LITMIR.BIZ

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whistles of approval followed. Before taking a sip, Aria looked over and caught Brant’s smile. She was ridiculously pleased that he seemed to like her toast.

      “Now that we all have champagne,” Rosie said, “we should move this party into the kitchen. Aria’s going to make coq au vin.”

      Brant’s eyebrows lifted. “That sounds sexy and possibly illegal. I’m in.”

      “Down boy.” Lexi patted his chest. “It’s chicken cooked in wine.”

      “It’s way more than that.” Herb moved to the door and held it open as they all trouped inside. “It’s a dish fit for the gods.”

      Although Aria had faith in her cooking skills, she’d never put her work up against that of a highly paid chef. “I can’t promise a dish fit for the gods. Your chef in Jackson Hole probably studied in Paris.”

      “What chef are we talking about?” Once they were in the kitchen Brant emptied the rest of the champagne into Rosie’s and Lexi’s glasses.

      “The one who cooked their most memorable honeymoon dinner, which happened to be coq au vin,” Aria said.

      “No kidding? This is new information.” Dropping the empty bottles into a recycling bin, Brant turned to Cade. “Do you remember hearing anything about this?”

      “No, but they got married, so it stands to reason they’d have a honeymoon.”

      “Of course we had a honeymoon.” Herb leaned against the kitchen counter. “Three days in Jackson Hole.”

      Cade nodded. “There you go. So, logically, you had honeymoon food, and it stands to reason it would be fancy and pricey.”

      “Huh.” Brant polished off the last of his champagne. “I always figured honeymoon food would be booze and munchies.”

      Aria spoke without thinking. “Remind me never to go on a honeymoon with you.” Then she realized what she’d said and felt her cheeks warm. When Cade grinned at her, she braced herself for some teasing.

      But then he surprised her by turning to Brant. “I would never go on a honeymoon with you, either, Ellison.”

      Brant’s deep laughter filled the kitchen. “And here I was all set to propose, bro. Way to shoot a guy down.”

      “Seriously, Aria.” Cade gestured toward Brant with his champagne flute. “This guy may be able to double-fist a couple of champagne bottles, but after that, it’s nothing but chips and peanuts. Maybe some cheese. He has no concept of honeymoon-worthy dining. Keep that in mind.”

      “I will.”

      Brant shrugged. “I like things to be simple and straightforward. Nothing wrong with that.”

      “There is if you’re talking about that special time after the ceremony when you pull out all the stops,” Cade said. “Obviously, Dad knew that.” He set down his empty glass on the kitchen table. “But if we’re going to continue this discussion, we need more bubbly and I know where to find it. Be right back.”

      “We can drop the subject of our honeymoon.” Rosie opened the refrigerator and began pulling out ingredients. “It was a long time ago and I’m sure customs have changed.”

      “Have not!” Cade called out from the rec room.

      Rosie chuckled. “He’s really looking forward to having one, Lexi.”

      “I know. He probably will, eventually. Hey, Aria, Rosie and I can be your sous chefs, or whatever they’re called.”

      “No, you can’t.” Brant put aside his empty glass. “You’ve both worked hard all day while I’ve been sitting on my butt driving. Allow me to help Aria. The rest of you have a seat. We’ve got this.”

      Cade walked back into the kitchen with an unopened bottle of champagne. “Did I hear that right? Is Ellison, the chips and peanuts king, going to help prepare this fancy dish?”

      “I actually don’t need anyone to help.” Aria wasn’t sure she’d be able to concentrate with Brant standing right next to her at the stove. Earlier she’d thought of him as a calming presence, but he wasn’t having that effect on her now.

      “I promise not to get in your way.” His smile was endearingly genuine. “And I’m very good at taking direction.”

      “I’ll vouch for that.” Herb pulled out a chair for Rosie and motioned her over to it. “The guy knows how to listen.”

      “I reluctantly admit that’s true,” Cade said. “He may turn out to be good at this, after all. Mom, more champagne?”

      “Love some.” Rosie sat and allowed Cade to refill her glass. “If I’m not going to help cook, then maybe we should talk about what needs to be accomplished this weekend. I haven’t allowed myself to think about that today because Linus took priority, but those kids will be here before we know it.”

      “Even more reason I should be the one to help, so you guys can discuss academy stuff.” Brant turned to Aria, his expression hopeful. “Right?”

      “Right.” Dear God, what had she gotten herself into? First she’d offered to cook a dish that was loaded with significance for Rosie and Herb, and now she’d be working with a sexy cowboy. She relished a challenge, but this might be a bigger one than she’d anticipated.

      The four people sitting at the table obviously assumed she had the meal under control. Herb rounded up a pen and pad of paper while Rosie began outlining the weekend’s projects. Ringo snoozed in his bed tucked into a corner of the kitchen.

      Aria glanced over at Brant.

      He laced his fingers together and turned his palms out as he stretched both arms in front of him. Then he jogged in place. “Put me in coach. I’m ready to play.”

      She couldn’t help laughing. “All right. While I prepare the onions, you can cut the bacon into one-inch pieces, cover the pieces with water and boil them.” She pulled a saucepan out of the cupboard and handed it to him.

      “I’m boiling the bacon.” He sounded amused. “Can’t say I’ve ever done that before.”

      “You’re probably used to pan-frying it.”

      “To be honest, bacon isn’t my long suit.”

      “Well, this part is easy. Once you have it cut up and in the pan of water, turn the heat to high. When it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for ten minutes.”

      “I can do that.”

      “So what’s your long suit?”

      “I’m a pretty fair hand with toast.”

      “I see.” She wasn’t sure how he could be funny and sexy at the same time, but he pulled it off.

      “Okay, I’ll come clean. I don’t know anything about cooking.”

      “Then why did you volunteer to help me?”

      “Because I want to get to know you better.” He turned away and started cutting up the bacon as if he hadn’t just dropped a conversational bombshell.

      Her heart rate picked up. “Why?” Trying to be nonchalant, she filled another saucepan with water, set it on a burner and switched the heat to high.

      “I’m about to work with your foal. I want him to suit you.”

      So maybe his gesture had been strictly business-related. “But actually he needs to suit my brother, not me.”

      “I suppose that’s true. Then I’ll try this answer on for size. You intrigue me.”

      “Oh?” Maybe his motives weren’t strictly business-related. Maybe he was interested in her as a person. He even might be interested in her as a woman. She didn’t need that kind of complication in her life, so why was her pulse racing?

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