God Ransom chose that moment to appear. Looking his usual brand of handsome and confident, if not a tad sweaty, he smiled down at her from the doorway. “There you are.” His gaze darted to Joe, saw what she was doing, and flicked away just as quickly. Dani’s chest ached for him and she pretended not to feel the spark of jealously that threatened to go full-blown. “We managed to salvage most of dinner. Do you want me to fix you a plate or would you like to join me outside and choose for yourself?”
Although she wasn’t exactly eager to submerge herself in the pool of partygoers, Dani knew it was high time she stepped out of her shell. But…
She looked down at the contented bundle in her arms. Her mouth opened, forming a cute little O as she yawed, then her eyelids drooped as she answered the call of sleep.
“I’d like to come out with you, but I’m helping Joe in here. I can catch up with you when we’re done though.”
“Nonsense, you should go. I can handle these two. Rayna looks like she’s about to pass out any second anyway, so she’ll be a breeze.”
Given the option, Dani found herself remiss to give the little one up. She was actually enjoying holding a baby, but who could help falling a little bit in love with something so utterly cute?
And with that terrifyingly ominous thought, she rose to her feet and crossed to the couch, prepared to settle Rayna in the corner of the cushion Joe had designated. But she didn’t get that far.
“Here, I’ll take her off your hands.” Rebel’s deep voice preceded him as he entered the room. Holding out his hands, Dani placed his daughter in his—incredibly beefy—arms and backed away.
As he moved to sit beside his wife, Dani took her place at Ransom’s side. He welcomed her warmly, draping a heavy arm over her shoulders and turning her toward the back of the house. As they walked, their bodies bumping lightly against one another, their heat combining to create an acute awareness that touched every nerve ending in her body, Dani’s thoughts were behind them, lingering in that room. They were dangerous thoughts, the type that she needed to avoid like the plague, because they would only get her into trouble.
She wasn’t in a place in her life to give them a voice anyway.
Leaning down, Ransom’s warm, soft lips skimmed the shell of her ear. “So you like babies, huh?”
“That’s the second—and third—time I’ve ever held one.”
“Well, you were a natural. You look good holding a baby.”
Ah, hell.
***
THE DAY WORE ON with an abundance of laughter and lighthearted banter exchanged between friends and family. Dani observed from the sidelines, keeping to herself as much as possible. She might not have been a central part of the conversations, but there were some that made an effort to include her.
Mostly, she was just content to watch and listen.
Josephine was right. The people here weren’t pretentious. Just moneyed. They wore it on their bodies as much as the way they carried themselves, but they were nice. Just like anyone else she might have met on the street or in a store. Not once did she feel looked down upon or ostracized, which, considering her educational achievements and youth among her co-workers, had become commonplace.
Seated at one of the patio tables positioned close to the fire, she soaked up its warmth as she watched Ransom from afar. Standing across the lawn among a group of older men, they shared drinks and polite conversation. On the opposite side of the yard was his brother, Rebel, who held one of his daughters while speaking with another group of people.
Their matching looks were unsettling, yet fascinating. She’d never been so close to identical twins before.
She wondered, though, how two people so completely alike could hold such deep grudges. She’d always been under the impression that twins had a unique bond that was unbreakable. These two were poles apart.
Did it hurt them to be so separated, or did they really hate each other that much?
For a brief moment, Rebel cast his brother a look, and Dani instantly knew the answer to that question.
No. Of the two, Rebel, at least, felt the pain of distance. It was only a flash of emotion that flickered across his stoic face, but she’d caught it. He missed his brother. She looked to Ransom, hoping to see the same emotion come over him, a quick, passing look drawn by the soul deep connection the two shared, but he was too deep in conversation to notice.
Sadness filled her, along with a determination to see the two of them make amends.
No two people, especially siblings, should be torn apart like that. It was clear to her that they were hurting, each in their own way, and it was even clearer that the time was coming for them to bury that hatchet that Rebel had mentioned earlier.
Breaking away from the group, Ransom strode toward her with an award winning smile that sent her stomach into a tizzy. Frozen in place by his arresting good looks, she waited for him to reach her before taking his hand and allowing him to pull her to her feet.
“I think I’ve had my fill of socializing for one night. Ready to go?”
More than. She nodded and followed him back into the house where they said their good-byes to his parents.
“Thank you for having me today. It was a lovely party.”
“It was an absolute pleasure to meet you. Don’t be a stranger,” his mother requested, and then leaned in to peck her on the cheek.
“I’ll call you,” Ransom told her as he stooped down to hug his mother.
“I know you will,” she said with a thinly veiled threat lacing her words.
Dani nearly laughed, enjoying her tough-as-nails motherly approach. It was obvious that the Scott family was close, despite the current rift plag
uing it.
Speaking of…Rebel and Joe stepped inside to join them. “Leaving already? The night is just getting started.”
Ransom looked up, a scowl etching his face. “You know me, never been much of a night owl.”
“Well, now that I have these two vampires to tend to,” Rebel said, shifting the sleeping baby in his arms, “neither am I.”
“You’re heading out too?” Seraphim complained. “I never get to see my babies anymore.”
“You saw us tonight, mother. I swear, if you had it your way, we’d all move in here with you.”
“What do you think I’ve been working toward all this time?”
Everyone grinned, then went in for hugs and kisses. Dani looked to Ransom, and he gave her a nod. Time to go.
“All right, everyone, we’re heading out.”
“Aren’t you going to tell your brother and his wife good-bye?”
Ransom’s whole body wound up tight at the question, which was more of a demand than anything. Dani felt the tone in the room shift from slightly tense to volatile. There was no doubt in her mind that, if the wind shifted just right, it could very well come to blows.
But Seraphim’s words were a command that wasn’t to be ignored.
Cautiously, each of the women watched as the two men came together, a gulf between them as their upper bodies bent forward and they clapped each other once on the back. A muttered “later” was issued and then the room separated them once again.
Dani released the breath she’d been holding, then, thankfully, they were free to go.
EIGHT
THERE WAS A STRANGE sensation bubbling just beneath the surface of his skin. Ransom couldn’t put his finger on what it was, but he knew it had to do with his brother and that hug they were forced to share. All he knew was it was warm, comforting, and the underlying meaning he refused to acknowledge set him on edge.
He wasn’t ready to let go of his anger. Some bridges weren’t meant to be crossed, not after so much water had passed beneath it.
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