Revealed: His Secret Child by Sandra Hyatt Read Free Book Online Page B

possibly have heard.
    â€œWhy don’t we go sit down,” Max prompted gently. With a glance back at Gillian and Ethan, Laura led the way through the house to a spacious, high-ceilinged living room.
    Three men, all of them big, were sprawled on low, wheat-colored couches, their attention riveted on an enormous flat-screen television. It was easy enough to pick out Stephen, their father, and Max had given her good enough descriptions that Gillian was fairly certain she knew which brother was which.
    Laura cleared her throat. “Max and his…friends are here.”
    Only one of the men, Jake, Gillian guessed, glanced their way before the play was up. His observant gaze lit on Gillian and Ethan and froze there.
    â€œStephen. Turn the TV off.” Laura instructed quietly.
    â€œThis better be good, Max,” the man next to Stephen—had to be Carter, Gillian figured—muttered as their father pressed mute on a remote.
    â€œIt’s good all right,” Jake said, a broad smile spreading across his face as he levered himself off the couch. “Real good.”
    The two others stood and all three men crossed toward Gillian and Max, like an approaching forest of oaks.
    â€œDad, guys,” Max said as his father got to them first, “this is Gillian and Ethan.” Gillian readjusted Ethan on her hip and reached to shake the hand Stephen held out to her. “Do you want me to take Ethan?” Max asked her quietly.
    Ethan heard the offer, smiled and reached for Max. “Daddy.” The word rang clear and loud in the quiet living room. The silence stretched till it was broken by Jake’s roar of laughter. Ethan, still leaning toward Max and delighted to have caused such merriment, repeated his trick. “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.” Soon the boom of the two brothers’ laughter filled the room. Their parents didn’t share their amusement.
    Gillian met Max’s gaze over Ethan’s head. A trace of wry amusement sparkled in his blue eyes. “I guess that’s one explanation taken off my hands,” he said. He reached for Ethan but the noise had gotten to her son, who changed his mind and clung like a limpet to Gillian instead, burying his face in her shoulder.
    â€œAnd before Ethan beats me to my second announcement, you ought to know that Gillian is your sister-in-law, and daughter-in-law,” he added with a nod in his parents’ direction.
    Did that mean he didn’t want to call her his wife? She didn’t blame him.
    â€œYou always were the secretive one. How long have you been married?” Jake asked, having gotten his amusement under control.
    Max glanced at his watch. “In minutes as well as hours?”
    Jake filled the silence that yawned after that pronouncement. “We didn’t get an invite?”
    â€œIt wasn’t that sort of wedding.”
    That simple statement quelled any lingering amusement. Laura stepped into the breach. “Welcome to the family, Gillian.” She kissed Gillian’s cheek. “And welcome to you, too, Ethan.” She planted a quick kiss on Ethan’s curls. “Why don’t we all sit down and get to know one another. We have half an hour before dinner’s ready.”
    Half an hour of interrogation, Gillian suspected from the questioning looks on everyone’s faces. Oh, goody. The only saving grace was that many of the questions would undoubtedly be directed at Max. And the fact that Ethan was here would surely be a kind of buffer and icebreaker as well.
    â€œHey, buddy,” Jake said to Ethan. “Want to come with your uncle Jake to choose a toy to play with? My nieces have a whole room full of them here.”
    â€œI don’t think so,” Gillian said. “He’s quite shy around strangers.”
    â€œYes, please.” Ethan immediately made a liar of her and wriggled out of her hold and down her body. “Have they got a twain?”
    He trotted off with