Page 122 of First Bride to Fall
“Is something going on, girls?” Their mom glanced around the room as Charlotte and Misty pushed two tables together. It was early still, with first sunlight streaming into the room. She smiled. “Something interesting?” She clearly was expecting happy news, and Nell hated breaking her heart. But maybe she’d be happy about Aidan, too? That marriage would benefit all of them.
“What is it, loves?” their dad asked, but his eyes were on Nell. They held that knowing twinkle, and Nell wanted to sink through the floor, because whatever he thought he knew was so, so wrong. He unwrapped his thick scarf—one of the many that Nell had knitted him—and sat at one of the tables when Misty pulled back a chair. Charlotte scooted another one back for their mom, and the five of them sat.
Nell twirled a lock of her hair around her finger, unsure of how to begin, so Charlotte started for her. “This is about Aidan.”
“Aidan?” Their mom blinked.
“You mean this isn’t about Grant?” their dad asked, flummoxed.
Lucas entered through the kitchen, then stopped. The look on his face said he guessed he was interrupting a family meeting. “Oh, sorry.” He started to back away, but Nell patted the table.
“No, Lucas,” she said. “Come sit.” He was so much a part of their group, he deserved to be in on this, too. Lucas cautiously crossed the room and came and sat beside Misty.
“What’s going on?” He frowned. “Nobody’s sick?”
Charlotte smiled to reassure him. “It’s nothing like that.”
Misty jutted her chin toward her oldest sister. “This is about Nell.”
Lucas exhaled. “Oh. About you and Grant. Yeah! Congrat—”
Nell held up her hands. “Sorry, no. That’s not happening.”
Her parents’ faces fell. “I’m afraid we don’t understand,” her mom said. “Your dad and I heard. And we’re so happ—”
Nell frowned. “I’m afraid that was wrong.”
Her dad sank back in his chair. “But I saw him. With my own eyes. Now there was a young man in love.”
“Your dad can spot them,” their mom said. “From a million miles.”
Lucas squirmed in his seat, and Nell found herself wondering about something. His gaze was on Misty. Wait. The gray-eyed hottie couldn’t possibly be crushing on her baby sister? She studied Misty’s stance, but Misty was intent on their parents and the situation at hand. So maybe this attraction was one-sided. All in Lucas’s head, and maybe in his heart?
He cleared his throat and asked, “So what’s going on, then?”
Nell opened her mouth to speak, but not much came out. “I…I’m…”
“Nell’s going to marry Aidan Strong,” Misty supplied. She grinned broadly, trying to put a positive spin on it.
“Aidan?” The color drained from their mom’s face.
Their dad steadied her arm, then stared at his daughters. “Wait. One. Minute.”
“Dad—” Nell cut in. “Iwantto do this.”
His blue eyes glimmered sadly. “My Nelly, no.”
“When did this come about?” their mom asked.
The three girls hung their heads.
“We kind of made a bet,” Nell murmured.
“What?” their dad said. “We couldn’t hear you.”
“A bet, Dad,” Charlotte told him. “A wager.”
“Yeah,” Misty said. “About one of us marrying Aidan Strong.”
