Vanessa blinked, then snickered. “Do you have any legal training?”
Ginger came in from the other side, bare feet slapping the hardwood floor. Unlike at the wedding, she wore a comfy tank top and denim shorts. The gorgeous blonde rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. “Are you guys finally finished arguing?”
“Sort of, with Sophia telling both of us to shut up and grow up.”
Sophia cleared her throat. “I believe I was more diplomatic than that.” She turned to Josephine. “So. Are you ready?”
Before the personal shopper and fashion consultant could respond, Vanessa said, “Not just yet. Please sit down. I asked her to bring you here because I wanted to check you out without Dane around.” She cocked her head and regarded Sophia thoughtfully. “You’re not dumb like the blondes he generally likes to date.”
Ginger flushed. “Do you have to be rude?”
“Apparently yes!” came a response from the kitchen. Jane waved. A cheery apple-colored apron wrapped around her yellow sundress. “Heya! I’m making sandwiches for lunch. Hope you like them.”
“I love sandwiches,” Sophia said.
“But first, serve the apple pie. Junior wants some,” Vanessa said. “Actually never mind. I won’t fit into any of my maternity clothes at this rate.”
“You’re fine.” Jane came back with a platter of warm, gooey apple pie, vanilla ice cream, and plates and silverware for everyone. She served Sophia first. “Vanessa wanted to talk, but then I decided that the least you deserve is some homemade pie and ice cream for us commandeering your time like this.” Her smile held a tinge of apology. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s all right,” Sophia said. It was impossible to stay upset with the sweet woman who served a slice of piping hot pie that smelled like heaven.
Jane then sent plates loaded with the pie and ice cream to everyone else.
Vanessa dug in and moaned. “This is amazing. Like, ‘almost makes me forget what I was supposed to be doing next’ amazing.”
“I’m a pro.” Jane beamed.
Sophia took a bite as well and joined the chorus of moans. Jane’s pie was to die for. “It’s probably the best pie I’ve ever had.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m sure you didn’t ask me here”—Sophia glanced briefly at Josephine—“to share a pie.” She turned to Vanessa. Since this was her home, it seemed most logical that she was the one in charge. “Didn’t Justin already tell you what you wanted to know after he danced with me at the wedding?”
“He did, but I just can’t believe it. You like Dane? For real?”
“What’s so unbelievable about that?”
“No, the question is, what’s believable about it? Women don’t like him, not the way you mean,” Vanessa said. “I can’t help but think you actually, you know…really like him. And Dad too! I’m trying to wrap my mind around it.”
This was awkward, but at the same time this was Dane’s family. “Salazar was the first person who offered to help me when I was down and almost out. I’m sure you know my father left me penniless. As for Dane… I like it that he doesn’t treat me like some delicate breakable thing. He doesn’t sugarcoat things, but he’s surprisingly sensitive.”
The other women’s jaws dropped.
Ginger was the first to recover. “Sensitive? Does Dane have a long-lost twin?”
“Not that I know of,” Vanessa said.
“What do you really want to know?” Sophia said. “Are you worried that I’m a gold digger?”
“No. That’s what puzzles me. The women my brother tends to go for are all pretty easy to peg—the same for my dad—but not you. I—”
Just that moment, Dane burst in with the flustered housekeeper following him. “What the hell is the meaning of this, Josephine?” he demanded, his jaw tight.
Josephine blanched. “Dane, we—”
“I invited her over for lunch,” Vanessa said, her chin tilted defiantly.
“This is not what I asked you to do,” he said to Josephine, as though his sister hadn’t spoken. “You’ll hear from my lawyer.” His voice was eerily quiet, but tension rolled off him in ominous waves. Then he turned to Vanessa and the other women. “If you want to have a real lunch with Sophia, great. I’ll even pay for it. If you’re aiming for an inquisition, get in touch with my lawyer. You aren’t harassing her.”
Sophia put a hand on his sleeve. “It’s not like that. I’m fine.”