Recipe for Temptation - Gina Gordon Page 0,58

steps behind. Despite the edge between them, she wasn’t going to let the confrontation ruin dinner.

She and Cole had totally kicked scavenger hunt ass. Kicked it right in the tuckus. He sat beside her, a cocky grin curving his mouth. The fact that he was here, supporting her, meant more to her than…well, than the trophy.

And you didn’t have his back.

She looked around the table. Ian’s arm was draped across his wife’s shoulders, his hand absently rubbing her arm. Dave was pounding back a beer with a big smile on his face because he assumed, as he had for the last five years, he and Beth had won. And then there was Pete. Who was neither here nor there when it came to family competitions, but that didn’t mean he didn’t try his best. He just didn’t throw it in anyone else’s face. Which she appreciated.

But at the end of the day, they were her brothers, her ultimate competition, and she’d set out this year to beat them any way she could. In a few minutes she’d be holding that cup, a winner in their eyes for the very first time. Hopefully, overshadowing every stupid thing she’d done on this trip.

Cole’s phone beeped inside his jacket pocket. She’d asked him to leave it in the room. As he pulled it out, she frowned. Cell phones at the table were a Foster no-no.

“Put that away,” she whispered. He gave her a look.

The moment she saw the twitch in Cole’s jaw, she knew. Something wasn’t right.

“Something more interesting than this table, Mr. Murphy?” her father asked.

Cole had embarrassed him outside the restaurant. She knew his disapproving tone was a way to regain some of his control.

But by the look in Cole’s eyes, there was something more interesting going on. The only question was whether it was a good interesting or a bad interesting. He shook it off and slunk back into his seat, mouthing, “Sorry.”

When the waiter had taken their orders, Penn couldn’t stand the awkward silence at the table. The tension between her and Cole was palpable, and she wanted to get down to business. “Can you just give me the cup now, so we can end this?”

“What makes you think you won?” Dave muttered.

“Because I got the bonus item—a selfie with a koi fish. Did any of you?” She crossed her arms over her chest and scanned their faces. She didn’t think so.

Her father looked at her with sympathy. “I’m afraid you didn’t win.”

She stared at him blankly. “I’m sorry, what?” She did not just hear that.

“Yes!” Beth celebrated with a fist pump.

Oh, hell, no. “How is that possible? We made great time.”

“And we got the selfie,” Cole interjected. By the look of shock on his face, he couldn’t believe it, either.

She’d felt the win, deep in her bones.

“Dave and Beth still had a better time, even when I subtracted the ten minutes,” her father explained.

“But—”

Dave jumped up and hugged his father with one arm and his wife with the other.

“But we got the selfie,” Penn mumbled under her breath.

Her father handed Dave and Beth the trophy.

Penn couldn’t believe it.

She’d wasted Cole’s time. She’d taken him away from the thing he loved the most. She’d even tried to show her family who she’d become.

It had all been for nothing. All of it.

“You need to be faster next time.” Dave’s winning grin made her sick. “Even with a ringer, you can’t beat me, Pennie.”

His phone beeped again, and he immediately took his phone out of his pocket and hid it under the table.

When he looked at the text, a funny look settled on his face. He’d been so happy all week that she’d almost forgotten what he looked like when sadness took over.

He blew out a heavy breath and stood. “I’ve got to go.” He took off through the dining room, with no explanation.

“Cole?” She called after him, but he didn’t turn around. Didn’t stop.

She moved her chair out of the way to follow him, but she halted when her father’s stern voice broke the silence of the table. “Not so fast, young lady.”

Something had to be wrong. He wouldn’t just leave like this. She had to go to him. She had to be there for him. She owed him that much, considering she’d practically placed the noose around his neck when her father had confronted him before dinner.

“We’re having a family dinner, Pennelope. Sit. Down.”

All week Cole had stood by her side, and with one conversation, she’d knocked down all