And with that, Christian disappeared out the door and up the stairs.

Darcy stood there for a moment before she turned back toward Ed.

He took a long pull from his beer. “How about some dinner?”

“Did you really think I was up to something with Christian?”

Ed let out a long breath and let his shoulders drop. “I’m sorry. It shouldn’t be any of my business, even if you had been up to something.”

“That’s right. My private life isn’t part of my job description, is it? I mean, you all seem to have taken me in, and you have no idea what that means to me. But if you’re trying to be all big brother on me, I don’t need that.”

Ed nodded. “I was out of line.”

Darcy crossed her arms over her chest. He was out of line. And she was mad that he’d assume she’d fall into bed with someone she’d just met. That certainly wasn’t her style, and she was fairly sure, after having met most of his family, that wasn’t his style either. So why were they standing there with tension in the air.

One thing her mother had taught her, in an awkward situation, a meal usually pulled things together. A smile formed on her lips. Perhaps that’s why her mother was such a large lady. Food had cured many things in her life, and at this moment, perhaps it would clear the air.

She started toward the kitchen with Ed right behind her.

“Why are you smiling?” he asked as he set his beer on the table.

“I was just thinking about my mother. Whenever someone was upset, or something had gone badly, she always cooked a big meal. And here you and I are arguing, and we move into the kitchen to eat.”

She pulled the containers of ribs, corn, and bread out of the bag.

“Do you eat here all the time? This is the second time this week I’ve eaten this.”

Ed rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “No. Valerie likes it there. It’s her kind of place.”

Darcy nodded. “I see.” She pulled down two plates and began to fix them up. “So you and Valerie?”

She looked up at him, and his brows had narrowed in obvious confusion.

“Me and Valerie what?”

“Are you seeing her?”

“Val?” He let out a grunt. “Are you kidding me?”

Darcy carried the plates to the table. “She’s not attractive?”

“No.”

That made her laugh. “Why?”

“At some point I’m sure you’ll meet her, but let me give you the run down. Six feet tall. Completely muscle. And not interested in people of my gender.”

Darcy sat down and looked up at him as he waited for her response. She thought about it for a moment. “Oh! I see. So, if you’re sister had gone to dinner with her…”

“She’d have made it further than I would have.”

“Got it.”

Ed sat down across from her. “She likes her beer, her NASCAR, bluegrass, and bar-b-que.” He picked up a rib as if to drive a point. “I like my women a bit younger, too.”

Darcy swallowed hard. “How much younger.”

“Valerie is fifty.”

“Oh, and you’re?”

“Thirty-five.”

He was younger than she’d thought. He was just so mature. Christian was much more playful. Darcy would have pegged him for forty-five or fifty, even if he didn’t look fifty at all. That made her chuckle again, just as the thought of her mother. Quickly, she bit off a piece of meat to keep her mouth shut.

“So this fundraiser on Saturday—just how fancy do I need to dress?”

Ed bit off a piece of his rib. “Prom with some class.”

“Oh.” Darcy wrinkled up her nose. “I have a black cocktail dress.”

“Isn’t that supposed to work for any occasion?”

She chuckled. “Well, that was what I was hoping. I don’t get a paycheck yet, and I have to pay rent. So…”

“Are you in need of money?”

“No, that’s not what I was saying.”

He nodded. “Right.”

Darcy sat back in her chair and looked him over. “You’re the caregiver in your family, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You want everyone happy and taken care of. You’re the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back to someone who needed it, but you still expect everyone to pull their weight.”

“That’s how I was raised.”

“Oh, I see that you were raised very well. But your brother is different. Not that he wouldn’t take care of anyone, but he’s more about himself and into having fun. He’s a little more carefree.”

Ed nodded. “You’re very wise when it comes to people.”

“I think I get that from my father. Doctors observe. He liked to watch people. He sees good in everyone, even those who aren’t. But he’d like you. You’re a hardworking man who takes care of what’s his—like your family.” And as soon as she’d said it, she realized she’d been included in that bundle.

Ed wiped his hands on a napkin, which had been included in the bag of food. “My Uncle Curtis is a doctor. He’s a lot like Christian—carefree. He sees things in people though, just like you said your dad does. I suppose that’s how he ended up with Aunt Simone. He saw past the oil heiress, even when she didn’t.”

“So this fundraiser. What kind of organization does your aunt run?”

Ed smiled wide. “It’s called the Diamond Gift.” He pulled from his beer and continued. “When she first came to live in America full time, she had been cut off from her father. My uncle’s friend got her a job at a clinic.” He laughed. “Now, when I say she was an oil heiress…I mean lot, stock, and barrel. Diamonds, clothes, cars…you name it. She was a princess. So, when her dad kicked her to the curb, she had to find a job and learn to work.”

“Why would her father do something like that?”

The grin was back, and she noticed he had a little dimple in his cheek when the grin kept a secret behind it. “She was pregnant.”

“Oh. And that was unacceptable.”

He shrugged. “I guess when you’ve gotten in trouble with some common person.”

“Your family is anything but common, by the way.”