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Travis shook his head. “That happened about six years ago. Long before you’d even heard of Glenwood,” he said, turning to Rebecca. “You’re repeating gossip.”
“I know. Isn’t it terrific?” She walked over and patted his shoulder. “I love this guy. He is the ultimate male weapon against women. One look and they go weak in the knees.”
He rolled the dice and moved three places. Mandy rolled and won the game. She laughed with delight, then leaned forward and gave him a big hug. He held her close. Funny how both Abbott women got to him. Elizabeth made him want dangerous things, while Mandy made him feel a fierce need to protect her. And a longing to be more. He would give his soul to be a decent father to some kid. She planted a wet kiss on his cheek. Deep in his chest, he felt a sharp stab of pain piercing his heart.
“You’re the best, Travis,” Mandy said.
“I rest my case.” Rebecca headed for the kitchen.
Mandy scrambled off his lap and followed “Becca,” as she called the other woman. He glanced up at Elizabeth still sitting in her seat watching him.
“I took each of the nurses out once,” he said, wondering why he was defending himself. She wouldn’t believe him. No one ever did. “I don’t think I even kissed the second one good-night.”
“Sure.” She smiled.
“The trick roper was an old friend. I’d known her in college. You know people make up a lot of stories about me and my brothers. They think we get a lot more—” He hesitated, searching for a polite word.
“Action?” she offered helpfully.
“It wouldn’t have been my choice.”
God, she was beautiful. The skinny straps of her rose sundress showed off her tanned shoulders. The long line of her neck made him remember how she’d tasted when he’d kissed her there. Her mouth was perfect, pulling into a wide smile. It was her eyes that always got to him, though. There was a wariness in her expression that seemed out of place. Was it that Sam guy who had made her cautious? What had happened in her life? What was the big secret? Hell, a man could go crazy thinking about it.
He rose to his feet and took the chair next to hers. “A lot of people assume my brothers and I get a lot more action than we do. Part reputation, part circumstances.”
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her small ear. “Are you trying to make me feel sorry for you?”
“No, I’m trying to make sure we’re still friends.”
“I would think you have so many women in your life that one more wouldn’t matter.”
He leaned close to her, stopping only when their arms brushed. He was pleased that she didn’t move away. “I’m not talking about women in general. I’m talking about you. Friends?”
She glanced at the tablecloth. He couldn’t see her expression, so he sweated it out. He hated that it mattered what she thought.
“I’m not a jerk, Elizabeth. I’m not what everybody says.”
“I know.” She bit her lower lip. “You’re a nice guy.”
He winced.
“You are!”
“Great.”
“You want to shake on it again?”
He’d rather kiss on it, but hey, he would take what he could. Her hand felt small and delicate in his, but it was her smile that just about knocked him from his chair. She grinned up at him then leaned forward.
“So tell me the real story about the trick roper.”
* * *
They had barely sat down to dinner when the doorbell rang. Travis threw his napkin on the table. “I’ll get it,” he said, rising to his feet.
He walked to the front door and pulled it open. He grinned. “Austin, come in.”
Austin Lucas strolled into the hallway and paused. He sniffed the air. “I smell dinner.”
“You hungry? Louise left plenty.”
His friend shrugged. “I wouldn’t say—”
“Travis, who is it?” Rebecca called.
Austin raised his dark eyebrows. “Sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”
“It’s not what you think.” Travis grabbed his friend’s arm and steered him toward the dining room. Austin let himself be pulled along, but Travis knew his heart wasn’t in it. Austin didn’t go out of his way to be sociable.
“Look who I found on the doorstep,” he said. Elizabeth and Mandy both looked up expectantly. Rebecca rose to her feet and smiled, even though she couldn’t see who was behind Travis. He stepped to one side and let Austin precede him into the room.
He raised his arm to Austin’s shoulder, as much to show affection as to keep the other man from bolting. Austin didn’t do crowds.
“Austin Lucas, this is Elizabeth Abbott and her daughter, Mandy. They’re staying here while Elizabeth recovers from a bout with appendicitis. Next to my brothers, Austin is my oldest friend in Glenwood.”
Elizabeth stood up and held out her hand. Travis watched her sharply, waiting for the inevitable reaction. She said hello and smiled at him, but that was it. Interesting, he thought.
“And you’ve already met Rebecca,” he said.
Rebecca nodded several times. “The committee meeting on town support for the home. You were there.” She paused. Her brown eyes widened. “I mean, everyone was there, weren’t they? All the people in the town.” She paused. “Not all of them, of course, but a good many. Not just you.” Color flared on her cheeks. She smiled tightly. “Good to see you. Again. Here, that is.” She reached for her water glass. Her fingers slipped and she knocked it over on the table. “Oh, no. I’ll just—” She motioned helplessly toward the rapidly spreading pool of water. “I’ll get a cloth.”
“I’ll help,” Elizabeth said and followed her into the kitchen.
“What’s gotten into her?” Travis asked no one in particular; then he glanced at his friend.
“Don’t look at me. This is only the second time I’ve met the lady. She was a lot like this at the meeting, too. She must have dropped her pen a hundred times.” He shrugged.
Elizabeth came back alone with a couple of dishcloths. She mopped up the spill. Travis waited, but Rebecca never reappeared.
“Have a seat,” Travis said.
Austin shook his head. “I just came by to tell you that I’ll be here for the football game.”
“Great. But really, there’s plenty of food.”
“You’re having dinner with two beautiful women. I don’t want to get in the way.”
“You wouldn’t be.” Travis meant it. In the past several minutes, Elizabeth hadn’t even given Austin a second glance. Good news because his friend’s reputation with women rivaled that of any of the Haynes brothers. Austin topped Travis by at least three inches. He’d been described as handsome as the devil himself. Between his self-made fortune, his solitary ways and the gold hoop earring Travis and his brothers never tired of teasing him about, he drew women like a shell game drew suckers. So Elizabeth was somehow immune to the infamous Lucas charm. Too bad he couldn’t say the same about Rebecca.
“Mister?”
Travis glanced down and saw Mandy was tugging on the sleeve of Austin’s shirt.
“What?” Austin asked.
“I’m beautiful, too. Mommy said so.”
Austin drew back his head and laughed. “You’re right, Mandy. You are very beautiful. I’m sorry I didn’t include you.”
The little girl dimpled, obviously charmed.
“Tell me, Mr. Lucas, how long have you lived in Glenwood?” Elizabeth asked.
Austin looked at her. “It’s Austin, and I’ve lived here since junior high school.”
She folded her arms over her chest. The action pushed her full breasts up slightly. Travis remembered the feel of them against his chest. His mouth grew dry.
She smiled slowly. With her long hair curling over her almost-bare shoulders and the rose-colored dress outlining her feminine curves, he knew he didn’t have the power to resist what she offered. Fortunately for him, she wasn’t doing any offering. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Elizabeth.
“I was wondering. I’ve heard all these stories about Travis and his women. Are the stories true?”
Austin glanced at him. Devilment twinkled in his pale gray eyes. “Every word, ma’am. Gospel.”
Travis jerked his thumb toward the door. “Get out of here, you traitor.” He followed Austin down the hall toward the front door, all the while accompanied by the sound of Elizabeth’s laughter.
“I’ll get you for this,” he said as Austin got into his car.
“I’m scared.” Austin gave him a salute. “Enjoy the ladies.” He pulled his car door shut and started the engine.
When Travis returned to the dining room, Rebecca had come out of the kitchen.
“Oh, is he gone?” she asked, twisting her hands together. “I hate it when that happens.”
Elizabeth glanced at the other woman. “What exactly happened?”
Rebecca sank into her chair and buried her face in her hands. “I can’t be around that man without turning into a klutz. I have a master’s degree, I got good grades in school. I run the entire child services department for the county.” She looked up at Travis. “I do a good job, don’t I?”
“The best.” He had to fight back a grin.
“Don’t you dare laugh, Travis,” she said. “I’m a pathetic creature. Every time I’m around that man, I fall apart. I drop things.” She grimaced at the tablecloth. “Or spill them. I can’t finish my sentences. I’ve only met him three times, but it’s getting worse.” She sighed. “Maybe I should move.”
Elizabeth giggled. Rebecca turned toward her. “This is not funny.”
“I’m sorry.” Elizabeth bit her lower lip, then burst out laughing. “You have a crush on him.”
“I know. It’s awful.”
Travis reached over and rested his hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. “Be careful, kid. Austin has broken more hearts than my brothers and I put together. He’s not into relationships except for the convenient kind.”
She looked up at him and smiled. She was dressed in a floral print dress that floated around her body. The garment was loose enough not to even hint at curves below. With her long hair, minimal makeup and flat shoes, she looked like everyone’s stereotypical idea of a librarian. Or a Sunday school teacher. The innocence lurking in her gaze had been one of the reasons nothing had happened between them. He didn’t want that on his already-full conscience.
“I know that,” Rebecca said. “There’s just something about him.”
“He’s dangerous.”
“Yeah, kinda like you.”
* * *
He and Rebecca sat on the front porch swing while Elizabeth put Mandy to bed. He could hear the sounds of Mandy’s laughter floating out of the upstairs window. He liked the domesticity of their arrangement. If he couldn’t have the real thing, this was a damn close second best.
“Elizabeth seems very nice,” Rebecca said, pushing off the porch with her foot and causing the swing to rock.
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s what I like best about our friendship,” she said, poking him in the side. “Your articulate statements.”
He didn’t bother responding. Rebecca had something to say, but he wasn’t going to make it any easier for her.
“You’re a fool if you let her get away.”
He didn’t answer.
“I know you probably think it’s too soon to know if she’s the one or not, but you two look right together. She’s bright, funny, great with her daughter and—”
“Shut up.” He softened the words by resting his arm on the back of Rebecca’s shoulders and pulled her next to him.
“But—”
“No, Rebecca. I can’t do this. I’m not a fool if I let her go, I’m a fool if I try again. You’re right. Elizabeth is great. Mandy’s irresistible, but so what? I come from a long line of failures in the relationship department. None of my uncles, or my brothers have been able to make it work. Neither could I.”
“Maybe Julie wasn’t the right one for you.”
“Maybe I should quit trying to be something I’m not.”
She looked up at him. The porch light illuminated her pale skin and the concern in her eyes. She was as slender and fragile as a porcelain figurine, and just as beautiful. He’d held her close, even kissed her once. And felt nothing. Damn. Why did Elizabeth Abbott have to be the one to make him crazy? It would have been easier to try again with Rebecca. He told himself it was because they were friends, but he knew better. It would have been easier with Rebecca because with her he didn’t have as much to lose.
“You don’t have to be like them,” she said, snuggling closer. There was a slight chill in the air. He welcomed the decrease in temperature. Maybe it would cool his desire. “You’re your own person. Blaze a new path. Start a new tradition in the Haynes dynasty.”
“If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it’s probably a duck. No point in trying to be something else.”
She grinned. “What are you saying?”
He chuckled. “That I’m a duck.”
“Well, go ahead and be one if it makes you happy.”
The ”trouble was it didn’t make him one bit happy. He wanted more. That was the hell of it. He couldn’t be like his father, going from woman to woman. None of his brothers were. They all wanted to make a relationship work and settle down with one woman. Like them, he wanted to get married, have a herd of children and wake up in the same bed for the next fifty years. What right did he have to try for something that was doomed to failure?
