Page 42 of Ruthless Love

“Cooking was never my strong suit,” Coop says with a grin. “And with Alli being culinary challenged like me, that leaves the fate of our meals in Austin’s hands.”

“But Alli does one hell of a bang-up job with pastries,” I say, pointing my chin at the box of fresh Danishes, muffins, and croissants from a local bakery. When Coop checks out the box, distracted by drooling at the selection, I say low to Evie, “But I’m sure they don’t hold a candle to yours.”

Evie smiles in appreciation as she offers me a sip of her coffee. Though tempted, I decline, shaking my head but falling so deep in her bright blue eyes, I totally forget what I was doing.

“Well, I’ll make the eggs,” Evie says, snagging the bowl of eggs from my hand, sliding her fingers against mine and inciting a spark we both ignore.

With the eggs and cheese, she slides everything to a far corner of the white granite island she’s staked a claim on. She keeps her eyes fixed on what she’s doing, the growing pink in her cheeks only making her more beautiful by the second.

“You cook?” Coop asks Evie, disbelief ringing in his tone.

I’m fishing around for a pan when I hear Evie crack several eggs. I’m surprised when she doesn’t bring up her baking. Instead, she brings up her past.

“I was alone a lot with a nanny that I hated and chefs that I absolutely adored. They could’ve gotten fired for it, but they let me help in the kitchen when my parents were away.”

I don’t know if she’s making this up on the fly, but it feels like she’s sharing a piece of her life that’s both lonely and fascinating. The brightness in her cheeks drains, and in an instant, I miss it.

Frozen, she shoots a worried look at Coop. “Don’t tell Gabe I hated his mom.”

Gabe would be the man our cousin Alli brought this weekend. The one she credits with getting her through law school. And the one who obsesses about Alli’s accomplishments at every opportunity.

I wipe my mind of what they might be doing at that very moment and can only think that the two of them are probably headed down here soon. But considering I only just learned of the man, it makes me wonder how Evie knows Gabe, or if she’s just that connected to all the attorneys of Dallas.

“I won’t,” Coop tells her. “But you’re hardly one to hold back. Don’t you think he knows?”

I’m a little taken aback to realize that Coop seems to know Evie much better than I do, as she only takes a second to consider his question before nodding.

“Probably,” she says, then sips her coffee and resumes cracking eggs. She doesn’t look at me, though now I’m clearly staring, fascinated to see her crack two eggs at a time, one in each hand.

My trance is broken when Allison and Gabe wander in, hand in hand but not overtly clingy. Which is a good thing. Coop studies them skeptically for a long minute before giving our cousin a quick hug before shaking Gabe’s hand.

He’s about to make introductions, but I’m sure Margot would appreciate a hot cup of coffee, so I shoo Coop away. Giving me a grateful look, he heads for the stairs carrying two coffee mugs.

Holding out my hand, I say, “I’m Austin. And this is Margot’s friend Evie.” I’m careful with the introductions, not knowing exactly how Gabe and Evie are acquainted.

“Oh, Evie and I go way back.”

Gabe rushes to Evie’s side, snatching both eggs from her hands before grabbing a third one and juggling them. “Please tell me you’re making quiche. Evie makes the best quiche.”

How is it that every man in this house knows Evie—and knows her better than I do?

“That would be an unwarranted carb overload with all the gorgeous pastries. Just scrambled eggs,” she says, holding her hands out for the return of the eggs he’s tossing higher with each pass.

“Fine,” he says, managing to have all three eggs land in his hands without a single crack, then hands them back. “Well, you also make the best scrambled eggs, so that works.” Gabe wraps an arm around Alli.

“How do you all know each other,” I ask while busying myself getting the bacon in the oven.

Gabe grins. “Oh, Evie’s one of those women who, you know ... has seen me naked.”

A comment like that catches me off guard. Well, hell. Join the club.

With Alli’s broad grin, I half suspect he’s joking until Evie chimes in.

“Um, it’s been a while.”

Seriously?

“What’s a while?” I ask before I can help myself as I wonder about Alli’s glee-filled face.

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