mattress.”
He took her hand and felt a strange zing shoot up his arm. “First of all, you aren’t letting me do anything. I made the decision to stay here.”
She raised those big green eyes to meet his. “But...”
“Listen, this place is a five-star hotel compared to some of the accommodations I had while deployed. If I got any sleep at all. That bed in there is pretty comfortable.”
She released a sigh. “I still don’t like it. I’m fine staying out here by myself. You can go back to your ranch and sleep in your own bed.”
“I know, but for now, this is fine.” He grinned. “Although, I love having someone make me breakfast.” He took the foil off the plates and his mouth began to water at the pile of scrambled eggs with diced bacon and fried potatoes. “Woman, if you cook like this, you’re never going to get rid of me.”
Brooke felt the heat climb up her cheeks. She hadn’t been sure if Trent would appreciate her just barging in this morning. He had a lot more things to do than babysit her. And she would make sure she stayed out of his hair today. Maybe she could go into town and look around, or read a book, or go catch up with her emails. Call the Dream Chaser Hotel to see if there was any news. None of those things interested her as much as making breakfast for Trent.
She was in big trouble.
Trent reached behind the counter and grabbed a bottle of water. “I don’t have anything to drink beside water and coffee,” he told her.
She nodded. “Coffee is fine.”
He had an extra mug and poured the aromatic brew. “Sorry, no cream or sugar.”
“That’s fine, I take it black. And the stronger the better.”
“A woman after my own heart.”
“I spent a lot of time studying. I needed something to help keep me awake.”
He carried the full mug to the counter. “That’s quite an accomplishment, working full-time and going to college. Your mother has to be proud of you.”
She tensed. Coralee had never understood her need for an education. She’d hated that Brooke was away so much. “Yes, my getting a better job is important for her care.”
He picked up a fork, dug into the eggs and took a bite. “Wow, this is so good.”
She loved watching his expression. “It’s just eggs with some chopped-up bacon in it.”
“And made with loving care, as my mother used to say.”
A pang of envy struck her. “Are you and your mother close?”
He nodded. “We stay in touch mostly with phone calls, but I haven’t made it back to Denver in about a year.” He shrugged. “She’s happy with her life there, and also that I came back to take over the ranch.”
Brooke swallowed her eggs. “Maybe she’ll come here for a visit.”
When she saw a sad look transform Trent’s face, she quickly realized her mistake. “Oh, Trent, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said, I mean... Of course, she wouldn’t want to come back to the home of her ex-husband.”
“No, Brooke, Mom had bad memories before the divorce. They’re of Chris from when he died here.”
She groaned. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking...”
Trent reached out and took her hand. “It’s okay, Brooke. I know you didn’t mean anything by it. Those memories are hard for all of us.”
She wanted to ask him about the tragedy that took his brother away, but knew he might not want to share with her.
He turned back to his food and began eating again. Brooke did the same, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the man who let her see glimpses of his pain. His parents hadn’t been the only ones who suffered over a young boy’s death.
Once finished, Trent carried his plate to the sink. “Do you have plans for today?”
“Maybe a drive into town. Why, do you need me to bring you back anything?”
He leaned against the sink, and crossed his booted feet. “Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse. I’ve called in an order at the lumberyard, but I can’t get it delivered until tomorrow. And I need to be here to start the crew
He took her hand and felt a strange zing shoot up his arm. “First of all, you aren’t letting me do anything. I made the decision to stay here.”
She raised those big green eyes to meet his. “But...”
“Listen, this place is a five-star hotel compared to some of the accommodations I had while deployed. If I got any sleep at all. That bed in there is pretty comfortable.”
She released a sigh. “I still don’t like it. I’m fine staying out here by myself. You can go back to your ranch and sleep in your own bed.”
“I know, but for now, this is fine.” He grinned. “Although, I love having someone make me breakfast.” He took the foil off the plates and his mouth began to water at the pile of scrambled eggs with diced bacon and fried potatoes. “Woman, if you cook like this, you’re never going to get rid of me.”
Brooke felt the heat climb up her cheeks. She hadn’t been sure if Trent would appreciate her just barging in this morning. He had a lot more things to do than babysit her. And she would make sure she stayed out of his hair today. Maybe she could go into town and look around, or read a book, or go catch up with her emails. Call the Dream Chaser Hotel to see if there was any news. None of those things interested her as much as making breakfast for Trent.
She was in big trouble.
Trent reached behind the counter and grabbed a bottle of water. “I don’t have anything to drink beside water and coffee,” he told her.
She nodded. “Coffee is fine.”
He had an extra mug and poured the aromatic brew. “Sorry, no cream or sugar.”
“That’s fine, I take it black. And the stronger the better.”
“A woman after my own heart.”
“I spent a lot of time studying. I needed something to help keep me awake.”
He carried the full mug to the counter. “That’s quite an accomplishment, working full-time and going to college. Your mother has to be proud of you.”
She tensed. Coralee had never understood her need for an education. She’d hated that Brooke was away so much. “Yes, my getting a better job is important for her care.”
He picked up a fork, dug into the eggs and took a bite. “Wow, this is so good.”
She loved watching his expression. “It’s just eggs with some chopped-up bacon in it.”
“And made with loving care, as my mother used to say.”
A pang of envy struck her. “Are you and your mother close?”
He nodded. “We stay in touch mostly with phone calls, but I haven’t made it back to Denver in about a year.” He shrugged. “She’s happy with her life there, and also that I came back to take over the ranch.”
Brooke swallowed her eggs. “Maybe she’ll come here for a visit.”
When she saw a sad look transform Trent’s face, she quickly realized her mistake. “Oh, Trent, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said, I mean... Of course, she wouldn’t want to come back to the home of her ex-husband.”
“No, Brooke, Mom had bad memories before the divorce. They’re of Chris from when he died here.”
She groaned. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking...”
Trent reached out and took her hand. “It’s okay, Brooke. I know you didn’t mean anything by it. Those memories are hard for all of us.”
She wanted to ask him about the tragedy that took his brother away, but knew he might not want to share with her.
He turned back to his food and began eating again. Brooke did the same, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the man who let her see glimpses of his pain. His parents hadn’t been the only ones who suffered over a young boy’s death.
Once finished, Trent carried his plate to the sink. “Do you have plans for today?”
“Maybe a drive into town. Why, do you need me to bring you back anything?”
He leaned against the sink, and crossed his booted feet. “Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse. I’ve called in an order at the lumberyard, but I can’t get it delivered until tomorrow. And I need to be here to start the crew
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