you leave your filter in the kitchen, Jenny?” Maria asked.
“It’s okay,” Georgie said. “I’m thirty-four.”
“Worth is twenty-nine, but five year’s difference isn’t bad,” Jenny added. “I think it’s okay for you two to date.”
“It’s not okay with me,” Austin blurted without thought. When everyone stared at him, he had to dig himself out of the hole he’d created. “I mean, Georgie’s a nice woman. Worth likes to chase nice women, but he’s not the settling down kind.”
Georgie lifted her chin. “Just to clarify, I’m not in the market for marriage at this point in time. Actually, I’m really too busy to date. But thanks for the offer, Jenny. I still look forward to meeting him.”
“You might want to wear full-body armor,” Austin muttered.
Maria stood, plate in hand. “Who wants peach cobbler?”
“I definitely do,” Georgie said as she came to her feet. “I’ll help you bring it in.”
The pair left the kitchen and when they returned, Georgie approached Austin and set the dessert in front of him, inadvertently brushing his arm in the process. That simple touch made him shift in his seat, especially when he got a whiff of her subtle perfume. He remembered that lavender scent well. He also remembered how her hair felt brushing across his chest and lower...
Damn, damn, damn.
After everyone was served, the conversation turned casual, while Austin kept his focus on Georgie and the way her mouth caressed the fork.
Caressed the fork?
Man, he needed to get a grip. He needed some kind of distraction. Something to take his mind off Georgie.
“Hey, folks, what did I miss?”
Worth showing up was not what Austin had in mind. He glanced at Georgie, who stared at him, midbite. He could imagine what she was thinking—where did this overly buff, tanned blond guy fit into the family tree?”
“You missed dinner, Surfer Worth,” Paris said. “How’s the yacht?”
He walked behind Jenny’s chair, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “The Jenny Belle is fine. How is baby Calloway?”
Paris patted her belly. “Growing like a pasture weed.”
“I see that.” Worth slapped Dallas on the back. “Looks like the lodge is almost finished. I’m champing at the bit to see it in its finished state.”
“We still have a couple of months before that happens,” Paris said.
Austin held his breath while hoping Worth made a hasty exit before he noticed Georgie.
Jenny scooted back from the table and stood. “Sugar, we have someone we’d like you to meet,” she said, shattering Austin’s hopes. “This is Georgie, a longtime family friend.”
Worth leveled his gaze on Georgie, grinned and eyed her like she was a prize heifer. “Where have you been hiding out?”
“College Station,” Georgie answered. “Going to college.”
“Veterinarian school,” Dallas added. “She’s going to be taking care of our livestock.”
Worth moved closer to Georgie. Too close for Austin’s comfort. “Then I guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of you.”
The veiled innuendo sent Austin from his seat. “Cut it out, Worth.”
The man had the nerve to look shocked. “Cut what out?”
“Treating Georgie like she’s one of your conquests.”
Worth streaked a hand over his jaw. “Relax, brother. I’m just being hospitable.”
Jenny patted his cheek. “Just like his mama taught him.”
Maria rose and began gathering the empty plates. “Before the brawl starts, I need to clear out your Grandma Calloway’s good china.”
Dallas and Paris stood at the same time. “There won’t be any brawl,” Dallas said. “We’re going to go outside and act like civil humans, not animals.”
Georgie pushed back from the table and grabbed her glass. “I’ll clean up.”
“Or the boys could clean up,” Paris began, “and we’ll go out on the porch.”
Maria shook her head. “We tried that one time. Their idea of a clean kitchen leaves a lot to be desired. It took me a good hour to get the grease off the stove and rewash the pots and pans. If we all help, we’ll get it done faster.”
“You two mothers should join the boys,” Paris said. “Georgie and I will take care of this. That gives us a chance to get to know each other better.”
“I don’t believe the boys need a chaperone,” Jenny added.
“They might need a referee.” Maria rounded the table and came to Austin’s side. “Come on, Jenny. We could use the break and we also need to discuss some ranch business.”
Austin wasn’t in the mood to discuss business with his brothers and mothers. That would mean leaving Georgie alone with his sister-in-law to most likely discuss him. But if he protested, he would wind up catching hell from everyone over his presumed attraction to Georgie. Okay, real attraction to Georgie. He’d go along with the plan for now, but later, he had other plans for the lady...provided she was game.
Who the hell was he trying to fool? If he laid one hand on her, she’d probably throw a right hook. Not that the prospect of getting punched would keep him from trying. First, he had to get this little family meeting over with, and then he would put the Georgie plan into action.
* * *
“Do you have plans for the upcoming weekend, Georgie?”
She took the last plate from Paris and put it in the dishwasher. “Maybe I’ll unpack a box or two.” Or maybe she’d just sit around with a glass of wine and mope.
Paris wiped her hands on the dish towel, hung it on the rack near the sink, then leaned back against the marble countertop. “You should come here for the festival.”
“Festival?”
“I’m surprised Austin didn’t mention it.”
He hadn’t mentioned anything other than old memories. “We haven’t been together that long.” And that sounded suspect. “Together as in the same room, not together together.”
Paris smiled. “No need to explain. I already know you and Austin were an item in high school.”
More like idiots. “Yes, we were. Now what about this festival?”
“Well, Jenny came up with the concept when she decided to leave Louisiana behind and move here. We decorate the entire place and open the ranch to the public from the second to the last week in December. It’s family entertainment and it’s affordable.”
“How much?”
“Free.”
Very surprising. The Calloways she’d always known were in the business of making money, not giving the goods away. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. Admission is the price of a toy, but that’s voluntary. No one is turned away.”
“That’s very generous. And it includes a festival?”
“Actually, the festival is invitation-only and all the proceeds from ticket sales go to shelters in the region. We have a lot of the local ranchers attending, and several rodeo champions, along with a few San Antonio VIPs with big bucks. The food is complimentary, but we have a cash bar for safety reasons.”
“Good idea. Free booze and rowdy cowboys is a surefire recipe for disaster.”