Tyler O’Bannon was flirting with her!

This wasn’t like Tyler, but then, Megan was the only unrelated single female at the reunion, so maybe he was bored and practicing on her. She put her hand on his forehead.

“What are you doing?” he murmured.

“Checking your temperature, because you’re definitely not yourself!”

“And what is ‘myself’?”

Megan lifted her shoulders noncommittally. “I don’t know…stern and disapproving?”

“Stern?” His smile made her breath catch. “Do you really think I’m stern?”

“You were. You know, back when we first met. It was obvious you didn’t like me. And you sure didn’t think I should marry your cousin.”

Tyler blinked. Was that all she thought had happened nine years ago? No, he shook his head. She must have recognized his attraction to her.

But then, Megan was just a girl when they first met. Not the woman—the unattached woman—she was now….

Dear Reader,

As senior editor for the Silhouette Romance line, I’m lucky enough to get first peek at the stories we offer you each month. Each editor searches for stories with an emotional impact, that make us laugh or cry or feel tenderness and hope for a loving future. And we do this with you, the reader, in mind. We hope you continue to enjoy the variety each month as we take you from first love to forever….

Susan Meier’s wonderful story of a hardworking single mom and the man who sweeps her off her feet is Cinderella and the CEO. In The Boss’s Baby Mistake, Raye Morgan tells of a heroine who accidentally gets inseminated with her new boss’s child! The fantasy stays alive with Carol Grace’s Fit for a Sheik as a wedding planner’s new client is more than she bargained for….

Valerie Parv always creates a strong alpha hero. In Booties and the Beast, Sam’s the strong yet tender man. Julianna Morris’s lighthearted yet emotional story Meeting Megan Again reunites two people who only seem mismatched. And finally Carolyn Greene’s An Eligible Bachelor has a very special secondary character—along with a delightful hero and heroine!

Happy reading!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

Meeting Megan Again
Julianna Morris

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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Books by Julianna Morris

Silhouette Romance

Baby Talk #1097

Family of Three #1178

Daddy Woke Up Married #1252

Dr. Dad #1278

The Marriage Stampede #1375

*Callie, Get Your Groom #1436

*Hannah Gets a Husband #1448

*Jodie’s Mail-Order Man #1460

Meeting Megan Again #1502

JULIANNA MORRIS

has an offbeat sense of humor, which frequently gets her into trouble. She is often accused of being curious about everything…her interests ranging from oceanography and photography to traveling, antiquing, walking on the beach and reading science fiction.

Julianna loves cats of all shapes and sizes, and last year she was adopted by a feline companion named Merlin. Like his namesake, Merlin is an alchemist—she says he can transform the house into a disaster area in nothing flat. And since he shares the premises with a writer, it’s interesting to note that he’s particularly fond of knocking books onto the floor.

Ultimately, Julianna would like a home overlooking the ocean, where she can write to her heart’s content. She’d like to share that home with her own romantic hero, someone with a warm, sexy smile, lots of patience and an offbeat sense of humor to match her own. Oh, yes…and he has to like cats.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

Prologue

“He’s so-o-o terrific.”

Megan O’Bannon looked at her seven-year-old daughter and sighed. “Yes, he’s very attractive.”

Kara turned a page of the magazine she’d mooned over for the past week. Specifically, the article about the man she’d mooned over—Tyler O’Bannon, a self-made millionaire with more sizzle than the sexiest movie star. “And he’s really related to me?”

“Your father was Tyler’s third cousin a few times removed or something. It’s a distant relationship—he’s never been that close to the family.”

“You know, Mom, he might come to the reunion if we invite him. He lives in San Francisco, so it’s only a few hours’ drive.”

Megan rubbed her aching forehead. For the past week she’d been planning the O’Bannon reunion, held every three years. The bed and breakfast inn she’d started after her husband’s death was the per fect location for the reunion, but things were getting complicated with all this talk about Tyler O’Bannon.

Long-ago memories floated through Megan’s head and she closed her eyes. She’d first met Tyler at her engagement party, and something in his dark gaze had made her uncomfortably aware of him…as a man. For a while, Tyler had attended most of the family gatherings, always watching, seeming to disapprove of her. Then he’d just stopped coming.

“Why doesn’t he come to any of the family stuff?” Kara asked. “Didn’t he used to live with Grandma and Grandpa?”

Megan shrugged. “For a few months. They learned his parents had died and he’d been raised in a group home up north. They brought him to California just before he turned eighteen. But he never really accepted the family.”

Kara sighed. “We have to invite him, Mom. He never had kids, so he must be lonely.” Her tone made it sound like Tyler was over the hill, instead of a healthy thirty-four years.

“I’m sure he’s fine.” Megan glanced over her daughter’s shoulder at the magazine, and a familiar quiver went through her stomach. The article was titled, “The Sexiest Man in America.” And it was right. Even after her lousy marriage and her vow to avoid men, she still got goose bumps when she thought about Tyler O’Bannon.

“Uh…” Kara hesitated. “Grandma Eleanor really wants him to come to the reunion, Mom. And she hasn’t been feeling well. It would make her happy.”

“Fine, I’ll invite him.” Megan knew she was being manipulated, yet she couldn’t refuse this last argument. She ignored her daughter’s jubilation and pulled out some stationary. It had been so long, she couldn’t imagine Tyler showing up. But at least it would please Kara and her great-grandmother.

Chapter One

O’Bannon’s Inn, Bed and Breakfast.

The sign was lettered in old-fashioned writing, and it hung from a wrought-iron frame. A delicate pattern of morning glories twined around each corner. Beneath it hung a second sign, saying Closed for the Season.

Tyler O’Bannon turned down a tree-lined driveway and saw a beautifully restored Victorian house standing on a small rise of land. There were at least two dozen cars parked in the small lot, and a leisurely game of horseshoes was being conducted in the middle of the garden.

He looked more closely, trying to see if he recognized anybody, but it had been a long time and he’d never known anyone in the family that well, except for Eleanor and Grady. The couple had been kind to him, but angry teenagers aren’t particularly receptive to kindness.

A wry smile tugged at Tyler’s mouth.

Receptive?

During the months he’d lived with the O’Bannons he’d been a major pain in the behind, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Mount Everest. Too proud for his own good and too stubborn to care.

Tyler parked his Mercedes between a pickup truck and a battered station wagon and got out. In his pocket was an information flyer about the reunion, along with two letters. One was from Eleanor, saying she’d been “feeling poorly lately,” and it might be her “last reunion, so won’t you come?”

The second letter was from a child, pleading with him to attend the annual family function. A postscript had been added by the kid’s mother, saying she was sure he wouldn’t be able to fit it in his schedule and not to feel obligated about coming. She’d even written, “I’m sure you don’t remember me, but I was your cousin’s wife….”

Not remember Megan?

Tyler practically snorted as he headed for the front door of the Victorian. Megan was the forbidden fiancée of his cousin, now his cousin’s widow. They’d met at her engagement party, and he’d convinced himself she was marrying the wrong man for the wrong reasons.

For a brief moment, Tyler paused, his hand on the polished brass handle of the vestibule door. He’d like to think he’d come to the reunion for Eleanor’s sake alone, but he had to be honest, if only to himself.

He wanted to see Megan again.

Maybe he just needed to be sure she was out of his system, and that things had worked out best for the both of them. She would have been miserable starting out with a penniless husband, and he would have been miserable knowing he couldn’t give her the things his cousin could provide.

Right?

“Right,” he muttered, knowing in his heart that he wasn’t entirely convinced. Shaking his head, Tyler walked through the vestibule into the central hall of the house and glanced around. High overhead hung two crystal chandeliers, lighting the foyer and broad staircase. And, some twenty feet away, a woman was talking to a young girl.

Megan.

And undoubtedly her daughter. For reasons he wasn’t willing to examine, Tyler was glad to see that Megan’s child resembled her, instead of his cousin.

“We can’t put Reece and Jessie in the same room,” Megan said firmly. It didn’t take a genius to see her patience was wearing thin.

“But they’re engaged,” the youngster protested.

“I don’t know where you get your ideas. Engaged people don’t always sleep together.”

“Aw, Mom. You’re so-o-o old-fashioned.” Kara rolled her eyes and Tyler couldn’t keep from grinning. He’d heard that, between television and the Internet, children grew up fast these days, and Kara was living proof.

“Fine. I’m old-fashioned.”

Tyler realized they were so deep in their discussion they hadn’t even noticed his arrival. He crossed his arms and focused his gaze on Megan. She’d never been classically pretty, but she had a special beauty that demanded a man’s full attention. Five-foot-three, with dark auburn hair and a body that was perfectly proportioned for her petite size. Snug-fitting jeans cupped her bottom and she wore a green T-shirt with O’Bannon Family Reunion printed across the breast.

“We have to assign Reece and Jessie separate rooms,” Megan insisted. “Put Reece’s fiancée in number four.”

Kara looked desperate. “We have to save that room. Because…uh, you-know-who might come.”

“He’s not coming, Kara.” Megan rubbed her temples as if they ached. “Tyler is a wealthy man now. He’ll probably think we want something from him. Besides, why would he come after all this time?”

“Because he was invited,” Tyler said, deciding it was the right moment to throw his two cents into the conversation.

“Oh, my gosh,” the youngster shrieked. “It’s him. See, I told you he’d come, Mom.”

The expression in Megan’s green eyes went from affectionately exasperated, to stunned. “Tyler,” she whispered.

“Yup, it’s me. It’s been a long time, Megan.”

“You don’t…that is, what are you doing here?”

“Don’t you remember? You invited me to the family reunion, and how could I resist such a cordial invitation?” Tyler pulled Kara’s letter from his pocket and waved it in the air.

“I’ll get him one of the shirts,” Kara cried happily. She disappeared down the hall.

Megan stepped away, putting the antique reception desk between them. She’d never expected Tyler to actually show up. He had kept in touch with Eleanor, calling on her birthday and sending gifts at Christmas, but he’d never visited. Not for years and years.

He’s a proud man, Grady O’Bannon always said when somebody asked about Tyler. And Eleanor would finish with, he’ll come back when he’s ready. Eleanor had never stopped hoping Tyler would become part of the family again; maybe her wish was finally coming true.

“Nothing to say?” Tyler asked.

“Plenty.” Megan hesitated. It might seem rude, but she needed to understand why he would attend a family reunion after so long. “Why are you here, Tyler? And don’t repeat that nonsense about being invited—you’ve been invited lots of times. And besides, you’re always welcome with Grady and Eleanor. You must know that.”

His gaze narrowed. “I know. I’m here because I’m worried about Eleanor. She wrote last month and it didn’t sound like her at all. It bothered me, so I wanted to check things out,” he explained.

Megan nodded. She understood why he’d come back; what she didn’t understand was why he’d stayed away in the first place. The O’Bannons were wonderful people—the kind of family she’d dreamed of having when she was a child and her parents were screaming and throwing things at each other.

“This one looks big enough,” Kara shouted, running back down the hallway. She waved one of the men’s black T-shirts in the air, then thrust it into Tyler’s hands. “We made them special for the reunion. Mom did the design.”

“Thanks,” he said. “You’re Kara, right?”

Kara nodded, suddenly shy. “I’m glad you came, Mr. O’Bannon.”

“Call me Tyler.”

“Okay, Tyler.” Kara appeared ready to explode with pleasure, then a shout from outside the house made her feet stir restlessly. “It’s my turn for horseshoes,” she said. “Do you want to come watch? Or if you want to play, I can teach you how. It’s real simple. You have to—”

“I’m sure Tyler wants to get settled first,” Megan intervened. “You can visit with him later.”

“O-o-okay.” Kara reluctantly headed out the door.

“I’ll show you up to your room,” Megan said, taking the key to room four from a locked cabinet. She glanced beyond him into the foyer. “Don’t you have any luggage?”

“In the car. I’ll get it later. Actually…” Tyler stopped, his eyes dark and intent. “After what you wrote, I wasn’t sure you wanted me to come.”

Guilty heat flooded her face. She hadn’t meant to sound unwelcoming.

Or had she?

An uneasy shiver crept through Megan and she looked away. Tyler reminded her of things she wanted to forget—of youth and making mistakes and having everything fall apart. Did Tyler know about Brad’s womanizing?

About everything?

She drew a ragged breath, wondering if she’d ever get over the sick feeling of her life spinning out of control—of her husband having one affair after the other and finally getting himself killed while driving his fancy sports car.

“You’re awfully pale, Megan? Are you all right?”

Tyler sounded genuinely concerned, and she forced a smile to her mouth. “I’m fine. And of course you’re welcome. I know Eleanor will be ecstatic. She often talks about you. Grady, too.”

“That’s nice.” He seemed embarrassed by the comment and Megan lifted her eyebrows. Apparently there were some things Tyler O’Bannon didn’t handle with aplomb.

“Well…your room is upstairs,” she said.

Megan walked up the broad staircase, all too aware of Tyler following close behind. Nothing had changed since the first time they’d met. He was still too intense, too overwhelming and complicated, while she wasn’t complicated in the slightest.

Heck, if she hadn’t been exciting enough for her husband, she certainly wasn’t any match for Tyler.

Fifteen feet down the hall Megan opened a door and motioned to the interior of the room. “This room has a private bath, so you won’t have to share.”

Tyler glanced around the room. As in the rest of the house, a scent of beeswax and flowers filled the air, along with glints of light from polished wood furniture and oak paneling. It was a sharp contrast to his condo in San Francisco, dominated by the prior owner’s passion for black and white. Though he disliked the stark decor, he’d never taken the time to look for a decorator.

But this…it felt like a home, even if it was really a bed and breakfast inn most of the time.

“It’s very nice, but it doesn’t seem like the kind of place Brad would have chosen,” Tyler murmured.

“No.” Megan swallowed, and her lashes drifted down, concealing her expression. “I bought the house after the accident. Brad never lived here.” She held out the room key, “I’d better get downstairs and check on things in the kitchen. But later we’re going to the park for softball, if you’re interested in coming.”

Tyler took the key, his gaze searching her face. “I’m interested.”

“Good. We’ll leave in about an hour, so you’ll have time to say hello to everyone. I’m sure Eleanor is anxious to see you.”

“Thanks.” He put his hand on her arm as she started to turn away.

Her eyes flew wide open and she stared at him. “Y-yes?”

“I just wanted to say…you have a beautiful daughter, Megan.”

“Thank you.”

For the first time since he’d arrived, Tyler saw a natural smile brighten her face. Whatever else, Megan was proud of Kara, and for a bittersweet moment Tyler wondered what it would be like, having a daughter of his own. Having a child with Megan.

Swearing silently, Tyler released Megan’s arm and stepped away. It was still there, the sexual attraction between them, along with the knowledge it wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t belong with a woman like Megan. She was the princess in the fairy tale, but he wasn’t any prince.

“I’ll just take a look around, then come down,” Tyler said when Megan didn’t move. He needed a few minutes to collect his thoughts. At eighteen Megan had been both innocent and sweetly seductive.

She was different now.

The innocence was gone, perhaps understandably. But while Megan was as enticing as ever, the sweet seduction was gone as well. Shadows had replaced the sparkling fun in her green eyes—it was a loss that made him want to cry out in protest.

The door closed behind Megan and Tyler uttered another curse, this time aloud.

He crossed to the window and stared out at the garden. It was full of cheerful O’Bannons, laughing and playing, or sitting and talking. Kara was up at the horseshoe pit, taking aim at the post. After a moment of careful concentration she sent the horseshoe flying. It spun around the target and a flurry of congratulations followed.

Tyler’s frown deepened. He didn’t known anything about families and he was too old to learn. All the “what if-ing” in the world wouldn’t change things. Kara was another man’s daughter, and he was what he’d always been—an outsider. Not that he blamed anyone but himself. The O’Bannons had tried, it wasn’t their fault he couldn’t join their picture-perfect world.

Megan appeared in the garden and crossed to a woman sitting with her back to the house. She knelt and said a few words, then the woman turned, looking directly at his window. It was Eleanor.

She saw him, smiled brightly and waved, motioning with her hand to come down.

Tyler lifted his own hand in return. Eleanor was the closest thing he had to a mother. He should just forget about Megan and concentrate on finding out what was wrong with Eleanor. He might not fit in, but at least he could get the best doctors on the planet to take care of her.

With that thought, Tyler looked at the T-shirt Kara had given him to wear. He flexed the muscles of his left biceps, trying to decide if the short sleeves of the shirt would cover the tattoo he’d got while serving in the army.

He could just imagine Megan’s reaction if she saw that damned eagle.

“He said you wrote to him,” Megan muttered to Eleanor, still on edge from her encounter with Tyler.

Not that that was anything new. Tyler had always made her nervous. It was the way he had of looking at her, as if he had secret thoughts she could never understand.

Eleanor patted her hand. “Of course I wrote to him, Megan. You know, he’s such a fine man. I always knew he’d do well for himself. But it’s a shame he never married—he’d be so much happier with a wife and family.”

Megan’s fingernails dug into her hand. She adored her grandmother-in-law, but there were moments when Eleanor was purely difficult. Like now, when she got that matchmaking glint in her eyes.

“I don’t think Tyler is interested in wedded bliss,” she muttered.

“Maybe. But you know…I could tell he was attracted to you back then.”

Attracted? Megan automatically shook her head. Not a chance. Tyler didn’t even like her, much less have any warmer feelings.

“Tyler barely knows me,” she said hastily. “And I was engaged when we met.”

Eleanor took her hand and patted it. “Megan, you’re part of the family now, and you always will be. But Brad is gone. We don’t want to see you alone.”

The kind words made Megan sigh. She’d discovered there were worse things than being alone—things like having a husband who couldn’t be faithful, and who said it was your fault because you weren’t woman enough for him. Considering the alternative, she preferred being alone.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Grams.” Megan gave the older woman a hug. “I’m not interested in getting married again. I know you want more children around to spoil, but you’ll have to be content with Kara for the time being.”

“Maybe Reece and his fiancée are planning a family,” Eleanor said thoughtfully.

Megan doubted it. Reece O’Bannon might be taking a trip to the altar, but she couldn’t see him changing diapers and walking the floor with a teething infant.

“It doesn’t seem right,” Eleanor fretted. “I have three children, six grandchildren, and only one great-grandchild.”

“You’re just jealous of Carolyn,” Megan said lightly. “Because she’s ahead in the great-grandchild department.”

“Hmmph.”

Eleanor and Carolyn were twin sisters who had married twin brothers. They were devoted to one another, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t some healthy competition between them. Especially when it came to grandkids.

“Hi, Tyler,” Kara shouted from the horseshoe pit.

Startled, Megan looked up in time to see Tyler smile at the greeting. He’d changed from his suit into black jeans and the T-shirt Kara had given him. If Megan hadn’t known better she would have said he was just an average guy, not too different from the rest of the O’Bannons.

“Who am I kidding?” she muttered under her breath.

There was nothing average about Tyler O’Bannon. He was taller than she remembered, with broad shoulders, a flat stomach, and long, muscular legs. He didn’t carry an excess ounce of fat and he had the natural grace of an athlete. On top of that, he was blessed with naturally wavy black hair and the sexiest smile in human history.

“What’s that, Megan?”

“Nothing, Grams.”

The corner of Eleanor’s mouth twitched. “Of course not.”

Tyler walked toward them with an unhurried stride that still ate up the distance quickly. “It’s good to see you.” He hesitated a moment, then leaned down and gave Eleanor an awkward kiss.

A pleased pink flooded her wrinkled cheeks. “Sit down, Tyler, and tell me how you’ve been.”

“I’m more concerned about you,” he said bluntly.

His face had a determined, I’m-getting-to-the-bottom-of-things expression. It was the same expression Megan had found so intimidating nine years ago, and she wondered how Eleanor would stand up to it now.

“Oh…” Eleanor waved her hand about in a vague dismissing motion. “We older folks have our aches and pains. You mustn’t pay any mind.”

“Your letter—”

“Don’t fuss, dear.”

If Megan hadn’t been watching closely, she wouldn’t have seen the nearly imperceptible shake of Eleanor’s head, or the way her fingers tightened around Tyler’s much larger hand.

What did it mean?

Eleanor was such a strong woman. She worked long hours at the church, rarely complained, and was generous to a fault. If she had one shortcoming, it was her persistent effort to marry off the unmarried members of her family—an effort that extended to widowed granddaughters-in-law.

Megan sat back on her heels, a cold sensation rushing down her spine. What if something was terribly wrong with Grams? The thought was so disturbing that she stopped listening to the conversation. It was only when Eleanor asked whether Tyler liked children that her head shot up.

“Grams,” she said, a faint scolding note in her voice.

“Hush, dear. I was asking Tyler a question.”

“Please don’t get any ideas.”

“Now, now.” Eleanor gave her a benevolent smile. “Tyler and I are just catching up. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He sounded amused, but there was a wary glint in his eyes.

“None of that ‘ma’am’ nonsense. You call me Grams, just like Megan.”

“Grams,” Megan repeated firmly. She didn’t want to spend the family reunion fending off Eleanor’s matchmaking efforts, much less have Tyler think she was trying to land herself a husband. A rich husband, no less.

“Yes, dear?” Eleanor had a look of guileless innocence on her face.

“You…we have to talk,” Megan said to Tyler. She jumped up, grabbed his hand and dragged him away.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

Megan stormed into the living room and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Of course there’s something wrong, or do you enjoy being grilled on your interest in fatherhood?”

“Oh, that.”

“What do you mean, oh that?” she demanded.

“Every Christmas Eleanor asks if I’ve met a nice girl yet. And then she says how nice it would be if I started a family. She’s just being polite.”

“No,” Megan said with a distinct lack of patience. “Grams thinks I should get married again, and since she’s so fond of you, she’s decided we’d be an ideal couple. And I’m not interested in getting married again,” she added hastily.

“Tell her.”

“It’s…complicated. I don’t want to upset her, not with her health so questionable.”

“Oh, yes.” Tyler rocked forward, his attention focused on Megan. She was really worried. “What exactly is wrong with Eleanor? You heard her brush me off when I asked, but I know something is going on.”

Megan sighed. “I don’t know. She claims she’s fine, but her color is bad and she’s losing weight. She hardly eats anything, even when I bring her favorite dishes over to the house. Heck, her mother-in-law is doing better than she is.”

“Yes…Grandmother Rose,” Tyler said slowly. “She turned a hundred last year.”

“That’s right. We had a big party for her. Invitations went out to everyone.”

He sighed. “I know. I sent a gift.”

“She would rather have seen you.”

Tyler wanted to believe it was true, that his presence would have been more pleasing than the flowers and fine jewelry he’d sent. But he didn’t belong with the family. Grandmother Rose wasn’t really his great-grandmother, she was a distant relation to him, like the rest of the O’Bannons.

He didn’t know what to say to them, and he usually ended up feeling like a buffalo stomping around in a field of clover. Now, after years of perspective and finding success in his life, he was perfectly willing to admit it was his own fault.

“Why didn’t you come, Tyler?” Megan asked. “Grams was so sure you’d come for Rose’s party.”

He couldn’t answer, couldn’t explain that he hadn’t wanted to see her so soon after Brad’s death. How could he reveal that the reason that had kept him away was the very same reason he’d come to the reunion?

And the reason was Megan.

Chapter Two

Warning tension crept though Tyler and he shook his head. It was wiser, not to mention safer, to concentrate on something else.

Anything else.

Megan might be a widow now, but she was his cousin’s widow, however distant that relationship might have been. Tyler cleared his throat, looking for something to change the subject. He finally decided it was the direction of his thoughts that needed changing.

“Look, why are you so bothered by Eleanor’s matchmaking?” he asked.

Megan blew a strand of hair from her forehead. “I just don’t want Grams getting her hopes up. About either of us.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll only be here for a few days, then things can go right back to the way they were.”

“You don’t know anything about the way things were,” Megan countered. “I mean…not that you should know, and I’m not criticizing or anything, but you’ve been gone and I’ve been here and…and…,” she stuttered to silence.

Interesting.

She looked flustered and tongue-tied, a condition that made Tyler want to smile. “Yes?” he prompted, enjoying this previously unseen side of Megan.

“Uh…that is, I know I’m not blood family, but…” She stopped again and lifted her shoulders in a helpless shrug.

“The O’Bannons don’t care about blood ties.”

“Then why did…you…uhm…” Megan stuttered into silence a third time and Tyler couldn’t control his grin.

“Why what?”

She ran her palms over her thighs in a nervous gesture. “Eleanor mentioned it was a little tense when you lived with them—that you kept saying you weren’t really family, and why should they bother? And…well, you did stay away for a long time.”

Tyler’s grin faded. The issue of his childhood was a sore subject, though not because of the O’Bannons. He’d been raised in a boys’ group home, made to feel like a charity case because he didn’t have any “family.” By the time Grady and Eleanor arrived on the scene his pride had grown to such immense, angry proportions that even an army tank couldn’t have put a dent in it.

And what could they have said, anyway? They’d taken him out of duty, not love. He might respect that choice now, but it didn’t make any difference.

“Staying away is my concern,” he replied stiffly, then kicked himself. The charming, flustered expression on Megan’s face vanished and she bit her lip.

“Sorry. But you did ask.”

“Yeah.” Tyler ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. Some things never seemed to change. His pride continued getting in the way, especially in relation to Megan. He couldn’t have pursued her nine years ago because of his cousin, but it still rankled to think he wouldn’t have had a chance. There was so much that had never been said between them, he was at a loss, not knowing what to say now.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” she murmured, sounding more tentative than before. “It means so much to Eleanor that you’ve come to the reunion. Grady will be thrilled, too.”

Tyler looked at Megan, a frown creasing his forehead. He’d built up a lot of ideas about her over the years, ideas about her marrying Brad mostly because he was charming and handsome and belonged to the right social class. He supposed it was a way of protecting himself, because he’d taken one look at Megan at her engagement party and found himself thinking about fairy tales and happy endings.

Impossible endings.

Now Megan belonged to the family in a way he never could, and it was still impossible. “You really love them, don’t you?” he asked quietly. “The O’Bannons.”

Megan’s head snapped back, irritation swamping other emotions in her eyes. “Of course I love them. You don’t understand. You never understood,” she muttered angrily and not too clearly.

“Understood what?”

“Nothing. It’s not important.”

“It seems important to you.”

She gave him a look that suggested he was a low-level moron. “Go outside and visit with everybody. If there’s anyone you don’t recognize I’m sure Grams or Kara will make the necessary introductions.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Check on dinner.” Without giving him a chance to say anything else, Megan hurried away.

It was on the tip of Tyler’s tongue to call after her, asking why she didn’t have a maid or cook to handle that kind of detail, but he stopped himself just in time. The California Gold Country was a beautiful place and attracted interesting tourists, but bed and breakfast inns were hard work. If Brad had left Megan a ton of money, she probably wouldn’t be in the hotel business in the first place.

Tyler whistled under his breath. That was something he hadn’t considered. He’d assumed Megan and her daughter were well-provided for, but what if they weren’t?

He walked back into the garden and gazed around. The afternoon sun filtered through the trees, putting warmth into the crisp October air. Various members of the family were heading for the house and they stopped, greeting him. They didn’t say anything about his long absence, just how glad they were that he’d made it to the reunion.

“Tyler? Has Megan thoroughly warned you off?” Eleanor asked as she stood and draped a quilted lap robe over her arm. “She puts up huge No Trespassing signs, but underneath she’s a very sweet girl.”

“I’m sure.”

Eleanor chuckled at his wry tone. “You never understood Megan, but that’s all right. Give it some time.”

You never understood….

Tyler frowned thoughtfully. Megan had just accused him of the same thing, or at least of generally not understanding. It was probably a feminine thing. And he couldn’t disagree—women were damned hard to understand.

“Tyler?” Eleanor said, putting her hand on his arm. “You do like Megan, don’t you? I know she can be prickly, but that’s because she’s been hurt.”

He winced, realizing Megan was right about one thing—Eleanor was matchmaking. “Of course I like her,” he said automatically, knowing it was the only answer he could give that wouldn’t make things worse.

“Good. It’s been hard for her since Brad…” Eleanor’s voice shook.

“I know you miss him.”

“Mostly I miss what he should have been,” she said sadly. “The boy made such a mess of things. Then he got himself killed that way and made things worse.”

Tyler’s eyes shot wide open.

Brad O’Bannon had been an extremely charming playboy with parents who indulged his every wish. Apparently he’d never changed. He was the one member of the family Tyler had never really cared for, but it was a surprise to hear Eleanor say something critical about her grandson. It also sounded as if there was more to Brad’s death than a simple car crash.

“Well, now, look who’s here!” Grady O’Bannon exclaimed suddenly, charging across the garden with the energy of a man half his age.

“Hello, sir.”

Grady drew Tyler into a hug, thumping him on the back with hearty enthusiasm. “It’s good to see you again, lad. We missed you.”

“It’s good to be here,” Tyler said uncomfortably. He was coming to the conclusion it was easier to run a marathon than visit the family he’d never known that well in the first place.

“Tyler,” Kara called, offering a welcome distraction. “Mom said to give you time to settle in, but we’re getting ready to go to the ball field.” She held out her hand with shy anticipation in her eyes. “Are you ready?”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

“I want Tyler on our team,” Kara exclaimed. They’d just arrived at the ball field and the youngster tumbled from the car with more enthusiasm than grace.

“Maybe I’ll just watch,” Tyler said. “There seem to be more than enough players.”

“Oh. But are you sure?” she asked. “It’s loads of fun.”

“Sweetheart, don’t pester Tyler,” Megan said. “He doesn’t have to play if he doesn’t want to.”

“Sorry.”

Kara looked so disappointed that Tyler sighed and found himself agreeing to join the team.

“Yippee! I’m going to tell Reece. He’s the other captain.” Kara immediately dashed away, heading for the tall, brown-haired man who had arrived at the field ahead of them. They’d come in a dozen different vehicles, most of them filled to capacity. Nobody wanted to miss one of the family softball games, even if they didn’t actively participate.

“Isn’t Kara a little young for softball?” Tyler asked.

“Anyone who wants to participate, gets to,” Megan murmured. “But you don’t have to go along just for Kara. I know you aren’t used to children and don’t play softball that often. Not in San Francisco. Besides, you work in an office with secretaries and stuff all calling you sir. That magazine said you—” The words froze in her throat as Tyler caught her elbow and swung her around.

“So you think that’s why I don’t want to play? Because of an idiotic magazine article?”

His eyes blazed at her and she swallowed. Well, too bad. Megan lifted her chin. He wasn’t going make her tongue-tied and incoherent. Not this time. She tried to shake his fingers away from her elbow, but without success.

“Jeez,” she muttered. “You don’t have to make a federal case out of it.” Maybe if she annoyed Tyler enough he’d leave her alone. It was too confusing having so many different responses to the man. Her body was going hot and cold, her mind was screaming “don’t give him an inch,” and her heart was in full retreat. Tyler wasn’t safe, he was like a panther in the wild—lean and dangerous.

“For your information, my business is property development,” Tyler said. “We specialize in restoring old buildings. That’s how I started out, buying old places, fixing them up, and selling them. I wasn’t born rich and I haven’t forgotten how to swing a hammer and work hard.”

“Like I said, you don’t have to make a federal case out of it,” she snapped. “What’s wrong with you? I was trying to be considerate, that’s all. I love my daughter, but kids can be exhausting and Kara isn’t any exception.”

“Sorry.”

She looked at him suspiciously but he seemed sincere. His fingers gentled, stroking the soft inner skin of her arm.

“Did I hurt you?” he whispered.

“No…of course not.”

“I’m just sensitive about that article.” Tyler grinned lopsidedly. “I thought the magazine was going to write a real story about the importance of dedication and hard work, instead they made it sound like I did nothing but eat caviar and chase women all day.”

“Not exact—”

“Mo-o-om, aren’t you guys coming?”

The insistent shout from the softball diamond made Megan jump. “They probably want to get started,” she said.

“Er…right.”

Tyler shook his head as he followed Megan toward the other players. Lord, he was losing his grip. Two hours of exposure to the woman and he was acting like a raving lunatic. On the other hand, it didn’t excuse his behavior, or the things he’d said.

“Hey.” He caught up in two long strides. “Am I forgiven?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not.”

The careless answer tightened his gut, but Tyler gritted his teeth rather than say something else he’d regret. It was much harder than he’d expected to pretend Megan didn’t mean anything to him. Though…male hormones and pride being what they were, he should have realized seeing her again wouldn’t be easy.

Hell, why couldn’t she have grown a third eye or something?

Glancing down at Megan, Tyler knew that wasn’t the answer. He had a dismal feeling she would attract him no matter what. It was as if she exuded some type of chemical that messed with the normal functioning of his brain.

“You’re on our team,” Kara said the minute they got close. “I already told Reece.”

“I see.” Tyler smiled at the child. One of his friends had a daughter close to her age, so he had some experience with kids. Not that much experience, but at least he knew better than to ruffle her hair or treat her like an infant. “How good are they?” he asked, gesturing toward the group clustered around Reece O’Bannon.

“We beat ’em two out of three times last year,” Grady declared. “Nobody gets a run off one of my pitches.”

“Granddad, you know the doctor said you couldn’t play so soon,” Megan scolded. “You’re benched.”

“I can pitch. The shoulder is as good as new.”

“You don’t want to tear that rotator cuff again, so go sit with Grams.” She pointed toward the small stand of bleachers with a no-nonsense look on her face.

Grady muttered something beneath his breath about uppity youngsters who thought they knew better than their elders, but Tyler detected a twinkle in the old man’s eyes.

“I heard that,” Megan said. “And it was your idea to make me captain this year. Now go.”

Grady retreated, though not before offering another protest.

“Eleanor writes every couple months, but she never told me Grady had had surgery,” Tyler said. “He’s what—at least seventy-five? How did he get hurt?”

Megan smiled. “He did it golfing, only he won’t tell us the whole story. And he’s eighty-one.”

Tyler looked toward the bleachers and whistled. If he could be that active at the age of sixty he’d consider himself lucky.

“All right,” Megan said. “Let’s get set up.” She swiftly gave directions to the team, assigning them positions and a batting order.

Good-natured jeering passed between the two teams, and they tossed a coin to determine who would bat first. Megan’s team lost the toss and they scattered to their positions on the diamond.

From his spot at first base Tyler watched her take her place as shortstop. He shouldn’t have taken her comments so seriously, but he didn’t have good sense when it came to Megan.

He was so deep in thought that the crack of a ball hitting wood made his head jerk around. A teenager he didn’t recognize was charging toward first base, determination in each step. There were shouts of “hurry,” “run” and “easy out” from all sides.

The right fielder scrambled after the moving ball and threw it in time for Tyler to tag the first out of the game. The next two outs weren’t so easy, and they barely prevented the other team from scoring, tagging the runner as he rounded third base, headed for home.

“Told ya we’d get you,” Megan told the other captain as they exchanged places on the field.

Reece tugged the braid that had fallen forward over Megan’s shoulder. “It’s just the first half of the first inning, kiddo. We have six and a half to go.”

“I’m not worried. By the way, I like your fiancée,” Megan said, nodding toward the slender blond woman by third base. “She seems really nice.”

“Thanks.” Reece looked uncomfortable for some reason, but there wasn’t time to ask questions, so Megan gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the idea of being married,” she murmured, guessing it might be cold feet affecting him.

“Right.”

He didn’t sound convinced and Megan supposed she wasn’t the most reliable source on the subject of wedded bliss. Most of the family knew about Brad and the way he’d played around. She squeezed Reece’s hand, wishing she could promise him happily-ever-after. Problem was, she didn’t believe in happily-ever-after. She wasn’t sure she ever had.

As for Tyler…Megan watched as he leaned against the fence, ten feet away from the dugout where the rest of the team was waiting. His arms were crossed over his chest and his posture reminded her of someone braced for something.

What?

A blow?

An unwelcome overture from the family? That seemed most likely considering the way he’d never visited. He probably didn’t want to get too friendly.

A small frown gathered between Megan’s eyes.

Tyler confused her; he always had. And his continued resistance to the O’Bannons confused her most of all. Eleanor and Grady loved him and worried about him. They wanted Tyler to be part of the family, but he acted as if they were little more than strangers.

Against her better judgment, Megan walked around the backstop and headed straight for Tyler.

“Why don’t you come over and sit with the team?” she urged softly. “The benches aren’t that comfortable but it gives us all a chance to visit.”

“I’m fine.”

His expression said it all. I’m a loner. Big and tough and able to take care of himself. Megan turned to join the rest of the family, then glanced into the small rise of bleachers and saw Eleanor smiling and nodding encouragement.

Terrific. Grams was bent on matchmaking and she’d played right into the scheme by approaching Tyler for no reason. At least not for a reason that made any sense.

Sighing, Megan shrugged out of her sweatshirt and tied it around her waist. She wasn’t certain whether she liked Tyler, and she was fairly certain he didn’t like her, but she could be a good hostess for the next few days. It wouldn’t kill her.

“It’s a family reunion,” she murmured. “Visiting is our major recreation.”

Tyler looked at her and she saw layers of emotion in his brown eyes that she couldn’t begin to fathom. “People who know each other ‘visit.’ They talk about their lives and the kids and catch up on news since the last time they were together.”

Megan opened her mouth, then closed it just as quickly. Jumping to conclusions would just get her in trouble, and she had a feeling she’d already drifted into deep water. Not that it was a new sensation, Tyler always made her feel out of her depth. After all this time, he still made her feel things she’d rather not think about…things that made her breathless and uneasy in the pit of her stomach.

A chorus of encouraged cries were a welcome distraction and Megan saw that Kara was coming up to bat. “You can do it,” she called.

Kara jauntily balanced the bat over her shoulder and Megan’s heart filled with love. In many ways Kara was older than her years, yet she was sweet and loving and full of enthusiasm. But time was passing so quickly it wouldn’t be long before she was grown. A mixture of pride and pain squeezed Megan’s throat and she sniffed.

“Oh, dear,” Tyler muttered in a low voice. “What’s wrong?”

She blinked away a hovering tear. “Nothing.”

“Right.” He slipped her a handkerchief. “That ‘nothing’ is getting your face wet.”

He sounded gruff but sympathetic, so she sighed. “It’s just that children grow up so fast.”

“So my friends say.”

It was an innocent comment, but it caught her attention.

So my friends say.

Why did that sound so lonely? A man like Tyler probably had more friends than he could count. Still…friends weren’t a substitute for family, she knew that better than anyone.

She looked up and saw him focus on the game with a kind of hungry intensity. Megan pressed a hand to her stomach, unnerved by more than physical awareness.

“I noticed the pitcher is taking it easy on Kara,” Tyler said, motioning toward the mound. “Nice, slow pitches that go straight across the plate.”

She swallowed, trying to get control of herself. “I…I know we sound competitive, but this isn’t the World Series. It’s more important for everyone to have fun than to win,” she said finally.

“I see.” Tyler nodded, his gaze still fixed on the game.

Kara took a swing at her third pitch. The ball connected with a dull thud and bounced toward third base, just inside the foul line. With a gleeful “hurray,” she dropped the bat and ran.

“Go, Kara, go,” cried a dozen voices.

Tyler leaned back against his fence and surveyed the field. It was plain the opposite team wasn’t reacting as quickly as they did with the older players. They were giving Kara a chance to reach first base. To be a part of the game, just as Megan had said.

He didn’t know if child psychologists would approve of their tactics, but it was rather nice. At the same time he would have been furious with the O’Bannons if they’d done anything like that when he was a teenager—he would have accused them of treating him differently, of giving him charity.

Yet all they were doing was being kind.

It was the same round robin of arguments he’d fought since his boyhood, and Tyler tiredly brushed his hand over his face. Coming to the reunion was a mistake. He didn’t know how to talk to these people, and Megan still affected him to the point of irrationality. Hell, he would have done anything to wipe the melancholy expression from her face when she was talking about Kara.

“By the way, is there anyone here you don’t know?” Megan asked. “It seems strange, I guess, since they’re your family, not mine. But you haven’t been…” She stopped, looking uncomfortable all over again.

“I’m slowly putting names to faces, though there are a few I don’t recognize, especially the kids,” Tyler said, ignoring the last part of her statement. They were both tiptoeing around the subject of his absence from the family. “And I haven’t seen Rick and Sue yet.”

At the mention of her mother- and father-in-law, Megan smiled and shook her head. “They aren’t coming. They decided to spend a year at a monastery in Colorado, finding their ‘inner peace.”’

Tyler lifted his eyebrows. “I guess they haven’t changed.” It was a polite way of saying Rick and Sue were just as flaky as ever. Nice, but flaky. He’d certainly liked them better than their son.

Brad…

Tyler’s hand tightened into a fist. He kept remembering Brad, probably because his cousin was inextricably connected to Megan, who was alive and standing close enough that his senses were infused with her uniquely feminine scent.

“I…” Tyler cleared his throat. He shouldn’t have thought about his close proximity with Megan. It wasn’t wise. “Actually, I don’t remember that guy,” he murmured, motioning to a man sitting among the other players.

“That’s Jack Carter. He’s an in-law, like me. Hey, Jack,” Megan called. “Come and meet Tyler.”

Jack came over and gave Tyler an affable grin. “Nice to meet you. My wife is Kara’s second cousin, once removed.” He looked at Megan and scratched his balding head. “Or is it third cousin, twice removed?”

“Second cousin, Jack. I’m glad you could make it.”

The two men shook hands, then Jack walked to the mound and proceeded to strike out spectacularly. He returned with the same friendly expression as before and stood next to Megan. They chatted about his growing family, which was about to increase again. Megan craned her neck and waved to her daughter’s second cousin, who’d been benched by eight months of pregnancy. Tyler did remember Antonia O’Bannon—now Carter—though she’d changed considerably in the intervening years.

“Your kids are beautiful, Jack,” Megan said.

She had the same wistful look she’d had when she’d watched Kara and nearly started crying. Tyler shifted uneasily and tried to think of ways to change the subject. Motherhood was a powerful thing, practically beyond male comprehension, or so he was told. And looking at Megan’s beautiful, yearning face, he was willing to believe it.

“Yup,” Jack agreed. “My looks and Toni’s brains. They got the best of both worlds.”

The outrageous statement startled Tyler, then he realized it must be a family joke. Jack was a pleasant-looking fellow, but Toni was so gorgeous she probably stopped traffic on a regular basis. It was one of the things that made him uncomfortable about these family gatherings—not knowing the inside jokes and reasons for laughing.

The inning ended with a single run scored by Kara, who was so proud she nearly burst when she landed on home plate.

They only earned one more run in the next five innings, with four scored by the opposing team. It left them two behind at the bottom of the seventh and final inning, softball being played with two less than standard baseball.

“Okay, we can still do it,” Megan said.

“Yeah, tomorrow or the next day,” Jack Carter said drolly.

“Ha. A defeatist attitude.” She shook her finger with mock severity. “I say we’re going to win.”

But it didn’t look promising when their first batter struck out. The next several plays earned them one run though, putting Tyler on third with Megan on second, and one out left. The next batter came up to the plate, making a big show of warming up. Megan called something from second and Tyler glanced at her, smiling faintly. Her spirit was infectious. He wanted to win the game, just for Megan.

Tyler didn’t even wait to see where the ball was headed when the next hit came. He just put his head down and charged for home plate. He hit the backstop, then turned and watched Megan racing for home.

Everyone was shouting and from the corner of his eye he saw Reece O’Bannon bringing his arm up to throw the ball.

“Slide, slide,” the team screamed in unison.

No. Tyler cringed at the thought of Megan hitting the dirt. Despite the growing chill in the late afternoon air she’d left her sweatshirt tied around her waist, so there was nothing to protect her arms or face. Not that she would slide. Women didn’t get that physical.

Putting on a burst of speed, Megan flung herself forward, hands outstretched. A split second later the catcher had the ball in hand, but not before she’d touched the plate, making the winning run.

For an instant Tyler sagged against the backstop, then he strode forward and hauled her to her feet.

“Are you all right?” he demanded.

“Of course.” She laughed and brushed dust from her T-shirt and jeans. A like amount of dust smudged her face, but it didn’t seem to bother her.

The rest of the team came out with a victory yell, along with the opposing players who cheerfully offered their congratulations. Tyler accepted his share of the praise, but he couldn’t keep from watching Megan.

He hadn’t wanted her to hit the dirt, because he hadn’t wanted to see her get hurt. Just then something on his hand caught his attention and Tyler looked down. A streak of red kicked the adrenaline in his veins into overdrive.

“Megan!”

He dragged her out of the family group and not-so-subtly examined her for injury. At the sight of a long scratch on her forearm, he scowled.

“Look what you did.”

“Oh, pooh.” She shook her head. “The cat does worse than that on a good day.”

“Then you should have the wretch declawed.”

Megan put a hand on her chest. “Sacrilege. Ninety percent of his personality is in the tips of his claws. It would be like Delilah cutting Samson’s hair.”

Tyler didn’t want to examine why he felt so protective of her. He’d spent a good deal of his adult life trying not to feel anything at all for Megan, and now his gut was twisted in a knot over a mere scratch. He did a mental calculation of the remaining three days of the reunion and groaned. If she could put him into a tailspin in just one afternoon, he was in serious trouble.

“I suppose the women you know would never slide into home plate,” Megan said after a moment. Her merry expression had altered subtly, becoming more cautious.

“Actually…no.”

“I’ll just have to survive not living up to such a high level of perfection,” she murmured.

Tyler wanted to explain it wasn’t a criticism, but she turned away before he could say anything.

“Grams,” she called. “I need to go back to the house early. Can you take Kara and Tyler in the van?”

“Of course, dear.”

He watched Megan’s departing back and sighed. Considering her impact on him, he ought to be relieved she was angry.

But he wasn’t. A part of him want to grab her and make her listen, then kiss her senseless. It wasn’t too civilized of him, but none of his feelings about Megan were civilized, so it wasn’t surprising.

“Going to do something about that?” asked a voice and Tyler turned his head.

“About what?”

Jack Carter smiled shrewdly. “About Megan.”

Tyler wasn’t about to answer. He definitely needed to do something about Megan…he just had to decide what that something might be.

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