“Not at all, Sylvia. Red’s food is so good, I can see why you’d want a second helping.”
Her innocent smile had Sylvia steaming. She plopped the bowl down on the table in front of her without taking any.
“Don’t you want the potatoes?” Brett asked.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“How’s Janie?” Jake quickly asked. Brett guessed he was hoping to avert a fight.
“Fine,” Anna assured him with a smile. “She’s been sleeping this morning. A lazy afternoon ought to take care of things.”
“I’ve heard walking is good for high blood pressure. You’ve probably been pampering her too much,” Sylvia said, her voice sharp as she continued to glare at Anna.
Chad, who had his arm around Megan, raised his eyebrows. “I don’t think you should prescribe for Janie, and definitely not for my wife, okay, Sylvia? I think your ideas might not work for pregnant women.”
“Actually Sylvia’s right,” Anna said. “During a regular pregnancy, walking is good for the mother. As long as she doesn’t overdo it. But in Janie’s case, she’s too far along for exercise. We need to curtail her activity in hopes that the babies won’t come too soon.”
Anna smiled at Sylvia, but Brett didn’t think her generosity would appease his fiancée. It did something for him, however. In spite of Sylvia’s treatment of Anna, she still could be pleasant. He smiled at her and noted her flushed cheeks in response. What a woman. They needed to look around the neighborhood and find someone for Anna. She shouldn’t be alone as she was.
Too bad he was already—He broke off his thoughts to stare at her.
“Brett? Is something wrong?” Anna asked.
Darting a sideways look at Sylvia, he turned his gaze back to Anna. “No, nothing’s wrong. I just had a—a sudden thought.”
Like hell nothing was wrong. He’d just realized he’d much rather be engaged to Anna than to Sylvia. He’d thought himself a jerk for wanting to dump Sylvia only days after their engagement had become official. Now it was even worse, because he’d already found a replacement.
Silently he compared the two. Sylvia was beautiful, elegantly groomed, curvaceous, poised, sophisticated. Anna, her red hair in riotous curls, freckles sprinkled across her nose, slender almost to the point of fragile, couldn’t compare in beauty. At least the average man would say that. Brett had trouble remembering his first impressions of her.
Now all he could see was the warm, generous heart buried in that small body, the blue eyes that a man could drown in, a smile that lit up a room. Dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt, Anna fit into his world. And his heart.
Sylvia didn’t.
Now what was he going to do?
“Brett,” Sylvia called, nudging him when he didn’t respond.
“Yes?”
“When are you going to show me around? Can we go into town this afternoon?” She leaned toward him, exposing her décolleté.
“No, sorry. I have to work. Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll be free. Right, Jake?” But Sylvia wasn’t the one he wanted to spend his free time with. His gaze rested on Anna as she continued eating her lunch, seemingly unaware of the startling revelation he’d just had.
How did she feel about him? She had spent a lot of time avoiding him. Was it because he was an engaged man? Or because she wasn’t interested in him? And how the hell was he going to find out? He wasn’t free.
Jake’s response caught his attention.
“Yeah. Sorry I can’t spare you this afternoon, but with Pete staying here…” Jake shrugged his shoulders, knowing his brother would understand.
“I don’t see why Pete has to stay here,” Sylvia protested. “All Janie is going to do is sleep anyway.”
Everyone turned to stare at her, and Sylvia stiffened. “Well, it’s true. That’s what she did all morning.
“How would you know?” Red asked testily. “You didn’t get up until a little while ago.”
No one came to her support, and Sylvia said, “I beg your pardon. I didn’t realize guests were expected to rise with the chickens.”
Brett knew it was his duty to offer support, but he didn’t want to. “Red didn’t mean that, Sylvia, but you shouldn’t have criticized Janie. She’s pregnant with twins.”
Sylvia’s chin rose, and her jaw squared. “What am I supposed to do with myself all afternoon if you’re out playing cowboy?”
“We hoped you’d help Red and Megan clean the lunch dishes while I see about Janie,” Anna said softly.
There was a glint in her eyes that gave Brett pause. What was Anna up to? But he didn’t have long to speculate. Sylvia grabbed his arm.
“You expect me to—What about that Mildred woman? Won’t she do the cleaning up?”
“Around here, Sylvia, we all pitch in where we can. And you were complaining about having nothing to do,” Brett explained. His fiancée kept revealing her selfish nature without any prodding. While Anna, on the other hand, offered a helping hand without any asking.
“After we clean up, I could take you into Rawhide if you want,” Megan suggested.
“Oh, no, you don’t, sweetheart,” Chad protested. “You are to have your nap, just like Anna instructed.”
“I see!” Sylvia said. “To be treated like a princess around here, a woman has to be pregnant! If you’d only told me of your shortage of help, Brett, I could’ve brought Maria with me!” Flinging down her napkin, Sylvia rose from the table and stomped out.
Brett stared at his plate, too embarrassed to look at his family. He’d definitely screwed up by getting engaged to Sylvia. What was he going to do about it?
“Who’s Maria?” Megan finally asked.
“She’s a maid at Senator Sanders’s residence,” Anna finally said.
Jake cleared his throat. “We probably need to give Sylvia a little time to adapt to our way of life. I’m sure it’s quite different from her own.”
Brett felt all kinds of a heel, but he didn’t want to give Sylvia time. He didn’t want her to adapt. He wanted her gone. But when, before lunch, he’d started to suggest they reconsider their engagement, she’d immediately become apologetic and pleading.
As she had after her announcement that they wouldn’t live on the ranch. Both times he’d felt as if he would be kicking a puppy that was starving and homeless if he backed out of their engagement.
His gaze fell on Anna. She might fight back—in fact, had fought back—when he’d confronted her— but she’d never whimper. She had too much courage.
Her gaze lifted to catch him staring, and he grinned at her. She smiled in return, before reluctantly, it seemed to him, dropping her gaze to her plate.
“Why don’t you plan something special for Sylvia tomorrow?” Jake suggested, continuing his train of thought. “How about a picnic after church? We could all join—No, on second thought, it might be better if the two of you had a picnic by yourselves.”
“No!” Brett burst out before quickly modifying his response. “No, Sylvia and I will have lots of time to be alone. She’s here to meet all of you and get to know you. I think a picnic is a great idea for all of us.”
“But will Janie be able to go?” Megan asked.
Anna smiled. “If it’s somewhere nearby that’s easy to drive to. We could take her by car, along with a lawn chair for her to sit in. The outing would be good for her. She’s beginning to feel too confined.”
“Great!” Brett said with enthusiasm. And he didn’t have to fake his enthusiasm. He could be a good host without having to be alone with Sylvia. And as long as Janie was going, he knew Anna would be there. Which increased his pleasure. “Let’s make it by the lake. I’ll take Sylvia there by horseback. She needs to get used to riding. Anyone who wants can join us. How about you, Anna? Do you like to ride?”
He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until she nodded enthusiastically.
“I love to ride, but I don’t get to do so often. Is anyone else going to ride?” she suddenly asked, looking around t
he room.
“I’ll ride,” Jake said, smiling at Anna.
Brett stared at his brother. Was he attracted to Anna? Brett had forgotten he wasn’t the only unmarried Randall, since Jake said so often he’d never remarry.
“Maybe we should ask Mildred and her family, too. Toby would like to ride,” Jake added.
“Good idea,” Red agreed. “I’ll ask her this afternoon.”
Chad added, “I’ll be the chauffeur for the pregnant ladies.”
“But I wanted to ride,” Megan complained.
“No way. We’re taking no chances,” her husband said emphatically, but he softened his words with a quick kiss.
Brett’s gaze immediately flew to Anna. Her lips were pink and soft…and tempting. Maybe it was a good thing they were surrounded by family. He couldn’t start kissing Anna until after he’d sent Sylvia packing. But he wanted to.
“Good. All you have to do now, Brett, is inform Sylvia of our plans. I hope they please her.”
“Uh, yeah.” Brett didn’t think Sylvia would be pleased. Her idea of an afternoon’s entertainment would be a concert, a cocktail party or going to the theater. How the heck had he ever thought she’d fit in here?
He guessed he’d been confused by how well she fit in the world of politics. He’d made the boneheaded conclusion that she would fit in well anywhere.
Tonight he’d tell her about the treat in store for her. Or maybe in the morning. It might be best to wait until they were in church. She couldn’t protest too loudly if people were praying all around her. Could she?
Chapter Eight
“Have you come over to our side?”
Anna almost dropped the plate she was putting in the cabinet at Megan’s question. Slowly she turned to face Red and Megan. “What?”
“You know what I’m asking. Red told me about Sylvia asking you to clean her room. He said you told Brett. And then at lunch you asked her to help with the dishes.”
“I didn’t think it was an unreasonable request,” Anna said in a faint voice. She’d hoped her determination to free Brett from Sylvia hadn’t been quite so obvious.
Megan grinned. “It wasn’t, to anyone but Sylvia.”
Anna smiled in return, giving up any pretense. “I know. And you’re right. I’ve decided Brett should know what kind of woman he asked to marry him.”
“How could that boy get so hoodwinked?” Red demanded. “I thought I taught him better.”
Anna patted his shoulder. “I’m sure you did, Red. The problem with Brett, and all the Randalls as far as I can see, is that they’re too nice. They’re sitting ducks for any unscrupulous woman.”
“I hope you don’t mean me,” Megan protested.
“No, of course not. You and Janie are terrific. But consider Chloe and now Sylvia.”
“I know,” Megan agreed with a sigh. “Chloe wanted the money and power. But what is Sylvia after? Her father is wealthy, and, as senator, has a lot of power. Why Brett?”
“He’s handsome, good-hearted, generous and—” Anna had to force herself to stop. She could list Brett’s attributes forever.
“I know. And that’s why I thought we should give her a chance, but she doesn’t love him.”
“How do you know?” Red asked.
“Because she only thinks about herself,” Megan said firmly. “Remember Solomon’s test of love between the two mothers for a child? The one who put the child’s welfare above her own was the true mother. Well, Sylvia puts her own welfare above Brett’s every time. He would be miserable living in D.C., or even Cheyenne. But that’s what she intends.”
“She did apologize and say she’d live here on the ranch,” Anna couldn’t help reminding Megan.
“But did any of us believe her, except maybe Brett?”
“Not me,” Red muttered.
Anna felt forced to play devil’s advocate, if for no other reason than to assure herself she was doing the right thing by trying to expose Sylvia’s behavior. “On the other hand, I think Sylvia will be miserable here, and Brett doesn’t seem willing to put her welfare first.”
“Exactly!” Megan said triumphantly. “He doesn’t love her, either.”
“Then why did he ask her to marry him?” Anna couldn’t help asking the question, though she didn’t want to hear the answer.
“Lust!” Megan said succinctly. “Pure and simple lust.”
“Then you think they’ve already—”
Megan and Red laughed together, but it was Megan who answered. “Honey, the Randall men are, ahem, extremely normal. Well, not normal—I mean, they have the normal male appetites. But they’re anything but normal.” By the time she finished speaking, her cheeks were red and she was giggling.
Anna couldn’t help smiling in return, even though she could feel her own cheeks flushing. “I think you’re telling me more than I need to know.”
Or wanted to know. She didn’t want to think about Brett’s hands on Sylvia. Especially when she compared her own figure to the other woman’s. Another reason to know that Brett would never look at her. Compared to Sylvia, she was as sexy as a fence post.
“Some marriages have succeeded based on less,” she said weakly, but she couldn’t think of a single example.
“Oh!” Suddenly Megan gasped and put a hand on her protruding stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Anna quickly demanded, moving to Megan’s side, Red hovering behind her.
Megan beamed at both of them. “The baby moved! It definitely moved!” She reached out for Anna’s hand to place it on her stomach.
Anna felt nothing, but she wasn’t surprised. “Have you felt it before?”
“I wasn’t sure. There have been little…I don’t know…flutters, but I thought maybe it was indigestion. Oh, I can’t wait to tell Chad!”
Anna and Red smiled at the thrill on her face.
“Why don’t you go take your nap now? Red and I will finish up here.”
After some more encouragement, Megan left the kitchen, her face still glowing.
Red turned to Anna. “And that’s why we don’t want Brett to marry Sylvia. He should have that kind of future to look forward to.” He nodded to the door, meaning Megan. “I think Sylvia would expect her maid to have the baby for her.”
Anna, too, wanted Brett to have the best—even though she wouldn’t be a part of it.
BRETT HAD TO WORK harder that evening than he had all day during the branding. His family seemed determined to desert him. To leave him alone with Sylvia.
He didn’t know if they were doing so to be discreet, or because none of them liked his fiancée. Whatever the reason, the end result was the same. So he worked even harder at roping them into activities that assured him he wouldn’t be alone with Sylvia.
Anna wasn’t any help because she was called out before they had come back from the pastures. She still hadn’t returned. He found himself checking his watch and listening for her car instead of paying attention to the movie they were all watching.
When the movie ended, Red offered apple cobbler as a late-night snack. Sylvia turned it down, so Brett immediately accepted. “I’ll see you in the morning, Sylvia,” he said cheerfully.
“Aren’t you even going to walk me to my room?” she demanded, a petulant look on her face that filled him with distaste.
He started to refuse, but then he discovered Jake’s gaze on him. “Sure.”
Sylvia said nothing as they walked up the stairs. She’d spoken little all evening, though she’d certainly cozied up against him on the sofa. The strokes she’d given his arm, his chest, his cheek, had been an invitation in which he had no interest. For some reason.
When they reached her door, she turned toward him even as her hand covered the doorknob.
“I know something more tempting than cobbler.”
Since she pressed her body against him, guessing her meaning didn’t take a lot of brain cells. He replied, “I’m crazy about Red’s cobbler.”
“Brett!” she protested, that h
urt look coming into her eyes again. But he wasn’t about to be dragged into her bed out of guilt. He didn’t make love to a woman because her feelings were hurt.
“So’rry, Sylvia, but I’ve been working hard all day. A little pie, and I’ll sleep like a baby.”
“I bet I could help you sleep even better,” she whispered, her lips seeking his.
He turned his head so that she kissed his cheek. “The cobbler will do just fine.” He only hoped his brothers never found out he chose food over the sexy Sylvia.
Apparently his rejection finally got through to her because she shoved her door open and stepped inside. “Fine. Go have your stupid dessert. I’m beginning to think there’s something wrong with you anyway!”
Slamming the door, an announcement to the entire household that she wasn’t pleased, Sylvia ceased being a problem for Brett. For the moment.
When he entered the kitchen, his words were about Anna, still on his mind hours after he realized his interest in her. “Is Anna back yet?”
“Nope,” Red said, nudging a plate across the table toward him.
Considering his words to Sylvia, Brett felt a singular lack of interest in the cobbler, in spite of the scoop of ice cream melting on top of it. He crossed to the window to stare out at the darkness. “It’s pretty late.”
“You know babies don’t pay attention to anyone’s schedule,” Jake said.
“I just wonder about her driving late at night by herself.” He turned around in time to see Jake and Red exchange a look. “What?”
Jake shrugged. “Anna can take care of herself. She handled you, didn’t she?”
“Yeah, but…she’s so little. With a heart as big as Wyoming.”
“Yeah, she’s a good’un,” Red agreed.
Brett felt his chest swelling with pride…until he remembered Sylvia was his fiancée, not Anna.
“I hope Anna stays in the area,” Jake said.
“What do you mean?” Brett felt his heart clench in concern. “Why wouldn’t she stay here?”
“Doc says there may not be enough customers to keep her here. We Randalls have increased her business this year, but I don’t know if you and Sylvia will be as anxious to start your family as the others.”
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