Page 38 of Tempting the Heart

His mom’s brows knitted tighter. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Which coffee would your dad like?” I asked, looking into Tyler’s gaze that had settled on me.

“I’ll take him a mocha,” Tyler said, silently pleading with me to evacuate the premises. I could feel it, but I wouldn’t do it.

If she was this nasty with a stranger, I could only imagine what she’d do to the ones close to her. Maybe we’d be a buffer for Tyler.

“Do you realize our son doesn’t trust us to call a painter to paint our dang house? Instead, he’s picking paint colors and hiring men behind our backs.”

My brother cleared his throat and let out a sigh. “If my memory serves me right, he tried that route first, but the money he sent went to other things.”

She gave my brother an evil eye and sipped her drink.

“Anyway, I hope this brightened your day,” I told her, but she didn’t answer.

I glanced at Brad, who rolled his eyes as she turned slowly toward the door when Tyler returned.

“I’ll hand the rest of the drinks out to the guys,” Brad told me as Tyler’s mom walked back into the house. He took my tray and balanced it on his as he wandered through the yard.

“Thanks, Brad.” I let out a silent breath, so Tyler wouldn’t sense what was really pulsing through me—utter disgust for the woman he had to call Mom.

Tyler’s eyes stayed on me as I brought my gaze to his.

“I told you not to come,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry you had to hear that.”

“Your parents knew you had a crush on me?” I asked, ignoring all the other stuff.

He smiled and shook his head, rubbing his palm against his chin. “You caught that part, huh?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “It’s the only part that mattered.”

Tyler’s gaze roamed my expression, searching for something I didn’t recognize. After a few seconds, a smile touched his lips. “You still have it.”

I shook my head. “Have what?”

“The ability to make things seem okay.”

“Things are okay. Everything has its moment, and something new replaces it.” I winked at him, feeling the uneasiness drifting out of me when his mom left.

“So, what do we have to do to get you off the island?” I teased, reaching for his free hand as he drank from the cup of coffee.

I gave it a light squeeze and dropped it. “I brought my electric weed eater.”

His brows rose. “You did?”

“Of course. I wasn’t just going to stand around and look pretty. Although, that is apparently questionable to some.”

Tyler laughed and shook his head. “Mae, I’m so sorry. She’s a bitter woman. Always has been.”

I nodded, chuckling. “Considering all us siblings look alike, even Brad, I don’t think there’s a lick of truth to her statement. It was just low-hanging fruit.”

“I heard that,” my brother called out.

Tyler let out a deep breath and nodded. “How do you do it, Mae? How do you always stay positive, see the logic, not let it get you all riled up?”

My mind swirled with the questions as I brought my own drink to my lips and sipped.

Turning to face him, I smiled.

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