“Probably, since I can’t think of any other reason for her to want to meet with me, especially when I spent time with her over the holidays. It has been almost two years since she told Nolan I was next in line. You know what that means, right?”
Corbin shook his head. “No, what does that mean?”
Victoria smiled. “It means since I don’t plan to give Mama Laverne grief about anything, I’ll probably have a June wedding and then she can turn her attention to you, since you’re next on the list.”
Corbin frowned. “Like hell.”
Victoria laughed at her brother’s reaction. “I suggest you start enjoying your final days as a bachelor, Corbin.”
The following weekend
“UNCLE JAKE AND Aunt Diamond, how are you?” Victoria asked as she entered their home on Whispering Pines and gave both huge hugs. She adored her grand-uncle and grand-aunt. She also loved Whispering Pines, the place everyone in the family considered the Madaris homestead.
Whispering Pines was an hour drive from Houston and encompassed hundreds and hundreds of acres of land for grazing cattle. The ranch was renowned for raising only the highest quality grass-fed Texas longhorn cattle. Victoria thought the ranch house, a massive hacienda-style villa where Jake and his family lived, was a real piece of art. It had always been beautiful, and since marrying former actress Diamond Swain, who’d put her special touch here and there, it was even more so.
Jake, a distinguished rancher, had once made the cover of Time magazine when they’d applauded his efforts in aiding the British government with England’s cattle industry’s mad cow epidemic. Not only was her uncle a great rancher, but he was also highly intelligent when it came to investments. Thanks to him, all the members of the Madaris family had a hefty amount of stock in the family business. He managed the portfolios for all his nieces and nephews, and they all had lucrative trust funds. Jake was well-respected in numerous circles and his name carried a lot of weight in Texas. As far as Victoria was concerned, he was the best grand-uncle in the whole wide world.
“I hope I didn’t arrive during the time Mama Laverne is napping,” she said.
“No. She’s expecting you and delayed her nap until later,” Diamond said.
Jake studied his grand-niece. “I guess you have an idea why you’re here.”
Victoria nodded. “Yes, I have an idea.”
“You’re not bothered by the fact Mom is about to interfere in your life?” he asked.
Victoria saw the concern in her grand-uncle’s eyes and decided to tell him the same thing she’d been telling her brothers and cousins. “I’m fine with everything, Uncle Jake. Even you have to admit Mama Laverne’s track record for hooking people up successfully is astounding.”
“Well, just as long as you’re okay with it.”
Victoria touched her grand-uncle’s arm to reassure him. “I’m okay with it, and I’m really anxious to know what man she’s chosen for me.”
A few moments later, Victoria was knocking on the door to her great-grandmother’s suite.
“Come in.”
Opening the door, Victoria found her sitting in her favorite chair, knitting. Felicia Laverne Madaris had taught Victoria to knit when she’d been eight, and for her great-grandmother to still be able to use her hands to knit the way she did, and as often as she did, was amazing.
“Hello, Mama Laverne,” she said, leaning down to place a kiss on the older woman’s cheek.
“And hello to you, Victoria.”
Her great-grandmother was wearing a pretty floral button-front dress with her signature pearls around her neck. Perched on her nose was a pair of reading glasses. While growing up, Victoria thought her great-grandmother was one of the most stylish women she knew. She still thought so.
“You look pretty today, Mama Laverne.”
“Thank you and so do you. Would you like some of the Madaris tea?” Mama Laverne asked as she placed her knitting aside and removed her reading glasses.
Victoria loved the Madaris tea. The recipe was known only to certain Madaris family members. “Yes. You want me to pour?” Victoria asked.
“That will be fine, dear.”
After pouring them both cups of tea, Victoria noticed Mama Laverne studying her intently. She knew there was a reason for her doing so and figured if she was patient, her great-grandmother would tell her what was on her mind.
After taking a couple of sips of tea, Mama Laverne said, “I’m sure you know why I wanted to meet with you.”
Victoria nodded. “Yes, I do have a good idea.”
Mama Laverne took another sip of tea. “I know some of you merely see me as a meddling old woman, intent on destroying your lives. But as you can see, I haven’t steered anyone wrong yet.”
Victoria chuckled. “No, you haven’t. Nolan is happy with Ivy, Lee is happy with Carly, Reese is happy with Kenna, Luke is happy with Mac...need I go on?” All the cousins she had mentioned—Lee, Reese and Luke—had their marriages prearranged by the woman sitting before her.
“Heavens no. You don’t have to,” Mama Laverne answered. “I just want you to believe that you will be happy with the person I’ve chosen for you, as well.”
Goose bumps formed on Victoria’s arms and butterflies began floating around in her stomach. “Who is he, Mama Laverne?” she asked excitedly.
Felicia Laverne Madaris placed her teacup down to give her great-granddaughter her undivided attention. “Now that I can’t tell you.”
Victoria lifted an eyebrow. “You can’t?”
“No. Nor can I tell you when he will make the first approach to you. He’s a very busy man and falling in love is the last thing on his agenda. At least so he thinks.”
Victoria’s forehead bunched in confusion. “I don’t understand. Why can’t you reveal his identity? It’s not like I’ll have a problem with whoever you’ve chosen because I know you will look out for my best interests.”
Mama Laverne reached out and took Victoria’s hand firmly in hers. “Yes, I will, and I appreciate your faith and confidence in me. It’s refreshing to have a willing participant instead of an unwilling one like your brother and male cousins have been.”
She paused a moment and then said, “The reason I am withholding his identity for now is because although you might be ready to accept him as your mate, the man I’ve chosen for you might not feel the same. If he knew what I had planned, he would fight it all the way and become extremely difficult.”
Victoria shrugged. “But don’t they always fight it, anyway?”