by Lori Wilde
Megan frowned back at Leigh. “I’m not going to picture anyone naked. For the record, though, you started all this with your comment last night.”
“Hey, it worked.” Leigh opened the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of iced tea. “You didn’t seem a bit nervous last night.”
“Well, I was, and I wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t made that crack about Chase.”
A slow, calculating smile crossed Leigh’s face. “Really cinched your girdle, did it, thinking about Chase that way? It’s about time you took some action. Chase is too thickheaded to see what’s smack in front of his face, but you’re a smart lady. I thought you’d never come to your senses.”
Megan shook her head slowly. “I’m not even sure myself how to handle this with Chase. You need to let the two of us work things through on our own.”
Leigh leaned against the kitchen island and seemed to consider what Megan had said. After a moment, though, she shook her head. “Nah. No can do. If I leave this completely up to you two, you’ll probably mess it up.”
Megan realized Chase’s sister was serious. She really did intend to keep on meddling. But this plan to make Chase change his mind about her was difficult enough without having Leigh doing crazy things. Something could go very wrong if Leigh got involved. Historically, things did go wrong when Leigh got involved.
“You may scare him off,” Megan warned. “Chase and I need to settle this ourselves.”
Once again, Leigh tipped her head as if considering what Megan had said. After a couple of seconds, she told Megan, “I’ll make you a deal. Since this seems so important to you, I’ll back off.”
Megan smiled, but before she could relax, Leigh held up one hand.
“But if I see you’re making a real mess of things, or if I see Chase acting like an idiot about the situation, then all promises are off,” Leigh pronounced. “I’m going to jump back into the fray.”
Megan glanced around. Once she was certain no one could hear them, she said, “Leigh, that’s not fair. This is none of your business.”
“Of course, it is. He’s my brother. You’re my friend. I have a duty to help.” Leigh’s tone was nothing short of self-righteous. “I would be a terrible person if I didn’t make certain that everything worked out.”
Megan sighed. This wasn’t at all how she wanted to handle this situation. She preferred to outline carefully any plan she had, and if possible, detail it on index cards. Although she knew she couldn’t script what she wanted to happen with Chase, she also wasn’t happy leaving it up to Leigh’s dubious devices.
“I don’t want your help,” she told Leigh. “It’s sweet of you to offer, but this is something I need to do myself.”
“I know you do, Meggie.” Leigh blew out a loud breath, which ruffled the row of bangs across her forehead. “Oh, okay. I’ll try to butt out; I really will. It’s just that I’m so excited about the thought of Chase finally getting a life. He’ll become an old fuddy-duddy if he doesn’t break out of his habits soon. He needs a wife and a family.”
Something about the way Leigh delivered this speech made Megan suspicious. The younger woman had obviously given this topic a great deal of thought.
“So, you’re doing this out of love for your brother?” Megan asked. “No other reason?”
Leigh grinned. “Oh, yeah. Love for my brother. You two will be perfect together. I know it. You know it. All we have to do is get him to know it.”
Suspicion crept over Megan like a spider. “That’s the only reason? Be honest, what’s in it for you if this works?”
Leigh blinked, her expression one of complete innocence. “Why, nothing. Nothing is in this for me except happiness for two people I love.”
As if Megan believed that. She hadn’t been born yesterday. “Let’s try this again. What’s in it for you?”
Leigh made a big production out of re-tossing an already tossed salad. “For me? I told you; nothing’s in it for me except knowing I helped two fellow human beings find love.”
“Bunk.” Megan turned the question over in her mind, then suddenly saw the light. “You want Chase to butt out of your life, so that’s why you’re butting into his, right? You think if he gets involved with me, he’ll leave you alone.”
“Okay, well, maybe. I mean, every blasted time I’m home from college, he’s always spoiling my fun. I figure if he’s busy having a little fun of his own, then maybe I can finally be left alone. I’m moving back here this summer, and next fall I start student teaching at the high school. I’ll have no fun in my life at all if Chase has anything to say about it.”
Megan knew by no fun in her life, Leigh actually meant no guys. “But even if Chase does get distracted, you’ll still have Nathan and Trent to deal with.”
“Yeah, I know.” Leigh circled the kitchen island to come stand by Megan. “But don’t you honestly think you’re meant to be with Chase? Don’t you think the two of you could be truly happy?”
Megan felt a sense of happiness just at the thought of spending her life with Chase. It would be perfect. She just knew it. “Yes, I honestly believe we could be very happy. That’s why I’ve decided to try to get him to think of me in a whole new light.”
Leigh smiled. “I think so, too. You’re the only woman he’s let be part of his life for more than a few months. The two of you have been friends forever. He trusts you, and he doesn’t trust many people. If anyone can show him love really does exist, it’s you. That’s why I’m meddling. And that’s why I’ll keep meddling if you royally mess up.”
Megan couldn’t help smiling at Leigh’s last comment. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Some things are too important to be left to chance.”
Chase tossed the basketball to Nathan. “Throw it in.”
Nathan caught the ball with an exaggerated “oomph.” Then he shot a grin at Trent. “Looks to me like someone’s in a bad mood.”
Trent laughed. “Yeah, I wonder why.”
Chase glared at his younger brothers. “You know, for a couple of deadbeats who just ate my food in my house, you’re real comedians. Now play.”
Nathan started dribbling the basketball down their makeshift court in back of the garage. Chase tried to stay focused on the game, but it wasn’t easy. Dinner tonight had been a disaster. The conversation had been stilted, that is when someone wasn’t snickering for no apparent reason. Through it all, Megan had acted like nothing was happening, Sandi with an i had gone on and on about shoes, and Leigh had looked like the proverbial cat who had swallowed a canary.
Chase’s nerves were raw, and he wanted to let off some steam. As soon as Megan had driven off, he’d dragged his brothers outside to play basketball. Out here at least, he could stop thinking about women in general, and Megan in particular.
When Nathan got even with Chase, he veered off to the right before Chase could steal the ball away.
“Sandi seems nice,” Nathan said to Trent.
Trent lunged for the ball, snagging it away from Nathan with no trouble. “Yeah. She’s great.” He headed in and easily made a basket. After a short and stupid victory dance, he tossed the ball to Chase. “Plus, she can tie a cherry stem into a knot using only her tongue.”
Nathan and Chase froze and stared at him.
When he finally recovered, Chase headed toward the basket. “I can see this is another of your deep, meaningful relationships.”
Trent chuckled. “Hey, what’s wrong with having a little fun?”
“Sooner or later, you have to grow up and be responsible.” Nathan recovered the ball after Chase made a basket.
“I’m the chief of police of this town. If that’s not responsible, I don’t know what is,” Trent said.
“You’re responsible in your work, but not in your personal life,” Chase felt obligated to point out. “Sandi, just like the rest of your girlfriends, thinks you may get serious about her.”
Trent grabbed the ball away from Nathan and stopped the game. “Okay, if
we’re going to critique each other’s lives, why don’t we start with you, Chase, since you’re the oldest?”
Chase shook his head. The last thing he needed or wanted right now was to get into this kind of discussion with his brothers. All he wanted to do was blow off some tension.
“Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No way,” Trent said. “We’re not going to forget it because that’s what this is all about. You’re freaking out because Megan might actually have feelings for you, and you’re making us pay for it.” He grinned at Nathan. “I just love this, don’t you?”
Nathan nodded. “Yeah, it is fun.”
Chase ignored their teasing. “So you noticed it, too? She’s acting strangely.”
“No, she’s not. She’s acting like a woman who is interested in you.” Nathan slapped Chase on the back. “Face it, big brother, she wants you bad.”
Chase groaned as his brothers dissolved into laughter. Great. Just great. When they finally caught their breath, he said, “Not to spoil your fun, but did it ever occur to you that Megan’s going to get hurt if she doesn’t cut this out? Love doesn’t last, and she’s kidding herself if she thinks we can ever have anything together.”
“What if you’re the one who’s wrong?” Nathan asked.
“I’m not, and I bet she’s acting this way because she’ll be thirty soon.” Chase nodded to himself, turning the idea over in his mind. “She probably decided since I’m the only guy in her life at the moment, she’d see if she could make something happen. If I leave things alone for a while, everything will go back to normal.”
Trent and Nathan looked at each other, then dissolved into laughter once again.
“What is with you clowns? I’m asking your opinion on how to handle this so I don’t end up hurting Megan and destroying our friendship. You could help a little. Jeez.” He grabbed the ball away from Nathan and shot another basket.
After a few seconds, his brothers trotted over to stand next to him.
“Okay, you want help. We’ll help,” Trent said. “The way I see it, you’re probably right. Megan is feeling restless, and you’re around. If you want to discourage her from having romantic thoughts about you, go on the defensive.”
Chase opened his mouth to argue, but then realized his brother had a good point. “I’m listening.”
“You need to come on to her,” Nathan said. “When she flirts with you, flirt back. Or better yet, you flirt first. Knowing Megan, she’ll come to her senses, realize what a mistake this is, and go back to being your friend.”
Chase considered the idea for a second, then worry set in. “But what if she takes my flirting seriously? That will make things worse. She’ll start thinking we’re going to live happily ever after.”
Trent shook his head. “Naw, she won’t. Because worst case, you kiss her a couple of times, show her there’s no sexual chemistry between the two of you, and wham! She’ll be out looking for a different guy. Someone who can—”
“Tie cherry stems with his tongue,” Nathan supplied.
He and Trent both laughed once again.
Chase frowned. “Stop it.” For several long moments, he stared at his brothers, debating whether they were right. He’d already tried the direct approach with Megan. Or at least, he’d tried to try the direct approach with her. Maybe this was the best way to solve the problem. A little harmless flirtation. A kiss or two. She’d quickly see there was nothing sexual between them.
A picture of her naked slammed into his mind.
Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Maybe he should simply avoid her. For a few days. Or weeks. Or surely a couple of years would solve this problem.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I don’t want Megan to end up getting hurt.”
“Which is why you’re such a nice guy,” Nathan said. “But trust us, this is the kindest way to handle the situation. It lets Megan make the final decision. And what can go wrong? It’s not like the two of you would burn up the sheets if you ever did have sex, right? I mean, if you were overcome with animal lust for her, you would have done something about it before now.”
Chase wasn’t a hundred percent sure about that. He’d noticed before that Megan was attractive. Beautiful, even, especially when she was excited about something. Her face lit up; her eyes seemed to sparkle, and her body came alive.
More than a few times over the years, he’d found himself thinking about Megan in a definitely un-friend-like manner. For instance, every time she came over to swim at the ranch. The woman was hot in a swimsuit, even if she did favor one-pieces that didn’t show much. And he’d noticed her body whenever she stopped by to go riding and had on her favorite pair of old jeans that hugged her like a lover’s hands.
The dull throbbing in the back of Chase’s head returned. When he realized his brothers stood waiting for him to say something, the best he could manage was, “I guess.”
“No guessing about it,” Trent said. “If you two were wild for each other, you would have seduced her years ago in your pickup like you did half a dozen other girls.”
The dull throbbing in his head became a stabbing pain. Being with Megan like that, in a hot-and-heavy session in his old truck, had never seemed right. And in the years since, when his lovemaking had moved from inside cars to inside his house, he’d never felt that he and Megan were meant to be lovers.
They were friends, and true friends were hard to find.
“Maybe. But I also never thought of her that way because Megan wants to get married and have children. Things I don’t want. This playground idea of hers is because someday she wants her own children to be able to play in the park.”
“Listen, Chase, don’t worry about this so much,” Nathan advised. “Try things our way. Help Megan with the carnival. Be a good friend to her. And if she keeps flirting with you, flirt a little back. Like we said, kiss her a couple of times. Everything will work out. You’ll see.”
Except Chase wasn’t nearly as certain as Nathan and Trent seemed to be. “And what if we’re all wrong? What if she takes me seriously and I end up breaking her heart? What happens then?”
His brothers were silent for several long seconds, then finally Nathan offered an answer. “If that happens, you’d need to be a good friend to her and help her put her heart back together. But at least you’d have let her find out for herself that you and love don’t mix. I don’t see any other way to handle the situation.”
“Me, neither,” Trent agreed. “You gotta let the lady figure out for herself that you’re the wrong guy for her.” He yanked the basketball out of Chase’s arms.
“It really will work out,” Nathan said.
Chase still wasn’t sure. The only problem was, he didn’t have a better plan than the one his brothers proposed. “I hope so.”
They went back to playing basketball, with Chase winning by a wide margin. Had to be all his pent-up stress because he rarely beat his brothers.
As they headed back inside the house, Trent grinned. “Oh, yeah, since you’re so old, you’ve probably forgotten how this works; remember that if you and Megan do decide to take up playing indoor sports, play safe.”
Chase hung his head. The water. There was definitely something screwy with the water in this town.
4
Megan glanced around her crowded living room. As far as she could tell, almost every single or divorced woman in town had volunteered to help on the playground committee now that Chase was the co-chair.
All she could figure was that since Chase was always busy with his ranch, these ladies had decided if they wanted to get his attention, they needed to grab this opportunity.
Talk about filling your team with competition. But Megan refused to worry about it. If Chase decided he was interested in one of the other women, she’d simply have to accept it. Might take a while, but she’d accept it. At least then she’d know where she stood with him, and at least she would’ve tried to make this work.
&n
bsp; “Rather than waiting any longer, let’s get started,” Megan said.
“But, honey, Chase isn’t here yet,” Janet said smoothly. “It would be inappropriate not to wait for him.”
Speaking of inappropriate, that halter top Janet had on was more than a little indecent. Megan opened her mouth to point this out when it occurred to her she was being catty, so she slammed her mouth shut. She would not turn into a name-calling shrew simply because she’d decided to show Chase how she felt about him.
“I think Megan is right,” Amanda Newman said. As the wife of the minister and the only married woman in the room, Megan decided to sit next to her. If things got out of hand, Amanda could be the voice of reason.
“Oh, all right.” Janet flounced over to the couch and sat. Immediately, two of her best friends from high school, Tammy Holbrook and Sally Estes, sat on either side of her. Eventually, the rest of the women found seats as well.
Megan began the meeting by recapping what she’d said to the city council. As she spoke, she quickly realized that only Amanda was paying the slightest bit of attention to her. Everyone else was listening for Chase to arrive.
Just great.
Amanda tugged gently on the sleeve of Megan’s red dress. Megan leaned toward her, and the older woman said, “I think now would be a good time to make the assignments.”
Baffled, Megan leaned back. Make the assignments? But no one was paying attention to her. If she made the assignments now...oh, yeah. Megan smiled. Excellent idea.
“So, Janet, you and Tammy will head up refreshments, right? You’ll need to arrange for plenty of sodas and food.”
From across the room, Janet nodded vaguely, her gaze still on Megan’s front door. “Sure, whatever. Just put my name down.”
Megan bit back a smile. This was going to be much easier than she’d expected. In fact, during the next ten minutes, she made almost all of the assignments, and no one raised a finger to stop her.
She’d just finished filling in Sally’s name for the job of finding prizes to give out to the winners of the carnival games when the sound of a pickup pulling up silenced the group.
