“You two haven’t changed,” he said, bringing the lapels of his jacket closer together, the better to keep Meg warm. His Li’l Sis had become one good-looking woman. She looked fantastic in that shimmery dress.

“It feels like Beth and I have changed.”

Her beautiful dark hair was still long. It was amazing how happy he was about that. Li’l Sis was adorable. She still stood all of five feet three, but she had definitely grown up.

“This is the first time Beth and I have spent together in ages,” she said a bit unevenly, as if she were nervous.

He felt a little nervous himself. But it had been a long time since they’d been alone. Even old friends had to get back in their groove.

“I’ll be glad when she’s through with her residency.”

He drew Meg under his arm. In that little dress, she could probably use the extra warmth from his body. “I only hope Beth has done this for herself. You have to want it, being a doctor and putting up with the life.”

“Did you ever want to be a doctor, Ry? Just for yourself, not for the family?”

Had anyone ever asked him that? Everyone seemed to assume he’d chosen to become a paramedic instead of a doctor just to spite the family. He hadn’t minded, and it was true that he didn’t want to be like them.

“I like helping people,” he replied, not really answering the question.

“Which you do as a paramedic.”

Darling Meggy, still backing him. “Sometimes I wish I could do more.” He could be honest with her. “Much more.”

“As a paramedic, you must see some terrible things.”

He was here because of one of those terrible things, so terrible that it finally got through to him. Pretty soon, he’d have to go inside and do what he’d come to do.

“This isn’t exactly party talk, is it?” he said, not wanting to burden her with his troubles.

“I always loved our serious talks,” she said softly, looking up at him so sweetly his heart skipped a beat. If she were just another pretty woman, he’d be thinking about stealing a kiss.

“If I recall, those serious talks mainly focused on your love life,” he teased, getting back into their groove.

“It was never all about me!” she protested.

“Li’l Sis, life was always all about you,” he said, laughing. It wasn’t, but he loved to tease.

“How can you say that?” She stepped away, a move that set the feathery plumes of her crown waving madly.

“I take it back,” he said, pulling her back.

She let him, but she shook a finger at him. “Ry Brennan, I spent half of my life listening to you talk about your girls. It was endless.”

He feigned innocence. “You didn’t want to listen?”

“Well, sure I did. I was a kid who knew nothing about dating. You taught me everything I know about boys.”

“It was an awesome responsibility,” he said gravely, laughing inside.

“You didn’t do that great a job. What I learned was that boys can be real jerks. You’d say one girl was cute, but too sensitive. Another had great eyes, but was too flighty. Another one, you liked her big…chest, but she wasn’t—”

“Enough!” He stopped her with a finger to her pretty lips. “Thanks for the trip down memory lane.”

That would be Jani, Joanie and Sue, in that order. He never forgot a pretty face, but it would be best not to mention that at the moment. It was sufficiently embarrassing that he’d ever talked about girls that way.

“Okay, then, let’s talk about the present,” she said, as if she were throwing down the gauntlet. “Are you alone on this trip or do you have a babe stashed away in your car? I heard that you brought a girl to your grandmother’s funeral—a girl you barely knew.”

Ouch. Meg still knew how to target a weak spot. “I just brought her along for Trey’s benefit.”

A wicked smile of approval slid across her pretty face. “Good idea. Tattletale Trey, judge and jury for all indiscretions. He must have loved that.”

He grinned back. “No more than Mom.”

Meg’s laugh surrounded his heart. Their old camaraderie and special connection was still there.

“I’m ba-ck,” Beth sang out, carrying a red satin beret like her own, complete with the springy toy on top.

“Did you check on the marine?” Meg asked, stepping away, leaving his arm empty. That was okay. He needed both hands to position his beret so the toy on top wouldn’t fall off.