Chapter 3

“I think you forgot something,” Megan said as she looked at her reflection in the dressing-room mirror.

From the other side of the door, Summer asked, “What?”

“The rest of this dress. It’s a little—”

Summer laughed. “It’s a little black dress, and every woman needs one.”

Megan tugged at the hem and then shimmied around to try to cover things she felt should be covered.

Like more of her.

“Maybe the next size up?” she suggested. “It’s a little snug.”

“Open the door, and let me see.”

Megan complied, and Summer gasped as soon as she stepped in. “Gabs! Come here! Quick!”

“It’s too small, right?” Megan asked nervously, turning to look at her reflection again. “I’m normally a size—”

Behind them, Gabriella gasped. “Oh wow! Megan, look at you!”

Confused, she looked over her shoulder. “What?”

“That dress is perfect on you,” Gabriella said with a smile. “I mean, absolutely perfect! Why are you hiding such a great figure under oversized sweaters?”

A great figure? Seriously? “Umm—”

“She’s always had a cute figure,” Summer said. “And now that you’re not living at your job, you can start wearing clothes that accentuate your assets and go out a little more!”

“Um—”

“We could fix you up with someone,” Gabriella said. “You seemed to hit it off with Alex last night, and he is one of the sweetest guys I know. I think the two of you would be a good fit!”

Summer’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I could see you and Alex dating!”

Okay, things were starting to get out of hand, and if Megan didn’t do something now, it was only going to get worse. Holding up her hands, she cut them both off. “I appreciate your…enthusiasm…for my social life. I really do. But I have so many other things to think about first that are way more important. I know you both mean well, but can we let this topic go for a little while?”

They both agreed—almost too easily—and then they were back to shopping. Megan decided to think about the black dress and was immediately dragged through the lingerie department, where she ended up purchasing more underwear than any one woman should own.

“Why am I buying all of this?”

“Because I have a feeling you don’t own nearly enough of this kind of thing,” Summer said. “If we’re going to try to get you to lose the always-casual-Friday look, we have to start with underwear.”

“Um…why?” Megan asked.

Summer sighed. “We have so much to teach you.”

“If you feel pretty under your clothes, you’re going to want to wear something pretty for everyone to see,” Gabriella explained as they walked out to put this round of purchases in the car.

It was lunchtime, and this particular store was already their third stop.

“Any chance we can get some food?” Megan asked. “I swear I’m starting to feel light-headed.”

Summer decided to go home and feed Amber, and as much as Megan was ready to be done, she knew the girls would fight her on it. So she and Gabriella picked a small Greek restaurant that was close to some of the boutiques they planned to hit next. They agreed that Summer would meet up with them two hours later, and once she was gone, Megan collapsed on the front seat of Gabriella’s car.

“You’re not having fun, are you?” Gabriella asked.

Shaking her head, Megan said, “Not really. I know this is something I need to do, but I didn’t realize how exhausting it would be.”

“We can call it a day if you want. Of course, then I’ll have to go home and deal with the guys painting, and really, I’d like to avoid that. Just the idea of the smell of paint makes me queasy.”

At the mention of the guys, Megan instantly pictured Alex in her mind.

Shirtless and sexy.

“Do you know how long they’re planning on working today?” she asked quickly.

They were on the move, and Megan was enjoying getting to know her way around town as Gabriella talked about what was going on at home. “If I know the guys, they’re going to want to get all the painting done today. And believe me, I don’t doubt for a minute that they will—especially if they divide and conquer. The plan was to let them do their thing, and I was going to pick up some takeout—Chinese food or pizza—for everyone. I just figured the longer we stayed out, the better. Less chance of slowing them down.”

“So then no one should have to come over tomorrow,” Megan said conversationally.

“They’ll have to move the furniture back and rehang pictures and fixtures and whatnot,” Gabriella went on. “But it shouldn’t take too long. I’m sure if Alex came back to help Zach it would be fine.”

“Why not Ethan?”

Gabriella slid her a sly look. “What’s wrong with Alex?”

Great. Way to draw attention to the whole darn thing, Megan chided herself. “There’s nothing wrong with Alex,” she forced herself to say. “I just thought it would be Ethan coming over to help since they’re so close.”

“Normally I’d agree. But Ethan and Summer haven’t had a whole lot of time to themselves since Amber was born. Like we were saying last night, they had Summer’s mom there for almost eight weeks and then Aunt Monica and your mom there for two. I’m sure they would love a day with just the three of them.” Then she paused. “I don’t mean that the way it sounded.”

But Megan waved her off. “It’s fine. I’m trying to stay out of their hair as much as possible—and not just for their benefit. I’m used to being on my own, and I like my privacy and quiet time, so it’s no big deal. Really.”

“Honestly, I hadn’t thought about this turning into an all-weekend event either,” Gabriella commented. “Dinner last night was sort of spur of the moment, and I had already planned on today, but tomorrow means another round of takeout or something easy to make, and I’m kind of in the mood for something a little more…or should I say a little less…fast.”

Megan chuckled. “Fast food is my middle name, but I get what you’re saying. It’s nice to sit down to a dinner you’re not eating with your hands.”

“Exactly!”

“Well, we have two hours to kill before we have to meet Summer. This Greek place we’re going to is more of a sit-down place, right?”

Gabriella nodded.

“Then we’ll make it a leisurely lunch and eat real food that requires utensils, and then we’ll brace ourselves for another round of shopping.”

“You’re sure? Because the last thing I want is to torture you.”

“I’ve never been a girly-girl,” Megan admitted. “Much to my mother’s chagrin. But maybe with a little help I’ll learn to like it.”

Gabriella’s smile grew as she pulled into a parking spot next to the restaurant. “Stick with me and Summer. We’ll have you loving it in no time.”

Somehow, Megan doubted it, but she was willing to go along for the ride.

“But I do have an idea that might make the rest of today a little more…palatable for you.”

Megan grinned. “I’m listening…”

“First, let me get some food in me, and then I promise that by the time I lay it all out for you, you’ll never doubt my ideas ever again.”

And even if she did, Megan thought, she’d never admit it out loud.

* * *

The pizza the guys had ordered for lunch finally arrived. The three of them gathered around the kitchen island and ate their first slices in silence. Then there seemed to be a collective sense of relief.

“Bathroom’s done,” Ethan said. “It took two coats, but I think in an hour or two, we can start hanging fixtures again.”

Zach grabbed a second slice. “What about the guest room? Does it need a second coat?”

Alex shook his head. “Nah. The colors were close enough, and the paint covered the old color well. I have one more wall to do, and then we should be able to start moving the furniture back in. How’s the nursery coming?”

“Slow,” Zach said around a mouthful of pizza. “I’m trying so hard not to mess up the trim that I’m being overly cautious.”

They talked about their schedule for the rest of the day, and once all the pizza was gone, Zach walked into the living room and sat.

“You know it’s going to be that much harder to get up again, right?” Alex asked.

“Right now, I don’t even care. I feel like I’ve been standing for days.”

Ethan pulled his phone out and smiled.

“What’s up?” Zach asked.

“Since the girls went shopping today, we left Amber with the nanny.”

“Seriously? You got a nanny?”

Ethan nodded. “And she’s a godsend. Anyway, Summer went home for lunch so she could feed Amber, and she sent me a selfie of the two of them.” He held his phone out and beamed with pride.

“That’s a good-looking family, Ethan,” Alex said. “You’re a lucky man.”

“Don’t I know it.” He paused and studied Alex for a moment. “What about you?”

Alex’s eyes went wide. “What about me?”

Both Ethan and Zach started to laugh. “Did you see the panic in his eyes?” Zach teased. “Geez, relax.”

“All I was asking was when you were going to stop doing the single guy thing,” Ethan said with a smirk. “No need to get all tense.”

Before Alex could say anything, Zach spoke up. “Did you call the girl you were telling me about?”

Alex looked at Ethan briefly and then at Zach. “Um…no. Not exactly.” Great. Why did he have to add the not exactly?

“What the hell does that mean?” Zach asked. “It’s a yes or a no.”

“Wait, who are we talking about?” Ethan asked.

Rolling his eyes, Alex gave a condensed version of the conversation he’d had with Zach earlier in the week.

“Okay, then I’m confused too,” Ethan commented. “Did you call her?”

With a sigh, Alex walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before returning to them. “I sort of…” He paused. If he said he ran into her, it would seem suspicious that he had said this girl lived on the other side of the country and suddenly she was here. The comparison to Megan would be beyond obvious, and there was no way he was going to out their weekend to Zach without talking to her about it first.

“I started to, but then I decided against it,” he said instead.

Zach snorted with disgust as he stood. “C’mon. Let’s get back to it. I’d like to have all the painting done before Gabriella gets home.”

That was it? Neither of them was going to say anything else?

Alex supposed he should be thankful, and yet…he almost felt a little let down. If only they knew how much he envied them—their lives, their commitment to their wives, their growing families—it was everything he wanted! And he had a feeling if she let him in even a little, Megan would see that he could be the man for her.

Walking into the guest room, he sighed. Focusing on the task at hand, he finished painting the last wall. When it was done, he washed out his roller and brush and then helped Ethan finish putting the bathroom back together. By that time, Zach was almost done in the nursery, and they talked about moving the guest room furniture back into place first.

“What about the hallway?” Alex asked. “I thought we were painting that too.”

Zach raked a hand through his hair. It was late in the afternoon already, and no doubt Gabriella would be coming home soon. For the life of him, Alex couldn’t imagine what kind of shopping took all day, but maybe they were making it last that long so they were out of the way.

“No, we need to move all the furniture back before we do the hallway,” Ethan said, interrupting Alex’s thoughts. “This way if we bang into the walls or anything, we’re not messing up the new paint job.”

“Good plan,” Zach said. “If the three of us get the furniture moved and all work on the hallway, we should be able to knock it out pretty fast.”

They immediately started, and the only conversation was about furniture placement and putting switch plate covers back into place or moving drop cloths. It wasn’t until they were each rolling paint on the hallway walls that Zach changed the subject.

“So what do you think of Megan?” he asked, and Alex nearly fell off the ladder he was on.

“Um…what? Why?”

Zach chuckled. “Nothing. Relax. Geez, you’re jumpy today,” he said and then focused on rolling for a minute. “It just occurred to me that with Megan being here now, you’ll be hanging out with her too. It would be great if the two of you got along and all.”

“Dude, are you trying to fix me up with your cousin?” Alex asked and secretly prayed it was the case because it would make things so much easier to have Zach on his side as he tried to convince Megan to go out with him.

“Hell no!” Zach cried, but with a smile. “I don’t believe it’s ever a good thing for a friend to date a family member, you know?”

Ethan looked at Alex. “True story. Zach was the biggest pain in the ass when Summer and I first got together.”

“That’s because you kept it a secret,” Zach snapped. “You went behind my back and hooked up with her. It was kind of a betrayal. You don’t do that to a friend.”

Suddenly Alex felt a little uneasy with the whole situation. Granted, he and Zach weren’t as close as Zach was with Ethan, and Megan was Zach’s cousin rather than his sister, but…still. Judging from the arguing that was going on—and this being more than three years since it happened—Alex knew there was no way he was going to risk being on the receiving end of Zach’s ire.

At least not until he knew where he stood with Megan.

Alex let out a loud whistle to be heard over the yelling, and both Zach and Ethan stilled at the sound. They looked up at him with annoyance.

“I think it’s safe to say that things worked out,” he said diplomatically. “Your sister and Ethan are happily married and have a beautiful daughter, and it shouldn’t matter how or when they started dating…”

“I still say it was a crappy thing to do,” Zach murmured.

“But,” Alex went on, ignoring Zach’s comment, “the important thing to remember is that Summer is a very happy woman. And really, isn’t that what you want for your sister more than anything, Zach? For her to be happy and have a man who loves her and takes care of her?”

Zach mumbled something incoherent, and when Ethan was about to argue with him, Alex cut him off.

“Personally, I could only wish my sister would find someone who treated her as well as Ethan treats Summer.”

“How would you feel if it was your best friend?” Zach grumbled.

“Considering my best friend is happily married with two kids and another on the way, I’d probably be a little upset. But before he was married, I don’t think I would have had an issue with it.”

“Trust me,” Zach said, “you would have.”

“Maybe. But I guess we’ll never know,” Alex said as he began to roll out more paint.

They finished painting in relative silence, and what he took away from the whole conversation was the fact that Zach Montgomery obviously held grudges.

* * *

“I don’t think I can move.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to.”

Summer shook her head lazily. “No, no, no…I really do. I have to pick up Amber before we head over to…to…wait, where do I have to go?”

“Gabriella’s,” Megan said sleepily. “But don’t do it. Have the nanny bring Amber here. We’ll start her young.”

“I knew we’d win you over,” Gabriella said.

“Had I known something like this was an option, I would have asked for this instead of the shopping.”

They were each sitting in a massage chair of a nail salon after having manicures and pedicures. Megan had never understood the appeal of it.

Until now.

“How have I lived for so long without this in my life?”

“I blame myself,” Summer said. “We didn’t spend enough time together. I promise to make it up to you. Let’s do this weekly.”

“You’re on,” Megan murmured and moaned with delight when her technician began massaging her scalp. “Oh my God…”

“Our work here is done, Gabs,” Summer said, and Gabriella readily agreed. Her phone beeped, and she let out a small whine. “That sounds like reality calling.”

“Can’t you tell it to go away for a little longer?” Gabriella asked.

“I wish,” Summer replied as she looked at her phone. “Change of plans. The painting took a bit longer than the guys thought, so we’re going to do dinner at our place so the fumes won’t be as bad for you when you get home.”

Gabriella hummed her approval.

“We’re supposed to pick up some Chinese food and the guys will meet us at the house in about an hour,” Summer added.

Both Megan and Gabriella straightened slightly in their seats. “So how do we need to do this?” Megan asked.

“Summer, why don’t you head home and take care of Amber and do whatever you need to do before we all get there. Megan and I will pick up the food and then head over. Sound good?”

Nodding, Summer stood, carefully slid on her shoes, and picked up her purse. “Actually, it sounds perfect. Get me some crab rangoon, please,” she said as she waved and made her way to the door.

Fifteen minutes later, Megan felt like a wet noodle as she slid into Gabriella’s car. They’d already called in the massive dinner order, and really, all Megan needed to do was hold the box in her lap until they got to Summer’s. There were worse ways to spend her time.

Once they arrived, Megan was surprised to see that the guys were there already. Zach came out to greet Gabriella, and Alex came out to take the food. When Megan didn’t immediately move to get out of the car, Alex looked at her curiously.

“You okay?” he asked. “Shopping wear you out?”

She laughed softly. “You have no idea. Those two are lethal.”

Zach and Gabriella had already walked into the house when Ethan came out. “Everything okay?”

Alex handed him the box of food with a laugh of his own. “It seems like shopping took a little more out of her than she expected.”

For a minute Megan considered arguing that he didn’t need to talk about her as if she weren’t there, but she was too tired to.

“I can believe it,” Ethan said. “Next time, pace yourself. Summer and Gabriella are like Olympic medalists where shopping and girls’ days are concerned.” With a smile and a quick wave, he was gone.

Alex crouched next to the open car door. “You gonna make it?” he teased.

With her eyes closed, Megan couldn’t help but smile. “Go. Eat Chinese food. Save yourself. Just leave me here to sleep for a day or two.”

“No can do,” he said softly. “If you don’t join everyone inside for dinner, I’ll have to carry you in.”

Turning her head to the side, she opened her eyes and looked at him.

Damn, why did he have to be so attractive? Here he was after moving furniture and painting all day, and he looked too good for words. She struggled to keep from leaning forward and tasting him. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her because Megan was fairly certain her memory of how Alex tasted and kissed was being overexaggerated.

He leaned in closer—or maybe she was the one who moved. Either way, they were a heck of a lot closer than they had been a minute ago.

Maybe it was the fact that she was feeling extremely mellow or maybe it was the fact that he was too damn tempting to resist. All Megan wanted was to know whether her mind had been playing tricks on her.

Alex whispered her name as he gently pressed his lips to hers.

Oh…

One of Alex’s hands came up and cupped her cheek, and his touch was both arousing and familiar. Megan mimicked his move and marveled in the scratchiness of his jaw, the warmth of his skin. She sighed and moved a little closer, and the kiss went from chaste to inquisitive to a full onslaught in the blink of an eye. She wanted to pull him into the car or have him pull her out onto the driveway so she could feel more of him, but for now, this would have to do—the taste of him and being consumed by him.

No, her mind hadn’t been playing games with her.

There had been no exaggeration.

Alex Rebat was sexy and sensual and completely lethal.

She pulled back because she couldn’t breathe, but Alex’s hand stayed where it was, gently caressing her skin. Megan leaned into it as she tried to catch her breath.

“It’s still there,” he whispered.

Her eyes drifted closed even as she nodded in agreement because she knew exactly what he was talking about.

“I know now isn’t the time, but—”

“Did she fall asleep out there?” Gabriella called out from the doorway with a small laugh. “Come on, Megan! The food’s getting cold!”

Alex stood and held out a hand to Megan. She accepted it and had to bite her tongue to keep from groaning at how good it felt to touch him. He gently tugged her to her feet, and for a brief moment, she was pressed up against him. Slowly she looked up at him and saw the same emotion on his face she knew was on hers.

Desire.

Plain and simple.

It would be so easy right now to reach up, wrap her arms around him, and pull him in for another kiss. As if reading her mind, Alex released her hand and said, “C’mon. Let’s go have some dinner.”

Mutely, she nodded, and they walked side by side into the house.

When they arrived in the kitchen, Zach and Ethan were arguing over some game that was going to be on later, and Alex immediately walked over to join them. Megan went to work helping set the table and putting the food out, and within minutes, they were all seated.

Dinner was loud and boisterous and filled Megan with joy—because not only was she surrounded by family, but the sound of laughter and being around other people were things she had seriously been missing out on for far too long. Back in Albany, whenever she did go out after work with coworkers, they tended to talk about work stuff. Here literally no one mentioned anything work-related. Part of Megan wondered if it was on purpose since most of them worked together or if it was because they were able to separate their jobs from their personal and social lives.

Actually, it was fascinating to observe.

“So did we redeem ourselves after the shopping disaster?” Summer asked after the guys went to the den to watch the game.

“I don’t think you needed to redeem yourselves,” Megan replied. “I wasn’t prepared for that level of shopping. I feel like maybe I should have eased into it.”

“That reminds me,” Gabriella said as she put containers of food away, “all of your bags are still in the car. We’ll need to bring those in.”

Megan rose and stretched. “Ugh…any chance I can just will them to the guesthouse?”

“Do you need some help?” Summer asked.

But Megan waved her off. “It may take a trip or two…or five,” she joked. “But I’ve got it. You relax.”

“No arguments there. All the shopping and pampering was a treat compared to getting an infant to calm down when she’s hungry,” Summer said as she relaxed a bit in her seat.

Laughing softly, Megan made her way out to the car and opened the trunk. “Yikes,” she murmured. How had she not noticed how much stuff she had purchased? Granted, some of the bags were Gabriella’s, but the majority of them were hers.

Fifteen bags, she thought with disbelief. The last time she had purchased that many bags of anything, it had been groceries.

Grabbing the first batch, she walked around the house and made her way to the guesthouse. The space was fantastic and more than she needed, and she was beyond grateful for it. Placing the bags on the sofa, she stopped, looked around, and realized she had left her breakfast dishes in the sink and her coffee cup and a glass on the counter. The rest of the place looked pristine, and she needed to remember this wasn’t her place and she should probably put a little more effort into keeping it clean.

“Note to self, be a better houseguest,” she murmured on her way back to the car. She found Alex staring into the trunk. “Um…what are you doing?”

“Gabriella asked me to give you a hand. Is this everyone’s stuff? Do we need to bring some of this inside to Summer?”

“Unfortunately, no,” she said quietly.

Alex leaned in a bit. “What was that?”

She looked at him. “These are all mine. Well…those three are Gabriella’s.”

His eyes went a little wide with amusement. “Really? No wonder you were worn out.”

Megan nodded. “Tell me about it. And I’ve already taken some into the house. I don’t think I’ve ever shopped like this. I made one comment about wanting some new things, and—”

“How come?”

“How come what?” she asked.

“How come you wanted some new things? Did you leave a lot of stuff behind when you moved?”

Great. How was she supposed to explain how she was tired of being plain old Megan? How this move was about making changes that had nothing to do with her job?

“New job, new city…you know. I thought maybe some new clothes could go along with that.”

He didn’t comment. Instead he grabbed the rest of the shopping bags. Megan shut the trunk before following him to the guesthouse. Her heart was hammering in her chest at the thought of being alone with him with no prying eyes.

Would anyone notice if I shut the door and kissed him for a little while longer? she questioned herself.

The answer was most definitely a yes, so she quickly pushed the thought aside. Alex put the bags on the sofa next to the ones she had already placed there. “Thanks,” she murmured. With nothing left to bring in, she suddenly felt awkward and unsure of what she was supposed to do or say. It wasn’t an issue when they were sitting with everyone else, but when they were alone, it felt…strange.

Alex looked toward the door and then at her before he stepped in a little closer. “So…I was thinking. Maybe I could take you out to dinner one night this week. You know…we can talk and catch up.”

Now it was Megan’s turn to look over her shoulder and make sure no one was coming to see what was taking them so long. “Um…”

His expression—which had been mildly hopeful—fell. “What’s going on, Megan?”

“I have so much going on right now, Alex,” she said honestly. “I’m trying to settle in at work, and I need to take care of some other things before I start…you know…going out.”

“You still have to eat, right?” he teased.

That made her relax a little, but she jumped when he took one of her hands in his. “I need to get a car and an apartment. I need to not be living here for too long because I don’t like disrupting Summer and Ethan’s lives.” She paused and looked from their joined hands to his face. “I just need a little…time,” she said carefully. “I don’t think I could handle answering questions about us dating on top of everything else. This week at work is going to be crazy enough with new software coming, and I’m going to be training people, and…I need to be focused.”

He nodded. “I understand. But you need to also take some time for you. I’m not saying it has to be with me,” he added with a soft laugh, “although that would be my preference, but don’t get into the same patterns you had in New York.”

Part of her wanted to be annoyed at what he was implying. Unfortunately, he was spot-on. And she knew that he—more than anyone else here—had felt the effects of her work pattern.

Dammit.

“I’m trying not to,” she admitted. “But it’s only been a week, so—”

“I get it,” he interrupted quickly. “And it’s going to take time until you feel settled in, but don’t be afraid to let people help you out.”

Pulling her hand away, she gave him an irritated look. “I’m not afraid to ask people for help, Alex. I’m living here with my cousin because I didn’t want to stay at a hotel and I wanted to take some time to get to know the area. I ride to and from work every day with Summer because I wasn’t ready to commit to buying a car…I mean, how much more help am I supposed to ask for?”

He held up his hands in defeat. “All right, all right, my mistake,” he said with a lopsided grin. “Sorry. I hate to think of you working crazy-long hours and still not getting settled because of that.”

“Please, neither Zach nor Ethan will let me work the kind of hours I want to—and it has nothing to do with Summer being my ride. I’d be much further along in this whole transition and training at work if they’d let me do it at my own pace.”

“Well, take it from someone who has worked with your cousin—he learned to not live his life at the office. After his accident, he really…well, he really reevaluated what he was doing with his life. And I think seeing Zach go through that helped Ethan too. From what the two of them have shared with me, they were both workaholics.”

“It runs in the family. Trust me.”

Reaching for her hand again, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “Just…promise me something,” he said softly.

His thumb was caressing her knuckles, and it felt so good—almost hypnotic—that she would have promised him anything. “Okay…”

“Promise me when you do get these things settled—the car, the apartment—you’ll let me take you out.”

Who was she kidding? It was easily going to be a couple of weeks before that happened, and by then, she’d have her emotions a little more under control. There was no way she wasn’t going to go out with him. She knew that. She just needed to let all of these changes in her life settle in. She wasn’t like the rest of her family. Change didn’t come easily to her, and she took a lot longer to…process things.

But the possibility of picking up where they’d left off was certainly enticing. She wanted to sigh at the thought. When was the last time she had even felt like that?

Two years, to be exact.

Yup. She hadn’t dated anyone since. Hadn’t slept with anyone since. So agreeing to go out with Alex again? Um, yeah. That was a no-brainer.

She nodded. “I’d like that very much.”

His smile grew. “Great,” he said softly. “C’mon. We should get over there or everyone will be wondering what’s taking so long to move a couple of shopping bags.”

Megan laughed and then looked at the bags. “A couple? I think Summer and Gabriella knew exactly how long it was going to take to move them.” Then she let out a small sigh. “Just the thought of going through all of them and hanging the clothes up has me exhausted.”

“You could always wait until tomorrow. Or better yet, wait until you move.”

The idea had merit, but she shook her head. “Somehow I don’t think I’m going to be moving that fast, and that’s a lot of bags to find a space for.”

He nodded, and they walked across the yard and into the house to join everyone. Alex went to sit with Zach and Ethan while she went to the table where Gabriella and Summer were softly chatting. They both looked up at her with curious expressions.

“What?”

“That took…a while,” Summer said.

Megan rolled her eyes. “There were a lot of bags.” With a careless shrug, she sat. “So…what are we talking about?”

“Dessert,” Summer replied.

“Didn’t we just finish eating?”

They both nodded. “The baby’s craving cake,” Gabriella said. “Something gooey and chocolaty and…cakey.”

“That’s not a word, is it?” Megan asked with amusement. “I’m telling you, I wish I had a legit excuse to eat chocolate cake. As it is, I indulge way too often and then have to deal with the guilt.”

“It doesn’t show,” Summer commented. “That black dress fit you like a second skin, and you have the curves to pull it off.”

Megan didn’t want to think about it. Not when they were talking about cake. For something like what Gabriella was describing, the last thing she wanted to think about was fitting into a slinky little dress. Looking around the kitchen, she couldn’t remember seeing any kind of cake. “Do we have anything cakey here? Did the guys bring something with them?”

“Oh, hell no,” Gabriella said with a laugh. “We’re going to have to send them to the store. All the bakeries are probably closed, but the local grocery store has a fantastic bakery department.”

Megan knew she’d have to get used to the food and the culture. Back home she knew of every late-night bakery and where to get whatever she wanted to eat when she wanted to eat it. In time, she knew she’d feel the same way about Portland, but right now she wished she could be the one to get in a car and go get dessert.

Wait…why couldn’t she?

“You know, if I can borrow a car, I can program the address into my phone and pick up dessert,” Megan suggested. “That way the guys don’t have to miss any of the game and we get to have a great dessert, and…honestly…I miss being able to drive. What do you think?”

Five minutes later, Megan had the keys in her hands and a smile on her face as she made her way out to the car.

* * *

Alex walked into the kitchen to grab something to drink and noticed Megan wasn’t there.

“Where’d Megan go?” he asked casually, and Summer explained how Megan had offered to pick up dessert.

Well, damn.

With a nod, he turned to go to the den but then decided to ask a question or two.

“So how come she hasn’t borrowed one of your cars to use regularly?” he asked Summer. “She mentioned earlier how she rides with you.”

“Ethan and I don’t keep a spare car,” Summer said.

“And we got rid of our spare car,” Gabriella added. “The Porsche wasn’t practical with the baby coming, so we sold it. Now I’ve got the SUV, and Zach has the Lexus, so…”

He nodded again. “What about a place to live? Have you set up an appointment with a real estate agent yet for her?”

“I didn’t want to overstep my bounds,” Gabriella said with a grin. “It was more important for Megan to get here and start working. I don’t think anyone’s in any rush for her to move, but I know she’s used to being on her own and doesn’t want to impose. All we’re doing is following her lead.”

“Whose lead?” Zach asked as he walked into the room. Gabriella recapped the discussion, and now Alex felt silly for bringing it up. Zach looked at him as he pulled a bottle of beer from the refrigerator. “Believe me, I’m sure she’s champing at the bit to find a car and a place, but Megan doesn’t cut herself any slack. I suggested she take a day or two off so she can do the things she needs to do, but she doesn’t want to do it. Personally, I have no idea how she’s going to do any of it while working a full day all week long. I mean, she has the weekends, but I have a feeling she’s going to make herself crazy on this.”

“She’s a typical Montgomery,” Summer commented. “Although she does favor the men in this family with her obsession with work.”

“Surely she’s got to have some hobbies,” Gabriella commented and then looked from Summer to Zach and back again.

“Not that I know of,” Summer replied. “She hasn’t mentioned anything.”

“What has she been doing with her free time?” Looking at Zach, she continued, “You’re not letting her work late, so what does she do when she goes home?”

“Why are you looking at me?” he asked with a small laugh. “I’m here with you. I have no idea what she does after work.”

“She eats dinner with us, but afterward she heads back to the guesthouse. I guess I just figured she’d be watching TV or something.”

Alex zoned out of the conversation going on around him, a million thoughts racing through his brain as to how he might be able to help. The decision was not completely selfless; he knew by volunteering, he’d also be able to spend some time with her. Time he knew she’d put off until all the conditions were right.

And by right, he meant that not only would she need to be moved and settled into a new place, but it would have to be fully furnished and decorated and her new car would need to have several thousand miles on it.

Yeah. He hadn’t pushed her earlier when they had talked, but he remembered some of their conversations from two years ago after she went back to Albany. She’d admitted to him back then that she worked too much, socialized too little, and wasn’t big on dating. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that if something or someone didn’t intervene, she’d put herself into that same pattern of behavior here in Portland.

And that’s what he wanted to avoid. And not just for himself. For the three months after Zach and Gabriella’s wedding when they had stayed in touch, Alex could hear the sadness in Megan’s voice. The discontent. It was at such odds with the woman he first met and had spent an entire sexy weekend with. Even now when he thought about it, it made him hard.

Holding her close at the wedding while they danced…

Kissing her under the twinkly lights in the garden…

Barely making it through the hotel room door before clothes started flying…

“Alex?” Zach said, and Alex had a feeling it wasn’t the first time he’d said his name.

“What? Um…sorry. My mind wandered for a minute.”

“I was asking if you knew of any decent places to rent,” Zach said. “The complex where Summer lived when she first moved here is good, and so is the place where Gabriella used to live. I think either place would be fine for Megan if they have any vacancies, but they were both a bit larger than she seems to want.”

Summer made a tsking sound. “Why she only wants a studio apartment is beyond me. I like having space to move around. I don’t think I’d be able to live in an all-in-one type of place.”

“I thought she was more interested in getting a car first,” Ethan commented as he walked into the room. “Don’t you think it’s a bit much for her to be doing it all at the same time? I mean, financially—”

“It’s not like she’s strapped for cash,” Summer argued lightly. “I mean, let’s be honest. She’s probably the only Montgomery who doesn’t use the name to her advantage.”

“So what are we supposed to do?” Ethan asked. “Do we take her car shopping?”

“It’s too bad we got rid of the Porsche,” Zach said.

“No,” Gabriella replied, shaking her head. “Megan would not have been comfortable driving it. She’s more sensible than that.”

“So what does that mean?” Alex asked. “A sedan?”

There was a round of “Oh yes” and “Definitely.”

Everyone seemed to be talking at once, and Alex realized he had opened a hornet’s nest and felt bad about it.

Alex thought about the car sitting in his garage. He normally drove a pickup truck, but he had a second car—a Nissan Maxima—that he used when he went on dates and didn’t feel like being in the truck. It was three years old, and he hadn’t driven it in a while, so maybe…

“You know,” he began cautiously, “I have a spare car I’m not using. I’m not saying I’m looking to sell it or anything, but maybe Megan could use it for a while until she gets a little more settled. That way she has the freedom to come and go as she wants, and…I don’t know…she can concentrate on finding a place of her own.”

When no one commented on his offer, Alex figured it was a ridiculous idea. After all, it wasn’t as if any of the Montgomerys were hurting for money. There was no reason Megan couldn’t go out and buy a car. He was only throwing an option out there to be helpful.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zach take a pull of his beer, his eyes never leaving Alex, but it was Alex who swallowed hard.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Summer said. “You could take her home with you tonight to pick it up.”

And still Zach didn’t say a word.

And neither did anyone else.

After a long, awkward moment, Alex spoke. “Look, the offer is out there, but I’ll leave it up to you guys whether you want to say anything to Megan. My feelings aren’t going to be hurt either way.” He held up his hands and turned toward the den. “I think the game’s about to start up.”

He hadn’t gone more than three steps when the front door opened and Megan walked in. She looked happy and carefree and relaxed with a big smile on her face as she breezed into the kitchen.

“That felt great!” she said. “I know it’s crazy, but I’ve missed driving! I didn’t realize how much until I pulled out of the driveway. And I got us several dessert options.” Placing three bags on the kitchen table, she reached into the first one and handed a box to Gabriella. “Chocolate truffle cake. It was the chocolatiest thing I could find.”

Gabriella let out a happy little squeal of delight.

Reaching into the second bag, she turned toward Zach. “Apple pie,” she said. “I seem to remember it being one of your favorites, and—” She pulled out a half gallon of vanilla ice cream. “Just in case you wanted it à la mode.”

Smiling, Zach stepped forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. “It’s official. You are my favorite cousin.”

“Like there was any doubt,” she teased. Finally, she reached into the third bag and pulled out a package of Double Stuf Oreos, which she hugged to her chest. “Sorry, this one is primarily for me. These are my favorite. But I might consider sharing.”

Alex remembered her Oreo obsession. They’d talked about it on more than one occasion, and the last time they’d been together, they had grabbed a package and ate them in bed. He caught her eye and knew the exact moment she remembered it too.

Turning away, Alex looked toward the den and caught a glimpse of the TV; sure enough, the game was on. He figured he’d saunter away and let everyone talk without him being there, but first Gabriella asked if he wanted coffee, then Summer asked which option he wanted for dessert, and Ethan questioned whether they could sample all the desserts.

And Zach continued to watch him.

Figuring dessert was the best diversion, Alex suggested they let the girls take their share of the sweets first and they’d come back and get theirs after checking the score. Ethan agreed, and they walked to the den.

Zach followed.

Here it comes…

“Were you serious about your offer?” Zach asked, his voice low.

“Of course I was. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Zach shrugged. “It seems like you’re being awfully accommodating where my cousin is concerned all of a sudden.”

Alex swallowed hard. “Look, Zach, that’s who I am. I see a problem, I try to fix it. The way I see it is as a friend helping a friend.”

“You don’t even know Megan.”

“I know you, and I know your family,” he countered. “And it’s just a car.”

“I know, and…sorry I got weird there for a minute.”

“It’s fine. Really,” Alex assured him. “We’re cool.”

And with that covered, they turned to the television to check the score. When the game went to a commercial, Ethan grinned at them. “We can have dessert now, right? That was enough time for the girls to claim their dessert choices, right?”

Laughing, the three of them walked into the kitchen, where the girls were giggling over something. Alex helped himself to a slice of pie, a scoop of ice cream, and a stack of Oreos. He winked at Megan as he walked away.

“Wait!” Summer called after him. “You need to come here for a minute!”

Turning, Alex walked to the table as he put a whole Oreo in his mouth.

“You need to tell Megan about your offer!”

Megan’s eyes went wide when she looked at him, but she didn’t say a word.

He forced himself to swallow the cookie without choking. Looking over at Zach, he tried to convey his need for help. Luckily, Zach took the hint.

“Megan, we were talking while you were out, and Alex mentioned he has a car you can use.”

“But…I’m planning on buying one.”

Zach crouched beside her. “I know, but maybe you can use his for a little while so you don’t have to deal with car shopping right now. It would be a temporary thing, and it would take some of the pressure off you.”

She looked over at Alex and smiled. “Wow…thanks. If you’re sure it’s not going to inconvenience you—”

Alex quickly explained his situation with his vehicles. “It’s just sitting, so it would be a good thing for someone to be driving it.”

Her smile grew. “If you’re sure, then…yes! Thank you!” She breathed a sigh of relief. “One less thing on my plate! Now I’ll be able to go out apartment hunting without bothering anyone!”

Both Gabriella and Summer cleared their throats.

“What? What was that about?”

“There’s no rush,” Zach quickly replied. “The car seemed like a quick and easy fix right now.”

“Oh. Okay,” she said hesitantly before looking over at Alex. “So do you want to drop the car off here one night this week, or maybe Summer and I can swing by on our way home after work sometime, or…”

“Um…Alex?” Summer said with a grin.

He knew what Summer was getting at, and as much as he wanted to ask Megan, he was afraid she would take it the wrong way.

So he hesitated.

And then the silence became awkward.

Finally, Zach took the decision out of his hands. “I think you should go home with Alex tonight.”