Andrew got up to put his plate in the sink. “Besides, I have work to do on the house.”

Kate looked around the mostly spotless living room. The only real mess was the pile of papers by the fireplace.

“What kind of work?”

“Tomorrow’s the Fourth of July. Gotta make the place spiffy for the holiday. The bathroom floor needs a good mopping, and I have to get all those rocks off the roof. Plus, I have to move some furniture around.”

“What on earth are you talking about? The furniture is just fine where it is.”

He stood over her with his hands on his hips, a mischievous smile on his face. “Not if we’re going to have company.”

Kate eyed him suspiciously. “Company? I know you want to have that old couple over, but I don’t feel up to it.”

“Oh, I’m sure Henry and Ida already have big plans. Probably organizing the fireworks display as we speak and getting the DJ booth set up.”

“Har-har.”

“Nope, instead of the Keepers of the Golden Pond, I invited your brother and Nikki to come up for a long weekend.”

At first, Kate wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly. She stared at him, mouth hanging open.

“You know. Ryker and Nicola. We were at their wedding. I believe he made you eat a worm when you were four.”

An enormous grin spread across her face. “Are you kidding me? I thought they were going away to San Diego.”

Ryker had met Nicola, Nikki to them, on a visit to London, where he was conducting a three-day seminar on unlocking your career potential. Nikki said it was love at first sight. Ryker didn’t disagree. They’d married after a three-month courtship and had been inseparable ever since. It should have made Kate jealous, her little brother living such an amazing life, so full of energy and the entire world wide open for him. All she ever felt when he recounted his latest adventure was pride.

She guessed that was exactly the way big sisters should look at their baby brothers.

Andrew could no longer hold back his own wide smile. “Nope. I called him and said we had a spare bedroom and could use the company. He cancelled San Diego and booked a flight to Portland that afternoon.”

Kate felt the tears spring in her eyes. “Come here.” She pulled him in for as much of a crushing hug as she could muster. “Thank you so much. Every time I think I love you as much as I possibly can, you go and do something that makes me love you more.”

“Don’t love me too much. I’m fragile.”

Chapter Twenty