then turned her attention to the woman sitting next to him. Katie Fitzgerald was blond, petite and pretty. As a teenager Nora had been taller than all the boys and had never felt as if she would fit in. Perfect Katie Fitzgerald had been the center of attention, smart and popular. Nora still felt like a gangly colt around the other woman.
“Is it all right for my mother to ride?” Nora asked.
Katie grinned. “You think she’s going to listen to me? I’m just her physical therapist. Hattie is her own woman. You know that as well as anyone.”
Nora sighed. Katie was right. She patted her mother’s hand. “Just be careful.”
“You could ask me to tell her it isn’t wise,” Stephen said from his place by the hearth. “After all, I’m her doctor.”
Nora wanted to say, “Don’t remind me,” but that would sound too juvenile. “I guess I’m going to have to trust my mom to be more careful this time,” she said, avoiding Stephen’s gaze.
She hated that she was actually afraid to talk to the man. As if by engaging him in conversation she would inadvertently reveal what was in her mind. She glanced around the spacious living room and saw Shane, Katie’s son, sitting in a chair by the window and playing a handheld video game.
She rose and crossed to him. As she approached, the blond-haired, blue-eyed boy looked up at her. His small glasses rested halfway down his nose. He pushed them back with an automatic gesture, then held out the game to her.
“Are we saving the universe?” she asked as she took the game and plopped down on the floor next to him.
“Yup. But I’ve got a really high score.”
She raised her eyebrows. “And you don’t think I can beat you?”
Shane grinned. “No way. You’re a grown-up and a girl.”
“Be careful about the girl insults,” Stephen warned. “Nora doesn’t take kindly to those.”
“Ignore him,” Nora whispered, and pressed a couple of buttons on the keypad. “Is this where I remind you I can get to a higher level than you on the space warrior game?”
“Just a couple of times,” Shane told her.
“I see. And how many times have we played?”
Shane leaned forward and rested his bony elbow on her shoulder. She didn’t mind the slight discomfort, or the weight of him as he leaned on her. “Maybe three times.”
“And I beat you on how many of those games?”
“All three.”
“Do you still want to talk about girls not having the skills?”
He giggled. “But that doesn’t count.”
“Oh, it doesn’t, does it?” She tossed the game onto the cushion, then turned quickly and began tickling him. “I say it counts a lot, young man. I say it counts more than anything.”
Shane fell back into the chair, laughing and shrieking, pushing her fingers away from his ribs, then protesting when she stopped. Finally, he slid off the chair and settled onto her lap. Nora might be ambivalent about her brother’s relationship with Katie Fitzgerald, but she was a hundred percent sure about Katie’s wonderful son. Nora adored Shane.
The remaining adults were discussing the rebuilding efforts after the tornado. Nora wrapped her arms around Shane and let her gaze drift around the room. She remembered a time when the furniture in the house had been shabby and Hattie had stretched every penny to the breaking point. In the past few years, that had changed. A combination of Jack’s expert management of the ranch and an influx of cash from newly found oil on the property had given the Darby family a taste of prosperity.
Much of the old house had been renovated, including the wood floors in this room and the entire kitchen. Worn furniture had been replaced. Nora was pleased that there was finally money in the bank to see the ranch through future tough times. Jack and Hattie had also put money in trust for all seven of the Darby children. Nora was already eligible to start taking out her share, but she didn’t know what she would spend it on. She’d decided to keep her nest egg in the bank where it could grow steadily.
Her brother gave Katie a knowing look, then stood and left the room. Nora watched him go. Something was up, she thought, wondering what secrets Katie and Jack might share.
Plenty, she realized a couple of minutes later when Jack returned carrying a chilled bottle of champagne along with a smaller bottle of sparkling apple cider. Hattie produced a tray of half a dozen champagne glasses.
“We have an announcement,” Jack said, holding out his hand to Katie, then drawing her to her feet. He put his arm around her and gazed lovingly into her big blue eyes.
Shane turned to grin at Nora. He practically vibrated with happiness. “They’re gettin’ married,” he said in a not-so-subtle whisper.
All the adults, except for Nora, laughed. It’s not that she was unhappy…exactly…she just wasn’t sure what she felt.
“That’s right,” Jack confirmed. “Katie has done me the honor of agreeing to be my wife. Shane will be my son.”
The boy pushed off Nora and flew to Jack’s side. Nora watched as her brother scooped Shane up in his arms and held him close. Hattie wrestled with the champagne bottle until Stephen rescued her and expertly popped the cork.
“The best part of this is I get a new house,” Hattie said, holding out the tray so Stephen could fill everyone’s glass. Katie served the sparkling cider to her son.
“They’re going to live in this house,” her mother continued, “while I have a charming new place built for myself.”
“Sounds like a great idea,” Nora said, still not sure what she should make of the situation.
She stared at her brother and his fiancée who were gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes. Married? To a Fitzgerald? Jack couldn’t possibly. Nora sighed. Of course he could. She’d seen how the two of them looked at each other. Katie and Jack made each other very happy. They would be crazy to walk away from the opportunity.
Nora scrambled to her feet and took the champagne Hattie offered, then raised her glass as Stephen proposed a toast to the lucky couple. The sparkling liquid bubbled on her tongue, but she couldn’t actually taste the sweetness.
“Are you all right with this?” Stephen asked as he moved next to her. “You look like you’re in shock.”
Normally she would have told him to mind his own business, or offered some other kind of witty comeback, but her mind was still absorbing the news.
“I’m fine,” she said slowly. “I’m surprised, although I guess I shouldn’t be. Katie’s been staying on the ranch for several weeks now and it’s been obvious that they care about each other.”
“So you don’t mind your brother getting married?”
She stared at the man in front of her. For once she was able to ignore the heat flaring through her body and the fact that she knew exactly how he would touch
