Delinquent Daddy (24 page)

"Boston! Baby, what took you so long to get here?"

He paused and sent the woman a hot, flirtatious grin.

"Miss me?"

The blonde fluttered her lashes and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Always," she answered and gave him a long, yet closed-mouth kiss as she leaned into him.

Ellie couldn't help but arch an eyebrow as she watched.

Boston pulled away and grinned at the woman, pressing his forehead to hers and murmuring a quiet greeting. And even as the envy and irrational jealousy zipped through her bloodstream, Ellie felt someone sidle up beside her. When a male arm looped companionably around her shoulder, she jumped and turned.

The dancing green eyes she found twinkling her way surprised her almost as much as the wide, welcoming smile.

"Hey there, Ellie," Cameron Banks greeted. "I didn't know Bos 222

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

was bringing you along. But thank God you're here. Because I really need some help keeping this guy in line." He finally glanced toward Boston then, his eyes narrowing as he sighed in disappointment.

"You know," he said conversationally, tilting his head toward hers as they studied Boston and the blonde together.

"The jerk saves my life
once
, and now he thinks he can maul my wife all the freaking time."

Letting go of Ellie, the green-eyed man stepped forward, snagged the hand of the blonde hanging all over Boston, and yanked her to his side. Baring his teeth at Boston, he put his arm around the woman's shoulder and firmly stated, "Mine."

Boston only laughed. Ellie's stomach churched. Here was a playful side of him she hadn't seen in over ten years. It reminded her that there'd been a reason why she'd fallen for him so hard.

"You know," Boston told Cameron, "maybe if you'd quit acting so possessive of her, I'd quit—"

The other man snorted and muttered, "As if." Then he turned his wife toward Ellie. "Honey," he told the woman.

"Look who it is."

The blonde smiled in polite greeting and held out a hand.

"Hello. Are you— Oh my God!" she said and yanked her hand away as she gaped with widening blue eyes. "You're Cassie's mom. I remember you from Chuck E. Cheese's."

Ellie offered the woman a tense smile. But before she could think up a response, the blonde opened her arms and launched herself at Ellie, pulling her into a huge encompassing hug.

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"This is so utterly amazing," Cameron's wife went on. "I've been dying to meet you.
Oh!
I'm Olivia, by the way. Cam's wife," she added, vaguely motioning to the green-eyed man beside her.

Ellie nodded mutely.

"I just can't believe I'm finally meeting you," Olivia went on. "Cassie is an absolute doll. I really only got to talk to her a few minutes, but that's all I needed. I just love her to pieces. Meeting her made me want to have Cam knock me up."

"Uh...thank you," Ellie managed to say. Her eyes unconsciously moved toward Boston. He quirked her an I-told-you-so sneer and then grinned, flashing a dazzling smile.

Ellie flushed.

"You know, as soon as I met Cassidy," Olivia was saying,

"I said to myself, that girl has to have one amazing mother. I mean, I knew right then and there you couldn't be a bitch or anything. There's no way you could raise such a sweet girl and be anything but amazing. And just look at you!" she said with pride. "You're so beautiful and wholesome. I've always wanted to know what one of Boston's women would be like.

But Mr. Private here never lets us meet any of them. So, naturally I've always been curious to know—"

"Okay, enough!" Boston broke in, manually pulling Olivia away from Ellie and nudging her Cameron's way. "Give her some space, will you?"

Olivia sent him an irritated look and moved back toward Ellie, hooking their arms together. "El doesn't mind if I talk to her. Do you?"

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"Uh—" Ellie started, sending Boston a panicked look as she was swept into another room.

"I had no idea he could be so overprotective," Olivia murmured as she dragged Ellie along. "What does he think I was going to do to you? Geez."

Ellie figured that was a rhetorical question, so she didn't answer.

"Well, here's a new face," a dark-haired woman said, stepping into their path. Ellie stumbled slightly at the sight of the stunning brunette.

"This is Helena," Olivia informed her. "She's Boston's older sister."

"Yep, I'm the boss," Helena agreed, snagging Ellie's hand in a friendly fashion.

"And this is Ellie," Olivia told the brunette. "Cassie's mom.

You didn't get to see her the other week at Chuck E.

Cheese's. You were off somewhere with Gabriel when she came in."

Helena's eyes widened. "Yes, I was," she murmured and tightened her grip on Ellie's finger. "I was taking my son to the bathroom when you made your appearance. And I was so disappointed I didn't get a peek. But, now, this
is
a treat,"

she murmured, taking in Ellie's entire form. "Cassidy's mother. She looks like you, you know."

"Thank you," Ellie rasped out.

"You're welcome." Boston's sister grinned and tugged her from Olivia's grip. "Welcome to the family," she added, throwing her arm around Ellie's shoulder. "Let me introduce you around."

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Ushering Ellie through a doorway, Helena kept talking as she walked them down a short hall and into the next room.

Ellie pulled to a stop when she saw all the people. Her eyes went wide at the sight of so many. But Helena just tugged her along.

"Hey, everyone!" she yelled over the noise of a dozen different conversations. "This is Cassie's mom!"

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Chapter Fourteen

Talk about a conversation stopper.

Ellie wanted to crawl through the floor.

When the room fell quiet, she feared the silence would deafen her. It was a complete one eighty from the loud voices and laughter that had been echoing through the house five seconds earlier.

"These are Cam's parents," Helena said, dragging Ellie along, either ignoring or not even aware of all the people who had stopped talking to gape.

"Chuck and Allison Banks," Helena continued.

Ellie turned form the curious eyes and focused on the couple before her. They looked about as startled as she felt for being singled out in the crowd.

"Er...it's nice to meet you," Allison said, holding out her hand as well as a pitying smile, like she knew exactly how absolutely flustered Ellie was. "Cassie looks just like you."

"Thank you." The two women shook, and Ellie actually felt comforted by the dry, warm fingers that took hers.

"I didn't catch your name," Chuck said, holding out his hand next.

"Ellie," she said. "Elora Trenton."

His gaze sparked with recognition. "Any relation to the Trentons in Olathe? Brad and Glenna?"

"Ah...no. Sorry. Cassie's my only family here in Kansas.

I'm originally from Tennessee, and any Trenton I was related to died years ago."

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Chuck stared at her with an almost comical look of horror.

"I'm sorry," he said instantly. "I didn't mean to—"

Ellie smiled. "It's fine," she said, waving aside his apology.

"There's no reason to apologize."

It stunned her that Boston's family seemed more concerned with not insulting her than trying to snub her. And here she'd been expecting the cold shoulder as well as the third degree.

"Don't mind my husband," Allison stepped in, apologizing as well. She set a hand on Chuck's arm. "He thinks he should know everyone, or at least everyone's family."

After that, the introductions were a blur. But Helena seemed determined to personally introduce Ellie to every single person present.

When they turned toward Shannon March, Ellie was relieved to see a face she knew she'd remember. Shannon was famous, her features spread across magazine covers nationwide. But when she sent Ellie a shy smile, she certainly didn't act like a star.

"I'm Shannon," she said quietly. "Monty's wife."

Ellie wanted to say, "Well, duh. Of course you're Shannon."

But she was too bowled over to speak. Shannon March was talking to her, and giving her a wide-eyed stare as if Ellie were the famous one.

"I was so worried when he first got that letter," she confessed to Ellie with a relieved laugh. "Then when he remembered he had actually had a class with you, I totally freaked out. But this worked out nicely. It's so good to meet you, Ellie."

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They were still holding hands and grinning at each other when an authoritative female voice called, "Out of my way. I want to officially meet Cassidy's mother."

The crowd parted immediately for two people: a man who looked just like Boston, but maybe thirty years older, and a woman who was so familiar, Ellie held her breath.

She remembered Boston's mother vividly from Chuck E.

Cheese's.

Oh, good Lord, Boston's parents.

Ellie's skin tingled with apprehension as her gaze unwillingly latched onto the woman who stopped before her.

"These are my parents," Boston introduced from beside her.

Ellie jumped, not aware he'd been anywhere in the vicinity.

She hadn't even known he'd followed her from the kitchen.

"Diane, my mother. And Lincoln, my father."

Ellie prayed she didn't faint.

"So, now we finally get a formal introduction?" Diane murmured, her eyes glittering with humor. Then she reached for both of Ellie's hands. "You will not believe how upset I was, thinking none of my boys had given me any grandchildren yet," Diane said, casting an arch look toward her two sons. "I've been on both their cases for years about it. Their sisters were kind enough to obey. But not these two."

Then she grinned, glancing out a window that showed where all the youngsters were still playing.

"Cassie's a complete angel," Diane murmured with adoration thick in her voice. She turned back. "Thank you.

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Thank you so much." Then, to Ellie's utter shock, the woman hugged her.

Lincoln Kincaid seemed equally pleased to meet her. "It's an honor to officially meet you, Ellie," he said, looking like the patriarch he was. He had pitch-black hair and tanned skin.

There was just something about him that screamed money and power. But he certainly didn't act like any famous, retired astronaut she'd seen on television. As soon as Diane stopped hugging her, he stepped forward for his turn. Enveloped in another hug, Ellie had to bite back the urge to cry.

Why in God's name were they hugging her like she was a long-lost daughter? She wasn't with Boston anymore. In fact, she'd lied to him and kept his child from him. By rights, these people should hate her.

Not hug her.

As if sensing her slipping control, Boston put a hand on her back. His solid, protective presence, however, only made everything that much harder to handle.

"Is it time to eat yet?" he asked loudly to the room in general. "I'm starving."

His question turned out to be the tension-breaker Ellie needed. Within minutes, people had stepped away from her and given her the space she'd been craving. Food was serious business in this family, she soon learned. The room shifted toward the two long tables that were set out and piled with tasty delights, from turkey to ham, stuffing, vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy, and so much more. Then to add to that, there was a smaller table set up to the side holding desserts.

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Ellie glanced around for Cassidy, but when she spotted her daughter, the girl was ensconced by other children her age and didn't look to want or need Ellie around. To her relief, Helena once again appeared at her side and hooked their arms together, escorting her into line behind the others.

Helena chatted about motherhood until it was their turn at the three-table buffet, where they dished up their meal.

"Let's go sit over by Cheyenne," Helena said, leading the way. "You remember being introduced to Cheyenne, right?"

"Ah..."
No
.

But that question had obviously been rhetorical too. Ellie meekly followed Boston's sister and eased into a seat next to Helena, who sat across from Cheyenne.

"Try the cheesy hash browns." Cheyenne moaned as she broke a roll in half and coated it with butter. "They're divine."

"Already on it," Helena answered, picking up a fork and diving in.

For a moment, Ellie could only watch the two women tuck into their meals like a pair of hearty athletes. Boston's family was so different from what she'd expected. They were so...normal.

Hesitating briefly, she tasted a small mouthful of the potatoes Cheyenne had recommended. As the flavor melted against her tongue, she almost moaned in delight. Within seconds, she was diving in as energetically as Helena and Cheyenne.

"Beware of the yams," Cameron advised as he plopped a plate down at the end of the table and seated himself. "Livy made them."

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"Hey," his wife snapped, slipping into the seat adjacent his. "I think they turned out great."

There was only one other chair left at their table, directly next to her, and Ellie had a sinking sensation she knew exactly who was going to fill it.

"Yeah, but great in your cooking world is when you manage not to burn a Caesar salad," Cameron told Olivia with an ornery grin.

"Oh, that's it," Olivia snapped, reaching for his plate. "You can't have any of my yams."

"Hey, woman," he yelped, blocking his plate with his forearm. "Keep your hands off my food."