Sweet Texas Charm

by Robyn Neeley

  Grayson couldn’t help but notice the dopey expression his brother was now sporting. He’d seen that look on both of his brothers for the better half of the summer. Was that what love did? Make you look like an idiot? Tabling those questions, he asked what really had been on his mind for weeks.

  “Do you think Dad chose Macy for you?”

  “I don’t think we’ll ever really know. I mean, the note he left me told me to look to my past to see my future. Maybe he wanted me to do the thing he hadn’t done with Nora, whomever she was.” Gavin was referring to the pictures he’d found two months ago in their dad’s safe deposit box of a young Jack Cooper with a mysterious woman, along with love letters between their father and a woman named Nora that Gage had found a month later. They’d all wondered if the mysterious woman in the photos had been this Nora, and why their dad had never once mentioned her.

  Gavin shrugged. “Or maybe Dad genuinely wanted to give Macy the home.”

  “Why do you think he chose to give my shares to Becca? He couldn’t possibly have thought we’d make a good match. I mean, I’m not going to deny she’s easy on the eyes, but she’s not even my type.” He nodded over to Macy. “Not like Macy is yours. High school valedictorian rivals or not, you always went for the pretty Texas gal with the larger-than-life personality.”

  Gavin shrugged again. “Who knows what Dad was thinking? I know this can’t be easy on you—or on Becca. Let’s say Dad was indeed matchmaking. It doesn’t mean you two have to end up together. This isn’t an arranged-marriage situation. There is such a thing as free will.”

  “So what do you suggest I do? Roll over and let her take control of the company?”

  “Hmm …” Gavin thought for a minute before answering. “Why don’t you relax on that front? Gage and I were only messing with you on Monday. Once her shares take effect, we’re not going to let anything happen to Guac Olé, and you will be a part of every major decision.”

  Grayson didn’t feel all that reassured. “I guess I could chill out.”

  “Obviously Dad must have spent some time with Becca and thought she’d be able to handle control of the company. Find out why.”

  Glancing in the direction of the diner, Grayson changed the subject. “Do you think we should experiment with our product? Maybe add some fruit into it?”

  “Maybe.” Gavin cocked an eyebrow. “What brought about that idea?”

  Grayson sipped his beer, not ready to admit it was Becca’s dip that had caused his wheels to turn. “Just an idea I had to expand the line. Probably a dumb one.” He focused on the current band on stage. Rolling out a new version of the dip would coincide nicely with his expansion plans to sell the products in restaurants. They wouldn’t have to rely on the heavy sour cream mixture they sold to grocery stores.

  Gage slapped Grayson’s back and cracked open a beer. “Yee-haw!” His younger brother was never subtle when he joined the party. “Butter my butt and call me a biscuit. Look at that cowgirl go.”

  “Who?”

  “Your girlfriend. She sure has some moves.” He nodded to the country line dancers in front of them and whistled.

  Grayson scanned the dancers, and sure enough, Becca was out there touching heels and bumping her hips left then right, the cowboy she’d been flirting with earlier right by her side. Grayson wasn’t entirely sure, but the man might be one of his factory employees. At least he looked like a guy he’d cut off once in the employees’ parking lot.

  He finished his beer and tossed the can in a nearby trash can. “She’s not my girlfriend,” he said flatly, tired of the jokes.

  “C’mon on, Grayson, dance with me.” Charlotte came over and looped her skinny arm in his.

  “I don’t think so.” He didn’t budge but stared directly at Becca. She’d taken her ponytail down, her long, loose curls falling way below her shoulders, hitting the top of her sundress. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he wanted to reach out and loop one of those curls around his finger.

  What was it with this infatuation he had with her hair? At the Silver Spurs he’d wanted to run his fingers through it. Enough already. He shoved his hands in his pants pockets and looked away.

  Charlotte pulled on his arm, and before he could protest, she’d dragged him out to the middle of the crowd. Luckily for him the song ended, and he was spared having to show the entire town that Grayson Cooper didn’t know the first thing about line dancing.

  Becca spun one last time, locking eyes with his just as Macy took the stage and immediately began belting out a slow tune.

  Gage came racing over and swept up his wife. “The only man who is going to dance with Charlotte to this tune is me. It’s our song.”

  “Sorry, Grayson,” Charlotte mouthed and wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck.

  “I see you came,” Grayson said, greeting Becca. Maybe he could start taking Gavin’s advice right now and talk to her.

  “Well, Chuck loves to dance, especially to slow songs. Don’t you, babe?” She turned but Chuck was long gone. In his place was a young man who seemed about seventeen and had more of an interest in dancing with the high school girl beside him.

  “Looks like Chuck needed a breather.” Grayson offered his hand, and that impulsive act surprised him, but he went through with the next question. “Care to dance?”

  Becca glanced down at his hand and then to her right. He followed her gaze and couldn’t help but notice that they had a small audience, led by Gavin, near the VIP area.

  “Look,” Grayson started, “you could say no, but you know as well as I do that everyone is watching right now. Either way, they’re going to gossip about us tomorrow morning.” He grinned, offering his hand again. “Why not give them something juicy to talk about?”

  She eyed him for a few more seconds, but she stepped close and rested her tiny hand on his shoulder, slipping her other hand in his.

  And the minute she did, an electric shock went straight through him. He tried to ignore the pulse, concentrating on her rich caramel eyes. Unfortunately, that plan made whatever his body was experiencing even worse.

  “So …”

  “So …” she repeated before their gazes locked for a brief second and she accidentally stepped on his foot.

  “I’m so sorry.” She stepped back. “New boots.”

  “It’s fine.” He nodded down to the culprit. “Are those things comfortable?”

  “Oh, yes. I could wear them all day long. I’d sleep in them if I could.”

  A vision of him starting to pull off her boot popped into his head. Even his thoughts were having a hard time yanking the boot off. “I find that hard to believe.” His hand enveloped hers and they continued to sway. “Is your boyfriend going to be jealous that you’re dancing with me?”

  “He’s not my boyfriend,” she admitted. “He’s actually one of your employees. You probably have no idea, but he’s been working at the plant for five years.”

  He shook his head. “You’re wrong. I did know that he works for Guac Olé. He drives a Ford truck,” he said smugly.

  “Not so fast. Half the company drives Fords. What’s his last name?”

  “Er …” He had no clue what the dude’s last name was. He’d never even spoken to the guy. “Ms. Nash, I’m the CEO. I can’t possibly know the names of all of our employees.”

  “McAllister. His last name is McAllister. He’s been working full-time while going to night school to get a degree in computer technology. He’s one of my best line workers, and your father and Chuck would talk about fishing every time he stopped by the plant, which, by the way, was often. Jack cared about his employees.”

  Grayson bit down on his lip. “I care about the staff.”

  That got a raised eyebrow.

  “I do. I mean, maybe I haven’t popped down to the plant lately.”

  “Try last December, and you didn’t stay more than five minutes.”

  Perceptive gal. He smiled and lifted his chin, not ready to admit that Becca was right. Co
nnecting with his employees hadn’t been his priority, or his strong suit, for that matter. He was much more comfortable around his insular senior team.

  The time Becca was referring to was when he stopped in to wish everyone a merry Christmas and to let them know they’d be closing the factory early for the holidays. His father had wanted to do it but hadn’t been feeling well that day.

  She was right. He’d gone in, said what he had to, and hightailed it out of there, not bothering to talk to any of the employees, including her. He didn’t even remember seeing her that day.

  He continued to sway her to the song, changing the subject. “With your new salary, I wouldn’t think you’d need to moonlight at Betty Lou’s Diner.”

  That got a smile, albeit it a “you’re an ass” kind of one. “That’s not what I was doing. Betty Lou is an old friend. I was a short order cook throughout high school and then a waitress for a few years before I started at Guac Olé.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “Why would you? It’s not like you ever ate there.”

  Man, she seemed to be all-knowing when it came to his educational background and the places he didn’t frequent. She was right about Betty Lou’s. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d stopped in.

  “Right again. I haven’t been in ages, but the salted caramel donuts my brother brings me are my favorite.” Hopefully, that comment would score him some points since Gavin had told him they were Becca’s favorite. Sure, he was stretching the truth—he’d only had that one donut, but he’d enjoyed it. “So, what’s in your guacamole recipe?” he asked, flashing his dimples for full effect. He now knew from experience that she was immune to them, but he still tried.

  Her eyes darted up at him as she took her hand off his shoulder. “Why do you want to know?”

  “Just curious. I rarely have anything but Guac Olé’s. Yours was lighter … sweeter. There were definitely strawberries, but something smoothed it out. What was it?”

  “For someone who seemed pretty underwhelmed when you tasted it, why so interested?” She put her hand back on his shoulder; he could feel her fingers stiffen.

  “I’m not really that interested. Just making conversation,” he lied and squeezed her other hand softly with his. Another impulsive move that brought back the electric shock he’d experienced earlier. “You know, Ms. Nash … since I’m pretty sure there’s nothing here you can dump over my head, can I make a suggestion?”

  “Are you so sure? I see a cooler over there.” She nodded toward Gavin, who gave Grayson a thumbs-up. Grayson spun Becca around so she couldn’t see.

  “I’ll take my chances. Just hear me out.”

  “Fine.” Her gaze met his again. “What is it?”

  “Given your experience, you obviously know your way around a kitchen. Why not open a restaurant with my offer, which still stands, by the way.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  There was that sarcasm again. He pressed on since he was pretty sure there wasn’t anything nearby that she could dump on him. “You could start a South Texas Tex-Mex chain if you wanted to. Make even more money.”

  “That’s all this state needs. More Tex-Mex restaurants.” Becca stepped out of his embrace. “Grayson, I don’t want to leave the company. I like where I am, and I’m excited that your father gave me this opportunity. You probably don’t want to hear this, but I’m going to take my new responsibilities very seriously. Guac Olé is my home just as much as it is yours.”

  He couldn’t help but laugh. Did she really think the factory was her “home”? From her pissed-off expression, she did, and he instantly regretted laughing at her. “I know you’re dedicated to the company, but what about your family? My offer in one lump sum could change your life … could change your mom’s, too.”

  Her eyes narrowed and she folded her arms across her chest. “What have you heard about my mother?”

  “Nothing.” Grayson certainly understood what it was like to be with an ailing parent if that was Becca’s case. He and his brothers had spent a lot of time with their dad those last months leading up to his passing. “Scott mentioned at the bar that you spend most of your time with her when you aren’t working. Is she ill?”

  “My family is my business, not his and certainly not yours.”

  “Noted,” was all he could say, feeling like an ass. This was the second time she’d shut down when he brought up her family.

  Just then, Macy belted out one last note and asked for the crowd’s attention. Grayson was extremely grateful to stop this uncomfortable conversation.

  “Okay, everyone,” Macy began, as she smoothed her long blond hair. “I need to let ya’ll in on a little secret.” She grinned down at him and Becca.

  “Earlier tonight I got engaged!” She flashed her hand to the crowd, showing off her huge diamond ring.

  Macy motioned for Gavin to join her onstage, which he did in no time. She gave him a sweet kiss before putting the microphone up to her lips, speaking directly to Gavin. “Your father willing to me his house gave me the home I never believed I could ever have. He knew before either of us did how much we belonged together. I love you, baby.”

  The crowd erupted with cheers and applause as the happy couple embraced again. Grayson stopped clapping and looked over at Becca, who stood stoic, staring at Macy and Gavin. Had the color drained from her face? “Hey, are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m feeling a migraine coming on.” She rubbed her temple and turned to face him. “Grayson, why did your dad think we should be together?”

  That blunt question caught him off guard. “I don’t think he did,” was all he could say.

  She started to leave, and he grabbed her arm. She wasn’t going to storm away from him again. “Don’t go. I don’t know why my dad left you in his will, but let’s talk this through. You’re right, your family is none of my business, but I know we can come to a mutual agreement on the shar—”

  “Dude, take your hand off her before I punch your lights out.”

  Grayson removed his hand and looked over at the angry cowboy. Chuck had returned, apparently ready to rumble.

  “Are you okay, Becca?” Chuck asked, eyeing Grayson.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “It’s only a headache.”

  “You sure this dickhead didn’t do anything?”

  His muscles tensed. Did an employee of his just call him a “dickhead”? He could tell from the guy’s bloodshot eyes he’d had one too many beers tonight. He really didn’t want to cause a scene, overshadowing Macy and Gavin’s special moment.

  “Hey, buddy, why don’t you take a hike and call it a night,” Grayson said, unable to resist adding, “before you call me another name and regret not having a job in the morning.”

  “Is that a threat?” Chuck stepped into his space, his hands fisted. “Do you even know that we all think your being CEO is a crock? You’ll never be able to lead Guac Olé like your dad did. That man understood the value of hard work. It’s only a matter of time before you run the company into the ground, and your dad rolls over in his grave.”

  “Chuck, let’s go,” Becca demanded and grabbed his arm, dragging him a couple of steps forward into the crowd.

  “Wait a minute. Hold up.” Never mind the nerve Chuck struck because Grayson wondered daily if he’d be able to fill his dad’s metaphorically big shoes, he was not going to let one of his employees speak to him like that in public. “Mr. McAllister, you can stop by Monday morning to pick up your things. You’re fired.”

  “Grayson, no.” Becca shook her head. “I’ll deal with him on Monday. He’s had a lot to dr—”

  “Don’t defend me to this asshole.” Chuck turned around and laughed. “You know what, I’m glad you fired me, because now I can do what I’ve always wanted to do.” He took a step toward Grayson.

  “Which is?” were the last words Grayson remembered uttering before his body hit the ground.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Grayson groaned and flung his hand onto the n
ightstand, searching for his Advil and water bottle. After fifteen more minutes of feeling like complete hell, the pain reliever kicked in, making it easier to drag himself out of bed.

  His overall body pain was courtesy of the punch to his gut that had knocked the wind out of him. While event officials had raced over to deal with Chuck, he had laid on the ground, seeing stars. With the help of Gavin and Gage, he’d stood and scanned the crowd for Becca, but she was nowhere to be found.

  He’d wanted to go searching for her, make sure she wasn’t with that drunk, but Gavin insisted on driving him home. He finally agreed to leave, but kept his eyes peeled for Becca, to no avail.

  Once in his condo, he popped a couple of pills, crawled upstairs into bed, and told Gavin to take a hike. He’d sleep off the pain, but Gavin should go back and celebrate with his new fiancée. Before leaving, his brother had promised to check on him in the morning. Grayson twisted toward his nightstand and reached for his cell phone. It was nearly noon, and judging by the three messages waiting on his voice mail, Gavin had made good on that promise. His finger tapped the tiny screen, sending Gavin a quick text that he was fine.

  A few minutes later, Grayson slowly made his way downstairs to his kitchen. Damn, this was worse than a really bad hangover. He wasn’t used to sleeping his day away, especially not in the summer. Most Sundays he’d go for a long, early morning run before it got too hot, followed by an afternoon in the office. Starting his Keurig machine, he reached for an apple in a fruit bowl on his kitchen island.

  What a freakin’ disaster. Once again he’d managed to upset Becca. How could that dumb-ass employee have had the balls to punch the CEO? Make that ex-employee—because after that assault, he was making good on his promise to fire the jerk.

  Grabbing his coffee, he pulled out a stool and added some sugar to his mug. His time with Becca before the blowup hadn’t been all that bad. She, once again, had rejected his offer to buy her shares, but he’d learned a few things: She loved working for his company, she was loyal to her friends, like Betty Lou, and she was extremely protective of her family. Not to mention, she’d created a dip that was out of this freakin’ world.