The Coffee Girl

by Shanna Hatfield

  “I’d say,” Avery said, unable to hide the hint of humor in her voice. “I hope you set them both straight.”

  “I made it known I didn’t belong to either of them and left in a bit of a snit. And yes, I realize that wasn’t the best way to handle things. Can you please ask Greg to quit talking to Will about me? I know they’re friends, but this is ridiculous. The only way he would have known I’d be at the store today was if Greg told him.” Brenna struggled not to lump her brother-in-law in with all the men who were on her hit list today, but it was hard not to place him near the top.

  “I’ll remind him, again,” Avery said. Greg and Will weren’t as close as they had once been. Will had been acting bizarre for a while and neither Avery nor Greg enjoyed being around him. Greg maintained the friendship more out of a sense of duty than anything else, but maybe it was time to let it go.

  Will seemed obsessed with Brenna and Avery wondered if that obsession was reaching an unhealthy level. The fact of the matter was that Will seemed much more interested in Brenna since she started dating Brock than he ever was when she’d been dating him years ago.

  “I’d appreciate it. In the meantime, if you see Brock would you tell him I’m not interested in Will? The only thing about that dork that interests me is him staying out of my life.” Brenna slammed things around the kitchen as she made dinner for her family.

  “I’ll find him before he leaves. I could ask him to join us for dinner, if you want, since you’re cooking for all of us.” Avery knew Brenna could find her way to Brock’s heart through her cooking, although at this point, she didn’t think it would take much effort on her sister’s part.

  “Sure, if he wants to come, that’s fine. I’ll make plenty.” Brenna warmed to the idea of Brock coming for dinner. “Thanks, Avery. See you in a little while.”

  Avery gathered her things to leave the store a few minutes after five and found Brock working away in what would be Brenna’s bistro kitchen. By the tense line of his shoulders and the muscle working in his jaw, she assumed he was probably still upset from the little escapade with Will and Brenna.

  “Hey, Brock, have you got a minute?” Avery asked over the sound of his drill.

  Brock cut the power and turned to her with a smile that didn’t come close to reaching his eyes. “Hi, Avery. What can I do for you?”

  “Brenna called and wanted me to extend an invitation to you for dinner tonight. Greg and I are going over as well. She’s been cooking all afternoon, so it should be good,” Avery said with an encouraging smile.

  “Thanks, but I think I better pass.” Brock stared down at his dusty boots. As mad as Brenna was earlier, and as poorly as he’d handled the situation, it seemed wise to give her a little time and space.

  “If you’re wondering about what Will said, I wouldn’t let it get to you. He’s not exactly rational when it comes to Brenna and it seems to be getting worse.” Avery placed a hand on Brock’s arm. His gaze returned to her face. “Rennie said she’s sorry she didn’t make it clear today to you both that she’s not interested in Will. For whatever reason, she seems pretty taken with this construction guy she met a few months ago.”

  “She is, huh?” Brock’s tense muscles loosened and his humor returned at Avery’s reassurance. “You’re not kidding me are you?”

  “I, sir, would not kid about such serious matters as the state of my sister’s heart.” Avery held a hand to her own heart. “Seriously, though, she’s crazy about you. Come to dinner. If nothing else, you might as well enjoy a good meal and some entertaining company.”

  “You talked me into it.” Brock grinned at Avery as she walked to the door.

  He finished a few things, stored the tools, and cleaned up the work area. He met Letty at the door as she locked it and walked with her to her car.

  “I hear you’ve been invited for dinner,” Letty said with a glint in her eye. Her desire for matchmaking between Brock and Brenna was strong. The magnetic pull between the two of them made effort on her part completely unnecessary, though. “Are you joining us?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Brock said, holding open her car door. “Do I have time to run home and change?”

  “You bet.” Letty smiled at Brock as she sat in the car. “We’ll eat at six.”

  Brock hurried to his pickup, rushed home and in the back door, then jumped into the shower. He shaved in record time, dressed in clean clothes, and slapped on aftershave. Quickly running his fingers through his sun-kissed hair, he decided to let it be tousled and grabbed his keys, cell phone and wallet before hustling back out the door. He pulled up at the Smith house with five minutes to spare.

  After ringing the bell, he offered a friendly greeting when Brandon opened it and invited him inside.

  “How are you, sir?” Brock asked, shaking the hand the man held out to him.

  “I’m well, Brock. How have you been?” Brandon motioned Brock into the family room where the evening news blared on the television. “Brenna said you’re whipping that house of yours into shape.”

  “I’m trying.” Brock sat down on the couch while Brandon eased into his recliner. Although he inherited some nice furniture from his grandfather, Brock decided the next thing he needed to buy was a big, comfy recliner. “Thanks to some good help, I’ve got the kitchen finished. My next project is the master suite. Brenna is pretty handy with a paint brush, so she’s helped me paint most of the other rooms.”

  “She’s a good worker, unless you make her mad. Then you better just stay out of her way,” Brandon said with a teasing grin. He’d heard about the man-card incident as well as Brenna losing her cool with the guys today.

  “She does seem to have a bit of a temper,” Brock said carefully. A smart man knew better than to say anything that could later be used against him, especially by a girl’s dad.

  “A bit? Obviously, she held back from unleashing it in full force if you only think she’s got a bit of a temper. Why that girl can…” Avery interrupted Brandon when she stepped into the room to announce dinner was ready.

  Brock followed Brandon to the dining room where Brenna shot him a shy smile as she placed a basket of hot rolls on the table.

  Throughout the meal of succulent pork roast with creamy polenta, sautéed apples, roasted squash, fresh homemade rolls and a delicious lemon meringue pie for dessert, the conversation ranged from progress on the store to the experiments Greg was conducting with some new varieties of plants.

  Brock marveled at how comfortable he felt with these people and how easy the conversation flowed between them. He could see himself sitting around this table for many meals in the years to come, especially when he felt Brenna’s hand squeeze his beneath the table.

  She looked up at him from beneath her long lashes and his heart tripped in his chest.

  After the meal, Greg and Brock offered to clean up while the women looked through a box of Brenna’s bistro serving pieces that arrived that day.

  “I hear Will gave you some trouble today,” Greg said as he handed Brock plates to load into the dishwasher.

  “More so Brenna, I guess.” Brock wasn’t sure he wanted to discuss this with Greg, knowing his friendship with Will.

  “She’s not interested in him, just so you know. She hasn’t been for a long, long time. Will seems to have a hard time admitting defeat and moving on,” Greg said as they finished loading the dishwasher and wiped down the counters. “Don’t let him bother you.”

  “Thanks, I’ll try not to.” Brock was glad to hear that Brenna really wasn’t dating Will on the side.

  “Will hasn’t been acting quite himself for a while.” Greg dried his hands and looked around to make sure they hadn’t missed any dirty dishes. “He’s just about worn out his welcome at our house. I know he certainly has here.”

  “Do you know if Will would compromise his professional standards in an effort to get back at me?” Brock asked, deciding to see if Greg had any idea how far Will would push things.

  “What do you mean?” Gre
g leaned against the counter.

  “He’s the electrical inspector on our project and I’ve never had an inspector be so particular. He made our electrician redo part of Avery’s project three times when, by all industry standards, it should have passed inspection the first time. That’s why we’re running behind with the project. He keeps slowing us down.” Brock knew Greg would be able to tell if Will was capable of sabotaging the project.

  “Interesting.” Greg mulled over what Brock said. A year ago, he would have said no, Will would never do anything like that. But after seeing him and listening to him the past few months, he wouldn’t be surprised if he was trying to hold back the project and make it look like Brock was incompetent. “I’ll keep my eyes and ears open. Can you request a different inspector?”

  “I can.” Brock decided to give one of his friends a call and see if he could get a different inspector assigned to their job.

  “That might be best.” Greg slapped Brock on the back. “Shall we go make over Brenna’s new dishes like Mom and Avery? According to the women, they are ‘gorgeous.’ Although I’m not sure that is a term I’d apply to something that will hold messy sandwiches and plates of muffins.”

  Brock laughed and followed Greg to the dining room where serving pieces covered the table and the Smith women discussed the virtues of each dish.

  When he walked into the room, Brenna caught his eye and gave him a look that said she was glad he was there. After a few more minutes of admiring the dishes, Greg and Avery went home and Letty disappeared saying she had things to do, leaving Brock and Brenna alone.

  “Care to go for a walk?” It required no small effort for Brock to keep his hands to himself. Not when he really wanted to pull Brenna into his arms and apologize for behaving childishly that afternoon.

  Brenna smiled and he began to think perhaps she’d forgive him sooner rather than later.

  “I’d love to,” she said, preceding him out the front door and down to the sidewalk. They started to amble along when Brock reached down and captured Brenna’s hand in his.

  The moment she turned her big baby blue eyes on him, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm with tenderness.

  “I’m sorry, coffee girl.” Sincerity shone from his eyes and in the set of his jaw. Brenna raised a questioning eyebrow at him, but he continued. “I behaved badly today and I’m sorry. You aren’t a possession and I had no right to speak of you as such.”

  “Apology accepted.” Brenna used her free hand to reach over and squeeze Brock’s bicep. The feel of those strong muscles beneath her fingers made her stomach flutter, but she didn’t relinquish her hold. “I’m sorry I failed to make it perfectly clear to you both that I’m not interested in Will. I hope you know I didn’t want him to kiss me.”

  “I know, Brenna. Greg said he’d talk to Will, but if he gives you any trouble, let me know.” His tone held an edge that sounded both hard and protective.

  “I’ll think about it.” Brenna studied Brock surreptitiously as they walked along, enjoying the beautiful spring evening.

  Her mind wandered to how she would feel if she caught him in the arms of an old girlfriend, with their lips together. She realized she would have been blistering mad at both him and the woman. Just thinking about the possibility made her unsettled and irritated.

  She took a deep, calming breath and leaned her cheek against Brock’s arm, glad there wasn’t a past girlfriend following Brock around, causing trouble.

  He smiled down at her, flashing his white teeth and crinkling the corners of his eyes. She adored his smile and appreciated the way he made her feel. Brenna loved being with him and, if she dared admit it, was completely and irrevocably in love with Brock.

  When had that happened?

  She didn’t know that she could put a finger on the exact moment, but somewhere between drooling after him at the coffee shop and him taking her out for German food, Brenna had fallen in love.

  Brock was everything she’d ever hoped for in a man. He was funny and smart as well as handsome. A hard worker, he’d be a good provider. The gentle strength and kindness he exuded hinted that he’d be good with children. He could be a little domineering and over protective, but she thought his charm and tenderness compensated for those faults.

  Thinking of the dream that had long haunted her, Brenna began to wonder if the man in it was Brock. Although she couldn’t see the man’s face, the back, wide shoulders, even the color of his hair all made her think of him.

  “What’s that look for?” Brock let go of her hand so he could place an arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to him as they walked.

  “What look?”

  “The look that has you all dewy-eyed and made your face so soft.” His husky tone, low and enticing, cast a spell over her as they stopped in front of a huge tree. Slowly, his thumb brushed gentle caresses across her cheek. “A look like that is a strong temptation, hard for a man to ignore.”

  “Oh, I…” Brenna searched for some explanation but before she could find one, Brock kissed her. Not a chaste standing on the sidewalk just blocks from her parents house kind of kiss, but one meant to dissolve her into a pliant mass. The blissful blending of their lips chased every thought except pressing closer to Brock, indulging in his amorous attention to her mouth, from her head.

  When the second car honked as they drove by, Brenna grasped onto her remaining shred of common sense and pulled away. “Brock, I think we better head back to Mom and Dad’s.”

  “I think you’re probably right.” Brock voice was low and raspy with emotion. If Brenna looked any more alluring, he wasn’t sure he could keep his desire for her under control.

  Her hair was down and hanging in lovely curls along her back and she wore a silky blouse with a soft floral-print skirt. She looked so utterly feminine as her fresh fragrance drifted around him. Brock had a hard time focusing on putting one foot in front of the other to retrace their steps.

  “Do you have plans Friday night?” He asked as they reached the end of the walk at her parents’ house.

  “Well, I was really hoping this cute construction guy would ask me on a date, but if he doesn’t get around to it, I guess my evening will be open,” Brenna said with a teasing smile.

  “In that case, I’ll take my leave.” Brock shoved his hands in his pockets and took a step away from Brenna. “I wouldn’t want to mess up your plans.”

  “You just get back here, buster.” Brenna lunged at Brock and managed to get in a few tickles to his side before he easily pinned her arms across her torso and held her with her back to his chest. Brock chuckled as she struggled half-heartedly against him until she suddenly went limp.

  Sweeping her into his arms, his laughter faded, replaced by worry. Her arms dangled down and her head flopped against his shoulder. “Brenna? Baby, are you okay?”

  He hurried up the steps and was just about to ring the bell to bring Letty to the door when Brenna went from limp to settling her hands on his face, pulling him down for a kiss. Brock nearly dropped her in surprise.

  “Got you,” she whispered with her lips temptingly close to Brock’s.

  “You scared me half to death and almost got dropped on your cute little backside is what you got, miss smarty pants.” His gaze held a mixture of relief and disapproval, although he pulled her closer instead of setting her down. “I could have a heart condition, you know. You may have given me a coronary. That was so not nice.”

  “I’m sorry.” Brenna might have apologized, but she didn’t appear remorseful as she twined her fingers behind Brock’s neck and played with his hair while he held her tight against his chest. “I didn’t mean to scare you and I promise I won’t do that particular thing again.”

  “I’m not sure I liked the way you said that. It sounds like you’ll be plotting further evil, just not an exact repeat.” Wary, Brock gazed into her sweet face.

  Brenna was so much fun, he just never knew what to expect from her, even if she sometimes frightened him.
He really did think she’d passed out a minute ago.

  “Would I do that?” Brenna batted her lashes at him as mischief danced in her eyes.

  “You certainly would, you little imp.” Brock set her down on the porch. “Now, about that date Friday. If your super busy calendar isn’t overflowing, can you pencil me in?”

  “I’ll see what I can do. If I’m ready at six, does that work for you?” Brenna leaned against his chest and trailed her finger flirtatiously down his button placket.

  “That would be great.” Brock kissed her cheek and unenthusiastically turned her toward the door. His mind ran more toward spending another hour or two with her in his arms and his lips ravaging hers. Instead, he popped her bottom and grinned when she grinned at him over her shoulder.

  “Maybe I can get you to call me baby again,” Brenna said softly with a look of promise before running inside the house.

  Brock shook his head as he got in his pickup and headed home.

  One thing was for certain, life with Brenna in it would never, ever be boring.

  Chapter Eleven

  At five minutes to six, Brock pulled up outside the Smith residence and did a quick check in the rearview mirror to make sure he looked presentable. He was in a rush after work to clean up. In a frenzy to shower and change, he couldn’t remember if he used mouthwash or combed his hair. Thoughts of Brenna had him so befuddled, it was a wonder he could remember how to tie his shoes.

  A glance in the mirror confirmed some order to his tousled spikes and the mint he popped in his mouth assured fresh breath. Eager to see his girl, he slid out of his recently washed pickup, whistled his way to the front door and rang the bell.

  Brenna answered, stealing his breath away. The pale pink dress she wore made her skin look like porcelain and her eyes twice as huge. Her hair hung down her back and she carried a sweater on her arm. As she smiled at him and took a step closer, her scent, the smell of spring and sunshine, flooded his senses.