McKenzie Cousins Box Set 1

“Ugh!” I huff and with some struggling get to my feet and stretch. “Garrett Hudson,” I mumble.

I hear a gurgling noise and watch as my ladylike sister sloshes her mouth full of water down her shirt. I raise a brow and laugh.

“Garrett Hudson? As in The Garrett Hudson?”

I ignore her and walk back inside Michael’s lake house, but she follows and won’t let it go.

“Garrett Hudson?”

“Charlotte, please don’t make me regret telling you any of this.” Grabbing some juice from the fridge, I turn and face her.

“I’m sorry.” She composes herself and then starts laughing. “I have to agree that he is a handsome man and so unapproachable.”

My eyes snap to her. “He isn’t unapproachable. I think you’re remembering someone else.”

She shakes her head. “No way. I’ve met him and although he was polite, he’s a business shark. Stay well away from him.”

“You don’t like him?” I ask feeling disheartened.

“Sirena,” Charlotte takes hold of my hands, “he is a business man with a sharp mind and has no interest in a wife or children. It’s well known that he got burned a long time ago and he hasn’t been serious about anyone since.”

“It honestly sounds like you’re talking about a different man.”

“I promise you I’m not, and to set your heart on him would mean having it broken more than ever before.” Charlotte kisses me on the cheek and holds me. “Leave it be and forget about him . . . Let me take you to dinner.”

As I agree to dinner, I’m not sure I’ll be able to forget about Garrett, and I’m finding it difficult to associate the Garrett that I met with the one Charlotte has just told me about.

5

Garrett

Sitting through dinner with my brother, his wife, and a blind date arranged by my sister-in-law, Jenny, isn’t my idea of a relaxing meal with family—it’s torture. I’ve repeatedly told Jenny, that I’m not interested in blind dates and to stop arranging them. Of course tonight goes to show that she doesn’t listen to a word that I say.

The woman in question might be pleasant, but she isn’t Sirena Bennett. If she were I’d be sitting here throbbing. However, no one comes close to Sirena, and I don’t think a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about her and wondered if she’d finally kicked her husband out.

Her cousin, Alexander, has told me that he hasn’t seen her for a while but she must be doing well otherwise he’d have heard, so I have to settle with that.

My fingers still twitch with the urge to touch her, and my palms tingle when I think about touching her belly to feel her child.

She’d been shy and soft when she’d asked me if I’d like to feel her baby move, and that had endeared her to me all the more.

“Garrett, you with us?” William, my brother asks, waving a hand in front of my face as I realize they’re getting up to leave.

I blink a few times. “I’m sorry. I have a lot going on.” Feeling like the worse date ever, I turn to Annalise. “I also need to apologies to you. I’m distracted with the new hotel and it takes up a lot of my time.” That’s only half true, but I can hardly tell her the truth, that I’ve been thinking about another woman.

“I understand, Garrett.” She takes my arm and stays close. I tell myself five more minutes and then I’ll be home free. That is until my sister-in-law opens her mouth.

“Garrett, why don’t you take Annalise into the bar for a nightcap.” Jenny smiles and my brother frowns at his wife. He opens his mouth, but I interrupt because the last thing I want is to cause a problem between them both.

“I’d love to but I’m afraid I have a overseas conference call in thirty minutes.” I cringe inside at using such a lame excuse.

“Annalise, you must come for dinner next week. Same time and place,” Jenny invites and I grit my teeth.

By the look on William’s face he’s going to be having words with his wife.

“I’d like that. Thank you.” Annalise looks at me, letting me know with that look that she knows I’m not happy but doesn’t really give a shit.

“I’m sure Garrett won’t mind picking you up.” Jenny has gone too far now.