acres?”
So Gregory hadn’t thought enough of the family business to even tell her the rudiments. “More than a few. Why don’t I show you around today? I have trails to check.”
“But I don’t want to be any trouble—or to get in the way.”
“You’re a MacKenzie now. You have a right to be here, to learn about the family legacy.”
“Oh.” Her voice was very small, very subdued.
“You’ll want to wear something rugged, suited to the trails,” he continued.
She glanced down at her silky skirt. “This won’t do?”
“We’ll go part of the way in the truck, part of the way on four-wheelers. It’s not a ride to make in a skirt.”
“I’m not sure I brought anything appropriate,” she demurred. “I guess I won’t be able to come along.”
“I’ll ask Mother to get you something from the gift shop. We have all the basics.”
“But I don’t want to be any—”
“Trouble. I know. You aren’t. You’ll want to see where Gregory grew up—learn a little more about his roots. It doesn’t sound like he filled you in much.”
“Not too much.”
Tracy, one of the girls from the kitchen staff, brought out a tray with the light breakfast Matt had ordered.
“I added some fruit and croissants,” Tracy told them as she unloaded the tray. “And a little bit of smoked salmon. Oh, and some muffins and Canadian bacon. Those bagels looked kind of lonely by themselves.” As she spoke, Tracy placed dishes of whipped honey butter, strawberry preserves, and fresh cream cheese on the table.
“It looks wonderful,” Brynn responded graciously.
Tracy beamed. “I can tell you’ve hardly been eating a thing since—Well, we just want you to be all healthy and rested up.”
“Thanks for your concern, Tracy. I don’t think I’ll go hungry—not with all this delicious food.”
After the girl left, Matt looked at Brynn with growing respect. Most of the women Gregory had dated would have thought nothing of haughtily sending the food back. “It was kind of you to not refuse all the extras.”
Brynn sighed. “I know it’s a plot. I’ll be so ‘healthy’ you won’t be able to pry me through the doorway.”
Matt tried not to grin. “It’s just their way of saying they care.”
Brynn lowered her coffee cup. “I know. I just don’t know why.”
Matt considered her. “Aren’t you used to people showing their concern?”
Brynn shrugged and he could see she was uncomfortable. “I’m used to big cities—living where you don’t even know your neighbors.”
“But your family?”
“Is small,” she replied shortly. “We don’t have an...extended family like you seem to here. In fact, it’s just my mother and me.”
“And Gregory,” he reminded her.
She blinked. “Yes, of course. And Gregory.”
Matt picked up the plate of bagels. “I don’t want to rush you, but we’ve got a resort to check out.”
She accepted a bagel. “I’m really not all that hungry.”
“You wouldn’t want to hurt Tracy’s feelings, would you?”
She lowered the bagel, a smile playing about her lips. “The lure of the outside breakfast was that I didn’t have to eat the lumberjack special.”
He laughed. “Some lumberjack you’d make.” Not asking her permission, he forked a small piece of smoked salmon onto her plate. “And don’t worry. I can handle the croissants and Canadian bacon.”
Brynn took a muffin and delicately separated it into small pieces. “Lancelot can show that he appreciates the breakfast, as well.” The dog still sat protectively at her side.
“I suspect the cat’s going to enjoy the salmon,” Matt guessed
She grinned. “Caught red-handed. I really only want half the bagel with just a touch of cream cheese and a bite of the salmon. And I’d hate to hurt Tracy’s feelings....”
Matt couldn’t resist her grin. “Good excuse for feeding your beasts.”
She gave Lancelot a bite of the muffin before glancing up at Matt in surprise. “It just occurred to me
So Gregory hadn’t thought enough of the family business to even tell her the rudiments. “More than a few. Why don’t I show you around today? I have trails to check.”
“But I don’t want to be any trouble—or to get in the way.”
“You’re a MacKenzie now. You have a right to be here, to learn about the family legacy.”
“Oh.” Her voice was very small, very subdued.
“You’ll want to wear something rugged, suited to the trails,” he continued.
She glanced down at her silky skirt. “This won’t do?”
“We’ll go part of the way in the truck, part of the way on four-wheelers. It’s not a ride to make in a skirt.”
“I’m not sure I brought anything appropriate,” she demurred. “I guess I won’t be able to come along.”
“I’ll ask Mother to get you something from the gift shop. We have all the basics.”
“But I don’t want to be any—”
“Trouble. I know. You aren’t. You’ll want to see where Gregory grew up—learn a little more about his roots. It doesn’t sound like he filled you in much.”
“Not too much.”
Tracy, one of the girls from the kitchen staff, brought out a tray with the light breakfast Matt had ordered.
“I added some fruit and croissants,” Tracy told them as she unloaded the tray. “And a little bit of smoked salmon. Oh, and some muffins and Canadian bacon. Those bagels looked kind of lonely by themselves.” As she spoke, Tracy placed dishes of whipped honey butter, strawberry preserves, and fresh cream cheese on the table.
“It looks wonderful,” Brynn responded graciously.
Tracy beamed. “I can tell you’ve hardly been eating a thing since—Well, we just want you to be all healthy and rested up.”
“Thanks for your concern, Tracy. I don’t think I’ll go hungry—not with all this delicious food.”
After the girl left, Matt looked at Brynn with growing respect. Most of the women Gregory had dated would have thought nothing of haughtily sending the food back. “It was kind of you to not refuse all the extras.”
Brynn sighed. “I know it’s a plot. I’ll be so ‘healthy’ you won’t be able to pry me through the doorway.”
Matt tried not to grin. “It’s just their way of saying they care.”
Brynn lowered her coffee cup. “I know. I just don’t know why.”
Matt considered her. “Aren’t you used to people showing their concern?”
Brynn shrugged and he could see she was uncomfortable. “I’m used to big cities—living where you don’t even know your neighbors.”
“But your family?”
“Is small,” she replied shortly. “We don’t have an...extended family like you seem to here. In fact, it’s just my mother and me.”
“And Gregory,” he reminded her.
She blinked. “Yes, of course. And Gregory.”
Matt picked up the plate of bagels. “I don’t want to rush you, but we’ve got a resort to check out.”
She accepted a bagel. “I’m really not all that hungry.”
“You wouldn’t want to hurt Tracy’s feelings, would you?”
She lowered the bagel, a smile playing about her lips. “The lure of the outside breakfast was that I didn’t have to eat the lumberjack special.”
He laughed. “Some lumberjack you’d make.” Not asking her permission, he forked a small piece of smoked salmon onto her plate. “And don’t worry. I can handle the croissants and Canadian bacon.”
Brynn took a muffin and delicately separated it into small pieces. “Lancelot can show that he appreciates the breakfast, as well.” The dog still sat protectively at her side.
“I suspect the cat’s going to enjoy the salmon,” Matt guessed
She grinned. “Caught red-handed. I really only want half the bagel with just a touch of cream cheese and a bite of the salmon. And I’d hate to hurt Tracy’s feelings....”
Matt couldn’t resist her grin. “Good excuse for feeding your beasts.”
She gave Lancelot a bite of the muffin before glancing up at Matt in surprise. “It just occurred to me
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