Can’t Hurry Love by Nadine Millard (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📗

us know how it goes with that hammer,” Brooke called breezily as she swept out into the afternoon sun.

Josh frowned in confusion and turned to see Beth glare at her friend.

“You doing some DIY?” he asked.

Apparently, he’d said something funny because she giggled as she reached out and grabbed a tray of brownies.

“If I’m lucky.” She laughed.

He knew he was missing something, but instinct told him he was better off not knowing.

“Bethy. Our saviour. Our only hope.”

Beth rolled her eyes at Seth’s dramatic greeting when she hobbled through the door of the main house later that day.

Josh had come back to pick her up when the bakery closed to drive her home.

It was only when they pulled up in front of the house, that she even thought of what she’d say to her brothers.

How she’d explain the fact that she was wearing his clothes, for example.

“What’s up, Seth?” she asked as she hobbled inside, Josh at her back.

“What’s up? We’re starving to death here,” he whined. “Oh, hey, Doc. You staying for dinner? You’re cooking, right, Beth? Because I don’t know how long the kitchen will survive any of us in it.”

“Er—“ Josh sounded hesitant.

“Stay if you want to,” Beth said quietly so Seth wouldn’t hear over his claims of starvation. “But don’t feel you have to. I know we’re not— I mean…”

Well, this was awkward.

“I know dinner with the family is a bit… intense after one date. Not that it was a date. I mean, I’m not saying we’re dating but…“ She trailed off uncomfortably.

Josh studied her intently for a moment before he turned to answer Seth. “I’d love to stay, thanks,” he said casually. “As long as it’s not you cooking.”

Beth rolled her eyes again to disguise how happy she felt that he was staying then hobbled her way to the kitchen.

Most of the big house was open-planned on the first floor, the kitchen to the right, where a wall of glass looked out over the ranch.

It wasn’t as impressive as the Beckford place, but it was still pretty spectacular, and Beth felt a burst of pride as Josh whistled as he looked around.

“Wow. This place is amazing,” he said, trailing after her.

“It was Pop’s pride and joy,” she said. “We’ve all kind of turned the upstairs into mini suites. Makes us feel better about still living at home in our twenties and thirties,” she added wryly.

“I prefer to think of us as roommates,” Seth called from the lounge where he’d put on some game that Beth had no interest in. “Doc, you wanna watch?”

“I’m going to help the patient,” Josh called back.

He pulled out one of the stools at the island that dominated the kitchen area.

“Help me?” she eyed him doubtfully. “After you cooked dinner yesterday? Thanks, but you sound about as helpful as my brothers.”

“Well, I was a little distracted.” His smile was pure sin as he whispered to make sure her brother didn’t hear. “I think I can control myself around three big brothers.”

His eyes dropped to her lips and darkened in a way that made her stomach twist with longing.

“I think,” he emphasised quietly.

Jeez, Beth thought, the man should come with a warning sign.

“Up you go.”

Just like earlier, she found herself lifted from her feet and placed on a stool as if she was made of china. She should probably find it chauvinistic, but it just made her sigh dreamily. He was staring at her, and she was completely trapped in the intensity in his eyes.

Gradually, the sound of throat clearing pierced the bubble surrounding them, and she looked over Josh’s shoulder to see Seth, the fridge door opened in his hand, watching them both with his eyes narrowed.

“Grayson know about this?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Josh answered, sounding completely unfazed by the question.

If he did end up explaining himself to Grayson, she hoped she would be in the room. Then maybe she’d find out what this was, too.

“And I take it you weren’t at Zoe’s last night?”

Seth had always been the joker of her brothers, the youngest of them, less inclined toward the overprotectiveness that afflicted Grayson and Zach.

But right now, it didn’t feel like it and even though Beth was a grown woman, she felt like a teenager with a disapproving father.

“Um, no?”

Why was she nervous? She could do what she liked!

Seth was quiet for another few minutes before he took out a couple of beers, handing one to Josh.

“I’m going to need a dessert too, Bethy. So I can process all of this.”

“Shut up, Seth,” she flung at his retreating back.

“One down, two to go, huh?” Josh winked. “You think I’ll get the whole ‘What are your intentions?’ talk?”

Beth smiled weakly at his joke while he handed her the beer and moved to get himself another. At least he had more manners than her stupid brother. But her insides fluttered at his jokey question. She wondered if he realised that she didn’t know his intentions.

She’d have to find out. Tonight.

“Put me to work, chef,” he said as he came back to her side.

He seemed so happy. So at ease. So different from how he’d been only days ago. A part of her was scared that asking him the questions she wanted to would give her answers she wouldn’t like.

Chapter Twenty

Dinner was going well, Josh thought as he sat listening to the good-natured bickering among the siblings. Grayson and Zach had been curious. He could see it in their eyes. But they hadn’t quizzed him, much to Seth’s disappointment. Apart from a couple of raised brows and a somewhat ominous promise to chat properly at the next boys’ night, the Carroway boys seemed to accept his presence with ease.

In fact, the only one who seemed a little on edge was Beth. And he couldn’t help but wonder why. Was she not glad he’d stayed? She’d seemed to be happy enough, laughingly ordering him around the kitchen, instructing him how not to burn one of her frozen lasagnes.

He’d kept