Darcy smiled. “So I’ve heard.”

Madeline opened the door to a stall, pulled off a handful of toilet paper, and handed it to Darcy.

“Thank you.”

Madeline rested against the sink counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “So, about you and Ed…”

Darcy felt the heat rise in her cheeks. Here it came. The I don’t think you’re good enough for my son talk. She braced herself.

“He tells me he’s in love with you.”

Darcy nearly choked on a sob. “He said that to you?”

“My children and I are very close.”

Darcy knew that. She wasn’t sure how to answer so she only nodded.

Madeline smiled. “I think Christian is disappointed, but only because he likes to give his brother a run for his money.”

That made Darcy laugh through her tears.

Madeline reached for her and rested her hands on Darcy’s arms. “Ed isn’t one to tell me he loves someone when he doesn’t. When he knows what he wants, he goes after it, and he usually gets what he wants.”

That sounded about right.

Madeline pulled Darcy to her and wrapped her in the comfort of her motherly embrace. “I’d be thrilled to have you as part of my family.”

Oh, God! The tears threatened again.

Madeline pulled back. “So, everything is okay?”

Darcy sucked back the last of her tears. “Everything is perfect.”

Darcy walked back to her seat with Madeline, who had wrapped her arm around her shoulders as they approached the table.

Clara and Randy’s voices echoed over the crowd. They had great sound and that pride she’d seen on the faces of Clara’s family vibrated in Darcy’s chest.

Ed stood as they headed back to him, and Madeline gave her shoulders a squeeze and then walked back toward Carlos.

“Everything okay? I didn’t mean to send my mother in after you. She just…”

Darcy flung her arms around his neck and shut him up with a kiss. She was quickly learning it was very effective.

Ed looked over his shoulder at his extended family, who all turned their heads as if they hadn’t been watching.

“You have a wonderful mother,” Darcy said.

“I always thought so.”

“Thank you for letting me have a moment with her. Now,” she looked out at the dance floor, “you still owe me a dance.”

Ed wasn’t sure what his mother had said to Darcy, but he’d never seen such happiness in her eyes. This, most certainly, was the woman of his dreams, and he had every intention of keeping her.

With his sister’s voice in his ears and the woman of his dreams in his arms, Ed gave some thought to something his brother had shared with him. Her birthday was only a few weeks away. Christian had made sure to mention it. He supposed stranger things had happened in the world than for a man to decide that, after only a few short weeks, he had found the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Curtis and Simone, after all, didn’t get married until Avery was old enough to walk down the aisle herself. In fact, they’d gotten pregnant before they even fell in love.

His parents loved each other so much that divorce and marriage to others couldn’t keep them apart.

Then there was the strange coincidence of his meeting Darcy in much the same way that his aunt and uncle met. Love happened when it was right, not when the people involved were ready.

Well, he was ready. The plan was in his head. This woman was going to be his—forever. And he’d ask her to make that her plan, too, on her birthday. Yes, he’d bring this family together again to celebrate the day she was born, and he’d ask her to be his wife. Nothing would make him happier, and nothing could possibly ruin such a wonderful plan.

Chapter Fifteen

Something had changed that night when Darcy danced with Ed to his sister’s music. He’d taken her home with him, and she’d slept in his arms, just as they had in Saint Louis. The best part about this wonderful love affair they were having—it was actually love.

Sex hadn’t woven its way in and ruined what was absolutely a wonderful connection. Though, even Darcy wondered if he’d ever make a move.

Their kisses had become more passionate. Their caresses more desperate. At some point, one of them was going to crack, but Eduardo Keller seemed to have a steel trap for a mind, and like his mother said, when he made his mind up about something that was how it was going to be.

Darcy couldn’t even begin to argue that. What kind of man made the choice to wait to make love to the woman he professed to love? A man like Ed Keller, that’s who.

Darcy sat at her desk and looked over his schedule. He’d be traveling soon, and he’d be gone for a week. Then again for a few days. Of course, there was time marked on his schedule to be at the hospital with Christian for his routine surgery. She was sure someone could be with him, but if she knew the Keller family, and she was learning that she did know them already very well, they’d all be there.

The part that bothered her was that on her birthday he had marked an official meeting.

She hadn’t made any comment to him about her birthday coming up. In fact, other than mentioning the date to Christian in conjunction with his follow-up surgery appointment, she hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. But it would have been nice to spend the day with him.

“Darcy, can you come in here for a moment?” Ed’s voice came through the intercom on her phone.

She picked up her note pad and headed into the office.

“I need to plan a trip to Florida next week,” he said without looking up from his work.

“You’re marked out for your brother’s surgery.”

“I know, but he’ll have enough people there to take care of him. If I didn’t tell him, he probably wouldn’t know I wasn’t there.”

Darcy made the note on her pad. “Where exactly do I need to make your reservations for?”

“Miami.”

She nodded. Would it be too bold to ask if she could go with him, just to see her father? He was right outside Miami. It wouldn’t interfere with his business at all.

She took a breath to ask, but he interrupted her thoughts. “Mom knows I’m going, and she’s glad you’ll be around to help out Christian when he gets home.”

Darcy let her shoulders drop. That was what family was all about, and she’d been told by numerous people that she was, indeed, part of this family.