Beth’s eyes met those of her sister-in-law. “The more the merrier, right?” Grace said in her usual calm manner. “I bet you could use a cold drink. Why don’t you come into the kitchen with me. While I put the finishing touches on dinner, you can bring me up-to-date on everything that’s happened.”
“I feel really stupid,” Beth told her as she took a seat at the wooden table. “I should have called before I came.”
“Nonsense. We love surprises—especially ones that bring us our favorite people. Now, don’t even worry about the sleeping arrangements. We’ll figure something out after dinner.” She gave Beth’s arm a squeeze. “I’m so glad you’re here—Ed’s going to be delighted.”
“Where is my brother?”
“Working, but he’ll be home for dinner.” Grace opened the fridge and took out a pitcher of lemonade. She poured a large glass for Beth. “He’s going to be surprised. Now that July’s half gone, he thought you’d keep postponing your visit until the summer was over.”
“It was tempting,” Beth confessed, accepting the cold drink gratefully. “I can’t remember the last time I didn’t work over a summer break.”
“You work too hard, Beth. You and your brother have that in common.”
“Guess it’s in the genes,” she said lightly. “If I didn’t work I’d get bored.” She watched her sister-in-law tend to the pots on the stove. Despite having a houseful of kids and extra guests for dinner, she looked her usual calm self, not a hair out of place on her blond head, her makeup as fresh as if she’d just put it on.
“You won’t have to worry about being bored here. We’ll find plenty of things for you to do. The girls were counting on you coming and they’ve made plans to take you on picnics and a dozen other things.”
The girls were Beth’s nieces—Kayla, who was eight, Allison, five, and little Cierra, who was three. “They’re the real reason I’m here. It’ll be good to spend some time with them.”
Grace grinned. “They love being with you, but I have to warn you. They’ll run you ragged if you let them. No reason you can’t lie around and do nothing if that’s what you want.”
Beth had never been very good at doing nothing, which was why she said, “Ed mentioned that Dr. Julian Bennett might be looking for someone to help out at his clinic.”
“Are you thinking about working while you’re here?” Grace asked.
Beth shrugged. “It would only be part-time.”
Just then her brother walked in through the back door. “Hey! I thought I recognized that car out front.” He spread his arms to welcome his sister, who jumped up to give him a hug. “It’s good to see you, sis. You look great.” He pushed her back at arm’s length and let his eyes take her in.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she told him, returning his gaze with the same affection. “I see you cut your hair.” Ever since she could remember, his dark, wavy hair had reached the edge of his collar.
He rubbed a hand over his closely cropped brown hair. “Thought I should start looking like a thirty-five-year-old attorney instead of an aging rebel,” he said. “Besides, it’s easier this way.”
“I like it,” she stated sincerely.
“Has Grace been bringing you up-to-date with what’s been going on around here?” he asked, giving his wife an affectionate nuzzle on the neck as she stood next to the stove stirring a pot.
Grace replaced the lid on the pan and said, “I’ll let you do that, Ed. I’m going to set the dining-room table and get the kids washed up for dinner.”
“Let me help.” Beth started to rise to her feet, but Grace put a hand on her shoulder.
“You sit and visit with your brother,” she ordered, then grabbed a stack of plates and disappeared into the other room.
“So what’s wrong?” Ed asked as soon as they were alone.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Beth denied indignantly as he sat down across from her. “Have you forgotten that you invited me to come spend the summer with you?” She spread her arms. “So here I am.”
“It’s mid-July.”
“All right, so I missed the first part of summer.”
He smiled slyly. “You cost me a hundred bucks.”
“How’s that?”
“I bet Grace you wouldn’t come at all.”
Beth chuckled. “No wonder she was so happy to see me.”
“I’m happy to see you, too. You haven’t exactly been a regular visitor to Riverbend,” he reminded her.
“I have a very demanding job,” she said, then immediately added, “Or I should say I had a very demanding job.”
“Does that mean you’re still unemployed?”
She could see concern in her brother’s eyes and it touched her. Even though they were separated by distance, they had remained close over the years, and she had confided in him often about the difficulties she’d had getting along with the athletic director at the college for the past year. Ed had been a rock of support when she’d made the decision to quit her job, and he understood her anxiety about her uncertain future.
“Yes. I told them in the spring I wasn’t going to renew my contract,” she said, not wanting to rehash the betrayal she’d felt on not only a professional but a personal level. As an athletic trainer she had always put the well-being and safety of her students first. To have someone question her judgment, then overrule her decision to keep a player out of a game was a breach of professional conduct she couldn’t tolerate.
“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried they might have coerced you into returning to your position.”
She shook her head. “That won’t happen. I think it’s probably a good time for me to take a break from working in college athletics, anyway. I plan to do some clinical work.”
“I bet Julian Bennett would find a permanent spot for you if you asked him.”
“My home is in Iowa,” she reminded him gently.
He smiled. “I know, but you can’t blame a brother for trying.”
Their conversation was halted as Grace announced it was time to eat. Dinner turned out to be a bit chaotic as the five little girls chattered and giggled their way through spaghetti and meatballs. By the time it was over, Beth was convinced that her sister-in-law had her hands full and didn’t need to worry about another houseguest, even if that guest was family.
She brought up the subject as she and Grace finished cleaning the kitchen. “I think I should check into a motel—just for the weekend.”
“You will not,” Grace stated emphatically.
“She will not what?” Ed asked, coming into the kitchen.
“Beth wants to go to a motel for the weekend.”
“You already have a full house,” Beth told her brother. “You don’t need me.”
“Yeah, we do. To help clean up,” Ed teased.
“I can do that without putting someone out of a bed,” Beth said.
“This is really bothering you, isn’t it?” Ed returned.
“Yes.” She set her dish towel aside. “You’re not going to be offended if I go to a motel, are you?”
“No,” her brother replied slowly, “but it doesn’t make any sense to pay for a room when you have a place of your own at your disposal.”
She