“Yes,” Kinsey admitted. There was no point in lying to her best friend.

“Then you need to go to him. Let him help you through this, hold you until the tears dry. Don’t be so afraid of being hurt that you actually hurt yourself more,” she said as she took Kinsey’s hand in hers.

“It was a game, Cass. That’s all. I ran away, probably the first girl to ever do so to him. Then he chased me. We had amazing, oh-my-gosh, sex, he restored his manhood, and now he’s gone,” Kinsey said, feeling like a fool.

“I think you may be underestimating him. Give him a chance. If you do, I think you could find more happiness than you ever imagined before. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from listening to Joseph and Katherine’s love story, it’s that time is too precious to waste.”

“I don’t know, Cass. I just need to think. My emotions are all over the place right now, and I don’t want to do anything I’m going to regret later.”

“Maybe the two of you just need a little helpful nudging,” Cass threatened.

“Cassie, don’t you dare interfere, do you hear me? I swear on our pinkie swear oath in grade school, that I’ll hunt you down,” Kinsey said, her eyes narrowing.

“Kinsey…”

“You promise me right now, Cass,” Kinsey demanded.

“I just want you to be happy. You know I love you,” Cassie hedged.

“Cassandra, you better promise me,” Kinsey threatened.

“Fine,” Cassie snapped, her eyes narrowing.

It wasn’t until Kinsey was on her way back home that she realized Cassie hadn’t promised. Her stomach turned over with nerves. Cass wouldn’t do anything. It was always friendship first, men second. Her day had been exhausting and she just couldn’t think about it any longer, so she pushed it from her mind.

She pulled into her apartment complex and walked to her unit. She shut the door and looked around, feeling more alone than she ever had before.

Joseph was better now and didn’t need a nurse at home. As she’d left the mansion, she’d had to fight back tears, knowing she’d miss the bustle always going on in the large place. She’d grown attached being there, loving her time of taking care of him. She was very happy he was better, though.

She looked at her calendar and realized it was George’s wedding night with Esther. Of course she’d been invited, but she couldn’t go, not when she was crying every ten minutes. Seeing Austin and not being able to talk to him would be too much.

Kinsey’s eyes grew heavy and exhaustion overtook her while she climbed into her bed and fell asleep. She had time to figure it out later.

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

“I can’t believe dad’s getting married today. It’s so weird,” Trenton exclaimed.

“I know what you mean. I’m happy for him, really happy, but it seems so strange. Especially the fact that he’s acting like a teenager,” Max said.

“I think it’s incredibly romantic. Esther’s been blushing all morning,” Bree added.

“Yeah, it’s great. I haven’t seen dad this happy in a long time. Moving back here was a really good thing. All of you getting married, now dad, too. What the heck? I guess we’re grown up, now” Austin said.

“What do you mean, we. I don’t see a ring on your finger,” Trenton said.

“Yeah, whatever.”

Austin hadn’t seen Kinsey in weeks, but couldn’t get her off his mind. When he hadn’t heard anything from her by last week, he figured he had his answer on whether or not she was pregnant. He knew if she were, she’d call him, she’d promised. What really surprised him was the disappointment hanging heavily over him like a dark rain cloud getting ready to pour.

How could he possibly feel as if he’d lost something that he never had to begin with? It didn’t make any sense.

“Austin Anderson, who the heck do you think you are? Seriously? Are you God’s gift to women, Mr. love em and leave em? Huh! What do you have to say for yourself?” Cassie thundered as she stomped into the room, fire burning in her eyes.

“What did I do?” he asked, taking a step back. His sister-in-law was frightening in a temper. He had new respect for his brother.

“Sweetie, what’s this about?” Max asked as he stepped toward her.

“Don’t you sweetie me, Max,” she snapped, stopping him in his tracks. Then she turned back to Austin. “What did I do? Really? Kinsey isn’t some cheap two-dollar-hooker. She’s a lady. She’s beautiful, compassionate, fun and freaking fantastic. You were lucky enough to have her fall in love with you, and you think you can just throw that away?” Cassie snapped, stepping up to him, her hands on her hips as her toe tapped.

Austin was speechless as the room went silent. He’d never seen Cassie throw a fit before and it was impressive, but her words were what muted him.

Kinsey loved him.

Love.

His mind whirled as he thought about the girl he couldn’t forget no matter how hard he tried. Her smile, laugh, temper, passion. All of it was intoxicating. He wanted to be with. Not for just a night, or even a week, but he really wanted to be with her. The have and to hold kind of being together. He wanted to see her walk down the aisle to him, where they said vows and then kissed in front of their friends and family. He wanted to claim her as his forever. He couldn’t let her go… he was in love with her.

“I love her,” he muttered.

“Well, hallelujah, he finally admits it,” Trenton said with a laugh as he thumped him hard on the back.

He looked up in surprise, forgetting about his family standing there. Cassie was looking at him with suspicion in her eyes, but at least the raging anger was gone. His face turned up in a huge smile as he reached out and lifted Cassie off the ground, spinning her in a circle.

“I love her. I really do!” he shouted, then gave Cassie a smacking kiss on the forehead before setting her down. “Thank you, Cassie. I have to see her.” He turned to leave when Max grabbed his shoulder.

“Hold up, Romeo,” he said, but the smile on his face was proud.

“What?”

“Do you really think the best idea is to ambush her?”

“Yes!”

“Do you honestly think she’s going to let you in to her apartment? She thinks you just want sex, that’s all, nothing but steamy, erotic sex,” Cassie said.

Austin shifted uncomfortably as all eyes focused on him. He couldn’t even look his sister-in-law in the face. What had Kinsey told her?

“Oh, get over yourself. All women talk, so yes, I do know…a lot,” Cassie said.

Austin lost the battle with his embarrassment and felt his cheeks grow warm. He didn’t understand women. He’d never, in a million years, want to know about any of his siblings’ sex lives. That would scar him forever.

“You need a plan of action. First hurdle. How are you going to get her to let you in?” Trenton asked as if he spoke from experience.

“I don’t know. I’ll knock,” Austin said with a shrug. His answer made them laugh.

“You poor, clueless man. It’s a good thing we’re here for you,” Bree said as she smiled at him to take any sting from her words. He was beginning to feel tag teamed.

“You really do love her?” Cassie asked as she looked him deep in the eyes.

He felt no panic at her question, zero hesitation.

“Yes, I do, Cass. I have since the day she took my breath away at your wedding. I just couldn’t admit it. I guess I’m not much different than these idiots,” he said, looking around at the men in the room, who at least had the decency to shift uncomfortably as his words hit close to home.

“Okay then. Here’s the key to her place. If you hurt her, I’ll have your brothers tie you down on top of an ant hill while I pour honey on you,” she threatened.

He gave her a sufficiently horrified face. He had no doubt she was dead serious.

“Thanks for being such a great friend to her.”

“She’s the best. Now you can go get her,” Cassie told him before she reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

“Okay, that’s enough kissing between the two of you,” Max growled as he swung Cassie into his arms and kissed in a far from chaste possession.

Austin turned to leave again, but his path was blocked by his father this time.

What the heck? Was it a conspiracy?

“Not so quick, Austin,” George said.

“I’ll be back for the wedding. I promise,” Austin said, his eyes glancing to the door.

“Love can’t wait. You take your time with Kinsey,” George told him.

“Then why are you blocking me?”

George’s eyes filled with tears, and Austin felt immediate remorse for the way he’d spoken to his father. If the last few months proved anything, it was that time was limited, and he needed to appreciate every moment he had with him.

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

George held up his hand to stop him. He cleared his throat, then lifted his head up, both pain and joy in his expression.

“I loved your mother. Oh, the joy she brought me each and every day I had with her. The sound of her voice when I walked in the door was music to my years. I thank God for the time I was blessed to be with her. I understand why he wanted to bring her home early. She was just that special,” George whispered in a broken voice.

Everyone was silent as George spoke. Was he having second thoughts on marrying Esther? They were frozen as they waited.

“I never wanted to find love again, but the funny thing about love, is that you don’t choose it, it chooses you. I loved your mother, and I always will. But, I’ve been blessed in this life to have a second beginning. Esther makes me laugh. She makes my heart pound, and my knee’s week. I’ve fallen a bit more in love with her each new day, and I’m proud to make her my wife. It’s okay to give our hearts away, just as long as the person we give them to is worthy,” George continued, his eyes bright.

Austin hoped he and Kinsey would share that strong of a love. One so strong that not even the finality of death could break it.

George opened his hand, palm side up and looked down. As he did, a single tear fell, landing right in the middle of the circle of platinum.

“Your mother wore this ring for thirty years. Our last night together, when she knew it was time to go home, we were lying together, speaking about our family. She made me promise to take her ring and pass it to one of you. She said whoever wore it was guaranteed an eternity of happiness with their true love. She said I’d know when the moment was right because she’d be by my side, whispering in my ear, watching over our children,” George stopped as he coughed, emotions clogging his throat.

Austin looked over to find every woman in the room had tears cascading down their cheeks, sympathy in their eyes. Heck, even the men were clearing their throats, trying like crazy to keep it together.

He turned back to his father, who smiled, with both joy and sorrow in his face.