Rancher's Deadly Reunion by Beth Cornelison

Author:Beth Cornelison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-07-11T12:09:54+00:00

* * *

Brady ran a finger under the collar of his shirt, wishing he could loosen his tie. He’d never been cut out to wear a monkey suit like some white-collar stiff. Seeing the McCall brothers approaching, drinks in hand, he quit fidgeting and nodded a greeting.

“Right there with ya, bro.” Zane slapped him on the back and handed him a cold bottle of beer. “We appreciate the sacrifice for our parents’ sake.”

“More specifically, our mom’s sake. Dad’s humoring her with this dress-up business.” Josh took a pull of his beer and surveyed the room that was filling with friends and family. “If Dad had his way, this shindig would be barbecue with a bonfire, and the closest thing to an hors d’oeuvre would be those little pig-in-a-blanket things made from cocktail weenies.”

“Oh, those are great!” Zane said and patted his stomach. “Man, I could go for some of those about now.”

Brady grinned and nodded. “I’m with you there.”

Josh raised his beer. “To cocktail weenies.”

The three laughed and clinked bottles. As Brady took a large swig of his brew, Piper entered the living room from the front hall. Brady sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of her, managing to inhale beer into his lungs. Covering his mouth to avoid spraying his mouthful, he choked the beer down, then resigned himself to a paroxysm of clumsy coughing.

Josh laughed and pounded his back. “Whoa. You all right? Remember how I told you not to drink and breathe at the same time? This is why.”

Brady flashed a half smile as the brothers guffawed, and he continued coughing.

“Funny,” he rasped, keeping his eyes on Piper as she drifted from one fawning guest to another. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one enraptured by the formfitting dress and high heels that made her legs look especially long and shapely. Most every man in the room turned to stare as Piper made her way across the floor toward him.

“Day-um,” Zane drawled, but Brady only half listened as Piper’s brothers bantered.

“What?”

“I think I know why our friend here forgot how to drink. Look what just walked in.”

After a pause in the brothers’ exchange, Josh echoed his brother. “Day-um is right. Who knew she cleaned up so well?”

Brady wiped his hands, damp from the beer bottle’s condensation, and cleared his throat one last time following his coughing fit. Piper’s eyes held his, her expression anxious as she strolled nearer.

“When did she become a girl?” Zane asked.

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it. We may have to punch some faces before tonight’s over. Do you see how Hannigan’s looking at her?”

Zane growled his disapproval, a low rumbling that echoed how Brady felt about the male attention Piper was receiving. Then Zane nudged his brother with his elbow and jerked his head, signaling they should leave. “Careful, Summers,” he said. “Remember, that’s our sister.”

As the two edged away, Josh’s expression read Yeah. What he said.

Piper frowned and slowed her steps when she saw her brothers depart. Too late

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