It Must Be Your Love (The Sullivans #11)(37)

“I love your story,” Tatiana said. “It’s so romantic.”

Ford was still digesting the knowledge that Ryan and Vicki had been apart three times longer than he and Mia had, and they’d managed to make it work, when the final two open seats were taken by another couple.

“Wow,” the woman said as she realized Ford was sitting there. “Hi.”

When Ford grinned back at her and said, “Hello,” the guy with her tugged on her long, sleek braid and quickly covered her mouth with his as if to remind her whom she belonged to. Their kiss was short, but hot, and when they finally came apart, she was both flushed and laughing.

“You’re such a Neanderthal,” she said in an affectionately irritated voice before turning back to Ford. “I’m Heather, and this is Zach.”

He shook their hands. “Ford. Nice to meet you both.”

Just as the first course was served, Mia finally took her seat beside him, a fresh glass of champagne in her hand as she shot Ian a clear warning glance. What, Ford wondered as he turned to smile at her, had she said to her brother to keep him from going for Ford’s jugular?

And was there any chance that the reason she wanted him in one piece was because she’d decided to give their relationship another go?

“Looks like Nicola and Marcus are playing matchmaker,” Zach commented as he looked at Ian and Tatiana and then Mia and Ford. “Wouldn’t it be something if it worked?”

Heather shoved a roll into his mouth. “Eat this so your mouth will be too full for you to say anything else that will make everyone uncomfortable.”

“Okay,” Zach said after he took a bite and shoved it into his cheek, “but once the meal’s over, you’re going to have to think of something else I can do with my mouth to keep me quiet.” Heather rolled her eyes, but by the way her cheeks flushed, Ford could see that she wasn’t at all averse to the suggestion.

“Actually,” Mia told the group, “Ford and I already know each other. He’s one of my clients.”

“Since when is he one of your clients?” Ian’s fork clanging hard on his plate punctuated his question.

“Since Friday.”

Ian turned his glare to Ford. “You’re going to buy a house in Seattle?”

Ford was six-two and worked out to stay in shape for his three-hour shows. Still, he figured Ian had to have a couple of inches and probably thirty pounds on him.

“I’m looking forward to moving out of hotels and into a house for once.”

“Anyway,” Mia said with another pointed glance at her brother as she speared a lettuce leaf with her fork, “I showed him a great piece of waterfront on Friday with an absolutely perfect house already built. It even has a tower room.”

“A real stone tower?” Vicki was clearly intrigued.

Mia looked so pretty when she smiled at the other woman without any of her guards up. “It’s really amazing,” she said, “but I have a few other properties to show him, too, so he can weigh all the options.”

He pushed his plate aside as he turned to her. Right now, he only had an appetite for one thing. For her. “You said it’s the kind of house and yard that a bunch of kids would be happy playing in, right?”

“Right.”

“Then I don’t need to weigh any other options.” Though they were surrounded by her family, right then it felt like they were the only two people at the table. “I’ve already made up my mind about exactly what I want.”

He could see from the look in her eyes that she knew he wasn’t just talking about the house, but the moment was ruined when a loud burst of laughter from the next table over sent her back into business-only mode.

“Are you saying you want to make an offer on Alana’s house?”

“Yes.”

She was already reaching for her phone when he put a hand over hers. “Monday is soon enough. Today I want you to enjoy being with your family.” The pulse at her wrist was racing by the time he reluctantly lifted his hand away and turned back to everyone at the table. “Where are you all from?”

“There are Sullivans here from San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Maine,” Ryan replied. “We all get together periodically for family reunions and, of course, weddings.”

“Got any good stories?”

“Where do you want me to start?” Zach said with a laugh. He nodded toward Mia. “Especially with Ms. Wild Child over here.”

Mia raised an eyebrow in Zach’s direction. “Just remember I’ve got a few stories of my own about you, Speed Racer.”

“I’m just saying it’d be pretty hard to forget that night at the lake when you were only six years old and didn’t tell anyone where you were going.” To Ford, he said, “She hid out in the woods for hours just so she could scare the hell out of us guys when we hiked past. I thought Uncle Max and Aunt Claudia were going to lose it when we brought her back home wearing a big smile on her sneaky little face.” But it was clear that Zach was totally impressed with her even before he added, “To my fearless and determined cousin.”

And as everyone at the table raised their glasses in a toast to Mia, Ford finally got some insight into a family who were always there for each other, no matter what. Because even now, when Ian and Mia were clearly at odds, Ford could see that it didn’t diminish their bond in the least.