“She’ll be here soon enough, son. You’re not goin’ to make her drive any faster by wearing a path in my porch.”
The sound of rubber crunching on gravel had Cash’s chest swelling with hope. The wordsshe’s herebrushed across his mind like the soft caress of a woman’s hand, something he’d been thinking about for most of the day. He trotted down the steps and opened Rubi’s door as she pulled the keys from the ignition.
“Well, hello there.” She grinned up at him, and Cash took a second to remember how to breathe. With her blond hair looking like someone had dug their fingers into it while kissing her soundly, she was a sight.
He offered his hand to help her from the vehicle. “Hello to you too.” She took his hand, all softness and grace, and he pulled her up and right next to him. She tipped her chin, and he had the crazy desire to kiss herhello,how are you, andhang on a secondbefore letting her take another step.
A car door slammed, and it was only then that Cash realized there were other people in the vehicle. He stepped back, allowing Rubi out so he could shut the door. The clicking latch did good things to his heart. That click meant Rubi was going to stick around awhile.
“Cash Lowell, this is my sister, Carolyn; my friend, houseguest and agent, Bobby; and my biggest fan and bestest friend, Melanie.”
“Nice to meet y’all.” He nodded at each in turn. “This is my dad, Major Lowell.”
Melanie skipped up the steps and pecked a kiss on Dad’s cheek. “Major? Is that a title or a name?”
“A name. I was Private Major Lowell, ma’am.” He offered a salute and Melanie giggled. “I’m glad y’all could make it tonight. You’ll make Grace’s week bein’ here.”
“The pleasure’s all ours, I assure you,” said Bobby. Cash caught a quick glance between him and Carolyn and wondered if there was more to this house guest than pure intentions as far as Rubi’s sister was concerned. It was none of his nevermind. However, Bobby might be part of the reason Rubi was working on this divorce so diligently.
“Grace,” Dad called towards the screen door. “We’ve got guests.”
A few seconds passed with Rubi smiling shyly at Cash and Cash running his hand lightly up and down her arm. Something about having her here was right as rain. He was bursting to introduce her around. Not because she was some big-name actress, but because she was here for him and she was amazing. Simply amazing. Or, maybe there wasn’t anything simple about how amazing she was. He was having a hard time wrapping his head around all the emotions flowing through him at once.
“Watch out—here comes my mama,” he whispered in her ear, enjoying the sweet peach smell of her hair. What he would give to dighisfingers in there and do a complete job of kissing her shiny lips.
Her eyes widened slightly just before his mama burst through the front door. “Land sakes Major! don’t make the company stay out here when there’s a party goin’ on out back.” She leaned inside the house. “Mama Rita, you’ve got to come meet our guests.”
Grace waved them inside, stopping each one for a hug. Rubi was swept up by the tide of females that flowed in at the announcement of their arrival. Cash stayed as close as he could. He hooked a finger in her belt loop to make sure they weren’t separated as his Aunt Heidi linked her elbow and pulled her outto the backyard. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes telling him tocome hither.Cash wanted to growl, tug on that loop, and hightail it back to his cabin with Rubi in tow.
“Hey, y’all, come meet Cash’s girlfriend and her friends.”
“What have you been tellin’ them?” Rubi whispered in amusement. “Bragging about dating an actress?” she teased.
“Nope.”
Her brow wrinkled.
“I did mention you can eat two pieces of pie in under forty-five seconds, though.”
She elbowed him lightly in the ribs. “One and three quarters. You make me sound like a pig.”
He laughed. “Here, have a seat and I’ll find you a plate.”
She relaxed into the cushioned deck chair as three of his nieces approached. They looked at her like they were scared to say anything. Rubi waved them closer. “Hey y’all. Come on over and keep me company.”
They giggled and hurried across the redwood. Cash grinned at the sight of Rubi answering three questions at once. He shook his head as he moved to the food tables. All he seemed to do was bring this woman plates of food. To her credit, she ate them. He felt like bursting when he pictured her face covered in coconut cream and pie crust.
He scanned the yard and found Melanie deep in conversation with Brett’s brother, Chet. She was twisting her hair around her finger and had her hip cocked to the side as her eyes roamed over his broad shoulders. He’d been a wrestler in high school and took up boxing in college. Lots of girls looked at him like that. It wasn’t often that he looked back though. Not like he was looking right about now.
Carolyn was talking to his sisters, Lark and Tracy, who both had babies in their arms. She cupped the back of Tracy’s girl and cooed, making her smile. The image Trent had paintedof Carolyn being cold and heartless contrasted against the soft tears that fell as she accepted the baby into her arms. His heart went out to the woman. Cash couldn’t stand by and let Trent run all over this girl. As soon as he answered his dang phone, he’d have some more answering to do.
Bobby, the agent if he remembered correctly, was at the grill with his uncles and dad. The older men were trading fishing stories and Bobby was gobbling them up like a guppy. In no time, they’d have him out on the boat for night fishing. He’d have to warn Bobby about their little pranks before the guy ended up with bait in his pockets.
Knowing everyone was settled for the moment, Cash hurried into the kitchen to fix a plate for Rubi. He found his mama and grandma pulling out another bowl of potato salad and frying fresh hush puppies. They stopped talking when he entered the room.
“I know you’ve been talkin’ about me, so you might as well say it while I’m here.”
“Goes to show what you know,” said Nana. “We were talkin’ ’bout your lady friend.”
