Nerds on Fire (34 page)

“
An actual prince?” Trixi’s
eyes widened as Tia smiled, but before she could answer, an aunt
dragged her away. She left with an apologetic wave.

Trixi stared at him
unblinkingly. “She’s marrying a
prince
?”

“
Yes.”

Another cousin who certainly didn’t
miss his possessive hold on Trixi interrupted them next.

“
Hello, Janine.” He used
his free arm to squeeze her innards.

“
Ugh, hello.” With obvious
skill, she worked herself free. Her smile was as beautiful and
serene as ever.

“
Trixi, this is my cousin,
Janine Morris. Or is it Janine Gilmore now?”

A beautiful color washed across
Janine’s mocha colored cheeks. “It’s still Morris, but I do answer
to Mrs. Gilmore.”

A masculine chuckle sounded behind
her. “I’m the only one who calls her Mrs. Gilmore,” the man said.
He offered a hand, and Mark finally got to assess Janine’s husband,
Greg. It was difficult to pin him down, because he was usually
found with the kids, especially his sister’s children, Ryan and
Macy. He had sun streaked brown hair and blue eyes, but he could
fade into the background without thought. There was unleashed power
coiled under the surface, but most people tended to miss
it.

“
Trixi this is Greg
Gilmore, Janine’s husband.”

Trixi smiled at both of them and
offered a graceful little hand to shake. He could tell it was a
good handshake by the approval lighting Janine’s eyes. The amber
depths gleamed as they assessed the petite woman he kept clamped to
his side.

“
It’s nice to meet you
both.” Trixi said this in all sincerity. He couldn’t help squeezing
her.

Greg’s eyes gleamed with what
resembled admiration. Since his arm curled around his wife, Mark
didn’t take offense. “Likewise, Trixi. Where did your name come
from?”

She laughed. “I’m so glad you asked.
Most people just think my parents were flaky. My name is Beatrix,
an old family name on both sides. Fortunately my parents thought it
was a little too formal and serious for their new daughter, so they
shortened it and I’ve been Trixi ever since.”

“
You never grew out of it?”
Mark teased.

“
No. I guess I’d need to be
a little taller.” She eyed Janine’s height with what looked like
envy.

“
I’ve never met a Trixi
before, but it does suit you.” Janine wasn’t unaware of Trixi’s
perusal. He suspected Janine wasn’t unaware of much.

“
Thank you.” Trixi’s tone
nudged into rueful.

Greg turned to his wife. “I don’t
think she took it as a compliment.”

Trixi’s embarrassed laugh was
charming. Then her eyes widened. “Are you Dr. Janine Morris, the
trauma surgeon at Central Derry?”

It was Janine’s turn to smile
ruefully. “I am.”

“
My friend Katy is hoping
to work with you.”

“
Katy? Is that Dr. Katy
Greene?”

“
Yes.” Trixi rose up on her
tiptoes. “She’s here somewhere.” She craned her head and then
glanced at him. “Do you see them?”

He nodded and with his free hand,
pointed to where Leo stood with Katy. “She’s the blonde with
Leo.”

“
Oh, she’s
that
blonde,” Janine said
sagely.

Since Trixi had only just met Janine
she couldn’t question her but hoped Mark would. He just smiled and
said, “Yes, her yellow hair is obvious.”

Greg must have noticed her confusion
because he explained, thankfully. “We’ve heard a lot about Leo’s
blonde friend who he has no idea he’s dating.”

Trixi laughed. “Oh, right.
They at least know they’re
friends
.”

Janine smiled at the pair. “They are
well suited. It’s hard to imagine they have no idea.”

“
Their relationship is so
comfortable they take it for granted.” She shrugged. It would be
nice to be that comfortable, but then she liked the way her heart
beat faster whenever she caught sight of Mark. Or even a man who
looked like him.

“
Hopefully they start to
appreciate it before it dies from neglect.” Janine bit her lip as
she watched the pair.

Leo must have felt her perusal because
he tugged Katy across the room. He grabbed Janine and hugged her
until she squeaked, but she managed to free herself with a
technique Trixi wanted to learn. Eyes gleaming with mischief, Leo
held his ground.

Trixi couldn’t be certain, but she
thought Janine, the renowned surgeon of legend, stuck her tongue
out at him. Judging by his chuckle, she had seen what she thought
she saw.

“
Katy, this is my bratty
cousin, Janine,” Leo introduced.

“
Janine? You’re Dr. Morris,
the surgeon?” Katy’s voice bubbled over in excitement.

“
Yes, and you’re Dr. Greene
who is supposed to be working with us?”

“
I am so looking forward to
joining you.” Katy’s exuberant nature wasn’t Janine’s, but the pair
of them got on like a house on fire, as the term went. She had
never thought it was a good thing to have a house on fire, but now
she at least understood what it meant.

Janine’s smile was a study in
serenity. “Likewise. We’re thrilled you want to work with
us.”

“
Of course I do. You’re the
best.”

“
She’s a brat, so keep that
in mind,” Leo cautioned Katy.

Janine swatted him, completely at
ease. “I have a brother, I don’t need another one.”

This time, Leo snagged another
relative, or relly, as the Morrisons called them, from the huge mix
of people. Trixi hadn’t taken time to count, but she guessed there
were a hundred people packed into this room. Granted, some of the
swelled number was kids, but there were still plenty of
adults.

The man Leo dragged out of the crowd
looked a lot like Janine. He was tall and lean, but Trixi received
the impression he could take care of himself and everyone else in
the room. His brown skin, like Janine’s, didn’t hide the fact this
man looked and probably acted like, a Morrison.

“
Katy and Trix, this is
Janine’s brother, Ben Morrison.”

She reached out to shake his hand,
aware she was being assessed. Something made her straighten her
spine and look him in the eyes, even though her insides quaked.
This man, and his sister, were people whose opinions she cared
about. Because it was evident Mark and Leo loved, admired, and
respected them.

It was also evident all that was
returned.

If either of them decided she wasn’t
good enough for Mark... Her spine firmed another notch.

A light she couldn’t identify gleamed
in the man’s brown eyes. Even though they weren’t the Morrison
blue-green this man still looked an awful lot like the two de Vosse
men. Ben’s eyes were a lighter brown, although not Janine’s amber,
and they appeared bottomless. But a light glowed there, an
awareness she suspected came from training and
experience.

When he smiled at her, it was genuine.
“It’s nice to finally meet you Trixi. We weren’t aware Mark was
dating someone.”

Her smile tinged with chagrin. “It
only just happened.” She craned her head to smile up at Mark, so
thankful he was in her life. That they were in a relationship was a
huge bonus.

A lovely woman with strawberry blond
hair sauntered up to Ben and handed off a squirming toddler. The
toddler was an impressive mix of his parents. When the woman smiled
at them, Trixi started at her eye color.

“
You have the same eyes,”
Katy exclaimed, breaking off from her animated conversation with
Janine.

“
Hello.” Trixi shook the
other woman’s hand. She couldn’t look away from this new
arrival.

“
Trixi, this is my wife,
Treeny.” Ben introduced them. “She’s a doctor.”

“
Trixi?” Treeny tilted her
head to the side as she gazed at her. “Are we related?”

Trixi laughed. “I don’t know. We do
have very similar eyes. They’re gorgeous on you.” An absolute
truth.

“
As they are on you.” Mark
traced her cheek with one fingertip. “I love your eyes.”

All other thoughts fled.
She smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
Goodness, he’s handsome.

Everyone laughed.

Her cheeks heated when she realized
she had just spoken her thought out loud like a big
geek.

Mark didn’t seem to mind though. He
threaded his fingers through hers and she realized she was enjoying
herself.

Odd, as she had expected to endure the
entire evening.

It was nice to experience firsthand
that like Mark and Leo kept telling her, the Morrisons were a
welcoming family.

Chapter 33

Bewitched by Trixi’s face,
Mark doubted he could be any happier than he was at this moment.
She was here, with him, among his beloved family. And she seemed to
be enjoying herself. Trixi Duvall, the magnificent, held her own.
She was gracious and polite, but her inner sweetness and warmth
shone through.

He craved that sweetness and warmth.
Not that he didn’t have it in abundance, because it was everywhere
in this room, but none was his alone.

“
How long have you been
dating?” Treeny asked.

“
Since Thursday.” Trixi
grinned at him before turning her attention back to
Treeny.

Really, their eyes were very similar.
They were beautiful, but he had never paid much attention to
Treeny’s. He only noticed them now because they reminded him so
much of Trixi’s.

“
It’s wonderful to meet
you.” Treeny’s son let out a squawk of protest at being imprisoned
in his father’s arms and distracted her then.

“
Where’s Kyra?” Ben asked
as he adeptly kept his son from hurtling to the floor.

“
Our daughter is with her
Grandma.”

Ben nodded and then handed his squirmy
son off to Greg who raised the little guy high and then dropped
him. Shouts of laughter ensued as Greg nimbly caught him and then
repeated the exercise.

“
Uncle Greg to the rescue,”
Treeny teased.

Greg grinned, but seemed to be having
every bit as much fun as Kale, who he continued to entertain. He
changed it up so the game wouldn’t get boring. Mark enjoyed the
expressions crossing Trixi’s expressive face as she stood entranced
by the man and child.

After a while, Greg must have
remembered Leo was a kid doctor, because he tossed the little boy
to Leo who just as easily played along. Kale’s shrieks of laughter
brought out several baby snatchers who soon took him.

“
You let Aunt Monica have
him?” Leo accused.

“
She stomped on my foot.”
Greg rubbed the bruised member.

“
You’re getting soft.” Ben
watched as his son was carried triumphantly away.

Aunt Monica didn’t keep him for long
before another aunt took him. “At least he’ll be tired by the time
you take him home.”

“
Right. Kyra was already
yawning.” Treeny craned to see over the crowd. “I suspect we’ll
have to leave soon.”

“
We haven’t eaten yet.”
Leo’s protest caused a ripple of laughter through their little
grouping

“
The kids have.” Treeny
must have spotted her daughter, because she stopped searching the
packed room.

Leo looked relieved. “Good. That means
we’re next.”

As soon as he said it, the call went
out for everyone to gather. They said thanks and then started the
lines moving.

“
How on earth can this many
people be served?” Trixi asked Katy.

Katy shrugged. “I have no
idea.”

This led to a discussion on the
Morrison family knowing what they were doing.

“
Besides, General Emma is
here.” Mark scanned the room. “Somewhere.”

Both women turned uncomprehending eyes
on him. “Who’s General Emma?” Katy asked.

Her question halted their surge toward
the food lines.

“
You haven’t met General
Emma yet? Really?” Janine made it sound like he’d committed a
crime.

“
Mark and Leo de Vosse, you
haven’t even introduced me to your dates.” The voice boomed from
beneath his left shoulder so Mark spun, taking Trixi with
him.

“
Hello Aunt Emma. This is
Trixi Duvall.”

“
Welcome Trixi,” Emma said
with warmth and her usual air of competence. Her silver hair
gleamed in the lamp light while her animated features were all
Morrison.

“
Thank you, Emma.” Trixi’s
smile was a bit hesitant. Mark squeezed her hand to let her know
her reaction was typical.

When you met a force of nature, you
were respectful of its power.

“
Are you Clarice Duvall’s
granddaughter?”

“
I am.” Trixi’s smile
grew.