“Well, now, I wouldn’t exactly say they’re together,” his father corrected.
“Perhaps not technically. But they’re perfect for each other,” his mother continued, frowning at his father. “It’s only a matter of time.”
Colin instantly felt at ease. It was matchmaking, not an actual relationship.
Which meant Emily was still available.
And why exactly does that matter to you? She’s already shot you down once, and you’re only in town till tomorrow, anyway.
It was dumb. But for whatever reason, Emily’s availability did matter to him.
“Enough about that,” his mother said, sitting down next to him at the kitchen table. “So. You’re single again.”
He sighed, finishing a last forkful of the savory breakfast like a man enjoying his last meal. “Alas, yes.”
“You’re not thinking of marrying a French girl, are you? That’s an awfully long way to travel for a wedding.” She brightened. “Unless she’d like to live here.”
His father chuckled. “In which case, you have our blessings, sight unseen.”
Colin rolled his eyes. His father understood his mother’s relentless nature and obviously sympathized with his son, but he also knew enough to stay out of it. After all, the man had to live here. “I’m still a bit young to worry about marriage, Mom.”
“You’re thirty-four,” she corrected. “Before you blink, you’ll be forty, and that’s going to be hell on your system when you get to 2:00 a.m. feedings.”
“Let me worry about the wife first,” he grumbled, “before stressing about our kids.”
“You need someone who can give you the stability and comfort of small-town living,” she said. “I know that you haven’t always enjoyed living in Tall Pines….”
Understatement of the year, he thought, taking another jolt of coffee.
“But I can’t help but think you’re not giving it a chance. Just like you’re not giving marriage a chance.” She crossed her arms.
This was more than her usual pestering, he noted. She was genuinely upset.
He sighed again. “Mom, we’ve had this conversation before,” he said quietly. “I love you, and I’m glad you and the rest of the family want me to be settled and happy. But I need to travel. I need adventure. I can’t explain it,” he finished miserably. “It’s not that I don’t want to be happy. I seem to need…I don’t know…something I can’t find.”
“Well, maybe you haven’t been looking in the right places,” she pointed out.
He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. On top of very little sleep, this conversation was more than he could handle. “Let’s watch the kids play with their toys, okay? I’m only in town till tomorrow morning—I’d like to enjoy it.”
“Maybe,” his mother continued with her trademark determination, “you could even look right here. Locally, I mean.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” he snapped. “I’ll just go and marry Emily Stanfield tomorrow and give you a dozen more grandbabies, how about that?”
“Colin, don’t be ridiculous,” she chided. “There’s no need to be snide.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m a little tired.”
“Besides, Emily’s not right for you,” she said in a tactful tone.
Colin blinked. That wasn’t the response he was expecting.
“She means Emily wouldn’t have you in a million years.” His brother Ted entered the conversation. “Mom, where are the batteries? Kasey’s remote-control pony needs them.”
“Well, that’s insulting,” Colin said. “What’s wrong with me?”
“She’s small-town right down to her marrow,” his father pointed out. “And as is painfully evident to everyone including yourself, you’re nothing of the sort. Beyond that, she’s known for being somewhat discriminating when it comes to beaus.”
Even his father thought Emily would have nothing to do with him?
Well, if their kiss was any indication, she might not want to marry him, but she certainly approved of some aspects of him.
Of course, she did turn you down.
He grimaced.
“She wouldn’t be your type, anyway,” his mother continued, her tone obviously meant to soothe the affront. “And like I said, she’s dating the mayor.”
“She isn’t dating him,” Colin growled.
His mother’s eyebrow went up quizzically. He could just imagine her maternal-matrimonial radar beeping to life.
Damn it. “Listen, all this talk about marriage and stuff is giving me the heebie-jeebies,” he said. “I don’t mean to be cranky. I’ll be on my best behavior. I just want to play with the kids and enjoy my family on the holiday, before I have to go. Okay?”
She sighed, finally relenting. “All right,” she agreed, hugging his shoulders. “But I wouldn’t pester you so much if you didn’t worry me, kiddo.”
“I know,” he told her, hugging her back as they went over to the living room.
They watched the kids enjoy their presents all morning, and by lunch Colin was feeling more like himself. However, he had a new problem to deal with.
“It’s been ages since I’ve been over to the hotel,” his mother said. “You never mentioned—how’s your room?”
“Great.” Which was true. “Very comfortable.”
“Queen-size bed or king?”
He had no idea. “Er…queen.”
“She’s a good manager, from what I’ve heard. A very hard worker. She’s been obsessed with the place ever since…” His mother paused, frowning. “I’m sorry. You’re probably bored with Tall Pines gossip.”
But when it came to Emily, Colin was hanging on every word. “Ever since what?” he asked.
She smiled the satisfied smile of a storyteller who knows she’s got her audience hooked. “Ever since her father died and her mother remarried shortly afterward,” she said dramatically. “Her mother told her that she’d sell the place because she was tired of upholding the Stanfield family traditions. There was no way Emily could manage a building that size by herself, but she knew her father would have hated to lose it. So she came up with a plan to use her trust fund and turn it into a hotel.”
Colin was riveted. “That’s a lot of work.”
“I didn’t agree with it,” his mother said. “It’s not the same, having the Stanfield house open to strangers. Paying customers.”
“What was she supposed to do?” Colin defended. “Give up and get rid of it?”
His mother wrinkled her nose. “Well, if she’d gotten married to someone rich, she could’ve kept the house.”
Of course marriage would be the solution his mother came up with.
“She was engaged, you know,” she added. “Years ago. To Richard Gaines.”
“That jackass?”
She glared at him. “Language, please.”
Colin fell silent, but he was still shocked. Ricky Gaines was a jerk. A rich