walked out into the storm, but it was nothing compared to the one brewing inside him.
Chapter Nine
The next morning, the sun was up and the sky, clear. Trent looked out his cabin window as he sipped his third cup of coffee. He’d been up for two hours, helped the men feed the barn stock, and been on the phone with Ricky to check on the Lucky Bar L. They’d been fortunate the storm had passed through the area, and hadn’t done any damage.
He couldn’t help wondering about Brooke. Did she awake during the night scared? He suspected the Las Vegas desert had its fair share of storms, but in Colorado, at a higher elevation, the thunderclaps were a lot louder.
Okay, he was getting far too drawn to this woman. That could be bad news, especially if Brooke developed a relationship with the Quinns. Worse, if she didn’t. And there was Rory and his past association with Coralee Harper. From what he sensed by the anger in Rory’s voice the last time they talked on the phone, it hadn’t been a good one. How would that affect Brooke? Would Rory resent her, too?
Trent shook his head. He still couldn’t get his head around the fact Laurel wasn’t Diane’s biological daughter. Now Laurel had a sister, too, but would she welcome Brooke?
He wasn’t sure about any of this. He didn’t want to choose sides, either. How could he go against his friend, if Rory didn’t want Brooke around?
He shut his eyes. Three days ago, he didn’t know Brooke Harper. Now, she was stirring up things he hadn’t let himself feel in a long time. He couldn’t let it matter, because she’d be gone by the end of the week.
He only hoped she would at least be able to make a connection with Laurel. Everyone needed a family. He absently rubbed his chest, feeling the familiar tightness. It wasn’t fair that the sisters had to suffer for their mother’s sins.
Suddenly his phone rang and he reached for it on the counter. It was Brooke. He pressed the button and said, “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, too,” she said, then there was a pause before she added, “Sorry for falling asleep last night.”
“Not a problem. You were tired.”
“But you carried me to bed.”
“So you remembered,” he challenged, knowing he hadn’t forgotten cradling her slight body in his arms.
“Not exactly... I mean not everything, but since you were the only person here, I’m pretty sure you were the one. I hope I didn’t embarrass myself.”
“Not at all. Besides I’m the one who wore you out, getting you up at dawn and putting you on a horse all day.”
“Oh, my, it was so terrible,” she dramatized. “You forced me at gunpoint and threatened me.”
He was grinning like a stupid teenager. “Well, you get today off. So relax, you’ve earned it.”
“Are you going out with the herd?”
“No, I’m meeting with some of the construction crew a little later.”
“How about right now?” she asked. “Are you busy now?”
“No. Why?”
“Why don’t you answer your door and find out.”
He walked across the room, finding he was getting excited about seeing her. He pulled open the door to find her standing there with two covered plates. “Special delivery.”
“Hello, sunshine.”
She blushed as she walked inside. “You’ve been feeding me so often, I thought I would return the favor.”
He inhaled the wonderful aroma of bacon and eggs. “There’s no need, but I’m not going to turn you away.”
She smiled shyly. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, but I only had a few things in the cabin refrigerator. So I made scrambled eggs with bacon and some home fries.”
Mouth watering, he took the plates from her and walked to the counter since it was the only table in the cabin.
She hadn’t followed him. “Oh, Trent. You have no furniture.” She glanced around the empty room. “What are you sleeping on?” She took off down the hall before he could stop her. When she returned, she was frowning. “You can’t sleep on a blow-up
Chapter Nine
The next morning, the sun was up and the sky, clear. Trent looked out his cabin window as he sipped his third cup of coffee. He’d been up for two hours, helped the men feed the barn stock, and been on the phone with Ricky to check on the Lucky Bar L. They’d been fortunate the storm had passed through the area, and hadn’t done any damage.
He couldn’t help wondering about Brooke. Did she awake during the night scared? He suspected the Las Vegas desert had its fair share of storms, but in Colorado, at a higher elevation, the thunderclaps were a lot louder.
Okay, he was getting far too drawn to this woman. That could be bad news, especially if Brooke developed a relationship with the Quinns. Worse, if she didn’t. And there was Rory and his past association with Coralee Harper. From what he sensed by the anger in Rory’s voice the last time they talked on the phone, it hadn’t been a good one. How would that affect Brooke? Would Rory resent her, too?
Trent shook his head. He still couldn’t get his head around the fact Laurel wasn’t Diane’s biological daughter. Now Laurel had a sister, too, but would she welcome Brooke?
He wasn’t sure about any of this. He didn’t want to choose sides, either. How could he go against his friend, if Rory didn’t want Brooke around?
He shut his eyes. Three days ago, he didn’t know Brooke Harper. Now, she was stirring up things he hadn’t let himself feel in a long time. He couldn’t let it matter, because she’d be gone by the end of the week.
He only hoped she would at least be able to make a connection with Laurel. Everyone needed a family. He absently rubbed his chest, feeling the familiar tightness. It wasn’t fair that the sisters had to suffer for their mother’s sins.
Suddenly his phone rang and he reached for it on the counter. It was Brooke. He pressed the button and said, “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, too,” she said, then there was a pause before she added, “Sorry for falling asleep last night.”
“Not a problem. You were tired.”
“But you carried me to bed.”
“So you remembered,” he challenged, knowing he hadn’t forgotten cradling her slight body in his arms.
“Not exactly... I mean not everything, but since you were the only person here, I’m pretty sure you were the one. I hope I didn’t embarrass myself.”
“Not at all. Besides I’m the one who wore you out, getting you up at dawn and putting you on a horse all day.”
“Oh, my, it was so terrible,” she dramatized. “You forced me at gunpoint and threatened me.”
He was grinning like a stupid teenager. “Well, you get today off. So relax, you’ve earned it.”
“Are you going out with the herd?”
“No, I’m meeting with some of the construction crew a little later.”
“How about right now?” she asked. “Are you busy now?”
“No. Why?”
“Why don’t you answer your door and find out.”
He walked across the room, finding he was getting excited about seeing her. He pulled open the door to find her standing there with two covered plates. “Special delivery.”
“Hello, sunshine.”
She blushed as she walked inside. “You’ve been feeding me so often, I thought I would return the favor.”
He inhaled the wonderful aroma of bacon and eggs. “There’s no need, but I’m not going to turn you away.”
She smiled shyly. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, but I only had a few things in the cabin refrigerator. So I made scrambled eggs with bacon and some home fries.”
Mouth watering, he took the plates from her and walked to the counter since it was the only table in the cabin.
She hadn’t followed him. “Oh, Trent. You have no furniture.” She glanced around the empty room. “What are you sleeping on?” She took off down the hall before he could stop her. When she returned, she was frowning. “You can’t sleep on a blow-up
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