I Do...: Her Accidental Engagement / A Bride's Tangled Vows. Barbara Wallace
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with her mother. Vera had been a devoted wife to her late husband, but since his death, she’d reinvented herself not only as an animal-rescue expert but as a woman with a long list of admirers. Unlike Julia, her mother always made sure the men with whom she was acquainted treated her like a lady, fawning around her until Vera moved on to the next one in line.
“Here she goes,” Lainey whispered, as Vera tucked her chin and fluttered her eyelashes. Charlie watched the two for a moment then reached for Sam.
“Can-ee,” the boy demanded, and Joe took the cotton candy from Sam.
“Come here, Charlie,” Joe said and lifted him from Vera’s arms. At this rate, Charlie would be held by more people than the Stanley Cup.
“Why don’t I take him,” Julia suggested.
“Joe and I will take him to the carnival games,” Vera said.
“That’s right,” Joe told them with a wink. “You young folks can head to the dance floor or grab a drink.”
Before she could argue, Joe and Vera disappeared into the sea of people, Charlie waving over Joe’s shoulder.
“I’m up for a beer.” Ethan looked at Sam. “How about you, Sammy boy?”
“Don’t go there,” Sam warned.
“Stop—you’re going to make me cry.” Ethan laughed until Lainey socked him in the gut. “Hey,” he said on a cough.
“I thought Sam’s dad was sweet.” Lainey grinned at Sam. “He obviously loves you.” Her gaze switched to Julia. “You and Charlie, too. Mom’s going to eat him up with a spoon.”
“A terrifying thought.” Julia’d known this night was a bad idea.
“Come on,” Lainey said to all three of them. “Let’s get something to eat. They had a pasta booth in the corner.”
Ethan wrapped one long arm around Lainey and kissed the top of her head. “Yeah, like a double date.”
Julia couldn’t help it—she burst out laughing. “This is going to be great. We’ll be besties.” Who would have thought that she’d be double-dating with her first boyfriend and her sister? It was too crazy to imagine.
She looked at Sam, expecting him to be laughing right along with her. Instead, his brows were drawn low over his vivid blue eyes.
“Fine by me.” He took her hand to follow Lainey and Ethan toward the back of the gym.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered, pulling him to slow down so they were out of hearing range. “Is it my mom and Joe? She’s harmless, I promise. Her former admirers still adore her. Whatever happens, she won’t hurt your dad.”
Sam’s arm was solid as a rock as his muscles tensed. “Does it seem strange to be so chummy with your ex-boyfriend?”
Julia thought about Jeff, then realized that was not who Sam meant. “Ethan’s married to my sister. We’ve been over more than a decade. He’s so much like my brother, I barely remember he’s seen me naked.”
Sam stopped on a dime, causing her to bump into the length of him. “Is that a joke?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I thought it was funny.”
“It’s not.”
“Come on, Sam. You see how he looks at Lainey. He never once looked at me in that way. He’s different with her, and I couldn’t be happier. For both of them. It’s old news, even around Brevia. That’s an accomplishment, given how gossip takes on a life of its own in this town.” She flashed him a sassy grin. “Chief Callahan, is it possible you’re jealous?”
“I don’t want to look like a fool. I’ve been down the road of public humiliation and the scenery sucks. Why would I be jealous? You said yourself Ethan’s like your brother.”
Julia studied him then placed a soft kiss on his mouth. “I’d never do something to make you look like a fool. Scout’s honor.”
“I can’t imagine you as a Girl Scout.” Sam forced his lips to curve into a smile, wondering at his odd reaction. He wasn’t the jealous type, and he knew how happy Ethan and Lainey were together. “Let’s find them.” He took Julia’s hand again.
A number of people waved or stopped to say hello as they made their way through the crowd. At first, Julia tensed at every new greeting. Eventually he felt her relax, but she never loosened her death grip on his hand. He wanted to protect her, he realized, and also to show her she could belong to this community again. The people of Brevia had welcomed him, and if Julia gave them a chance, he was sure they’d accept her.
They caught up with Ethan and Lainey and grabbed a table near the makeshift dance floor. The sisters bantered back and forth, making Sam wish for a better relationship with his own brother.
Even before Scott had cheated with Sam’s fiancée, they hadn’t been close. Sam had been the responsible brother, stoic and toeing the line, while Scott had been wild, always getting into trouble and constantly resenting his older brother’s interference in his life.
“How are things around town these days?” Ethan asked as he set a second beer on the table next to Sam.
“Quiet for a change.” Sam took another bite of pasta then swallowed hard as Julia tilted back her head to laugh at something Lainey said. The column of her neck was smooth and long. He ached to trail a line of kisses across her skin.
He pushed away the beer, realizing he was going to need his wits about him to remain in control tonight.
“Were you involved in the drug bust over in Tellet County a few nights back?”
Julia stopped midsentence as her eyes snapped to his. “What drug bust? Sounds dangerous. Why didn’t I hear about a drug bust?”
Sam threw Ethan what he hoped was a shut your mouth look.
“Sorry, man,” Ethan said quickly. “Hey, Lainey, let’s hit the dance floor.”
Lainey popped out of her chair. “Love to.”
“Cowards,” Julia muttered as she watched them go. She turned her angry gaze back to Sam. “You were saying?”
“A meth lab outside the county lines,” he told her. It had been a long time since anyone had cared about what he was doing and whether it was dangerous or not. “It’s been kept quiet so far because the sheriff thinks it’s part of a bigger tristate operation. We want to see if we can flush out a couple of the bigger fish.”
She tapped one finger on the table. “I don’t like you being involved in something like that.”
“It’s my job, Julia.”
“I need to know about these things. I bet Abby Brighton knew where you were during the drug bust.”
“She’s my secretary. Of course she knew.”
“We’re engaged.”
“Is that so?”
To his great amusement, she squirmed in her chair. “As far as everyone around here thinks. I need to be kept informed.”
“Why?”
“To know whether I should worry.”
“One more reason I wouldn’t be a good bet in a real relationship. Ask my ex. I don’t like to report in. I don’t like anyone worried about me.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “My job is dangerous almost every day. I deal with it, but I don’t expect you or anyone else to.”
“No one’s allowed to care about you?” Her eyes flashed, temper lighting them.
“I don’t need anyone to care.”
“The Lone Ranger rides again.” Julia pushed away from the table. He grabbed her wrist so she couldn’t escape.