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“I’m familiar with the Slade family. Are you alone?”
“If you’re asking if I have a man in my life, no. I’m here with my daughter.”
Matt opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the barista delivered their orders and set them on the raw-edged table before them. Once they were alone again, Rachel reached for her favorite fall drink.
“I didn’t mean to pry,” Matt muttered around his coffee mug. “I don’t have any right to know about your personal life anymore. How are you, though? Really.”
“I’m doing well. But you’re not prying. We’ve missed a good bit of each other’s lives.” She slid her lips over the straw, forcing her gaze away when his dark blue eyes landed on her mouth. “Ew, what is this?”
Rachel set her frosted cup back on the table. “That’s not a pumpkin-spice latte.”
Matt laughed. “Because that’s not what you told them you wanted.”
“Of course it is,” she declared, swiping at her lips. “I always get the same thing at any coffee shop, especially in the fall. I’m a creature of habit and I’m pumpkin-spice everything.”
“That I definitely recall.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he laughed. “But at the counter you ordered a large iced nutmeg with extra whip and an extra shot.”
What the hell? Bumping into Matt had totally messed up her thought process. Maybe it was the strength with which he prevented her from falling on the sidewalk, or the firm hand on her back as he’d guided her in. Or maybe she could chalk this up to good old-fashioned lust because she couldn’t deny that he was both sexy and charming.
And her late husband’s best friend. There could be no lust. Not now. Not ever.
“I’ll go get you another.” He came to his feet. “Tell me exactly what you want.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m just not used to leaving the house alone—I guess it threw off my game.”
Yeah, she’d go with the excuse that she was used to carrying a child and a heavy diaper bag. No way would she admit that Matt’s touch, Matt’s intense stare, had short-circuited her brain.
He pulled out his wallet. “Better tell me your order or I’ll make something up. Do you really want to risk another bad drink?”
Rachel laughed. “Fine.”
She rattled off her order and watched as he walked away.
Nerves curled in Rachel’s belly. She shouldn’t feel this nervous, but she did. At one time, Matt had meant so much to her—he still did. Yet she had no clue what to talk about and she certainly didn’t want the awkward silence to settle between them.
One thing was certain, though. Matt hadn’t changed one bit. He was still just as sexy, just as charismatic as ever. And he was the Most Eligible Bachelor in Texas. Interesting he came back into her life at this exact time.
* * *
Matt took his time getting Rachel’s drink. He opted to wait at the counter instead of having the barista deliver it. He needed to get control of himself, of his thoughts. Because Rachel Kincaid, widow of Billy Kincaid, was the one person he’d thought of a hell of a lot over the years...and even more so this past year. Yes, he’d deserted her, but he’d had no other choice.
And now she’d want answers. Answers she deserved, but he wasn’t ready to give.
He’d thought for sure the absence would get his emotions under control. He’d been hell-bent on throwing himself into his work, into a new partnership with his firm, and forging more takeovers in the hopes that he’d get over the honey-haired beauty that had starred in his every fantasy since they’d met.
Unfortunately, that hadn’t been the case. Perhaps that’s because he’d kept track of her. That sounded a bit stalkerish, but he’d needed to know she was alright. Needed to know if she was struggling so he could step in and help. From what Matt could tell, Billy’s parents, plus his brother and his wife, had made sure Rachel had all she’d needed. Insurance money only went so far, but Billy came from a wealthy family.
Rachel had sold her Dallas home, though. She’d moved out and now she was here. So what was her next move? Did she have a plan? Was she going to return to Dallas?
Insurance money would run out at some point and so would her savings. Matt couldn’t just let this go, not when she might need him. She’d be too proud to ever ask for help...all the more reason for him to keep an eye on her.
So many questions and he’d severed all rights to ask when he pushed her from his life. But for his damn sanity and out of respect for Rachel, he’d had no other choice.
Matt had known she’d had a little girl. She was a few months pregnant at the funeral and had already started showing. He recalled that slight swell against him as he’d held her by the graveside.
He’d honestly had no idea she’d be here in Royal, but like the selfish prick he was, he wasn’t a bit sorry he’d run into her. Now was the time to pay his penance and admit he’d dodged her, admit that he needed space. But one thing he could never admit was his attraction. That was the last thing Rachel needed to be told.
“Here you go,” the barista said with a smile as she placed the new frothy drink on the counter.
Matt nodded. “Thanks.”
The second he turned back toward Rachel, the punch of lust to his gut was no less potent than it had been the first time he’d seen her all those years ago. She’d always been a striking woman, always silently demanded attention with just a flick of her wavy blond hair, a glance in his direction. Hell, all he had to do was conjure up a thought and she captivated him.
And nothing had been as gut-wrenching as watching her marry his best friend...a man who hadn’t deserved someone as special as Rachel.
Rachel was, well, everything. But she wasn’t for him.
Matt wasn’t sure what was worse, staying in Dallas dodging paparazzi over this damn Most Eligible Bachelor in Texas title or being in this small town face-to-face with the one woman he could never have—the only woman he’d ever truly wanted.
A group of college-aged kids came through with their laptops and headed to the back of the coffee shop. Their laughter and banter instantly thrust him back to that party where he had first met Rachel. He’d flirted a little and was about to ask her out when Billy slid between them and whispered, “Mine,” toward Matt before whisking her away.
If only Matt had known how things would go down between Billy and Rachel...
“One extra-shot pumpkin-spice latte with a side of pumpkin and pumpkin whip on top.” Matt placed the drink in front of Rachel and made a show of bowing as he extended his arm. “Or something like that.”
Rachel’s laughter was exactly the balm he needed in his life. “Thank you, but that wasn’t necessary.”
“Was the bow too much?”
He took a seat next to her and couldn’t take his eyes off the way her pretty mouth covered the pointed dollop of whip or the way she licked her lips and groaned as her lids lowered. Damn vixen had no idea what she could do to a man. He wondered how many others she’d put under her spell.
“So, tell me all about this newly appointed title.” She set her drink on the table and tore the paper off her straw. “Are we going to get bombarded by squealing fans or camera flashes?”
“I sure as hell hope not.” Matt grabbed his mug and settled back into the corner of the sofa. “And I’d rather not discuss all of that. Let’s talk about you. What are you doing here in Royal? Other than staying with the Slades.”
Rachel held on to her cup and crossed her legs. The dress she wore might be long, but the thin fabric hugged her shapely thighs and shifted each time she moved. And from the way she kept squirming, she wasn’t as calm as her smile led him to believe.
“I’m working on finishing my marketing degree online and figuring out where to go from here.”
Matt didn’t like that there was a subtle lilt leading him to believe she wasn’t happy. The thought of her not moving on to a life she deserved didn’t sit well with him. Not one bit.
“How much longer do you have?” he asked.
Rachel slid her fingertip over the condensation on her glass. “One more semester and I’m done. The end can’t come soon enough.”
And being a single mother no doubt added to her stress. Surely she wasn’t strapped for cash. Her in-laws alone should’ve covered anything she needed that Billy’s finances couldn’t.
She’d been working on her degree when they’d met, but once she and Billy married, Billy had talked her out of finishing. Matt was damn proud she was doing this for herself.
He had so many questions, yet none of them he should ask just yet. Even though she smiled and laughed, he’d seen the hurt in her eyes, the accusation in her question when they’d been outside. Rachel deserved her answers well before he was allowed to have his.
Matt wasn’t going to leave Royal without making sure Rachel and her daughter were stable and had what they needed, at least until she got on her feet.
Well, hell. Is that why they were here? Because she didn’t have a place to stay? What about the home she and Billy had?
“How long are you hiding from your fan club?” she asked, pulling him back to the real reason he was in town.
Matt clenched his jaw. He wasn’t about to get into all the issues he had going on. The disagreements with his partner, the negotiations he had still up in the air, the fact he wanted to sell his 51 percent and start his own company. There really was no way to just sum up in a blanket statement all he had going on.
He would much rather keep their unexpected reunion on the lighter side. And now that they were both in Royal, Matt sure as hell planned to see her again. Fate had pushed them together for a reason and he couldn’t ignore that.
“I’m going to be here awhile. My grandfather’s old estate is on the edge of town. It’s sat empty for several years. Figure I should think about having it renovated and perhaps selling. For now, I’m staying at The Bellamy.”
The five-star establishment had been recently renovated into a luxurious hotel. Matt had requested the penthouse and had paid extra to have it ready on the same day he’d had his assistant call for the reservation. Money might have gotten him pretty much everything he wanted in life, but there was still a void. Something was missing and he had no clue what it was.
Rachel slid those plump lips around her straw again and Matt found himself shifting in his seat once more. He’d been in her presence for all of ten minutes and it was as if no time had passed at all. He still craved her, still found her one of the most stunning women he’d ever known. Still wondered what would’ve happened between them if Billy hadn’t been at that party.
Actually, there wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t wonder. If he were being honest, most of the women he’d hooked up with were just fillers for the one he truly wanted.
Matt set his mug on the table, then leaned closer to her. “Listen, Rachel...”
“No.” She held up her hand and shook her head. “Let’s not revisit the past. Not quite yet.”
He stared at her for another minute, wanting to deal with the proverbial elephant in the room, and yet needing to dodge it at the same time.
Finally, he nodded. “Since we’re both in town for a while, I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”
Rachel laughed. “I’m not the carefree woman I used to be, Matt. I’m a single mother with responsibilities.”
“Bring your daughter.”
Where had that come from? He’d never asked a woman and her child on a date. Had he ever even dated a woman with a kid?
He hadn’t. But none of that mattered, because no other woman was Rachel. Besides, he wanted to see Billy’s daughter. His best friend might not have been the world’s greatest husband, but he was a good friend and his child would be the last connection to him.
Rachel’s smile widened as she reached out and gripped his hand. “It’s a date.”
Matt glanced down at their joined hands and wondered why he’d just jumped head first into the exact situation he’d been running from. If he stayed around Royal too long with Rachel, he didn’t know how long he could resist her...or if he’d even try.
Two (#u41330599-44bf-5b0c-8a72-e96076c61cd8)
“From the way you’re eyeing those photos, maybe you should consider bidding on your own bachelor.”
Smiling, Rachel glanced up from the glossy images all spread out across the farm-style kitchen table to look at Alexis. Each picture featured a single man in Royal who had agreed to step up to the plate and be auctioned for a good cause. All funds would go toward the Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation, but each woman writing the check would be winning a fantasy date with one hunky bachelor.
Rachel and Alexis were still searching for someone who could be the “big draw” or headliner.
“I think I’ll just stick to the marketing and working behind the scenes and not worry so much about getting my fantasy date.” Rachel blew out a breath and flattened her palms on the spread of photos. She did some quick figures in her head of what she could donate and still live off of until she completed her degree and got a paying job. “Don’t worry, I’ll still write a check for the cause. There are so many great guys who agreed to help... I’m just not sure which one we should use as the main event.”
Alexis dropped to a chair next to Rachel and started sliding the images around. She picked up one, then set it aside, picked up another, dismissed it, too. There were so many options, from doctors to lawyers, ranchers to pilots. Royal had quite the variety of upstanding men. How were all of these hotties still single?
“The problem is these guys are all fabulous,” Alexis stated, her blue eyes searching all of the options. “You can’t go wrong with any of them. We do need the final man to be someone spectacular, someone the ladies won’t mind writing an exorbitant amount for.”
A small white paper with handwritten notes was paper clipped to the top right corner of each picture. The brief stats gave basic details of the bachelor: name, age, occupation. The overwhelming response from handsome, eligible men to help with the charity auction was remarkable. The Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation would no doubt get a fat check afterward.
Gus and Alexis had done all the grunt work lining up the bachelors and it was Rachel’s job to make sure word got out and women flocked with full purses to the biggest event of the year.
“We need to get these framed,” Rachel murmured, thinking aloud. “They need to be propped on easels and in sturdy wood frames to showcase all this glorious masculinity.”
They’d have to strategically set them around the outdoor garden area at the Texas Cattleman’s Club so the women could come early and get an idea of who they wanted to bid on. Once Rachel went to the site, she could better plan all the details of how to arrange things.
She had already made a mock-up of the programs that would be handed out at the door. The program featured the bachelors with their regular posed image, plus she’d requested something playful or something to show their true personality.
“I have a spreadsheet of the order I think they should go in,” Rachel stated. “Sorry, I know that’s not quite marketing, but I was up late last night and started thinking of the best way to advertise and then I started numbering them and—”
“I get it. Your OCD kicked in and you ran with it.” Alexis reached for her girlfriend’s hand and squeezed. “I’ll take any help I can get, and having you stay here is just like being in college. Well, with a child and less parties, but I love having you at the ranch.”
Rachel loved being here, as well. She had been feeling adrift, but when Alexis had invited her to Royal, she figured this was just the break from life she needed. Who knew? Maybe Royal would become home. The big-city feel with the small-town attitude of everyone helping each other was rather nice.
Plus, there was the bonus of her best friend living here. Ellie seemed to have taken to Alexis and Gus.
“Lone Wolf Ranch is gorgeous,” Rachel said, beaming. “I’m still excited you asked me to help with this auction. I think it’s going to pull in more money than you ever thought possible.”
Alexis pulled her hand away and blew out a sigh. “I don’t know. I’ve set a pretty large goal. This fund-raiser means more to me than just money. I want to honor my grandmother’s memory and make my grandfather proud of me at the same time. They did so much for me growing up.”
Rachel knew this was so much more than a show or a popularity contest. Alexis lost her grandmother to pancreatic cancer and all of the funds from The Great Royal Bachelor Auction would go straight to the foundation in loving memory of Sarah Slade.
“She would definitely be proud of you,” Rachel stated. “You’re doing great work.”
“I think you’re doing most of it. I’d seriously be overwhelmed without you.”
Rachel pulled all of the photos into a stack and neatened them up with a tap onto the table. “I’d say we make a great team.”
The back door opened and Alexis’s grandfather, Gus Slade, stepped inside. He swiped the back of his arm across his forehead and blew out a whistle.
“An old man could get used to walking in his back door and seeing two beautiful ladies.”
Rachel flashed him a grin. If Gus was about thirty years younger, she’d make him the headliner for the auction. The elderly widower was quite the charmer and his dashing good looks and ruggedness would make him a surefire hit. No woman could resist his thick silver hair and broad shoulders. The weathered, tanned skin and wrinkles around his blue eyes only added to his masculine appeal. Why couldn’t women age as gracefully?
“Where is the youngest lady?” Gus asked as he headed to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.
“Ellie needed a nap,” Rachel replied. “She was rather cranky.”
“She’s a sweetheart,” Gus defended. “I get a little cranky when I need a nap, too.”
Rachel’s heart swelled at how easily Alexis and her grandfather just took in two stray guests as if they were all one big happy family. Rachel had only been in Royal a short time, but she already felt like this was home. She hadn’t really had a sense of belonging since Billy’s death. Staying in Dallas in their home hadn’t felt right. Especially considering the house they’d lived in had been purchased without her approval. He’d surprised her with it and she’d never really liked the vast space. The two-story home had seemed too staid, too cold.
She’d sold that house not too long ago and moved to a small rental house, much to the shock of Billy’s family. Speaking of, life had been even more stressful with her in-laws hovering and making it a point to let her know they’d be willing to keep Ellie for a while so Rachel could finish her degree.
