knocks, and Brianna felt sorry for her. She’d barely gotten
a word in over dinner, with her husband and son talking over her every time she
opened her mouth to speak. “I’m sure they’ll work it out eventually, Mrs.
Davis.” She nodded toward the two men, who were now in a heated argument about
who was going to win the World Series. “At least they’re keeping the lines of
communication open.”
Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Sometimes I’m not
sure that’s such a good thing.”
Brianna smiled. “Take my friend Ryan, for
example. He and his father have been at odds for as long as I can remember, but
they’re still as close as any father and son I know.”
“Ryan?” she asked, sitting up straighter.
“You don’t mean Ryan Spencer, one of the owners of Clint’s label?”
“Yes, that’s him.” Brianna reached for her
coffee cup and took a sip. “He and his brother, Evan, took over for their
father, Luc, when he retired. My father and Luc go way back. In fact, my father
worked for Titan for years.”
“Clint has so many wonderful things to say
about those boys. Ryan, especially. He says he admires him for being so
fearless. He speaks his mind, no matter who he might offend.”
Brianna laughed. “That’s Ryan, all right.
Diplomacy is not in his vocabulary.” She set her cup down and thought about how
she would describe her best friend to a stranger. “It’s not that he’s not
respectful; he is. His mama raised him right, but he just doesn’t believe in
sugar-coating things, if you know what I mean.”
“I sure do.” Eleanor smiled at her. “It
sounds like you two are quite close.”
Brianna dipped her head when she felt her
cheeks grow warm. People had questioned her relationship with Ryan for as long
as she could remember. It seemed implausible to most that they could share such
a strong connection without being intimate. Well, there was that one time… But
she refused to let herself go there. She’d wasted too much time thinking about
that kiss, comparing every other man she’d kissed since to Ryan. The way he
smelled, tasted, the way he held her…
Clearing her throat, Eleanor stole a glance
at her son. “Are you sure y’all are just friends?”
“Oh, yes,” Brianna said, wincing when she
moved abruptly and her spoon clattered against her saucer.
“Everything okay?” Clint asked, leaning in
to whisper in her ear.
“Fine,” she said, smiling for his mother’s
benefit. “Just fine.” She glanced at her watch. “I hate to cut the evening
short, but I really should be getting home. Even though tomorrow’s Sunday, I
have a few things to take care of at the office in the morning.”
“Say no more,” Clint said, getting to his
feet. He made his rounds, saying good-bye to his parents as Brianna did the
same.
She walked out and felt the blast of cold
air hit her in the face. Thank God that’s over.
Chapter Six
Sunday dinner had been a tradition at the
Spencer house for as long as Ryan could remember, but this was one dinner Ryan
knew his brother wasn’t looking forward to. When people saw him show up alone,
he would have to admit to their friends and family that his relationship with
Erika was over.
Ryan offered to drive Evan to their parents’
house when he admitted he was planning to bow out of dinner, just this once.
Ryan convinced him that since he would have to tell them eventually, it was
best to get it over with.
The silence in the car was deafening, even
with the demo Ryan was using to try and take his brother’s mind off his
problems. “I think this guy has potential, don’t you?” When Evan didn’t
respond, Ryan continued. “It’s not often you hear that raspiness with that kind
of range.” He sighed when the comment still didn’t earn him a response from his
passenger. “I’m told he’s been writin’ songs for eleven years now, just waitin’
for his big break. He’s written songs for-”
Evan held his hand up. “I appreciate what
you’re
a word in over dinner, with her husband and son talking over her every time she
opened her mouth to speak. “I’m sure they’ll work it out eventually, Mrs.
Davis.” She nodded toward the two men, who were now in a heated argument about
who was going to win the World Series. “At least they’re keeping the lines of
communication open.”
Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Sometimes I’m not
sure that’s such a good thing.”
Brianna smiled. “Take my friend Ryan, for
example. He and his father have been at odds for as long as I can remember, but
they’re still as close as any father and son I know.”
“Ryan?” she asked, sitting up straighter.
“You don’t mean Ryan Spencer, one of the owners of Clint’s label?”
“Yes, that’s him.” Brianna reached for her
coffee cup and took a sip. “He and his brother, Evan, took over for their
father, Luc, when he retired. My father and Luc go way back. In fact, my father
worked for Titan for years.”
“Clint has so many wonderful things to say
about those boys. Ryan, especially. He says he admires him for being so
fearless. He speaks his mind, no matter who he might offend.”
Brianna laughed. “That’s Ryan, all right.
Diplomacy is not in his vocabulary.” She set her cup down and thought about how
she would describe her best friend to a stranger. “It’s not that he’s not
respectful; he is. His mama raised him right, but he just doesn’t believe in
sugar-coating things, if you know what I mean.”
“I sure do.” Eleanor smiled at her. “It
sounds like you two are quite close.”
Brianna dipped her head when she felt her
cheeks grow warm. People had questioned her relationship with Ryan for as long
as she could remember. It seemed implausible to most that they could share such
a strong connection without being intimate. Well, there was that one time… But
she refused to let herself go there. She’d wasted too much time thinking about
that kiss, comparing every other man she’d kissed since to Ryan. The way he
smelled, tasted, the way he held her…
Clearing her throat, Eleanor stole a glance
at her son. “Are you sure y’all are just friends?”
“Oh, yes,” Brianna said, wincing when she
moved abruptly and her spoon clattered against her saucer.
“Everything okay?” Clint asked, leaning in
to whisper in her ear.
“Fine,” she said, smiling for his mother’s
benefit. “Just fine.” She glanced at her watch. “I hate to cut the evening
short, but I really should be getting home. Even though tomorrow’s Sunday, I
have a few things to take care of at the office in the morning.”
“Say no more,” Clint said, getting to his
feet. He made his rounds, saying good-bye to his parents as Brianna did the
same.
She walked out and felt the blast of cold
air hit her in the face. Thank God that’s over.
Chapter Six
Sunday dinner had been a tradition at the
Spencer house for as long as Ryan could remember, but this was one dinner Ryan
knew his brother wasn’t looking forward to. When people saw him show up alone,
he would have to admit to their friends and family that his relationship with
Erika was over.
Ryan offered to drive Evan to their parents’
house when he admitted he was planning to bow out of dinner, just this once.
Ryan convinced him that since he would have to tell them eventually, it was
best to get it over with.
The silence in the car was deafening, even
with the demo Ryan was using to try and take his brother’s mind off his
problems. “I think this guy has potential, don’t you?” When Evan didn’t
respond, Ryan continued. “It’s not often you hear that raspiness with that kind
of range.” He sighed when the comment still didn’t earn him a response from his
passenger. “I’m told he’s been writin’ songs for eleven years now, just waitin’
for his big break. He’s written songs for-”
Evan held his hand up. “I appreciate what
you’re
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