Free That Dog Won't Hunt (Dearing Family Series) by Brandilyn Collins Page A

And gut instincts.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    Don arched his back. “Jake’s right, it’s not easy walkin’ into this family. Y’all are tigher ‘n’ ticks on a dog leg, even if you don’t act like it sometimes. I sure felt the once-over when I first got here.”
    Ruth dropped her hands on the table. “Don, I liked you the minute I saw you.”
    “What, you didn’t like me?” Jake looked shocked.
    “I didn’t mean—”
    “Mama Ruth,” Tamel said, “ you don’t give anybody the once-over. You love everybody from the moment you see ’em.”
    “That’s the truth.” Sy gave a decisive nod.
    “Aw, Tamel.” Ruth shot him a silent thank-you. That was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to her.
    “I agree, best mama in the world.” Jess smiled at Ruth, then smacked her palms together. “Now that’s agreed on, let’s get back to solvin’ Ben’s problems.”
    Maddy made a sound in her throat. “They’ll solve ’em themselves, Jess.”
    “I’m not so sure. My guess is, Ben realizes durin’ this reunion she’s not the one for him.”
    Ruth shot her daughter a firm look. “Don’t you dare go about tryin’ to make that happen.”
    Jess pressed a hand to her chest— me?
    “Yeah, Jessica.” Sarah tapped a fingernail against her plate. “We already had this conversation.”
    Jess rolled her eyes. “I’m just sayin’. That girl has too much baggage.”
    “How do you know?” Don cleaned the last lick of pie off his plate.
    “I just do.”
    Ruth and Sy exchanged a glance. “Listen now, all of you.” Ruth’s gaze went around the table. “Ben loves Christina. I’ve never seen him so happy. And we’re goin’ to do everything we can to help her into this family.” Ruth leveled a look at Jess. “Right?”
    “Sure.” Jess waved a hand. “It’s not that we’re not tryin’. It’s just that—I’m not sure she’s gettin’ it.”
    That comment spread a blanket of silence over the table. As she often did, Jess had hit the nail on the head. Ruth could only pray whatever the issues were, Ben and Christina would be able to overcome them.
    By the time the couple returned, it was almost eight o’clock. Ruth and her three daughters were deep into dishes in the kitchen. Sy, Don, Jake, and Tamel sat in the adjoining den, talking all things male. Penny lay on Sy’s lap. At the sound of the front door opening, Ruth’s head jerked up. Seconds later the door closed.
    Maddy eyed her. “Mom, stop worryin’ now. You were the one who said everything would be fine.”
    Well. Those hadn’t been her words exactly. “I know, I know.”
    Ben walked into the den, Christina right behind. The men stopped their conversation and greeted them both. Ruth gazed at her son’s face. The expression she saw mixed relief, resolve, and more than a little anxiety.
    “Hi, Ben.” Ruth called. “Christina, we left your dessert on the table for you.”
    “Oh.” She hesitated. “Thanks.”
    “Do you still want it? Or are you too full?”
    Ben turned to watch her answer.
    “I …” She glanced at Ben. “I’m kind of full now. Maybe later?”
    “Sure.”
    Ben smiled and rubbed her shoulder.
    “Your latte’s still here too.” Sarah pointed to the mug on the counter. “Little Brother rushed you off before you could even finish.”
    “Oh.”
    “Want me to nuke it for you?”
    “Yes. I’d love to finish it.” Christina shot Ruth a look, as if worried she’d offended her by accepting the latte and not the pie. Ruth gave her an animated shrug.
    Just as Christina finished her latte, Lacey bounded out of the play room and grabbed her hand. “Come back and color with me.”
    Christina looked to Ben. He waved her on. “Lacey, don’t wear her out, now.”
    The little girl giggled, as if that was an outrageous thought.
    Ruth settled with the rest of the family in the den, talking and watching TV. Occasionally shrieks of laughter would filter from the play room. Twice Ben went to check on his fiancée. He