Falling for the Brother

“What I do know is that Lila and her staff are the absolute best and have only the health, happiness and interests of our residents at heart. If it had been at all possible to keep her out of a home, they’d have helped her make that happen.”

“I have another favor to ask you.”

If he kept looking at her like that, he could have anything he wanted.

She shook her head, denying herself that thought even as it came to mind. Mason Thomas was so far off-limits, he could be on another planet. For a lot of reasons.

Many of them starting with Bruce. She was not going to risk his ire, creating problems that could directly affect Brianna. They’d managed to divorce and stay cordial enough to raise a happy, secure little girl who loved both of them. And who didn’t have to choose between them.

“Could you at least hear me out before you refuse?” He was kind of grinning, but not really.

It took her a second to realize that she’d shaken her head—although she’d directed the gesture at herself.

“I’m listening.”

“Miriam’s entire life has been centered on her role of family caretaker. She’s feeling like a failure here because she’s not taking care of her home—which, these days, means her house and Bruce.”

“I completely agree. What’s the favor?” She kept a clean house, but could always use a little help. It wasn’t as though Miriam could move in with her, though. Or would, even if she could.

“It occurred to me that if she could spend her afternoons with Brianna teaching her the art of nurturing, of caretaking—you know, as if she was passing on her family traditions and values—then she’d settle in to being here. She’d quit fighting us. She might even want to stay.”

His idea had some merit. For Brianna, too. “She’s definitely a little ruler of the house,” Harper told him. “She’s always underfoot, wanting to help sweep and mop and—” She broke off. “What kind of things did you have in mind?”

“Stuff like that.” He nodded. “I thought we could leave it up to Gram. But maybe, cooking and baking, too.”

She remembered the Miriam she’d known and the older woman’s eagerness to teach Harper family favorite recipes. And she thought of Brianna, who wanted to know how to do every single thing Harper did. She imagined the two of them, Miriam and Brianna, with hours to spend together every day Harper worked over the next two weeks…

“I have to confess.” Mason interrupted her thoughts. “I might have already mentioned this to her. As a matter of fact, of course I did. It just came to me and I blurted it out because it seemed like such a miraculous idea.”

“What did she say?” He wouldn’t be there talking to her about this if Miriam had refused.

“She loved the idea.” He glanced down at the shoe he’d crossed over his knee.

“And?”

“She was convinced you’d have a problem with it. I told her not to worry about you. That I’d handle it.” At least he had the guts to look at her when he confessed that last part.

“You’d handle me, you mean.”

“Yeah. That’s pretty much what I told her.”

Her stomach warmed when it should be knotted and slightly cold. Or getting ready for lunch. “Just out of curiosity, how did you plan to go about ‘handling me’?”

“I hadn’t worked that out yet.” She was sure she saw a glint in those green eyes. Mason had seemed to enjoy their time together that night so long ago. Even when they were just acting like brother and sister. Or platonic friends, she amended. He’d never been a brother to her. She’d never spent enough time with him for the familial bond to develop.

Because she wanted to continue baiting him, she stood up to end the conversation more abruptly than she might have done. “I have no problem with the plan at all,” she said. “I think it’s great.” Brilliant, she might have said, but thought that might lead them down a path she didn’t want to travel.

She could assist Mason. She could care, from a distance, about his family. She could even fantasize about him in private—although she didn’t recommend that to herself. She was simply acknowledging that it might happen. What she could not do was tease him. Joke with him. Or in any way let him inside her personal boundaries.