by Lisa Crane
Chapter 32
“Thank you for coming with me, Brooke,” Travis said as they drove home.
“I had a nice time,” Brooke replied. She looked over at him. “Well, I had a nice time after the initial awkwardness. Your mother didn’t know I was coming?”
“Mom wasn’t the problem,” Travis said wryly. “Nor were you.” He shook his head. “The problem was Leah and Lorna. By the way, what did she say to you as we were leaving?”
“Oh, just mentioned we didn’t finish our little chat,” Brooke said evasively.
“No, she whispered something to you after that. And what little chat, for that matter?”
“Well….”
“Come on, Brooke, spill it,” he said.
“Nothing much, really,” she answered. “She just wanted to make sure I understood that she’s your type and I’m not.” Brooke snorted. “As if I thought otherwise!”
“What!” Travis’ hands clenched on the steering wheel. “Are you serious?”
“Well, she did say I’m very clever,” Brooke laughed. “Said it was very smart of me to ingratiate myself with your mother by playing little Susie Homemaker in the kitchen. Then your girlfriend was gracious enough to point out to me that she will always look like she does, and I will always be me. I think she was counting on my cleverness to make sure I understood that me being me meant, specifically, that she is much prettier than I am.”
“I’m sorry, Brooke,” Travis said solemnly. “Leah shouldn’t have invited Lorna in the first place.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Brooke said. “I’ll admit it shocked me at first. But when Taylor rescued me, I found it a little funny and a little pathetic.”
“Taylor rescued you?”
“He told Lorna his mother was looking for her.”
Brooke chuckled remembering the other things the young man had said to her. Travis was remembering those same words; the memory called to mind the feel of Brooke’s leg beneath his fingertips. He swallowed hard and tugged at the collar of his black dress shirt.
“So, uh…how was it pathetic?”
“That someone as pretty as Lorna feels the need to belittle a woman like me to make herself feel better. She obviously cares about you.”
“Lorna cares about Lorna,” Travis said bluntly. “And what do you mean, a woman like you?”
“Well, as Lorna put it, she looks like that,” Brooke answered simply. “All long legs and slender curves. She’s stunning. I’m…just me. The girl next door. The friend next door.”
Travis turned the Hummer into his own driveway and went around to open the passenger door. He offered a hand and helped Brooke down; they walked together to her front door. Before she went inside, Travis stopped her with a hand on her arm. Brooke turned to face him. Travis brushed her dark, silky hair back over her shoulder; his fingers moved forward again to graze her cheek lightly. Brooke stood motionless, her violet eyes glued to Travis’ blue ones.
“If Lorna was stunning today,” Travis said in a deep voice. “You, my little Bunny-girl, were breathtaking.”
Travis lowered his mouth to Brooke’s. He pressed one hard kiss to her lips, then lifted his head. He took her porch steps in one long stride. He called goodnight over his shoulder; Brooke watched him go, a bemused look on her face.
Brooke closed the door behind her. As she did, she heard her cell phone vibrate in her purse. She took it out and saw a text message from Jazz.
Well? the message read.
Brooke thought for a moment before answering, OK I guess. Will tell you in the morning.
The following morning, Brooke was barely in the door of Babycakes when Jazz grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the kitchen. She pointed at the large bottom tier of a wedding cake.
“Get started on that and tell me about yesterday!” Jazz ordered.
“Good morning to you, too!” Brooke laughed.
“Please,” Riley drawled. “Just tell her what happened! I think the anticipation is going to send her into labor!”
Giggling again, Brooke began relating the events of the previous day. When she finished, several emotions flickered across Jazz’s expressive face. Finally, she settled on a satisfied smile.
“So he finally said something about the dress, eh?”
“Well, yes,” Brooke admitted.
“I can’t believe that hateful cat talked to you like that!” Jazz said, leaping from a smile to sparks leaping in her eyes. Then she was back to grinning impishly. “So the nephew’s cute, huh?”
“He’s also nineteen,” Brooke said dryly.
“Ooh, you could be his cougar!” Jazz teased.
“That’s just wrong,” Brooke giggled.
“Well, it couldn’t hurt to make Travis jealous,” Jazz replied. “Which brings us to tonight! Rafa is all set to go. He’s going to pick you up and bring you to my parents’ house. You guys will hang out with us for a while – his fiancée will be there – and then he’ll take you home just late enough to annoy Travis Cooper.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Brooke asked doubtfully. “I mean, how do you know this isn’t just a waste of your cousin’s time?”
“Riley, honey, can you come here, please?” Jazz called. Riley immediately popped into the kitchen; the closer the calendar got to his wife’s due date, the more quickly he answered her summons when she called. “Riley, what do you think Travis will do when he sees Rafa picking up his little Bunny tonight?”
“I think he’ll be very unhappy,” Riley answered without hesitation. He smiled at Brooke. “I think he’ll start to wonder if he’s making a mistake by not snapping you up.”
“What if you’re wrong?” Brooke asked. “I still don’t know why you’re so sure he’s interested in me. I heard Travis say I’m not his type. Heard it with my own ears, you know!”
“To paraphrase Hamlet’s mother, Travis doth protest too much,” Riley drawled. “You may have heard him say that with your own ears, but I have seen him kissing you with my own two eyes. Trust me, Brooke. He may not know it yet, but you are definitely Travis Cooper’s type. He just needs a little push to make him realize that, and Jazz’s cousin Rafa may be just that push.” He grinned rakishly.
“Thank you, mi amor,” Jazz said to Riley.
Riley kissed her lightly, then headed back to the front of the bakery, saying, “Glad to be of service, baby.”
By six-thirty that evening, Travis was pacing the floor in his office. From time to time, he’d stride to the kitchen and look out the window over the sink, looking for a strange vehicle in Brooke’s driveway. Finally, at six-forty-five, he couldn’t take it any more. He walked purposefully across the yard and knocked firmly on Brooke’s front door. It was a long moment before he heard her coming to the door; the door swung open to reveal her surprised face.
“Travis!” she said, her look shifting to one of confusion. “I – did we have plans?”
“No, not tonight,” Travis answered casually. “May I come in?”
“Um…sure.”
Brooke stepped aside, allowing Travis to enter. He looked down at her, taking in her appearance from head to toe. Her hair was swept up in a messy bun at the crown of her head, a few silky wisps allowed to escape and frame her face and neck. Her dress was a deep magenta taffeta that followed her curves as if it were tailor-made for Brooke’s figure. Travis had caught her before she’d finished dressing and her feet were still bare. In fact, she turned slightly and gestured at the back of the dress.
“Can you get that hook for me?” she asked. “I don’t know if it’s bent or what, but I can’t get it into the eye.”
Travis hesitated briefly before reaching for the small hook and eye. As soon as he touched her silky skin, Brooke’s fragrance drifted up to tease his nose. Travis bit the inside of his cheek, quickly hooked the fastener and stepped back. Brooke turned and smiled up at him.
“Thank you!” she said sincerely. “So what can I do for you, Travis?”
“I’ll hu
rry,” he said. “It looks like you’re going somewhere…?”
“I, um, have a date,” Brooke replied. “He’ll be here shortly.”
“Oh, well, in that case, I’ll make this quick.” Travis had no intention of leaving before Brooke’s date arrived; he could drag this out all night if he had to in order to see the man. “Listen, there’s a tree lighting ceremony downtown tomorrow evening. There’s a parade, caroling, everything you could imagine. Have you ever been? They do it every year the weekend of Thanksgiving.”
“No, I’ve never been,” she answered, clearly puzzled by his behavior.
“Oh, I think you’d really enjoy it,” Travis continued. He rambled a bit longer, aware that Brooke was staring at him as if he’d lost his mind. Relief flooded through him when he heard the sound of an engine in front of Brooke’s house. Finally! He stalled a little longer, making sure the other man would hear his question when he asked, rather loudly, “So do you think you’d like to go?”
“Uh…sure, Travis,” Brooke answered. She smiled sincerely. “I’d love to!”
“Brooke?” a deep voice said from the open doorway.
“Rafa!” Brooke was clearly surprised; she hadn’t heard his car, but then she hadn’t been listening for it, either. “I’m sorry, I’m almost ready. Let me grab my shoes and I’ll be right out! Oh! Travis, this is Rafa. Rafa, this is Travis.”
With that, Brooke hurried from the room. In her own room, she leaned back against the door, listening breathlessly. She still wasn’t convinced this ploy to make Travis jealous was going to work. It just seemed deceitful to her. But Riley and Jazz both assured her it would be fine.
“Rafa, is it?” she heard Travis ask.
“Si,” Rafa answered, his deep voice like dark chocolate. “I mean yes. Rafael de la Cruz. You are, perhaps, Brooke’s brother?”
“No!” Travis bit out. “I’m Brooke’s friend. We’re very good friends.”
“I see,” Rafa said easily, the smile evident in his voice. “I, too, hope to be good friends with Brooke.”
Grabbing a pair of heels the saleslady had insisted finished the outfit, Brooke hurried back to the living room. Using a hand to support herself against the sofa, she slid on first one shoe, then the other. She picked up her small bag and smiled at the two men.
“We can talk more tomorrow, Travis, all right?” she asked.
“Sure,” he answered, although his eyes were on Rafa de la Cruz. His tone was cool, his gaze direct. “It’s a date, Cupcake.”
Travis pressed a quick kiss to Brooke’s forehead and turned to precede her and her date out the front door. Halfway across his yard, he suddenly turned back and shouted across to Brooke.
“You look amazing tonight, Brooke!” he called. “I hope you saved an outfit for our date tomorrow!”
Brooke heard Rafa chuckle as he opened the passenger door and assisted her into the low-slung seat of his red corvette. He walked around and slid behind the wheel. The engine roared to life and Rafa revved it loudly, grinning across at Brooke. He leaned very close and spoke quietly.
“I’m going to kiss your cheek now,” he said in perfect, unaccented English. “Don’t act surprised.”
Brooke barely had time to register his words before he did, in fact, put his arms around her and kiss her cheek. Grinning, he leaned back in his chair and put the car in reverse.
Chapter 33
Travis closed his front door with much more force than was necessary. Glass rattled in the windows. He ignored it and strode angrily to his room where he quickly changed clothes. He’d made a date with a woman he’d gone out with a few times in the past, thinking she’d serve as a distraction from Brooke; now, however, he found he was in no mood to go out with another woman. Instead, he found himself thinking about that handsome Latino who was currently driving Brooke who knew where.
Travis headed out the door to his own vehicle, his mind still occupied with Brooke and her date. All the way to his date’s front door, Travis’ treacherous mind replayed that kiss he’d seen when Rafael de la Cruz got in his car. By the time he knocked on the front door of the condo where his date lived, he wore a dark scowl on his face.
“Wow,” the pretty blonde woman chuckled upon seeing his face. “Excited about our date, are you?”
“I – what?”
“Travis, you look like you’re ready to strangle someone!”
“Oh.” Travis took a deep breath and gave himself a mental shake. He looked directly at the woman who stood before him and gave her his usual killer smile. “Sorry about that, Kaye. Traffic, that’s all.”
“Glad to hear it,” Kaye replied, smiling. “Come on in. I just need to put my earrings in and I’ll be ready to go.”
Travis stepped inside and pulled Kaye into his arms. He kissed her lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kiss enthusiastically. When Travis raised his head, Kaye gave him an odd look and a curious little frown. She turned away.
“Be right back,” she said, wiggling her fingers in a little wave.
As Kaye walked away from him, Travis sighed and closed his eyes. He was an idiot, and this was a mistake. Kissing her had only served to remind him of Brooke’s kisses, an intoxicating blend of innocence and passion.
Certainly Kaye Kelly was a gorgeous distraction; she fit perfectly the description Will had noted as Travis’ usual “type” of woman. She was easily six inches taller than Brooke, with long legs currently displayed nicely in a short black leather skirt. Her pale blonde hair lay in a perfect sheet down her back, stopping between her shoulder blades; her hair was a stunning contrast to her tight black angora sweater. Thigh-high black leather boots completed Kaye’s outfit. Try as he might, Travis couldn’t picture Brooke in the outfit; the black outfit was something he’d have found very sexy not too long ago, but tonight, all he could think of was that magenta dress his neighbor was wearing on her date.
Kaye returned to her living room, a pair of large dangly earrings sparkling at her earlobes. She tossed Travis an alluring smile as she bent over to pick up her purse; the move was intentional and well-practiced to get a man’s attention. Travis simply returned her smile and extended his arm politely.
“Shall we?” he asked.
“I’m ready if you are, handsome!” Kaye laughed.
On the other side of town, Brooke was laughing as she and Rafa related the beginning of their “date” to Jazz, Riley, Rafa’s fiancée, and a few members of Jazz’s family. Rafa sat on the arm of his fiancée’s chair, hands raised in a cowering gesture.
“I really thought the guy was gonna deck me!” he laughed. He looked at Brooke. “And you were no help, standing there smiling so innocently!”
“I was still recovering from the shock of Travis showing up out of the blue like that!” Brooke replied. “And by the way, where did your hot Latin accent go?”
“Hey, I’m from Lubbock,” Rafa answered with a shrug. He pointed at his fiancée. “The accent was her idea!”
Meghan, his fiancée, giggled, saying, “I just thought it would make him that much more annoying to your neighbor.”
“You know why Travis was there, don’t you, Brooke?” Riley asked.
“No! He just showed up on my doorstep and started rambling about a parade and a Christmas tree lighting tomorrow night!”
“You’re kidding, right?” Rafa asked. He looked at Riley. “She’s kidding.”
“I doubt it,” Riley replied, smirking at his cousin-in-law. “She’s fairly clueless where the guy is concerned. But that’s okay, because Travis is pretty clueless where Brooke is concerned, too. Hence Jazz’s little scheme here.”
“Hello?” Brooke called. “Clueless girl right here in the room! What are you talking about?”
“Brooke, that guy was there checking out the competition!” Rafa insisted. “Oh, and that little kiss on the cheek as he left? Marking his territory.”
Brooke blushed deeply. She breathed a little sigh of relief as Jazz’s mother, Maria, called the
m all to dinner. The embarrassing conversation was quickly forgotten in exchange for a rousing argument about a local high school football team’s chances in the state play-offs. Brooke found herself laughing helplessly as the conversation ebbed and flowed around her. The evening was highly enjoyable, even if she didn’t completely agree with Jazz’s scheme, or hold out hope for any grand results.
An hour into her date with Travis, Kaye Kelly began to pout prettily. The man’s mind was obviously elsewhere. Kaye tried repeatedly, and unsuccessfully, to draw Travis out. His answers remained short, sometimes to the point of rudeness. Finally, Kaye leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms in front of her.
“Okay, Travis, what’s going on?” she asked.
“What do you mean, Kaye?”
“You’ve barely looked at me since you kissed me back at my place,” she said. “Your answers are all monosyllabic and you’ve hardly touched your meal.”
“I’m sorry, Kaye,” Travis said sincerely. “I guess I just have a lot on my mind. Work, you know?”
“Well, maybe we should call it a night,” Kaye suggested coolly. “I’ll take a rain check for some evening when I can have your full attention.” She frowned. “I certainly never used to have to fight for your interest.”
“I really am sorry, Kaye,” Travis repeated. “But maybe you’re right.”
Kaye seemed surprised that he agreed. She’d only thought to shake him up and bring his attention around to her. Her eyes narrowed and she glanced at the bar where a handsome man had been eyeing her for several minutes.
“You know what, Travis?” Kaye snapped. “The night’s young, and I’m a big girl. I think I can find my way home.”
“Kaye, I don’t want to just leave you alone –“ Travis began.
“Trust me, Travis, I won’t be alone for long. Just because you’re not interested doesn’t mean no one else is!”
Kaye rose and wove her way through the restaurant to the bar. She smiled at the man who’d been watching her. He might not be as handsome or sexy as Travis Cooper, but her certainly had eyes only for her! Maybe the night wouldn’t be a total wash.