by Susan Arden
“I’m glad you approve,” he replied, removing his wallet.
“I’ve taken care of the driver,” she said, touching his arm. “I booked the Uber online. Not wanting to leave anything to chance.”
“Can I get your bags?” Matt quirked a brow, smothering a chuckle.
Not Carolina. She laughed in his face and the sound was like the ring of expensive crystal. “Please. I didn’t know what to bring, so I packed a bunch.”
Matt followed her to the back of the rental. They found the driver stacking her luggage, which was five high and still there were cases inside the trunk. “You weren’t joking, but I’ve seen worse.” And he had when it came to his sister. Cory believed a weekend trip included two suitcases and an overnight bag, each fully packed. It probably came from having five older brothers at his sister’s beck and call. Heaven help Cory if she actually had to tote her own luggage to-and-fro.
“It isn’t all clothing,” Carolina returned. “Most, in fact, is equipment.”
“Can’t say I’m surprised.”
They stood inches apart. He couldn’t help but admire Carolina’s beauty. Just like his fantasy version of this woman, her dark chestnut hair fell in cascading waves about her shoulders. He recalled the lush invitation of her full lips that he’d willingly succumbed to, hungry to revisit, and would’ve if they were alone.
“You’re staring,” she whispered.
“Just thinking,” he supplied, picking up a suitcase. “Hope you’re up for this.”
“I think so. The sooner we get started, the sooner we’ll have answers.”
Matt shook his head. “Before we jump right in, there’s the business of meeting my family. It’s lunchtime and a regular thing.”
“Ah, I get it. It’d look suspicious and rude if we didn’t join them.”
He wanted to address how they’d left things, that he’d tried to phone, but settled for, “You had a long trip. Are you hungry?”
Carolina smiled again. “Actually, I’m starved. I hope I don’t embarrass you by my appetite.”
“You’ll fit right in. Appetite is our middle name.”
A slight flush tinted her cheeks a dusty rose, although she didn’t comment on his reply. Well, he couldn’t stand here and stare a hole in her, now could he? Matt began to pick up several pieces of her luggage. “I’ll put them in the back of the SUV and we’ll get you settled, later this afternoon.”
“That’ll be great. Whatever you’ve got, I’m not picky.”
He pressed the key fob then handed it to Carolina. “If you need transportation, this ought to work.”
“I’d say.” She glanced over at the new Range Rover with appreciation. “But I don’t want to put you out.”
“You aren’t. I’ve got other rides.”
She popped the locks and opened the backseat. The whole vehicle had been washed, waxed, detailed as of yesterday with her in mind.
Carolina peered over at him, smiling. “Not a mobile lab, but it’s nice to enjoy an upgrade every now and then.”
“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Matt murmured, surprised at how easy it was to just speak his mind.
No head games, no awkward silence. It was like the hiccup hadn’t occurred. She had put it behind her. Dr. Rodriguez claimed to be a professional. Well, he for one, much preferred ‘Caro’ except that wasn’t the purpose of her visit. Evermore Ranch needed Dr. Rodriguez up and running ASAP.
Matt gritted his teeth. If only he could have both the woman and the professional. They worked side by side and in no time, had her luggage stowed.
“And there’s still room in the back,” Carolina said, obviously pleased with the ride.
The Uber driver wished Carolina well and left them alone. Matt held out his hand to her. “Girlfriend, remember?”
Their hands connected. He absorbed the burn and sizzle of their irresistible chemistry. Carolina’s skin was so soft and the bones fragile in his hand. His thumb traced the length of her index finger.
“I haven’t forgotten,” she said in a shaky voice.
Matt pulled her to him, automatically as if she were, in fact, his. The feel of Carolina’s body, soft and yielding, stretched his desire into an elastic band that wrapped around his middle and cinched tight.
“For the record, I’m glad that you’re finally here. We had more cattle die and I need to find a solution on the double.”
She stiffened. “I’m so sorry.”
“Me, too.” Matt realized he had to seriously negotiate each step with this woman. Their attraction was just as strong as it had been on Saturday. It would take a helluva lot of self-control and acting to pretend what they had going on was strictly business. Whether it had been a brainstorm or a stroke of exceptional good luck, thank God, they’d decided to go with a cover of dating.
“What’s so funny?” she asked, squeezing his hand.
“Everything, sometimes.”
Carolina gave him a quizzical look but didn’t push for answers. They ascended the wide front steps to the veranda. Her gaze swept over to a row of rocking chairs made of gnarled wood and frequented in the evening after everyone showered and was ready to wind down for the night.
The appearance of a girlfriend without prior warning, would come as a shock for his family, especially his mother. Matt had avoided telling them anything, preferring to evade the forthcoming inquisition. Now, there was nothing to do but deal with the aftermath, hopefully it would be quick. He already had a story worked out, that wasn’t far from the truth. They met at Rob’s wedding.
“My mother’s more than likely in the kitchen. We all sit down at lunch and Sunday dinner. No biggie. Only the twins, Rory and Cory, still live here with my parents.”
“I do remember our talk. Stephen and Miller are part-timers. Cory’s the youngest,” Carolina said in a serious tone. “You live on the ranch. Somewhere nearby. It’s alright, I’m accustomed to family questions. But I did have one, Miller. He doesn’t just live off the ranch, now does he?”
Matt was impressed that she’d done some extra research. “Ginny, his wife refuses to live on the ranch due to a business issue. They live in the Governor’s Club. It’s a golf club community and Miller has a long drive. It’s a concession, they both are making to keep the peace. Her family is very successful. You won’t see him on weekends.”
Carolina winked. “Gotcha. My family introduction is ‘hello, this is my mom’ and I had a sneaking suspicion that wasn’t going to cut it here. I hope you don’t mind, but I brushed up on your sister-in-law’s family, just not the gossip part.”
“If anything, I’m impressed but not surprised. My opinion is the same since the first time I read your bio, Dr. Rodriguez, you’ll be fine.” Matt sighed, opening the front door.
“I’m glad we got past a rocky start,” she said, her voice a low husk. “About families. No one gets to choose their own.”
She seemed suddenly nostalgic. Their bodies were far too close, so close he could feel her breath on his neck. Matt gripped the door, craving to pull her to him. Instead he told Carolina, “They’re nothing more than loud and boisterous, and very curious.”
“Hey, I’m Cuban. Loud and energetic are in my DNA. Don’t worry, your ability to live through a wedding with my cousins was torture enough. I can survive a lunch and a grilling, if it comes to it.”
He waited for Carolina to enter the foyer. As if on cue, the sounds of laughter and voices rose from inside the house, and they were catapulted from their private conversation.
“See, I wasn’t exaggerating.” He removed his hat and with a toss, sent it flying.
“Good aim,” Carolina said when it landed on a peg on the wall. She glanced at her hands. “May I wash up?”
If she only knew his real target. He showed her to the hall bathroom while he hit the one in his mom’s sewing room. Matt returned to the hall at the moment she exited the bath. Carolina was so goddamn pretty, it made the breath squeeze i
n his chest.
“Mmmm,” she hummed, “Something smells amazing.”
“Fried chicken,” he supplied. For once his overzealous appetite had taken a backseat to something far more tantalizing only inches from his body. Carolina walked by his side, both of them suddenly quiet.
The scent of food wafted toward them along with the sound of his family’s banter. It filled Matt with a sense of impeding friction at trying to pull a fast one over his parents, especially his mom, Sarah McLemore.
His mother oversaw the meal preparation seven days a week and lent a hand to the actual cooking. There wasn’t just the family, but the bunkhouse for seasonal hired hands served three squares. There was a family kitchen as well as an industrial cook house. Sarah rose before sunrise. If anyone was short on time during meals, it was his mom.
A partial reason why he’d decided that lunch would be the optimal moment to introduce his new—pretend—girlfriend. Lunch was in full swing inside the dining room. Initially, nobody took note of them, poised at the doorway. He wanted to give Carolina a moment to gather her thoughts. His family, if anything, was a whirlwind to encounter. It felt as if they just might slip inside unnoticed until his brother, Brandon, stood up from his place at the table.
“Hey, Matt, what’s going on?”
“Carolina, I’d like to introduce you to my family.” He pressed his fingers to the small of her back. “My mom, Sarah McLemore and my father, Wade McLemore.”
Everyone turned to them. Some were holding bowls about to be passed, their expressions and arms frozen.
“Mom and Dad, I’d like you to meet Carolina Rodriguez.” Matt switched gears. He laced their fingers and guided her by the hand over to his parents at the end of the long dining room table. There was a shuffling of chairs being moved as every man in the room stood.
Sarah’s gaze dropped to their clasped hands. His mother’s Dallas upbringing won over her natural curiosity. “Carolina, welcome to our home.”
His father cleared his throat. “It’s good to meet you, Carolina.”
“The pleasure is mine, Mr. and Mrs. McLemore,” Carolina replied.
“Matt, please introduce your guest to our family.” His mom motioned with her hand.
He steered Carolina around the table. “Caro, that’s Brandon, Cory, Miller, Stephen, and Rory.”
Everyone went from mute to talking all at once, saying how glad-happy-pleased they were to meet Carolina.
Afterwards, Cory sat forward and smiled wide. “Soooo, are you just friends?”
Again, the table went silent. It was almost too funny to bear, only he realized it was time to explain. As if jabbed by a branding iron, Matt got down to it. “Actually, Carolina and I met in Miami at Rob’s wedding. Even though I flew home yesterday, we made arrangements to meet here.”
“Why?” Cory pushed.
He frowned at his sister. “Carolina wanted to meet you all.”
“So just like that, you brought Carolina here?” Cory’s brow arched.
“Is that so odd?” Matt should’ve been glad that Cory was laying the foundation but something about it being a lie irritated him but good.
Cory glanced around. “Dear brother, for you it is.”
“Corinth,” Sarah said in a warning tone.
On a trip into foreign territory, he was doing a terrible job of covering his tracks. Irked at not having a smooth way with words, it was like leaping into the wild beyond, and blindly Matt forged on. “She’s my girlfriend. That pretty much summarizes it. Okay? Anyone else gonna take issue with it?”
Rory choked on a sip of his water. It took the pressure off them when his mom went over, patting his brother on the back.
Cory clapped. “I knew it! You’ve been acting strange since the moment you got back home! Pay up, Stephen.”
“Sorry, dude. I tried to hush our sister up,” Stephen said. “Carolina, it’s nice to meet you and don’t mind Cory.”
Carolina nodded. “It’s good to meet you as well, Stephen.”
Matt led her to an empty spot at the table. He thumped his brother’s shoulder. “Brandon, mind moving?”
“Sure thing, tiger. Very nice to meet you, Carolina.” Brandon picked up his plate and stepped away from the table. His brother wore a broad McLemore smile and winked in appreciation.
Through it all, Carolina shook hands and made small talk, commenting on the weather, the house, and even answering Cory’s question about Miami fashion.
Brandon took the empty spot across the table. “Miller, pass Matt a plate over this way.”
A silver head of elaborately coiffed hair entered the dining room, carrying a bowl of steaming gravy.
Matt stood. “Miss Louisa, may I introduce my girlfriend to you?”
After setting down the bowl, Miss Louisa snaked her hand around his waist. Wearing a huge smile, she gave him a squeeze.
“Matt, you’re the one who never disappoints. Did things in your good time, since the day you were born. Still we can never steer our own course alone. On Sunday, the minister quoted from 1 John 4:19. We love because he first loved us. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for miracles.” If anyone had a way with words and a flair for the dramatic, it was Miss Louisa. Not a blood relative, but she was loved in some ways, perhaps more.
Carolina stood to greet Miss Louisa, who took hold of her hands. Smiling sweetly, she said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Louisa.”
“Good to make your acquaintance, my dear.” Miss Louisa peered over her glasses at Carolina. “My you’re as pretty as a peach with that golden complexion of yours.” Her gaze lingered on Carolina’s face.
Miss Louisa let go of Carolina’s hands to join his palm to his girlfriend’s. From behind a pair of thick glasses, her quick eyes held his for a moment. She stepped back and declared, “Yes, sir. A wedding is comin’ on. A spring wedding is what I’m sayin’.”
“Louisa,” Sarah laughed. “You’re embarrassing Carolina.”
Miss Louisa just chuckled. “Love’s nothin’ to be embarrassed about.” She had worked in their family home since his grandfather had lived here. Nowadays, she came in from the guesthouse to help serve and trade gossip with his mom, but other than that, Miss Louisa was retired.
“Come join us,” Matt said.
“Really, Louisa.” Sarah patted the empty spot at the table that had always been Miss Louisa’s.
“Not today.” She waved the idea away, slowly sauntering toward the dining room doorway. “Sit down and enjoy your meal. I’m sure you’ve got questions to answer, child.”
Sarah and Wade exchanged quizzical glances and a shrug. Carolina smiled and took each bowl or platter as they were passed or offered. Today’s menu consisted of fried chicken, green beans, baked beans, sliced tomatoes, coleslaw, buttermilk biscuits, and gravy. There were pitchers of iced tea, lemonade, and water. Nothing too complex was ever served at lunch. Not like what Matt imagined his pretend girlfriend was served down on South Beach or Flagler Street in Miami.
Carolina caught his eye and he smiled tightly. A twinge knifed him in the ribs. No matter how many times he told himself that this was just pretend, his idiot imagination was right there, demanding that he cut the shit.
During lunch, they traded glances, and her knee bumped against Matt’s, heightening his awareness of her presence. Everything else in the room faded. He clenched his jaw, which made eating a joke. To take back control, he should’ve ignored the little minx. That plan lasted as long as a snowball in hell. After, he went back to avidly noting each time Carolina’s arm brushed up against his. Along with the times their fingers grazed when passing food. Which would’ve been fine, except whenever his gaze shifted around the table, his family was staring at them. Eating it all up as though Carolina was really his girlfriend.
Yeah, he could well-imagine their thoughts and what they’d soon lambast him with by tonight. The back of Matt’s neck burned hotter than if he’d been roping cattle all day.
The meal ended with Miller announcing it was time to get back to work. Yet as if waiting, his family leaned back against their chairs. Regardless of how they had attempted to informally eat and converse, their acute and collective attention was on Carolina. Yep, it was time to skedaddle.
Matt leaned over against Carolina’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s time to—” Her exotic-scented fragrance enticed him to linger a beat, almost making him forget what he wanted to ask.
“What time is it?” She looked up with a smile. Those wide gray eyes of hers were bewitching.
“Are you ready? We should get going.”
“Of course.” She turned and said, “Mrs. McLemore, everything was delicious.”
Matt’s gaze strayed to Carolina’s mouth as she spoke. Now there was something delicious. Only it belonged to Dr. Rodriguez, he reminded himself.
“Oh, you’re leaving,” Sarah replied. “Well, I suppose everyone has somewhere to be.”
He stood and pulled Carolina’s chair away from the table. His mother observed him and smiled hesitantly, questioningly.
“Thought I’d give Carolina a tour,” he supplied.
“Thank you so much for lunch, Mr. and Mrs. McLemore,” Carolina said.
“Our pleasure. Where are you staying?” Sarah asked, her gaze directed at Carolina but shifted to him.
“I’ll bring her bags up to the guest room at my house,” Matt informed his mother as if it were the easiest thing in the world to say, as if his girlfriend were a natural part of the order in his universe. “See y’all later for dinner.”
Chapter Eight
Matt didn’t’ focus on his family’s goodbyes. He clasped Carolina’s soft hand as if demonstrating that what they had was real, not simply a by-product of one idiot idea and certainly not a sexy fantasy that he’d been locked within for the past two nights. He piloted her down the hall and out to the foyer as though chewing shards of glass.