Broken River - Ruby Shae Page 0,5

home for the next two years, and I want you to be comfortable here.”

When they had started unloading her SUV, she had told him about the storage unit containing all the rest of her stuff, which was mostly furniture, in an effort to explain why she’d arrived ready to move in. When Gavin died, and she’d learned the particulars of his will, she figured she was moving one way or another, and had rented the storage unit as a way to start preparing for her new life.

“I’m sure,” she said. “It’s mostly furniture, anyway, and none of the other stuff is anything that I need right now.”

“Okay,” he said. “Well, you might feel different after a couple of months, and if you do, you can always change your mind. I leave my truck by the main building so my siblings and I can use it for driving around the property when we need something bigger than a golf cart, or for running errands, but we can use it anytime. If there’s something that won’t fit in your SUV, just let me know and we’ll use my truck, instead.”

“Thank you, Liam. I appreciate that.”

He glanced at his watch, and then took a deep breath.

“Are you hungry? It’s almost dinner time, and there isn’t much food in here. I don’t always join them, but my family usually sits down to eat in about ten minutes. It won’t be a fancy meal or anything, but someone will usually throw together a casserole, or we will eat any sandwiches that didn’t get bought by the lake crowd. It will give you an opportunity to meet everyone, and we can let them know about our plans for tomorrow. What do you think?”

Their plans...meaning their wedding plans.

After they had both signed the contract, Liam had made some calls and found a local preacher that agreed to come out the property the next day. They couldn’t send back the contract until they had a marriage certificate to go with it, so they needed to get married as soon as possible.

“I think that sounds nerve-racking,” she laughed, “but we might as well get it over with. Besides, I do want to meet your family, and I’d love to see more of the property.”

“Good,” he nodded, “I’ll give you a tour after dinner.”

A few minutes later, Elle followed Liam into the main building, and waited while he closed and locked the door. Even though many visitors camped in the resort overnight, the reservation desk and store were only open until four. After that, guests had to call a special number if they needed to check in or out.

The sound of voices filled the building, and Liam led her through the store and into a small kitchen area that housed a large, family-style dining table and chairs. As soon as Liam pushed through the door, all three voices started talking at once, but they stopped as soon as she appeared beside him.

“Hey, brother,” one of the men said. “I’m glad you’re here, but who is this?”

“That’s Levi,” Liam said, motioning to the man who had just finished talking. “He’s the oldest, and the most annoying. Next in line is me, and then Lael, and Lacey.” He pointed to the other man, and then to his sister. “Everyone, this is Elle—Elle Masters—and we are getting married.”

“What?”

“Fuck no, you have got to be kidding me?”

“Right on!”

Elle wanted to laugh at the responses from each of the siblings, but instead she just smiled as they all stared at her. She wasn’t sure she totally agreed with the way Liam had sprung their impending marriage on his family, but they were his siblings, and she didn’t know them at all. With Gavin, straight and to the point had always been better than beating around the bush, so maybe his family was the same way.

“No, I’m not kidding,” Liam said. “She is Gavin Masters’ sister, and he has left her a very large inheritance, but only on the condition that we marry for two years. The preacher is coming tomorrow at five, and we need witnesses, so I hope all of you will be here.”

Elle wanted to cringe at the way Liam just laid everything out like that, especially when talking about her brother, but she knew it was for the best. Especially because his brothers were on the defense. The two men were glaring at her as if she were an enemy with some great master plan to destroy Liam, and she suddenly felt