One in a Million Read Free Page B

traveled twenty minutes, he drove off at the next exit, turned around and headed back to town.
    With his car battery charged, he meandered through the picturesque residential neighborhoods. Ancient trees lined many blocks, the heavy branches touching over the streets and providing tunnels of shade. Big lawns stretched out in front of well-kept houses. Bikes and sports equipment littered the edges of driveways while bright blooming flowers provided color.
    The quiet small-town neighborhood wasn't any thing like the lakefront in Chicago where he cur rently lived. No big city lurked in the background. Despite the geographical differences, he was re minded of life back where he'd grown up. Possum Landing, Texas , might not have been as upscale as Glenwood, but it had the same friendly feel.
    He made a couple of turns without any thought of direction. He just wanted to keep moving. Even tually he would have to get in touch with his brother and deal with the pending family reunion, but not just yet.
    After his next right turn, he drove onto a wider street lined with huge Victorian houses. They were similar to Stephanie's. All restored, all elegant and framed by massive trees. A discreet sign in front of one indicated it was also a bed and breakfast, with a restaurant. He briefly wondered why Stephanie hadn't opened her business here rather than on the other side of town before dismissing the query and returning his attention to getting lost.
    He continued to drive through the neighborhood, turning left, then right. After ten minutes he found himself facing a large shopping mall, which he had driven past the previous evening on his way in from the airport. He was about to turn around when his cell phone rang.
    Nash checked the caller ID, then pulled over and hit the Talk button.
    “ What's up?" he asked, even though he had a good idea of the answer.
    “ I'm checking on you," Kevin, his twin brother said. "Did you flake out on me at the last minute or are you really here?"
    “I'm in town."
    “You're kidding." Kevin sounded surprised. Nash shared the feeling. The last place he'd expected to be was here. Given the choice he would be at work—getting lost in an assignment, or training or even paperwork.
    “What changed your mind?" his brother asked.
    “ I wasn't given a choice. You told me to get my butt here or you'd drag me yourself."
    “ Right. Like me telling you what to do has made you do anything." Kevin laughed. "I'm glad you made it, though. I've met with a couple of the guys. Travis and Kyle Haynes." Their half brothers. Family they'd never known about. Nash still couldn't get his mind around the concept. "And?"
    “ It went great. There's a physical resemblance I didn't expect. Our mutual father has some pretty powerful genes. We're about the same height and build. Dark hair, dark eyes." Someone said something in the background Nash didn't catch.
    Kevin chuckled. "Haley says to tell you they're all good-looking. I wouldn't know about that. It's a chick thing." Haley? Before Nash could ask, Kevin continued.
    “ We've set up a dinner for tomorrow night. All the brothers will be there along with their wives and kids. Gage is here." Gage and Quinn Reynolds had been Nash and Kevin's best friends for as long as they could re member. They'd grown up together. Three weeks ago Nash had found out Gage and Quinn shared their biological father with Nash and Kevin.
    “ I haven't seen Gage in a couple of years," Nash said. "How's he doing?"
    “ He's engaged."
    “No way.”
    “Remember Kari Asbury?" Nash frowned. "The name's familiar."
    “ He dated her when he left the service and came back to Possum Landing. She took off to New York to be a model or something."
    “ Oh, yeah. Tall. Pretty. They're getting mar ried?" It had to have been years since they'd seen each other.
    “Yup. She moved back and the rest is history. Apparently it all happened pretty fast."
    “ Even though Gage kept saying he wanted a fam ily, I figured he