Dorrie picked up her tea and drank, as if she was considering his words.
“I think he’s a smoky character with a great deal going on behind those eyes,” Harry said.
“That’s not fair, Harry,” Maddie said. “You did not know me when I first arrived, as I was closed off and emotionless. I see that in Ash.”
“I saw you.” Harry leaned in and kissed her. “Saw the beauty beneath the anger,” he added softly.
“You did not, so stop the blarney.” Maddie smiled at him.
She was nothing like the woman who had arrived on Max’s doorstep. Then, she’d been exhausted and a shell of the woman before them.
“I do believe that hurt.” Harry’s eyes twinkled.
Maddie laughed. “My point is, many of us were hiding when we first joined this family, and Ash is no different. We know that the brothers were torn apart for some reason, but he is of our blood. As such, we owe it to him and Gus to ensure that he feels welcome here.”
Cam sniffed and grabbed his napkin.
“Lovely words, sweetheart, and yes, you are right, we owe both him and Gus that,” Harry said. He took his wife’s hand from the table and kissed her fingers.
The others wandered in, starting with Max and Dev and her eldest nephew, Mathew. Warwick arrived and sat next to her on the right.
“Hello.” He nudged her shoulder.
She nudged him back. They were the last unmarried Sinclair siblings.
“It seems we are the last men standing, Dorrie.”
“So it seems.”
“Somer will always be there for you, sister. She is not going anywhere. Plus, you have Samantha.”
“I know.” Dorrie ran her finger around the rim of her teacup.
“But you will miss her.”
“Very much.” She wouldn’t lie to Warwick, as he knew her better than most.
“I am here for you too.” He nudged her again, and she felt like weeping.
“I know, and thank you.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
The door opened again, and in wandered Gus and Somer, both with smiles on their faces, fingers twined.
“Do not come in here with those sloppy looks on your faces,” Cam said. “They are putting me off my food… Not really, in fact I doubt anything could do that. But still, they are nauseating.”
Somer seemed to float around the table to Dorrie. She kissed her head.
“Morning.”
“Morning,” Dorrie replied. “You are glowing,” she whispered to her twin.
“I will explain the details later,” Somer whispered back.
They both giggled. They’d spoken many times of what transpired between a man and a woman.
“What are you two giggling at?” Harry asked.
“Nothing,” they replied.
