Resisting Mr. Tall, Dark & Texan

Not that there was anything wrong with settling down. If a man was interested in that kind of thing.

Corey went on, “I told Erin all about the Texas Bluebell Bakery, about those cream cakes and éclairs that could light up your mouth, and about those pies Lizzie’s French mama used to bake. Remember those pies? I loved them all. Especially the sweet-potato pie.” Corey stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans and stared up toward the sky, a dreamy look on his face. “When I think of Cécile Landry’s sweet-potato pie, it brings it all back, you know? Being a kid again, before Dad died, when life was simple, when a piece of pie could just make your day …”

Ethan did remember Cécile Landry’s pies. “I was partial to the strawberry-rhubarb, myself.”

“Oh, God,” said Corey with a groan. “The strawberry-rhubarb …”

“Lizzie still bakes a rhubarb pie for me now and then. And they’re just as good as her mama’s, believe me.” Lizzie. He scowled. Lizzie, who thought she was leaving him ….

Corey lowered his head. He peered at Ethan more closely. “You’re lookin’ a little grim.”

“Lizzie wants to quit.” The words were out before he even realized he would say them. And then he went ahead and elaborated, sounding more annoyed than he meant to. “She’s got a dream, you know?”

Corey did know. “The bakery—but you were aware of that. You told me two or three years ago, after the two of you became BFFNB, that she wanted to open a bakery again someday.”

“Uh … BFFNB?”

“Best Friends Forever, No Benefits,” Corey explained with a self-satisfied grin.

“Very funny—and it doesn’t matter that I was aware of her big dream. The point is I never really thought she would ever go through with it. What’s wrong with working for me, that’s what I want to know?”

“Whoa.” Corey stepped back. “You’re really upset about this.”

Ethan felt embarrassed suddenly. Which was ridiculous. He grunted. “Well, yeah. Yeah, I am. We’ve got a good thing going, me and Lizzie. And have you any idea how much I pay her?”

“What’s that have to do with anything?”

“Just answer the damn question.”

Corey answered carefully. “I’m sure it’s a lot.”

“You bet it’s a lot. She’s got full medical and dental. She’s even got points in TOI.”

Corey’s brows drew together. “But she wants to get back into her family’s business.”

“Hold on a second here,” Ethan grumbled. “You’re my brother. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am on your side. But Lizzie’s always struck me as the type who gets things done, who sees what she wants and makes sure it happens. She wants to open a bakery.”

“It’s a phase, that’s all. She’ll get past it.”

Corey only looked at him.

“What?” Ethan demanded.

Corey spoke with exasperating gentleness. “I gotta say I’ve learned a lot about women since I found Erin. Before Erin, I thought I knew it all. But now I’m kind of getting the picture that I didn’t know squat.”

“And your point is, exactly?”

“Ethan, I’m only saying I don’t think you’re going to get very far with a capable, take-charge woman like Lizzie by underestimating her.”

“What the hell? Who says I’m underestimating her? And who says I want to get somewhere with her?”

“Whoa, brother. You are really turned around about this, aren’t you?”

“Turned around? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Corey gave him another of those long, unreadable looks. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re about to put your fist in my face?”

Because I am, Ethan thought. Which was really all out of proportion to the situation, and he knew that. He dialed it back, going for a slow breath as he ordered his body to relax, take it easy. “Sorry. It’s late. I’ve got a lot on my mind and a bad case of jet lag, you know?”

Corey’s expression said he wasn’t buying Ethan’s excuses, but he let it go. “I hear you. Get a little sleep, okay?” He turned for the propped-open door to go back inside.

Ethan felt like a complete jerk bag—meaning worse than a jerk. More like a whole bagful of jerks. “Corey?”

Corey stopped in midstep, sent a glance over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

“I’m glad you found Erin. Congratulations, man.”

Corey smiled then. A real smile. “Thanks. I hope you work it out with Lizzie.”

What exactly did he mean by that?

Ethan decided he didn’t want to know.

Lizzie was up at seven, showered and dressed and ready to face the day by seven-thirty. She headed for the kitchen fully expecting to brew some coffee, grab some toast and be on her way, alone.

But as soon as she opened the door of her room, her nose told her the coffee was already made.

She entered the kitchen to find Ethan sitting at the table in the breakfast nook. He was freshly shaved and wearing boots, jeans and a casual shirt.

“I got the coffee going,” he said. He raised his full mug and took a sip. “I was beginning to wonder if you would ever get up.”

She made a face at him. But actually, she was pleased that he’d made the effort, and that she would have his company for the next few hours. “Want some eggs?”

“Do we have time?”

“Sure. Scrambled?”

“Great.”

She went to work on the food. It didn’t take long. She slid his plate in front of him and put the jam in the center of the table. Then she grabbed her own plate and sat down across from him. They ate in silence, fueling up for the morning ahead. He did look a little tired, she thought. There were shadows beneath his eyes.

“How much sleep did you get?” she asked, as she took their empty plates back to the sink.

“Enough.”

She sent him a glance. “Listen, I can manage the trip myself if you want to go back to bed.”