Page 12 of The Plan

“You’re Ronnie? I thought Ronnie was a dude.” The girl just kept looking at them both. “And Veronica was his paralegal that finally got smart and left. The one George talks about nonstop? You’re the same person.”

Something about her made Ronnie want to both smile… and cry. Celia used to look at Cam, Murdoch, and Anthony with that same kind of pesky curiosity. Did George appreciate what he had?

“Veronica is most certainly not a dude,” George said, still trying to tug Ronnie up the stairs. “Don’t you have homework or something?”

She crossed her eyes at her big brother. “Already finished it. Besides, Mom and Dad want us all here so they can talk tous about something important. Greer is inside, but Gia had a double date with Chantal. Gene and that stupid ass Chad are supposed to pick them up at the diner on their way, then drop Chan and Chad off at their house.”

“Don’t call Chad an ass,” George said. “He’s not an ass.”

“He’s an ass. I was on a date with Jakob yesterday, and Jakob was getting ready to kiss me. A good kiss, too. With tongues. Chad and Gene and Guthrie ran him off and laughed. Like they had the right. And Chad said he was sick and tired of having to rescue me and Chantal all the time, and why can’t I just be more like Gia? He should just marry Gia someday, since he thinks she’s so perfect. Then again, I love my sister. I wouldn’t wish Chad Fields on anybody I actually loved or anything like that.”

George looked at Ronnie. “The neighbor’s son. He’s been close friends with my younger brothers for years, and went to med school with my brother Guthrie. He has a sister close to my sisters’ ages. Genesis apparently doesn’t like him.”

Genesis shot him a look, then came up to Ronnie. She held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Genny Hiller. Best of the lot.”

“Hello, Genny, it’s nice to meet you.”

George looked at her after the teen was gone. “There. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“Don’t be a jerk, Georgie. It doesn’t become you.”

10

He wasboth grateful for Genesis’s interference, and irritated with the kid. But she had managed to get Veronica to relax a little. And at least get up on the porch.

They followed his sister inside—Veronica cooperating because he had her by the hand. He knew she was shy. And nervous. A rush of protectiveness had him pulling her close enough to hook his arm around her waist.

He barely resisted slipping his hand around her and cupping her stomach. Seeing if there had been any changes in her body yet.

He felt pretty damned possessive at the moment.

Maybe he was the caveman his sisters had always accused him of being. At least where Veronica was concerned.

His parents were inside, at the dining room table that had been in the Hiller family for generations.

His child would sit at that table someday.

Damn it, that had meaning. More than he ever could have imagined. Hell, it almost made a man want to cry.

They looked up at him, then their eyes widened slightly, seeing the beautiful woman at his side.

His brothers were all quiet, for once, too. They smiled their best smiles at her. George pushed his hackles down. She brought out the beast in him, no doubt about that. A very possessive beast, at that.

“You’ve brought a guest,” his mom said, standing. She smiled at Veronica with welcome.

He felt Veronica tense. His hand rose to cup her shoulder. “Mom, Dad, this is Veronica. I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about her before.”

“Of course, we remember Veronica. Hello, honey, how are you?” his mom asked, curiosity on her face.

“I’m a bit… perturbed, actually. Your son was supposed to be driving me home, Mrs. Hiller. He brought me here, instead.” Veronica shot him an irritated look. “He seems to think he’s still my boss or something.”

His mother sent a surprised look at him. “George, care to add anything?”

“Veronica and I have something to discuss with everyone. After we discuss whatever it is you’ve requested we be here for.”

“First, as soon as Giavonna and Gene get here, we’ll eat dinner. We can discuss what your father and I want then.” His mother was a no-nonsense woman. One of her sons showing up with a random young woman wasn’t something that would shake her at all. But she was definitely curious now. Her eyes settled on the hand he still had on Veronica, then narrowed. Yes. His mother was a smart woman. She would figure out how he felt soon enough.

“They’re pulling in now,” Greer said, from where she was sprawled over a lounge chair in the nearby living room. George almost flinched at what his youngest sister looked like tonight. It almost always changed lately. Genesis said Greer was still trying to find herself. Greer rolled her eyes, the same hazel as hisown, like all his siblings’, and smirked. “Relax, Georgie, the dye washes out. I haven’t gone completely over to the dark side yet.”

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