Chapter Thirty
“Oh boy,you’re in for it,” Todd said to Linx when he stopped by to pick up Tami for lunch. After Linx gave Todd a nudge, he’d agreed to be friendly with Tami, but only as a little sister. Whatever, the guy was clueless, and he was about to get hit full force by Hurricane Tami. Good luck tohim.
“You’re really in for it,” Todd repeated when Linx didn’t respond. “And what are you smirkingabout?”
“Oh, nothing, but what exactly am I in for?” Linx had just sent Jessie home with her mother. Fortunately, the Hart clan had retired to Joe’s Diner minutes before Mrs. Patterson arrived to pick up Jessie. They were staying for the festival and had taken every room in the Over Easy Bed & Breakfast, leading Tami to declare the need for a hotel intown.
“Dad invited Grady’s entire family to dinner tonight.” Todd lifted an eyebrow to watch for herreaction.
“Oh, no!” Linx flapped her hands uselessly. “I wanted to introduce Grady first and explain what had happened without his family millingaround.”
“Everyone knows by now,” Tami said, sidling up to Todd. “It’s the talk of thetown.”
“Do the Pattersons know?” Linx was horrified that they might stop Jessie’s visits to the center, but at the same time, she wasn’t sure what exactly it was that everyoneknew.
“Look at you, all guilty.” Tami guffawed and hooked her hand around Todd’s arm. “Everyone knows you’ve got a new guy, but no, we would never let on about that other matter. Have a little faith inus.”
“I want what’s best for Jessie,” Linx said. “Only I don’t know what that is. I fantasize about the life we could have had. Me, Jessie, and Grady, but I don’t think we would have been as good for her as thePattersons.”
“Don’t shortchange yourself.” Tami slipped her hand down Todd’s arm and grasped his hand. “You and Grady will make great parents. Look at how you take care ofGinger.”
“A dog is not a baby.” Linx huffed while perversely enjoying the way her brother was frozen stiff. “Anyway, I asked Becca to drive up from Sacramento so she can give Grady someadvice.”
Todd withdrew his hand and punched a fist into his beefy palm. “That’s great. Looks like the family powwow is allset.”
It was going to be explosive allright.
“I need to go speak to Dad separately,” Linx said. “I can’t spring this on him in one go, especially if Grady’s family is going to be there. I trust you’ll let Chad, Vivi, Joey, Scott, and Becca know about how Salem got in between Grady andI?”
“You bet,” Tami said, leaning up against Todd. “They need to know Grady isn’t all bad. Now that we know he’s Jessie’s father, we need to do what we can to help, and Salem makes a perfectvillain.”
“She was my friend, though.” Linx heaved a sigh. “Guess I’m not good at readingpeople.”
“Are you saying I’ll betray you, too?” Tami rolled hereyes.
“No, but I feel like I’m betraying the Pattersons.” Linx pinched the bridge of her nose. “Becca’s going to give Grady advice on taking Jessie away from them, and I’m fantasizing about me being Jessie’s mom for real. What kind of person does that makeme?”
“A normal one.” Tami slid by Todd, making sure to brush against him, and reached to hug Linx. “You and Grady made mistakes like everyone else, but I think you learned from themalready.”
“I want Jessie back so bad, but I gave my word.” Linx’s throat tightened. “I’m not sure Grady can get her back, and then he’ll be mad at meforever.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Todd said. “You go talk to Dad and let him in on what’s going on, and Becca will take care of the legal side ofthings.”
“Everything will work out. You’ll see.” Tami slung her purse over her shoulder and batted her eyelashes at Todd. “You listen to your big brother. He knowsbest.”
Yuck. Linx wasn’t sure if she could stomach Tami’s blatant flirting, but at the same time, if it made Todd sweat bullets, the entertainment might be worthit.
* * *
Grady foundhimself sitting between his parents at Joe’s Diner where his family took up half of thetables.
“You’ve made a fine mess,” his father said. “Why didn’t you look her up once she told you she waspregnant?”
“Or had us look into it,” his mother said, fanning herself with the menu. “She’s such a sweetgirl.”
Grady did a double take and ran his fingers through his hair. No one who knew Linx Colson would ever describe her assweet.
“Look, our lines got crossed, okay?” he grumbled, wishing he were at the other table with his youngersiblings.
