"If it was gas, it’s stayed around for almost four years now." My brother gives me a huge smile, the one that caused all the co-eds to swoon before Rene staked out her claim. "It’s going to be fine, Harper. It’s scary as hell, I know. But, if you love her, it’s worth it."

"There are some new issues." Robie doesn’t ask what they are. He waits for me to tell him, or not. "I’ve been offered a job in New York: Senior Producer for Exposure, CBS’ lead news magazine."

"Congratulations!" He claps me on the back. "That’s a big step forward, right?"

I shrug. "It’s the next step, that’s for sure. Kels got an offer there too."

Robie squints and thrusts his hands in his jeans. "I guess I’m failing to see the problem. New York City is a lot better place to live than LaLa Land."

"Nothing says we’re doing this together. We both received independent offers. I may take it, but she might not. We might both take it, and never see each other in New York."

"What the hell are you talking about?" He grabs my arm and drags me to a stop.

"Just that."

"Have you two talked about it?"

"Sure."

"No," he corrects. "I mean, have you talked about it? Have you told her you don’t want to lose her?"

"It’s her life, Robie. She needs to make the best decisions for her own career."

"T'es vachement difficile, just like Mama says." He spins me around and starts marching us back to the house. "You’ve never backed down from anything and now some petite blonde has you running scared. Who’d have thought?"

"Hey!" Only Mama gets to call me hard-headed.

"Shut up! We’re going back there and you’re going to take your girl and go have a little heart to heart chat. I mean, it’s about damn time. How long have you been sleeping with her?"

"Robie!"

"How long? Since Celebration in the Oaks?"

"Yeah."

"You’re a little late, but I think there’s still hope for you. At least, there will be by the time Mama is through with her."


* * *

Well, I now have what I wanted while I was in New York. I am comfortably seated on what apparently has been designated as my chair in the kitchen, eating the most sinful cheesecake known to man, and having a decent cup of tea. Mama and the sisters surround me. The smaller children are either playing at our feet or are asleep in their car seats, with the exception of Clark. Tante Harper isn’t giving him up anytime soon. Harper and her brothers, along with the older children, have been properly banished to another section of the house.

I love this.

"Give!" Rachel orders from her spot at the table.

I know I look confused. "Give what?"

I hear an evil little chuckle leave Rene as she takes her seat next to me, leaning over. "Details."

I’m about to choke on the cheesecake. "Details?"

Mama laughs. "Child, do you always answer a request with a question?"

"No. I’m just not sure what you mean by details." Actually, I’m afraid I know all too well what they mean. The heat from my face certainly confirms my fear.

"Details," Elaine says, lifting her brows at me, as if merely repeating the word clarifies things. "You know."

Ah, what the hell? This doesn’t appear to freak them out. I guess I shouldn’t let it freak me out. Although, the fact that Harper’s mother is sitting here should be more than enough to do so. I can't even imagine having a conversation like this with my mother present. Or even in the same state. "Oh, you mean like what does she wear to bed?"

"That’s a start." Katherine laughs, pouring a cup of coffee. "We’ll get to juicier details soon enough."

"Well, lately, not much."

The table erupts in a round of laughter, which only causes my blush to deepen. God, I am so bad at this. I never had many girlfriends to do ‘girl talk’ with growing up. But, I must admit, this is rather enjoyable. I’m sure I’ll get used to it. It doesn’t do much for my condition when the subject of the conversation pokes her head in the door. I can’t help but allow my smile to widen.

"Is it all right for me to come in?"

"Is it ever all right?" Rene chastises, pointing with her fork. "You know better. Go away."

Everyone laughs again.

"Ah, Ren, we’re starving to death out here," Harper protests.

"No, you’re not," I correct, rising to meet her in the doorway. "You just had lunch. You’re being nosey." I take her by the arm and walk out into the hallway with her.

She pulls me into her arms, staring down at me with one lifted brow. "Yeah? So what if I am? I heard the laughter. What do you people talk about in there?"

"I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. Now go back and join your brothers." I lean up, giving her chin a little kiss.

This obviously isn’t good enough, because she tilts her head, capturing me in a kiss that leaves me breathless and weak-kneed. "I’ll torture it out of you later," she whispers against my lips.

"No, you won’t. I’ll never tell."

She kisses me again. "We’ll see." She turns serious. "Any chance I can sneak you away from the girls in a little bit?"

"Sure. What’s up?" My heart starts to flutter, but I will it to stop. I can’t imagine she brought me to her family’s home to break up with me.

"I want to ravish you. And I don’t want an audience."

I flush again. I seem to do that a lot in this house. "Oh."

"Remember that comfy bed upstairs?"

I most certainly do. Best damn bed in the world. Of course, I liked what we were doing in it a bit more. "Soon," I promise. The only reason I don’t drag her to it right now is because I was raised with manners. "Now go." I break away, turning her around in the hallway and giving a little shove.

"Yes ma’am," I hear her grumble before I turn to go back in the kitchen.

When I do so, I find Rene, Rachel, Elaine and Katherine peeking out, with huge smiles on their faces.

"You’re all evil," I tease, and push past them to return to the kitchen.

So this is what it means to be part of a family? I think I’m going to do whatever I have to do to hold onto this.

As we settle back into our seats, Mama just shakes her head at all of us, looking very pleased and very proud.

"Happy?" I inquire softly, reaching out to gently touch her hand.

"Very. My table is complete now." She sweeps her hand around the table, taking in each of the sisters, and me, as well.

"And if Mama is happy," Rene begins.

"Everyone is happy," the rest of them help finish her sentence.


* * *

Harper and I don’t get a chance to slip away at all during the day. This family likes to be together. And, since they don’t get to see her as often as they want, they were loath to let us sneak upstairs. We did try once, and got as far as the fourth stair, when little Danielle once again announced what we were doing to the family.

I gotta talk to that kid sometime.

So, now, finally, all the family have left to their own homes. Mama and Papa have not so subtly shooed us out of the living room, telling us we look tired. Maybe I could have Mother meet Mama. That would do her in for sure.

Once we get inside my – our? – room, Harper tackles me onto the bed. She straddles my hips, tickling me mercilessly. "Talk!" she orders playfully.

I place a kiss on her arm, which earns me a little growl. "Grump," I tease.

"You can tell me," she mutters. She stops tickling me and stretches out beside me, keeping one long arm snug around my waist.

"No, I can’t. It’s a clause in my contract, total non-disclosure."

"Contract?"

"Oh yeah, didn’t you know? Mama has a full contract you have to sign when she gives you a seat in the kitchen." I giggle a little, pulling away from her to look in her eyes.

"Right." She sounds doubtful.

"That’s what you get when you have so many lawyers in the family."

She frowns, and looks remarkably like her nephew Christian when she does so. "It’s a conspiracy."

"Not anymore. It was a conspiracy. Now it’s just girl talk."

"Oh God." Her arms flop down to the bed, giving me the perfect opportunity to crawl on top of her. This is a chance I don’t pass up.

"Now, come on, Tabloid. You mean to tell me that your brothers aren’t doing the same thing to you?"

"No. They aren’t that nosey." Her hands come back to me, beginning a soft massage of my back through my T-shirt.

"Really? So what have they said?"

She snorts. "Let’s see. Gerrard said: ‘About damn time.’ Lucien gave his usual insightful comment: ‘She’s damn cute.’ Jean followed that up with: ‘We got any more damn beer?’ And that was the end of it."

I laugh, imagining the scene. But one brother, the most important one, wasn’t mentioned. If I don’t meet Robie’s approval, I don’t stand a ghost of a chance. "And Robie?"

"He said: ‘damn lucky.’ And he was right."

If I’m going to say it, I had better say it now before we end up doing other things. Because, I really want to do other things. All night long. Despite the fact her parents are here in the house. "Harper, I -"

"Kels, I -" she says at the same time.

We both laugh. "Jinx," I whisper.

"Ladies first," Harper replies, squeezing me gently.

Okay, it’s now or never. "I love you."

Her hands stop their movement and I feel her go taut under me. Oh God, did I just screw up? Please, please, no! Let this be all right. Please.

She releases a deep breath and replies, "Jinx."


* * *

I am a total jerk.