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  “What are you doing, pretty lady?” Brandon asked.

  “Making goodies for Tommy and Sophie.” She showed him her handiwork. The pink cupcakes were artfully decorated with Zoe’s name on them.

  He studied them. “Oh, those are cute.”

  “I also made banana nut bread for you.” She gestured to where it was cooling on a counter.

  “Wow. I slept through all of this?” He cut a piece of the bread and munched on it. “As always, your treats are amazing.” He brewed a pot of coffee while she packed up the cupcakes.

  “Will you take these to Tommy and Sophie the next time you see them?” she asked. “If it’s not within the next day or so, I can freeze them, and you can bring them whenever it’s convenient for you.”

  “I can pay them a quick visit today. But you should come with me. You should give them the cupcakes yourself. We can go after we take Cline for his walk.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. But I promised a coworker that I would work for her today. It’s just for a few hours this afternoon, but I’ll need to go home soon.”

  He poured the coffee and handed her a cup. He added cream to his, and she used sugar.

  “I’m going to miss you,” he said.

  “I’ll miss you, too.” She looked into his eyes, battling her heart, struggling to cope with her feelings. Yesterday Alice had asked her why she was taking so long to end things with Brandon. And now Mary had no recourse but to ask herself the same question. How long was she going to keep this affair going? How long was she going to cling to him, falling deeper and deeper in love? “Do you still want me to go to Matt’s wedding with you?” she asked.

  He glanced up, gazing at her over the rim of his cup.

  “Of course I do.” He put the coffee down. “Does this mean you decided you’re going to take the trip with me? Or are you still just batting the idea around?”

  “I’m still batting it around.” But at this point, maybe it would behoove her to attend a Talbot family function. To come face-to-face with Kirby. To meet the man who’d destroyed her mother, and remind herself once and for all why she couldn’t keep seeing Brandon.

  She ached inside, just thinking about it. But it would give her a timeline, a schedule to follow. Otherwise, she might never summon the courage to end the relationship.

  “You know what?” she said. “I think I should go with you.” She moved closer to him. “But I don’t know what’s going to happen afterward.”

  The muscles in his face tightened. “What’s that supposed to mean? That you’re going to stop seeing me after the wedding?”

  “We both know that we can’t stay together forever. Sooner or later we’ll have to go back to our regular lives.” She tried to sound rational, to force herself to seem strong. Yet all she really wanted to do was cry. “No matter how hard we try, we’re never going to fit into each other’s worlds.”

  He quickly argued, “I’m completely willing to bring you into mine.”

  “By me wearing ball gowns and learning to waltz? It’s not that simple, Brandon. I can’t be around socialites who are going to look down their noses at me. I don’t want them misinterpreting my feelings for you or calling me a gold digger.” Even Alice had tried to get Mary to lure him into marriage for his money. “It’s just not feasible.” At least this way she could pretend that their affair had been based on something pure, instead of deception and lies.

  “I don’t care what other people think. Besides, I already told you that my friends have been encouraging me to find a nice girl.” He pulled her into his arms. “When we get back from Texas, we’re going to figure this out.”

  “There’s nothing to figure out.” She already loved him; she was already doomed. “I’m not the right woman for you.”

  “You’re exasperating, that’s what you are.” He held her tighter. “And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you break it off before I’m ready.”

  “So when are you going to be ready?” How long was it going to be before he stopped wanting her? Before he didn’t care anymore and moved on?

  “Hell if I know.” His voice went ragged. “I’ve never needed anyone the way I need you.”

  Mary squeezed her eyes shut. Had he fallen for her as deeply as she’d fallen for him? Alice certainly seemed to think so. “It’s all so confusing.”

  “Tell me about it.” He tugged on her braid, nudging her head back and kissing her hard and quick.

  Her knees turned to jelly. If there was one thing Brandon knew how to do, it was to seduce her. After he lifted his mouth from hers, she said, “You make me weak.”

  “And you make me frustrated. You’re the most challenging woman I’ve ever been with. And you’re so damned mysterious, too. Nothing about you comes easy.”

  She could scarcely breathe. “Except for when you make me come.”

  He smiled a wicked smile. “There is that. The sex has definitely been good.”

  Too good, she thought, as he hauled her into the bedroom and stripped her bare. Not just her body, but her heart and her soul, too. Mary was never, ever going to be the same, not after falling in love with a man she couldn’t keep.

  Ten

  Brandon took Cline to the park, then brought the cupcakes to Tommy’s house. His brother seemed impressed with Mary’s work.

  He even took some pictures for his Instagram page to show them off. He was particularly pleased that they had Zoe’s name on them. By now, he and Sophie had introduced their daughter to the world, by way of social media and the press.

  “Mary agreed to attend Matt’s wedding with me,” Brandon said, as he and his brother sat outside in the sunshine, occupying a bench in front of an enormous jeweled tiger statue Tommy had bought for his garden. Sophie and the baby were inside, napping.

  “That’s good news.” Tommy sipped from a recyclable water bottle.

  “Yes, it is. But not completely. She’s talking about ending it after we get back from Texas. She’s always saying things like that. She’s never been secure about dating me.”

  “I’m sorry she keeps pulling away from you. But I can see where she feels insecure. She’s just a regular girl, and you’re a big society guy from a celebrity family.”

  “That’s the reason she keeps giving.” Brandon heaved a sigh. “But I still think there’s more to her story.”

  “The last time we talked, you mentioned her family and that you thought that her dad might have been hurtful or abusive to her mom. Do you still think that’s what happened?”

  “I don’t know. I questioned her about it, but she said that she didn’t want to discuss it.” Yet the more she remained silent, the more concerned Brandon became. “I think that whatever occurred with her parents is affecting her relationship with me. I think that’s the main issue.” Sometimes when he looked into Mary’s eyes, he saw how fragile she was. Like this morning, he thought. She’d seemed especially vulnerable.

  Tommy swigged his water. “How’d the dinner go with her sister?”

  “It was weird, but Mary warned me that Alice wasn’t going to like me. She liked the artwork I gave her, though. She definitely seems like a materialistic girl. Mary isn’t that way. Possessions aren’t important to her.” But he was glad that she’d accepted the fairy painting from him.

  “You brought the sister a gift?”

  “It seemed like the thing to do.”

  Tommy laughed a little. “You better be careful or you’ll turn into Dad.”

  “That’s not funny.” Ever since Kirby got clean and sober and was trying to become a better father, he’d been showering them and Matt with overly sentimental presents. Mostly to make up for the years he’d spent on the road. They’d barely seen him when they were growing up, and Matt had seen him even less. “Speaking of gifts, I shopped online before I came over here today and ordered a big stuffed husky dog for Zoe. But it’s not fro
m me, it’s from Cline.”

  His brother smiled. “Is it a girl husky with a pink bow?”

  “Yep.” Brandon smiled, too. “I showed Cline its picture, and he gave me his approval.”

  “Yeah. I’m sure he did.” Tommy shifted on the bench. “You’re already turning into an incredible uncle. I think you’ll make a great dad someday, too, if you ever decide to have kids.”

  Brandon’s thoughts turned to his lover, to the woman driving him mad. “I just wish I wasn’t so consumed with Mary.” He frowned, troubled by her effect on him. “Maybe I should just let her break it off after the wedding and be done with it.”

  “That’s totally up to you, bro. But you already seem miserable about losing her.”

  “I don’t know how to reason with her.” He’d never been so flustered by anyone. “She just keeps stating the same case, insisting that we don’t belong together. But if I knew where her head was really at, if I knew what the deal with her parents was, maybe I could understand her better.”

  “You could do a security check and look into her past. You’ve got lots of resources for that.”

  “Yes, but in a situation like this, poking around in her family history seems pretty damn invasive.” He’d never investigated anyone he’d ever dated. Of course, he’d never dated anyone as secretive as Mary. Still, could he take his curiosity that far? “It’s not as if she’s posing a security threat.”

  Tommy shrugged. “It was just a thought.”

  “I need to give myself some time to think about it.”

  “If things are still rocky with her after the wedding, maybe you could look into it then.”

  “I guess we’ll see.” The Texas trip was still three weeks away. “I’d rather not do it if I don’t have to. But it’s been tough trying to figure her out.”

  “I knew Sophie all my life, better than anyone. Of course we went through a rough patch when we were falling in love. Those are some scary feelings at first. But you know how tough it was for me. You and Matt helped me through it.”

  That was true; they had. But that didn’t make Brandon an expert. He didn’t want to think about how frightening it would be to fall in love with Mary. He had his hands full with how badly he needed her. Loving her would only make it harder.

  Tommy’s phone dinged, signaling a text. “Dad is here.”

  Brandon struggled to focus. “What?”

  “Dad just stopped by to see the baby. But she’s still asleep, so Dottie is sending him out here to hang out with us.”

  In no time, they spotted Kirby cutting across the lawn. As always, he looked like an outlaw, decked in black.

  “Hey, boys,” he said, by way of a greeting.

  They both responded, and he sat on the base of the tiger statue, placing himself across from them. Kirby’s graying beard was neatly trimmed and his eyes were deep and dark beneath a straw Stetson.

  Brandon considered his father’s past and the women in it. His former mistresses, including Matt’s mom, had been regular girls, not starlets or groupies. Brandon and Tommy’s mother was the most glamorous woman Dad had ever been with, but she still had the gentle nature he was drawn to. Mom had certainly deserved a better husband, but at least they were friends now.

  “Are you seeing anyone yet?” Brandon asked him, curious if he’d followed through on his plans to start dating again.

  “No. But I put the word out there with friends. No one seems to want to set me up with anyone, though.”

  “You don’t exactly have the best track record,” Tommy interjected. “So they’re probably just being cautious.”

  Kirby nodded. “I might have to use a professional matchmaker. Or a dating site for rich old farts.” He chuckled. “There’s got to be an app for that, right?”

  Tommy chuckled, too. “If there isn’t, then we should create one just for you.”

  Brandon smiled, going along with their goofy joke. But overall, he couldn’t stop thinking about Mary. He went ahead and told his dad, “I’m dating someone special. I don’t know how long it’s going to last, but she’s a sweet girl.”

  “If she’s that sweet, you ought to try to keep her.”

  “I’m working on it.” Or he was trying to, anyway. “She’ll be coming to Matt’s wedding with me. So you’ll get to meet her then.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Kirby arched his back. “So when did you start seeing nice girls? Weren’t the diva types more your style?”

  “She inspired me to change my pattern.” She was inspiring him to feel more than he might be able to handle, too.

  Like the possibility of falling in love, he thought. And the big, shaky fear that went with it.

  * * *

  As the weeks passed, the wedding crept nearer and nearer. And finally, the time arrived. In fact, Mary would be boarding a private plane this very day, en route to Texas. At this point, she was in so deep she couldn’t escape if she tried.

  Every moment she spent with Brandon was more powerful than the last. She was starting to feel as if she’d known him her entire life. But she doubted that he could say the same thing about her. Was she going to end the relationship when their trip was over? Would meeting Kirby give her the strength to do it? Or would she keep putting off the inevitable?

  When she finished packing, she brought her luggage into the entryway and set it beside the front door. Brandon was sending a limo to pick her up. He had some loose ends to tie up in his office this morning, so he would be meeting her at the airport.

  Mary glanced into the living room, where Alice brooded on the couch. Her sister turned and said, “Well, look at you, preparing to go to Texas and make friends with Kirby.”

  She blew out a sigh. “I’m not going to become friends with him. I still hate him as much as you do.”

  “What if you stop hating him? What if he cons you into trusting him like he did with Mama, and you fall into the Talbot trap?”

  Mary was already falling into it with Brandon, but he wasn’t phony like his dad. He was the real deal. “I’m not going to let Kirby con me.”

  Tears rushed to her sister’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. She looked oddly innocent today, with a pair of fuzzy skull-and-crossbones slippers on her feet.

  “It was all a mistake,” Alice said.

  Mary sat beside her on the sofa. “What was?”

  “The stupid revenge plot I came up with. I should have known better than to expect you to follow through on it the way it was intended.”

  “Please stop blaming me for caring about Brandon. I can’t help it if I developed feelings for him. Besides, do you know how painful it is for me to be deceiving him? To look into his eyes and pretend to be someone I’m not? This hasn’t been a picnic for me, and now I have to figure out when and how to end it without hurting him more than I already have.”

  “I still think you should try to charm him into marrying you. At least then we’d be getting something out of this. But instead, you’re going to walk away with nothing. And leave me with nothing.”

  “I can’t make this about money.” Mary couldn’t do that to Brandon. “And how long do you think we’d be able to stand being related to Kirby? Just think of what a nightmare that would be.”

  “I wouldn’t care if it made us rich, and I don’t think Mama would’ve cared, either. You know how badly she wanted to give us a better life.”

  Mary shook her head. “Yes, she wanted good things for us. But I doubt she would’ve approved of me marrying Brandon and using him as a sugar daddy.” She studied Alice’s expression. Her baby sister was pouting something awful. “That isn’t who I am.”

  “I know you love him. And don’t deny it this time. I can tell you do.”

  “You’re right. I am in love with him. And that’s exactly why I have to break it off.”

  “And you’re hoping that meeting Kirby wi
ll motivate you to let Brandon go? That your disdain for his dad will be the catalyst that frees you? Well, good luck with that, Miss Goody Two Shoes.”

  “Don’t poke fun at me. I’m just trying to do what I think is right for Brandon.”

  “But not what’s right for me?” Alice got up and stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her.

  Mary heaved a sigh. Between deceiving Brandon and fighting with her sister, things were a mess. But instead of chasing after Alice, she let her stew. She loved her sister, but she couldn’t keep coddling her. It might do Alice some good to be left alone. For now, Mary had her own problems.

  She checked the time. The limo would be here soon, and later today she would be in the Texas Hill Country, surrounded by Brandon and his family.

  * * *

  The Flying Creek Ranch was a remarkable place, steeped in nature. Mary and Brandon’s cabin presented a spectacular view of the hills, and the decor was rife with Western memorabilia and Indian artifacts.

  Mary hadn’t met Matt or Libby yet. One of Matt’s employees had gotten her and Brandon settled into their cabin. Of course, the bride and groom weren’t causing her distress. She wasn’t worried about making their acquaintance. It was Kirby who consumed her.

  The rehearsal dinner was tonight, and she and Brandon were getting ready to go. This was it, she thought, the moment where she would come face-to-face with his father. She was so nervous, she felt as if her heart was sinking in her chest.

  “You look pretty,” Brandon said to her.

  “Thank you.” She was attired in a yellow eyelet dress and tan cowboy boots. She’d bought several Western-style outfits for the trip, using money from the overtime she’d put in at work. If Alice hadn’t been so mad at her over the past few weeks, she would have engaged her help. But as it was, Mary had chosen her clothes on her own. “You look handsome, too.”

  “Wait until you see me in my tux tomorrow. This is the second wedding I’ve been part of this year. First it was Tommy’s, and now this one.”