* * * *
“Damn it, Reese. What were you thinking? Or should I ask what were you thinking with?”
Blane tracked his hand through his hair. Sometimes he wondered if Reese and he had really come from the same fertilized egg. His brother was more serious yet more apt to go and spontaneously erupt, throwing common sense and well-thought-out plans to the wind. Just like he’d done with Charlie.
“Back off, bro. It was time to lay our cards on the table.” Reese handed his credit card to Dutch, one of the town’s few fairies and a full-time mechanic, then confirmed that Charlie’s rented truck would be delivered to her doorstep later tonight. “Besides, she’s getting a free repair out of the deal.”
“Don’t remind me. The rental company should’ve paid for the repairs.”
“And it would’ve taken twice as long. I don’t care to let her borrow my horse for any longer than she already has.”
Reese was right about the horse. One of them needed to retrieve him as soon as possible. From what he could remember, the rental home didn’t have a barn or a corral.
“I thought we agreed to wait and take her together. Seems you not only blew the fact that we know who she is, but you’ve gotten a head start on getting to know her.”
Reese’s upper lip curled into a smirk. “Don’t worry about my getting to know her. She was cussing my name as she tore out of the house.”
“Even more reason for me to be the one to pick up the horse. Come on. You can drop me off at the road leading down to the rental house.” He spun on his heel and headed for Reese’s pickup with Reese following behind him.
“Don’t kiss her ass for me.”
“I’m sure you’ve already done that, too.”
“I don’t regret a thing.”
Blane couldn’t help but smile at that. His brother rarely ever regretted anything he did. Even when he knew it was the wrong thing to do.
“I’m sure you don’t, but I’d rather not have her thinking we’re both Neanderthals. She’s seen the rough one of the twins. Now I plan on showing her the better, the more romantic twin.”
“She won’t let you inside.”
“Don’t bet against me, brother. If I don’t get inside, then we’re going to have a hell of a time getting her to accept us as her mates.”
“What are you going to tell her?”
Blane slid into the passenger seat and waited for his brother to get behind the wheel. “About which thing? How we know her name or how long we’ve known she was in town? Or maybe I should explain that our mother dropped you on your head and now you can’t help what you say or do?”
Reese pulled the pickup into the road then stomped on the gas. “Watch it, man. I’m not in the mood.”
Blane snorted derisively. “If only you hadn’t been in the mood earlier.” He pointed at the local market. “Stop at the store and let me grab a couple of things. I think I know how to smooth things over with Charlie.”
Blane was in and out of the small market in a few minutes, which, in itself, was a small miracle. He usually got tied up by one of the older women in town who queried him with the same questions each time they saw him. When were he and Reese going to give up waiting for their mate to show up and go out hunting for her instead? Although he would’ve loved to tell them that she’d finally arrived—again—he didn’t want to jinx anything.
He threw his body into the seat and dropped the bag filled with two bottles of the best red wine in Forever—which wasn’t saying much—a loaf of French bread, a bottle of sauce, Parmesan cheese and pasta, all the makings of his favorite dish of spaghetti. He’d taken a lot of flak over the years for his love of cooking, but now it was going to come in handy.
“Put the pedal to the metal.”
Reese did as he commanded but added a grumble. “I don’t see why we both can’t talk to her.”
“Because, my dear brother, I’m going to mend fences with our woman, and I don’t want you around to tear them down again.”
“What if I swear to keep my trap shut?”
“Like you could ever keep that promise.” Blane looked out the window. The excitement he’d felt the first time he’d spoken with her ratcheted into higher gear. “You’ve had your alone time with her. Now it’s my turn.”
“What about the horse?”
“It’s taken care of. I called Rupert to go and fetch him later tonight.”
“How are you planning on getting home?”
Blane tossed his brother an amused look. “When did you turn into the Twenty Questions Man? You let me worry about how I get home. Just make sure Rupert remembers to be quiet when he gets Ripcord. I don’t want anything or anyone to disturb us.”