Anthony caught Bri by the hips and pulled her to him, kissing her soundly, much to the amusement of Bekah. “I have no brotherly feelings toward you at all, Bri.”
She rested her forehead against his shoulder. “I don’t feel exactly sisterly toward you, but I think my mom may have just adopted you.”
He chuckled softly. “She adopted me as a future son-in-law, not as a son.”
“I’m not so sure about that…”
“I am.” He buried his face in her hair. “That bread is starting to smell amazing.”
She sighed and pulled away from him. “Your stomach…it’s never going to be satisfied, is it?” She poked him in the belly.
“Sure it will! You satisfied it at lunchtime, and it’ll be satisfied again as soon as we eat.”
She shook her head. If she really did marry him, feeding him would be a full-time job. For the first time she let her mind think about what marriage to him would be like. He hadn’t run off to Jennifer yet, and she’d tried. Maybe he was going to stay. Just maybe, she’d get to keep him forever.
She pulled the bread out of the oven and served the stew before taking the next batch of cookies from the oven and dropping twelve more. He was worth baking a few cookies for. Why, he might be worth everything.
Her eyes met Bekah’s, and she knew immediately what her cousin was thinking. Bekah nodded slightly. She approved.
Taking her seat beside Anthony, she brushed her fingers along his arm. It was a light touch, but it was the first time she’d reached out to him that way. He’d always initiated.
He looked at her and smiled, communicating without words that he knew what it had taken for her to reach out to him. He wasn’t going anywhere. He’d found the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and he was going to stay. Forever.
Bekah watched the two of them with longing in her eyes. The relationship may be new, but it was obviously forever. She wanted what Bri had. Not with Anthony, of course, but with someone. Someday.
Chapter Eight
After her run Saturday morning, Bri stopped in at Books ‘N Beans as usual. She was just taking her first sip of coffee when she heard a voice from behind her. “I need a cup of whatever magic you have brewing!”
Bri turned to see Jack coming in. He often stopped by on his way home from work as a paramedic. He was on the overnight shift, and he tried to time his visits with Bri’s. Despite their teasing, the three siblings were very close, and they cared for each other deeply. “Hey, Jack!”
“Hi, you. I heard that Mom has decided to adopt your guy. Why don’t I get to meet him?”
“You sleep all day. Maybe if you weren’t such a wastrel…”
Emma laughed. “I haven’t met him yet, and I’m up early.”
Bri rolled her eyes. “Jack, why don’t you come meet him on Tuesday morning? He needs help carrying toilets, sinks, and bathtubs up the stairs.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun.” Jack rolled his eyes. “I’ll be there. Six-thirty?”
“Yeah, if you would. I’ll make you a big pot of your favorite stew to take with you, and I’ll make you your favorite breakfast as payment.”
Jack grinned. “You know how I like to be paid. I’ll be there.”
“I will too!” Emma said, glaring at her sister. “I haven’t gotten to meet him yet.”
“He’s going to come over this evening, and we’re going to prep more food for the Olsons’ anniversary party. You can come help tonight if you want.”
“Don’t think I won’t show up. I’m not going to be the last person in all of Silver Springs to meet him. He’s met Bekah, Mom and Dad, and now he’s meeting Jack. What about me? I’m your favorite sister!”
“He met Molly last night too,” Bri said, taking a sip of her coffee, knowing her sister would hate that.
“Molly? How did he meet Molly?”
“We ran into her in the frozen foods section of the grocery store last night.” Bri shrugged.
“Of course you did. We need to do a big family gathering, so everyone can meet him.”
“Nope. It’s easier a few at a time. I’m not putting that together. Not with that party coming up next week, and our opening less than two months away. Do you have any idea how long I’ve dreamed of opening this place with Bekah? My whole life, that’s how long!”
“I know. You used to talk about it constantly. I think even Grandma got annoyed with you two after a while. Instead of having your dolls get married and have babies, they were opening a bed and breakfast. It was positively nauseating.” Emma handed a bag to Bri. “Fine. I’ll come by tonight to meet him. What are we making tonight?”
“Sausage rolls.”
“Are you kidding? Those things are so easy, even Jennifer could make them. Why’s she paying you?”
Bri shrugged. “We all know how much Jennifer likes to work.”
Jack shook his head. “Is she staying out of your way with Anthony?” His voice was serious for the first time since he’d walked in the door.
“Nope. Not at all. Anthony is ignoring her though. She asked him to be her date to her parents’ party, but he told her he was helping me in the kitchen, which I hadn’t even asked him to do.”
“Wow. So he’s really going to help? Or he lied to her?”
Bri smiled. “He’s really going to help. He’s a good man.” And I love him.
“So when’s the wedding?”
She stuck her tongue out at her brother, refusing to answer. She was tired of that question already. She’d known Anthony for less than a week. If he was still by her side in another week or two, maybe she could start contemplating.
“I’ll walk you home,” Jack said, nodding to Emma. “Thanks for the coffee, sis.”
“I’ll be there at six for supper, Bri!” Emma called after them.
“Thank you!” Bri called back.
As they walked, Jack asked her about Anthony. “I’m not teasing anymore. I really want to know what he’s like. I know he’s a contractor.”
“He is. He grew up in Denver and has always worked for his dad. His mom died of breast cancer when he was two. He moved here because he needed a new start. He wanted to be able to work for himself in a place where everyone wouldn’t call him Junior.”
Jack listened to her, watching her face as she talked about him. “You love him, don’t you?”
Bri bit her lip, not sure that she should tell her brother before she told Anthony, but she finally nodded. “I do. I know it’s crazy, because I’ve known him less than a week, but he’s exactly what I’ve been looking for my entire life.”
“It’s not crazy. I think that’s how love is supposed to be. Some people say it’s the slow burn, but I think if you’ve known someone for years and you don’t love them, something major has to happen to make it start. I don’t know. I’m happy for you, though.”
“I just hope he doesn’t run off. Jennifer still scares me.” Bri hated to admit it, especially to Jack, who would someday use the information to tease her mercilessly, but she really did need a man’s perspective on the situation.
“Jennifer isn’t the kind of girl a man wants to keep forever. She’s someone you play with for a little while. You’re the kind of girl a man marries.”
“I’m afraid he wants to marry me because of my cooking.”
Jack threw back his head and laughed. “If he didn’t want you to cook for him every day for the rest of his life, he’d be insane. I love your cooking, and I’m your brother!”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re just trying to get me to make you breakfast today instead of Tuesday.”
He sighed. “You caught me. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll skip the stew if you’ll make breakfast today and Tuesday.”
“Of course.” He was doing her a huge favor, but even if he wasn’t, she’d feed him. She had enough of her mother in her that she believed she should cook for anyone who was hungry. They had reached the B&B, and he held the screen door for her. “The usual?”
�
�Yes, please!” He went into the kitchen and washed his hands, sitting at the table to watch her cook. Bri was so much like their mom it startled him at times. Emma was a lot like her too, of course, but she didn’t feed everyone she came across. Bri seemed to think it was her duty to feed people.
The door chimed as soon as she took the bacon from the fridge. “We’re in the kitchen,” she called.
“Someday you’re going to learn to lock your doors,” Jack told her.
“I’m about to open a business. Now is not the time to start locking.” She pulled out the eggs and milk, along with the ingredients for pancakes. Her brother liked to have a huge breakfast, and she knew just how he liked everything.
“Good morning,” Anthony said from the doorway, looking back and forth between her and Jack. “Am I interrupting something?”
Jack stood. “You’re interrupting a sweet woman fixing breakfast for her big brother.”
His grin told Anthony everything he needed to know. He was definitely a member of the Roberts clan. Their smiles were like no others. “Breakfast sounds good. Wanna feed me too?”
Bri sighed. “Of course.”
Anthony had daydreamed on the ride over about walking into the house, taking Bri into his arms, and kissing her madly. He couldn’t do that with her brother sitting right there, so he took a seat instead. “What time do you want to start working?”
“After I clean up the breakfast dishes,” she said. “You two talk.” She completely spaced out as she worked. She could hear the men talking about something behind her, but she had no idea what it was. She mixed the batter for the pancakes and started the bacon frying.
Twenty minutes later, she had two huge breakfasts on the table, and a couple of pancakes for herself.
“Where’s your bacon?” Jack asked.
She shrugged. “I only had six pieces left.”
Jack took one piece of bacon and laid it on her plate. “I know bacon is your favorite meat. I’m not going to let you go without.”
Bri laughed. “I’ve gone without bacon before. It won’t kill me. I promise!”
“Well, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice for us.”
“I don’t like you,” Anthony said to Jack as he put a slice of his bacon on Bri’s plate.
“Everyone likes me,” Jack responded. “I’m sure you’re mistaken about how you feel.”
Bri chuckled. “He’s right. Everyone does like him. It’s disgusting sometimes.”
“Well, if he hadn’t given you his bacon, then I wouldn’t have had to give you a slice to keep from looking like a jerk. Now I’m missing that bacon already!” Anthony took a sip of his coffee.
“You can have it back.” Bri held it up for him.
“No, I can’t. Not now that I know it’s your favorite. I have to let you have it.” He shook his head at Jack. “You’ve ruined my entire day.”
Jack looked at Anthony and finally nodded. “I agree with Mom. You need to be a part of our family. You’re going to make a great brother.”
“Has Bri asked you to help me on Tuesday morning yet?” Anthony asked, not sure how to respond to the brother comment.
“She has. That’s how I conned her into making me breakfast.”
“You had to con her into making you breakfast? She cooks for me all the time without conning. I think she likes me better than you.” Anthony winked at Bri who blushed.
“Behave yourself, Anthony. I’ll start asking for favors in return before you know it.”
Anthony took a bite of bacon and smiled. “Trust me, lady. For cooking like this, I’d go out there and climb a mountain without ropes. I’d take off my shirt and lay it over a mud puddle for you too.”
Bri just rolled her eyes and kept on eating. “I don’t think I realized just how alike you two were before I saw you together.”
Jack looked at the other man, studying him for a moment. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He wiped off his mouth and stood. “Breakfast was delicious as always. I will be here bright and early Tuesday morning.” He held his hand out to Anthony. “It’s good to meet you. Welcome to the family.”
Bri groaned. “You and Mom can’t run around adopting every stray man you meet.”
“We don’t and never have.” Jack left, his words still echoing in the kitchen.
“Exactly how many stray men have your mother and brother adopted?” Anthony asked after they heard the chime that meant Jack had left the house.
“Just you.” She knew it was strange, but she felt it too. He not only made her heart beat faster, but he fit with the family. He belonged there in Silver Springs with her. “Is your dad going to be sad if you don’t move back to Denver?”
He shook his head. “I think he’s a little relieved to be rid of me!”
“Really?” she asked skeptically. Who would be happy to no longer have their son around.
He shrugged. “Dad and I get along well, but he never seemed to be able to realize I was an adult. He was still trying to parent me. I don’t really need someone to take care of me anymore.”
“In what way?”
“He was always commenting on how I did a job. If I did anything even a little bit differently than how he would do it, he had a problem with it. My way could be faster and more efficient and safer, and he’d still tell me I was doing it wrong. He never meant to upset me or make me mad, he just couldn’t shut off being a dad and let me be a co-worker. It was nuts.”
“I can see why you needed to leave.”
“I really did need to be my own man, and not just my father’s son. And I think I was pulled here to get to you.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. “Do you believe in fate?”
“Not particularly. I think people make their own fate. I think people carve their own paths. Every decision we make is ours and affects our future.” She shrugged. “I think fate is kind of a cop-out for most people.”
“I think fate brought me to you. I think you’re the woman I’m meant to spend my life with. My dad firmly believes, and always taught me, that there’s one perfect person in this world for everyone, and if you’re lucky enough to find that person, you hold on with everything you’ve got for the rest of your life.”
She looked down at her hands for a moment. “I hope you still feel that way in a week or so.”
“You’re still worried about Jennifer, aren’t you? Why can’t you get it through your head that I’m not even attracted to her? You’re the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I’m not going to run off for a fling with her.”
She sighed. “I’ve never seen a man who could choose me over her. Never.”
“I think that’s because you’ve been around boys your whole life. You’ve never really been around a man. Real men are loyal.” He stood, rubbing the back of his neck. “Do you want me to help you with the dishes?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m faster alone. I have a system.”
He nodded. “I’m going to go for a quick walk then. I need to think. I’ll be back in thirty minutes to help you with the food prep.”
“Thanks.” She watched him go, feeling awful. Why couldn’t she just trust that he wasn’t like the others? Her brother couldn’t be the only man in the world who could hold out against Jennifer.
As Anthony walked, he thought. He wouldn’t mention marriage again until another week or two had passed, but he wasn’t going to stay silent for long. He loved that sweet woman, and not just her cooking. Whether she believed it or not, he was sure they were fated to be together. No other woman had ever made him feel protective and passionate all at once.
No, he was keeping her, and he didn’t care how much she complained about it. She was his, and that’s all there was to it. Her father and brother both approved of him already, and her mother had adopted him!
She was his. She just didn’t know it yet.
Chapter Nine
When Bri woke on Sunday morning, she felt a little flutter of excitement, her first thoughts
on Anthony. It was new for her to think of a man even before she thought of her obligations for the day and her business.
Looking out the window, she frowned. She liked to run seven days a week, and she could run in rain, and she ran in snow often…but they’d gotten at least six inches overnight. She couldn’t run through that.
She changed into shorts and a tank top and headed down to the basement. The treadmill would have to be good enough. She put a foot on each side of the belt and started it at an easy jog and slowly bumped it higher and higher. As she ran, she listened to her show tunes, losing herself in the music.
When she was finished, she showered and went down to the kitchen, thinking she’d make herself a simple breakfast. What she saw when she got there surprised her, even though it probably shouldn’t have.
Anthony was sitting at the table, two full packs of bacon in front of him. “I brought you a present!”
Bri put her hands on her hips and shook her head at him, laughing softly. “You got yourself a present, hoping I’d make you breakfast again.”
He shrugged. “That too!”
The front door chimed, and a voice called, “Are you in the kitchen?”
“Yeah!” Bri called back. She turned to see who was there and smiled. “Oh, hi, Mrs. Olson. How are you this morning?” She’d always liked Jennifer’s mom, despite the woman’s only offspring.
“I’m good. I should have known you’d be cooking. Is this your new young man?” Mrs. Olson smiled at Anthony. “I’ve heard a lot about you this week. My Jennifer isn’t used to men turning her down when she’s interested.”
Anthony stood, not sure how to respond. “Maybe things would be different if I’d seen her first, but I was half in love with Bri before I knew she existed.”
“You’ve chosen a wonderful young lady, and I’m happy for you!” She turned to Bri. “I wanted to talk to you about the menu for Saturday night.”
Bri recoiled visibly. She hoped Jennifer hadn’t sent her kindhearted mother over to do her dirty work and ask her to change things now. The prep work was almost half done. “Is there something wrong with it?”
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