The Wedding Gift Read Online Free PDF Page B

was wasting her ability to sell sand to a Bedouin.
    She was just about to tell him the good news when the hostess appeared to escort them to the dining room. Julie had reserved a round table for eight. Amelia and her husband Ray arrived a minute later.
    When Amelia saw Jan, she stopped in her tracks. Ray’s eyes boinged out on springs.
    â€œI know,” Julie squealed. “She looks great, right?”
    â€œUh, yeah,” said Ray. At five-foot-five, he was still an inch taller than Amelia. He laid his brilliant smile on Jan. “I always knew there was a babe under those baggy T-shirts.”
    â€œShe’s no mere babe,” Amelia raved. “She’s a goddess!”
    â€œAnd,” Julie added proudly, “she’s finally getting her realtor’s license.”
    Mick swung around. “You are?”
    His wounded expression wiped the grin off Jan’s face. “I was waiting to tell you until after it came through,” she said. “I thought you’d be happy for me.”
    He flicked a glance at Cody, cheeks flushing. “I am,” he said quietly. “Really. It’s great.”
    Julie elbowed him. “What do you think of her new place? I don’t usually handle rentals, but it was too sweet to pass up.”
    Mick blinked, clearly dumbfounded.
    Jan worked her way around the table to him. “I haven’t signed the lease yet,” she said under her breath. “I was waiting to tell you—”
    â€œRight,” he said stiffly, a world of hurt in one word.
    â€œI’m sorry.” She touched his arm, turning him away from everyone’s straining ears. “I wanted to make a big deal out of it. Surprise you, you know?”
    â€œYou did,” he said tartly. Then he let out a resigned sigh. “It’s just that you’re changing everything all at once.”
    She smiled. “I told you. The New Jan Plan.”
    â€œWhat was wrong with the old Jan?”
    â€œYou mean the old Jan who lived with her mom, and hid her light under a bushel, and all the other things you liked to nag me about?”
    He pushed a hand through his hair. Shifted his feet. Rubbed his stomach.
    Poor Mick. She poked him. “You always told me—” she began. Then a movement caught her eye. She looked past Mick, and the rest of the sentence evaporated from her tongue as a tall, lanky cowboy ambled into view.
    It could only be Cody’s brother, Tyrell. She’d heard about him. Six-foot sexy, with sun-streaked hair, honey eyes, and a killer-diller smile.
    Somewhere in the far, far distance Mick muttered something disparaging about cowboy boots in Key West, but then Tyrell was shaking her hand and all she could hear was his gorgeous drawl telling her how happy he was to meet her, and wasn’t she a pretty little thing.
    She giggled. And giggled. And possibly got her name out, but she wasn’t quite sure.
    She’d fallen into a similar fugue state three months ago when she met Cody. Both brothers were cut from the same combustible cloth.
    Wow.
    Tyrell’s fiancée, Vicky, seemed to sympathize. She patted Jan’s arm. “He has that effect,” she stage whispered, “but trust me, he wears off fast.”
    Ten minutes later Jan had to disagree. She was still stealing looks at the brothers where they sat side by side.
    Mick was openly disgusted with her. “Quit staring, will you?” he hissed under his breath. “You’re not starting your sexual odyssey with the Brown boys. They’re engaged . And they’re practically family .”
    She tore her eyeballs away from them to wither Mick with a stare. “I’m well aware, Mr. Master-of-the-Obvious. But if they weren’t—”
    â€œPlease.” He eye-rolled. “Those guys are too experienced for a beginner.”
    â€œI’m not a beginner. I’ve—”
    He raised a no-details-please hand. “Let’s just say