Chapter 8

It was almost midnight when Zach walked into the waiting room, wearing a pair of scrubs and looking more than a little exhausted. Megan sat forward in her seat and held her breath.

“We have a girl,” he said with a big grin on his face. “A beautiful, healthy baby girl with a head of black hair like her mother.” Everyone jumped up to congratulate him—Megan, Alex, Summer, and Ethan, along with Robert and Janice Montgomery, who had left Amber with the nanny.

Megan leaned into Alex as he wrapped his arms around her while they listened to Zach talk about how Gabriella and the baby were doing. Reaching up, she swiped away a stray tear or two—which was so unlike her. She wasn’t an overly emotional person, but somehow being here to experience something so amazing…it affected her more than she’d thought it would.

“You okay?” Alex murmured softly in her ear.

She nodded.

At first he didn’t say anything, just kissed her on the temple. “It’s pretty incredible, right?”

She nodded again.

“Look at your cousin’s face,” he said quietly, so only she could hear. “I’ve known Zach for a while now, and I’ve never seen him look so happy.”

“I’ve known him my whole life, and I’ve never seen him look like that,” she replied and wiped away another few tears. “I’m so happy for him. For both of them. I swear I’m still in awe at how calm Gabriella was through the whole thing. Summer and I were freaking out, and Gabriella was the voice of reason.” She paused and laughed softly. “We should probably apologize to her for that.”

But Alex shook his head. “Nah. That’s just the way she is. She’s crazy efficient and always in control. I’m sure she was glad to have a distraction.”

“I’m sure she was glad we were able to find our way out of the parking lot,” Megan joked. “It was touch-and-go there for a minute or two.”

“In about fifteen minutes, you’ll be able to go down to the nursery to see her, but I think Gabriella would appreciate everyone waiting until the morning to visit with her. She’s exhausted,” Zach was saying.

“Have you decided on a name?” Janice asked, her voice thick with emotion, and Megan watched as her aunt wiped away happy tears of her own.

Zach smiled. “Willow. She is Willow Grace Montgomery.”

And right then and there Megan’s heart melted even more. If anyone would have asked her to speak, she knew she wouldn’t be able to, and Alex must have sensed it because he held her a little tighter.

Zach excused himself and told them when to return, and for the next few minutes there was a flurry of excited conversation that Megan only listened to. Summer went for her phone to call her brother James while her mother called Ryder. Robert and Ethan were talking business, and Alex turned Megan in his arms.

“We missed our date tonight,” he said, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose.

“This was just as good.”

He smiled. “It wasn’t quite the romantic setting I was going for.”

Snuggling against his chest, she said, “I think the romantic element here was perfect.” And she meant it. To get to be here—surrounded by family and friends—while a new life came into the world was…there were no words. They escaped her.

“I promise to make it up to you,” he said. “We’ll pick a night this week and dress up and go out and maybe even go dancing.”

“Ooh…that does sound nice. But I’m really okay, Alex,” she said, looking up at him. “I mean, I was looking forward to going out, but this? I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it for the world. I never knew it could be so—”

He caressed her cheek. “I know. Me too.”

Summer walked over and let out a happy sigh. “Now the whole family knows about little Miss Willow—even though it’s three in the morning on the East Coast—and I called and checked on Amber. Once I can get a peek at our new addition and snap a picture or two, we’re going to head home. This has been a seriously long day.”

Megan and Alex nodded in agreement. “You’re lucky Mrs. Knightley was able to stay all day with Amber and Maylene,” Megan said. “And that she brought her up here for a little while.”

“Oh, I know. Don’t get me wrong, Ethan and I could have run home and grabbed her and brought her back here, but it would have been too much.”

“I know this all happened at the last minute, but do you have everything you need for your parents to stay with you?” Alex asked.

“Yup. I feel like my mom was here not too long ago and now she’s back,” she said with a nervous laugh. “Ethan’s already talking about boundaries and locking bedroom doors.”

They all laughed.

“I’m kidding, and I appreciate you being willing to let them stay in the guesthouse, Megan. I feel awful about you having to move out—even temporarily.”

But Megan waved her off. “It’s fine. Really. And I understand the importance of all of you being together right now.”

“I’m sure they’ll head over to Zach and Gabriella’s once they’re settled with Willow, right?” Summer asked with a nervous laugh. “And then you can move back in. That is…if you want to.”

“I don’t think we have to decide tonight, do we?” Alex asked. “After all, it’s late, and who knows how long they’ll stay and who else is going to come and visit, so—”

Megan laughed softly. “What Alex is trying to say is we’re good with the living situation right now and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. Okay?”

“You guys are awesome. Thank you.”

“We’ve got the apartment at my place, Summer,” Alex suggested. “If your brothers show up and need a place to stay and they don’t want to deal with a hotel or people in your guest rooms, they’re more than welcome to stay there. Again, you don’t have to make a decision tonight, but the offer’s there.”

She smiled at him. “You are too sweet, Alex. Once I know what’s going on, I’ll mention that to them as an option. Thank you.”

A nurse came out and told them they could all come down to the nursery, and Alex took Megan’s hand as they followed the group.

Willow was bundled tightly and had on a little pink knit hat, and when the nurse held her up for the group, Megan didn’t even try to hold back the tears. The baby was so tiny and pink and perfect, and she couldn’t even imagine how Gabriella must be feeling right now—if her emotions were this out of control, she would think Gabriella’s were a hundred times worse.

After a round of pictures and a promise to come back in the morning, they said good night to Zach—who had come out to join them—and all headed out of the hospital.

It was late, and Megan was tired. Luckily, Alex must have been feeling the same because they drove home in companionable silence, holding hands, and it felt…nice. There was never a need to keep a conversation going or to think of something witty or interesting to say. Sometimes the silence was exactly what they needed.

Megan thought about his comments earlier about being disappointed that they hadn’t gone out for their romantic dinner date. She smiled. She was amazed that Alex was the kind of man who thought like that. In her experience, dates were usually more of a big deal to the woman. And while she was a little disappointed, she also knew she didn’t need to dress up and go to a fancy restaurant for their time together to be considered romantic.

Every day since she’d started staying over—and since he was up and out the door before her—he’d put a pot of coffee on for her, and he always left her a small note to wish her a good day.

Romantic.

Several times—when she had mentioned how she was going to be slammed at work—she’d found he’d packed a lunch for her with an encouraging message on the bag telling her to have a good day and to remember to get outside for a little bit.

Romantic.

The way he had been showing her around the city and letting her set the pace had been perfect. He always held her hand or would find her the most interesting things to see based on something she might have mentioned to him at one time or another.

Romantic.

He cooked dinner for her when she was tired, he rubbed her feet while they watched movies, and he made her breakfast in bed.

So, yeah. She was feeling like Alex had this whole romantic thing down pat.

They pulled up to the house and went inside, and Alex went right to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” he said as he rummaged around for something to eat.

“The cafeteria food wasn’t so bad—”

He straightened and looked at her with amusement and disbelief. “That was not the freshest sandwich I’ve ever eaten, and the only reason I finished it was because I was starving then too.”

She couldn’t argue with that. The food had been a bit on the pitiful side, but considering why they were there eating it, she had managed to tolerate it. But now that they were home, a late-night snack sounded pretty good. Walking over to the refrigerator, she peered inside too.

“What are you in the mood for?” he asked, bending to search. “We can have sandwiches, omelets…there’s some leftover chicken from last night…I can whip up some pasta…”

“Oh, don’t do that,” she said. “Let’s not make a big mess. Sandwiches are fine. Quick and easy and very little cleanup.”

“Deal,” he agreed.

Together, they made a light meal and cleaned up as they went along. Rather than sitting at the kitchen table, they walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Alex turned on the television, and they watched some classic reruns while they ate.

During a commercial, Alex looked at her and softly asked, “What are you thinking about right now?”

“Baby blankets. Something soft and pink and very feminine,” she replied without really thinking. Not that it wasn’t true; ever since she’d seen Willow, her mind had been going wild with ideas for something special for her.

“I suppose you’ll be shopping online first thing in the morning,” he said before taking another bite of his sandwich.

Being so secretive with him over her hobby was getting crazy. She knew that. Alex was nothing like her father, and she knew he wouldn’t make fun of her or berate her for what she was doing. Maybe when they went upstairs…?

The idea had merit, but she decided to finish her snack and relax before saying anything to him.

When she was done, Megan let her head rest against the couch. “Okay, that was exactly what I needed, but now I may have to sleep right here.”

Alex’s pose mimicked hers. “Because?”

“I’m tired, and now my belly is full. The thought of moving is not appealing at all.” She yawned loudly. “Besides, we’re grown-ups. We can sleep where we want, and this sofa is huge. I think it’s bigger than the bed. Wake me when there’s pancakes.”

Beside her, she heard Alex’s soft laugh. “Oh, no, you don’t,” he said, his voice a mere whisper. Even with her eyes closed, she knew he had turned off the television and was moving around, putting their paper plates and napkins in the trash. Before she could bring herself to open her eyes, Alex gently took one of her hands and maneuvered her until he could easily lift her into his arms.

“Alex—”

“Shh…you’re way too tired to argue, and personally, I enjoy sleeping in a bed. Particularly if you’re right there beside me, so…let me.”

In all honesty, it was nice. She knew she should feel a little guilty he was carrying her around the house—and that’s exactly what he was doing. With her in his arms, he was locking the doors, turning off the lights, setting the alarm. Megan rested her head on his shoulder and murmured sleepily. At this rate, she’d be asleep before they reached the bedroom.

“Oh, wait,” he murmured, and she knew they were heading toward the kitchen. “My phone’s almost dead. I need to put it on the charger.”

As comfortable as she was, she knew it was ridiculous now to stay where she was. “Mine too,” she said around another yawn. “Let me down, and I’ll grab it.”

“Where is it?”

“My purse.”

Without releasing her, Alex walked over to where she’d put her purse down when they walked in. He found her phone, walked to the kitchen and plugged it in right next to his.

“Okay, now that’s it,” he said.

“You’re sure?”

Nodding, he kissed her on the forehead. “Positive.”

He walked across the room, turned off the last of the lights, and began to climb the stairs. Once they were up in the bedroom, he laid her gently on the bed and helped her get undressed. While she was barely able to stay sitting up, he walked over and grabbed one of his T-shirts for her to sleep in. She hadn’t moved all of her things over, and on the nights when she did wear something to sleep in, it tended to be one of his shirts.

Gently, he slipped the garment over her head and helped her get her arms through the sleeves. Megan watched in amazement as Alex managed to pull the blankets down without disturbing her too much and then quickly undressed. They slid beneath the sheets together, and he immediately wrapped her in his arms.

Then she remembered she had something to tell him. Shifting slightly, she looked at him. “Alex, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Even though it was dark, she could hear him yawn. “Now?” he asked softly. “Is everything okay?”

Another yawn.

“Everything’s fine. I just…I wanted to tell you about—” And dammit, now she had to yawn.

“Tell you what,” he said, his tone going sleepy. “Hold that thought, and we’ll talk about it in the morning, okay?”

“Okay.” Kissing him on the chest, Megan realized waiting a few more hours wasn’t going to hurt. And besides, she was way too comfortable and sleepy to talk anyway.

“Good night, beautiful girl.”

And just as she was about to fall asleep, she smiled at his comment.

Romantic.

* * *

The next morning, Alex stood in the middle of his guest room and watched as Megan took several boxes, cases, and baskets from the closet. When she had everything on the bed, she stood back and motioned to it all.

“What exactly am I looking at?” he asked.

That’s when she started pulling things out—yarn, ribbons, scissors, crochet hooks, measuring tapes…

“Are you thinking of learning how to knit or something?”

With a small huff of exasperation, she faced him. “First of all, this is all for crocheting, not knitting. And—” With a short pause, she began to pull out some of the items she’d made. “This is what I do in my spare time,” she said with just a hint of defensiveness. “I make baby blankets and hats, dresses, sweaters, booties—”

“So all the stuff you gave to Summer—”

“I made myself.”

Then she really looked defensive as she seemed to wait for his response.

“O-kay,” he began hesitantly, slowly stepping forward and looking at the tiny garments. Then he looked at her and smiled. “Megan, this is amazing! I mean, seriously amazing!” He held up a tiny sweater and marveled at the craftsmanship. It was delicate and soft and… “Why have you been keeping this a secret?”

She shrugged, but he knew her better than she realized.

“Who do you make these for? Or do you just keep an inventory of them for whenever you might need a gift for a baby?”

With a sigh, Megan sat on the corner of the bed, picked up one of the blankets, and studied it for a moment before she answered him. “My great-grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was a little girl. I was always in awe of the things she would create, and when I expressed an interest, she started to show me how to do it.”

Silently, Alex sat down beside her and waited for her to go on.

“I got really good at it, and I started spending my allowance on yarn, and I would make afghans and scarves and whatever else came to mind.” She placed the blanket back in one of the boxes and then faced him with a sad expression. “My father told me I was wasting my time and that it was a ridiculous hobby to have. He told me to find something useful to do with my time.”

“Oh, Megan. Sweetheart,” he said softly, taking one of her hands in his.

With a small smile, she said, “I didn’t stop. I just made sure I did it when no one was home or in the privacy of my room with the door locked.”

Alex looked at the sheer amount of yarn she had and the finished blankets and garments.

Remembering his earlier question, she finally replied, “I donate them to hospitals and women’s shelters.” Her voice was quiet and a little uncertain—as if she was waiting for him to react the way her father had.

“Is that why when I first took you around town you made note of those places?”

She nodded. “I had planned on just doing a Google search, but being out and seeing them in person was the motivation I needed.”

He squeezed her hand and pulled her close. With a kiss to her temple, he said, “You’re an amazing woman. You know that, right?”

But she pulled back and looked at him. “Remember the day you came and found me at the office? The week after Gabriella went to the hospital?”

He nodded.

Looking down at their joined hands, she said, “Those nights when I said I was working, this is what I was doing.” Then she looked up at him. “I don’t expect you to understand, but…doing this? Crocheting? Making things for precious little babies? It relaxes me.”

“Megan—”

“So I’m not completely hopeless, right? I mean, I do know how to step away from my work and relax and just…be normal.”

And right there his heart broke a little bit for her. All this time she had felt the need to put on some sort of armor—something to prove she was a hard worker like the rest of her family, when really, there had always been this softer side of her she was too afraid to let people see.

He knew what he needed to do—what would help her feel comfortable about letting her secret come out.

“How about we have some breakfast, bring some of these goodies to the hospital with us, and deliver them to the nursery before we go see Gabriella and Willow?”

Her eyes shone with unshed tears, and a slow smile spread across her face. “Really? You…you wouldn’t mind?”

“Sweetheart, I think that what you do is incredible, and I can’t wait to see the looks of delight on the nurses’ faces when you bring these in.”

One tear fell and then another. “Thank you.”

Shaking his head, Alex leaned in and kissed her before wiping away her tears. “Nothing to thank me for. I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

“For what?”

“For trusting me enough to share this with me.” Then he paused and grinned.

“What? What are you smiling about?”

“You know now I’m going to want to go to the craft store with you and offer advice on what you should make for Willow, right?”

Her smile was dazzling. “Well? What are we waiting for? It sounds like we have a full day ahead of us!”

* * *

Monday morning, Alex walked into the rehab center carrying a tray of coffee for some of the staff. It was something he did from time to time, and today he was in a good mood and wanted to share it. He smiled and waved at the people he passed, and when he got to the therapy room, he saw people setting up and getting ready to work with patients.

“Good morning,” he called out. Spotting Tony, Alex held up the tray. “I have coffee!”

“Thanks, man,” Tony said as he grabbed a cup. “How was your weekend?”

Alex told him about the bike ride and then about Zach and Gabriella’s new baby.

“That had to be cool for you.”

“How come?”

“Zach was a patient,” he said simply. “When you took him on, he had the worst reputation in our field. No one wanted to work with him, and really, no one was sure he’d ever walk again. Then you came along, and not only is he walking, he’s out biking and playing sports again, and now he’s married and has a baby. I know it makes me happy, and I don’t even know them.”

Smiling, Alex took a sip of his coffee. “I am happy. And yeah, it was way more emotional than I thought it would be. Like you, all of those things ran through my mind when he walked out of the delivery room in a pair of scrubs. I thought, ‘Look at him. Look how far he’s come.’” Alex willed himself to not get choked up again. “It was definitely cool.”

Tony took a long drink from his cup before saying anything else. “I was at a conference this weekend, and one of the presenters used your buddy Danny’s case in his lecture.”

That wasn’t anything new. Danny’s accident had made the local news, and during the first few years after it, he had gone through most of the rehab centers in hopes of someone finding a therapy that would help him regain some movement.

But they’d all failed.

Then Alex thought of the difference between Danny and Zach—both had traumatic accidents with very different injuries and outcomes. What Alex wouldn’t give for Danny to have had the kind of recovery Zach had and to be living a life where he was celebrating with a wife and baby.

“Can I ask you something?” Tony said after a moment, interrupting Alex’s depressing thoughts.

Alex nodded. “Sure.”

“What are you doing here?”

Alex looked at him funny. Tony was a good guy—he easily had ten years on Alex—and he was the kind of guy who looked out for everyone. He was one of the lead therapists at the center, and as far as Alex could tell, he’d been doing physical therapy forever.

“What do you mean?”

Putting his coffee down, Tony crossed his arms over his chest. “Look, don’t get me wrong, I love having you on staff.”

“Okay—”

“But awhile back—maybe a year or two ago—you talked about branching out on your own and starting your own practice. Are you still thinking about it?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes,” he admitted, “but it’s not a priority. I enjoy being here, and I have some clients I work with on my own plus my work with Danny, but…I don’t know. You know the old saying—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Tony chuckled. “I know that saying, but…dude, you have so much more to offer. You’re young, and you’re a gifted therapist. You’re bouncing around from place to place. Why?”

“I’m not bouncing around,” Alex argued lightly, wondering where all this was coming from. “I’m here with the center, I have clients on my own—”

“You also work with patients over at Portland General and at Cornerstone Rehab,” Tony pointed out.

“Is that what this is about? I’m working for the competition?” Alex asked incredulously.

“That’s not what this is about.” Tony leaned against the massage table. “I look at you, and I see so much of myself when I was younger—I was ambitious and loved my job and had dreams of starting my own practice. But I never did it. I had the stability of working here, and it was easier to stay than to go. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”

Well, damn.

“Look, I appreciate what you’re saying, but…I’m happy with the way things are. I don’t want to leave anyone high and dry, and maybe if the perfect place came along, I’d consider it. But for now…things are good.”

Tony gave him a smile that said he understood all too well.

“Just think about it,” Tony said after a minute. He straightened and shook Alex’s hand before walking away.

Reaching for his coffee, Alex took another long drink and frowned. It had begun to go cold.

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t thought about starting his own practice. He had. A lot. It wouldn’t be hard for him to find a location, nor would it be hard for him to find clients. He turned down requests all the time—most of them were athletes with sports-related injuries. Similar to Zach’s but not as extreme. And maybe that was it—he didn’t want to be the guy who was giving massages to athletes who pulled a muscle. He enjoyed working with people who required intensive therapy—exactly like Zach.

And Danny.

More than anything, however, he wasn’t sure if the time was right, and why rock the boat when things were going so well?

He thought about Megan and how she took a chance—leaving everything and everyone she knew on the east coast to take a job in Portland. Granted, she had her cousins here, but it still meant taking a leap of faith.

Something maybe he should think about a little more.

He worked with the two patients he had at New Hope and left at lunchtime. The thought of surprising Megan at work was appealing, but his mind was still on his conversation with Tony, and he wanted some time to sort things out in his head before he talked to her. Driving around with no particular destination in mind, he began a list of pros and cons for branching out on his own.

Pros: Be his own boss, take on the patients he felt needed him the most, have a more regular schedule.

Cons: Let down his colleagues at New Hope, Cornerstone, and Portland General, say goodbye to his current patients there.

While the list of cons was smaller, it affected him more. One of the things Alex loved most in this world was helping people—helping them heal, helping them achieve their goals. How could he know if leaving was going to hinder someone’s recovery? What if their next therapist did things differently and their progress suffered? He wasn’t sure he could take that chance. It would be selfish, wouldn’t it?

And Alex knew he had many flaws, but being selfish wasn’t one of them.

With a sigh, he raked a hand through his hair and continued to drive—this time heading back to the house so he could grab something to eat and maybe work out for a little while to clear his head. It wasn’t as if he was giving up on the idea completely, but for now he was going to stay where he was and wait until he knew the time was right.

He thought about Megan and compared their relationship to his current situation. From the moment he met her, Alex knew she was special, but the timing wasn’t right. And now look where they were! Things were great and only getting better. Why? Because he hadn’t pushed like he had wanted to, and eventually everything had worked out. Chances were—if he were patient again—it would be the same where his career was concerned.

Nodding, he reached out and turned on the radio.

He felt good, like he’d accomplished what he needed to. Waiting. It was the smart decision. The right decision.

But damn if it didn’t leave him feeling the slightest bit disappointed.

* * *

Whenever the Montgomery family got together to celebrate, it was always loud. It was fun, but more than anything, it was loud. As Megan sat in Zach’s backyard and looked around at all the people there, she felt happy.

Willow was only two weeks old, and yet the entire family felt the need to descend upon Portland to meet her. Uncle William and Aunt Monica had arrived with Megan’s parents two days ago, and then her cousins James and Ryder had flown in yesterday with their wives and kids. Summer and Ethan had offered to host the get-together, but Zach had insisted it was easier for him to do it so Willow could sleep in her own space and Gabriella wouldn’t have to stress about packing her up.

If there was one thing Megan was coming to realize about her cousin, it was that Zach liked being in control, and if that meant hosting a big family barbecue only two weeks after the birth of his first child, then so be it.

“Megan!”

Looking up, she smiled. “Hi, Uncle William! How are you?”

He was a little grayer than the last time she’d seen him, but his eyes always twinkled with mischief, and when he smiled, it was impossible not to smile with him.

“Splendid. Just splendid,” he said as he sat in the seat beside her on the massive deck. “This is one of my favorite ways to pass the time—celebrating another addition to the family.”

“It’s a wonderful thing.”

“That it is,” he agreed. “So, tell me how you’re liking working in Portland. I’m hearing great things about you.”

“Really?” she asked excitedly.

“Would I lie to you?”

Blushing at the praise, she began to tell him about all the things she’d done for Zach’s office since her arrival. One of the things she loved most about her uncle was how he had a working knowledge of every aspect of the business; there wasn’t a department he wasn’t familiar with, and he was also on top of computer trends and technology. He was one of the few members of her family she could talk to without worrying about whether she was boring him.

All around them people were talking about babies and families, and Megan was happily chatting about her job. It hit her about ten minutes into their conversation. Was this normal? Shouldn’t she be talking about Zach and Gabriella and Willow too? Deciding that she should, she instantly switched gears.

“It’s so nice how everyone was able to come in for this,” she said conversationally. “I know it means the world to Zach that the whole family wanted to celebrate with him.”

Her uncle studied her for a moment, and she could tell he was a little surprised by her immediate change of subject. But he went along with it anyway.

“I was a bit disappointed that my boys and their families couldn’t make it, but they promised they’d come for Willow’s christening,” he said with a smile. “It will be wonderful to have the entire family in one place. I believe the last time that happened was Zach and Gabriella’s wedding.” He seemed to beam with pride at the thought of it. “I have to say, they were my most challenging match to make, but I had faith that it would all work out.”

Megan laughed softly. Uncle William’s matchmaking skills and antics were well known in the family, and she had to wonder if he had any plans to start looking for potential spouses for her and her brothers. Christian and Carter weren’t here today, but maybe she should feel her uncle out so she could give them both a heads-up.

“You do have a gift,” she said with a sweet smile. “How many matches does that make for you? Five? Six?”

William nodded and seemed to relax a bit. “Well, there were my boys—Lucas, Jason, and Mac. Then there were your cousins—Ryder, James, Summer, and Zach. Although, if you ask Ryder and James, they’ll swear I had nothing to do with it. Summer and Zach were a little more appreciative.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the imagery. “So what’s next? Planning any matches for the grandchildren yet?”

Her uncle gave her a curious look that transformed into a bit of a secretive smile. “Well now, they’re all a little young for that, but you never know. My oldest granddaughter, Lily, claims there’s a boy in her class she has a crush on. I may have to check him out for myself and see if there’s any potential there.”

While she knew he was kidding, she could still imagine him doing it and thought it was incredibly sweet.

Her uncle sighed. “I don’t know. I feel like everyone’s on to me now. You seem very happy with your young man, and your brothers are…well…let’s just say I know when to wave the white flag.”

“Wait…you mean you’re not going to try to find anyone for Carter or Christian?”

William shook his head. “I’m pretty certain Carter’s avoiding me. I’ve been to all of his restaurants, and he’s never around. And Christian?” This time his sigh was infinitely wearier. “That boy must have had something serious happen because he’s very withdrawn and almost hostile when it comes to social situations. Even if I wanted to try to find the perfect woman for him, I have no idea where to begin.”

“Never stopped you before,” she murmured, reaching for her glass of wine.

“So how are things with you and Alex?” he asked. “You know, the first time I met him I felt like he was part of the family.”

Smiling, Megan turned to try to find Alex in the crowd and spotted him talking to her mother and Aunt Monica. She chuckled at the wide-eyed expression on his face and had to wonder what they were talking to him about to put that look there. William followed her gaze and started to laugh.

“I don’t know what has been going on between your aunt and your mother lately, but they’ve been as thick as thieves with one another. And it seems like they’ve cornered poor Alex. Do we need to go and save him?” he asked with a wink.

She considered it for a moment but figured Alex could handle himself for a little while longer. For now, she was enjoying her conversation with her uncle. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s been around our family enough to know how we can be.”

William nodded. “True.” But he turned and looked at the three of them again. “Still…he looks awfully serious, and I don’t think my wife has stopped talking for a full three minutes,” he said with a small laugh. “I can’t imagine what they’re talking about.”

Megan was kind of wondering the same thing.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure if he needs rescuing, he’ll let someone know,” William said.

Maybe, she thought. “So…you were mentioning Christian being hostile with social situations. I haven’t noticed. What have you heard?”

“Oh, it’s not what I’ve heard, it’s what I know! I’ve been out to San Diego many, many times, and your brother simply refuses to engage in anything social—he’ll go if it’s a small family event—but anything for the company, he refuses.” He gave her a serious look. “Ryder started up that office and had a tradition of company events—holiday parties, softball games, retreats—and Christian wants no part of them. Luckily other executives have stepped up, but it doesn’t exactly present a good image for the head of the company not to want to be around his employees.”

“That does seem odd,” she commented. “I wonder why—”

“Megan?”

From across the deck, she heard Alex call her name. Turning around, she saw him waving her over and could barely suppress a grin. She looked at her uncle. “I guess he needs saving.”

He laughed as he stood and then held out a hand to her to help her to her feet. “That’s probably not a bad thing. I’m curious as heck to hear what’s been going on over there, so if it’s all right, I’ll walk over with you.”

“I’d love that.”

Together they walked over to join Alex, and she saw the immediate relief on his face when she was there. He kissed her on the cheek and tucked her in close at his side.

“So what are we talking about, ladies?” William asked as he sat beside his wife and kissed her on the cheek too.

“Oh, we were asking Alex about his job and his family,” Monica said with a big smile. “I always worry this group will overwhelm people, but Alex seems at ease with all of us, and I was curious if he was from a large family as well.”

William looked up at Alex. “And are you?”

Alex shook his head. “I have one sibling, and my parents each only have one sibling, so really…comparably…we’re a much smaller group.”

“And he’s close with them,” Megan’s mother said, sounding pleased.

Megan almost groaned. Her mother’s interest in Alex she could understand. After all, it had been a long time since Megan had been involved with anyone and even longer since she’d brought anyone around her family. Unfortunately, that made Alex someone to be observed like an animal at the zoo or something.

“Is your family close by?” Aunt Monica asked. “Are they here in Portland? Is this where you’re originally from?”

“I was born and raised here in Portland,” Alex responded, “and my family—my parents—currently live about twenty minutes away in Burlington.”

“How nice to have them so close by.”

“Mom…” Megan said, and even though she was smiling, she put a hint of warning in her voice.

“What?” her mother asked innocently. “I think it’s nice to have family close by. Not that I would know what it’s like, but I can imagine it would be wonderful—especially for Alex’s parents.”

She groaned and began to wonder how she could have felt so happy and carefree just moments ago.

Alex’s arm around her waist tightened slightly as if he was silently telling her he understood how she was feeling. “My folks travel a lot now,” he said to the group of them. “And honestly, we only see each other about once a month and sometimes not even that.”

Aunt Monica spoke before Megan’s mother could. “All of our boys still live close to home. They’re married now and have children, but it’s so nice to have them nearby. Plus, they all work with William, so we see them all the time.”

Megan’s mother sighed. “Whereas my children scattered all over the country, and I have no grandchildren of my own.” Then she looked directly at Alex and Megan and added, “Yet.”

“Mom!”

Aunt Monica patted her mother’s knee. “Now, now, Eliza…don’t start pressuring the two of them. When the time is right, it will happen.” Then she smiled up at Megan and Alex. “And the two of you look so happy together. It’s been a pleasure watching you all this time.”

“Um…thank you,” Megan murmured, unsure what her response should be.

“I remember seeing the two of you dancing at Zach and Gabriella’s wedding,” she went on, “and I saw the sparks back then.” She paused and smiled at Eliza. “And I know that, personally, I was thrilled when I heard you had finally moved here and started dating Alex. The two of you make such an attractive couple—just like I knew you would.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Megan saw Summer watching her with amusement. “Um…if you’ll excuse us, it looks like Summer needs us. We’ll talk to you later!” And with that, Megan took Alex’s hand and led him away. When they approached her cousin, Megan sagged with relief.

“Were you two getting the third degree?” Summer asked.

“Not so much me as Alex.”

He nodded. “I don’t know what kind of fascination your family has with me, but it’s been going on almost since the wedding.”

Both Megan and Summer stared at him in stunned silence.

“Um…I mean…they’re just overly curious about me, and they ask a lot of questions and—”

“Wait, what do you mean they’ve been fascinated with you since the wedding? When have you seen them?” Megan asked.

Before he could answer, Summer did. “I knew Aunt Monica and your mom talked to Alex when they were here after Amber was born, but I just thought they had some physical therapy stuff they wanted to talk to you about.”

He nodded again. “That’s how it seemed at first, but their interest quickly turned toward more interest in me—personally.”

“And what about before that? Amber’s only a few months old, and Zach and Gabriella have been married for two years,” Megan commented. “When else have you had conversations with them?”

“Yeah, Alex,” Summer said, crossing her arms and studying him. “When?”

“I, um…I don’t…” He looked nervously toward Megan’s aunts and uncle, and Megan saw them looking back in return.

“Oh, for the love of all,” she murmured. “Is this my uncle doing his matchmaking thing again?”

“I haven’t talked to your uncle,” Alex said. “This was primarily your mother and your Aunt Monica.”

“Well, that’s odd,” Summer said. “Maybe they’re just curious about you.”

“Maybe. But—”

“But what?” Megan asked.

“Everyone!” Zach called out. “Lunch is served!”

And Megan knew she was going to have to wait for her answer.

* * *

“Not so fast,” William said when his wife went to join the group to get some food. He held her hand before leading her to the far end of the deck where he knew no one would overhear them.

Monica looked nervously over her shoulder as Eliza walked away. She turned to her husband. “Honestly, William, I’m starving. And those steaks and burgers have had my mouth watering for the past thirty minutes.”

“And you’ll get to eat as soon as you tell me what’s going on,” he said with amusement.

She looked at him with all wide-eyed innocence. “I don’t know what you mean.”

But he knew his wife well. He knew when she thought she was being clever. “You were grilling poor Alex a few minutes ago and then talking babies in front of poor Megan. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.”

She waved him off. “Oh, don’t be dramatic, William. You know how much Eliza wants to see her kids settled like ours. And it’s only natural to start making comments like that when you see a couple who is so perfect for each other.”

He quirked a brow at her. “Really? And you know they’re perfect for each other after only being around them this one time?”

She looked away briefly. “Well…like I said, I saw them at the wedding together and thought how good they looked together and—”

“Looks can be deceiving,” he commented. “For all you know, the two of them have absolutely nothing in common.”

Monica looked up at him, and he swore he saw a hint of triumph in her eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong—both of them have strong work ethics and are close to their families. They’re both fans of the same music and have similar tastes in food. And Megan—even though she’s never been one for the outdoors—has said how much she wished she got out more. Alex has been taking her on little adventures every weekend since she arrived here.”

He nodded approvingly. “And you learned all of this in the past few minutes?” It was almost too easy to get her to confess all, he thought.

“Of course not,” she said distractedly, watching everyone getting food. “Eliza and I have been watching them ever since the wedding.” Then she realized what she had said, and her hands flew to her mouth.

William leaned in and bent over until they were almost nose to nose. “Are you trying to take my place as the matchmaker in the family, Monica? You couldn’t possibly know this would be a good connection for Megan,” he said with amusement.

She gave him a smug smile. “That’s where you’re wrong. Eliza and I were very careful collecting our data. Seeing as how Megan is her daughter, it didn’t take much for her to know her interests and what she was looking for. A couple of carefully worded inquiries in some conversations, and she had a good idea of the kind of man Megan was looking for.”

“And what about Alex? How could you have possibly found information on him? The only time I remember you coming to Portland after the wedding was when Summer had the baby.”

Another smug smile. “That was easy. Zach is our godchild, William, and I took a lot of interest in his recovery. Alex was on my radar long before I saw him dance with Megan. So I already had some insight into who he was. Every once in a while I would get an update from Janice on how Zach was doing, and let’s just say that maybe—occasionally—I’d call Alex and talk to him about it. Nothing behind Zach’s back.”

He had to hand it to his wife—she was crafty. Clearly she’d been paying attention to how he did things these past several years.

“Admit it, William. You’re impressed.”

Why deny it? Leaning in, he kissed her softly on the cheek. “That I am, my dear. That I am.”

“Who knows? Now that I’ve got this feather in my cap, I may see who I can fix up next!”

Wait…was she seriously thinking she could start matchmaking to the rest of the family? Not that there were many left, but…still.

He patted her on the shoulder. “You did a good thing, but…I’m still curious how you were going to handle this if Megan’s job hadn’t ended in New York. Opposite coasts is enough of a deterrent to keep people from being together.”

“That was a little trickier.”

“Monica,” he said in hushed tones, “you didn’t get that girl fired, did you?”

“Of course not!” she cried. “Honestly, William, that would be wrong on every level. I refuse to play God like that.”

“Then how—”

“Megan knew her contract was almost up and had been worrying about where she was going to work next. Eliza dropped a couple of hints with Joseph, who talked to Robert, who—”

“Talked to me,” William finished for her. Son of a gun. “So, really, I helped in this match.”

She gave him a stern look. “You can’t let me have this, can you?”

He shook his head, pleased. “I worked very hard to convince Zach to hire Megan.”

“You did not,” Monica argued. “Zach needed an IT person, and he has no issues working with family, considering his own sister works with him in his office along with his wife and all of his cousins throughout the corporation. So don’t even go there.”

With a hearty laugh, he hugged her close and kissed her soundly. “Fine. This one’s all on you.”

Now it was Monica’s turn to look pleased. “Thank you.” She paused. “Now can we go and eat?”

“Absolutely.” And when they started to walk arm in arm toward the food, he said, “Of course, if I had handled this match, it wouldn’t have taken two years.”

Monica threw her head back and laughed even as she elbowed him in the ribs.

* * *

“Just think, in another six to eight weeks, we get to do it again,” Megan said later that night as they walked into Alex’s house.

“And there will be more of them, won’t there?” he asked.

Nodding, Megan tossed her purse on the table and went to the kitchen to grab something to drink. “From what Gabriella was saying today, it seems like Willow’s christening is going to be almost as big as the wedding.”

“That can’t be right.”

“Okay, maybe that was a slight exaggeration, but this time the entire family is coming—all the cousins, all their kids—which makes for a large crowd.”

He was aware.

Having known Zach for almost three years, Alex had met most of the Montgomery family, and for the most part, they were a great bunch of people—very personable. But this thing with Megan’s mom and her aunts was getting…strange. Although, if anything, now was the time he should be expecting it. After all, he and Megan were dating, and things were serious between them, so he guessed it was only fitting that her mother would start grilling him on his intentions.

Alex laughed to himself at the image of how Eliza and Monica Montgomery would react if he told them his intentions and how he was more than ready to make a commitment to Megan and move the relationship forward. He imagined their eyes going wide and how pleased they’d be.

“Do you want something to drink?” Megan called out.

Megan, on the other hand, would probably freak out if he announced to her family that he already envisioned them married with children.

And hell, he should probably talk to her about that before talking to her family.

“Alex?”

Oh, right. A drink.

“No, thanks,” he said as he walked into the kitchen. It hit him—and not for the first time—how she was at home here. In his house. Since the first night they made love, she hadn’t spent another night in Summer’s guesthouse. Part of him felt guilty about it because she had seemed excited to have a place of her own and to be spending time with her cousin, but the other part of him was so damn happy to have her there with him.

Now when he looked around his house, there was a little bit of her in every room. She had put her stamp on so much of his space, and he loved it. Her crocheting basket sat next to the end of the sofa in the living room, and the afghan she’d made for them was currently folded on the ottoman in the corner. For a woman who didn’t think of herself as soft or girly, she certainly had put a lot of feminine touches all around him. Just the thought of her not being here bothered him.

Would she want to move back to Summer’s once the whole family went back to North Carolina? Was he making assumptions about her wanting to be here with him all the time because she was afraid of hurting his feelings? They hadn’t talked about it since the night Willow was born.

One of the things he realized about the two of them was how they could talk for hours about a hundred different topics—like books or movies, his job, her job, her crocheting projects and techniques—but they never talked about them—as a couple.

“You’re looking pretty intense over there,” she said, closing the refrigerator door. “Everything okay?”

He nodded, reaching for her hand. “Did you have a good time today?”

She smiled. “I did. But then again, I usually have a good time with my family. I wish more of my cousins could have been there, but that will happen soon enough.”

“Six to eight weeks,” he said with a wink and led her into the living room. They sat on the sofa, and Megan reached for the TV remote.

“Anything good on tonight?”

Before she could turn it on, he gently took the remote from her hand and put it down. “Actually, I was kind of hoping we could talk.”

Something in his tone must have alarmed her because her eyes went a little wide. “Oh, God…my mom and my aunt totally freaked you out, didn’t they?” She muttered a curse. “Why didn’t you come and get me sooner? Or why didn’t you tell me how they’ve done this sort of thing before? If I had known, I would have put a stop to it!”

They were getting off track. He didn’t want to talk about her aunt or her mother or the rest of her family. Not really. What he wanted more than anything was to see if they were on the same page.

“How did you feel about living in the guesthouse?” he asked, hoping she’d accept his sudden change of subject.

“Um…what?”

“I mean, I know you liked it because it meant you had a space of your own and it kept you close to Summer, but…you didn’t bring all of your stuff with you when everyone arrived, and I guess I’m wondering if you’re going to want to go back there. You know…in between now and the next family invasion.”

“Why? Do you…do you want me to go back there?” He saw her swallow hard, and she went to pull her hand away, but he wouldn’t let her. “It’s all my stuff, right? I sort of moved in here and took over and…” She looked around the room a bit frantically. “I realize we sort of fell into this routine, but if I’m overstepping some bounds here, that’s totally fine. I get it. Really.”

“Megan,” he began, “that’s not what I’m saying.” He stopped and tried to find the right words to say. “What I meant is…I like how things are going. A lot. But I know we sort of just…‘fell into this routine.’” He smiled as he used her words to make a point. “It wouldn’t have happened like this if you lived in an apartment across town of your own, but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t putting any pressure on you to stay here. With me. In the house.”

Shifting his position so he could face her, he went on. “I know it was presumptuous of me to think you would want to pick up where we left off, and maybe lending you a car and offering to show you around the city and stuff made you feel…obligated—”

“Oh my God…do you think I’m sleeping with you because you lent me your car?” she cried, and this time she pulled her hand free before putting more space between them. “Seriously, Alex, is that what you’re thinking? What kind of person do you think I am?”

Okay, he was screwing this up…

“That is not what I’m thinking, Megan. I swear! I’m honestly thinking I’m the one behaving questionably! I don’t want you to think I did all these things to…manipulate or orchestrate us getting together.”

Sighing, Megan stood and paced a few feet away from the sofa before turning around and facing him. “Alex, I’m not going to lie to you, it did feel a little…I’ll use your word, ‘orchestrated.’ And at first, I wanted to be annoyed with you about it. But the more time we spent together, the happier I was that you did it. If left to my own devices, I would have played hard to get because I thought it was what I was supposed to do.”

Alex stood and walked over to her, happy that she didn’t move away when he took her hands in his again. “And I’m not going to lie to you—I had a feeling you were going to do your best to blow me off. It didn’t matter how many time we got thrown together because of your cousins, you were a little…aloof with me.”

She blushed and looked at the floor.

“But,” he went on, gently tugging her hand to get her attention, “I think we would have ended up where we are right now no matter what. Why? Because this is good, Megan. Really good.”

She nodded but didn’t respond.

“I think we landed in this place together without talking about it, and that’s kind of what I was getting at. I’ll admit my presentation wasn’t the best, but that’s what I was trying to do. I want us to talk about this. Us. Where we’re going.”

“Oh.”

He couldn’t tell if that was a good ‘oh’ or a bad ‘oh.’ It was kind of neutral.

Honestly, he was kind of hoping she’d say something first. He felt like he was the one putting it all out there—his feelings—while she was merely listening and commenting. Right now, he still wasn’t confident about where they stood.

Which was what he said to her.

“Alex, this is the healthiest relationship I’ve ever been in,” she began. “I spent a lot of years feeling inferior and not having a good self-image because of things the men I’d dated had said to me or made me feel.”

This is brand-new information, he thought. “You never mentioned that to me,” he said softly, leading her back to the sofa to sit down.

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I guess I always had a bit of an inferiority complex because of my family. That part I told you. But…” She sighed. “It got worse for me after college. I dated this guy after I graduated, and we were together for a year. He used to tell me all the time how I needed to lose weight and that I looked frumpy and chubby, and…I don’t know. He got into my head. He was my first long-term relationship, and for some reason I accepted the things he said to me because I was afraid that if I broke up with him no one else would want me.”

With her hand still in his, he gently caressed her knuckles and wondered what he could possibly say that wouldn’t come off sounding trite.

“When I met you at the wedding, I was so out of my comfort zone. My mother talked me into buying that dress and those shoes, and…as much as I resented her for it at first, I also felt a little empowered by that outfit. And then to have someone like you find me attractive? That really boosted my confidence.”

He couldn’t help but smile at her words.

“That’s why I was so insecure when I moved here and we reconnected. I knew what you were remembering, and I knew I wasn’t that woman. Not really.”

“Megan, we’ve been over all of that. The woman you are right now is who I want. She’s the woman I’m drawn to.” He paused. “She’s the woman I’m falling for.”

Her big brown eyes went wide as she gasped at his words. “You’re…you’re…”

He nodded. “I think about us all the time. I wish things had been a little more conventional where we’re concerned, but…I kind of like that this is us too. We’re a little unconventional, but it works. And I want it to keep working. I don’t want you to be a temporary houseguest here. I want us to talk about life beyond Willow’s christening.”

“Oh, Alex—”

“I know it’s scary—you’re still finding your way with the job and Montgomerys, and I know how you like to have time to think things through, but…how am I supposed to know if you’re thinking about these things if we don’t talk about them?”

She laughed softly. “I think about it a lot too.”

Now it was his turn for his eyes to go wide. “Really?”

“Uh-huh. Actually, I think about it—us—all the time. I was afraid to jinx things by mentioning it. Everything has been going so well that I didn’t want to mess it up.”

“Baby, you never have to worry about that with me. I want us to talk—I want you to feel comfortable coming to me and talking about your fears and your hopes and…everything!” Relief washed over him as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

When she lifted her head a moment later, she smiled at him. “I really like when you do that.”

“Oh yeah?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Definitely.”

“Well, how do you like it when I offer to take you upstairs to our bedroom and make love to you in our bed?”

He hoped she caught on to the emphasis on the word our.

Her smile was slow and sweet. “I like it when you do that too. But you know what I like the most?”

He shook his head as he rubbed his thumb on her cheek.

“I really like it when we wake up in our bed all wrapped up in one another and make plans for how we’re going to spend the day together.” Then she gave him a shy smile. “And then we put those plans on hold to make love again.”

Alex carefully stood and pulled her to her feet. “Then brace yourself, because you are going to be one very happy woman starting right now.”