Vicki Thompson – Cowboy All Night (страница 8)
“Hang on.” Cade paused, a match in his hand. “She only said she wanted to watch. She didn’t say anything about making you her champion.”
Brant shrugged. “Seems only right. You have a fair maiden rooting for you, so I should be able to—”
“I’m actually rooting for a tie,” Lexi said. “I want my truck washed.”
“That’s my stake in this, too.” Aria took her seat.
Oh, really? Brant reevaluated the situation. A woman who didn’t want to have anything to do with a man wouldn’t jump into a contest that might cause that man to wash her vehicle. Would she?
“Right on, girlfriend.” Lexi exchanged a high-five with her.
Brant decided to go with it. “Looks like we’re on our own, bro. No fair maidens cheering us on like in the good old days.”
“Just as well. This won’t take long.” Cade leaned forward and locked his gaze with Brant’s as he flicked the match with this thumbnail. It ignited. “And that’s how it’s done.” He blew it out and tossed it on the plate he’d been using for cheese. “You’re up.”
Brant didn’t care if he won or not. He never had cared. But early on he’d figured out that winning mattered to most guys, especially when it came to things like championship basketball games. So he’d pretended to be competitive as hell. Besides, Aria was sitting at the table, and while he didn’t personally mind if he lost, winning might be better with her watching.
So he concentrated more than he would have normally and lit match after match. Cade kept pace with him and eventually they each had only one left. Brant held his up. “Let’s go for the big finish. On the count of three, we’ll both light our match...or not.”
“Just so you both end up with the same result,” Lexi said.
“My thoughts exactly.” Aria finished off her champagne. “Matilda is filthy.”
Brant glanced away from the match in his hand. “You named your van?”
“Yep. I always name my ride.”
“Me, too.” He liked knowing they had that in common. Somehow there had been a subtle shift and Aria was no longer quite so resistant to...what? He wasn’t sure, but the situation was more promising than it had been.
“Are you counting or conversing?” Cade waved his match in the air.
“Counting.” Brant dragged out the process because at this stage of the game dignity was gone, anyway. On three he scratched the head of the match with his thumbnail. Nothing. He looked over at Cade.
His brother held an unlit match and had a goofy smile on his face. He tossed his match on the table. “Looks as if we’ll be washing vehicles for the ladies.” He didn’t seem particularly upset about it, either. Brant had the distinct impression Cade hadn’t tried to light his match.
“Excellent!” Aria clapped her hands together. “How early do you want me here?”
“Early.” He couldn’t remember when he’d anticipated anything more. Between washing Aria’s van and working with her foal, he’d spend the bulk of his morning with her. He wondered if Cade had figured that out and had decided to play Cupid.
“Everybody be sure to forward your pictures to my phone,” Aria said. “I’m going to show them to Josh so I can convince him to come with me.”
“Yeah, I hope he does,” Brant said immediately. He’d forgotten about her brother, and he couldn’t let himself do that.
Linus was supposed to be Josh’s colt and if a wheelchair would be part of the mix, that should be introduced early. Yeah, the prospect of seeing her tomorrow had lost a little of its shine because Josh might be there. So what? He’d comfort himself by picturing how happy she’d be if Josh fell in love with the foal the way she had.
ARIA PRESENTED THE meal in the traditional way, placing the skillet in the middle of the table on a hot pad. Once she’d served everyone, Rosie raised her glass. “To Aria.”
“To Aria!” everyone chorused.
She believed it was good, but their expectations were high thanks to Herb’s extravagant comments. “Maybe you should taste it first.”
“Don’t have to,” Herb said. “It looks and smells exactly like what we had on our honeymoon.”
“Must have been quite a meal,” Brant said. “I can’t remember what I ate yesterday, let alone years ago.”
“Because you don’t seek out gourmet food.” Cade waved a hand toward his plate. “Aria’s cooking classes are gonna turn Lexi and me into adventurous eaters. We’ll set stuff on fire and everything.”
“Sometimes even on purpose,” Lexi said.
“You’re all welcome to talk about food for as long as you like, but I’m ready to eat it.” Herb took a bite of his chicken.
Aria held her breath as Herb closed his eyes and made a little sound of pleasure deep in his throat. At least she hoped it was pleasure and not distress. Come to think of it, those sounds might be similar.
He chewed and swallowed. Then he looked at her and smiled. “Absolutely delicious, even better than I remembered. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She relaxed and picked up her fork. As everyone else dug in, she was bombarded with praise. The meal was a hit.
When Ringo sat expectantly beside his bowl, Cade put a small bite of chicken in it. After a curious sniff, the cat polished it off and fixed Cade with a demanding stare. “That’s all you get, buddy,” Cade said. “I’m being selfish tonight.”
Aria considered that high praise. During the months she’d been visiting her mare and sharing meals with the family she’d noticed that Cade normally shared generously with his cat.
Herb glanced over at Rosie. “This tastes so much like the meal we had in Jackson Hole that I feel as if I’m on my honeymoon again.”
“Uh-oh.” Brant looked at Cade and lifted his eyebrows. “Maybe we should all clear out of here after dinner, hmm?”
“Sounds like it to me.”
Rosie blushed bright red. “Oh, for pity’s sake. Nobody has to run off.”
“It’s fine with me if they go home early.” Herb’s eyes twinkled.
“Herbert!” Rosie hid her face in her napkin.
Aria had never seen anything so adorable. “I should make this for you two more often.”
“Just warn me when you do,” Cade said, “so I don’t accidentally drop by some evening and find them making out on the sofa.”
“Stop!” Rosie waved her napkin in the air. “Just stop!”
“Speaking of interrupting things,” Brant said. “I should probably sleep in my old cabin tonight. I figured Rosie would put me in one of the guest rooms, but under the circumstances...”
Rosie groaned. “This has gotten so out of hand.” She turned to her husband. “And it’s your fault.”
He looked unrepentant. “I know.”
“Ellison, you don’t have to settle for your old cabin,” Cade said. “I’ve decided to offer you my new one.”
“You have a new one?”
“Yes,” Lexi said, “because he’s very important.”
Cade grinned at her. “Yes, I am. Because I’m the guy supervising the students after hours, I now have my own cabin on the property within walking distance of what are now the student cabins. You can have my place while you’re here and I’ll stay at Lexi’s.”
Brant folded his arms across his chest. “And who’s supposed to ride herd on these teenagers while you’re kicking back in Lexi’s apartment?”
Cade pretended surprise. “You know, I hadn’t thought of that!”
“Uh-huh.”
“I guess it would be you.” Cade’s attempt to look innocent failed completely when he started to laugh. “Is that a problem?”
“Hell, no. I can sleep through anything. Enjoy your mini-vacation.”
“They won’t act up,” Rosie said. “You’ve never quite understood how much your size intimidates people who don’t know you.”
Brant laughed. “Are you saying I’m scary?”
“Don’t knock it,” Cade said. “Last semester’s kids were pretty good, but they tested me. You look like a nightclub bouncer. Once they meet you, they’ll behave.”
“I’m not crazy about playing the role of enforcer, but if it helps you out, brother of mine, I’ll do it. Is this cabin within walking distance of the bathhouse?”
“No need. It has plumbing.”
“Why didn’t you say that in the first place? For a cabin with plumbing I’ll gladly flex my muscles and look forbidding.”
“Thought so.”