The Reckoning (16 page)

There was more screeching, when Natalie told everyone she was pregnant. The loudest screech came from Amy Fortune, who said she was having a baby, too, in September. Natalie's husband, Vincent, said he was giving her the first of the five hundred babies he'd promised her. At that, Ricky shot an aghast look at Emmett. “Five hundred?” he mouthed.

Emmett shook his head and leaned down. “An exaggeration,” he murmured, his hand on Ricky's shoulder. Ricky liked the feel of that hand. Emmett's other hand was on the back of Ricky's mom's neck, under the hair he was always saying was “pure sunshine.”

Ricky had to admit it was pretty. And it made him feel good to know that Emmett thought so, too. Sometimes Emmett got a sad look on his face and Ricky figured he was thinking about his brother, that mean, sick guy Jason. Then his mom would shoot Ricky a glance and the two of them would go to work on Emmett. His mom would go for kisses, and Ricky would go for a football tackle. In no time, Emmett would be smiling. They both knew how to make him happy.

Later on at the party, Ricky stuffed himself with food. Barbecue, corn, a mound of coleslaw. He thought he was the only kid in the world who liked the stuff, but that was what made him special, right? His soccer coach told the team they should eat as many vegetables as they could.

Plus, it meant he could have double desserts. He took his second piece of cake, walked away from the crowd and climbed onto a nearby fence rail to eat it. He'd plowed through about half when he noticed this old guy sitting beside him. He looked kinda like Ryan Fortune—well, he really looked
a lot
like Ryan Fortune, but that didn't mean much since so many people at the reunion were part of the Fortune family. Probably some cousin twice replaced. Or was it removed?

Ricky looked over at him. The guy was smiling, so Ricky smiled back. “Hello.”

The old guy's smile got bigger. He had kind of a glow about him that could have been creepy, but wasn't. “Hello, Ricky. Having a good time?”

“Sure.”

The man nodded. “I'm glad. It's a good-time kind of day.”

Ricky looked out over the crowd of people. He'd seen some tears a time or two, when Ryan's name had been brought up and how he was missing from the party, but Lily had insisted on smiles and good memories, not sad ones.

“It's a strong family, Ricky,” the man went on. “A family that comes together when they need each other. That's something to appreciate.”

Ricky forked up another piece of his cake. “Yes, sir.”

“And it's important to appreciate them. To appreciate the love they have for each other, that they have for you. It's important to enjoy every second of your life. You'll remember that, right?”

“Sure.” Ricky's gaze roamed the crowd again and he found his mom's bright hair, and then Emmett beside her, looking dark and strong and sure. They turned their heads toward Ricky and waved. He waved back with his fork.

Then he saw Lily standing nearby, looking at him, a sad smile on her face. Or maybe she was looking at the old guy. Ricky turned his head to check—and saw that the man was gone.

Hmm. Frowning, he looked around, trying to see where the man had disappeared to. He was nowhere in sight.

But Ricky's mom and his almost-dad were waving to him again. Their arm movements said they wanted him close.

Ricky slid off the rail. That sounded just right to him.

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Bonus Features.

Author Interview

A Conversation with Christie Ridgway

Tip's & Tricks

Tips for Planning a Family Reunion by Christie Ridgway

Sneak Peek

HOTEL MARCHAND

 

BONUS FEATURES

 

The Reckoning

USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway thinks she has the greatest job in the world. She loves writing stories and the only thing she loves more is her family. Recently, Christie chatted with us as she took a break from writing her latest book.

Tell us a bit about how you began your writing career.

I began reading Harlequin romances in sixth grade, spending all my babysitting money on the latest releases each month. Knowing how much I loved them and loved writing, too, my family always talked about me becoming an author someday. That day came when my older son was a toddler. An old friend visited and asked why I wasn't pursuing that romance-writing career I'd always talked about. That's all it took! I started reading romances again and from there started dreaming up my own stories.

Was there a particular person, place or thing that inspired this story?

There wasn't anything in particular that inspired this story, but I must say that I found the real-life stories of people who suffered traumatic brain injury (like my heroine, Linda Faraday) very inspiring. Many of these people have to find new ways to address life and they do!

What's your writing routine?

Yikes, am I supposed to have a routine?! In my life, with a husband and two school-age sons, routine is not in my vocabulary. I write “around” whatever else is going on in the family, whether it's a sports event or a school project. But I do try to get as much writing done as I can during the hours the kids are in school. Part of what makes this job so great is the flexibility, though. It allows me to chaperone field trips, help out in class on special days and run that forgotten brown bag to the lunchroom whenever necessary.

How do you research your stories?

I start on the Internet, but usually always end up buying and reading books about the subjects I'm researching. For example, for
The Reckoning,
I read a comprehensive book on the FBI (hero Emmett Jamison is an agent) and two books written by women detailing their experience with traumatic brain injury.

How you do develop your characters?

This is where that research comes in. When I know more about a character's occupation and/or situation, then it's easier to fill them out. I also play the “what if” game with myself. I ask myself what kind of person I would be if this particular thing happened to me. Also, I will often interview my characters. I will ask the questions and then answer “in character.” That really helps to develop the voice and attitude of who I'm writing about.

When you're not writing, what are your favorite activities?

Reading. First and foremost, I love to read. I do try to get to the gym several times a week, and I always have a book to read while I'm on the treadmill or elliptical machine. I look forward to exercise! I like to cook and bake, too (which is the reason why I have to get to the gym several times a week).

If you don't mind, could you tell us a bit about your family?

I have a wonderful husband who is my college sweetheart. We met on Halloween, so we have a big Halloween party every year in honor of the occasion. My husband is a high school math teacher and is a musician at heart, so our house is filled with music. With an awesome treehouse, a tree swing, a pool and just about the only flat lot in our hilly area, our sons are kept company by the rest of kids in the neighborhood. There's always a volleyball or football game going in our front yard and another crew
playing video games or with Legos inside. We have a yellow Lab that we consider to be the best dog in the world, as well as a turtle, a tortoise, two parakeets, two quail, three cockatiels and assorted fish.

What are your favorite kinds of vacations? Where do you like to travel?

I love beach vacations, despite the fact that we live in sunny Southern California and are just a few minutes from the ocean. We've had several vacations at Mexican resorts where I spend my time on lounge chairs, reading, while my husband and kids do all the active stuff. Last year we went on a driving vacation around the southwest, which was wonderful, but this year we're going back to the tropics. We've rented a house on Kauai, near where my husband and I honeymooned.

Do you have a favorite book or film?

It's very hard for me to come up with just one favorite book or movie, that's for sure! But near the top of my favorite book list would be
These Old Shades
by Georgette Heyer. As for movies,
When Harry Met Sally
is one of my all-time favorites, though
Love Actually
is another at the top. Obviously, I love romances!

Any last words to your readers?

I'm so grateful to you for sharing with me my characters and their worlds. Writing romances for a living was always my dream, and so I am absolutely certain that dreams do come true—thanks to you.

W
hile a Fortune family get-together might have more tears and drama than the average family's, a reunion is a wonderful way to reconnect with the most important people in our lives—those that have to compliment our food and love our kids no matter what! So here I've gathered a few ideas and tips that might inspire you to plan a never-to-be-forgotten family occasion.

Like a great romance story, a great family reunion needs a well-thought-out beginning, middle and end. And in the beginning, there is the reunion committee. Do not attempt this alone! A small, multigenerational organization group can make the planning easier. Pick relations that you know are easy to work with and who will offer ideas that are appealing to their age group. Together you will pick a date, a location and put together a guest list. Last but not least, come up with an appealing invitation to
announce your event. Maybe an old family photo is reproduced on the front and the guest who guesses the most identities of those pictured wins a prize!

The middle is the event day itself. Whether you have it catered or it's potluck, be sure to have enough tables and enough coolers for the food and enough chairs and eating utensils. Consider designating a “play” area for the kids so that rambunctious children know where balls and tag belong and so that Great Grandma (or GG Grandma as she's known in our family) can feel somewhat safe in her folding chair set up in the “chat” location.

Plan some entertainment! If there are musicians in the family, maybe each can play a piece or a group can get together beforehand and practice a song. There might be traditional tunes that should be shared. (My mom and my aunt harmonize beautifully while singing “Jacob's Ladder” and no family event would be complete without their rendition.) Is there an artist-cousin who can paint the kids' faces? For a large group, you might want to chip in and hire a DJ or a square-dance caller.

In the end, are all those wonderful memories from the special day you planned. Cement them in your family members' minds by providing a table of scrapbooking supplies on the day of the reunion. With a couple of instant cameras,
creative types can take their pages home with them and maybe make a few additional ones for people not quite as confident of their artistic skills. Teenagers can also be tasked with making a movie of the day. They can interview various family members, as well as film the general fun. Later, copies can be made and distributed to all attendees. Don't forget regular cameras and plenty of film, too!

There are dozens of sites on the Internet that have suggestions to help you make this special event run smoothly, as well as books at your local bookstore or library. We've had several reunions on my husband's side of the family and what fun we have catching up. We usually meet in the mountains for a weekend and take boat rides and hikes. A different family cooks every night. Three years ago, extended family on my side reunited for a week over Christmas at a resort in Mexico. Now one of my best holiday memories is of the kid cousins running along the beach to greet Santa Claus who arrived via parasail!

I'd love to hear about your family reunions and how you've enjoyed the stories of THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS: REUNION series. You can contact me through my Web site, www.christieridgway.com. Until then, happy reading and happy reunions!