“No. Just visiting.” The smile he gave her was genuinely warm and welcoming. “It’s nice to see you again, Lily.”
Mallory wondered if he really meant that after what she’d said during their last encounter. “Your father invited us to dinner. I didn’t know—”
“That I’d be here?”
“Well, yes,” she admitted.
“It’s Sunday.”
“I’m aware of that. It’s when your father told me to be here.”
Ben had mentioned the family dinners a couple of times, but she didn’t really get that it was all of them every Sunday. She’d had it in her head that this was just her and Lily with Mary and Ben. No way had she expected to see Caleb.
There was an edgy expression in his eyes, but she got the feeling it wasn’t about her. “What I meant is on Sunday my mother insists that the whole family be here for dinner.”
“That’s nice.” She couldn’t imagine her mother doing anything like that.
Before he could respond to that, Mary Dalton walked up and stood beside her son. “Caleb, for goodness’ sake. You weren’t raised by wolves. I know because I’m your mother and had a hand in raising you. Invite our guests in.” The woman smiled. “Mallory, I’m so glad you could come. And this must be Lily.”
“Pleased to meet you,” the little girl said politely.
Lily had always been in school or day care when her boss’s wife had dropped into the office. Mary Dalton was a tall, very attractive blue-eyed brunette. Trim and fit, she was wearing jeans, a plaid cotton shirt and a friendly smile. Mallory liked her a lot.
The woman sighed looking at Lily. “What a cutie you are. It’s so nice to have children here. I so want a houseful of grandchildren.” The expectant look she gave her son made him squirm.
Mallory wasn’t sure what to say to that but figured she couldn’t go wrong being polite. “Thank you for inviting us, Mary.”
She stepped back and opened the door wider. “Come in.”
They did and Mallory was forced to walk very close to Caleb, which put her closer than the last time they were together at his father’s office. He was very tall, muscular and smelled really good, the scent a pleasant manly mixture of soap and aftershave.
They were standing in the two-story entryway with twin staircases on either side. A brass light fixture descended from the ceiling over a circular mahogany table with fresh flowers in the center.
Mallory felt like a clog dancer in a ballet. “Ben didn’t mention that this was a family dinner. I don’t want to intrude.”
“Nonsense. He’s told me how hard you work and it’s much appreciated. He’d be lost without you and that means you’re like family.”
“Speaking of that,” Caleb said, “what about Sutter and Paige? With Mallory and Lily there aren’t enough places set at the table. I can put out more.”
“He means the oldest of my three girls and her husband, but you probably know that.” Mary looked at her son. “Your sister isn’t coming.”
“But you always said if our backsides aren’t here for dinner every Sunday, we better be bleeding or on fire.”
“Now I’m adding childbirth to the list of acceptable excuses. She just had a baby a few weeks ago.”
“Seriously? That gets her a pass?”
“It does. When you go through labor, delivery and the first few weeks with an infant up all night, you’ll get a dispensation, too. Until then...”
Caleb winked at Lily. “She drives a hard bargain.”
“And you’re a silver-tongued devil. Always trying to charm your way out of trouble.” She affectionately touched his arm. “Now I’m going to introduce our guest to everyone else.” She put her hand on Lily’s shoulder. “Come along, sweetie.”
That left Mallory and Caleb to walk behind them. He nodded toward the other room and said, “Let’s go meet the Daltons.”
Mallory’s head was spinning and not just from being this close to the good-looking cowboy. She was baffled by the banter between mother and son. What a concept. If her mother—or father, for that matter—were that warm and approachable she’d still have a relationship with them. But disapproval was their trademark and she was pretty sure they’d frown on Lily, who wasn’t related to them by blood. This child would never go through what Mallory and Mona had growing up.
Caleb led her past a big, beautiful kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and a granite-topped island to the large family room. It had a leather sectional in front of a big screen TV mounted on the wall. Ben was standing with his other two sons. She knew them from the photos in her boss’s office, but shook their hands as Mary made introductions.
The men were all about the same height, six feet give or take an inch, and the unmistakable family resemblance marked them as brothers. Anderson, the oldest, had the same brown hair and blue eyes as Caleb, but there was an air of authority and seriousness different from his brother. Travis was the middle son and had his father’s brown eyes.
“Are you a cowboy, too?” Lily asked him after meeting all the men.
“I am.” Travis indicated his older brother. “So is he. In fact he’s in charge of the family ranch.”
“Aunt Mallory didn’t tell me you had a ranch.”
Mallory happened to be looking at Caleb and saw his mouth pull tight when Lily called her Aunt. He’d grown tense after Lily put on her matchmaking hat at the office. Clearly he was skittish about starting a relationship with a woman who had a child.
“We have a big ranch,” Travis was saying. “The Dalton family spread.”
“Do you have horses?” When Travis nodded, the little girl practically quivered with excitement. “I’ve never been on a horse, but I’d like to—”
“Lily,” Mallory interrupted, “it’s not polite to invite yourself.”
“That’s okay.” Travis smiled down at the child. “Pretty girls are always welcome.”
“How come you never tell us that?”
“Because you’re both irritating.” Travis grinned at the two beautiful young women who’d walked into the family room from the kitchen.
Mary stood between them and slid her arms through theirs. “These are my youngest daughters, Lani and Lindsay.”
Both had the Dalton light brown hair, but Lani wore hers long, and Lindsay had a ponytail.
“It’s really nice to meet you,” Mallory said. “I feel as if I know everyone already from all the photos Ben has in his office.”
“I’m Lily.” The little girl grinned up at the girls. “My name begins with an L, just like yours.”
“That’s really cool,” Lindsay said with a big smile. “You’re just as cute as you can be.”
“So, the girls will help me get drinks,” Mary said. “Mallory, we have beer, wine, club soda, soft drinks. What would you like?”
“I’d love a glass of wine.” It was weird because these were the nicest people in the world, but her nerves were a little raw, as if they were tightly wound springs ready to come loose. Every time she looked at Caleb they got a little more sensitive.
“What about you, Lily with an L?” Lani asked. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Would it be all right if I had soda?”
Mallory nodded, but added, “Nothing with caffeine.”