Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(22)

“Max, you’re sending chills down my arms.”

“Good.” He ran his hands down the length of her arms, and continued kissing the side of her neck, savoring this time with her. What a shame they couldn’t be together like this every evening, working in the kitchen side by side, listening to music or the news. Simply spending time with each other.

“I’d like to see Rooster married with his own family one day.”

Resting his chin on Bethanne’s shoulder, Max mulled over her words. “So would I.”

“Do you want me to set him up?” she asked. “In my circle of friends I know several single women who—”

“Don’t even think about it,” Max said, cutting her off. “Rooster isn’t the kind of guy who’s interested in a blind date. It would be better to leave matters just as they are.”

“If you think that’s for the best, then I will.” She removed the fried bacon from the pan and set it to drain on a paper towel before turning off the burner. “All I want is for Rooster to be happy.”

“He’ll find his own happiness the same way I did mine,” Max assured her.

Together they were assembling the veggie burgers when unexpectedly the front door opened. To the best of Max’s knowledge, it had been locked. Bethanne and he had come through the garage and into the house.

“Bethanne?”

Grant.

Max stiffened. Apparently, Grant had a key to the house.

His wife sent Max an apologetic look that did little to quell his irritation. Before now her ex-husband had been aware of Max’s comings and goings and had stayed away when he was in town. This evening, however, Grant didn’t realize Max was in town.

“I didn’t hear back from you about the sunglasses,” Grant called from the living room. “Is that bacon I smell? You know I have a weakness for—” He stopped cold when he stepped into the kitchen and found Max with Bethanne.

“Oh, sorry,” Grant apologized, slowing his steps. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

“Max isn’t company.” Bethanne’s voice was chilly enough to freeze standing water. “He’s my husband.”

“Right.”

“I came for the family dinner on Saturday,” Max explained. “I understand you’re buying.” It was sure to tighten his jaw when Grant ended up paying for his meal. Max intended on ordering the most expensive item on the menu simply to add to Grant’s misery. It was what the other man deserved.

“Of course. I’m pleased you could make it, Max. Bethanne told me you were tied up with a business dinner.”

“I rearranged my schedule.”

“So I see.” Grant turned his attention to Bethanne. “I take it you didn’t happen upon those sunglasses?”

“I would have called if I did.”

“Of course.”

Grant smiled, but his pleasure was as phony as the man himself.

“Sorry to interrupt your dinner,” Grant added. “Let me know if those glasses turn up, would you?”

“I’ll be happy to,” Max said before Bethanne had the chance to respond. “Looking forward to the dinner Saturday night.”

“Good to see you, Max.”

The man could deliver his lines like a Shakespearean actor.

Well, so could Max. “You, too, Grant.”

Bethanne’s ex glared back at him as if to say he was giving Max fair warning. Max read the look in the other man’s eyes and held his gaze. Apparently, Grant didn’t know his ex-wife nearly as well as he assumed. Bethanne wouldn’t cheat on him any more than Max would be unfaithful to her.

He stood frozen until the door had closed after Grant.

“All right, say it,” Bethanne murmured stiffly.

“Say what?”

“You’re upset.”

“I’m not, but I do have one question.”

“Okay.”

“Can you give me a single reason why Grant still has a key to the house?”

Chapter Nine

First thing Friday morning, Rooster brought out his computer, logged on, and spent the morning working. A number of times he was forced to refocus as his mind drifted to Lauren. He liked her a great deal, probably far more than he should. It wasn’t like him to feel this strongly about a woman after so short an acquaintance. One dinner. Sure, she was easy on the eyes—he’d be blind not to notice—but it was far more than her appearance that attracted him. He enjoyed hearing her laugh. She was intelligent and witty and sensible. Funny how much you could learn about a person after one dinner.

Just before noon, in an effort to clear his head, Rooster took his bike out for a short ride. Still, try as he might, he couldn’t stop thinking of Lauren. He found it a bit of an ego boost that she was interested in seeing him again. He was eager to make that happen. Lauren filled his mind, and every time he thought about her “husband list,” it caused him to smile. It’d embarrassed her to tell him about it, when in actuality Rooster thought it was a good idea. If he was in the market for a wife, he’d consider compiling a similar one, which left him considering the possibility of marriage. It was time—past time, really, that he considered starting a family. He’d had relationships before, but they had fizzled out, mainly because of the one bad experience, family obligations, and later his commitment to Max and the business. His failed marriage had left him gun-shy and hesitant. He didn’t like to dwell on his failure as a husband; clearly, the marriage had been a mistake on both their parts.