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“Thanks,” he said, scooting over to give her room.
“Hey, Kel. Why you lookin’ so sulky over there, babes?”
Reaching past Arien’s shoulder, he play-swatted her. “Shut up, Ems.”
“I thought having you around would sweeten him up some, but I guess not.” Giggling, Emily stuck her tongue out at him. “Do you have everything you need to start school on Monday? We could go to Jackson this weekend, if you want. I think a girls’ day is called for here.”
Kellan rolled his eyes.
“I brought all my school stuff with me from Denver, but yeah, sounds like fun.” It would be an opportunity for her to get to know Emily better, and for that reason alone, Arien was all for it.
“Yes, and it’s so pretty there, all decorated for Christmas.”
Reaching over her to tap Kellan’s shoulder, Tanner got up from the sofa. “Pops is here.”
Kel gave her knee a squeeze and followed his brother.
“Uh-oh.”
Arien followed Emily’s gaze. The man stood with her stepfather, a package in his hand. He was older, with graying blondish hair, slicked back and thinning on top, a mustache and goatee.
“Who’s that?”
“John Jacoby,” Billy answered, moving over. “Their grandfather.”
“Uh-oh? I don’t get it.”
“He doesn’t come around much,” Emily answered, snuggling against her boyfriend. “To the ranch, I mean. He lives in town. Adores those boys, so Kellan and Tanner see him all the time. But he steers clear of my uncle.”
“Why?”
“Hard feelings, I guess.” Pursing her lips, she shrugged. “I overheard Grams and my mom talking. He blames Uncle Matty for the deaths of his daughters.”
“That’s ridiculous. Wasn’t it a weak heart from childbirth or something?”
“So they say.” Emily gave her a pointed look. “Don’t know the reasons, but there’s bad blood between ’em. You can feel it. And my guess is he didn’t come out here just to give Tanner a birthday present.”
“Why else then?”
“To get a look at his grandsons’ new mama.” Gazing across the room, she bit her lip. “You.”
“Me?”
“I think they’re coming over here,” Billy warned.
For fuck’s sake, did she really have to be subjected to this? Arien was not about to get sized up by some old guy, who was already studying her like a mold specimen growing in a petri dish.
Kellan reached her first. “Pops wants to meet you.” Taking her by the hand, he pulled her up from the sofa.
“Arien. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” The old man kissed both her cheeks. “It means ‘most pure’.”
“It’s a Lord of the Rings character,” she said.
He looked at her oddly, tilting his head from side to side.
“Tolkien. Yeah, um, thank you,” she added.
Tanner stood on one side of her, Kellan the other. Their grandfather gazed at the framed photo she’d given her stepfather just that morning and a smile, it almost seemed sad, rose on his face. He turned to Matthew, his chin trembling, and subtly bobbed his head. “You’ve broken tradition, yet you have been greatly favored. A new wife, a baby—the third child. And a lovely daughter.”
