Head Over Heels for the Boss (Donovan Brothers) by Susan Meier Page A

I had approved this a few weeks ago, but I just got around to cutting the check.”
    Bob’s brow furrowed. “Check?”
    “It’s a donation to the fire company from the family.”
    Bob’s face reddened. “Well, thank you.”
    His mother ambled over, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. “What’s that?”
    “It’s the check.”
    LuAnn gaped at him. “Now? You decided to give it to him now ?”
    “Isn’t that why he’s here?”
    “No!”
    Cade walked into the awkward silence. “I need Richie’s bottle—”
    LuAnn sputtered. “No, he’s not here to get a check! He’s here for dinner!”
    She turned to get the pot roast out of the oven. Bob said, “Let me help you with that.”
    By the refrigerator now, Cade grabbed Devon’s arm. “What are you doing?”
    “I thought he was here for our donation check. I thought I’d spare him the embarrassment of asking for it.”
    Cade barked a laugh. When Devon didn’t laugh, Cade frowned. “Are you serious?”
    The confused look on his brother’s face made Devon angry. Still, he kept his tone civil when he said, “Yes.”
    “How can you not know he and Mom have been dating?”
    “Mom dates?!” He swore he felt his heart stop. He tried to picture his mother going out to dinner with someone and he couldn’t. All his protective instincts rose. The last man in his mother’s life had not treated her well, and Devon had been forced into the role of family protector. He couldn’t believe she’d been seeing someone without warning him. Without needing him.
    Cade laughed again. As his mom and Bob walked away from the stove and closer to the refrigerator, Cade grabbed Devon’s arm and pulled him down the hall.
    “She’s been seeing Bob for a few weeks. How can you not know that?” Cade shook his head. “No. Don’t answer; I already know. Your head has always been on business of some kind.” He turned Devon toward the French doors. “Just eat your dinner. Don’t say anything insulting. It will all sink in.”
    Following Cade, Devon ambled to the covered back porch and the huge round table. He took the seat between Ellie and Piper and realized that put him directly across from Bob.
    Because it was a hot June day, his suit jacket was a tad too much. Shrugging out of it, he noticed his brothers were both in polo shirts and jeans. Their wives wore shorts and tank tops.
    He loosened his tie. “Wow. It’s a really nice day.”
    Without looking at him, his mom said, “You should get out more. Then you would know that.”
    He knew his mom was offended by the fact that somehow he seemed to be the only person in the world who didn’t know she’d started dating.
    Finn handed him the plate of roast beef. As he forked off a thick slice, he said, “This smells great, Mom.”
    “Thanks.”
    She still wouldn’t look at him. He got it. He really did. If he didn’t spend so much time in the office in the back of the house, he probably would have noticed his mother was dating someone.
    Dating someone.
    He would need more than a minute for that to sink in as the family dinner went on around him. One-month-old Richard Sean sat on his mom’s lap. Ellie ate her mashed potatoes with enthusiasm. Finn teased her. Piper came to her defense.
    Cade sat back. “Only a fool teases his pregnant wife.”
    Bob laughed. So did LuAnn. Her eyes sparkled when she looked at him, the way Finn’s eyes sparkled when he looked at Ellie and Cade’s eyes sparkled when he looked at Piper and little Richie.
    Devon closed his eyes. When had his frigging life changed so much? And why did he suddenly feel like a stranger in his own home?
    He rose. “You know what? I forgot all about a call I’m expecting in a few minutes. From California. A guy looking for seed money. I could cancel, but I’m sure he’s waiting on pins and needles for an answer.”
    LuAnn rose, too. “Devon, you love pot roast and mashed potatoes. Call the man, tell him you need an hour to eat, then come back.”
    Ellie smiled