It Must Be Your Love (The Sullivans #11)(20)

“You made it!”

Her oldest brother was living in London running his investment business, and since his past few trips home had been canceled at the last minute, she’d begun to miss him terribly. Of course she loved her other brothers Adam, Rafe, and Dylan, but she’d always had a special relationship with Ian.

His arms were strong and steady around her as his hug lifted her off the ground. “I’ve missed you, little girl.”

He was the only one who could get away with calling her that. Well, there was the way her father called her Pumpkin. But that was it for nicknames that she would tolerate, and only because her father and brother were two of her all-time favorite people on the planet.

“I’ve missed you, too,” she said. “So much. Please tell me you’re going to move back to Seattle soon.”

Normally when she said that, he would shake his head as though there was no chance of his coming back to America. But this time he simply smiled and said, “I’ve got a few things to wrap up in London first.”

Joy shot through her as she immediately forgot her grumpy mood. But as she gave a happy shout while hugging him tight, absolutely thrilled at the thought of having her big brother nearby again, he said, “Don’t say anything to Mom and Dad about it yet. I’d hate for them to be disappointed if my plans change.”

She pulled back to poke him in the chest. “Well, you’d better not disappoint me, either.”

He kissed her on the forehead, then frowned as he finally got a look at the dark smudges beneath her eyes. “I hate not being close enough to watch over you. You’re tired. What’s going on?”

As close as she and Ian were, she couldn’t possibly tell him about Ford. Not if she wanted to keep her big brother out of jail, because he’d surely do terrible things to the rock star if he found out Ford had hurt her in any way.

Fortunately, right then a toddler shot out of the front door, with her mother laughing as she chased her. Mia bent down and scooped up Emma. “Hey cutie, where are you headed in such a hurry?”

Emma giggled at suddenly being weightless, then put her hands on either side of Mia’s cheeks and gave her a wet smooch. Oh, Mia thought as she snuggled the pretty little girl close, it’s going to be so wonderful to spend the weekend with my family. Especially when she’d arrived so off-kilter and now already felt a thousand times better.

Chloe’s face lit up when she saw Mia. “You’re here!” When they hugged, Chloe’s new baby bump pressed between them. “We were waiting to start the party until you arrived.”

Chloe had married Mia’s cousin Chase a couple of years ago, after the two of them had met at this very winery when Chloe had been on the run from her dangerous ex-husband. Chase had been there every step of the way to love her exactly the way she needed to be loved, and Chloe had fallen just as hard for him. Chase was a famous photographer, Chloe was a world-class quilter, and on top of that they were fantastic parents.

“Doesn’t look like Miss Emma was waiting,” Mia teased as she wound one of Emma’s curls around her little finger.

Ian also couldn’t resist stroking her soft hair. For as stern and intimidating as her nearly-a-billionaire brother could seem to strangers, Mia knew what a softie he was for little kids. Given that he’d been such a huge and influential part of his four younger siblings’ lives, she didn’t think it should be such a surprise to people. Being rich and powerful didn’t mean you had to be a total jerk.

Well, except in Ford’s case, where that was exactly what it meant.

When the toddler began to wriggle in Mia’s arms to get back down on the ground and resume her mad dash, Chloe quickly suggested, “Emma, do you want to be the one to officially bring Miss Mia inside so that we can start our girls’ party for Aunt Nicola?”

The little girl’s big eyes lit up. Standing on her own two feet again, she reached up with her little hand to take Mia’s. “Inside.” Her grin showed off her four perfect teeth. “Party!”

And as Mia let little Emma pull her down the path and into the front door with determined steps of her adorably chubby toddler’s legs, she knew everything was going to be okay after all.

Because with her family all around her, how could anything possibly go wrong this weekend?

Chapter Nine

Where most brides-to-be would likely want a really flashy bachelorette party, and despite the fact that Nicola was one of the world’s biggest pop stars and money and location were no object, Marcus’s fiancée clearly didn’t have any interest whatsoever in flashy or crazy. On the contrary, both Nicola and Marcus seemed to be of like mind that mellow was what was on the menu tonight.

Mia laughed when she found out that Marcus was having his “bachelor party” barbecue on the opposite side of his house. She couldn’t think of another couple who had set up their bachelorette and bachelor parties with all of the women on one side of the house and the men on the other. But given the way Nicola disappeared twice in the first thirty minutes, Mia suspected the setup was all about the fact that the bride and groom couldn’t stand to be apart from one another. Especially not on the eve of one of the most important days of their lives, when they were about to make vows of forever to one another.

Mia was sitting next to her cousin Sophie, who had another little Sullivan on her lap. Jackie wasn’t quite at the walking or talking stage, but she’d clearly already had quite a big day, because all she wanted to do was cuddle when Mia asked to hold her. Jackie’s twin brother was at the boys’ barbecue with his father, Jake.