brides for brothers 03 - cowboy groom (6 page)

The maid was leading them into a sitting room when a tall man came down the stairs. “Brett! Good to see you again, son.”

“Hello, Donald. How are you?” Brett said, extending a hand. After they greeted each other, Brett reached back to bring Anna forward. “Anna, let me introduce Senator Sanders, Sylvia’s father. Donald, this is Anna O’Brien.”

“How do you do, Miss O’Brien,” the senator said, but there was the hint of a question in his greeting.

Anna nodded, but said nothing.

“Anna’s a midwife, and she’s going to deliver Janie’s twins,” Brett added.

“I see.”

Anna felt uncomfortable. It was obvious Senator Sanders still didn’t understand why she was there with Brett. She wasn’t going to explain. In fact,
she
wasn’t sure why she was there.

“Is Sylvia ready?” Brett asked.

“You know my little girl,” the senator said, smiling at Brett. “She’s prompt to a fault. I wouldn’t stand for any tardiness while she was growing up.”

“Yes, sir, and I appreciate that,” Brett assured him with a grin.

Anna wanted to point out that the lady who was prompt to a fault still hadn’t put in an appearance. But she knew better.

“Come on in and have a drink. I’ve got a smooth bourbon that you’ll enjoy.” Senator Sanders led the way into the sitting room.

Anna again held her tongue. With a father who had been an alcoholic, she abhorred drinking of any kind. But at least Brett wouldn’t be driving.

“No thanks, Donald. I’m still full from lunch.” Brett looked at Anna. “How about you, Anna?”

“No, thank you.”

“Well, I hate to drink alone, but you forced me into it,” their host said jovially, crossing the room to a small bar built into a cabinet.

He invited them to sit down, and they chatted for several minutes. At least, Brett and the senator did. Anna kept quiet and counted the minutes until she could escape the stuffy atmosphere. And if Brett Randall ever asked her to accompany him again, she knew what her answer would be.

“Lover, I’m so sorry,” Sylvia trilled as she rushed through the door. “I had to take a phone call, but I’m packed and ready now.”

“Good. We need to get started,” Brett said, rising. “You remember Anna from the restaurant, don’t you, Sylvia?”

Anna wasn’t sure if Sylvia was genuinely shocked by her presence or wanted Brett to think she was. It didn’t much matter. The real shock would come when Sylvia saw the car. Anna tried to hide her grin. The thought shouldn’t give her so much satisfaction, but it did.

“Anna? Oh, yes, the midwife. Are we dropping you somewhere, dear?”

“No, I’m returning to the ranch with you.”

Whatever niceness Sylvia had been exhibiting disappeared, replaced by a coldness that chilled the room. “Oh?” She turned to Brett. “I don’t understand.”

And she doesn’t sound like she wants to, either.
Anna watched Brett for his reaction.

“I told you Anna rode in with me. She’s here for the day, like me. So of course we’ll all go home together.” He offered her a warm smile and slid his arm around Sylvia’s waist.

Anna sighed. The woman didn’t know when she had it good.

“But, lover, I’d planned on us having a long talk while we were driving to the ranch. A
private
talk.”

“Don’t worry, Sylvia. Anna’s like a part of the family now. You can talk in front of her. She won’t mind, will you, Anna?”

Brett might be handsome, brilliant, warm, and caring, but he knew absolutely nothing about women. Not if he thought that line would work. Anna could only nod and say, “Of course not, Miss Sanders. I’ll be busy driving anyway. In fact, you and Brett can sit in the back together.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” Brett protested. “I wouldn’t be able to walk when we got to the ranch if I rode in that cramped back seat, and you know it, Red!”

“Don’t call me Red,” Anna protested, forgetting her grand surroundings.

Brett grinned, that twinkle back in his eye. “I think you’re just trying to win that bet.”

Before Anna could respond, Sylvia intervened, irritation on her patrician features. “Are you refusing to ride in the back with me?”

Brett turned his attention back to his fiancée. “Well, see, darlin’, Anna’s car is little. I’d be too uncomfortable in the back seat.”

Anna watched as suspicion clouded Sylvia’s eyes.

“What do you mean ‘little’? The smallest Mercedes?”

Anna choked back laughter. Oh, this was going to be good. She had a feeling she was going to be dining at the Three Palms very soon.

Brett looked at Anna, as if expecting her to explain, but Anna only smiled and remained silent.

“Not exactly. See, I was going to bring my truck, but—”

“Your truck? You expected me to ride all the way to the ranch in your truck?” Sylvia seemed to choke out the words, then shudder as the thought sunk in. She turned to her father. “Daddy, we’ll have to borrow a car. Is the Cadillac okay?”

“I’ll need it during the week, but I guess I can manage.”

“Yes, you can!” Sylvia practically jumped down the man’s throat. “Or buy another one, if you have to. I—”

“But it won’t be back here until six this evening,” Senator Sanders said.

“This is a nightmare!” Sylvia shrieked.

“Don’t worry about it, Donald. We can’t wait until six. I’ll have to be up early tomorrow morning to help with the branding,” Brett explained. “I can’t get back late tonight.”

“Fine!” Sylvia threw up her hands. “We’ll rent a car for the week. Call someone, Daddy.”

The senator turned toward the phone, but Brett stopped him. “Not necessary, Donald. Unless you’re not coming back with me, Sylvia. Because I’m riding with Anna in her car. Now, you’re welcome to join us, but we won’t be renting a car without a good reason.”

The quiet authority in Brett’s voice was impressive. Anna found herself wanting to jump to her feet and salute him. But somehow she didn’t think he’d appreciate it. She turned to see how Sylvia was taking his ultimatum.

Sylvia’s nostrils flared as she breathed deeply. After flashing a look at her father, she suddenly gave Brett a sweet, wistful smile. “Well, of course, lover, if that’s what you want. I was only thinking of our comfort.”

“That’s what I want. I also want to get on the road, so how about we load your luggage and be on our way?”

“Of course, Brett dearest.” Honey was dripping from her words. Until Brett turned and headed for the door.

Then Sylvia turned to shoot daggers at Anna. “I don’t appreciate this situation,” she hissed under her breath before spinning on her heel and waltzing after Brett.

Anna sat immobilized, too stunned by Sylvia’s reaction to move.

“Uh, Miss O’Brien, I hope you’ll excuse my daughter.” The senator’s voice carried sincerity. “The green-eyed monster sometimes overpowers her when it comes to Brett.” He gave an uneasy chuckle. “Better not let her catch you looking his way.”

Anna’s stomach flip-flopped as she wondered if the man had realized how attracted she was to Brett Randall. But she hurriedly decided he was issuing a general warning. She couldn’t have given herself away to a total stranger.

“Of course not, Senator Sanders. I don’t believe in poaching even if I could compete with such a beautiful young woman. Your daughter is stunning.”
In more ways than one.

She must have satisfied the senator because he came to her side and gave her his arm as she stood. “Good. By the way, are you old enough to vote?”

She blinked several times before saying with a smile, “Yes, I’ve been voting for nine years.”

“Really? It’s hard to believe. Did you by chance vote for me in the last election? No, no,” he quickly said before she could answer. “That’s hardly a fair question. I should change it—be sure to vote for me in the
next
election. And if there’s ever anything I can do for you, just let me know. I live to serve my constituents.”

Anna felt as if she should be wearing an Uncle Sam hat and waving a little flag while a band played in the background. After all, she was pretty sure she’d just heard part of a campaign speech.

“Thank you, Senator. I’ll keep your words in mind.”

“You do that, little lady,” he said, patting her hand in an avuncular fashion. “Now we’d better catch up with those other two.”

When they stepped into the spacious entry hall, they almost bumped into Sylvia and Brett. They’d left the room seemingly in perfect tune with each other. Something had changed.

Brett turned around at their arrival, and Anna received a clue as to the problem. On the floor in front of them was a mound of luggage.

“Anna, look at this!” Brett gestured to the luggage. “She’s packed enough clothes for a trek to the North Pole. Tell her this much luggage isn’t necessary.”

Making a mental notation to torture Brett sometime in the future, Anna smiled at Sylvia and said, “We’re fairly casual in the country, you know.”

Sylvia swept a glance up and down Anna, her expression making her opinion of Anna’s fashion sense quite clear. Anna bit down on her bottom lip, struggling to keep any retaliation to herself. But more and more, she agreed with Janie and Megan. This woman would not do for Brett.

“I’ve agreed to ride in—in Miss O’Brien’s vehicle, Brett. The least you can do is take my luggage with us. I just wanted to be sure I had the right clothes so everyone will like me.” Sylvia gave him the wistful look again.

You’d better go pack more bags, then.
Anna looked around guiltily, afraid she’d spoken aloud. But since both Brett and Senator Sanders were staring at Sylvia, she decided she hadn’t committed such a horrible faux pas.

Finally Brett threw up his hands. “Okay, we’ll load all your suitcases. Come on, Senator, grab a few of them.”

The senator looked almost as shocked as Sylvia. “Uh, Maria will help you. Maria?” he called.

“Si, senor?”
the young maid said as she appeared.

“Help Mr. Randall with Miss Sanders’s bags.”

The maid bent to do his bidding despite Brett’s protests. Since the young woman was smaller than Anna, she felt obligated to help her, too. While the senator and his daughter watched, the three of them headed toward the door, loaded down like pack mules.

They managed to get four of the bags in the back of the car and put the other two on the back seat, leaving just enough room for one person. Brett reached in his pocket and handed Maria some cash for helping. She tried to refuse, but he insisted. “Have a night out on me. You deserve one,” he assured her with his easy smile.

“Gracias, señor.”
She smiled shyly and slipped back into the house.

“Where is Sylvia now?” Brett complained.

“Surely you don’t mean the always-prompt Sylvia?” Anna couldn’t help asking. She knew she sounded catty, but she’d already endured a lot at Sylvia’s hand.

Brett grinned. “She’s never on time. Her father likes to believe she is, but I always end up waiting.”

Anna was glad to find Sylvia failed to measure up again. She was quickly coming to dislike the woman.

But, she had to admit, revenge was sweet. Since Sylvia had delayed coming out, they both had frontrow seats to see her reaction to Anna’s car.

When Sylvia spotted the car, she turned deathly pale and then looked at Brett. “Damn it, this had better be a joke!”

Chapter Five

Brett stared at the woman he’d promised to marry. She was beautiful. But he suspected her beauty wasn’t as deep as he’d thought.

Carefully avoiding looking at Anna, afraid she’d been hurt by Sylvia’s words, he opened the back of the car and began removing the suitcases they had just loaded. Still, no one spoke until he set the first two cases down on the flagstone entryway.

“Finally you understand, lover,” Sylvia purred. “What if someone saw us riding in that—that vehicle?”

Without answering, he returned to the car to take out the other bags. When he rounded the car, he saw that Anna had removed the two bags from the back seat.

“Thanks, Anna.”

With a wry smile, as if she hadn’t suffered any insult at all, she murmured, “No problem. I’ll see you back at the ranch.”

He set the bags down with the others and reached to catch her arm. “Where are you going?”

Her eyebrows almost disappeared beneath her red curls, and Brett was surprised by the sudden urge to kiss her rounded lips. They were a natural pink that looked incredibly soft.

“To the ranch, of course.”

“Well, so am I. Don’t leave without me.”

“Brett! What are you talking about?” Sylvia demanded from behind him. Brett turned to his fiancée. She was standing rigidly on the steps, glaring at Anna.

“I’m going back with Anna, as planned. You’re welcome to join us, of course, assuming you don’t insult Anna or her car anymore. Or we can cancel the visit until a more…more appropriate time. Like maybe next year.” Since it was the first of July, he figured Sylvia would recognize his sudden lack of interest in her visit.

The look of panic that crossed Sylvia’s face surprised Brett. But he was grateful she’d gotten his message.

“I’m sorry, Anna. I didn’t think about my, uh, my words upsetting you. Of course I’ll come with the two of you.”

Brett didn’t move. “Are you sure, Sylvia?”

She gave him one of those I’m-so-misunderstood smiles. “Why, certainly, lover. I couldn’t bear the thought of you two—I mean of you going without me.” She turned her gaze from him to Anna. “You do forgive me, don’t you, Anna?”

He noticed Anna didn’t smile, but she graciously nodded and murmured, “Of course.”

When Brett reached for the bags, Anna also stepped forward. “Nope,” he said, catching her arm. He noticed his hand completely spanned her forearm. She was no bigger than a minute. “You don’t need to reload any bags. You’ve done enough, little one.”

“Don’t be silly—” she began.

“Uh-uh. Get behind the wheel. And no pouting because I won the bet,” he added with a teasing grin just for her.

She gave him a smile that lit up her face. “No. No pouting.”

He replaced all the luggage and then gestured to the back seat, half-full of bags. “Okay, Sylvia. Get in.”