stared at him. “He didn’t tell you?”
“I didn’t know it was official,” he bluffed.
“Hmm.”
“Well,” he said, attempting to move past her and go into the kitchen. “We have a lot of catching up to do. If you’ll excuse me....”
“Three cousins,” Winter repeated. “How old? Boys or girls?”
“Boys,” Aurora replied. “Younger than you.”
“Oh.” She didn’t bother to hide her disappointment.
“They’re not all that bad,” Aurora assured her. “And you’ll like your future aunt. Come on, then. I’ll help you find them.”
With that, they were ushered inside a large room set up like a dining hall. One part of the room held worn tables and benches, while the other was a large old-fashioned kitchen.
“I told you,” Winter muttered. “It’s like a hundred years ago.”
“How would you know?” He was curious; after all, she’d spent her life in Europe and he wouldn’t expect her to know a lot of American history.
“I’ve seen Westerns,” she told her father. “This is where the cowboys eat.”
“You’re right,” Aurora said. “This is the summer kitchen.”
The summer kitchen was filled with very busy women organizing platters of food. But in the middle of all the activity was a tall, dark-haired man who hurried through the crowd toward him.
Sam.
Jake swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. His little brother looked good. They shook hands and stood there for a moment, not sure what to do. Then they embraced. It could have been awkward, but it wasn’t. It was reassuring. Sam seemed glad to see him.
“What’s it been,” Jake’s younger brother asked, “ten years?”
“Something like that,” he replied. “I was performing in that show in Miami.”
“And I was coming back from Brazil.”
They grinned at each other.
“Ten years?” A petite black-haired woman hurried up to Sam’s side and smiled as she tucked her arm through his. “Shame on both of you!”
“I’d like you to meet my fiancée,” Sam announced. “Lucia Swallow.”
She released Sam and gave Jake a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I am, too,” he replied, and put his hand on Winter’s shoulder. “My daughter, Winter. Winter, meet your uncle Sam and...Ms. Swallow.”
“Aunt Lucia,” Lucia corrected, giving Winter a hug. “I’ve never had a niece before.”
Sam shook Winter’s hand and grinned. “And now I’m an uncle. I didn’t know that until a little while ago. I’m really glad to meet you.”
“Thank you. I’m a bit of a surprise,” she informed them. “Jake didn’t know about me, either.”
Sam looked at Jake, with an expression that said we have a lot to catch up on. Jake nodded. He saw Lucia glance at Aurora, who had watched the family reunion with undisguised curiosity.
“You need to meet my sons,” Lucia said to Winter. “They’re with my mother. They’ll be so excited to know they have a cousin.”
“Stepcousin,” Winter corrected her, the familiar serious expression on her face. “I’m only a stepcousin.”
“That’s good enough,” Aurora said, joining the conversation. “You’re still part of the family, aren’t you?”
Winter considered that. “I suppose that’s true.”
“You’re very fortunate,” Aurora continued. “I don’t even have stepcousins.”
“You don’t?”
The silver-haired woman shrugged. “Not a one. No uncles, aunts or anyone else.”
“Like me,” Winter said.
Aurora shook her head. “No, you’re in much better shape.”
Jake thought the whole conversation was strange, but his daughter gave Aurora a quick smile.
“Come with me,” Sam said. “We’re going to track down the kids for Aunt Lucia and introduce you.”
“I hear you’re getting married?” Jake said casually.
“Yeah.” Sam glanced at Lucia and smiled as they left the two women standing there. “She’s made me settle down.”
“That’s hard to believe.”
“It was time,” his brother declared, but he looked happy about it.
Jake wasn’t sure if settling down was anything to celebrate, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
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