“I know.” There was no doubt in Bri’s mind that eventually Anthony would choose Jennifer. It was nice to have him choose her for just a little while.
Bekah wandered into the kitchen. “I finally finished.” She headed straight for the coffee pot and poured some into a mug. Looking at Jennifer, she frowned. “Slumming today?”
“I hired Bri to cater my parents’ anniversary party. Are you ready to dress up in your black and white serving clothes to feed my guests?”
Bekah sighed. “She’d better be paying us well.”
“I could hire someone else, you know!” Jennifer said, her nose in the air.
Bri looked over her shoulder at Jennifer. “Be my guest.” She knew no one else in the area would take the job on such short notice. It was her or Jennifer could do it herself, and all three of them knew how unlikely Jennifer was to raise a finger.
Jennifer shook her head. “I’ll be back in a week to check on you.” She turned on her heel and left, leaving Bri alone with Bekah.
“So did she hear you were dating someone and make up an excuse to come over? Or is there really a party?” Bekah took a sip of her coffee, studying her cousin over the rim of her mug.
“Oh, there’s really a party with menu and all. But she did come on to Anthony while she was here. Why waste time?”
“Never could stand her.”
“That’s because you’re the best, most loyal friend in the whole wide world. And I love you for it!” Bekah had never lost a boyfriend to Jennifer, but most of the girls in school had.
“Anthony left? I figured he’d try to talk you into feeding him tonight.”
“Oh, he didn’t even bother to ask. He went home to shower, but he’ll be back.”
“How was your date? We haven’t really had a chance to talk since. I’ve been dying to find out how it went!”
Bri shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant when she felt anything but. She wanted to grab her cousin by the arm and fill her in on every single detail, but after spending a little time with Jennifer, she was sure the relationship would never last. How could she be excited? “It was good. We had a nice time.” He told me he wants to marry me, but he’s going to be dating Jennifer by this time next week.
“Is he a good kisser?” Bekah asked, watching Bri closely.
Bri blushed. “You really think I let him kiss me?”
“I know you did by your blush. Tell me everything!”
“Nope. Not happening.”
“You have to tell me! I’m your favorite cousin!” Bekah wasn’t used to being kept in the dark when it came to information about Bri’s personal life.
“You are. I’m still not telling you anything. I’m not going to let myself get all excited about a relationship that’s not going to go anywhere anyway.”
Bekah frowned. “Why don’t you think it’ll go anywhere?”
“Jennifer’s interested. We both know that once she’s sunk her claws into him, he’ll be gone forever.”
“Not if he’s worth anything, and he seems to be. Don’t doubt yourself.”
Bri shrugged. “I’m boring. I work hard, and I obsess about musicals. What’s there for a man to be interested in?” It had been the same her whole life. She’d had her first boyfriend in sixth grade, and he’d dumped her for Jennifer after a week. She’d lost her last boyfriend to the other woman just the previous year. No, once Jennifer was interested, a man never looked at her again.
“You’re anything but boring, Bri. Anthony’s different from the others. I don’t think he’s going to run off to her.”
“Only time will tell.”
“And if he does, you refuse to ever feed him again. That’ll teach him.”
Bri laughed. “Mama always said, ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ I hope she’s right. Just this once.”
“You like him, don’t you?”
“You know, I do. Yesterday he annoyed the snot out of me, but last night…it was magical. I’ve never fallen hard and fast…Anthony is going to be the exception to that.”
Bekah gave her a one-armed hug. “Things will be great. You’ll see.”
*****
After dinner, Anthony offered to help with the dishes. Bekah looked between the two of them and shook her head. “No, I’ll do the dishes. You two go spend some time together.”
Bri looked at Anthony. “I’m not sure what to do with you.” She’d been on plenty of dates, but never at her home. When a man was in one’s home, how did one entertain them?
He laughed. “Movie?”
She nodded. “We could watch one of my favorite musicals.”
He groaned. “Not that Wicked one!”
Bri wrinkled her nose. “Unfortunately, Wicked isn’t a movie yet. We’ll have to watch something else. West Side Story? Funny Girl? My Fair Lady?”
He shrugged. “I’ve never seen any of them. My dad wasn’t really into old musicals.”
“Your education is lacking! Let’s watch My Fair Lady. It’s one of my favorites!” She glanced at the clock on the microwave. “Oh, wait! It’s Tuesday. Lazy Love is on, and we’re watching that. My favorite writer married one of the stars of it, and following her on Twitter got me addicted to the show. It’s on in forty-five minutes.”
“Lazy Love? I’ve heard of that. Valerie Dobson and Jesse Savoy, right?”
“Valerie changed her name to Savoy when she married Jesse. So Valerie and Jesse Savoy.”
“I guess we can watch that. I’ve not seen it.”
Bri threaded her arm through his. “We’ll go watch in the formal guest parlor. We usually watch television in our rooms or in the basement, but you’re a guest, right?”
“You’re welcome to think of me as a future husband if you’d like.”
She laughed and shook her head. “You only say that because you haven’t gotten to know Jennifer yet.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them, but she knew she couldn’t take them back.
“What does Jennifer have to do with anything?”
Bri sighed. “She’s stolen every boyfriend I’ve had since sixth grade. I know you don’t think so now, but within a week or two, you two will be madly in love, and I’ll be watching from the sidelines.”
Anthony frowned at her. “You think I’m that shallow?”
“No, I think she’s some kind of witch who mixes up love potions and forces every man she meets to drink them. Don’t accept any liquids from her, okay?”
He couldn’t help but grin. “I’ll do my best.”
They sat snuggled together under a quilt her mother had made in the formal parlor where the guests would hang out once they were open. After her show was over, she yawned widely. “I’m already exhausted. I’m not a night owl.”
He smiled, stroking her cheek. “Neither am I. I’m in bed by nine or ten every night.”
“I think I like that about you.”
“I have to have something that attracts you to me. My heart will break otherwise.”
Bri grinned. She knew it wasn’t going to last with him, but she’d enjoy every second she had until he went off after Jennifer. “You have a few good qualities, I guess.”
He laughed. “I’m a good kisser.”
“Really? Have you kissed yourself?”
“No, but I turned you into butter last night.”
“Butter? Did you just compare me to butter? Have you lost your mind?”
“You know how butter turns to absolute liquid when it melts? That’s how you are when I kiss you.” Anthony cupped her cheek and leaned in, brushing his lips against hers to demonstrate. “See?”
Bri felt as if her bones were turning to liquid. “I didn’t turn to butter.” But she had, and they both knew it.
“Oh no?”
She shrugged. “Well, maybe I did, but you don’t need to go around bragging about it. I wasn’t supposed to turn to butter.”
He grinned. “You know what, Bri Roberts?”
She shook her head. “Nope.
What?”
“I like you more with every minute we spend together. Let’s run away and get married next week. We can raise babies.”
“Not happening. We have to give it at least two weeks, so you can run off with Jennifer, and I won’t have to get a divorce. In my family we marry forever.”
“I’m not running off with anyone but you.” He leaned down and kissed her once more. “I am going to run off and go to bed though. I’m training to run eight miles, and I need my sleep.”
She laughed. “How’d the run go this morning? I forgot to ask?”
“I only made it two miles. I’ll do better tomorrow.”
“Don’t push too hard. You’ll be too sore to work, and I need those bathrooms done as soon as possible. We already have reservations for the first weekend in April, and I’m not giving extra business to the hotel.” She cared more about how he felt than she did the bathrooms, but she wasn’t quite ready to admit that yet. She couldn’t tell him that he meant something to her, because he’d be gone soon. It would make the heartbreak just a bit less humiliating.
“Do you have something against the hotel?” he asked, surprised. She seemed to be amicable with everyone from what he could see.
“Not exactly. Jennifer’s parents run the place though, and that makes it harder for me to tolerate.” She shrugged. “I have a good relationship with them. She’s the only fly in the ointment.”
“I can see that.” He stood, taking her hand and pulling her toward the front door with him. “Dream of me.”
She smiled. “I will, but you have to dream of me too.”
“That’s easy to do.”
Chapter Five
Bri saw Anthony on her run again the following morning, but he didn’t turn to run with her. He simply waved and kept going. For a moment, she felt a pang, worried that Jennifer had already gotten to him, but she reasoned with herself that he simply didn’t want to run together until he was ready to run the full eight miles.
When she reached Books ‘N Beans, Emma was waiting for her as always. “Did you make dessert for lunch today yet?” Emma asked, snapping the lid onto her coffee.
“Not yet. I’ll do it before I get to work today.”
“What’s on the agenda today?”
“I’m going to make curtains for the Wicked and Sound of Music rooms. Then I’m going to start on the throw pillows for each if I have time. Might not with lunch at Mom’s.”
“The snow was kind enough to hold off until after your run, but we’re still supposed to get three or four inches today. Want me to swing by and pick you up on the way to Mom’s?” Emma asked.
“That would be great if you don’t mind.”
“How’s your contractor? Word is he was there late last night.”
“He was out the door before nine-fifteen. That’s not late.” Bri couldn’t believe people were talking about her so much. “Did Bekah call you?”
“Of course she did! We’re excited about you having a love life finally.”
“What about you? You don’t have a love life. You’re older than me.”
Emma sighed. “I guess I’ll have to live vicariously!”
Bri took her coffee and the bag with her breakfast in it. “I’ll be ready at eleven.”
“See you then!”
The snow had started to fall as she walked the rest of the way back home, and she was thankful she lived in Colorado. She hated to drive in snow as much as she loved to walk in it. How could anyone complain about such a beautiful piece of land?
Anthony was waiting in his truck and got out as soon as he saw her. He had an empty donut bag in his hand. “Do you ever eat anything healthy? When I’m not feeding you, I mean?”
He shook his head. “Of course not. I’m a twenty-six-year-old man. I’ll worry about eating healthy when I’m in my thirties!”
She shook her head. “I have lunch at my mom’s every Wednesday, so you’re on your own for lunch.”
“Are you kidding me?” he asked, holding the back of his hand to his forehead. “What if I die of starvation, because there was nothing healthy for me to eat?”
She shook her head. “So you think I should cook for you, even if I’m not going to eat it?”
“Well, Bekah needs to eat too, doesn’t she? Or is she going with you?”
“No, lunch is just my immediate family.” She sighed. “I guess I can throw lunch together for you guys while I’m making dessert.”
“Dessert? You’re going to make us dessert too?”
“Are you always going to try to take advantage of my cooking?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Take advantage? Never. Beg nicely? Always.”
“You’ve got real issues, Anthony Black.”
He leaned down and kissed her. “You need a shower, Brina Roberts.”
“Get to work!” She hurried away from him and up the stairs, fighting back a giggle. She should be offended that he told her she needed a shower, but the truth was she knew she needed one. She’d just run eight miles. Of course she needed a shower!
When she was dressed and ready for her day, she headed down to the kitchen to throw something together for lunch for Bekah and Anthony and make dessert for her family. She thought long and hard about what to make for dessert, and finally decided on brownies. It was simple enough to make a double batch.
While the brownies were baking, she put together a chicken pot pie and stuck it in the fridge. She’d throw it in the oven before she left, and Bekah could get it out and serve it. Her cousin would be thrilled to have her Wednesday lunch taken care of.
While the brownies were cooling, she headed to the basement to sew. She’d get the curtains done before lunch, and she would do the pillows in the afternoon. She didn’t enjoy sewing the way her mother did, but she knew how, and she was more than willing to put in the work when she needed to. She’d thought about asking her mother to make the curtains and pillows, but she’d already begged for her to make quilts for each room, so she didn’t feel like she could be too greedy with her mother’s time.
She finished the curtains and had just enough time to hang them before she needed to wake Bekah. She knocked on her cousin’s door, and walked in. “Hey, I have family lunch, but I made a pot pie for you and Anthony. I’m going to put it in the oven, but you need to be downstairs to get it out of there by eleven-thirty.”
Bekah hid her yawn behind her hand. “Okie dokie. I kind of like you dating the contractor. I get better food.”
“Don’t get used to it!”
“Already have.” Bekah climbed out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom, while Bri went downstairs.
She popped the pot pie into the oven, and hurried to check on Anthony’s progress. He’d gotten the walls up between the two rooms. “Looks good.”
Anthony looked over at her. “You sure do.”
She blushed. “I meant the bathrooms.”
“I know. That’s not what I mean, though.” He winked at her, a goofy grin on his face.
“Lunch is in the oven. Bekah’s going to take it out at eleven-thirty. I just wanted to see how you were progressing before I left for lunch.”
“You know I’m not a scary guy to take home to your mama.”
She eyed him for a minute, contemplating his words. “No, you’re not, but not on a Wednesday. It’s not a good time. Wednesdays are the days we all sit around picking on each other. Someday you can come, but today’s not when you want to meet the family.”
He walked to her and kissed the tip of her nose. “All right. How long does this lunch of yours take?”
“At least a couple of hours. I’ll be back before two at the latest.”
“That’s a long lunch. I want to watch one of those movies with you tonight.”
She nodded. “I’ll make a pizza, and we’ll eat in front of the television. Then we won’t be up too late.”
“What time should I get here?”
“Six.”
“See you then!”
“What’s for dessert?”
“Double chocolate brownies.”
“My favorite! Are you going to tell Mom about your contractor?”
Bri shook her head. “Not unless she asks. You know how Silver Springs is. He looked at me once, so I’m sure she’s planning our wedding.”
Emma nodded. “She probably knows all about him.” She turned into the driveway and put the vehicle in park. “I’ll try to distract her if she brings him up.”
“You mean when.” Bri shrugged. “No skin off my nose. I just don’t want her to get any ideas. Jennifer is definitely interested in him.”
“You don’t really think that blonde floozy is going to take him from you, do you?”
Bri shrugged. “She always has in the past.”
“Bekah says he’s different.”
“I hope Bekah’s right. You know what an optimist she is though. He could be halfway out the door, and she’d still expect him to turn around and come back to me.”
“This is true.”
They walked to the door and opened it. “Mom, we’re here!” Bri called as she walked through the house into the kitchen, knowing their mother would be there. It seemed to her that her mother spent half her days in the kitchen, and she’d obviously rubbed off on both daughters. They each had cooking as part of their daily jobs. She’d raised them well. “I brought brownies.” Bri handed the plate with the cut squares to her mother as she kissed her cheek.
“Thanks.” Mom put the brownies on the counter. “Now tell me all about this Anthony of yours before your dad and brother get here.”
Bri exchanged a look with Emma. “He’s not my Anthony, Mom. I just met him on Monday. He’s a nice man, and he’s doing some work on Grandma’s house. There’s not much else to tell.”
“That’s not what I heard. I heard he took you to River House, and he was looking at you like you were Audrey Hepburn, Sandra Bullock, and Grace Kelley all rolled into one.” Mom kissed Emma’s cheek before turning back to Bri. “So? Are you two dating?”
Rocky Mountain Mornings (Roberts of Silver Springs Book 1) Page 5