She shook her head. “He said he would be here.”
“Can you trust him?” he asked, and he wasn’t asking out of jealousy now. He understood why she needed to talk to her lawyer in person. The man had assured her that the ranch was safe, but Brett knew Trish needed some proof from her lawyer to relieve the fear Brett had seen in her since her mother’s visit.
“I thought I could,” Trish said. “But I’ve trusted the wrong people before.”
Like her own mother and her ex-husband. He wanted her to know that he wasn’t like them.
“You can trust me, Trish,” he promised. “I would never lie to you or try to manipulate you.”
He only wanted to support her. And it wasn’t because she was pregnant and vulnerable like Frankie had said; it was because she was Trish. She was strong and creative and sweet. And he’d fallen for her and for the babies she carried. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, and he certainly hadn’t wanted to.
But he had, even though he knew that she wasn’t ready for a relationship so soon after her divorce. He had to accept that she might never be ready.
But just as he’d vowed to help his brothers run the ranch and protect their relationships, they could do the same for him. If Trish was ever ready, Brett figured he just might be able to make a relationship work without anyone or anything suffering. Not even him.
* * *
Trish wondered aboutBrett’s sudden intensity. Did he think she still had doubts about him and his brothers? That she still wondered if they could be the con artists that Nolan had made them out to be?
She’d seen with her own eyes how hard they worked on the ranch. And in the books, she’d seen how little they’d been paid for all that hard work. They were good men who’d helped out her father, not because they knew they would be in the will, but because they were just good men. Selfless and honest and so willing to help anyone and everyone.
Brett had been so helpful to her in bringing her plans for the ranch to fruition. She’d even caught him feeding and caring for the petting zoo animals that he’d helped her pick out. He seemed particularly drawn to the skunk, maybe because it couldn’t protect itself anymore. And Brett was just naturally protective of everyone around him. Of his siblings. And of her.
He was being protective of her at this party, too, sticking close to her side, introducing her to everyone and making sure that they were nice to her.
She knew that he was protecting her. She didn’t need his protection, though, because everyone was so friendly and warm. But she did appreciate how close he stuck to her. He looked so handsome today in dark jeans, a white Western shirt and his black cowboy hat and boots. Her heart fluttered every time she looked at him, and her skin tingled from how he held her hand.
Other people had noticed. Sadie wasn’t the only one who’d caught their hand-holding and smiled. Lem had hugged them both, and she’d heard some of the others murmur, “Sadie strikes again.”
Sadie had had nothing to do with Trish’s feelings for Brett. They were all because of him, because he was such a good man. She’d been determined to only love her babies and put them first. But she couldn’t imagine Brett ever hurting them or anyone else.
Not even her.
He was too selfless to do that; he always put everyone else before himself. It would have been impossible for her not to fall for a man like that. But knowing how willing he was to make sacrifices for everyone else—that was the last thing she wanted him to do for her. She had to make sure that the ranch was safe for him because he’d made it clear over and over how he intended to always put that and his family first.
“I know I can trust you,” she assured him. She could also love him, if it wasn’t so soon after her divorce. But had she ever had a real marriage?
Harold wasn’t who he’d pretended to be when they’d started dating, so she hadn’t ever felt as close to him as she already did with Brett. Most of her marriage, they’d lived separate lives. She’d gotten married to start the family she’d always wished she’d had, a family like the Havens—full of love and affection and acceptance. But she’d been more alone in her marriage than she’d ever been. So no, it wouldn’t be too soon for her to fall for someone else when that someone was a man like Brett, who was genuine and dependable and honorable.
Tears stung her eyes as emotion overwhelmed her.
She did love him. She loved him so much that she would give up her share of the Four Corners if there was any chance that Harold and her mother could get a piece of it.
“Where is Nolan?” she muttered. She needed him to assure her that the ranch was safe.
“Nolan?” a female voice repeated.
Trish was surprised to see the ER nurse standing next to her in the kitchen. “Sue, right?” she greeted her. She’d only met the woman once, so she didn’t think she was here to welcome Trish home to Willow Creek. Was she related to the Havens as most of the town seemed to be either by blood or marriage?
She noticed the woman’s ring finger was bare. And then Bob, Brett’s dad, appeared behind her. His face was flushed, and so was hers, like they’d either been arguing or they were just embarrassed.
“Uh, welcome back to Willow Creek,” Sue said. “I just wanted to say that before I left…” She looked anxious to get out of there.
Trish could see how it might be overwhelming to be around so many people and kids. But as an ER nurse, the woman would be used to chaos.
“I’m glad you came,” Trish said, although she was also confused.
“Look who else finally strolled in…” Frankie remarked. Like Brett, she’d been keeping close to Trish, probably being as protective as he was. “The sleazeball lawyer…”
