Her Desert Treasure (Entangled Ignite) by Larie Brannick Page B

whole time, nodding and smiling, laughing at some of their antics. He noticed she’d already had two glasses of wine and appeared to be feeling quite relaxed when Linda turned the attention to her.
    “Meg, I’m sorry we’ve been boring you with all these family stories. Why don’t you tell us about yourself?”
    Meg glanced at him, her eyes wide. Not quite panicked, but questioning. She took another sip of wine before answering. “I would never be bored listening to stories about Jake’s family.”
    Hearing the sincerity in her voice, Jake reached for her hand. He didn’t think anyone in the room missed the gesture.
    “Yes, dear, but what about you and your family? And how did you and Jake meet?”
    Looking at their clasped hands, she smiled. “We met through one of his patients, actually.”
    At his mother’s questioning look, Jake explained, “Meg found a wounded dog and brought him here for me to treat. We hit it off and found that we have a lot in common. Things have just gone from there.” It wasn’t a lie, but the way he said it made it sound as if they’d known each other much longer than a couple of days.
    His mother pressed. “And what do you do, dear?”
    Again, Jake jumped in. “She’s been helping me at the clinic while she takes care of some family business.”
    Meg followed his lead. “Right. I’m working on a project now, but until the details are worked out, I like helping Jake here at the animal hospital.”
    Kristen gave a long sigh, indicating to the group that she was bored. “I’m going outside for a cigarette.” She stood and walked to the front door. “I was hoping to see some of this town you seem to like so much, Jake.” She turned back to face him. “What do you say we go do a little sightseeing? Maybe I’ll come to like it as much as you do.”
    This time Meg squeezed his hand. Her quiet encouragement tugged at something deep inside him. She’d brought him lunch and saved his ass during clinic, hadn’t batted an eye when he’d asked for a favor, and now she was giving him support he didn’t deserve. He spoke past the unfamiliar lump in his throat. “I’m sure there’ll be time for all of us to take a tour.”
    “I’m counting on it.”
    There was a moment of awkward silence until the door snicked shut behind Kristen, then an almost audible sigh of relief escaped the group.
    “Well…” Robert slapped his knees.
    “Jacob—” Linda started.
    “Have you guys heard from Jenny?” Asking about his sister made for a perfect change of subject, if he said so himself.
    His mother brightened instantly. “Oh! She seems to be settling into her new place, and so far, I think she likes her job. Let’s hope this is the fit she’s been looking for.” She shot Meg a conspiratorial look. “I don’t know if Jake has mentioned it, but his little sister has been a bit of a professional student. As usual, it was his advice that swayed her to accept an internship—a paid internship—with a graphic design firm. But then”—she gazed at him fondly—“he can do no wrong in Jenny’s eyes.”
    “Mom.”
    She laughed and shook a finger at him, telling Meg, “He helped raise her when I got sick. He’s always taken care of everyone, since he was just a little guy.”
    Knowing where this conversation was headed, Jake decided to reroute it fast. “Did Jared take on a new partner?”
    His mother blinked guilelessly and ignored his attempt to change the subject again. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, Meg, how caring he is and how he takes on the burdens of the world.”
    Heat crept up his neck, and he felt the weight of Meg’s stare. Why did his mother insist on bringing this up now? He’d rather she drag out embarrassing baby pictures or tell the story of him announcing to his first grade class that his dad had been neutered.
    “He’s amazing with the animals.”
    His heart kicked hard at her praise.
    Linda nodded. “It’s not only with animals, though it