To the Limit (46 page)

Among the many attendees were the Campbells—hey, anyone who stood beside you in a life-or-death situation is as good as family. Kat and Sven were also in attendance, wowing everyone with their celebrity status, striking good looks, and genuine warmth. And then there was Tiffany.

They'd mended their fences. Tiffany was back to looking at Eve like a big sister, and bless them, her brothers had adopted her, too. Eve and Mac made it a point to have her over—they'd moved into Eve's apartment—once a week for a little dinner and conversation. Tiffany was enrolled for the fall semester at the University of Florida, majoring in business so she'd be ready to take her place at Clayborne International in time. In the meantime, Mac, her new head of security, was in the process of running background checks on potential candidates for the CEO position, while the bank had taken over the business on an interim basis until they could install someone capable at the helm.

Eve knew that Tiffany made frequent flights to Utah. And that made her glad.

"He making you happy?"

Eve turned and smiled as Uncle Bud walked up to join her when Nolan and Dallas took their turns on the croquet court laid out on her dad's neatly manicured back lawn. "I'll know who to call if he doesn't," she said, hugging him.

"You got that right."

"I love him, Uncle Bud."

"Yeah. I can see that. I like him," he said after a considering moment, and the passage from outsider to family was complete.

Her parents had already accepted McClain with open arms. And her brothers, after eavesdropping on his proposal in the office, were pretty much convinced he had a few screws loose, considering he wanted to marry her. "But hey," Nolan had said, "it's his funeral."

They liked him. Eve could tell. And though she'd never admit it, her brothers' approval was one of the most important things in the world to her.

"Look at them," Jillian said, easing into a chair and settling in to watch the show. "Aren't they something? Like four peas in the same pod. But for the brown eyes, Mac could be one of their brothers."

Yeah,
Eve thought, grinning down at Jillian, whose eyes, truly, were only for Nolan,
weren't they something?
Four gorgeous testosterone-driven males—and she was linked with every one of them.

She searched the yard and finally found her father—an older but no less attractive version of her brothers. Wes Garrett was, as usual, playing barbecue king, smoking up the neighborhood with the delicious scents of burgers and ribs. As if aware that she was seeking him out, his head came up. He grinned and winked at her. She gave him a broad smile back.

"Take that, you blackguard," she heard Mac say with triumph, and he had another Garrett brother stomping off in search of his ball.

"Fits right in, that one," Eve's mother said as she joined Eve and Jillian, who looked cool and sophisticated as always in snug red capri pants and a loose-fitting tunic top.

Eve's mother, looking more like her sister with her blond hair short and bouncy, was beaming, as she always did when she was surrounded by her family.

"And this one fits right in, too," she added, squeezing the hand of five-year-old Ali McClain, who had flown to Florida to join her daddy on this special occasion.

"How's it going, Ali? You having a good time?" Eve asked, looking into eyes so much like Mac's it made her heart hurt with love for both man and child. Tomorrow the three of them were going boat shopping. McClain was as excited as a kid in a candy store over the prospect.

"They won't let me play," Ali said with a pout that only a five-year-old could carry off.

"Well," Eve said, taking her hand. "We can fix that. Come on, sweetheart. You and I are going to show them how the game is played."

"All right," Ali said with a big grin, and marched on out to center court, holding Eve's hand tight in hers.

"Prepare to eat dirt and die, gentlemen," Eve announced. "You've got real competition now."

Mac looked over at the pair of them. She loved how his eyes went soft and warm.

"Oh no, not
real
competition," he said, scooping Ali into his arms and tickling her until she shrieked with laughter. "Don't suppose I could bribe you two hustlers into staying on the sidelines?"

Eve looked at Ali. Ali looked at Eve.

"What you got?" they asked in unison.

With a smug look he pulled two bags of M&M's out of his pocket.

They snatched the candy away like it was gold.

And her husband looked first at Ali and then at Eve like
they
were. Solid gold.