by Lisa Crane
“Wow,” Brooke said. “Impressive.” She leaned back as the waiter put a plate of enchiladas in front of her. When he left the table again, Brooke continued questioning Travis. “What about your family?”
“Crazy,” he answered. “But in a good way.” He laughed. “I have three sisters, all older, and –“
“Ah, so you’re the baby!” she laughed.
“You have no idea!” Travis groaned. “I was their live doll until I was about six years old!”
“What happened when you were six?” Brooke asked. “Did you turn into an obnoxious little boy? All dirt and worms and frogs?”
“Nah, nothing like that. They just discovered bigger boys, boys who weren’t related to them, if you know what I mean.”
“Aw, poor baby!”
“No, by that time I was in school and I found girls I wasn’t related to, also!” Travis quipped, winking at her.
“A ladies man at six, eh?”
“Well, I had a lot of practice the first couple of years,” he said, grinning. “My sisters took me everywhere with them. And when they had friends over, I was right there in the middle of it. They all thought I was adorable.”
“I just bet they did!” Brooke laughed. “So what about now? Do your sisters still live in the area?”
“Yes, along with their husbands and all of my various nieces and nephews.” He smiled. “My parents still live in the house where I grew up, and we still have holidays and family celebrations there.”
“I always wanted that,” Brooke said quietly, a sad little smile touching her lips.
“You’re an only child?” Travis asked. Brooke nodded. “And you grew up in the house where you live now, right?”
“When I was about eight, my mother dropped me off there,” Brooke answered. “Told him it was my father’s turn to take care of the bills for a while.”
“So your father was there, too?”
“No,” she answered. “When he found out my mother was pregnant, he left town and never came back. My grandpa told me he got married and has a whole other family out in California. Went to college, married well and now he’s a successful businessman.” She swallowed hard. “I’ve never met the man, and he didn’t even come back for Grandpa’s funeral.”
“Brooke….”
“Spit it out, Travis. I can tell you want to ask something.”
“The money you send to your mother,” Travis said. “What is that about?”
“Habit, I guess,” she replied, shrugging.
“You send your mother money out of – I’m sorry, did you say habit?”
Chapter 14
“Grandpa sent money to my mother every month,” Brooke explained slowly. “I think it was…well, guilt. You know, because of what his son did.”
“Brooke, sweetheart, you do realize that’s not your burden to bear, right?” Travis said quietly.
“I know,” she nodded. “But the money also kept my mother from coming to take me away from Grandpa. It didn’t take her more than a month or so to figure out that Grandpa liked having me there with him.”
“So she blackmailed him?” he asked incredulously.
“More or less.”
“So why do you still send her money? It’s pretty clear to me that you barely make ends meet, but you’re sending her money?”
“The last check I sent her was…well, the last check,” Brooke said determinedly. She seemed a little defeated and she played with the food on her plate, not meeting Travis’ blue eyes. “I’m sure you gathered she changed the check.” Travis wasn’t sure if she saw him nod. “She changed it from two hundred dollars to two thousand. I’m on the hook now for that money.”
“Unless you can prove you didn’t write it for two thousand.”
“Right, but that would also mean she’d be charged with theft or fraud or – I don’t know, something.”
“Brooke, she did commit fraud and theft,” Travis pointed out.
“She’s not much of a family,” Brooke said quietly. “But she’s the only family I have left. I’m just not sure I’m ready to burn that bridge, you know?”
“Can I ask another question?”
“Sure. I can’t promise I’ll answer, though.”
“Brooke, you’re a smart, hard-working woman,” Travis said carefully. “You’ve been working two jobs and going to school. How did you end up…well….”
“Broke?” Brooke supplied. “Is that the word you’re looking for?” She nibbled on the edge of a tortilla chip. “Grandpa was sick for about two years before he died. In and out of the hospital, surgery, chemotherapy, doctor visits….” She took a deep breath and stared out the window beside their booth. “I don’t know if you’ve ever lost someone to an illness like that.” Travis shook his head silently. “It’s really hard to watch someone you love go through that. Grandpa fought really hard for a long time, but he just kind of wasted away. He stayed as long as he could…for me.” At some point, Travis had reached across the table and taken Brooke’s hand; he held it, his thumb rubbing across the backs of her knuckles. “Toward the end, I prayed for God to take him so he wouldn’t suffer any more. And I – I told Grandpa it was okay, that I’d be okay.”
Neither Travis nor Brooke was eating anymore. Travis signaled to the waiter to box up their meals. He paid the tab and they walked back outside to his Hummer. They rode in silence until the reached Brooke’s house. Travis helped Brooke down from the vehicle and looked at her.
“You might as well come in,” Brooke said. “If you want to hear the rest of the story, that is.”
Travis followed Brooke inside. He sat on one end of the sofa, while Brooke sat on the other end. She gathered her thoughts.
“Grandpa was very independent,” Brooke said, picking up the thread of her story again. “He also believed women were supposed to be taken care of. He didn’t believe a woman should ever have to worry about money. So he refused to let me help with finances.” Travis had an idea he knew what was coming next. “I tried. I really did. But I also had to respect his wishes, you know?” Travis nodded slightly. “A couple of weeks after Grandpa died, I went through everything and found out…what a mess! The medical expenses nearly gave me a heart attack! I also found out Grandpa had failed to pay property taxes for a few years.”
“Oh….”
“Yeah. If Grandpa hadn’t left the house and the land to me, I don’t know what I’d have done.” Brooke sighed. “I sold all but these ten acres and paid off most of the medical bills. I took a second job – the one at Hot Diggity’s – and worked out payment arrangements for the rest of those bills, and for the back taxes. I figured out pretty quickly that wasn’t working, and that’s when I decided to sell the rest of the acreage to you. That money covered the taxes and the last of the medical bills.”
“Brooke…I had no idea,” Travis said slowly. He shook his head, remembering some of the thoughts he’d had about Brooke’s situation. “But now, working full-time at Babycakes, you should be okay, right?”
“I think so,” she answered. “From now on, I’ll only be responsible for my own expenses. No more medical bills, no more taxes…and no more guilt money to my mother. If she wants money, she can…well, do what she does.”
“Does she really…you know?” Travis asked awkwardly.
“Yeah, she really does take off her clothes for a living. That was another reason Grandpa was determined for me to stay here with him.”
“Brooke, I’m sorry you’ve had to go through some of the things you have,” Travis said. He leaned over and brushed a lock of hair back, his hand gently brushing her cheek for just the briefest touch. “But I’m kind of glad you had to sell that last nine and a half acres that brought me next door to you.”
“My turn to ask a question,” Brooke said. “Since you mentioned it, you had nine and a half acres on which to build your house. What made you put it right next door to mine?”
“Probably the same thing that made you keep those last ten acres to begin with,
” he answered. “I didn’t want to be in the middle of a big subdivision. I figured I could live with one neighbor.” He grinned. “Turns out I was right.”
“So what are you going to do with the other acreage?”
“Nothing right now. I plan to build a small office – my office is in my house right now, but we don’t really have anywhere for meetings.”
“Speaking of that,” Brooke said, holding up a finger as if remembering something. “I have a phone number for you. I wasn’t able to get Blair’s résumé – she wasn’t working when I went to the diner. But I have her number, and I think she’d be good as an assistant. She’s very bright, and she has a business degree. She just graduated last spring, and hasn’t found a job yet, other than the diner.”
“Sure, give me her number.”
Brooke recited the number and Travis entered it in his own cell. Then he looked up at her.
“Listen, I know I said we’d have a look at your car this afternoon,” Travis said. “But I have a better idea, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve got a friend who has a garage. The guy can repair any vehicle on wheels – and a few that aren’t! May I call him and ask him to take a look at your car?”
“I appreciate it, Travis,” Brooke said hesitantly. “But I need my car to get to work tomorrow morning.”
“Well, I’ve actually got that figured out, too, if you’re agreeable,” he said. “I’ve got two meetings tomorrow – one of them is actually with Riley Parker’s father and brother. I can drop you at the bakery in the morning and pick you up when you get off in the afternoon. By then, Jake should know something about your car.”
“Travis, I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking. I’m offering. And if it were a problem, I wouldn’t offer.”
“Are you sure it’s no trouble?” she asked doubtfully.
“None at all, Bunny-girl!” Travis chuckled.
Chapter 15
The next morning, it was still dark when Brooke knocked on Travis’ front door. The door swung open and Travis smiled down at her.
“Are you sure about this?” Brooke asked. She glanced over her shoulder. “It’s not even light yet.” She looked back at him. “And I know none of your meetings are this early.”
“I’m sure, Brooke,” he said, pulling her through the front door and closing it behind her. “Let me just grab a couple of things and we’ll go.”
Brooke had the opportunity to look at Travis as he put on a suit coat; gawk might have been a more appropriate word. Travis Cooper looked amazing in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. He’d looked equally attractive in the casual slacks and button-down shirt he’d worn to church. But in a dark gray suit, a French blue shirt and a pearl gray tie? Mercy, the man was stunning!
His black hair, still damp from his shower, was combed smoothly. The blue shirt made his eyes as bright as blue flames. He turned around and caught Brooke ogling him. A grin crept slowly over his face as he walked toward her where she still stood by the front door. With a knowing smile still on his face, he slipped his arms into a black wool overcoat.
“Ready?” Travis asked.
“Um, yes,” she said.
“You warm enough?”
“Fine thanks. I’m fine.”
“Here.” Travis pulled a dark gray scarf from around the collar of his overcoat; he looped it over Brooke’s head. He slid one large hand beneath her hair and flipped it over the scarf. “There. Now you look warm enough.”
Brooke was speechless as she walked out the door ahead of Travis. What on earth was the man playing at? As if she hadn’t already been aware of him, Travis put a hand at the small of Brooke’s back as they walked to his Hummer; she was certain his hand would sear a hole right through the layers of her clothing. She walked a little faster, trying to get out from under his touch; Travis’ long stride easily kept pace with Brooke’s shorter legs. As usual, when they reached his vehicle, Travis helped Brooke up into the passenger seat and closed the door.
“You said you were meeting with Riley’s father?” Brooke asked, trying to get her brain to focus on something other than Travis Cooper’s blue eyes.
“Yes, that’s right,” Travis nodded as he drove. “Parker Financial. They own the office building, but they’re not happy with their current security. I’m also going to offer them several options for their server security.”
“And who’s your other meeting with? You said you had two.”
Travis grinned at her and said, “Riley and Jazz.”
“What?”
“Yep,” he said. “So see? I’ll already be at the bakery this afternoon.”
“Very sneaky.”
Before long, they arrived at the bakery. Travis followed Brooke inside, where Jazz told him to pick something out of the display case. He stood there for a minute, reminding Brooke of a little boy trying to choose a treat from a candy store. She giggled before heading to the kitchen for an apron.
“Morning, Brooke,” Riley said. He stood at the stainless worktable, a batch of cupcakes in front of him, a pastry bag in one hand. “Wanna help frost cupcakes?”
“Sure.”
Brooke tied the apron at her waist and moved to stand beside Riley at the worktable. She watched him frost a few of the cupcakes, then reached for a pastry bag; she quickly filled it with the thick, creamy frosting and covered a few cupcakes. She looked up at Riley questioningly; she was surprised to see him frown.
“Are you trying to make me look bad?” he asked, his frown turning into a grin. “It took me forever to get the hang of that so I could do it to Jazz’s satisfaction, and you come in here and do it right on the first try!”
Brooke laughed at Riley’s words and his mock anger. The door to the kitchen swung open and Jazz entered, followed by Travis; Travis carried a decadent-looking pastry in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other. He seated himself on one of the work stools and winked at Brooke, who rolled her eyes at him and went back to work frosting cupcakes.
“Don’t you have a meeting to go to?” Brooke asked, not looking at Travis.
“Nope,” he said easily. He took a sip of his coffee. “As you so astutely pointed out, it’s a little early yet.”
Riley snorted. “My father’s probably already at his desk. The man eats, breathes and sleeps money.”
“So how’d you end up working in a bakery?” Brooke asked.
“Well, now that’s an interesting story,” Riley said, smiling. He looked fondly at his wife. “I decided I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in misery, buried under a bunch of numbers, even if the numbers represented a lot of cash. So I quit the family business and went looking for a job. I wanted to do something that would make me happy, even if I didn’t make boatloads of money.” He smiled again, remembering when Jasmine Valenzuela interviewed him for a job. “I had no real experience, just baking in my own kitchen. But apparently, I was irresistible, because Jazz hired me anyway.”
“My assistant nearly killed me, too,” Jazz added.
“Why did you hire him?” Travis asked. He tossed Riley a smirk. “Not that you’re not irresistible, of course.”
“Well, first, he was the best of the applicants,” Jazz replied. In a dramatic aside, she whispered to Travis and Brooke, “They were truly awful!” She smiled and continued. “But after Riley left, I Googled him and found Parker Financial. There were pictures of all the principals and key employees on the company website. I took one look at that sad face and compared it to the face that had just left my bakery, and I knew I had to give him a chance.” She smiled at Riley, love shining from her dark eyes. “It was the best chance I ever took!”
The little bell hanging above the front door jingled merrily. Jazz pushed open the door to the front of the bakery, saying, “I got it. You two finish those cupcakes.” She spoke to someone out front, saying, “Good morning! Welcome to Babycakes! How may I help you?”
“I need to pick up some pastries for a morni
ng meeting,” a feminine voice said. Travis’ head swiveled toward the door. “I’ve never been in here, but I thought I’d give it a try. Plus, I think that Hummer out front belongs to my friend. Although I don’t see him – Travis!”
The kitchen door had swung back after Jazz, revealing Travis sitting on the stool at the end of the worktable. He smiled broadly and left the kitchen. Riley noted the way Brooke’s posture stiffened; she’d sidled sideways just a step so she could see out the window in the kitchen door. Standing slightly behind her, Riley watched as Travis Cooper hugged a pretty redhead; the woman stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to Travis’ mouth. Beside him, Brooke seemed to deflate a little and she moved back to where she’d been standing earlier.
“Nothing like a little wakeup call to remind you of who you are,” she muttered to herself.
“What does that mean?” Riley asked curiously.
Brooke took a step back. She held out her arms and said, “Look at me. I can’t compete with that.” Her eyes widened, and she went on quickly. “I mean, even if I wanted to, which I don’t! Not at all! I just meant….”
Brooke’s voice trailed off into an awkward silence. She dropped her gaze and continued frosting cupcakes. Riley watched her for a minute; he noted the firm set of her lips pressed together in a tight line. He continued frosting cupcakes beside her and spoke in a very casual tone.
“You know, if you’re interested in him, you should go for it. What have you got to lose?”
“Seriously?” Brooke snorted. She held up a hand and ticked off on her fingers as she spoke. “Let’s see, there’s my dignity, my pride, his friendship…my heart.” She shook her head. “No thank you.”
The kitchen door swung open again. Travis walked around the big table to stand beside Brooke. He pulled her into a tight hug, pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head and headed toward the door again. He winked at her.