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

Chapter Fourteen, Lovers at Heart

SHOWING UP AT Treat’s father’s house had seemed like such a good idea when she’d first thought of it, but the sight of the sprawling brick home and several expensive cars around an enormous circular driveway had her second-guessing her plan. She parked behind a black Mercedes SLS and looked down at her clothes. Sneakers? What was she thinking? She nearly jumped out of her skin when someone banged on her window. She tried to smile when she saw Savannah waving, but she was too nervous to quite pull it off.

“Max! Hi!”

Left with no choice short of restarting the car and backing out of the driveway, she opened her door.

“Hi. Savannah, right?” What am I doing here?

Four of the most gorgeous men she’d ever seen were heading in her direction, each one more striking than the next. Behind them followed an older clone of Treat. OhGodOhGodOhGod.

“Yeah. We met at the festival.” Savannah waved at the dark-haired men.

Do they run a modeling agency here? GQ headquarters? She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the car window and quickly took her hair out of her ponytail and shook it free.

“What are you doing here?” Before Max could answer, Savannah said to the others, “This is Max. Treat’s Max.”

One of the men stepped forward. “Hi, Dane,” the man said.

Dane? The one who slept with Treat’s girlfriend? Max already didn’t care for him.

“We’re Treat’s brothers,” he said.

You mean GQ genes run in the entire family?

“This is Rex, Hugh, and Josh.” Each of the men stepped forward and shook her hand with a ready smile that lit up their handsome faces. Even with their good looks and fine physiques, none of them struck the same fluttery chord in her heart as Treat had. Where is he?

The older man stepped forward. “Max, it’s a pleasure to meet you, my dear. Welcome to the Braden ranch.” He stepped forward and embraced her.

“Oh, um…” She put her arms around him, feeling awkward and strangely comforted at the same time.

“We were just going to barbeque. I hope you’ll join us,” Hal said.

He put his arm around her and guided her toward the backyard before she could say a word. She didn’t miss the coy smiles and nods from the others as she was shuttled away. She wondered where Treat was.

“Thank you, sir. I actually—”

“Hal. There are no sirs on the Braden ranch unless you’re here to piss one of us off.” He smiled and continued walking toward the backyard, as if Max was an invited guest.

“Thank you. Hal, I actually came to see Treat. Is he here?”

Josh, with his tightly shorn hair and slimmer build, wearing slacks and a polo shirt, tended to the barbeque pit with jeans-clad Dane, whose dark eyes danced with mischief and curiosity as he snuck peeks at Max.

“Treat was called away,” Hal said.

“Called away?” she asked. “Do you know when he’ll be back? I could come back later.”

Hal was already on his way to Josh’s side. He slung an arm around his son’s shoulder in an easy, comfortable fashion. Max watched Savannah set another plate at the table as Hugh headed back inside and reappeared a minute later with a beer in his hand.

 “Did you get one for our guest?” Savannah asked with a nip of irritation.

“No, really—” Max interrupted, but Hugh was already on his way back inside.