The Widow's Bachelor Bargain. Teresa Southwick

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СКАЧАТЬ than he needed for his business, so he leased out the extra space. Sloan figured since he’d be working under the same roof as Brady, their paths would cross, and he was looking forward to meeting Maggie’s brother.

      Having visited on more than one occasion, Sloan knew where his cousin’s office was located. After pushing the button for the correct floor, he rode the elevator up. The car stopped and the doors opened into a spacious waiting area. There was a reception desk straight ahead where Burke’s assistant, Lydia, normally sat. She wasn’t there now, so he walked over to the closed door, knocked once, then went inside.

      “Hey, Burke, I—”

      Sloan stopped dead in his tracks. His cousin was there, all right, holding a beautiful brunette in his arms while kissing her soundly. He recognized the lady. Sydney McKnight, Burke’s fiancée. The scene in front of him was different from the usual all-work-all-the-time environment, and Sloan was beginning to wonder if he’d taken a tumble down the rabbit hole. His morning had started off with him entertaining a two-year-old before breakfast—not what normally happened in the five-star hotels he frequented, although not altogether objectionable, either. He’d been complimented on everything from his business expertise to the length of his eyelashes. But never had a flattering remark pleased him more than Maggie saying he was good with kids.

      Now he’d accidentally intruded on a private moment. Instead of looking embarrassed, Burke proudly held on to his woman and grinned.

      “Sloan,” he said, “welcome to Blackwater Lake. You know Sydney.”

      “I do.” He closed the door and moved closer to the desk, a little surprised his cousin hadn’t brushed aside all the files and paperwork to have Sydney right there. Then again, Burke was a professional and would never do anything to compromise his employees or the woman he loved...no matter how much the intense expression in his blue eyes said he wanted her. “Hi, Syd.”

      “Sloan.” She managed to wriggle out of Burke’s arms and stood beside him, her cheeks a becoming shade of pink. “How are you?”

      “Fine.” Mostly. But he was feeling a little weird about this encounter and not entirely sure why. “Do I need to ask how you two are?”

      “Spectacular,” Sydney said, gazing up with love in her eyes at the man next to her, then back to him. “Very glad to see you.”

      “I doubt that,” Sloan said, “but I’ll play. Why are you glad to see me?”

      “My reasons are purely selfish.” She shrugged.

      “You mean, it has nothing to do with you pining after me?” he teased.

      “Sorry.” She glanced up at her fiancé. “With you here, Burke will have help shouldering the workload and maybe have more time for me.”

      “Ah.”

      “You know if I were single I’d do it for you, cuz.” Burke looked and sounded like the soul of innocence, but it was an act.

      “You’re full of it.” Sloan met his cousin’s gaze. “But because I like Sydney, I’m happy to pick up any slack so the two of you can have couple time.”

      “Family time, really,” Burke amended. “We try to include Liam as much as possible.”

      Sloan knew Burke and his son, Liam, had been through a rough patch when they moved to Blackwater Lake. Syd had been a bridge over troubled waters. But that had worked both ways when Burke had helped to convince her widower dad that she didn’t have to be settled in a relationship before he could move on with his life. As it happened, the two of them had ended up falling in love and Burke had proposed a couple of months ago at her father’s wedding to Loretta Goodson, the mayor of Blackwater Lake, Montana.

      “How’s Liam adjusting?” Sloan asked.

      “Great.” Burke looked thoughtful. “He’s got friends. He’s playing sports and doing well in school.”

      “That’s good to hear.” Sloan heard an edge to the words and hoped no one else had. It wasn’t that he begrudged his cousin’s happiness, but this whole perfect-life, happily-ever-after thing was starting to make his teeth hurt.

      “Well,” Syd said, “I have to get to work. My boss is very demanding.”

      Sloan knew she worked for her dad at the family-owned garage in downtown Blackwater Lake. Even if he hadn’t, her khaki pants and matching shirt with a McKnight Automotive logo on the pocket would have been a clue.

      Burke leaned down and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Have a great day. Say hi to your dad for me.”

      “Will do.” She walked to the door. “See you later, Sloan.”

      “Right. ’Bye, Syd.”

      When they were alone, he sat in one of the chairs facing his cousin’s desk. “She’s too good for you, Burke.”

      “Don’t tell her that. I want to pull the wool over her eyes until we’re married and she’s stuck with me.” He stared longingly at the door where she’d disappeared. “All I can do is my damnedest every day to be the best man I can be and make her happy.”

      If he had any doubts about his cousin’s commitment to Sydney, they would have disappeared at the lovelorn expression on his face. Sloan had mixed feelings. On one hand, he was very glad to see Burke so happy. On the other, he knew this signaled the end of any bachelor-type fun with his best friend.

      And suddenly it hit him what had been bothering him since walking in on Syd and Burke. He felt as if he was on the outside looking in. Alone. Lonely and a little bit envious. What a shallow bastard he was, with a healthy dose of selfishness thrown in for good measure.

      Until this moment, he hadn’t realized how much he’d been looking forward to hanging out with Burke and doing what bachelors did. Commitment changed everything and for Burke’s sake, he hoped it was for the better. For Sloan’s sake, it wasn’t, but he couldn’t help thinking about his luscious landlady and the until-death-do-us-part vow she’d made to the man she’d loved and lost. Had it been worth the price she’d paid and was still paying?

      That thought made him more curious than he wanted to be about Maggie Potter.

      * * *

      In her office above the Harvest Café, Maggie stared at the spreadsheet displayed on her computer monitor. A few minutes ago the numbers had all looked good, but now she couldn’t tell. Her eyes were starting to cross and everything blurred together.

      When her vision cleared, she glanced at her watch and couldn’t believe it was already two-thirty in the afternoon. On top of that, she hadn’t eaten lunch. Downstairs the noon rush was probably over, making this a good time to grab some food.

      She took the stairway right outside her office and walked down to the first floor, entering the café through a back entrance into the kitchen. The bowls, plates and utensils in the stainless-steel sink and on food preparation areas showed signs of exactly how rushed the rush had been, and it was good news for their bottom line. Her partner was standing in the doorway between front and back, keeping an eye out for customers.

      “My head is about to explode,” Maggie said. “Any chance of getting something to eat?”

      Lucy СКАЧАТЬ