Fate (Steel Brothers Saga #13) - Helen Hardt Page 0,49
condiments,” Brad said.
In a few minutes, everything had been transferred onto a glass-topped table on a sprawling redwood deck. I gaped at the huge backyard. In the distance, another house stood.
“That’s the guesthouse,” Brad said.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, though it’s nearly as big as this one.” He laughed and held out a chair. “Have a seat.”
I sat down. Should we wait for Mr. Steel?
Brad answered that question for me when he grabbed a bun. “Help yourself.”
I took a bun and topped it with a freshly grilled burger. I inhaled the savory scent of grilled beef. I hadn’t eaten meat in a few days due to my new restrictions, and boy, had I missed it. I topped it with lettuce and tomato. I loved onion, but I passed on it. I didn’t want onion breath for kissing Brad later.
Of course, when Brad added a huge slab to his burger, I wished I’d done the same.
Mr. Steel joined us a few minutes later. “Well, what do you think?” he asked me.
I swallowed my bite of burger. “About what?”
“Steel beef?”
“Oh, it’s delicious, of course.”
He smiled. Sort of. “She’s a smart one, Brad.”
“Daphne only eats humanely raised meat,” Brad offered.
Mr. Steel nodded. “What are you two going to do for the rest of the day?”
“I have some business to attend to,” Brad said.
“And you?” he said to me.
“I’m taking her into town,” Brad answered for me.
I nodded. First I’d heard of any of it.
“You’ll love Snow Creek,” Brad said. “You can explore the town while I’m taking care of some stuff.”
I swallowed another bite. “Sure. Sounds good.”
I’d grown up in a Denver suburb. A small town might be fun.
“You really taking care of it this time?” Mr. Steel asked Brad.
Brad simply nodded.
I had no idea what they were talking about.
And I got the distinct impression I didn’t want to know.
Brad and I drove into Snow Creek after lunch. He showed me around a little and then left me to my own exploration while he took care of whatever business awaited him. He didn’t volunteer any information, and I didn’t ask. I was horribly curious, but I didn’t feel it was my place. If he’d wanted me to know, he’d have told me.
The town was adorable. I walked down the main street and spent time in an antique shop. When I was done browsing there, I stopped at an ice cream shop and tasted a couple flavors before deciding on my standard vanilla cone. Who cared if Patty and our first nighter dates had laughed at my favorite flavor? I was hardly alone. Everyone loved vanilla.
I took my cone to the nearby park and sat on a bench, watching some kids play Frisbee. When I’d polished off the ice cream, I walked back to the main street to explore the other side.
A small café and coffee shop, a hardware store, a tattoo—
Oof!
A guy exiting the tattoo parlor nearly knocked me off my feet. He grabbed my arm and steadied me. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just a little startled.”
He had dark hair and tan skin, quite attractive, and his eyes were a fascinating blue that looked almost…unreal.
“Can I buy you a coffee or something? By way of apology?”
“Oh, no. That’s okay.”
“Come on. I insist.” He pointed to the café. “Best coffee in town. I’m Theo, by the way. Theo Mathias.”
“Daphne Wade.”
He cocked his head. “Wade. Not Larry Wade’s sister?”
I nodded. “Guilty, though I hardly know Larry. We didn’t grow up together. I’m here visiting Brad Steel.”
“Steel’s in town? I just saw him a few days ago. Where is he?”
“He’s here somewhere. Said he had some business to take care of.”
“He did?” Theo’s weird blue eyes took on a strange look.
“Yeah, but I don’t know anything about it.”
Theo didn’t reply for a few seconds. Then, “I went to high school with Brad and Larry.”
“Really? Maybe you can tell me about my brother, then. Like I said, I hardly know him.”
“Good guy. He’s planning to go to law school.”
I laughed. “That much I know.”
When he didn’t say anything again, I cleared my throat. “Did you get a tattoo?” I nodded toward the tattoo parlor.
“Not yet, but I’m thinking about it.”
“What kind of image?”
“I’m not sure. I looked through the books today, but I didn’t find anything that spoke to me.”
“Oh.” Now what?
“So about that coffee…?”
I looked at my watch. “I suppose so. I’m not supposed to meet Brad for a half hour yet.”
“Where are you meeting him?”
“By the library.”
“That’s only a block away from the coffee shop. Plenty of