Page 67 of Another June with You

“I just needed this.” She kissed her mother on the cheek.

“Who’s we?” Duncan stepped out of the kitchen behind Mama and spotted Jamie. Something about the way he looked at her seemed uncomfortable—almost awkward—which was the complete opposite of the way he normally looked at her. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Hello.” A tall, slender brunette came up behind Duncan and slid her arms around his waist, her hands covered in oven mitts.

His arms came to rest on hers.

Shannon left her mother’s embrace and turned in time to see Jamie’s expression change from sweet and happy to complete shock.

“Shannon, Jamie …” His voice stuck a bit on Jamie’s name. “This is Dréa.”

Dréa was gorgeous, and with her long, dark hair and deep, brown eyes, she already looked like a part of their family. Again, Shannon glanced at Jamie, who looked as if someone had slapped her across the face, and Duncan might as well have.

“Hi, I’m Duncan’s sister, Shannon.” She held her hand up in a little wave. “And this is my friend, Jamie.”

“The photographers, right?” Dréa asked.

“Right.”

“It’s nice to meet you both.” Her voice was smooth like silk. “Duncan’s told me so much about you.”

“Dréa,” Nana called from the kitchen. “Can you come help me?”

“Coming, Nana,” she replied and headed to the kitchen with Mama on her heels.

“Nana?” Jamie blurted.

Duncan’s eyes flitted from Jamie’s to Shannon’s and back and forth again. “I told you I brought a surprise.”

“That’s not the surprise I thought you were talking about. I thought you brought me a sweatshirt or a coffee mug or something.”

Duncan looked at Jamie then. “I’m sorry, Jame. I didn’t know you were coming. I just …”

Shannon had never seen her friend cry before, but Jamie looked darn close to bursting into tears at any moment.

Duncan awkwardly turned and walked back into the kitchen.

Jamie let out a breath she had obviously been holding. “I think I lost my appetite.”

“Come on, don’t let that bother you. It probably won’t last.”

Jamie raised an eyebrow at her. “How often has Duncan brought a girl home?”

She had a point. The answer was never. He’d dated casually for the most part, but hadn’t once brought someone to the house.

“Come on, girls,” Mama called. “Time to eat.”

When they walked into the dining room, it was empty.

“We’re eating outside today.”

Shannon could see through the dining room window that there were tables set up to make one long table in the backyard and several family members were out there. “Did I miss something? Is this a family reunion?”

Mama laughed. “We’re welcoming Duncan home.”

“He hasn’t been gone for that long.”

When her mother left the room, Jamie touched Shannon’s arm. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here. It’s like a family thing.”

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