Awakening Veronica(Divine Creek Ranch 17)(24)
Hank stroked her thigh again and broached a subject that Travis had been pondering earlier while she ate. “Veronica, don’t think I’m being rude, but how much sleep do you get on a regular basis?”
Veronica shrugged. “Not much. I don’t have a regular sleep habit. Did Grandma Kate tattle on me?”
Hank grinned and nodded. “Do you get eight hours most of the time?”
Veronica chuckled and shook her head. “No. I sleep in four to six hour stretches and nap when I need to. I’ve always been a night owl, and I’ve never been what you’d call a morning person. My family could never understand that, since I grew up on a ranch.”
“You said earlier you were a social underachiever in your family. Is that how they see you, or how you see yourself?”
“Both. They’ve always been pretty vocal.” Veronica looked around and said, “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about my family. I’m having a good time and I don’t want to spoil it. In answer to your earlier question, I sleep when I can and nap as needed. A lot of my writing is done at night.”
Hank touched her chin, instantly drawing her gaze. “How many hours did you get last night?”
Veronica lowered her eyes and licked her lower lip as she thought. “Three hours, I think. It would’ve been more but a story idea woke me up. That doesn’t happen very often and I have to run with it when it does. Sleep doesn’t matter when inspiration strikes.” She laid her hand over Hank’s, still resting on her leg, and held Travis’s hand in her gentle grasp as she seemed to gather her thoughts. The wine must’ve been getting to her because she wouldn’t have done that otherwise. He’d learned enough about her that day to know that much. “You don’t need to worry. I catch up when I can. And in Billings it’s no big deal. I don’t get out much, so there’s plenty of time for rest.”
“No man in your life?” Travis asked, taking the obvious opening.
Veronica sighed and shook her head. “I broke up with him last week before I came out to Texas. He was a cheater, and…” His senses went on alert when she raised her hand to her face and stroked her cheekbone. Travis knew then why Kate had suggested that Veronica might benefit from self-defense classes. He hoped for the chance to spend a little quality time with the cheating bastard who’d put the sadness in Veronica’s eyes.
“And what?”
“Nothing. He was a cheater. I loved him but I wasn’t enough to keep him happy. My brothers detest him. They would pummel him into dust if they knew…”
Hank leaned toward her, his gray eyes riveted to her face. “If they knew what?”
She blinked slowly and shook her head. “Nothing. It’s in the past. Did I tell you my brothers were famous? They’re my favorites. They like me.” Every time she said “nothing,” Travis’s mental radar pinged.
Hank met Travis’s gaze over her head and Travis slid the glass of iced tea close to her hand and took her empty wineglass and gave it to the waiter who passed by.
“Veronica, what do you mean they like you? Of course they like you. You’re beautiful and smart and funny, and you’re their baby sister.”
“Nope. I mean yep. I mean…I don’t know what I mean. Heck.” Veronica took a slow breath and let it out. “Cord and Jackson are the closest to me. They’re fraternal twins and they were both quarterbacks for the—”
“Billings Badgers?” At her nod, Travis and Hank both whistled in surprise. “Wow. Cord and Jackson Benedict are your brothers? I was sorry to see they retired.”
“Yup. Jackson’s doctor told him that to continue playing was too much of a risk. There are only so many concussions a body can handle.”
“They didn’t like your boyfriend?”
“No, but I don’t see them that often. Many a time, they’ve told me”—she adopted a deep manly voice, impersonating one of her brothers—“Nika, you need to dump that knuckle-dragger.” She sighed. “Sorry. I don’t drink very often. I probably sound silly.”
Travis knew that her sleep deprivation probably played a big role in how quickly she’d found her happy buzz and he didn’t want to take advantage of it…at least not too much. “They call you Nika?”
The smile on Veronica’s face was breathtaking. “Yes, but only when no one else hears. They don’t call me by the stupid nicknames the others use. They tried to stop them but it didn’t do any good. I don’t go home much so I don’t have to hear them that often.”