… I don’t even know what it means, so how can I consider marrying Brady?”
“But you love him.”
“Yes, I think I do.” She lifted her hands, fingers spread. “I don’t want to make the same mistake my parents did. I need to be sure we both want the same things.”
“What do you want?”
“I’m still figuring it out.”
“You’d better figure fast. If I know my brother, he won’t give you a lot of time.”
“I’ll take what I need this time.” Before Joanie could argue, she shook her head. “You’d better go if you want to get back before my mother and Ham come home.”
“Oh, you’re right. I’ll go get the diaper bag.” She paused at the door. “I know we’re already stepsisters, but I’m still holding out for sisters-in-law.”
Brady knew he was asking for more grief when he started up the walk to Vanessa’s house. During the past week, he had tried to keep his distance. When the woman you loved refused to marry you, it didn’t do much for your ego.
He wanted to believe she was just being stubborn, and that backing off and playing it light would bring her around. But he was afraid it went much deeper than that. She’d taken a stand. He could walk away, or he could pound down her door. It wouldn’t make any difference.
Either way, he needed to see her.
He knocked on the wooden frame of the screen but got no answer. Hardly surprising, he thought, as the banging and crashing from inside would have drowned out any other sound. Maybe she was in a temper, he thought hopefully. Enraged with herself for turning her back on her chance at happiness.
The image appealed to him. He was almost whistling when he opened the screen and walked down the hall.
Whatever he’d been expecting, it hadn’t been his niece gleefully banging pots and pans together on the floor while Vanessa, dusted with flour, stood at the counter. Spotting him, Lara hoisted a stainless steel lid and brought it down with a satisfied bang.
“Hi.”
With a hand full of celery, Vanessa turned. She expected her heart to do a quick flip-flop when she saw him. It always did. But she didn’t smile. Neither did he.
“Oh. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I’m not surprised.” He reached down to pick up Lara and give her a quick swing. “What are you doing?”
“Baby-sitting.” She rubbed more flour on her nose. “Joanie had to go into town, so I volunteered to watch Lara for a couple of hours.”
“She’s a handful, isn’t she?”
Vanessa blew out a weary breath. She couldn’t bear to think about the mess they had left in the living room. “She likes it in here.”
He set the baby down, gave her padded bottom a light pat and sent her off to play with a small tower of canned goods. “Wait until she figures out how to rip the labels off. Got anything to drink?”
“Lara’s got a bottle of apple juice.”
“I wouldn’t want to deprive her.”
“There’s a can of lemonade in the freezer.” She went back to chopping celery. “If you want it, you’ll have to make it yourself. My hands are full.”
“So I see.” He opened the freezer. “What are you making?”
“A mess.” She brought the knife down with a thunk. “I thought since my mother and Ham were due back soon it would be nice to have a casserole or something. Joanie’s already done so much, I wanted to try to—” She set the knife down in disgust. “I’m no good at this. I’m just no good at it. I’ve never cooked a meal in my life.” She whirled as Brady came to the sink to run cold water into a pitcher. “I’m a grown woman, and if it wasn’t for room service and prepackaged meals I’d starve to death.”
“You make a great ham sandwich.”
“I’m not joking, Brady.”
With a wooden spoon, he began to stir the lemonade. “Maybe you should be.”
“I came in here thinking I’d try to put myself into this little fantasy. What if I were a doctor’s wife?”
He stopped stirring to look at her. “What if you were?”
“What if he were coming home after taking appointments and doing hospital rounds all day? Wouldn’t I want to fix him a meal, something we could sit down to together, something we could talk over? Isn’t that something he would want? Expect?”
“Why don’t you ask him?”
“Damn it, Brady, don’t you see? I couldn’t make it work.”
“All I see is that you’re having trouble putting—” He leaned forward to