Seeing is Believing (Cuttersville #3)(32)
Author: Erin McCarthy

“They were great, as always. We had fun on the farm yesterday.” Piper crossed her ankles, self-conscious in her pajamas. “I’m going to run upstairs and get dressed and give you all some time to catch up.”

“Did you eat? Sit down,” Shelby said, gesturing for her to take a chair. “Good Lord, you made teddy bear pancakes? I’m impressed.”

“Actually, Brady made them.”

“He did?” Shelby looked at her cousin in utter amazement.

“I’ll be back down in a second.” Piper bolted from the kitchen, wanting at least the protection a bra offered. She couldn’t shield herself entirely from prying eyes, but she could cover up her ni**les.

As she headed for the stairs, she heard Lilly say, “Piper saw a spider and she screamed. We thought she was killed and we were freaking out.”

Piper had to admit she was freaking out just a little herself, and it wasn’t because of a hairy spider.

She felt like she had been playing house and Shelby had busted her.

Only once in her entire childhood had Piper taken more than she’d been told she could have. She had never been sneaky, had always been grateful for whatever she’d gotten. But her grandmother Willie was an excellent baker, and one time when Piper was about twelve, she had made a strawberry pie with the fruit from her garden. All morning Piper had been smelling the thick scent of ripe strawberries and sugar. When her grandmother told her she could have only one piece, Piper had inhaled it. Then sawed off a second sliver when Willie left the room to check on a napping Jack. When she had returned, Piper was caught with the piece halfway to her mouth.

She’d never felt so ashamed of herself, so ungrateful for everything she had, yet so mulish about it.

Until now.

* * *

BRADY DRANK HIS COFFEE, LEANING ON THE COUNTER, and waited for the assault he knew was coming his way the minute Piper was out of earshot.

“Are you insane?” Shelby hissed at him, after telling her daughters to sit back down and finish their breakfast.

“What?” he asked mildly. “Since when does making pancakes qualify you for insanity?”

“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it.” Her eyes were flashing as she impatiently shoved her hair back off her forehead. “Why are you and Piper Tucker cuddling half-naked in my kitchen?”

Here they went. “You’re being ridiculous. We were not cuddling. We were making breakfast for your kids.” He, for one, was damn glad that Piper had come downstairs without a bra, though. It had been a hell of a view and made him all the more eager to get her alone in the house on Swallow Street. Though he’d just keep that thought to himself.

“Did you”—she made some frantic hand gesture—“with her?”

Brady smirked. “What? Play charades? No.” What had happened between him and Piper was not Shelby’s business.

“You know what I mean!”

Boston looked up from the table where he had sat down with the girls. “Leave it alone, Shel. This really isn’t the time or place.” His head tilted towards their daughters.

Shelby’s lips pursed as she clearly struggled to control her irritation. “You have some explaining to do later,” she told Brady.

There would be no conversation about any of this later. He didn’t answer to his cousin or to anyone. “I lost my job. That’s why I’m in town.” Change the subject. Dodge and weave. He’d learned that as a mischievous kid who was frequently in trouble.

Shelby drew up short. “What? Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”

Brady shrugged. “It was a crap job anyway. The only regret I have is that my rent isn’t going to pay itself.”

“I’m sure you can find another job right away.” But she looked as doubtful as he felt.

“That’s the hope. I’m staying here for a couple of weeks to help Gran clean up that blue house she has. Apparently she has rented it to Piper.” He forced himself to say her name out loud. Be casual. Admit to nothing. Engage in whatever he wanted to engage in with Piper Tucker without the interference of his family—that was his plan.

Of course, he hadn’t been home in a dozen years, so he’d forgotten how really impossible it was to keep his family out of his business. Hell, to keep the whole town out of his business.

“Oh, my Lord in heaven,” was Shelby’s opinion. “I swear, Brady Stritmeyer, if you hurt that girl there will be hell to pay.”

“Hurt what girl?” Lilly asked, adding enough syrup to her plate to coat ten pancakes.

Boston sighed. “There is no girl being hurt. Your mother is just overreacting.”

Brady had to agree. “Your mom thinks I’m a heartbreaker, Lil. Girls can’t resist my charms.” He reached over and snatched a piece of her bacon and crammed it in his mouth. “Yum.”

She giggled.

Piper reappeared in the doorway, wearing another sundress and holding her overnight bag in her hand. “I’m going to head out since you’re home, Shelby.”

“Don’t you want to eat breakfast?” Boston asked.

“No, I had some coffee. I’m good.” Her nervousness was obvious. She wasn’t making eye contact with anyone and she was bouncing on the heels of her feet.

Brady felt guilty for making her feel uncomfortable with his cousin. He was going home to Chicago, but Piper had to live here in Cuttersville.

“Well, thank you so much for staying with the girls,” Shelby said, looking flustered. She went over and hugged Piper, as did the twins.

“My pleasure. You know I’m happy to help out anytime.”

The thing was, Brady knew she meant that. She was sincere, and he found that really appealing. Frighteningly appealing.

“I’ll call you later,” he told her, when the hugging arms had cleared out and he could see her face.

She nodded.

Then before his cousin flipped her wig, Brady told Shelby, “Piper and I are going to do a little research on the original Brady Stritmeyer. I figured it can’t hurt to know a little more about my namesake.”

“I don’t think he’s your namesake. No one has ever said you were named for him.” Shelby made a face. “I say just leave it alone.”

“And I say I’m curious.”

Brady faced off with his cousin. This wasn’t about researching a dead guy, and they both knew it. It was about him spending time with Piper.

They were both stubborn, and chances were they would have stared each other down for an hour or two before either one of them caved. But Piper intervened.