For Once In My Life (Stevens Book 2)

Chapter 8

"Well it was in New York, and he was wearing a suit."

"Quinn was in a suit?" Caleb asked joining the group.

"Yes, Mason had just been attacked by a little old lady he was helping across the street..."

That night Dana crawled into her bed with a smile on her face.  She had not laughed so hard in a long time, and for the first time, she had a taste of what a family was really like.

*******

The day before Thanksgiving and the Stevens household was a very busy one.  Bertie had the day off so Lizzy, Cassie, and Dana joined Elizabeth in the kitchen to prepare for the next day's feast.

Eventually, the missing Stevenses, Davis and Rainer, arrived.  Davis came with his camera in hand, and Rainer was an overwhelming addition.

He was as charming as Mason and as handsome as Quinn and Bryce.  He was the only redheaded child in the bunch, and he was able to draw a person out before they knew what had happened, and Dana had limited her conversation with him after about five minutes. Quinn and Bryce knowing all that they did was more than enough.

The Stevens treated her as if she was one of them.  Mason teased her unmercifully, Davis took plenty of pictures, and Lizzy and Cassie gossiped with her like she was a real sister. She had even spent a quiet hour on the porch with Douglas, the patriarch of the clan, who was content to sit in silence and let the chatter wash over him.

Quinn, Bryce, and Caleb were working most of the day on the ranch, so she only had a brief glance of them at lunch, but it had been decided that everyone would go out for dinner that evening, and it took some convincing to get Dana to agree.  She had a horrible feeling that there would be trouble.

She borrowed some of Lizzy's clothes, taking care with her appearance in a way that she had not done for a long while. She had chosen a white peasant blouse that was off the shoulders and a loose long flowing skirt in a deep blue.

Lizzy had helped her pile her hair on top of her head in a loose bun with tendrils framing her face. She chose to wear no jewelry, leaving the long column of her throat bare.  The outfit made the most of her tall stature, and she looked elegant and young.

"Dana, you look lovely," Elizabeth said as she came down the stairs that evening.

"Thank you, Elizabeth, but I think I should stay here. I-"

"Nonsense, this is a family outing, and we're all going," she said brushing of Dana's concern.

Dana couldn't get over the feeling of dread that was overwhelming her.  She had felt it many times in the past, knowing it was her self-preservation instinct, and she was inclined to listen to it even if no one else was.

Elizabeth had divided everyone up, deciding who was going in which truck.  Dana was to ride with Quinn, Bryce, Caleb, and Lizzy, and she had been wedged in the front between Quinn and Bryce.

From Bryce's side, she felt nothing but the slight warmth of his body next to hers. From Quinn's side, it was electric.  She could feel the twitch of his muscles and every breath that he took.

"Something bad is about to happen," Dana said softly after they were underway.

"If you feel that strongly about it, I don't doubt you." Quinn's hands were firm on the wheel.

"Dana, you're safe with us," Lizzy said from the back.

"It's not me I'm worried about." Her eyes met Lizzy's in the mirror. If any of them were hurt on her behalf...