…
Warwick had kissed her before the sun rose and told her he loved her before slipping from the room. She’d woken later, washed, and dressed, eager to see him again. He had not been in his brother’s house.
Samantha was now on her way to the park with James and Eden to meet all their family for a picnic.
“Warwick came to see me this morning,” James said, taking her hand and swinging it. “I said he could have you.”
The children ran ahead of them, eager to reach the others.
“No, you didn’t.” Eden punched his arm. “You cried and said you loved him and Samantha and could not be happier… again, as you did last night.”
“Must you always tell my tales, wife,” James growled, then lifted Eden’s hand to his lips.
She wanted that with Warwick. What her brothers and sisters had. What all their family had in their marriages.
“Do you wish to marry him, Samantha?”
“Yes.”
“Just yes?” James teased.
“I love him and can think of no other man I want to spend my life with.”
“Perfect,” Eden said. “And we could not be any happier either.”
“There is no one left now to marry off to a Sinclair or Raven.” James smiled.
“Until the next generation come of age, and we have to go through all this again,” Eden said.
“Don’t.” James raised a hand. “I feel faint just thinking about Kat in society.”
“We have a few years.” Samantha patted his hand.
They entered the park and found their family. Children shrieking, adults chatting and laughing.
“And to think once we had none of this, little sister,” James said.
“I remember, brother.” She got to her toes to kiss him. “Thank you for finding me and loving me.”
“Loving you has always been easy, sweetheart.”
“And thank you for being the mother I never had, Eden. I am who I am today because of both of you.”
Eden sniffed loudly. “I love you as my own, Samantha. Never forget that, and I could not be happier that you will marry my brother.”
“I know.”
She looked around the faces, searching for Warwick, but she couldn’t see him.Where was he?
“We are to play hide and seek,” Kat said, grabbing her hand. “Come, you can find us first.”
Soon she was involved in a game, but her eyes kept searching for the man she loved.
“Go and hide, Aunty Sam!” Merry shouted.
Samantha walked toward the trees, where she’d hidden countless times, along with every member of her family. But unlike them, she knew how to not be found. Crawling into the trees, she stood. Reaching the sturdiest tree, she climbed.
They could never find her when she did this because no one believed her capable of climbing as high as she did. Samantha settled on the branch that had held her weight for many years and waited.
