Unmasking The Maverick. Teresa Southwick
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Brendan thought. For some reason he didn’t completely mind the invasion. He had liked Luke Stockton the first time they met and hadn’t changed his mind since he’d been here at Sunshine Farm. His blue eyes projected honesty, integrity, and the deep tan was a result of hard outdoor work.
He shook hands with Brendan, then looked at Fiona and his nephew. “Your sister was getting worried. About you. And keeping up with Jared.”
“Oh, please.” Fiona rolled her eyes. “I’m onto this little man.”
“I see you two have met,” Luke said, glancing between her and Brendan.
“We introduced ourselves,” she confirmed.
Luke took the squirming little boy, who was holding out his arms. Probably hoping this time he’d get put down. But Luke held him tight. “What are you up to, jackrabbit?”
“He’s not happy,” Fiona said. “Brendan wouldn’t let him juggle the saw blades in his toolbox.”
“You’ve got a mean streak,” Luke teased.
“That’s me. Making kids cry. It’s a gift,” Brendan said.
“Yeah. Speaking of gifts...” Luke looked at Fiona. “This guy can fix anything from a can opener to a car engine.”
“So I heard.” Fiona’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “You’re working him so hard the poor man hardly has time for anything else.”
“Me?” Luke shook his head. “I just mentioned to a couple of people that he’s got some skills repairing broken things. It’s not my fault folks in Rust Creek Falls ran with it.”
“So he should be flattered while working his fingers to the bone?” She folded her arms over her chest.
Luke lifted the wriggling kid above his head and got a snort of laughter out of him. “It’s clear to any enterprising person that there’s a need around here for this kind of service. I’m trying to talk him into opening a repair shop.”
“And?”
Brendan noticed a questioning look in her eyes, along with something that might have been female interest. If he was right about that, the attraction was mutual. “And I keep telling Luke that I will likely be gone in a few months.”
“That’s not a definite,” the other man said. “I’m telling you there’s money to be made and we need to spread the word.”
“If there’s one thing folks in Rust Creek Falls are good at, it’s talking. It’s almost a competitive sport around here,” she joked.
“A business venture isn’t the only reason to stick around.” Luke glanced at Fiona, then back. “This is a close community with good people.”
Brendan couldn’t swear to it but he’d bet money that Fiona blushed.
All she said was, “This town has a charm, for sure.”
And then another redhead appeared in the workshop doorway, holding an identical version of Jared. That must be Henry. And if the feather he was tightly clutching in his little fist was any indication, he’d caught up with that unfortunate chicken.
“See?” He held it up proudly.
“So the party is in here.” This was Fallon Stockton.
Even if Brendan hadn’t already met her, he would have guessed a sibling connection to Fiona just because of the coloring. She was pretty enough, but...she wasn’t Fiona. And he was going to forget that thought had ever entered his mind.
“It is getting crowded in here,” Luke agreed. “Also it’s not a safe place to turn these little guys loose.” Again he held up Jared, who squealed with delight.
“Eva sent me to find everyone. Dinner will be ready soon. We have to get the kids washed up,” Fallon said.
“On it.” Fiona took Jared. “Nice to meet you, Brendan.”
“Likewise.” Politely he touched the brim of his Stetson.
“You should join us for dinner,” Luke said to him.
That caught him off guard. “I don’t know...”
“Eva cooks enough to feed half of Rust Creek Falls. On top of that, Fiona brought her famous four-cheese macaroni dish and it is not to be missed.”
“It’s kind of last minute,” he hedged.
“There’s plenty of food,” Fallon confirmed.
“Tell him, Fiona,” Luke urged. “He hasn’t lived until he’s tried your homemade mac and cheese.”
“I don’t like to toot my own horn.”
No one could accuse Brendan of picking up on social cues, but even he didn’t miss the obvious matchmaking. Apparently neither did Fiona. The look on her face said she could cheerfully strangle Luke Stockton.
“I appreciate the offer,” he said, “but I’m pretty busy here. I promised to have these things back in working order by tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Luke nodded. “If you change your mind, there will be a place set at the table for you.”
“Thanks anyway.”
A place at the table, he thought, watching them all walk away. A family thing. He hadn’t experienced much of that in his life and it was probably better for everyone if he stayed away. And by “everyone” he meant Fiona. He’d seen the wary look on her face when he’d been invited. It was so different from her smile when he’d used a basket of broken toys to fix a toddler’s tantrum. Damn it. He wanted to hang the moon for her again.
In battle it was an unwritten rule that you never left a man behind. But watching her leave made him feel as if someone was and he had a bad feeling that man was him.
* * *
At the house, Fiona made a dash for the bathroom to see just how bad she had looked for her meet and greet with the hunky new guy. Her worst suspicions were confirmed. The overall effect was almost as bad as if she’d been mud wrestling. Come to think of it, chasing after little Jared Stockton wasn’t much different, but still...
Red hair had escaped her ponytail and hung around her face. The freckles on her nose, which she hated more than anything except the five extra pounds on her hips, were like dots begging to be connected. It’s what happened when a girl didn’t put on makeup because, hey, it was just family.
If the universe had given her a clue that she would meet the best-looking man in Montana, she would have made more of an effort to minimize her flaws. No wonder he’d turned down the dinner invitation. That and Luke throwing her at the poor man.
Now that she had a little distance from the power of his sex appeal, she could finally think straight. It was probably for the best that he hadn’t come to dinner. The last time someone pushed her at a man, things ended badly. And that time it was public.
Fiona opened the bathroom door and nearly tripped over Jared, who was waiting for her. She picked him up. “Hey, bud, at least you love me.”
“Wuv you.” He put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her.
“You’re a heartbreaker in training, that’s what you are. Let’s go help Aunt Eva and Uncle Luke get dinner on the table.”
With the child in her arms, Fiona walked down the hall and found her way to the dining room. It was crawling with Stocktons. Altogether there were seven Stockton siblings, but only four were here. The oldest, Luke, sat at the head of the table next to his new wife, Eva Armstrong. Bella was a Jones now, married to her husband, Hudson. Daniel Stockton and his wife, Annie, had a preteen daughter, Janie. Last was Jamie, who was married to Fiona’s sister Fallon.
The family had been split up after their folks died. In recent years they’d been coming back together, and these Sunday