Free Suddenly Texan by Victoria Chancellor Page A

teacher. Cal and Christie were lucky…or else they were just excellent planners and had enough money to do whatever needed to be done.
    Maybe inheriting money from their mother’s formercustomer wouldn’t be a big deal for Cal. He might have everything he wanted already.
    â€œOh, and Cassie McMann might be there. She’s Toni’s assistant at the office. She used to work for Wyatt, and is Darla’s roommate. I’m not sure, though.”
    â€œIs she married?”
    â€œNo.” He frowned. “Why do you keep asking if people are married?”
    She shrugged. “Just trying to learn who everyone is.” And figure out why Leo found it necessary to ask a newcomer to his friend’s birthday dinner when there were already two single women who might be going. Maybe he wanted a buffer. Maybe he didn’t find them attractive or personable. Whatever his reasons were, she wouldn’t have enough time to discover them, which was a shame. She really liked getting to know people, even the ones she met through her online business or at garage sales and thrift stores.
    And tonight, she was going to meet her brother. She picked up her purse. “I’m ready.” Or as ready as she was ever going to be.
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    L EO LOOKED AROUND THE semi-enclosed dining area at Dewey’s, Amanda at his side. The tables had been arranged in a long row and it looked as if Cal and Christie had brought the kids, because a group was huddled at one end, where a bunch of baby gear littered the floor and table. He wasn’t sure why anyone needed all that stuff for two small children, but they seemed to be prepared for anything. Since he didn’t have kids of his own and his sister hadn’t produced any offspring yet, he was fairly ignorant of what it took to look after babies.
    He’d like to keep it that way for a few more years,but eventually, he hoped to become a father. His parents were still young enough to enjoy having several grandkids and Toni would make a wonderful aunt. Brody’s Crossing also had that feeling of extended family. Yes, this would be a good place to raise children, but not yet.
    First, he had to decide that he’d absolutely satisfied his wanderlust. Second, he had to find someone to marry who didn’t appeal to him more as a friend than a lover.
    At the moment, there was only one woman who intrigued him, and she claimed she was leaving town in a few days. Why, he didn’t know, just like he wasn’t sure of the real reason she was here.
    â€œHey, sis,” he said, spotting Toni as she lifted little Callie from her baby seat.
    â€œLook,” Toni said, walking over with the baby. “She just woke up. Isn’t she adorable?”
    He peered at the rosy-cheeked baby with the downy hair peeking out from a little flowered cap. “She sure is.” But then, most babies looked alike, didn’t they?
    Was that what Amanda’s baby would look like? The thought made him turn his head and stare at her. What was she thinking as she gazed in awe at the little Crawford?
    â€œShe’s so precious,” Amanda said, touching the baby’s little fingers.
    Christie walked up. “You say that now, but she can have a real temper. Hopefully this isn’t the calm before the storm. She’s teething, so we never know.”
    â€œOh, I don’t care,” Toni said. “Wyatt, I think I want one of these. Could we arrange that?”
    â€œI’ll do my part, babe,” he said, giving Toni a kiss on her temple.
    â€œTMI for the brother,” Leo said, not wanting to imagine his sister and Mr. Right making a baby together.
    â€œWe’ll spare you the details,” Toni said with a laugh.
    He turned to Amanda, who seemed reluctant to look away from the baby. Did she want one of those also? Or maybe all women just acted a little goofy around babies.
    Well, not all of them, he thought, adjusting the heavy ring on his right hand.