“Are you going out?” Emma asked her.

“If you mean am I going out at some point to pick up my car, yes.”

“Come on.Are you going to see him—a date,” Emma qualified.

“No. It was just a . . . He was being a smart-ass, that’s it.”

“You kissed him first.” Emma wagged her finger. “Fourth of July.”

“I was mad at Del, and it was a mistake. And that doesn’t mean—” She broke off and grabbed her ringing phone.

“Saved by the CrackBerry,” Mac announced.

“Hi, Buffy.” Taking advantage, Parker pushed up, walked out of the room as she spoke.

“They’ve got the hots, the mutual hots.” Laurel folded her arms. “I am not mistaken on this.”

“He looks at her. Don’t give me that smirk.” Emma pointed at Mac.“He looks at her, a lot, and she tries not to look at him. I say mutual hots a definite.”

“He’s got that whole James Dean thing going.”

“The sausage guy?” Mac asked, frowning at Laurel.

“No, Jesus, Mackensie.” Laurel aimed her gaze at the heavens. “That’s Jimmy Dean. James. Bad boy, all attitude.”

“I kind of like that he rattles her,” Emma decided.“Our Parker isn’t easily rattled, which is one of the aspects that makes her our Parker, but I kind of like seeing it.”

“He’s not slick, which earns him points from me.” Laurel shrugged, rose. “We’ll see where it goes, if anywhere. Meanwhile, duty calls.” She paused at the doorway. “Hey, you know what Parker said after the smoking-hot kiss?”

“What?” Mac demanded.

“Absolutely nothing.”

PARKER MIGHT NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF ANYTHING TO SAY THEN, but she had plenty to say to Carter’s older sister.

She greeted Diane at the door herself, extending both hands and a beaming smile.“Di, it’s so good to see you! Thanks so much for making time today. How are the kids?” she added as she drew Diane inside.

“They’re fine.”

“Mac tells me they got a puppy recently.” Deliberately she draped an arm over Diane’s shoulders, just a couple of girl pals catching up, to lead her into the parlor.

“My father managed to get around me there. Of course, he’s not the one dealing with it.”

“Isn’t that always the way?” Parker said cheerfully. “I know an excellent trainer if you’re interested in a little help. She’s wonderful, and has kid-puppy classes, so the kids get involved in the work. How about some coffee?”

“I’m cutting back on caffeine.”

“I drink far too much of it myself.We’ve got some lovely green tea. Carter says it’s your favorite.”

With a quick hitch in her stride, Diane stared, blinked.“Carter did?”

“It’s surprising isn’t it, what our brothers notice and remember? Let’s sit down. You look just terrific, Diane. What have you been doing?”

Obviously flustered, Diane pushed back at her bob of brown hair. An attractive woman, she habitually marred her looks with a dissatisfied expression. “I joined a yoga class a couple months ago, but it’s so full of nonsense that I—”

“Oh, I love yoga.” All smiles, Parker poured the tea. It was no accident she used one of her grandmother’s best Doulton tea services. Diane, she knew, noted and set store by such things. “Even a fifteen-minute session helps me release all the stress of the day. Good for you for taking a little me-time. With your work, your family, all those obligations, you have to fit twenty-five hours into every day. I honestly don’t know how you do it, and here I’ve added to those hours by asking you to come talk to me.”

“I assume it’s about Sherry’s wedding, and I don’t really understand what that has to do with me.”

“Can you believe it’s almost here?” Undeterred, Parker sipped her tea. “And before we know it, it’ll be Carter and Mac.” She reached out to take Diane’s hand again. “It makes us family. And that’s what sparked this idea I have.”

“What idea?”

“I should start at the beginning, and the credit for that goes to Mac.You know that Sherry’s main wish for the wedding was fun. She wants it to be a fun day—friends and family—a celebration. I have to tell you, Di, so many brides are focused on the tiny details, the minutiae. And of course, that’s what we do here. It’s part of what we offer. But it’s so refreshing to work with your sister, a woman who sees the big picture. She sees, well, your parents, and you.”

“Me?”

“You and Sam and your children.What you’ve built—the life, the family, the continuity. It isn’t an easy thing, that build—as you know—and she sees what you’ve accomplished. And all that starts with the wedding itself, the celebration of those first steps.You’re her big sister. You took the steps before her, and you’ve helped show her the way.You’ve been a huge influence on her.”

Diane sniffed. “Sherry never listens to anything I have to say.” “You know, I think those who have impact and influence over us are often unaware. Why just the other day . . .” She broke off, gave a little shake of her head. “I don’t want to betray a confidence, but since it’s family, Sherry told me just the other day how important you are to her, how much you mean to her. I guess it’s easier to say that to someone just a little outside, isn’t it?”

Again the stare, the blink. “She said that?”

“Yes, and it made me realize . . . I’m ahead of myself again.” With an easy laugh, Parker waved a hand as if she’d scattered her thoughts. “Mac’s idea. She’s put together photographs of Sherry, of your family, Nick and his family. Old photos, recent ones. A kind of chronological retrospective. Mac’s so talented. I know I’m biased, but I have to say the CD she created is wonderful. Sweet, funny, charming, poignant. The idea is to run it at the rehearsal dinner.”

“Oh, I’m not going to—”

“What it’s missing,” Parker interrupted, “is a narrator. An emcee if you will. Someone who’s been there from the beginning. Not your parents, as it’s a surprise for them, too, and Mac added their wedding photo to kick the whole thing off. I thought Carter, as he’s a teacher as well as her brother, so he’s used to speaking in public, but when Sherry and I talked, I realized no. It’s a sister thing. A big sister thing. After all, who has a more unique, clever, intimate perspective on Sherry, on your family, on Nick and his, than you? Please say you’ll do it.”