Taming the Lone Wolff(46)
Winnie nodded and smiled shyly. “I’d appreciate that, sir.”
Victor put his hand on the shoulder of a large, fierce-looking man to his right. “This boy is my eldest, Gareth. Next to him his wife, Gracie, the only woman who has ever had the temerity to challenge our resident hermit.” A titter of laughter circled the table, but Victor continued. “They have a precious toddler you’ll meet tomorrow. Then we have my youngest son, Kieran, and his wife, Olivia. Kieran was our globe-trotter, but he’s finally decided he likes a more permanent life here on the mountain, thank God. Their daughter, Cammie, is in grade school. And last but not least on my branch of the family tree is my middle boy, Jacob. I don’t suppose you need an introduction to his spouse.”
If Winnie was overwhelmed, she didn’t show it. “Oh, no…not at all. Ms. Dane, I’m a huge fan.”
Larkin’s sister-in-law was an Academy Award–winning actress. But here at Wolff Mountain she was known simply as Ariel. Though she had been an official Wolff for some time now, she kept her stage name.
Larkin tensed momentarily, waiting for his father to stand. Vincent Wolff seemed far more frail than he had even a few months ago. But to Larkin’s surprise, Victor continued his emcee duties.
“With my brother’s permission I’ll finish out the roster. His eldest is Devlyn sitting to his left, along with Gillian, who has been a part of this family one way or another for a long, long time. Devlyn runs Wolff Enterprises out of our headquarters in Atlanta. Beside Gillian is Sam Ely, again a longtime family friend. Sam had the guts to court our beautiful Annalise. They produced the newest member of the Wolff family just a few months ago. And I think that’s it.”
Annalise looked at her brother with a gimlet stare and then focused her pointed gaze on Winnie. “Winnie Bellamy? As in Winifred Bellamy, the heiress?”
* * *
Winnie felt like an animal at the zoo. Although the attention of Larkin’s family was understandable, she felt exposed. Particularly when Annalise, whom Larkin loved dearly, asked what everyone else was thinking.
“That’s me,” Winnie said, wishing she had an ounce of Annalise’s boundless confidence.
“And how did you two meet?”
“Annalise.” The warning tone in Larkin’s voice didn’t deter his sister.
“Merely a commonplace question.”
“It’s okay,” Winnie said, straightening her spine and tightly clasping her hands in her lap. “Larkin was doing some security work for me. He was kind enough to offer me a place to hide out. That’s about it.”
Beneath the table, she felt Larkin’s big, warm left hand enclose her right one. He squeezed gently.
“Enough interrogation,” he said. “I promised Winnie that you all were civilized for the most part. Don’t prove me wrong.”
His sister leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Whatever you say, big brother. We’re all just thrilled you’re here for a visit again so soon. Unprecedented, isn’t it?”
Larkin’s lips twitched in a small smile. “I had some vacation time coming.”
“You can’t even spell vacation,” Annalise muttered.
The sibling banter halted when Victor rang a small bell, and moments later half a dozen servers entered the room. Winnie was granted a reprieve as the table sagged with an assortment of food that rivaled any elegant restaurant. She ate quietly, content to study the interplay between the siblings and cousins and in-laws.