Page 29 of Falling for the Maverick

He smiled. “You’re right about that.”

* * *

Lucas led Michelle up the porch steps. She would be the first woman he’d invited into his home, other than relatives. Days before the wedding, the house was filled with Brandts occupying every bedroom. A few had even bedded down on the convertible sofa in the basement that doubled as an entertainment/family room. It had been one festive sleepover, and when everyone left, Lucas felt their absence so acutely that he’d experienced loneliness for the first time in his life. Everyone returned to their homes in Bronco; Tiffany was on honeymoon with her husband; and Lucas had wandered in and out of rooms with Flash as his shadow.

He opened the front door and let Michelle proceed into the entryway, watching her closely as she looked around. “I had nothing to do with choosing the furnishings for this place.”

She turned to face him. “Who decorated it?”

“I had help from my mother. I sent her photos of the rooms, and she made suggestions. There were aspects I liked and others I did not, so ultimately we reached a compromise. As soon as I put the dessert in the fridge, I’ll give you a tour.”

“Should I take off my boots?” she asked, slipping off her jacket and hanging it on the coat-tree.

“No, bae. Your boots are fine. I leave my work boots in the mudroom.”

“But your floors are spotless.”

“That’s because I don’t have any kids.” His home required very little upkeep because he was the only one who lived there. Every morning he used a special mop to pick up the dog hair from the wood floors throughout the house. With the cooler weather, he put down area rugs throughout the first and second floors.

Michelle paused, gazing up at the cathedral ceiling. “How many rooms are in this house?”

“Four bedrooms, three bathrooms on the second floor. There’s another bathroom in the basement and a half bath off the kitchen.”

“It’s larger inside than it appears outside.”

“A lot of people have said the same thing. The house is mostly constructed of salvaged timber and reclaimed wood and stone. The stone wall with the woodburning fireplace really plays up the scale of the great room, which also makes it appear larger than it is.”

She smiled as she took in the furnishings. “I really like the blue leather sectional.”

“That was something my mother and I could agree on without question.”

“It’s perfect for the navy, delft and cobalt-blue geometric shapes on the white area rug.”

“You have a good eye for color,” Lucas said.

“Art was my minor in college.”

He suddenly realized there was so much he didn’t know about Michelle Corey. Tiffany said she had taught in Missoula but returned to Tenacity to volunteer at her grandmother’s daycare. Lucas wondered why she had given up a teaching position to volunteer. Who or what had forced her to come home?

“Are you hungry? I marinated some steaks earlier today, and I can put them on the grill if you want to eat now.”

“No, I’m good. I ate lunch while the cakes baked.”

Lucas peered at the cupcakes through the cover of the carrier. “These look delicious, but I don’t think they’re going to hang around for very long.”

“How tall are you and how much do you weigh?”

“Six-two and two-twenty.” Lucas chuckled. “I probably weigh twice as much as you do.”

“No, Lucas. I weigh more than one-ten.”

“How much more?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“Why don’t women want to tell their age or weight?”

“Because there are some things we need to keep secret.”