Read Online The Backup Plan by Sherryl Woods - Free Book Online

not suggesting that I’m lying to you,” he said with a trace of feigned indignation.
    â€œThat’s exactly what I’m suggesting,” she retorted.
    â€œWhy would I want to keep you and Bobby apart?” he asked, feigning innocence once more.
    â€œI was wondering that very thing myself. I don’t understand it today any better than I did ten years ago when you made up a whole passel of lies to try to come between us. What is it, Cord? Can’t you bear the thought of your brother being happy?”
    â€œWith you?” he asked with such blatant skepticism that Dinah winced.
    â€œHe loves me,” she retorted.
    â€œIs that so?”
    â€œHe proposed to me.”
    â€œWhen exactly was that?”
    â€œA while back,” she said, unwilling to admit just how long ago it had been.
    â€œTen years,” Cord said, proving he knew more than Dinah had suspected. “And you assume he’s been sitting around here pining for you all this time? How insulting is that? Bobby and I may not be a bit alike, but saint that he is, he’s still a man with needs, if you know what I mean.”
    As smart and intuitive as Dinah had always thought herself to be, she was forced to concede that she’d never seriously taken into account the possibility that Bobby might have moved on. She assumed he’d dated, but she’d only considered then dismissed the possibility he’d found a new love of his life. But maybe Cord was right. Maybe she was taking Bobby’s affections for granted. In light of the deep feelings she’d developed for someone else during the past ten years, she had to ac knowledge the possibility Bobby had indeed found someone else.
    Studying Cord, she asked, “Is your brother involved with someone else?”
    Cord seemed to be debating the answer to that one, but he finally said, “You’ll need to ask him that your-self. I got in the middle of your business once. I won’t make that mistake again.”
    â€œMeaning he isn’t, but you wish he were,” she concluded with a little sense of triumph. Or was it relief she felt?
    â€œNo, meaning this is between the two of you,” Cord responded flatly.
    His careful dance around the question echoed what Maggie had told her, which was more disconcerting than Dinah cared to admit. They both implied that they were leaving out an important truth that they thought only Bobby had a right to share with Dinah. She decided to try to get to the bottom of it, though she’d probably have better luck with Maggie than with Cord. He had a stubborn streak that Maggie didn’t share. Still, Cord was here and her best friend wasn’t. She might as well push him a little and see what happened.
    â€œIt would be between Bobby and me if you’d given him my message,” she said. “As it is, you’re right in the thick of it, Cordell. Why is that? Surely you’re not jealous.”
    His low chuckle grated on her nerves. It spoke volumes about what he thought of that explanation.
    â€œIt’s not as if I’m a bad catch,” she grumbled.
    â€œYou’d be a challenge, no question about it,” he replied, his smirk still firmly in place. “In fact, if I had to comment, I’d say you’re too much woman for my brother.”
    â€œNow who’s being insulting to Bobby?” she retorted. “Bobby can handle me.”
    â€œIs that so? Then this ridiculous backup plan the two of you hatched was his idea? He talked you into it?”
    She frowned at that. “No.”
    Cord cupped his ear. “What was that? Did you say no?”
    â€œIt would never have worked if Bobby and I had got ten married ten years ago. He knew that,” she said defensively.
    â€œBut it will work now?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œBecause you’ve gone round the world sowing all your wild oats, so to speak?”
    â€œI didn’t sow any oats, dammit. It