vegetables and fruits next, breads beyond that, and desserts last. Iced tea, lemonade, coffee, and water were on a separate table.
A short gray-haired lady with a face like a shrunken potato pushed her walker over to Luke and tapped her wrinkled cheek with a forefinger. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss, then motioned for Diana.
“Aunt Mary Lou, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Diana McTavish.” Luke draped an arm around Diana’s shoulders and pulled her close to his side.
It wasn’t difficult to listen to her mind—or was that bit of advice coming from her heart?—and not fight it. It actually felt really good to be close to him and not feel like she should step away.
Aunt Mary Lou’s eyes started at Diana’s shoes and traveled slowly up past her flowing skirt to the green blouse that was topped with a matching cardigan. She had to raise her head to see Diana’s face and red hair.
“A good Irishwoman, I see.” Mary Lou nodded. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
“My pleasure,” Diana said. “But I’m really Scottish, not Irish.”
“That’s even better.” Mary Lou shifted her focus back to Luke. “Hang on to this one. Y’all will make pretty babies.”
Diana’s cheeks burned so hot that she was sure if she looked in a mirror, they’d be scarlet. “Well, thank you, ma’am. I hope that any babies we might have get his blue eyes.” They’d never have children, but saying that had come out so easy that she felt herself falling right into the role of his girlfriend.
“And Diana’s gorgeous hair.” Luke brushed a sweet kiss on Diana’s forehead. “We’ll talk more later, Aunt Mary Lou. I want to introduce Diana to Uncle Clarence before he gets to telling his war stories to the other guys.”
“You better hurry if you intend to do that.” Mary Lou flipped her walker around and headed off toward the group of women surrounding Tootsie.
“You did good. So you want our kids to have my blue eyes?” Luke whispered.
“Of course I do.” She smiled up at him.
He brushed a soft kiss across her lips. “That’s to make sure they believe that I can really get a woman like you.” He removed his arm from her shoulders and laced his fingers in hers.
Clarence met them halfway across the room. A tall, stocky man with bulldog cheeks and deep-set eyes, he reminded Diana of Smokey.
“This is the oldest living Colbert brother since Uncle Smokey passed away,” Luke said. “He spent some time in the army during the Vietnam era.”
“Yes, I was, and, honey, I can tell you some stories.” His deep voice brought Smokey right back to life.
“I bet you can.” Diana smiled.
Luke gently squeezed her hand. “We’ll have to hear them later. We’ve got to make the rounds.”
“Well, darlin’, if you get tired of Luke, I’ve got an unmarried son still left that I’d love to introduce you to.” Clarence winked.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of him, but if I was to ever throw him over the fence, I just might give you a call,” Diana teased.
“And she’s got a sense of humor, too,” Clarence said. “Smokey talked about you girls so much that I feel like I know you. Is that Carmen and Joanie over there with Tootsie?”
Diana nodded.
“Well, I got to go meet them. Maybe one of them will be interested in my bachelor son.” Clarence left them standing there and shuffled over to the other side of the room.
“Do I get an Emmy?” Diana asked.
“Well, darlin’, I had a mind to name our red-haired daughter Fiona to keep in line with your Scottish blood, but if you like the name Emmy better, then I won’t fight you over it,” he joked as he pulled her toward another group of relatives.
“I like Fiona just fine. When’s the baby due? Why wasn’t I invited to the wedding?” A lady tapped Luke on the shoulder.
“No wedding yet, Linda June,” Luke said. “And I would never leave you off the guest list unless we decide to elope to Paris—that’s France, not Texas—or have an Elvis wedding in Las Vegas.” He turned to bring Diana in closer. “Honey, I want you to meet my cousin Linda June. And this is my girlfriend, Diana McTavish.”
Long gray braids hung down the sides of Linda June’s body. She wore bell-bottom jeans and a tie-dyed T-shirt. Several strands of multicolored beads hung around her neck, and she sported a peace-sign tattoo on one arm and a butterfly on the other.