Matt—The Callahan Brothers (Brazos Bend Book 2) (24 page)

“I’ll never forget the boat.” He gently bit her neck.

She shuddered.

He smiled into her eyes, then spoke matter-of-factly. “By announcing our engagement, I’ve taken myself off the market. The women will stay away from the vineyard, which will make Les happy. It’ll make life around town easier for you because women won’t try to compete if they’ve already thought you’ve won.”

She gaped at him. “Do you know how egotistical you sound?”

“Victoria, you’ve seen the cupcakes. The brownies. The cookies.” He chastised her with a look. “Listen, an engagement explains why we’re always together, which we will be, since from here on out I’m your bodyguard, and—”

“But what about your father? Aren’t you worried this will kill him?”

“I’ll explain the truth to him.”

Torie glanced toward the restaurant’s windows, where at least half a dozen faces pressed against the plate glass. Buckle bunnies and drooling cow heads and catfish—she should have stayed at his lake house. “I think this is a very bad idea, Callahan.”

“I disagree. I think it’s a great idea. There’s no reason we can’t enjoy ourselves until we track down your stalker.”

She slapped a hand against his chest. “See? That’s an example right there. I agreed to a one-night stand, not an extended affair. Frankly, right this minute I have absolutely no intention of ... of ... going boating with you again. I told you the other night that I don’t sleep around. I meant it.”

“Sleeping with me isn’t sleeping around. Besides, this morning—”

“Was a mistake!”

“It might have been a lot of things, but a mistake isn’t one of them.”

He was wrong. It was a mistake, a huge one. For her, anyway. She was simply too vulnerable to him, her heart was at risk, and he wanted to use her to stave off other women and their muffins. Where was her pride?

She’d left it on the boat. She’d had it when she went down there with her camera, but once he’d walked on board and given her that blue laser look ... well, he left her pride on the sun deck in melted orgasmic shambles. He’d stolen it right out from under her, and getting it back with him around would be impossible.

This situation was dangerous, very dangerous, because Torie always did like living on the edge. Until she fell. With Matt, she was halfway to the ground already.

She closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten. “C’mon, Callahan. Why are you doing this? Especially now, under these circumstances. Your father had a heart attack this morning. You should be concentrating on him. Why would you create this fake engagement when you should be pacing the waiting room at the hospital?”

“I hate hospitals. Luke and his wife have the waiting room covered. You came to me for help because you trusted me to know what I’m doing, Victoria. You need to let me do it.”

“I was thinking of spy sort of things. You know, wiretaps and covert surveillance and gadgets that do neat stuff.”

“You’ve been watching old movies again, haven’t you?” he asked drily.

“Maybe I have, but that doesn’t change the fact that a fake engagement isn’t ordinary espionage procedure.”

“You sure about that? I seem to remember a time or two when your hero pretended the B-girl with him was his wife.”

“Oh, stop it. Life has gone totally topsy-turvy if you’re now the one spouting Bond nonsense.”

He grinned wickedly and draped his arm around her shoulders as he guided her toward the truck. “Then let me tell you about a real mission in Vienna when I was ‘‘engaged’ to an opera singer whose tongue was as golden as her throat.”

“Oh, hush, Callahan.” She elbowed him in the stomach. “Fine. I don’t like it, but I’ll go along with it. I came to you for your expertise, after all. We might as well go buy a box of Cracker Jacks.”

“Cracker Jacks?”

“If I’m going to ‘‘marry’ a spy, I at least want a secret-decoder engagement ring.”

Chapter Thirteen

Los Angeles

Another dead end.

The automatic door whooshed open and the stalker walked out into the Southern California sunshine. All that work to gain access to a hospital computer to no avail. Someone else was here first. Someone else wiped the file. Who? Why? Who was the man in Torie Bradshaw’s apartment?

Now how to find the disappearing bitch?

Frustration surged, heightened to rage. Everything was lost because of the bitch. Her and her camera. She’d pay.
 
So help him God, she’d pay.

Think. Think. Someone was helping her. She wasn’t smart enough to cover her tracks so well. The government. The damned government. Had to be. Couldn’t forget who her father was.

Fingers drummed against a trouser-clad thigh. Should have moved faster. Played with the mouse just a little too long. Should have sprung the trap sooner.

Scared little rodent must have called Daddy. Wouldn’t do. Wouldn’t do at all.

So, where next? To Washington? To Daddy? No, not Daddy.

Rage calmed. Amusement bloomed along with a malevolent smile. The thought had been right, looking for a loved one. So, the man escaped. He wasn’t the only possibility.

The bitch loved her sister.

***

Following a phone call from Luke telling him that their father had been moved out of intensive care and into a private room, Matt returned to the hospital with Torie in tow, having dismissed all her arguments as to why that was a bad idea. They ran into Luke and Maddie in the parking lot. Maddie’s gaze fastened on the proprietary arm Matt had at Torie’s waist and her eyes narrowed in speculation.

In turn, Torie studied Maddie with interest. Over the rattles and bangs of construction emanating from the site of a new hospital wing, Matt made the introductions. Torie smiled and said, “Baby Dagger. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve worked with your father on a number of occasions.”

“Worked with him ... or spied on him?” the rock star’s famous daughter replied, her smile not reaching her eyes.

“Both.” Torie said it without a trace of apology. She gave her head a little toss, sending her casual ponytail flying. “I covered the wedding at his country house outside of Derby two years ago. Sneaking onto those grounds was a challenge.” She winced with the memory as she added, “I met his dogs. Up close and personal.”

Maddie laughed reluctantly. “The Dobermans? George and Ringo?”

Torie nodded. “As a rule, I’m good with dogs, but that pair ...” She shook her head, letting her voice trail off.

“They took a bite out of your hide?” Luke asked.

Maddie slipped her arm through her husband’s. “I expect they knocked her down and all but licked her to death. Am I right?”

“Yep. Strangest pair of guard dogs I’d ever seen. But then, they are your father’s dogs.”

“He’s taught them to play the drums.”

“No.”

Maddie nodded.

“Now, that would make a great photograph.” When Matt snorted derisively, she smiled sweetly and added, “Gee, darling, maybe we can make a stop in Derby on our honeymoon. Since Blade and I will be in-laws of a sort, I’ll bet I could even use the front door this time.”

“Honeymoon!” Maddie exclaimed while Luke folded his arms and observed, “This should be interesting.”

Matt gave them an expurgated version of his plan. His brother knew him well enough to understand that he’d left out some pertinent points. Matt suspected Maddie did, too, but she’d been a Callahan long enough to know to keep her mouth shut. When he’d finished his recitation, Luke delivered a sharp look to Matt before leaning over and kissing Torie’s cheek. “Welcome to the famdamnly.”

Maddie clicked her tongue. “Two Callahan brothers down? Mark might want to rethink his visit to Four Brothers. So, are you two headed up to tell Branch the happy news? For that, I might wait around town.”

“You’re leaving?” Matt asked.

“I sure am. I have a meeting in the morning with the governor I’d rather not miss, and since your father is too mean to die, I feel safe enough to make the trip to Austin.”

Matt’s brow arched as he looked at his brother. Maddie adored her father-in-law. For her to sound so acerbic, he must have been in fine form. “Good visit, I assume?”

“He started in on her about babies again.” Luke didn’t have to say more. He’d confided in Matt that they’d been trying to get pregnant for over six months now, and the lack of success was getting to Maddie. “Anyway, his color is good, but he’s weak as a kitten. According to Branch it was a mild heart attack and he’ll be able to go home in a day or two.”

“What does the doctor say?”

“Stubborn goat still won’t let him talk to us. Holding on to his independence, Branch claims. He looks tired and weak, but his voice is strong.”

“I convinced him to let me call in one of Home For Now’s personnel to sit with him overnight,” Maddie said. Lips twitching, she added, “He wanted Sandy McDermott. She was busy, so I called Mabel Perkins.”

Matt let it sink in a moment; then he laughed. Last he knew, Mabel owned twelve cats that she never tired talking about. “You’re a wicked woman, Maddie Callahan. I love that about you. Why don’t you ditch that ugly puss you’re married to and run off with me?”

Torie folded her arms and scowled toward Luke. “He’s cheating on me already and we haven’t been engaged an hour.”

“Nah. He just likes to flirt with certain death, which touching my wife would bring. Matt’s always been an adrenaline junkie. Likes extreme sports. Dangerous situations.” He paused significantly, then added, “Dangerous women.”

“Uh huh,” Matt responded in a dry tone. “That’s why I own a home and business outside of Brazos Bend, Texas.”

“He likes the thrill of dodging all the women who’re trying to kill him with cholesterol,” Torie said. “You should see the cake this woman left with Les earlier. Has to have five thousand grams of fat per serving.”

Matt shrugged, then arranged a meeting with his brothers later that night. After wishing Maddie a safe trip back to Austin, he ushered a reluctant Torie into the hospital. “I need to tell him before somebody else does.”

“I don’t see why I need to be there,” she muttered as he led her toward the elevator. “Look what happened last time he saw me. Aren’t you worried I’ll kill him this time?”

“Nah.” Matt pushed the UP button and waited. “He might be an ornery old cuss, but there’s still some Southern gentleman in him. He won’t get as worked up with a lady around.”

“That’s assuming he considers me a lady.” She shrugged. “He hates me, Matt. I think it’s a bad idea. I think Maddie thought so, too. Didn’t you see the way she looked at me?”

“She wasn’t impolite.”

“Not with her words or actions, no. Her eyes, though, didn’t lie. She didn’t like seeing me here.”

Okay, he couldn’t argue with that, but he didn’t like the idea that Torie’s feelings were hurt because of it. “Maddie wasn’t reacting to you as much as to your job. Remember who she is. The paparazzi have been cruel to her in the past. And Torie, you didn’t cause Branch’s heart attack. The business with Mark ... well ... it was ugly.”

The floor indicator dinged and the elevator doors swished open. Torie grimaced as she stepped inside. “I still think it’d be better for me to hide out in the gift shop. Or hang out in front of the nursery windows. I like doing that.”

“It’ll be fine. Trust me.” Matt punched the button for their floor. “I trust you.”

She looked at him in surprise. “You do?”

He thought about it a moment, then nodded, almost surprised by the answer himself. Trusting her wasn’t necessarily a good development. She turned her gaze to the number panel above the door, and Matt watched her watch the numbers light up as they climbed toward the fifth floor.

Torie dreaded facing his father. She might grumble and complain, but she was game to the tasks Matt put before her. It made his job easier. He liked that quality in a woman. In
this
woman. He honestly liked a lot of things about Torie Bradshaw—and they weren’t all sexual. Imagine that.

How disturbing was that?

He felt a stir of danger. He’d do well to remember that she was a trouble magnet, a pain in the ass. Part of the paparazzi!

He’d do better to forget that she loved her sister, loved that silly little fur ball of a dog. He shouldn’t recall the way he’d watched her put children and parents at ease with her ready laugh and easy smile or how he’d heard her singing in the shower this morning, joyfully and energetically, and with a total lack of concern about being off key.

Nevertheless, he reached out and took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. She glanced up at him in surprise. He saw the number 5 on the panel flicker on. “This is it. It’d probably be best if you waited outside until I’ve had a chance to explain things. Just stand outside the door, okay?”

“Why don’t I wait in the lobby downstairs? Or the parking lot? Oklahoma would be good.”

He chastised her with a look, then walked into Branch’s room to the smell of roses and the sound of curses aimed at the television hanging on the wall. “Blasted Rangers. What is it going to take for that team to get some pitching?”

“Well, I can see you’re on your deathbed,” Matt drawled, glancing around at the dozens of floral arrangements decorating the room. He hadn’t realized his father had that many friends.