“I told you it was a bad idea.”
Brandee winced. “Let’s put it down to me being in a desperate situation and not thinking straight.”
“So, have you finally given in to that wild animal magnetism of his?”
“I haven’t given in to anything,” Brandee retorted. “However, we have been having fun.” A lot of fun.
“You are such a fake.” Chelsea laughed. “You act all cool chick about him, but I watched you yesterday. When he was talking to the kids, you were all moony. You’ve got it bad.”
Brandee wasn’t ready to admit this in the relative safety of her mind much less out loud to her best friend in a public restaurant. “It’s just sex. I’ve been out of circulation for a long time and he’s very capable.”
Chelsea shook her head in disgust and picked up her menu. “Is that why you look so tired out this morning?”
“No. I actually got a good night’s sleep.”
That was true. After they’d worn each other out, Brandee had fallen into the deepest slumber she’d had since Maverick had sent that vile demand. Snuggling in Shane’s arms, his breath soft and warm against her brow as she’d drifted off, she’d gained a new perspective on the amount of time she spent alone. Where she’d thought she was being smart to direct her energy and focus toward the ranch, what she’d actually done was maintain a frantic pace in order to avoid acknowledging how lonely she was.
“Thanks again for your help yesterday,” Brandee said once they’d put in their breakfast orders and the waitress had walked away. “I couldn’t have managed without you and Gabe and, once he showed up, Shane. I hope this wasn’t my last mini-event.”
“Anything new from Maverick?”
“No, but my resignation from the TCC and the money are due in two days. And I don’t know if Shane’s going to sign away his claim to Hope Springs Ranch before the deadline.”
“You don’t think Shane is falling in love with you?”
Brandee’s heart compressed almost painfully at Chelsea’s question. “I don’t know. Do you think he is? Even a little?” She sounded very insecure as she asked the question.
“It’s hard to tell with Shane. He hides how he feels nearly as well as you do.” Chelsea eyed her friend over the rim of her coffee cup. “But given the way he looked at you during dinner last night, I’d say that he’s more than a little interested.”
Brandee still felt an uncomfortable pang of uncertainty. “That’s something, I guess.”
“Which makes the whole wager thing a bummer because it’s going to get in the way of you guys being real with each other.”
Thinking over the prior evening’s conversation and the lovemaking that followed, Brandee wasn’t completely sure she agreed. She’d felt a connection with Shane unlike anything she’d ever known before. Maybe sharing their struggles with their parents had opened a gap in both their defenses.
“I’d like to call off my wager with Shane,” Brandee admitted. “What started out as a good idea has gotten really complicated.”
“So do it.”
“How am I supposed to explain my change of heart to Shane?”
“You could tell him that you really like him and want to start with a clean slate.”
Brandee threw up her hands, her entire body lighting up with alarm. “No. I can’t do that. He’ll think he’s won and I’ll have to sell him Hope Springs.”
Besides, leaving herself open to be taken advantage of—or worse, rejected—went against all the instincts that had helped her to survive since she was twelve years old. She didn’t want to be that girl anymore, but she was terrified to take a leap of faith.
Chelsea blew out her breath in frustration. “This is what I’m talking about. You have to stop working the angles and just trust that he feels the same way.”
“But what if he doesn’t?” Already Brandee had talked herself out of canceling the wager. “What if it’s just that he’s done a better job of playing the game than me?”
“And what if he’s really fallen for you and is afraid to show it because that means you’ll win the wager? Shane loves a challenge. You two have squared off against each other almost from the day you met. Frankly, I’m a little glad this Maverick thing came along to bring you two together.”
Chelsea’s frustrated outburst left Brandee regarding her friend in stunned silence. She’d never considered that being blackmailed could have an upside. Yet she couldn’t deny that her life was a little bit better for having gotten to spend time with Shane.
The sound of angry voice
s came from a table twenty feet away.