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This meant more hours alone with Eva.
Cole worked off his boots in the mud room, his thoughts in chaos. He reallydidwant to help her out, but he’d have to rein in his heart in a big way, or she’d never believe his concerns were sincere about West. He just had to get Eva to see for herself that West didn’t appreciate her like he should.
That shouldn’t be too hard, right? All Cole had to ask is what his brother had actually done for her lately.
Actions spoke louder than words.
He wandered into the laundry room. Once again, his jeans weren’t anywhere, or the rest of his laundry. Had his momma taken off with his load somewhere? But she certainly wasn’t strong enough these days. His mind shot straight to Eva—she’d teased him about those jeans, and she certainly would’ve been bold enough to try to give him a makeover.
Cole saw that West had a load of laundry in the dryer. He dug out some blue shorts and an ugly sweater. He grimaced. This wasn’t a makeover, it was a makeunder, but these would have to do until he found his own clothes.
He rushed upstairs and sagged in relief when he got off his mud-caked clothing. Stepping into the shower, he turned the knobs until he had the hottest temperature that he could stand. He gulped in grateful breaths as the heat sprayed off the filth from the day. The water massaged his shoulders, sinking deep into his tight muscles, loosening them, and performing miracles, as far as he could see, as it also washed away his worries from the day.
Cole might’ve taken a little long to leave the comfort of that shower, and by the time he did, his skin was red, but it had been so worth it.
He could face Eva now. Grabbing West’s clothes, he tugged them on, grimacing at the soy boy he saw in the mirror. His brother was such a… hipster. And now Cole was! Ugh. There was nothing for it. He made his way downstairs in his bare feet.
Eva was at the kitchen island, wearing a soft pink bathrobe and pajama bottoms patterned in yellow ducklings. She was putting together a sandwich from the fixings in the fridge. His stomach growled at the sight. He’d forgotten to eat breakfast this morning in his rush to escape his fate.
Little good that had done. Cole was meant to talk some sense into Eva.
She glanced up at him when he reached the bottom of the stairs. Her wet hair curling around her back and shoulders swung as she stepped back. “Oh, look at you! Out of those jeans again.” She let out a wolf whistle. “I likee.”
He cracked a smile. “Don’t be weird about it, embryo. Someone stole the last laundry load, and by the way… if that was you, Eva… Iwillhave my revenge.”
“What? Me?” She hurriedly slabbed mayonnaise against his momma’s homemade wheat bread, only confirming his suspicions. “Is it possible to steal those jeans? I thought they grew on you like a second skin.”
“Very funny.” He shook his head. “You want me to dress more like West, is that it?”
“Uh huh.” Her eyes twinkled at the joke. “I want to get you into a suit.”
Cole rolled his eyes. “Forget it.” He stepped in front of the fridge before she could get the mayonnaise back in there. “What will it take for you to give me back my clothes?”
“Hmm.” She thought long and hard. “Agree to come on a shopping spree with me.”
With what money? I’d never take hers.“Nice try. What else?”
“Teach me how to be a rancher.”
“You really want to be…?”
“Yeah, and I want you to take my pumpkin festival ideas seriously. You shot down every fun idea that I had.”
This was getting interesting. “So, we have to do all these things or just one?”
“All. Oh, and I want to set you up with Ashley.”
He groaned. “After those texts she sent you?”
“Uh…” She wrung her hands. “It wasn’tthatAshley… a different one… silly.”
He sighed. But maybe it was for the best. Agreeing to her matchmaking schemes might be just the distance that they needed so that he could set both of their minds at ease. “Okay,” he said.
She seemed surprised. “Okay?”
“Yeah, give me my jeans.”
“I will tomorrow… and more.”
