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to help out with him.”
    “You’re going to be a wonderful father someday,” Betsy said.
    The comment, which he knew Betsy meant as a compliment, hit him like a spike to the heart. He should’ve had kids of his own by now and would have if his wife hadn’t lied to him about everything. They’d wanted to be young parents so they could enjoy raising their kids and then fully enjoy the years they’d have to themselves afterward.
    But none of that had happened, and now, as he approached his thirtieth birthday, it seemed like it never would. Fortunately, Laura and Owen’s arrival saved Shane from having to reply to Betsy’s well-meaning statement.
    Holden let out a shriek at the sight of his mother, who lit up with joy as she scooped her son out of his grandfather’s arms and swung him around.
    “There’s my big boy! How was your night with Uncle Shane?” She rained kisses down on the baby’s face, making him chortle with baby laughter. “Did you keep him up all night?”
    Shane smiled at his sister. “Um, no, not exactly…”
    “If you tell me he slept through the night, I’ll… I don’t know what I’ll do, but it won’t be pretty.”
    “All right then, I won’t tell you that.”
    “Are you kidding me?” She stared into Holden’s big brown eyes. “Are you kidding me?”
    “Are we kidding her, buddy?” Shane asked his nephew, who replied with a big gummy grin. “He got a little wasted on champagne at the wedding. That might explain it.”
    “Explain what?” Owen asked as he joined them, putting his arm around Laura and leaning in to kiss Holden.
    “How our son managed to sleep through the night, for the first time, when we were elsewhere.”
    “ What? ” Owen said. “No way.”
    “Way,” Shane said with a smile for his brother-in-law.
    “I say we go away more often,” Laura said to her husband.
    “You got that right.”
    “Without sharing details that’ll scar me for life,” Frank said, “did you have a nice evening?”
    “It was all right,” Laura said with a shrug. “Nothing special.”
    Owen poked her gently in the ribs, making her laugh. “Nothing special, my ass.”
    Frank put his hands over his ears. “Don’t say one more word, or I’ll have you arrested.”
    “She’s my wife.”
    Frank scowled at his new son-in-law. “She’s my little girl.”
    “He’s got you there, Owen,” Betsy said, patting Frank on the back.
    “Now, boys,” Laura said, “there’s plenty of me to go around.” She placed a hand over her growing baby bump. “And getting more plentiful all the time.”
    Adele touched a knife to a crystal goblet and summoned them all to brunch. The table had been set with the festive china that Shane recognized from a hutch in the hotel’s sitting room where he’d hung out with Laura, Owen, Holden, Sarah and Charlie on many a winter night.
    “I thought the whole crew was coming to brunch,” Frank said.
    “I bet they’re all hung over,” Owen replied with a droll smile. “Which is indication of a successful wedding.”
    “Indeed,” Laura said proudly.
    Shane found his name on a card next to a plate and took a seat as the others did the same. He glanced at the plate to his right and saw Katie’s name on the card. He hoped it wouldn’t be awkward to sit her after he’d asked her out and been turned down.
    She took her seat a minute later and offered him a shy smile. “We meet again.”
    “So it seems. I’m Shane. Laura’s brother.” He extended his hand, hoping she’d get that he was going for a clean slate.
    Eyeing him curiously, she shook his hand. “Katie. Owen’s sister.”
    “Nice to meet you, Katie.”
    “You, too.” She laughed at the little game they were playing, as if the uncomfortable exchange on the beach had never happened.
    Julia sat across from them with their brothers Jeff, the youngest of the seven Lawrys, and Josh as well as their sister Cindy. If Katie was quiet and somewhat reserved, Julia was bubbly and chatty. The