He resigned himself to taking a little time to show Janet that that had been Mary’s choice, not his. He was ready and eager to have a strong and independent woman at his side. He was no young kid who’d mistake independence of spirit with a lack of love.

Patience, unfortunately, was not one of his virtues. More, he suspected that that would solve only part of the problem. Janet was still struggling with her conscience over her desire to get her hands on the land that she felt had belonged to her ancestors.

Until she could tell him about that herself, until they could work it through together, it would always stand between them and happiness. She’d almost said the words a moment ago, he was sure of it, but something had kept her silent. Whether it was fear of his reaction or a desire not to hurt him, he couldn’t be sure.

“Okay,” he said eventually. “I’ll let it slide for now, if I must.”

He walked around to the other side of the bed where she still sat huddled under the covers. He determinedly tucked a finger under her chin and tilted her face up until their eyes clashed.

“But I won’t give up on us. I’ll pester you until you see what I see, that we belong together.”

A clearly reluctant smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “That ought to scare the hell out of me,” she said, then gave a little shrug of resignation. “But for some crazy reason, it doesn’t.”

“That’s because you know I’m right,” he said with satisfaction.

“I do not,” she insisted.

“Argue all you want, but the end result will still be the same,” he informed her. “Now get dressed so we can sneak back to White Pines before the whole gang figures out we’re missing.”

“It would serve you right,” she muttered as she strolled off to the shower. “You’re the one they’d taunt unmercifully. They’re very polite to me.”

“They won’t be, once they know you’re going to be family.”

“I am not going to be...” she shouted, then sighed audibly. “Oh, never mind.”

Harlan grinned as the bathroom door slammed behind her. Yes, indeed, no matter what she thought, no matter what kind of struggle she put up, it was only a matter of time.

Facing the entire Adams clan around the breakfast table—except for the youngest babies, who were being watched upstairs—was a heck of a lot more intimidating than their first meeting had been, Janet decided after several awkward minutes ticked by. Their fascinated gazes kept shifting from her to Harlan and back again. Only Jenny and the older grandchildren seemed oblivious to the undercurrents. Their unrestrained chatter was all that made the situation bearable.