Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [44]
Netherland chuckled. “But you have a very good reason for your thickening waistline.”
Syneda’s smile widened. “That’s true.” She glanced around the room. “Everything looks good, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. You should be proud of yourself. Your hard work paid off.”
Syneda pushed her hair back from her face. “I’m glad. Supporting the Children Home Society means a lot to me.”
“You did a fantastic job at keeping the reporters in line.”
Syneda nodded, thinking of all the local reporters who were in attendance, not to mention those who were camped outside the entrance. “Only because Sterling and Diamond have graciously agreed to interviews and will be posing for pictures after the auction.”
Netherland glanced back over to the head table. “There seems to be a lot of celebrating going on at the head table.”
Syneda chuckled. “Yes, Nicholas and Shayla Chenault announced earlier that Shayla’s biological mother and biological father are getting married next weekend after being apart for nearly twenty-eight years. And then there were the announcements of the pregnancies.”
Netherland lifted a brow. “What pregnancies?”
“You already know that Jake and Diamond are expecting. Well, Uncle Jake’s friend Kyle Garwood and his wife, Kimara, shocked everyone when they announced they are expecting their seventh child in December. They claim it will be their last. And Caitlin is pregnant again. She’ll be delivering in the middle of January.”
“That’s wonderful. Another grandchild for your in-laws to spoil, right?”
Syneda grinned in agreement. “Right.”
Netherland then noticed the tall, distinguished, good-looking older man who had stood to make a toast. “Your father is a very handsome man, and the two of you favor a lot.”
Syneda smiled knowing that was true. She and her father shared the same sea-green eyes as well as a number of other facial features. When standing next to each other, there was no doubt they were father and daughter. “Thanks, and I think he’s handsome, too. I wished there were a special woman in his life but there isn’t. Even after more than thirty years he can’t let go of my mother’s memory. He loved her very much.”
Netherland sighed. “That’s a lot of love.”
Syneda chuckled. “Yes, but it’s no different than the love I have for Clayton.” She then studied Netherland intently when she said, “And what you have for Ashton.”
Netherland met Syneda’s gaze, no longer denying the truth. “Yes, you’re probably right about that.” She glanced around the room again. “Speaking of Ashton, did he get back from D.C.?”
Syneda lifted a brow. “Yes, he got back a little before noon, although I don’t think he’s arrived here yet; at least he hadn’t the last time I checked fifteen minutes ago. You haven’t spoken to him?”
Netherland shook her head. “Not since I last saw him last Sunday. But then he really had no reason to contact me. I didn’t give him any encouragement to do so,” she said, frowning thoughtfully. After a few seconds a smile tilted her lips and she said, “But all that will change.”
Syneda smiled. “Sounds like you’ve made some important decisions about him.”
Netherland shared the other woman’s smile. “I have. I love him, Syneda, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him, no matter where that is. And when he has to leave on deployment, I’m prepared to be alone for a little while. I’m alone the majority of the time now anyway.” Her smile widened. “But just think of all the fun we’ll have whenever he returns.” She sighed deeply, thinking about all the passion the two of them would generate after being apart for so long. Her mother had once told her that she had gotten pregnant with each of her five children after her father had returned home after a lengthy deployment.
Netherland had thought about her decision a lot since making it. Being a marine was not only what Ashton did, it was also who he was. And she was proud of the role he played in protecting their country. Spending time with Ashton and the conversations she