Cooking Up Trouble Read Online Free Page B

he got some clothes on. She started toward the great room, Ian close behind her, when she stopped so suddenly, he ran into her. She’d have fallen over if he hadn’t reached out to grab her.
    â€œTessa?” His worried look darted from her face to what she was looking at.
    A petite, curvy woman jutted out her hip and raised a blonde eyebrow.
    â€œOh, lord. Lily! It’s not what you think! My shower doors—”
    She cut him off. Her blue eyes danced with amusement. “I can’t leave you alone for one minute, Ian McGregor, before you get yourself in trouble.”
    Ian’s entire face flushed brick red. He stammered, then sputtered, “I was in the shower when the glass doors started to fall. Tessa tried to call for help, but had to come over to rescue me herself.”
    Lily’s lips curved into a smile as she held out a hand to Tessa. Dimples came and went. “Thanks for saving my beau here. I’ve never met a man who can find trouble like he does.”
    Tessa smiled, too. Would she have handled this situation so well? Hell, no. “Ian talks about you all the time. He’s waiting for the day this place is ready so you can move in with him.”
    Lily turned to survey the room. “It’s clean and painted. That’s a start.”
    Gripping his towel firmly, Ian said, “Tessa volunteered to help me decorate. I love her house, and she knows where to find good antiques for our place.”
    Our place. Tessa hoped Lily realized how lucky she was. Ian lived, breathed, and adored his fiancée.
    Lily waved away his plans and said, “I can only stay till Saturday afternoon. I have to drive to the city to be at the airport early Sunday morning. So you don’t have much time to show me around.” Her eyebrow rose as she looked him up and down. “You might want to get dressed first.”
    Ian hesitated and turned to Tessa. “Do you mind if I stand you up for supper tonight? I didn’t know Lily was coming.”
    Lily gave a playful tug on his towel. “I wanted to surprise you.”
    â€œIt’s a great surprise.” Tessa started to the door. “I’ve worked all day, and I’m beat. I’m going to grab some leftovers and veg in front of the TV.”
    â€œI owe you,” Ian called after her.
    â€œWe’re neighbors. It’s what we do.” She heard Lily’s charming laugh on her way to her pickup. How wonderful it must be to feel that secure in a man’s love. Lily had never once worried when she saw Ian, in a towel, trailing behind Tessa. Her mind tried to push away the image of Gary, locked in a clinch, with Sadie. There’d been no mistaking what they were up to.
    She climbed into her pickup and started the engine. She leaned back against the seat for a second and squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe Grams was right. Not every man was like Gary. But after the hurt of his betrayal subsided, she had to admit that wasn’t her only worry.
    She’d been with Gary for their first three years of college. He swore he loved everything about her. And when Grandma had offered her the farm, he’d encouraged her to go for it, to follow her dreams. When he graduated in one year, he’d follow her. It had all sounded good on paper, so she’d happily dropped out of college to do what truly inspired her. Gary would join her later, and they’d make Orchard Knoll their home.
    Tessa shifted the truck into drive and started for her place. It was like Ian and Lily were exactly what she and Gary could have been. The similarities practically smacked her in the face. Tessa had tried to surprise Gary, too. When the weather had turned bad that first year she’d taken over the farm, Tessa had locked up everything and driven back to St. Louis. She’d knocked on Gary’s door without warning, hoping for a happy reunion. Well, that’s not the way things had worked. No happy surprise, no sirree.