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Authors: Patricia Thayer
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ribs.
Suddenly Trent heard his name. He glanced up to see Joe McClain rushing through the crowded room. The tall man dressed in a chef’s apron had a big grin on his face. “Hey, long time no see, buddy.”
They hugged. “Sorry, I’ve been busy.”
“So, how are the cabins coming?” Joe asked.
Trent shook his head. “Pretty slow right now.” He didn’t want to get into the details. He put his hand against Brooke’s back. “Joe, this is Brooke Harper. She’s visiting for a few days. I thought I’d bring her into town for some good food.”
Joe smiled as he looked at Brooke. “Nice to meet you, Brooke.”
She nodded. “Nice to meet you, too, Joe.”
Joe studied her. “You must be related to the Quinns, because you sure look like Laurel. And you’re just as pretty.”
“Stop the flirting,” Trent said, hating that his friend was showing interest. He tried to lighten the mood. “At least until you find us a table.”
Joe laughed. “Let me see what I can do.” He called the hostess over and instructed her to find a couple of seats. He turned back to Brooke. “Sorry about the wedding fiasco, but I can’t say I’m sad that Laurel didn’t marry that jerk. She deserves better.”
Brooke nodded since it was nearly impossible to speak over all the noise. A hostess escorted them into the bar area, toward the back wall next to the fireplace. Outside of a few cheers and groans from the bar over the football game, it was quieter then the dinning room.
Once seated across from Brooke, Trent placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. “At least now I can hear what you have to say. Remind me to thank Joe.”
“Yes, we should definitely thank him,” she repeated and opened the menu.
Trent stopped her, putting his hand over hers. “No need to even look at that. Just get the sampler rib platter and you can have a little bit of everything.”
“But what if there are some things I don’t like?”
He shrugged. “I’ll eat what you don’t like.”
Brooke was working hard to keep her breathing slow...relaxed, but with Trent’s hand covering hers, it was difficult. She finally slipped her hand away. “That’s so much food.”
“That’s the best part, they have a small and a large size platter.”
A young waitress about twenty-five walked over to the table. “Hi, Trent. It’s been a long time.”
“Hi, Jenna. How’s school going?”
The pretty brunette sighed. “Hard, but I’m getting through.”
“It’s worth it, so stay in college.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to work here all my life, especially with my brother as my boss. He lets me work around my classes, so I guess he’s not so bad.”
“Well, congratulations,” Trent said, then made the introductions. “Jenna, this is Brooke Harper. Brooke, this is Joe’s sister, Jenna McClain. She goes to nursing school up the road.”
“Hi, Brooke.” The girl looked at her curiously, making Brooke a little nervous. “You sure look like Laurel. Are you a cousin or something?”
Brooke had no idea what to say. “Or something.”
Trent saved her. “Hey, Jenna, do you think you can rustle us up some food?
She pulled out her order pad. “Sure, what would you like?”
“Two sampler platters, one large and the other small. And two draft beers.” He arched an eyebrow at Brooke and she nodded at his choices.
Jenna picked up the menus. “Beers will be over as soon as Harry can pour them.”
“Not a problem,” he said.
After the waitress walked away, Trent looked at her. “You sure you’re okay with the beer?”
The truth was she wasn’t much of a drinker, but she could handle one beer. “Sounds good with all those ribs I’m going to be eating.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his massive chest and studied her with a piercing gaze. She worked to keep her breathing calm, but this man could intimidate anyone.
“It doesn’t hurt to indulge every once in a while,” he told her. “As I used to tell
Suddenly Trent heard his name. He glanced up to see Joe McClain rushing through the crowded room. The tall man dressed in a chef’s apron had a big grin on his face. “Hey, long time no see, buddy.”
They hugged. “Sorry, I’ve been busy.”
“So, how are the cabins coming?” Joe asked.
Trent shook his head. “Pretty slow right now.” He didn’t want to get into the details. He put his hand against Brooke’s back. “Joe, this is Brooke Harper. She’s visiting for a few days. I thought I’d bring her into town for some good food.”
Joe smiled as he looked at Brooke. “Nice to meet you, Brooke.”
She nodded. “Nice to meet you, too, Joe.”
Joe studied her. “You must be related to the Quinns, because you sure look like Laurel. And you’re just as pretty.”
“Stop the flirting,” Trent said, hating that his friend was showing interest. He tried to lighten the mood. “At least until you find us a table.”
Joe laughed. “Let me see what I can do.” He called the hostess over and instructed her to find a couple of seats. He turned back to Brooke. “Sorry about the wedding fiasco, but I can’t say I’m sad that Laurel didn’t marry that jerk. She deserves better.”
Brooke nodded since it was nearly impossible to speak over all the noise. A hostess escorted them into the bar area, toward the back wall next to the fireplace. Outside of a few cheers and groans from the bar over the football game, it was quieter then the dinning room.
Once seated across from Brooke, Trent placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. “At least now I can hear what you have to say. Remind me to thank Joe.”
“Yes, we should definitely thank him,” she repeated and opened the menu.
Trent stopped her, putting his hand over hers. “No need to even look at that. Just get the sampler rib platter and you can have a little bit of everything.”
“But what if there are some things I don’t like?”
He shrugged. “I’ll eat what you don’t like.”
Brooke was working hard to keep her breathing slow...relaxed, but with Trent’s hand covering hers, it was difficult. She finally slipped her hand away. “That’s so much food.”
“That’s the best part, they have a small and a large size platter.”
A young waitress about twenty-five walked over to the table. “Hi, Trent. It’s been a long time.”
“Hi, Jenna. How’s school going?”
The pretty brunette sighed. “Hard, but I’m getting through.”
“It’s worth it, so stay in college.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to work here all my life, especially with my brother as my boss. He lets me work around my classes, so I guess he’s not so bad.”
“Well, congratulations,” Trent said, then made the introductions. “Jenna, this is Brooke Harper. Brooke, this is Joe’s sister, Jenna McClain. She goes to nursing school up the road.”
“Hi, Brooke.” The girl looked at her curiously, making Brooke a little nervous. “You sure look like Laurel. Are you a cousin or something?”
Brooke had no idea what to say. “Or something.”
Trent saved her. “Hey, Jenna, do you think you can rustle us up some food?
She pulled out her order pad. “Sure, what would you like?”
“Two sampler platters, one large and the other small. And two draft beers.” He arched an eyebrow at Brooke and she nodded at his choices.
Jenna picked up the menus. “Beers will be over as soon as Harry can pour them.”
“Not a problem,” he said.
After the waitress walked away, Trent looked at her. “You sure you’re okay with the beer?”
The truth was she wasn’t much of a drinker, but she could handle one beer. “Sounds good with all those ribs I’m going to be eating.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his massive chest and studied her with a piercing gaze. She worked to keep her breathing calm, but this man could intimidate anyone.
“It doesn’t hurt to indulge every once in a while,” he told her. “As I used to tell
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