For a moment the group at their end of the table didn’t say anything. Caitlyn held her breath as she listened to the buzz of cicadas and the murmur of other conversation going on around them. The rest of the dinner party was blissfully oblivious to the serious turn of their conversation.
Deke cleared his throat and sat forward in his chair, but Jeanne Marie placed a gentle hand on his and said, “Horseback Hollow is my family’s home. It’s the only home I’ve ever known. It’s a safe place where just about everyone knows everyone else. I suppose objections around town have stemmed from fear, from people not wanting Horseback Hollow to change or to be swallowed up by a large conglomerate.”
Okay, it was out on the table.
“We understand and respect your concerns,” Brodie said. “All I’m asking is that you keep an open mind to the good Moore Entertainment and Cowboy Country can bring to Horseback Hollow. Think about the economic upturn, the money that it stands to pump into the local economy. This really is a win-win situation.”
“Moore Entertainment has prided itself on giving back to the community. We host school programs, scholarships and family-friendly work-sharing opportunities. As a matter of fact, for the past several years, Moore Entertainment has been named on Forbes Magazine’s top twenty-five family-friendly list for work and life balance. We really do pride ourselves on being good neighbors in the community. And Cowboy Country could be my father’s reason to live.”
Caitlyn clamped her lips shut. She hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud, even if it was the truth. It wasn’t a very businesslike thing to say. She was opening her mouth to apologize when the looks on the Fortunes’ faces registered. She saw something new.
Empathy and understanding.
If it took everything she had she would make sure Moore Entertainment held up its end of the bargain. Cowboy Country would be a good neighbor.
Jeanne Marie nodded, and Caitlyn understood that this part of the conversation was over.
“Could I tempt you with another piece of cornbread, Caitlyn?” She smiled, and Caitlyn smiled back.
“Yes, please. It’s delicious.”
“Be sure you save some room for dessert,” said Josephine. “My sister makes the best red-velvet cake you’ve ever tasted. I have put on nearly ten pounds since I moved here.”
* * *
She was so grateful for the life her parents had given her. She’d never wanted for anything—except for a sibling or five, like Brodie had.
And cousins? He had so many cousins she couldn’t keep track. No wonder the wedding’s guest list had been so long. Inviting the family would’ve made for a lively, full house, but then when you included everyone in the community and you managed to make room for your adversaries...
Adversaries. It was such an ugly word. Caitlyn was so happy the Fortunes and the Moores were on the road to being allies, but if she had anything to do with it, they would call each other friends. Because tonight, the only torches burning were the ones that lined the patio’s perimeter.
Now that dinner was done, Caitlyn was surprised by how little conversation there had been about Moore Entertainment and Cowboy Country. In fact, all that had come up was that Brodie and Caitlyn were working together to open the park. There had been no gasps or digs or declarations about how unwelcome Moore Entertainment and its associates were.
Instead, this big, boisterous Texas family had so much to say about everything else that each one had a hard time getting a word in edgewise. They laughed and talked over each other and enjoyed the meal and each other’s company in a way that made Caitlyn feel humbled to be a guest at their table.
Now, as she was helping clear the table, she kept stealing glances at Brodie, who was standing across the patio talking to his brother Oliver and his wife, Shannon. Brodie’s gaze snared hers, and he smiled at her from across the way.
There it was again, that attraction that was so powerful it threatened to consume her. Her heart hammered against her breastbone as she smiled back.
“You two are adorable.” The voice caught her by surprise, and she accidentally knocked over a glass of water as she whirled around to see who was talking to her. It was Amelia Fortune Chesterfield Drummond. Brodie’s sister.
“If you don’t mind me saying as much, the two of you could be exceptionally good for each other.”
Caitlyn felt heat blossom from the neckline of her scoop-neck dress and climb its way up her neck to her cheeks.
Caitlyn chuckled. “Your brother and I are just friends. And work associates. Really, that’s all we are.”
Protesting too much, Caitlyn?
She ducked her head as she grabbed a napkin off the table to mop up the spilled water.
“If you say so,” Amelia said, not sounding the least bit convinced. “I say just give it time. I know he’s not easy to deal with sometimes. He puts up such a hard exterior, but please believe me—deep down he has a heart of gold.”
Obviously, it hadn’t been Amelia who had convinced him he didn’t have a heart.
She seemed to have a pretty good read on her brother.
“He’s just been through some...stuff in his life,” she said. “Circumstances have made him that way.”
And she seemed to think she had a pretty good read on Brodie and her as a couple. Caitlyn’s heart turned over at the thought. Drawing in a quick breath, she straightened and followed Amelia’s gaze to where Brodie was laughing with Oliver and Shannon. It was the most relaxed she’d ever seen him.
What had happened to that beautiful man to make him wear such heavy emotional armor? Was it a woman?
Had he given his heart to someone who treated it so carelessly that he’d closed himself off?
Caitlyn knew how that felt. She’d almost married the guy.
But what was worse, she realized as she stood there feeling alive for the first time in what seemed like years, not only had she allowed the guy to crush her heart, she had allowed him to sweep away all the broken bits and pieces, too. For the longest time, she’d been left with only an empty hole. But Eric had missed some of the pieces, and slowly, they were beginning to grow back together and fill that spot in which she thought she’d never feel again.
If a woman had hurt Brodie, she hoped he wouldn’t allow her to continue to rob him of one of life’s best pleasures...falling in love.
Amelia knew what had happened to him. And it took every ounce of strength Caitlyn possessed to keep from asking her for details. Because if she did, Amelia would know she’d hit upon something. That Caitlyn and Brodie could be good together. Caitlyn had already experienced that live in person, that very first night, before names were exchanged and they knew they’d play a much bigger role in each other’s lives.
Brodie glanced her way again, and the smoldering flame she saw in his eyes—as if Amelia weren’t standing right there taking it all in—startled her and stoked a gently growing fire deep inside her.
“I hope you’ll be patient with him, because I can see that the two of you have a very strong connection.”
Amelia must have sensed that Caitlyn didn’t know what to say. After all, what does one say when her head knows good and well she should keep things all business, but her heart and other more vulnerable parts of her body are aching for something completely different—things that should be completely taboo?
“It was the same way with my husband, Quinn. I can assure you, a love like that is worth the time and patience.”
Amelia’s words made Caitlyn’s senses spin. To steady herself, she began stacking plates on the tray.
“You are our guest tonight. You shouldn’t be clearing dishes. Go enjoy yourself, please.”
Amelia gave an anything but settled glance in Brodie’s direction. In fact, it was almost a nod.
“After enjoying that delicious dinner, I can’t leave all the work to someone else,” said Caitlyn. “I insist on helping.”
“Well, in that case, I’ll help, too.” Amelia laughed. “Otherwise you’re go
ing to make me look bad.”
As the two of them headed toward the kitchen, Caitlyn wondered if Amelia had any idea of the ringing impact her words had made.
* * *
“Married life does seem to be agreeing with you,” Brodie said to Oliver and Shannon.
The couple looked at each other with such adoration he had to look away. He glanced over at the table where Caitlyn had been talking to Amelia.
They weren’t there anymore.
His gaze combed the area, and he glimpsed the two of them as they disappeared inside the back door that led to the kitchen, each of them holding a tray loaded with dishes. Brodie took a step in that direction as the door banged shut behind them. He wished he would’ve noticed sooner, and he would’ve been there to help.
“We’ve never been happier,” Oliver said. “I highly recommend it.”
“Caitlyn is so nice.” Shannon hitched little Ollie up on her hip.
“Yes, she is,” he said. He knew what she meant, and he knew he should clarify that they were strictly platonic—or at least they were now.
His cousin, Galen Fortune Jones, must’ve overheard Oliver and Shannon’s less than subtle verbal nudging.
“She may be nice, but some men just aren’t cut out for the husband thing.”
Oliver and Shannon made protesting noises.
“Those men obviously haven’t met the right women,” said Shannon. “Or they are not attracted to women. But hey, I’m not judging. I’m all for live and let live.”
Galen frowned. “Believe me, I am attracted to women. That’s exactly my point. I’m attracted to women. Lots of women. I see no reason to limit myself to just one. And I know Brodie feels the same way. Hence the Enduring Bachelorhood Club of Horseback Hollow. Welcome to the club, cousin.”
Galen guffawed and held out his fist for a bump. Brodie complied, but his heart wasn’t really in it.
There was a time when he might’ve been president of an Enduring Bachelorhood Club, but tonight it seemed like the last place he wanted to be. It just seemed...sad.
Someone put some music on, and several people started dancing. Oliver took Shannon’s hand and pulled her a few steps away from Brodie and Galen.
“We will leave you two enduring bachelors alone,” he said. “My wife and I have better things to do.”
He pulled Shannon into his arms, and the two of them began swaying to the music, lost in their own little world.
He wasn’t really in the mood to stay and discuss enduring bachelorhood with his cousin. “I’m going to go into the kitchen and get something to drink. May I bring you something?”
Galen held up the beer in his hand. “Nah, I’m good, thanks. I’ll catch you later, bro.”
In the kitchen, Caitlyn was helping Amelia scoop leftovers into plastic containers. His mother was washing dishes, and Jeanne Marie was drying them.
The buzz of conversation—something about the secret ingredient in Jeanne Marie’s red-velvet-cake recipe—stopped when he entered the room.
“I suppose the ingredient is not a secret any longer if you tell everyone,” he said.
“Look who’s come to help us,” said his mother.
“I have a feeling he didn’t come in here to help us,” said Amelia, a knowing smile spreading across her face.
“She’s right,” said Brodie. “I’ve come to rescue Caitlyn from a life of servitude.”
“Run,” said Amelia, taking the serving spoon out of Caitlyn’s hand. “Run while you can. Save yourself.”
“Absolutely,” said Jeanne Marie. She shook her head. “Where are my manners? I was so enjoying talking to you that I kept you in the kitchen far too long. You two run along and have some fun. Go on now. Skedaddle.”
“It was such a lovely meal,” Caitlyn said. “I hate to leave you with the mess.”
“We won’t hear of it,” said Josephine. “You’ve already done more than your share. More than I can say for some people.”
She arched a brow at Brodie.
“We’ll go find Galen and send him right in,” said Brodie. “I understand he’s looking for something to do.”
In a stage whisper he said to Caitlyn, “We’d better make a run for it while we can.”
He offered her his arm, and she took it, a strange smile on her face.
Once they were back outside, a slow country song came on.
“Dance with me?”
He didn’t give her a chance to refuse. He simply wrapped his arms around her, and they joined the others who had turned the patio into an after-dinner dance floor and began swaying to the music.
“Your family is wonderful,” she whispered. “Not nearly as scary as I thought they’d be.”
“You’re brave,” he said, inhaling deeply as she leaned in close. Her scent and the feel of her in his arms took him back to that first night. His body responded and the base, most primal part of him wanted to ask her if she wanted to take a stroll down meteor lane. But there wasn’t a meteor shower tonight, and holding her like this felt more intimate than taking her back to the field by the pond and peeling off her denim jacket and that sexy green sundress and claiming the prize underneath. “Most of the time they still scare me.”
Not that he didn’t want to claim that prize.
Holding her like this felt like ten giant leaps forward. Especially when she looked up at him. For a moment he could’ve sworn he glimpsed forever in her eyes. He pulled her closer so that it wouldn’t slip away.
All he had to do was lower his head a few inches, and his lips would be on hers, but she said, “I need to go. Will you walk me to my car?”
The distance and perspective he gained while she was getting her handbag and saying thank-you and good-night to his family was a godsend.
He’d almost kissed her. Right there on the patio in front of anyone who might’ve been paying attention, which was probably more people than would’ve owned up to it.
He’d gotten lost in the moment. Lost in a wonderful evening where she had been magnificent with his family. She’d won them over with her grace and ease.
This wasn’t a personal victory; this was about getting the job done. It was a victory for Cowboy Country. Now that they were on the right track, he needed to keep his mind on the job and his hands off his boss’s daughter.
As he walked Caitlyn to her car, she must’ve sensed the shift in him.
“Why does intimacy scare you, Brodie?”
“Intimacy doesn’t scare me.” He crossed his arms.
“What happened to you to make you put up such a wall?”
Nobody had ever asked him the question. He knew the answer, but he couldn’t talk about it. Because that would mean he’d have to return to dark, emotional places he swore he’d never visit again.
“What’s in the past can’t be changed,” he said. “There’s no sense in rehashing it.”
She opened her car door and slid behind the wheel.
“Sometimes the only way to exorcise your demons is to face them.”
“They’re not demons unless you allow them to get the best of you.”
She shook her head, and there was so much pity in her eyes, he had to look away.
“Suit yourself,” she said as she started the car.
What could he say to that?
Nothing.
Instead, he opted for watching the taillights of Caitlyn’s car grow dimmer as she drove away.
Chapter Seven
All week long Brodie had been furious with himself. What the bloody hell was the matter with him?
At the barbecue Friday night, he’d gotten swept up in the moment.
All weekend long he had tried to tell himself he’d simply been jazzed because Caitlyn had won over his family so easily and naturally. But a nagging little bugger of a voice deep inside kept insisting that was wrong. That he wasn’t being honest with himself. That he was terminally attracted to Caitlyn Moore.
Brodie tried to remind himself of his A-number-one rule: do not sleep
with the clients. Now amended to include: do not kiss the clients.
Before, that had always been a given, along with do not mix business with pleasure.
He would’ve been wise to have talked Caitlyn out of attending the barbecue, but he usually didn’t associate family gatherings with pleasure. This woman had a way of inserting herself into places in his life that made him...uncomfortable. And now she was asking questions—personal questions. Questions about what made him tick, what made him so damn defensive.
Personal relationships made him defensive. If she was so bloody intuitive, why couldn’t she figure that out without grilling him?
What was it about Caitlyn Moore that had his self-control puddling in a pool at his feet?
And then, even against his best judgment, he found himself stepping over that pool like a madman, possessed with the need to get closer to her.
Brodie simply wasn’t cut out to fall in love. And Caitlyn...she was so family-oriented.
This had the potential to be one hell of a bloody mess, didn’t it?
Granted, she was a beautiful woman, but he’d worked with plenty of pretty women before, and he’d never had this much trouble keeping his mind on the job.
It was just about sex. Nothing more. It was some crazy chemical reaction—what did they call it? Pheromones? Whatever it was, it was making him lose control. And there was nothing Brodie Fortune Hayes loathed more than being out of control.
Logic told him the sooner he could get back to London, the better off everyone would be. But the part of his brain that was still working reminded him that his contract dictated that he still had more than two weeks here in Horseback Hollow.
Really, if he thought about it—and kept his mind on the job—it wasn’t a lot of time to get done what he needed to do to get this park up and running to Alden Moore’s satisfaction and secure the recommendation for the Tokyo project.
It really was quite simple. He needed to quit thinking about Caitlyn in any terms other than business. Because doing that was making things harder on him than the job needed to be.
My Fair Fortune Page 8
