Lovers at Heart (The Bradens, Book One: Love in Bloom Series)

Chapter Thirty-Nine, Lovers at Heart

Chapter Thirty-Nine

THE SOUND OF hooves on pavement called everyone’s attention past the crunched vehicles and to the road. A beautiful woman riding a black stallion came to a stop at the end of their driveway. She flipped her long dark hair behind her back and settled her cowgirl boots into the shiny stirrups.

“Is that Jade?” Treat asked.

Rex spun around, practically salivating at the sight of her. “Jesus,” he whispered.

“Looks like someone got the best of your cars!” she hollered. She wore a flowing white dress, hiked up and bundled across her thighs.

“Earl Johnson’s girl?” Treat asked Rex. When Rex was in high school, he’d had an enormous crush on her. The Johnsons and the Bradens had been feuding for years, and Treat had always written that crush off as Rex wanting the forbidden fruit. But from the way Rex was looking at her, he could see that crush was still steaming hot.

Rex mounted Hope and looked over his shoulder at her, then turned away again. “One and the same,” he answered.

Treat didn’t miss the way his eyes narrowed as he drank her in, or the twitching of his biceps as he wrapped tight fists around Hope’s reins.

Hugh looked up from where he was inspecting the damage to the cars and shot an uncomfortable look at Treat. Treat glanced back at the house. Luckily their father had already headed inside to dig up a bottle of champagne to celebrate Treat and Max’s engagement. If their father caught them talking to a Johnson, they’d never hear the end of it, but being rude was not an easy thing to do to a beautiful woman. “Good to see you, Jade,” Hugh said in a low, tethered voice.

“Not quite a Ferrari, is it?” she teased his racecar-driving brother. She looked at Rex and said, “Good thing y’all weren’t on horses, huh?”

Rex’s jaw flexed double-time.

“I think she’s talking to you, Rex,” Max said.

Hugh looked back at his brother and shook his head. “We’ll be sending this wreck to your neighbor’s garage,” he said to Jade. Jimmy Palen owned the best body shop in Weston and owned the property on the other side of the Johnsons’.

“Jimmy’ll be glad to hear that.” Jade smiled, but Treat saw the hurt in her eyes when she looked at Rex again, who had ignored her comment. “See y’all around,” she said with a wave, then galloped down the road.

When she was out of earshot, Treat smacked Rex’s leg. “What the hell? You didn’t have to be such an ass.”

“I’ll talk to a Johnson when hell freezes over.” Rex gave Hope a quick jab with his heels and trotted off toward the barn.

“What was that all about? She was stunning.” Max couldn’t stop touching the ring on her finger.

“Hatfields and McCoys,” Savannah teased. “He loves her.” Savannah took Max’s arm and they headed toward the house. “He just doesn’t know it yet. Braden boys are thick that way.”

Treat watched Savannah drag Max away, swearing that chartering that plane had been the best thing he’d ever done.

The End

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Destined for Love