Janie waited until the rapid thundering of her heart had calmed before getting up. Between being startled awake by Alex’s movement, finding a stranger standing in her bedroom and the kiss that made her want to drag her husband back into the bed with her, it took a few minutes. In the bathroom she looked at the tub a moment, thinking how amazing a hot bath with a nice book sounded, but not now. Instead she went to the shower and turned it on. Once she’d adjusted the temperature and found towels she stepped under the steaming spray and stood there a moment. The hot water cascaded down her back and legs, easing some of the soreness from muscles unused to the kind of exercise they’d gotten the night before.

A smile crossed her face as she remembered the way he’d made her feel. After a moment of enjoying the slick heat of the water, she picked up the shampoo and make quick work of her shower, making a mental note to ask Mrs. Barrett for a few things, like hair conditioner and her favorite lotion. Things that women use and men don’t often think about. When she was done she wrapped one towel around her hair and another around her body then opened the closet door. She hesitated just a moment before stepping inside and grabbing clean clothes and her bag of toiletries and retreating to the safety of the bathroom.

Ten minutes later she made her way down the back stairs, in search of Alex and his brother. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the idea of meeting his brother. Would he approve of her? What would Alex do if he didn’t? Would he send her back?

She followed the sound of men’s voices and laughter and found the two of them sitting at the table she and Alex had eaten dinner at the night before. She stood for a moment in the doorway, watching them a moment before they noticed her. There was some resemblance between the brothers. They had the same nose, the same eyes. But their smiles were different, and it wasn’t just because the right side of Alex’s mouth didn’t move as easily as she was sure it once had. Their jawlines were different and where Alex had short cropped dark hair, his brother’s was light. So light, that with as short as he kept it, he almost looked bald.

She smiled as she watched the two of them laughing and teasing each other. It made her miss her own siblings and the way they’d cared for each other. A single tear leaked from her eye and she caught it before it could fall.

The movement caught Alex’s attention and he turned, his smile changed as he spotted her.

“Sweetness, come meet my brother.”

She wasn’t sure why he kept calling her that, but the nickname made her stomach flutter and heat spread through her body, so she didn’t complain. She stepped in the room and went to his side, Alex wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her close. She couldn’t help dropping her hand on his shoulder and looking down at him. She loved the way he made her feel safe, even when meeting someone as important to him as his brother.

“Dave, this is Janie, my wife.” Alex squeezed her waist. “Sweetness, this my brother Dave.”

“Nice to meet you.” She extended a hand in his direction.

He took it and shook but she sensed something wasn’t quite right. She didn’t know what, but he seemed suspicious.

“There’s coffee in the kitchen.”

“No thanks.”

“Then here, have a seat.” He released her and pulled the chair next to him out for her.

“Don’t let me interrupt you catching up.” She sat down. They didn’t resume their conversation, instead Dave looked at her.

“Where are you from?”

“I grew up in Texas.”

“What part of Texas?”

“A little town a couple hours from Waco for most of it, then Dallas.”

“How did you meet my little brother?” She hesitated a second, looking to Alex to see how he wanted this answered. Telling his brother about the agency was frowned on and might cost her big as she’d signed a secrecy agreement when she’d signed on with them.

“Hey,” Alex said. “You’re not going to grill her. I already told you we met online.” He scowled at his brother while his hand covered hers and squeezed just enough to reassure her. She was saved from having to say anything by Maggie coming in with two plates full of eggs, sausage, and potatoes.

“Oh, Mrs. Fortenberry, I didn’t know you were in here, I’ll be right back with a plate for you.” Maggie disappeared back into the kitchen and came back a couple moments later with cart with another plate, several servings of what looked like coffee cake, an insulated pitcher Janie assumed was coffee and two carafes of juice as well as several small glasses. Once the cook disappeared back into the kitchen, Alex spoke up.

“We were planning to take a quad out so I can show Janie around. Want to come?”

“Show her around? Hasn’t she seen the place?”

“No, actually she just got her yesterday.”

“And you’re married already?”

“We are.” Alex shot his brother a look that made Janie cringe inside. She certainly didn’t want a look like that aimed at her. “I knew before she landed that I love her, I wasn’t going to wait any longer to make it legal.”

Janie didn’t let her hope soar when Alex said he loved her, she knew he was only saying it for his brother’s benefit. He couldn’t possibly mean it. She might be falling for him already, but it was too soon to hope he could return her feelings.

Dave shook his head and muttered something, the only word she caught was ‘mistake’. Her stomach dropped, and she pushed her half-full plate away. She couldn’t eat any more, not when Alex’s brother thought she was a mistake.

“You all right?” Alex looked at her plate then at her.

“I’m fine, just full.”

“If you’re sure.” He gave her a doubtful look then asked if she was ready to head out.

“Any time you are,” she said with a smile.

He looked down at her bare feet under the table.

“You’ll need tennis shoes, and maybe a jacket. It’s cooler here than you’re used to, and we’ll be moving, sometimes at a pretty good speed.”

“You planning to go like that?” she poked him in the side of his bare chest, reminding him that all he wore was a pair of sweatpants.

He shot her a lopsided grin. “Guess I should get dressed too.”

“I need to change before we head out anyway.” Dave looked at the two of them. “Meet up in what ten, fifteen minutes? Front door or the barn?”

“Give us fifteen. We’ll meet you at the barn.” Alex glanced at Dave, but kept his attention on Janie as he stood and pulled her to her feet. “Come on.” He hurried her up the stairs and she suspected he had more on his mind than just getting dressed.