McCade's Wish (The McCade Family Series Book 2) by Mara McBain Page A
Authors: Mara McBain
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a grin as she arranged mugs on a tray.
“I’m fine,” she said, opening another cookie tin to add variety to the platter. “I want to be sure of my decision before I answer Cole, one way or another, and be sure of my reasons. I don’t want to jump at the easy answer on the rebound and have both of us regret it.”
Gen turned; worry lining her face, but she nodded. “You’re right. I hadn’t really thought of it in that context. As much as I want you for my sister, I don’t want either one of you getting hurt.”
“Your brother-in-law is a good man. I don’t blame you for being protective,” Adrienne said, picking up the full platter. “But either way, you will always be my sister.”
Gen blushed a little as she motioned to precede her out of the kitchen. Her words were soft and wistful, but cut right to Adrienne’s heart. “I know, but as selfish as it is, if you marry Cole all the people I love in this world would always be right here together like tonight.”
Her step faltering, Adrienne blinked back tears. She didn’t have a reply for that, but couldn’t deny that it sounded like heaven.
Get your ass up, boy. The growl of his daddy’s voice jerked Trey from sleep. Jostled from her cocoon, Genevieve protested sleepily. His heart pounded loud in his ears. Only the howl of the wind rivaled it in the quiet house. He sloughed a shaky hand over his face. His father had been gone two years, but his voice had been so clear. Easing his arm free of Gen, he slid out of bed and tucked the covers back around her.
“Are you okay?” she asked, rubbing her nose into his pillow.
“Yeah. Go back to sleep, darlin’. I’m just going to check the fires,” he said, patting her bottom in reassurance.
Yanking on a pair of pants and a thermal shirt, he jogged down the stairs. The hardwood was cold on his bare feet, and he wondered if that was why his daddy’s voice had roused him. He’d insulated the pipes under the house well, but it was always a risk if the temperature dropped too far. The fireplace in the living room still boasted a healthy bed of coals. Sliding the shield aside, he added a couple of logs to get things going. Straightening, he padded into the kitchen. Brute raised his massive head from his cozy spot by the stove; his thick tail thumped a greeting on the floor.
After giving the dog’s ears an affectionate scratch, he stuffed the stove full again. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked around the house. Nothing seemed out of place, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Going to the window, he peered out into the darkness. The wind whipped the snow in driving sheets so even the barn wasn’t visible. Closing his eyes, he let his forehead rest against the window.
He flinched as the wind cried his name. A low growl rumbled from Brute’s chest and he stood up, the fur on his nape standing on end. Frowning, Trey stared at the dog. The big beast trotted to the door and looked back at Trey expectantly.
“It’s just the wind. You don’t want to go out there.”
Brute whined, snuffling around the door. The uneasy feeling persisted and Trey cursed as he pushed off the window frame. Sliding his bare feet into his boots against the swirling snow, he opened the door. Brute brushed past him, bounding over the drift in front of the door to disappear into the white out. Trey hesitated in closing the door. He squinted against the bits that stung his cheeks and strained his ears. Brute barked.
Whirling, Trey grabbed his coat off the hook and stepped out the door. His hand closed around rope that led to the barn.
“Brutus!” he bellowed.
Another bark sounded like it was coming from down the drive. Swallowing hard, he cursed and glanced back at the house. Already, the outline was faint. Following his tracks back to the porch, he followed the wrap-around over-hang to the front door and set off down the drive. A sharp crack split the night air over the howling wind.
“I’m fine,” she said, opening another cookie tin to add variety to the platter. “I want to be sure of my decision before I answer Cole, one way or another, and be sure of my reasons. I don’t want to jump at the easy answer on the rebound and have both of us regret it.”
Gen turned; worry lining her face, but she nodded. “You’re right. I hadn’t really thought of it in that context. As much as I want you for my sister, I don’t want either one of you getting hurt.”
“Your brother-in-law is a good man. I don’t blame you for being protective,” Adrienne said, picking up the full platter. “But either way, you will always be my sister.”
Gen blushed a little as she motioned to precede her out of the kitchen. Her words were soft and wistful, but cut right to Adrienne’s heart. “I know, but as selfish as it is, if you marry Cole all the people I love in this world would always be right here together like tonight.”
Her step faltering, Adrienne blinked back tears. She didn’t have a reply for that, but couldn’t deny that it sounded like heaven.
Get your ass up, boy. The growl of his daddy’s voice jerked Trey from sleep. Jostled from her cocoon, Genevieve protested sleepily. His heart pounded loud in his ears. Only the howl of the wind rivaled it in the quiet house. He sloughed a shaky hand over his face. His father had been gone two years, but his voice had been so clear. Easing his arm free of Gen, he slid out of bed and tucked the covers back around her.
“Are you okay?” she asked, rubbing her nose into his pillow.
“Yeah. Go back to sleep, darlin’. I’m just going to check the fires,” he said, patting her bottom in reassurance.
Yanking on a pair of pants and a thermal shirt, he jogged down the stairs. The hardwood was cold on his bare feet, and he wondered if that was why his daddy’s voice had roused him. He’d insulated the pipes under the house well, but it was always a risk if the temperature dropped too far. The fireplace in the living room still boasted a healthy bed of coals. Sliding the shield aside, he added a couple of logs to get things going. Straightening, he padded into the kitchen. Brute raised his massive head from his cozy spot by the stove; his thick tail thumped a greeting on the floor.
After giving the dog’s ears an affectionate scratch, he stuffed the stove full again. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked around the house. Nothing seemed out of place, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Going to the window, he peered out into the darkness. The wind whipped the snow in driving sheets so even the barn wasn’t visible. Closing his eyes, he let his forehead rest against the window.
He flinched as the wind cried his name. A low growl rumbled from Brute’s chest and he stood up, the fur on his nape standing on end. Frowning, Trey stared at the dog. The big beast trotted to the door and looked back at Trey expectantly.
“It’s just the wind. You don’t want to go out there.”
Brute whined, snuffling around the door. The uneasy feeling persisted and Trey cursed as he pushed off the window frame. Sliding his bare feet into his boots against the swirling snow, he opened the door. Brute brushed past him, bounding over the drift in front of the door to disappear into the white out. Trey hesitated in closing the door. He squinted against the bits that stung his cheeks and strained his ears. Brute barked.
Whirling, Trey grabbed his coat off the hook and stepped out the door. His hand closed around rope that led to the barn.
“Brutus!” he bellowed.
Another bark sounded like it was coming from down the drive. Swallowing hard, he cursed and glanced back at the house. Already, the outline was faint. Following his tracks back to the porch, he followed the wrap-around over-hang to the front door and set off down the drive. A sharp crack split the night air over the howling wind.
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