Chapter Four #2
The others nodded their agreement, and Jim turned to Harper. "You'd better sit back down and serve yourself. Those pies look so good that they'll all be gone within a few minutes. They might have decent manners, but they have big appetites, too."
Brooks grinned at her and held up a dish. "I was about to serve you first, Miss Harper. Do you want apple or peach or some of both?"
"I'll take a little of each. Thanks. If you dish it up for me, I'll be right back."
She'd already set a couple of jugs of cream on the table to serve with the pie, but she hadn't yet told them that she also had a gallon of ice cream.
Brody started to get to his feet, but she waved a hand at him.
"I'll be right back, and don't eat all your pie before I return. I think you'll like this."
A few minutes later, she winked at Jim, who nodded happily. For the first time this afternoon, all five brothers were quiet as they ate.
"It does my heart good to see this," said Jim.
All of them, even Harper, set their spoons down as they turned to him.
He brushed his cheek against his shoulder, looking a little teary-eyed as he continued.
"I don't mean to put a damper on things, but this reminds me of when you guys were young.
My Kitty used to make a spread like this.
" He smiled at Harper. "And I don't think I've seen this bunch go so quiet since they used to eat the desserts that she cooked up for us. "
Brad stared down at his pie before turning back to Harper. "That's why this tastes so good. It reminds me of Miss Kitty's."
Harper's hand came up to cover her heart. "Oh, that's a sweet thing to say. But I know without a doubt mine won't be anywhere near as good as Miss Kitty's was."
Jim chuckled. "There's no need for that, Harper. I might be a sentimental old fool, but I reckon even my Kitty wouldn't mind me saying that you'd give her a run for her money."
"I'm just glad you're all enjoying it." She looked around at them. "But you might want to finish it before your ice cream melts."
She was relieved that the moment passed but not surprised when Jim winked at her. He knew what she'd done.
She'd really enjoyed this afternoon. When Jim had first told her about the brothers coming over on Sundays like this sometimes, she'd decided that it would be best if she stayed out of the way. He and Kitty had taken them in when they were young and raised them like their own; she didn’t want to intrude on their family meal.
But he'd insisted that she should join them just one time.
And after that first time, these Sunday lunches had come to be something of a highlight in her new life here.
The guys cooked up huge hunks of meat and she'd started making sides.
Today, she'd made sides and baked the two big pies.
She hadn't planned to, but she'd had nothing but time on her hands this morning.
Shelley and Trip had gone away for the day.
And most folks in the valley got together with their people on Sundays.
She knew that the MacFarlands all gathered at the big house on the ranch.
When Trip and Shelley were around, a lot of the older guys gathered at their place.
She pursed her lips. She didn't exactly know what Emmett and the girls did.
Sometimes they went over to the MacFarland place, but other than that. ..
"So, you had a good time in New York, Miss Harper?" Boone asked.
"I did. It was good to catch up with my friends back there."
Brooks frowned at her. "You're not thinking about moving back there, are you? You live here now, right?"
She glanced at Jim and he gave her a stern look. "Now don't you go saying anything about needing to move out of the cottage. I told you it's yours for as long as you want it."
"Thanks, Jim. I know that. I just feel like I'm imposing."
"Well, don't," he said firmly.
Banner grinned at her. "You should know by now that if Jim didn't mean it, he wouldn't say it."
"Oh, I do know that. It's just that—" She turned back to Jim. "In the beginning, you were only letting us have the cottage because it was Shelley and me."
"But I told you at the time that even if we could figure out a way to get Shelley to move in with Trip, I wanted you to have the cottage anyway. It's not like you don't pay your way, is it?"
She laughed at that. He'd refused to take any rent money from her, but that didn't sit right with Harper. So, they'd made a deal that each month they sat down together and decided which local cause they wanted to donate the rent money to.
"Anyway," said Jim. "We're making Miss Harper uncomfortable. How are things going down at Mav's place, Brad? Must be strange with all them new fellas wandering around."
Brad shrugged. "Things are different down there. No two ways about it. And the new guys aren't ranchers, but they're good people. Mav's determined that however they set things up for the security company, he doesn't want it to affect ranch operations. So, I guess I'm good."
"Of course you're good," Brody told him. "You've run that place for years now. And Mav's known he doesn't need to worry."
"Ace is the one in charge," said Brad. "I'm just the foreman."
Harper smiled to herself as she finished off her pie and ice cream and listened to the brothers talk.
Brad was the eldest, but he was also the quietest—and most reserved of them.
She liked him a lot. It had taken her a while to get him talking, but once he came out of his shell, he'd proven to be thoughtful and smart.
He was the foreman down on Mav's ranch. Banner worked as the foreman here for Jim. Brody was the foreman on Trip's ranch. Boone was the foreman on the MacFarland ranch, where he worked for Ford.
She didn't know Brooks as well as the others, but she liked him—from what she'd seen. He also worked at the MacFarland ranch, but he worked on the stud, helping Tanner with the horses.
She enjoyed listening to the conversation bounce around the table. She didn't know the first thing about the cattle business, but it was interesting to hear them talk.
She dropped her gaze when Emmett's name came up.
It was only to be expected that guys who worked on ranches would talk about the local veterinarian, but she felt a little self-conscious anyway.
She glanced at Banner, wondering if he'd noticed Emmett's truck outside the cottage when they got back yesterday—not that he'd been there for long.
Jim caught her gaze and gave her a knowing smile as he asked, "Will you be back to ferrying Tanya and Alana around now that you're home?"
"I will. I'm looking forward to it."
"Brooke says they think the world of you," said Brody.
Harper glanced at Brooks, wondering how he knew the girls.
Brooks laughed. "I know it gets confusing—he means Brooke, not me."
"Oh! Right," Harper nodded.
"We were in the same grade in school, too," Brooks told her. "Most of the teachers used to pair us up for assignments. It was easier that way. They could say Brooks and mean both of us. Brooke didn't think it was fair, but she didn't mind too much. We're good buddies."
Harper smiled, enjoying getting to know more about them.
She glanced at Brody—from what she understood, he and Brooke were.
.. well, she didn't know if they were together, but there was something between them.
From the way he'd dropped his head though, she didn't know if his brothers were aware of that.
Jim pushed his chair back. "That was some good eating. Thank you all. I need to stretch my legs."
Brad hurried to his side. "Mind if I come with you? I need to pick your brain."
Harper tried to pick up dishes, but Banner swatted at her hand. "I've told you the house rules before—if you made it, you don't have to clean it up."
She made a face at him. "I don't mind, and besides, everyone made something."
He chuckled, "And now you know why."
That made her laugh. "Well, if I can't help clean up, should I go and leave you guys to..."
"No," Brody interrupted. "I mean, sure, go if you want to, but..."
Boone grinned as he passed them carrying a pile of dishes. "I think he wants to ask you about Miss Shelley."
Harper gave Brody a puzzled look, but he just gestured for her to go ahead of him down the steps to the yard.
He looked back over his shoulder. "It's not about Shelley; I just said that because it's..."
"About Brooke?" Harper asked with a smile.
"Yeah. There's a big concert coming up and she won't commit to going because it's on a weekend when she knows Emmett might be busy and might need help..."
Harper reached up to pat his shoulder. "Just give me the date, and I'll invite the girls to stay over at the cottage that weekend."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. It'll be up to Brooke if she wants to go with you—if watching the girls is an excuse, she might find another. But if she wants to go, she won't need to worry about leaving Emmett in the lurch."
Brody grinned. "Thanks Miss..."
"Please just call me Harper. You make me feel ancient calling me Miss Harper."
"Okay, thanks, Harper. Will I see you out at Trip's place soon?"
"I'm sure you will. I need to catch up with Shelley."
He gave her a sly smile. "You're not mad at her, are you?"
"For what?"
"For letting Emmett come to pick you up instead of coming herself."
Harper pursed her lips.
"Sorry, I should have kept my mouth shut."
"No. I know your secret—it's only fair that you should know mine."
Brody raised his eyebrows. "Are you guys...?"
"No. I didn't mean that," Harper told him hurriedly. "I just … but he has no idea. Why, are you and Brooke?"
He shook his head.
She patted his shoulder again. "Well, your secret's safe with me—if it still is one?"
"It kind of is and kind of isn't. What about you?"
"It's very much a secret—and I'm sure it won't ever be anything more than that." She meant it when she said it, but she was still disappointed when Brody agreed.
"Yeah, it's different for him, isn't it? After Emily."
All she could do was nod. He was right.