I can’t help but smile back. Her excitement over jelly is contagious enough that I think I’ll buy one too.
“Couldn’t stay away from me, could you, Lil Bit?”
Out of nowhere, Brody’s voice rumbles right in my ear, making me jump like one of those cats that just spotted a cucumber.
I know I’m blushing from the surprise of his being here, but I calm my features before I turn around, not letting him see how good he got me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Cowboy. I’m just here doing a little shopping.” I hold up a jar of lemon curd as proof. “Seems like you’re the one stalking me. Should I be worried? I’ve got a Taser in my purse and my fists are registered weapons.”
He runs his hand down from his chest to his abs. “You could hit me if you want to. I’d do just about anything to have your hands on me.” The words are low, meant just for me, but Emily, Mom, and the vendor all hear too.
“Brody Michael Tannen! I will wash your mouth out with soap and not let you have any carrot cake tonight if you don’t apologize to my customer right the hell now!” I’ve never actually met someone full of piss and vinegar before, but I can’t say that now because the woman is riled up something fierce as she comes to my aid with an actual stomp of her booted foot.
It’s sweet. Unnecessary, but sweet.
If Brody wasn’t damn near trying to crawl inside my skin right here in front of God and the whole town, it might occur to me to be jealous of this unknown woman who knows his middle name when I didn’t even know his last one until just now. Still, I have to smirk. “Brody Michael Tannen?”
He chuckles, not at all embarrassed and also not apologizing in the least. “You only have to scream out Brody. If you can get my whole name out, I’m not doing my job.” Still talking like it’s just me and him, he lifts his chin toward the vendor. “So that’s my sister, Shayanne.”
“Hi, Shayanne. Nice to meet you.” I throw the words over my shoulder, still eye-fucking Brody. “Think I’m gonna need a jar of this lemon curd and a cherry one too.”
I notice he doesn’t introduce me to her, but that’s okay. We’re not walking down the aisle or anything, and meeting family is a big deal for most folks.
“Ahem.” Mom has no such rule about not needing to meet people, especially not ones who are obviously split seconds away from fucking me against the nearest surface. “Rix, would you like to introduce me to your friend?”
It sounds like I have a choice. I do not.
“Mom, this is Brody. Brody, this is Janice Cole, my mom.”
I see his jaw clench like it’s hard for him to look away from me, but he does it anyway to offer Mom his hand. He looks a little embarrassed too, like maybe he didn’t realize it wasn’t only Emily and his sister bearing witness to his heated come-ons. “Good to meet you, Mrs. Cole.”
She shakes his hand and smiles, but it’s that threatening flash of teeth that Mama Bears do when they try to look perfectly pleasant but are really ready to go to battle for their cubs. Never mind that I don’t need Mom’s protection.
“Hey, Brod, I sent the family group text a picture just now. Katelyn seems to think you met this one at the resort bar, says she saw you drinking with her. Sophie says she’s from the garage. And so help me if you’ve already been on two dates with this woman and I haven’t heard about it, I will gut you and serve you to the goats. Except for Baarbara. She’s got a sensitive tummy, you know?”
I try to take in everything she just said, including the clear picture of Brody and me on her phone’s screen as she waves it around. A text bubble pops up, then another.
“Oh, the resort was me!” Emily raises her hand like she’s telling the teacher she’s present for attendance check. “And the garage was Rix, of course. So they’re both right.”
Emily doesn’t realize how that sounds until it’s too late.
Shayanne’s eyes go skinny and hot as she looks from Emily to me and then focuses sharply on Brody. “Forget the goats. I’m gonna serve you up to Mama Louise on a damn platter like a fat, brown Thanksgiving turkey. What the actual fuck, Brody?”
He holds his hands up, in any man’s worst nightmare . . . surrounded by four women.
Mom and Shayanne look ready to tag-team a murder, one of those random ‘we don’t know each other, so we can’t be in on it together’ type deals I’ve seen on late-night crime shows, Strangers On A Train style. Emily looks confused at the fuss. And I’m on the verge of busting a gut from holding back laughter.
“Wait, wait, wait a second. I can explain. I met Erica, then saw Emily at the resort and thought they were the same person. Obviously, they’re not.” He shrugs like none of this is his fault. To be fair, it’s not. Just one of those things that happen when there’s someone else walking around with your face.
I jump in to save him . . . after I’ve had a little more fun at Shay texting on her phone and Brody trying to look over her shoulder. “Why aren’t I getting those messages?”
“Because I removed you from the group so we could talk about you behind your back. I’ll add you again when we’re done . . . maybe.”
“We’re all good here, guys. The important thing is that Emily and I know who we are, and more importantly, Brody knows who we are. And who we’re not.” I pinch his nipple through his shirt, twisting it hard in teasing punishment for the confusion.
He flinches away. “Shit, Erica. Stop. I said I want your hands on me, but I didn’t mean for you to rip my nipples off.”
I realize a moment too late that touching him like that implies a level of intimacy I maybe wasn’t ready to shout from the rooftops yet because Mom is looking between us as though she’s mentally picking out wedding venues. At least she’s on board with my never marrying Reed. She understood back in high school why I didn’t want that then, even if she hadn’t wanted me to enlist to get out of it. But her interest in my future is perking right back up like she got a caffeine injection right to her sentimental heart.
Mom leans in to Emily, a tiny smile on her lips as she stage whispers, “He calls her Erica, did you hear that?”
Emily hums as she concurs. “Yep, and he’s still alive and standing. This could be serious.”
Mom suddenly yawns, exaggeratedly fake. “Oh, dear, I’m feeling so tired. I’d best be getting home. Emily, dear, do you think you can drive me?”
“Yeah, Mom. No problem,” Emily answers as Mom basically drags her away.
“Nice to meet you, Brody!” Mom calls out as they disappear, probably already discussing the whole Rix-met-someone situation.
I turn to Shayanne. “Sorry for messing up your sale with my Mom, but I’ll take two of each of the jellies and order a cake too. I love carrot cake. It’s my favorite way to eat vegetables, but I promise to share. Or you know, shove it in Mom’s mouth so she’ll stop asking me questions about the last five minutes of my life.”
She somehow glows even brighter. “Wait until you have Mama Louise’s zucchini bread with chocolate chips and you’ll be singing a different tune. You should come out to the ranch sometime because it’s best when it’s fresh outta the oven.”