Ethan took another swig of beer and almost choked as a hand slapped his back.
“You’re not starting without me, are you little brother?”
“You’re late.”
Cordell slid into the booth seat, grin wide. “I’m always late, just like you’re always early.” He picked up the beer Ethan had bought for him. “And just like you always have a beer waiting for me.”
Cordell took a quick swallow of amber liquid. “So what have you been doing all afternoon? Henry said you left after lunch.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. Cordell’s too innocent tone didn’t fool him. Ever since he’d told his twin he was heading into the backcountry with the Australian cowgirl his curiosity had been obvious.
“Doing a chore list an arm long for Henry. Why, what do you think I’ve been doing?”
Cordell’s blue eyes danced. “Nothing.”
“Has Henry mentioned anything about taking a trip? I’ve a travel book from Lesley for him.”
“Nope. But knowing him, he’ll be up to something. He’s always hatching some sort of plan.”
“He is.”
A grin shaped Cordell’s mouth. “Speaking of Henry’s plans ... how’s his latest one coming along?”
Ethan withheld a sigh. Cordell was worse than Milo with a bone when it came to asking questions about Bridie. “If you mean Henry’s matchmaking one between me and Bridie ...” He broke eye contact to toy with his beer bottle. He and Cordell never kept secrets from each other. “I can’t speak for Bridie but unfortunately for me it’s going ... well.”
Silence.
Ethan glanced at his brother but instead of amusement, seriousness sobered his gaze.
“How well?”
“Too well. We might be incompatible and she could be gone tomorrow, but I can’t ... stop thinking about her.”
Cordell nodded slowly, beer forgotten. “How do you know it’s not going ... well for her too?”
“Because, despite how together she appears, she’s in a world of pain. She won’t admit it, but this trip tomorrow is all about her letting go of her grief for her father. There’s no way a relationship would be on her radar. Then there’s also the obvious fact that a woman who says ‘surprise me’ with an unknown ice cream flavor wouldn’t fall for a man who always chooses safe and boring vanilla.”
Ethan expected Cordell to laugh. But he didn’t. “Ethan, we both know you’re not safe or boring. As for you being incompatible, when it comes to falling for someone, logic doesn’t always apply. Payton and I shouldn’t work. Our mile-wide stubborn streaks should mean that we spend our lives butting heads. But we don’t.” His lips twitched. “Besides according to Carol Bingley, Bridie and you seemed very ... compatible ... in the park.”
Ethan groaned. “Carol saw us? Great. Now she’ll have us married and expecting triplets by Thanksgiving.”
“Thanksgiving? Try Labor Day.”
Ethan didn’t smile. “Well, she can gossip all she wants, because it’s not happening. I’m not making things worse for Bridie and you know me, I’m not a risk taker.”
“Bridie might be worth taking every risk there is in the book.” Cordell raised his beer bottle to clink it against Ethan’s. “Besides you’ve already taken one huge risk. You’re a braver man than I am to spend two days alone in the mountains with a beautiful woman, let alone one you’re falling for.”
Chapter Five
A flash from the direction of the ranch house caused Bridie to turn in her saddle and to wave. Henry watched her and Ethan’s progress across the meadow as they left for their first mountain trip.
“Does he always need to know what’s going on?”
Ethan grinned. “Always. There’s very little that Henry misses.”
Bridie matched his smile. The sun warmed her shoulders, the saddle leather creaked in time to Molly’s steps and to their left an eagle soared. Bridie’s smile widened. Soon they’d be high in the mountains and from there the eagle would no longer resemble a wide-winged silhouette.
“You’re already enjoying yourself, aren’t you, and we haven’t been gone ten minutes?”
“I am.” Bridie chose her words carefully. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to take pictures in the wild country.”
She still couldn’t have Ethan know her real reason behind her drive to head into the wilderness. Even though she wasn’t alone and could grieve, she’d find a way to steal some time to herself. She urged Molly into a fast walk.
“There’s no rush,” Ethan said as he rode alongside. “We’ve got all day to get to where we’re going.”