Page 64 of Riverbend Gap (Riverbend 1)

He stepped away and glanced over his shoulder.

Avery stood on the kitchen threshold, gaze toggling between them. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” He turned and opened the cupboard over the stove. “Just helping Kate with the dessert dishes.”

She arched a brow at him. “‘Kate,’ huh?”

The fridge opened behind him with a sucking sound. “Oh wow. This looks delicious.”

“Need some help?” Avery’s voice was tight.

“I got it.” The air stirred as Kate brushed past him. A moment later the door clicked shut behind her.

Cooper pulled down two stacks of glass dessert dishes. He wasn’t looking forward to the coming confrontation. He knew how that moment with Kate must’ve seemed. And he couldn’t even admit she was in the middle of a crisis because Avery would want details.

“What was that about?”

“What was what about?”

“Don’t insult my intelligence. You were holding her hand and touching her face, and she was staring at you like...”

It was a sad state of affairs that he desperately wanted her to finish that sentence. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Here, make yourself useful.” He handed her one of the stacks.

When he tried to pass she grabbed his arm. “Cooper, you need to answer me. That’s our brother’s girlfriend you were ogling.”

“I haven’t forgotten, Avery.”

“Well, excuse me, but it kind of seems like you have.”

For crying out loud, he was doing his level best. How many times had he resisted pulling Kate into his arms and kissing her senseless? Didn’t he get any credit for that?

He jerked his arm away and headed toward the door. When he reached it he turned. A question burbled in his throat until he couldn’t hold it back any longer. “Just tell me one thing, Avery. Why’d you set her up with Gavin and not me?”

She gave her head a shake. “Seriously?”

“What? I’m not good enough for her?”

“Come on, Cooper. You run through women like I run through latex gloves.”

He flinched. “Maybe I’m just particular, ever think of that?”

“Cooper, please. You can’t do this to Gavin.”

“I’m not doing anything, Avery. There’s nothing going on.” He pinned her with a long, unswerving look, then proceeded outside.

***

As Gavin walked Katie to her car, quiet chatter carried from neighboring campsites, and crickets chirped from someplace nearby. She crossed her arms against the breeze that brushed her skin. She felt bad staying only an hour, but she was tired.

At the car she turned, yawning. “Sorry. I promise I’ll be more lively tomorrow night.”

“You’ve had a long day. How’d that meeting go with Mom and the marketing lady? You never said.”

“It went well, I think.” This would be a great time to mention that Beth was actually her mother, but it was late and she didn’t want to get into it tonight. “She seems to be drumming up a lot of interest in Trail Days. Your mom’s pretty excited about it.”

“I appreciate everything you’re doing to help her.”

“Your mom’s a doll. I might just be willing to walk through fire for her.”