Page 6 of A Love So Sweet
“He doesn’t need your money, Treat,” Rex said roughly. “He needs my time.”
“I didn’t mean anything by it,” Treat said.
“We’ve been busy running the ranch,” Rex said with a hefty amount of attitude. “I haven’t had time to get started. But I’ll take care of it.”
“I could bring in a crew to help you out,” Treat offered.
“Are you the crew?” Rex asked pointedly.
Treat stared him down.
“Boys, settle down. I need a patio like I need a hole in my head,” their father snapped. “Tell me about your latest acquisitions, Treat. What did you decide about Thailand?”
Treat had been negotiating for a resort in Thailand when he’d first met Max. The justice of the peace who was supposed to preside over Blake’s wedding in Nassau had fallen ill, and Treat had canceled his trip to Thailand and stepped in to officiate. He’d put the acquisition on hold after that weekend. But two days ago he’d received an email from his long-time friend Bill Harkness, the owner of the resort, advising him they had received another offer and honoring their verbal agreement of first right of refusal. Treat was best when he had a challenge, and Thailand would be just that. Taking over the resort would consume all his time and energy for at least three months.
“It’s a solid resort and the numbers work,” he explained. “I told them I’d submit an offer within two weeks.” Unable to stop thinking about Max, he’d figured, after this trip home, three months away might be just what he needed. Now he wasn’t so sure.
“He’s in Max mode,” Savannah added.
Treat glared at her.
“Who’s Max?” Josh asked.
“Some hot girl who works at the festival and has Treat all googly-eyed,” Savannah said.
“Hm. Max is a woman?” Josh arched a brow and grinned.
“Yes, she’s a woman, and no, I’m not in Max mode.” Treat bit into a hunk of steak, wishing Savannah had never seen her. Max’s number had been burning a hole in his pocket ever since she’d given it to him, and it was all he could do not to get up and call her right that second.
“Treat, googly-eyed? You gotta be kidding me. The man eats women for breakfast,” Hugh said with a deep laugh. He was always quick to throw a barb and just as quick to return to whatever he was doing for himself beforehand—in this instance, he turned his attention back to his plate of food and speared a forkful of potato.
Treat threw his napkin on the table. “Cut the crap, okay?”
He knew he was overreacting, and he knew Hugh was only stating what had once been the truth. Bile rose in his throat just thinking of himself in that player role. Yeah, he’d been with a lot of women, but he’d never found anyone who made him want more.
Hugh shrugged off his roar. “I won today. First place.”
“Good job, son.” His father raised his beer bottle. “To Hugh.”
“ToHuge!” the boys said in unison.
Savannah shook her head. “Idiots.”
AFTER DINNER TREAT, Dane, and Rex cleared the table and did the dishes while Savannah visited with her father and Josh and Hugh talked about Hugh’s race.
“Something you want to tell us?” Dane asked once they were safely in the kitchen, away from the others.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Treat busied himself digging in a drawer for a dish towel.
“Is that the same Max from Blake’s wedding?” Dane asked.
“How would you know Max from Blake’s wedding? You never even met her.” Dane had shown up for the wedding, but he had been called away for an emergency before the ceremony.
Dane cringed under his scrutiny.
“You’re seeing Lacy, aren’t you?” Lacy was Blake’s wife’s half sister. He had met her at the wedding. Treat had almost forgotten that Dane had given him a message to pass on to Lacy after he’d been called away.
“Nope.” Dane focused on scrubbing a plate.
