Evan

“Nice turnout,” Harden murmured dryly. “Your mother outdid herself.”

“Indeed she did,” Anna said, grinning. “Do I get introduced? I’ve seen Miranda, but I’ve never actually gotten to meet her.”

“Miranda, this is Anna Cochran,” Harden obliged. “You met Polly at the Chamber of Commerce banquet a few days ago. Polly sold the property for the new mall and helped coax in some new businesses.”

“I’m very glad to meet you,” Miranda said, smiling back, her silvery eyes almost the color of Anna’s dress. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Anna sighed. “About my relentless pursuit of Evan, I guess,” she murmured ruefully. “It’s a hopeless cause, but I can’t seem to get out of the habit. One day he’ll marry somebody and I can give up with good grace.”

“That doesn’t seem likely,” Harden replied on a sigh. “Evan is sure he’s doomed to perpetual bachelorhood. He’s forever moaning that women won’t give him the time of day.”

“His excuse used to be that they trampled him trying to get to Harden.” Miranda laughed, swinging her long, dark hair. “Nowadays, he’s convinced that he’s too old to appeal to anyone.”

“Thirty-four and ready for ‘the home,’” Harden agreed. He shook his head. “Save him, Anna.”

“I’m trying,” she laughed. “But he won’t let me put away my baby dolls and my play tea set. He thinks I’m a mere child.”

“He wouldn’t if he saw you in that dress,” Miranda said with a conspiratory smile. “You look very elegant.”

“At least Randall noticed,” Anna grimaced. “Want to meet him?”

She turned to drag Randall over by one arm while he nibbled on chicken wings. “This is Randall Wayne,” she told them. “He’s a medical student.”

“I’m a resident, thank you very much,” Randall said, glowering at her. “Only a short leap from my own practice, when I finish my residency next year,” he added, grinning at them. “Remember me if you break anything.”

“I’ll do that,” Harden promised.

“Oh, Randall.” Anna sighed. “You’re hopeless.”

“Patients are scarce for young doctors,” he reminded her. “Can’t blame a man for trying to drum up business in advance.”

“Certainly not,” Miranda said laughing.

Anna didn’t want to ask, but she couldn’t quite help it. “I don’t suppose any of the rest of the family came with you?” she asked.

“Just Evan,” Harden murmured reluctantly, watching the way her eyes brightened. “He’s parking the car.” He didn’t want to tell her the rest. Anna’s helpless attraction to Evan was so obvious that he was already hurting for her.

“He may be out there all night,” Randall pointed out. “It took me thirty minutes to find someplace to leave my car.”

“Evan’s resourceful,” Harden said. He glanced regretfully at Anna. She was going to need time to steel herself before Evan came in. He owed her that. “And Nina’s with him. She’s a whiz at finding the impossible.”

Chapter 2

Anna didn’t know how she managed to respond to that casual comment, but she saved her pride with a smile and an offhand remark. Evan had made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want her adulation, now he was pushing the knife home. He’d brought Nina, whom everyone knew was his old flame. The woman was now a successful fashion model in Houston, and she was visiting locally. Probably she was doing her best to rekindle those embers. If Evan had brought her to Polly’s party, he had to be encouraging her.

“My brother is an idiot,” Harden told Miranda as they moved away, his blue eyes glittering. “My God, did you see what it did to her? Evan thinks she’s a child, but the kind of hurt I saw in her face isn’t juvenile.”

“Doesn’t he feel anything at all for her?” Miranda asked.

“I don’t know. If he does, he’s buried it. He’s stubborn, and he can be cruel when he’s pushed. Anna’s made a game of it, playing at flirting and teasing. He thinks that’s all there is to it. He doesn’t think she’s serious.”

“But she is.”

He nodded. “I’m sure of it. It’s a camouflage. After all, the safest way to hide your feelings is to exaggerate them. Poor little thing. Randall isn’t a patch on Evan, but she’ll wind up marrying him out of unrequited love for my brother.”

“Such a waste.” Miranda sighed.

He pulled her closer. “Indeed, it is. Thank God we’re past all that uncertainty.”

She smiled, lifting radiant eyes to his. “I love you.”

His blue eyes kindled. He bent and kissed her softly. “I can send that back, multiplied.”

“Yes,” she whispered, pressing close. “I know. We have so much, Harden.”

His lean hand lightly touched the soft swell of her belly and his eyes blazed into hers. “More than I ever dreamed,” he whispered. “Did I ever tell you that you’re my life?”

Miranda was too choked with emotion to even answer. She pressed close against his side while his lips brushed her forehead with exquisite tenderness.

Anna, watching them covertly, wanted to cry. What they felt for each other was almost tangible. She’d never known that kind of intimate caring. She probably never would. Randall’s idea of romance was a few kisses punctuated with groping. He might make an excellent doctor, but he had a long way to go as even a lukewarm lover. And he wasn’t, could never be, Evan.

She sipped her punch while Randall spoke to someone he knew from the hospital. She wouldn’t look at the door, she absolutely wouldn’t. She wasn’t going to give Evan the satisfaction of knowing that he was killing her with his indifference.

“Finally, something to drink!” came a husky, purring voice from behind her. “Hello, Anna!” Nina Ray said, smiling faintly. “I hope that punch is spiked. I really need a drink. Evan had to park almost in the pond! My feet are killing me from so much walking.”

“That’s nothing unusual is it, for a model?” Evan taunted.

Anna couldn’t meet his eyes. She glanced at his white shirt and black tie and dinner jacket and averted her gaze to gorgeously dark Nina in a white and black gown that put everyone else’s dresses to shame.

“You look great,” Anna said sincerely. “I see you all the time in fashion magazines. For a small-town girl, you sure hit it big.”

“I had a lot of help, lovey,” Nina mused. She glanced up at Evan with a self-confident sexiness that made Anna grind her teeth in frustration. She’d never learn how to do that.

“Where’s Polly?” Evan asked as he filled punch cups for Nina and then himself.

“Circulating,” Anna said, smiling. “She’s very much the lady of the hour.”

“She deserves it,” Evan replied. “That mall will bring in a lot of new businesses, and plenty of revenue.”

“Everything helps to swell the tax base,” Randall remarked, joining them. He smiled at Nina. “You look lovely!” he enthused, and Anna could have hit him. He hadn’t been half that vocal about her own appearance.

“Thank you. And who’s this?” Nina asked, her dark eyes flirting with Randall.

“Randall Wayne,” he said, taking her slender hand in his. He actually kissed the knuckles, just above the red-painted nails. “Nice to meet you, Miss Ray.”

Nina beamed. “You know who I am?”

“Everyone does. Your face is unmistakable. I see it on magazine covers all the time.”