Hot in Here (26 page)

sous chef. Not until Jenna.

Jenna was the best reason there was. If they were going to make this relationship work—forever—then

he needed to learn how to hand the reins over to someone else from time to time. There would be times

Jenna would need him, and times he would need her. He had to start thinking of them as a team, because

that was what they would always be.

No longer would he live in isolation, and the feeling was like having the world lifted from his shoulders.

Now all he needed to do was convince Jenna of his sincerity and his love. He thought he was doing a

pretty good job of it, but every once in a while, he caught her looking at him with sad, worried eyes.

He had her body back; now he just needed her heart to follow.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Trey asked.

“Nothing.”

“I bet.”

Bryce grinned and rested his head against the wooden railing of the dock. Beneath him, the water lapped

softly, the dock swaying gently with the rhythm of the water. It was growing dark, the sky a blanket of

blue velvet. The sound of crickets and frogs filled the air, while the occasional hoot of an owl or a cry of

a newborn calf from the barn could be heard over the insects. Even a firefly or two lit up the blades of

grass.

It had been a long time since he’d seen fireflies. Just another thing you missed out on when you lived in a

big city. He thought of how he and Trey used to sneak out of the house in their pajamas and bare feet,

the feel of the moist grass beneath their toes.

Armed with big glass canning jars, they’d catch as many fireflies as they could; then with the tips of

scissors, they’d punch holes in the metal lids, trying not to let their parents hear. Then they’d put the jars

on the windowsills in their bedroom and watch them all night long as the flies lit up their room.

Of course, in the morning the jars were gone and they were grounded for a week. Their mother never

went in for nature, unless of course it was from the balcony of a five-star resort.

Trey drained his beer, and popped open another one. “She forgive you yet?”

“I think so, but I’m still trying to make amends. I banged up her pride pretty good. Damn it, why did you

have to send me that fucking e-mail in the first place?”

“You needed a push, little brother, and I know which head you usually think with.”

Bryce glared at him. “It’s not just about sex, you know.”

“I know,” Trey said with a smile. “Andthat’s why I sent you the e-mail. Because I’ve known all along

what you didn’t: You love Jenna. You just needed your eyes opened.”

“Well, they’re opened, and now I can’t see anything but her, and our future together. I swear I’ll never

do anything to fuck up what I have with her.”

“Love’s that painful, huh?”

Bryce shook his head. “I just don’t want to lose her.”

“I don’t think you will. Sarah told me all along that Jenna would come to her senses.”

“So Sarah was involved, too?”

“Of course. I had to cover my tracks in case the e-mail got out. I didn’t want that she-devil thinking that

I’d trashed her sister. We came up with a plan together and executed it perfectly, if I may say so.”

“Yeah. Except you forgot to tell me to destroy the evidence.”

Trey laughed and they sat for a moment, just watching the sky in silence.

“This place is so quiet. It’s like it’s dead.”

Bryce lifted his head and glanced at his brother. “No way. This place is full of life.”

Trey snorted in disagreement. “I can’t think of anything that could tempt me to put down roots in a

backwater like Lucan. God, did you see that miserable excuse for Art in the Park today? Pathetic. There

is zero culture in this town.”

“It is different from the city—I’ll give you that. But I like it. It’s so peaceful. It’s like everything has

suddenly fallen into its rightful place.”

“Whoa, who are you and what have you done with my brother?”

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Bryce drained the rest of his beer and tossed the empty bottle onto the grass. “Okay, I know Lucan

can’t compete with London, but you seriously don’t think this place has something?”

“Yeah, a lot of rednecks and women with big asses and bad dye jobs with black roots.”

Bryce glared at his brother. “That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? Even coming from you.”

“Sorry,” Trey muttered. “But take a look around.”

“I have, and I think this place has something special, this farm in particular. I mean, we both loved to

hang out here.”

Trey grunted and took a long swallow of beer, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I came

to the farm with you because I hated our old man and I was looking for an escape—not because I liked

it here.”

Liar.“You never liked coming here—not at all?”

“It was just the lesser of two evils as far as I was concerned.”

“You’re saying you didn’t like this place as much as me?”

Trey gulped back his beer. “Well, I never had the warm reception you always got.”

“C’mon, that’s not true. Mr. and Mrs. McCabe have always welcomed you here.”

“I wasn’t talking about them.”

Sudden understanding hit Bryce broadside. He found himself looking up to the house, to a bedroom

window that faced the pond. “You mean—”

“I think I must be drunk. I think I’m going to shut the fuck up right now.”

Bryce took the hint. He’d change the subject, but he wasn’t going to stop thinking about it. Well, wasn’t

this an interesting turn of events?

“I went to see Dad today,” he announced, hearing the bitterness in his own voice.

“Yeah? How’d that go?”

“He’s not going to cut me any slack. He won’t make it easy for me to buy this place.”

“Are you sure you want to? I mean, it is a farm, Bryce—what the hell do you know about farming?”

“I know that a cattle farm could sustain a four-star restaurant. I know that the house, once it’s fixed up

and furnished with some antiques, could be a killer bed-and-breakfast.”

Trey looked at him as if he were speaking in tongues. “You really serious about this?”

“Yeah, I am. I think this would make a really great romantic retreat. I mean, I’d open up my restaurant,

maybe hold some cooking classes, couples cooking classes, even. There’s lots to do here, in all four

seasons. Ashton’s got a great idea about adding some horses—did you know that there are trails back

there in the bush? We’ve got the pond for swimming or boating. In the winter we could have skating and

sleigh rides. Shit, I’m even thinking that we could bring the set ofHeating It Up out here, and I could tape

it from a new studio built by the barn.” Bryce stopped when he saw the shocked expression on Trey’s

face.

“Is this what you really want? Or are you doing this just to prove yourself to Jenna?”

Bryce held his brother’s gaze. “Trey, I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything in the world. I want

to make a success of this place. These are my ideas, not Jenna’s. Hell, I haven’t even told her. She

doesn’t know I’m trying to buy the farm.”

Trey looked out at the water, his expression still guarded. “If this is what you truly want . . .”

Bryce huffed in frustration. “I know we don’t want the same things, but I’m not crazy. I want a future

with Jenna. Here. I want kids,” he said tentatively as he watched a pair of fireflies circling around a patch

of crabgrass. “With Jenna. She’s my future, Trey. And so is this place. I know now what I need to be

happy.”

“I don’t fault you, Bryce.”

“But you think I’ve lost it, don’t you?”

“I’ve always known that you ached for what the McCabes have. You want that sense of belonging. You

want the closeness of a real family, an actual home. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have spent so much time

here.”

“But the part about me wanting kids?” Bryce asked, his voice getting thick with emotion, “I mean, when I

think of how we always vowed never ever to have kids . . .”

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Trey leaned his head against the railing and looked at Bryce. “I’ve always known what you wanted, little

brother. It was in your eyes whenever you looked at Jenna. And just because I don’t want that for myself

doesn’t mean I don’t think you should. We’re different men, Bryce. I don’t want a wife and kids. It

doesn’t interest me, being tied down, making sure other people are happy. I’m selfish, I guess, like Mom.

But it’s okay if you want that. I get it. And you know, I think you’ll be a great husband and father.”

“Thanks, man.”

Trey finished his beer. “So, how bad does Dad want this place?”

“Bad. He’s got big plans for it, and most of what you see here is going to be an asphalt parking lot for a

big shopping mall. He’s quite pleased about bringing Lucan into the twenty-first century, as he says. I

pointed out that by bringing Lucan forward, he’s going to kill the downtown businesses. He didn’t think it

was a problem, and he sure as hell wasn’t concerned.”

“His friends who own those businesses might think differently.”

Bryce grunted. “Dad cares about himself, and making more money. He’s never given a shit about

anyone. And neither has Mom. Whatever keeps her in diamonds and furs and expensive vacations is

what she wants.”

“So how shy are you from meeting the price that Dad has offered?”

“I’m not. Trouble is, my money is tied up in real estate. I have to sell the two coastal properties and the

house in Tuscany. Unfortunately that takes time. I’ve talked to Greenwood already. He won’t back me

on the speculation of the properties selling. Dad’s got the ready cash. I can’t beat that.”

Trey winced. “Man, you’re giving up a lot on a vision that might not work out.”

“No. It’ll work out. Lucan is a perfect town for escape. Lucan could easily become the North American

Tuscany. It’s got that old-world charm with the quaint shops on Main Street and the food markets. And

don’t forget the two wineries that recently started operations. Where there’re wine and gastronomy and

good scenery, there’re always visitors looking for a weekend retreat.”

Trey nodded and glanced around. “That barn would make a kick-ass restaurant—you know, rustic and

romantic with beamed ceilings and dark lighting. SomethingFood and Wine would love to run an article

about. Maybe you’re right. Lucan could become the North American Tuscany.”

“And the farm could stay intact because it could sustain the restaurant. Farm fresh everything. That’s

what everyone wants these days, eating local.”

“You know, I could take some shots of the place and Jenna could draw up a marketing plan with them.”

Trey seemed to be catching some of Bryce’s excitement. “And how about this? You could even tape

shows about the making of your new endeavor out here, and what it takes to get a restaurant off the

ground. That could be huge for promotion. And with Jenna’s marketing, yeah—you could really sell this

place. After all, it’s what? An hour out the city. Yet it feels like it’s out in the middle of nowhere. The

distance alone is attractive.”

Bryce nodded enthusiastically. “It wouldn’t take much to start it up. Now, if only Dad would quit being

such a prick, I could start making plans. I could tell Jenna, too. I haven’t wanted to get her hopes up.

The properties are already on the market, but if they don’t sell by week’s end, I’m screwed.”

“Don’t worry about things, Bryce. I’ve got a feeling Dad isn’t going to be that difficult to handle.”

“What makes you think that when he’s never been anything but?”

“I’ve got an ace in my back pocket. Don’t worry. And look, here comes your future wife, looking all

wifey in a bathrobe.”

Bryce flashed a huge smile. God, it felt so good to hear that, and to see her walking toward him in the

moonlight wearing nothing but a thick white robe. Jesus, when did terry cloth become sexy?

God, he just wanted to bring her into his arms and hold her all damn night while they looked up at the

stars and made plans for the future—their future.

“Well, I’m outta here,” said Trey.

“Why? Stay and have another beer.”

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll let you two lovebirds be alone. Who knows? You might want to go skinny-dipping,

and then I’d just be in the way.”

Bryce laughed, his gaze devouring Jenna as she walked across the grass toward them. He thought of

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sliding that soft terry cloth down over her shoulders. Thought of her naked underneath. Thought of the

water sluicing over her curves, making her skin glisten. Imagined what she’d look like as he made love to

her in the water, beneath the moonlight.

“You’re right, Trey. Get yer ass outta here, man.”

Sixteen

Trey crossed the long grass, thinking Bryce would be happy here. He’d make a success of this new

business. And Jenna, well, Jenna would be the best partner Bryce could ever want.

“Hey, Trey,” Jenna said as she neared him. “Where are you going?”

“Oh, just heading in. This country air makes me tired.”

She laughed and Trey could see why his brother had fallen so hard for her. She was sweet and honest. A

natural beauty without needing to be all made up. She was comfortable, and she’d make his brother’s life

just as comfortable.

Lucky bastard. Trey had a fleeting wish to find himself a little slice of heaven, too. To come home after a