Page 46 of Seaside Cowboy's Fairy Tale

He closed the distance between them and gripped her upper arms with a sudden fierceness, then released them as if remembering her injured shoulder. A chill replaced his touch, and she wished he hadn’t let go. Oh how deeply she ached to have him hold onto her and never let go.

He forked his fingers through his hair, mussing up his smooth businessman persona. “I don’t feel pity for you but compassion and admiration, andthat’sdifferent. And it’s not a misguided sense of duty. I’m here because I want to be. The question is”—his intense blue gaze locked on her—“doyouwant me to be here?”

“Yes.” She didn’t need to think about it.

“Not two yeses and one no?” His lips curved up. He stepped closer, his head lowering toward hers. Then he blinked. “There’s one condition, though.”

She nearly groaned and stepped further back. Of course, there had to be something. “What condition?”

“My mom invited you for lunch at the ranch. She’s been very insistent.” He touched her chin, tipping her face toward his and edging in closer. Was he going to kiss her? Then his phone rang, and he fished it out of his pocket. “Yup. That’s her calling. Sorry, I’ve got to answer.” He swiped his phone screen to answer. “Yes, Mom. She’s right here. I’ll give her the phone.”

“What? No.” But Rachel already took the phone. “Hi, Mrs. Lawrence.”

“Hello, darling. I’d love to see you at lunch tomorrow or the day after. Do you think you could make it, please?”

“Um, I don’t know. I—um, sure,” Rachel squeaked. And she’d never squeaked before.

“Splendid. I can’t wait to meet you again,” Mrs. Lawrence said before disconnecting.

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Tex. “You don’t play fair.”

He winked. “I never said I did.”

This lunch was going to either change her life or be a complete disaster.

Oh boy.

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The next day, the fingerson Rachel’s uninjured arm were beating a rhythm on her lap. She stared through the window of Tex’s apple-red sports car at emerald fields playing host to cows and horses. “Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Hadn’t she already asked?

“For sure, but I forgot to tell you my brother, Darius, might be at lunch. I hope that’s okay. He moved back in with my mom temporarily. He can be gloomy sometimes, but it’s not because he doesn’t like you. It’s just the way he is. He’s kind and caring deep inside. And he’s sort of the glue of the family, keeping everything and everyone together. Except me, of course.”

So she’d have to impress more of his family. But aloud, she said, “Sure. Anyone else?”

“Kennedy and Austin, if that’s okay.”

This news she took with a grateful smile. It would be good to have people she knew and loved in her corner at lunch.

Knew and loved?

Part of her stilled. She’d done her best to avoid attachments. Yet she’d already gotten attached to the new couple. And she’d gotten way too attached to Tex.

Her right arm, dressed in a sling, still ached, but that was to be expected. It would ache less if she’d kept taking the prescribed painkillers, but she’d seen two of her coworkers get addicted to them after being wounded, and it hadn’t ended well. She didn’t want to go down that road.

She swallowed hard. She wasn’t sure she wanted to travel down the country road she was on, either. While she wasn’t easily intimidated, Mrs. Lawrence intimidated her, and though Rachel had seen her when acting as security for Kennedy’s wedding and later met her briefly as a guest at Kennedy’s vow renewal, she hadn’t really gotten to know the woman. What if she turned out like Rachel’s stepmother?

No matter how far Tex made it in this world, his mother still clearly meant a lot to him. And if she didn’t like Rachel...

Rachel’s heart turned over in her chest as she looked at his handsome profile. The main issue was probably that this meeting felt more important than a mere visit. She was going to meet the mother of the man she liked much more than she wanted to. So she desperately wanted that woman to take a shine to her. Rachel suppressed a sigh.

Riiight.

What mother would want her son to date a tomboy who didn’t love to cook, was somewhat of a slob, and had a profession many considered manly?

“As you already found out, it’s not easy to say no to my mother.” Tex winked at Rachel as if trying to make her feel better. “She’s loud and outspoken, but she’s kind. And let’s be honest, she cooks ten times better than I do.”

“Um, that wouldn't be hard. You burned the toast you cooked with breakfast.” It still warmed Rachel’s heart that he’d made the effort. She just didn’t know how to express her gratitude yet. After all, since her preteens, too many of her kind words or gestures had been used against her.

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