you.”
“Of course you do. You’re here.”
“I stayed for the food not the company.”
He glanced down at his chest.
“What are you doing?”
“Since you’ve just stabbed me through the heart, I thought there might be blood.”
Brenna reached out and patted his hand. “You’re made of stronger stuff.”
“I’m not so sure. So why aren’t you married?”
“Usual reasons.”
“It seems odd that a matchmaker isn’t matched herself.”
“You’re in medical supplies. Do you use bedpans or walking frames?”
Hunter fell back, covering his heart. “Withdraw your sword madam.”
Brenna laughed then bit her lip as her idea grew stronger in her mind. He would be perfect. Absolutely perfect. He could easily fool her mother. Stephen was right. She couldn’t tell him to take risks if she didn’t take any of her own. She decided to ignore caution and said, “If you do me a favor, I’ll go to the banquet with you.”
Hunter rubbed his hands together prepared for the task. “Yes. What is it?”
“I want you to meet my mother.”
His enthusiasm crumbled. “The one that drives men insane?” He lifted a brow. “You really don’t like me very much.”
“You’ll be able to handle her. I just need a man to take to dinner so she’ll see that I have a social life.”
“But you don’t.”
“And you don’t have a fiancée, but you’re willing to produce one.” Brenna waited, hoping she hadn’t asked too much. He had every right to say no.
He poured more lemonade into his glass and took a long swallow. He looked at her pensive. “Dinner with your mother.”
“That’s it. One night.”
Brenna could almost see his mind weighing the pros and cons. “Is she a good cook?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
She was so happy she leaped out of her seat. She quickly recovered herself and sat back down. “Great.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Were you going to give me a hug?”
“No.”
Hunter held out his arms. “I don’t mind.”
She ignored him. “You’ll need a crash course.”
“In what?”
“How to survive a night with my mother.”
He stood. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“You need to be prepared,” she insisted, hoping to convince him to stay a while longer. She liked having him there.
“Fine. We can discuss it another time. Here’s my card.” He reached down and then realized he wasn’t wearing his jacket. He looked at her then reached over, opened the jacket covering her shoulders, and retrieved a card. His hands brushed her side. “Here.”
Brenna took the card and slipped out of the jacket as though it were crawling with spiders. It suddenly felt far too intimate. “I’ll call you.”
He stood and opened the door. “I’ll have people come by early tomorrow and clear the table,” he said then left.
She blew out the candles, the sunlight casting strips of light across the floor.
Hunter suddenly reentered the room. “I forgot something.”
“What?”
Without warning, he brushed his lips against hers. “There. Now our bargain is sealed,” he whispered then as quickly as he’d arrived he disappeared.
Brenna sat behind her desk trying to dismiss the kiss even as it lingered on her lips. It was no big deal, she assured herself. She sat staring at the phone. She finally picked it up and dialed. When her mother answered she said, “I have someone I want you to meet.”
***
“It’s a terrible idea,” Pauline said once Brenna told her.
“What’s a terrible idea?” Tima asked entering the office.
Brenna stared. “What are you doing here?”
“I called her for backup once The Hurricane entered your office,” Pauline said.
“I’m able to handle him on my own.”
“That’s why you’re agreeing to this ridiculous idea?”
“What idea?” Tima asked. Brenna told her and Tima grinned. “I think it will be fun.”
Pauline scowled, raising her forefinger in the air. “This one act is sending feminism back generations.”
“I’m not
“Of course you do. You’re here.”
“I stayed for the food not the company.”
He glanced down at his chest.
“What are you doing?”
“Since you’ve just stabbed me through the heart, I thought there might be blood.”
Brenna reached out and patted his hand. “You’re made of stronger stuff.”
“I’m not so sure. So why aren’t you married?”
“Usual reasons.”
“It seems odd that a matchmaker isn’t matched herself.”
“You’re in medical supplies. Do you use bedpans or walking frames?”
Hunter fell back, covering his heart. “Withdraw your sword madam.”
Brenna laughed then bit her lip as her idea grew stronger in her mind. He would be perfect. Absolutely perfect. He could easily fool her mother. Stephen was right. She couldn’t tell him to take risks if she didn’t take any of her own. She decided to ignore caution and said, “If you do me a favor, I’ll go to the banquet with you.”
Hunter rubbed his hands together prepared for the task. “Yes. What is it?”
“I want you to meet my mother.”
His enthusiasm crumbled. “The one that drives men insane?” He lifted a brow. “You really don’t like me very much.”
“You’ll be able to handle her. I just need a man to take to dinner so she’ll see that I have a social life.”
“But you don’t.”
“And you don’t have a fiancée, but you’re willing to produce one.” Brenna waited, hoping she hadn’t asked too much. He had every right to say no.
He poured more lemonade into his glass and took a long swallow. He looked at her pensive. “Dinner with your mother.”
“That’s it. One night.”
Brenna could almost see his mind weighing the pros and cons. “Is she a good cook?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
She was so happy she leaped out of her seat. She quickly recovered herself and sat back down. “Great.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Were you going to give me a hug?”
“No.”
Hunter held out his arms. “I don’t mind.”
She ignored him. “You’ll need a crash course.”
“In what?”
“How to survive a night with my mother.”
He stood. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“You need to be prepared,” she insisted, hoping to convince him to stay a while longer. She liked having him there.
“Fine. We can discuss it another time. Here’s my card.” He reached down and then realized he wasn’t wearing his jacket. He looked at her then reached over, opened the jacket covering her shoulders, and retrieved a card. His hands brushed her side. “Here.”
Brenna took the card and slipped out of the jacket as though it were crawling with spiders. It suddenly felt far too intimate. “I’ll call you.”
He stood and opened the door. “I’ll have people come by early tomorrow and clear the table,” he said then left.
She blew out the candles, the sunlight casting strips of light across the floor.
Hunter suddenly reentered the room. “I forgot something.”
“What?”
Without warning, he brushed his lips against hers. “There. Now our bargain is sealed,” he whispered then as quickly as he’d arrived he disappeared.
Brenna sat behind her desk trying to dismiss the kiss even as it lingered on her lips. It was no big deal, she assured herself. She sat staring at the phone. She finally picked it up and dialed. When her mother answered she said, “I have someone I want you to meet.”
***
“It’s a terrible idea,” Pauline said once Brenna told her.
“What’s a terrible idea?” Tima asked entering the office.
Brenna stared. “What are you doing here?”
“I called her for backup once The Hurricane entered your office,” Pauline said.
“I’m able to handle him on my own.”
“That’s why you’re agreeing to this ridiculous idea?”
“What idea?” Tima asked. Brenna told her and Tima grinned. “I think it will be fun.”
Pauline scowled, raising her forefinger in the air. “This one act is sending feminism back generations.”
“I’m not
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