Part 3 (2/2)

”Well, I hate to change the subject, but I have some good news to share with everyone,” Mac said.

Sam sat up straight and looked over at her expectantly. ”What's your good news?”

Mac was beaming brightly. ”Well, it's not really my my good news personally, but good news about people I care about. First, Ashton called yesterday to say that Nettie is expecting.” good news personally, but good news about people I care about. First, Ashton called yesterday to say that Nettie is expecting.”

”Wow!” Peyton said, clapping her hands. ”That's wonderful!”

”He didn't predict triplets again?” Sam asked, smiling. Everyone knew the story of how Mac's cousin had said Nettie would be having triplets-three sons-even after the doctor had convinced Nettie she would never have children.

”No, he says it's just one baby this time. A daughter,” Mac said, chuckling. ”And,” she continued, ”Luke talked to Slade last night. He and Skye are expecting.”

”I think we really do have a reason to go over to Twains after work to celebrate,” Sam said. She had met Skye at one of Mac's bridal showers and had immediately liked her. She was down-to-earth and friendly.

”I agree,” Peyton interjected.

Mac chuckled. ”Count me in.”

Sam nodded. She was happy for Nettie and Skye. They had fallen in love and married good men. Sam had met Ashton while she and Mac were roommates in law school. Sam had had a crush on him for a while. It was a man-in-uniform thing. As far as Slade was concerned, although he was Blade's twin brother, the two looked and acted nothing alike. Slade was handsome in his own right, but his disposition was entirely different from Blade's. They were like night and day. It was easy to see that Blade was a man who enjoyed women, and it was just as obvious that Slade was a man who could be loyal to only one woman. It was there in his eyes whenever he looked at his wife. Blade wouldn't know how to look at a woman like that. He wouldn't know the first thing about making a woman feel like she was the only one, mainly because with him she wouldn't be.

”Okay, it's time to get down to business,” Mac said.

Sam put her case files on the table. Mac was right. It was time to get down to business and that meant eliminating any thoughts of Blade Madaris.

Blade drove the rental car to the rodeo construction site. After he parked the car, he turned his attention to the men from Madaris Construction who were hard at work on what would be Luke's rodeo school.

Weather permitting, the project would be completed on time, and Luke's school would be finished by the end of the month. Mac was hoping to host a grand opening the first of June, which meant landscape work had to be finished by then, as well. The timing was good, since some of the same men on Luke's project would be working on the Mosley Building.

Blade got out of the car and pushed his Stetson back off of his forehead with his thumb. He hadn't had time to drop by and check on the progress at the site when he'd been in Oklahoma City a couple of weeks ago. In fact, he hadn't been to the construction site since the foundation had been poured.

The building was huge and consisted of two floors, which would give Luke all the s.p.a.ce he needed to teach others what he had been taught. From what Blade had heard, there was already a waiting list of eager rodeo students.

”You're back?”

Blade turned and saw Luke coming out of the barn. He couldn't help but chuckle and say, ”Hey, you could act like you're glad to see me.”

”Whatever,” Luke said, giving him a bear hug. ”Like I don't know the real reason you returned.”

Blade looked away and observed one of the men installing a window on the second floor. His cousin was the last person he would have told that he hadn't been himself lately. He'd done what he always did when he'd returned to Houston and had gone out with Wyatt and Tanner to their usual spots. But he hadn't had a burning desire to sleep with any of the women he saw there. He actually thought he was coming down with something until he'd figured out just what was wrong with him. The kiss he'd shared with Sam had done him in. He'd never kissed a woman that way without the two of them ending up in bed. That meant that he and Sam had unfinished business. In order for him to move on, he needed to get her out of his system.

”Any news from the home front?” Luke asked, prompting Blade to turn around and look at him.

Blade couldn't help but smile. ”I'm sure you've heard about Ashton and Slade.”

Luke nodded.

”And I don't know if you've heard about it yet, but Reese got a promotion,” Blade added.

”No, I hadn't heard,” said Luke. ”A promotion to what?”

”He's foreman of Madaris Explorations.”

Luke frowned. ”But that's Trevor's job.”

Blade chuckled. ”Not anymore.” Trevor was a family friend and had worked as their cousin Dex's foreman for years.

”Trevor is opening a facility to train ex-military men. It's for those interested in tactical military operations.”

”Sounds deep.”

Blade laughed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. ”Knowing Trevor, it will be. And I understand Drake Warren might be working with him at some point. And if Ashton ever decides to retire from the military, he'll be joining them, as well.”

Luke leaned back against the post. Blade could feel his cousin studying him. He looked at him. ”What's wrong?”

”You tell me. Why are you back?”

Blade took a breath and looked away momentarily to where three of his men were working on the roof of the building, installing s.h.i.+ngles. There was no way he was going to confess to Luke the real reason he was back in town, especially since Sam was Mac's best friend. Since getting married, Luke had become a d.a.m.n knight in s.h.i.+ning armor.

He glanced back at his cousin. ”I told you I would be coming back.”

”You said in three weeks, not two.”

Blade leaned against the post that was supporting Luke's weight. ”There are more permits I need to file at the courthouse for the Mosley Building,” he said. He didn't like having to explain his reasons for anything he did to anyone, not even Luke.

”That's it?”

Blade met Luke's gaze directly. ”Is there supposed to be more?”

”You tell me.”

Blade knew he couldn't very well do that. The less Luke knew of his plans for Sam the better. Besides, there were certain things he couldn't explain to Luke because he didn't understand them himself. Like why the women back in Houston had suddenly become uninteresting to him. While he had been home, he had begun to take a closer look at the women he'd been dating and had found them lacking, except in the bedroom. But now even that wasn't enough to hold his interest.

”There's nothing to tell. When is Mac coming home?” he asked, changing the subject.

The look Luke gave him let Blade know his cousin knew exactly what he was doing and that he wasn't taking the bait.

”Usually she's home by now, but she called a few minutes ago to say that she, Peyton and Sam are going for drinks after work to celebrate.”

”To celebrate what?”

”Ashton and Skye's news. They'll be going somewhere to eat afterward, so if you haven't eaten yet you might as well join me for dinner. And if you don't have a place to stay while you're in town, you know you're welcome to stay here.”

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