Love Under Two Kendalls (30 page)

“It’s not easy for men when their woman gets emotional that way.” Preston, along with his brothers Taylor and Charles Kendall, had arrived a few minutes before. Preston had stopped off to get a glass of iced tea for Ginny.

“Thanks, Dad.” She kissed him, and then of course, had to kiss her other soon-to-be fathers-in-law, as well.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He then patted his sons on the back, and stood beside Adam.

“Everyone fusses over the woman when she’s pregnant,” Taylor said. “Not too many think to fuss over the poor husbands.”

Ginny thought those might be words of experience. Of course, her future mother-in-law
had
given birth to five sons, so she guessed the senior Kendalls had been put through the wringer more than a time or two.

Ginny gave the senior Kendalls a big smile. “I’m sure you’re right. It occurs to me that if your daughters-in-law
all
get pregnant at the same time, that’s going to be a lot of men for y’all to see to at one time.”

Preston shook his head, then grinned at his brothers. “Our sons found themselves a woman as clever with a comeback as their mother.”

Adam grinned while Jake laughed.

“We figured that out the first Sunday we brought Ginny and Benny over to the New House dinner,” Jake said. “I’ll forever hold close to my heart the sight of Morgan sputtering for words.”

“So.” Charles looked around the restaurant, clearly searching for someone. “Where
is
our grandson?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Ginny said. “Jordan scooped him up about a half hour ago, said he needed his help with a special project.”

“Ah, yes, the special project.” Charles nodded, and Ginny knew he knew—as, apparently, did everyone else in the Kendall family.

Benny had been thrilled to be dragooned by one of his new uncles. Of course, she knew her son was in good hands. She wasn’t worried for his safety. She was just curious.

It had completely melted Ginny’s heart, the way the entire Kendall family had so readily and unreservedly claimed not only her, but Benny, as their own. Though it was still a few weeks until the wedding, as far as the Kendalls were concerned, the Roses had become Kendalls already.

Matt and Steven arrived, waved to their wife, and then headed straight over to Ginny and her men. “About time these two got themselves settled down,” Matt said after he hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Especially you, Adam. Maybe now you won’t be such a pain in the ass to work for.”

Adam grinned. “You’re getting mouthy, there, little cousin. Want to go a few rounds?”

Ginny didn’t even bat an eye. She was used to these particular cousins, who also happened to be the best of friends, having at each other.

“Y’all best take care of that outside, and quick, too. I see Samantha and Grandma Kate headed this way.”

“Another time,” both would-be combatants said in unison, which only made Ginny laugh.

“I’ve loved every one of these engagement parties,” Samantha Kendall said as she approached Ginny. “But this one, especially. I am so very pleased to have you as my daughter!”

“I’m very happy to have you for my mother.” Ginny nestled into Samantha’s hug. How many times as a foster child had she dreamed of having a real mom?

Just one more dream come true, thanks to the two men who’d seen her heart and her soul within her so very messed-up self—and had loved her, without reservation, anyway.

“Do you have any idea how much fun we’re going to have?” Samantha’s smile told Ginny she meant every word. “I see Christmas shopping trips to New York City in our future—and endless afternoon teas.”

Ginny smiled. “I’m especially looking forward to the teas.” She’d already confessed that she really didn’t have much experience shopping.

“Don’t you worry, sweetie. You’ll become a pro at the stores in no time.” Samantha laughed, and Ginny could only laugh with her.

“I knew the first time I saw Adam and then Jake look at you, that you were meant for them.” Kate Benedict took Ginny’s hands in hers. “I couldn’t have picked a better woman for them, if I’d tried. I’m so pleased you’re a part of our family now.”

“Come on, Grandma Kate, you know you picked Ginny for Adam and Jake the moment you saw her.” Matthew Kendall loved to tease, and no one so much as his Grandma Kate.

“Why, if that were so, I’d be batting five hundred about now, wouldn’t I, Matthew? And that would mean that any of my grandsons or granddaughters still single should begin to prepare to be mated.” She smiled at him, and then looked directly at the triplets, who—fortunately, Ginny thought later—didn’t seem to notice they were under scrutiny.

Matthew just laughed as Kelsey shook her head, and other recently mated Benedicts and Kendalls smiled on.

“Thank you, Grandma Kate, for making me feel so very much a part of your family.” Ginny wondered just how much love and gratitude her heart could hold. “Y’all make me feel so special, when I never did before.” She took a moment to scan all the familiar faces, many of whom were looking right back at her with huge smiles. “How lucky I am to have such a wonderful family!”

Just then the door fairly exploded open, and Ginny didn’t have to hear a young voice to know who’d arrived.

“Mom, Mom, guess what! Uncle Henry and Uncle Morgan and Uncle Jordan and me brought you a surprise!”

“My goodness, Benny Rose, what are you…” Ginny’s voice trailed off when she saw that with all her future brothers-in-law, and her son, stood her Aunt Maggie.

“Oh! What a nice surprise!” She didn’t wait, just ran right over to the woman and gave her a huge hug. “I didn’t think you’d be able to make it!”

“Your men are very persuasive,” Maggie said, returning the hug.

“Let me see you.” Ginny hadn’t trusted, not one-hundred percent, that Maggie hadn’t been badly hurt by Deke Walters a few weeks before.

“I’m fine. And I see you are, too.” Maggie shot a quick look at her nephew, who stood proudly beaming beside them. “Benny filled me in on all the excitement when his mom ‘stomped on that yellow-bellied coward as if’n he was a low-down snake!’”

“Oh, my. I wonder where he got that bit of storytelling from, since he was in school at the time?” Although, of course, she thought she had a pretty good idea. Despite the threats of a spanking, both Adam and Jake had made no secret of the fact that they were proud of her for standing up to that bully.

“My dads told me!” Benny’s chest absolutely puffed out when he said that.

“I was very happy to hear the man is once more behind bars,” Maggie said.

“And likely to be there a very long time.” Adam smiled. “Which suits us all just fine.”

“Aunt Maggie, you’ve got to come and meet everyone!” Benny pulled on Maggie’s hand.

She gave Benny a very fond look. “I think my escort, here, wants to introduce me around.”

“Then he’ll bring you back, and we’ll sit down and have a good visit. Oh! I should fix up the extra room at the house.”

“You don’t have to. Your future mother-in-law has invited me to stay with her. We even thought Benny could have a sleepover, tonight, too—and give you and your men an evening to yourselves.”

Ginny thought she’d better get over this blushing thing, soon, or she’d likely be spending most of the rest of her life with pink cheeks.

“You’re a sweetheart, Maggie Morrison,” Jake said, and he grinned so huge that everyone laughed.

Benny started to pull Maggie into the thick of the crowd.

“Wait! How long can you stay?” Ginny asked.

“For a few days. I sold the inn last week.”

“You
what
?” But Maggie just shrugged and laughed, and followed where Benny led her.

“I can see the family resemblance.” Grandma Kate stood beside her. “There’s so many of
us
, we all wanted to make sure you had your aunt here. Though I must say, she is much younger than I imagined.”

Ginny grinned. “Maggie was my mama’s baby sister, born late in life to my grandmother. There’s only ten years between us.” Ginny watched as everyone gave Benny their attention, allowing him to introduce his great-aunt around. “And when I laid eyes on her that first time, I was put in mind of my mother, how she’d look before…well, just before.”

“And she’s an innkeeper.” Kate, too, watched Benny—or at least Ginny thought she did.

“Apparently not for much longer.” Ginny had no idea Maggie had planned on selling the inn. She wondered why she’d done it, and what she planned to do next.

“Well, now.”

Such a note of interest infused Kate’s voice that Ginny looked at her. But the older woman had her gaze fixed on a corner of the dining room, where family sat, and chatted.

Or, in the case of Richard, Trevor, and Kevin Benedict, just sat and stared at one Margaret Mary Morrison.

“Do you know”—Kate’s words sounded thoughtful—“I’ve said for some time that what this town
really
needs is an inn.”

Ginny had to stifle the laugh that wanted to burst out of her. Instead, she kept her voice as blasé as she could. “Do you know, one of the things I noticed almost straight off was that Lusty didn’t have a motel, hotel, or even a bed and breakfast?”

“Exactly! I think it’s time we did something about that. Yes, it is indeed.” She nodded once, as she looked at her triplet grandsons, and then Maggie. “I think I’ll go get a cup of tea, and see if your Aunt Maggie has time for a little chat.”

As Ginny watched Grandma Kate make her way toward the buffet, Adam and Jake came over and slipped their arms around her waist. She stood in her second favorite place—
between
two Kendalls—and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You think that’s funny, do you?” Adam asked as he, too, watched the matriarch of Lusty begin to make her rounds.

“You heard that, did you?”

“We both did,” Jake said. “And actually, an inn, or a bed and breakfast, might in fact be not only a sound investment, but a nice addition to this town. What do you think, honey?”

Ginny stretched her arms out so she had one around each of her men’s waists, hugged them close, and then laughed.

“What do I think? I think that neither the Benedict brothers, nor my Aunt Maggie, stand a chance.”

THE END

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Also by Cara Covington

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