CHAPTER TWENTY
Sunday, September 3rd
Claire sat on the couch in Lilly’s office and picked up Erin’s hand. “I’m sorry that I lost track of Alvin. We were so close to nabbing him and I let the whole thing fall apart.”
Erin gave Claire and Lilly a blinding smile and shook her head. “You were able to accomplish more in the short time we worked together than anyone else. My God, girl, you were shot and lying in a hospital bed. It wasn’t like you lost interest and flaked out.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Still, it would’ve been nice to take the guy out once and for all.”
“Eventually, we will, but probably not in the next six months. I start filming in Morocco in two weeks, so there will be no way execute your brilliant plan.”
Lilly sat in her desk chair and tapped a pen against her thigh. “I may use some of this for a book. It’s not every day a man loses his shit in Victoria’s Secret and shoots the place up. There is a lot there to work with.”
“Please do,” Claire replied. “I’d like to think some good can come out of the experience.”
Lilly pointed her pen at Claire and raised an eyebrow. “I’d say the good is having Brady taking care of you and loving on you as much as you’ll let him.”
“I’d have to agree. Seems we needed to have something catastrophic occur to propel us forward. It’s not like a person can walk away unscathed.”
Lilly nodded in agreement. “Makes what’s important instantly clear. It seems like he didn’t miss a beat and is taking this tragedy and turning it into something that gets you two bound.”
“Smart man,” Erin said with a laugh.
“Speaking of smart men, what are you going to do with Hunter?” Claire asked.
Erin turned toward the big wall of windows that looked out over the backyard. “I have no idea. I’d like to pack him in my suitcase and take him with me, but that’s not going to happen. I have no idea how to work out our different lifestyles, and truth is, I’m not sure how interested he is. Maybe we’re never going to have more than this.”
“There is always a way if you both want it bad enough,” Lilly stated firmly.
Claire looked out the window as well and saw Brady, Brock, and Hunter standing together near the pool. Brady, of course, was the most handsome and appealing of the bunch. At least to her. It was hard to believe that the very thing she’d been dreaming about had shown up. Truth was, the whole thing made her kind of nervous, like it was too good to be true. Which was foolish.
It was time to have faith that what she’d found with Brady wasn’t going to be taken away and the only way to achieve that was by letting go of the idea that loving someone equaled loss. If she wanted happiness, she had to believe it was possible.
The sound of a dog barking brought Claire out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Lilly’s dog, Popcorn, running across the yard to greet a man. “I didn’t know Brody was coming.”
Lilly stood and leaned over her desk. “I invited him this morning because we haven’t seen much of him this summer.”
“Those Landry men won some kind of genetic lottery ’cause they’re all good-looking,” Claire said as she stood.
Erin stood as well and looped her arm through Claire’s. “I agree, but I think that tall drink of water standing next to them is the best one of the bunch.”
“I have a feeling that you and Hunter are eventually going to figure out how to mix up Hollywood and Louisiana,” Lilly commented. “Can’t deny the power of love, no matter what you do.”
“I know,” Erin said quietly.
Lilly stacked some papers on her desk and then turned off her computer. “I wonder what’s been keeping Brody so busy lately?”
“Maybe he’s got a girl,” Claire replied.
“He always has a girl,” Lilly said. “Brody is the heartbreaker of the family. I’ve never known him not to have at least two or three vying for his attention.”
“Maybe he’s the one doing the vying and that’s what has kept him away,” Erin added.
Lilly stepped away from the window and shrugged. “I guess it’s possible if there’s been a tear in the space-time continuum.” She took the women’s hands and led them toward the door. “Let’s go down and see what those men are up to.”
“They think we’re up to something,” Claire said as she followed the women out of the room. “Brady keeps asking me what we’ve got planned and I always tell him ‘nothing.’ I don’t know why he’s so suspicious.”
“He’s suspicious because he had a front row seat to all of the things I pulled off back in my youth. He thinks anyone who gets tangled up with me is up to no good.”
“I like the sound of that,” Erin replied. “I never had much of a chance to get up to anything because there were too many eyes on me. I hope at some point to have a chance at some misbehaving and shenanigans.”
“When you’re ready, let me know. I’ve got about a dozen pranks that are sure-fire winners,” Lilly replied. “I haven’t done anything since college since I use all of my ideas for my books. But, I can be pulled out of retirement whenever you’re ready.” Tilting her head, she grinned. “My big sister, Loren, is an attorney, so we’ve got a sure-fire way to get out of jail.”
“Always important,” Claire commented.
“Sure is,” Lilly responded. “I have a good man I like to spend my time with, so spending a night in the pokey doesn’t sound real appealing.”
“Me, too,” Erin replied. “I just hope he feels the same way when I come through town again.”
“I bet he will,” Claire replied. As far as she could tell, men like Brady, Hunter, and Brock didn’t change their feelings once they caught them.
***
Brady studied his baby brother and tried to figure out what was different about him. It seemed some of his natural swagger was missing and he wondered where it had gone. “Where you been, Brody? I’ve hardly seen you this summer.”
“I’ve been working on a house over on Doyle and it’s about got me consumed. A woman inherited her grandmother’s house and we’re fixing it up.”
“Why do I feel there is more to this story?” Brock asked. “You have two crews that could be out there, so maybe it’s the woman that’s keepin’ you busy and not the house.”
Brody crossed his arms and huffed out a breath. “Brock, just ’cause you’re in love doesn’t mean the rest of the world is.”
“Didn’t say that. But you’re the one who used the word love, not me,” Brock replied as he tipped his head toward Brady. “Feel free to use us as an example of what happiness looks like. I’m about to ask Lilly to marry me and I have a feeling that Brady is going to do the same thing with Claire before too long.”
Hunter snorted and then crossed his arms. “There’s asking and then there’s accepting. Just ’cause you ask, doesn’t mean those wily women will agree. Even if they want to and know it’s a good idea.” He looked up at the house and shook his head. “Stubborn, mind-boggling creatures.”
Brady slapped his buddy on the shoulder. “I know that little speech you just gave has everything to do with a certain actress and not Lilly and Claire. Anything you want to share with the class?”
Hunter looked back at the men and shrugged. “Seems I’ve got myself tangled up with someone who is more irascible than me and it’s going to take me a while to figure how to get her mind right.”
Brody grabbed a beer out of the bucket, flipped the top off, and took a long drink. “I came over here to catch up with my brothers, not listen to a bunch of guys whine about their love lives. Our team had a fine opening game yesterday. Can’t we talk about that instead?”
Brady looked at Brock and shrugged. “Seems Brody is next and doesn’t know it.”
“Seems so,” Brock replied.
Brady heard the women and turned to see them all walk out to the patio. Claire’s smile made him realize that he was about done with the visiting and ready to go home. He had an idea or two that he wanted to get her interested in and the sooner he could get started the better. “We may head out early,” Brady said to the gathered group.
“Can’t leave before we eat supper. Lilly has a big pot of gumbo going and she expects everyone to stay,” Brock said.
As Claire approached, Brady held his hand out and waited for her to take it. “We’re staying to eat.”
“I know, honey. Lilly told me that when we spoke this morning. I told you before we left.”
“Guess I missed it.” He pulled her against his side and kissed her head. Seemed his plans were going to have to wait a bit longer. Which, by any measure, was going to be torture. He was hungry for his woman and he didn’t feel much like waiting. Yesterday had been amazing and he had a lot more to show her. Leaning over, he spoke quietly into her ear. “Let’s eat fast and get home as soon as we can.”
“You behave,” she whispered back.
“I bet you change your tune about me behaving after I get your clothes off.” He felt her elbow in his side and looked down to see her fighting a smile. She might act like she wasn’t interested, but he knew that she was. When she had agreed not to move out, he’d vowed to make sure he gave her every reason to stay. And he hoped what happened between them in the bedroom would be one of the many reasons she never wanted to be too far away. Come to think of it, they hadn’t confined their activities to just the bedroom. There had been a particularly satisfying encounter in the laundry room this morning that had left them both breathless and satisfied.
Seemed that seeing him do their laundry was exciting for Claire, and she had expressed her excitement in a way that pretty much ensured he would be doing the laundry from here on out. What the woman did with her mouth while he sorted was as close to heaven as he’d ever been. Which was not anything he should have been thinking about when he stood around with a bunch of people.
Taking a slug of his beer, he tried to concentrate on the conversation, which apparently was about where Erin was going to be filming in Morocco. He pulled Claire’s hand up and pressed a kiss against her knuckles. When he felt her shiver, he tried to keep his desire in check. Because the chances of running them both out of there were lousy.
The beast had been unleashed and Brady wasn’t real sure how long it would take to get himself under control. He’d fallen for the woman standing next to him and was about consumed with every little piece of her. The way she spoke, the way she laughed, and God damn…just the way she existed. Right now, for example, the sun was bouncing off her beautiful, shiny hair, making him want to run his hands through it and hold tight. Something sharp dug into his side, and he glanced down and saw Claire give him a look. “What?”
“Brody just asked you a question.”
Running his hand through his hair, he grinned at the group. “Sorry about that. I was lost in thought.” The group erupted in laughter and he joined them. What other choice did he have? He’d been caught daydreaming about the girl who’d stolen his heart. Embarrassing, definitely. Avoidable…absolutely not.