Page 72 of First Bride to Fall
“Slow down there, friend.”
“I’m not talkingbadstuff,” he told Jordan. “More like absentmindedly inconsiderate, while blinding her with overbearing cheerfulness. I also might throw down a challenge or two. Ones that I know would drive any reasonable woman away. And I do believe Nell to be that, despite her current lack of judgment.”
Jordan frowned at him. “Two wrongs don’t make a right. If you feel she’s tricked you, maybe the best way to respond is not by tricking her in return.”
Grant stood up a little straighter. “I won’t be tricking, exactly. More like encouraging her to see that I’m not the right guy for her.”
His friend blew out a breath. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you when this backfires.”
Grant set his hands on his hips. “And just how is it going to backfire?”
Jordan’s eyebrows shot up. “Do you want the whole list?”
“No,” Grant grumbled. “What I want is your help in picking out a tent.”
“What kind of a tent?”
“The most ridiculously complicated one we’ve got.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Sweetie pie! I’m home!”
Well, that was different, but Nell secretly liked that he’d picked a pet name for her. He was obviously happy to see her, and she was desperately glad to see him. He’d been gone for hours.
Nell hobbled toward the front door and hugged him around the neck.
He hugged her back, lifting a large paper cup in one hand. “Easy there. You’ll spill your coffee.”
“Coffee?”
His dark eyes twinkled as he shut the door behind him. “I brought you your favorite.”
Nell accepted the paper cup, and a familiar smell flooded her senses. Blueberries, toasty nuts, and caramel with heavy cream. Her mouth watered. She took a sip, and it had gone lukewarm with the whipped cream dissolving in the liquid. Still, it was delicious. “You went to Bearberry Brews?”
“I did,” he said proudly.
“Thank you.” She took another sip, grateful to be drinking coffee again and not tea. If he’d had a microwave, she would have heated it up, but since he didn’t, she was happy enough to drink it room temp. “The roads, then? They’re cleared?” She tried to hide her disappointment, but judging by how his expression turned sympathetic, he detected it.
“Chin up.” He shot her a smile. “That doesn’t mean we have to go anywhere—yet.”
“What?” She noticed he had a paper bag in his hand. Ooh, had he brought her some treats, too—
Hang on. If he’d been to the café, then he’d probably seen her sisters.
Her heart pounded. What if they’d said something to him about the bet?
“Why don’t we go sit down at the table?” he said.
“Grant,” she said as they headed to the kitchen. “Who did you see at Bearberry Brews?”
He shrugged. “Pretty much everybody.”
Her pulse skittered. “Oh.”
He set his jaw, thinking. “Charlotte, Misty, your parents. Yeah.” He met her eyes. “The whole happy family. Plus Lucas and Mei-Lin.”
She exhaled internally. Okay. That was good. If everybody was around, then her sisters wouldn’t have blabbed about anything.
