Vivi fluffed her hair, looked appeased. "You're welcome."
"Granny B," Aria said. "I've got a question. If it's true that our female DNA has a built-in soul mate detector, then why haven't any of us girls experienced it?"
"She makes a good point," Tara chimed in. "Between the four of us, we've kissed a lot of guys and none of us have ever heard the humming."
"That's because you have not found your soul mate," Granny Blue said.
"We're getting a little old," Ember said. Ember had even been married once, but no one ever brought up that ill-fated union . In fact, everyone pretended it had never happened. "You'd think one of us would have found our mate by now."
Granny Blue smiled slyly. "You can't hurry true love, as you found out the hard way."
Aria grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl, pretended it was a microphone, and started singing the Supremes' song.
Tara and Ember both grabbed bananas and joined Aria.
"Me too!" Kaia said.
Then all the women in the room were on their feet, bananas in hands, dancing around the room, singing a heartfelt rendition of "You Can't Hurry Love." Even Granny Blue and Atticus joined. The toddler was wriggling and jumping, throwing himself fully into the endeavor. The women surrounded the boy, everyone singing to him about being patient for love.
That's what they were doing when Ridge sauntered into the kitchen.
Everyone froze. And it was like that ominous moment just before a tornado hits when everything goes utterly quiet.
Chapter 5
All the women had been dancing and singing like doo-wop girls, but it was Kaia alone who nailed Ridge's attention.
For one thing, her voice rose above the others, sincere and adorably off-key, belting out the song like she was Adele. She was hopping around, banana to her lips, eyes bright, braids flying, breasts jiggling.
For another thing, she was fully, one hundred percent alive, and it stirred him. How did anyone come by such pure joie de vivre? For another thing, it was such an unexpected bonus, to witness how she'd flowered in womanliness.
And those eyes!
Dark and mysterious as the bottom of the ocean. Her eyes made him think of spelunking in Cupid caverns.
He appreciated her pert sense of rhythm, her delicate collarbone exposed by the cut of her T-shirt, the two piercings in each earlobe adorned with gold studs and twin dream catchers that swayed seductively when she moved her head. She wore a dozen multicolored leather strap bracelets on her right wrist and a heart-shaped necklace around her slender throat.
Kaia caught him watching her and everything came to a screeching halt. The joy drained from her face, quickly replaced by red-cheeked embarrassment.
Regret kicked him. He'd done that. Sapped the joy right out of her simply by walking into the room.
Kaia was the first one to toss her banana back in the fruit bowl. Immediately, everyone else followed her lead.
"Ridge," Vivi said breathlessly, pressing a hand to her chest, and it wasn't until that moment he even noticed his ex-girlfriend-turned-stepmother. "You're here."
"You always were sharp as a tack, Vivi," Ridge drawled.
Vivi hadn't changed much, still thin, and tanned, and artfully made up. Well, except for what was clearly a boob job. She wore a white, snug-fitting tank top with a plunging neckline, black short-shorts and gold flip-flips. Her hair was longer and fluffier, rocking the Texas big hair. She was a good-looking woman, but in his estimation she couldn't hold a candle to Kaia.
He bore Vivi no ill will. He'd always known she was all about the money, and he'd not ever considered marrying her.
Truth? In retrospect Duke had done him a favor. Vivi and his father deserved each other.
Vivi laughed nervously under his scrutiny. "Well, come on in. We're just waiting for the priest. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Where are your bags? I opened up your house. Had it cleaned and stocked it with supplies. It's unlocked and ready for you."
That was damn ballsy. Bringing up his house. Assuming he'd want to stay there.
He cast a covert glance at Kaia. Saw a worried expression at odds with her inviting smile. He yearned to dip his head to her ear and whisper. Nothing to worry about, sweetheart. All is well.
Vivi pressed a hand to her ample chest. "I hope you don't mind. I um . . . I had the master bedroom redone."
"Thanks for the effort, but I'm staying at Archer's place." Ridge kept his tone even, but his eyes sharp.
"Oh. Um . . . sure. . . . right. " Vivi hem-hawed. "I should have expected that since you're the best man. Of course you'll want to spend the night at his place."
He enjoyed watching her squirm. Petty? "Where is Archer?"
Vivi hovered, wringing her hands, looking uncertain, but trying not to show it.