Taming Clint Westmoreland - Brenda Jackson [53]
“Where are you?”
She smiled. “In your office. Why?”
“I’m in the living room. I want you to come out and meet my sister and brother-in-law,” Clint said.
A lump suddenly formed in Alyssa’s throat. She was definitely nervous about meeting Clint’s family, but knew she couldn’t hide out forever.
“I’m on my way.”
In less than a day Alyssa was convinced she totally liked Casey Westmoreland Quinn. And her husband, McKinnon, in addition to being knockout gorgeous, was a very kind person. Alyssa thought the two made a beautiful couple and it was very easy to see they were very much in love.
“You and I need to go shopping,” Casey exclaimed to her the following morning at breakfast.
Alyssa’s lips spread into a smile as she took a sip of her coffee. “We do?”
“Yes. You mentioned you don’t have anything to wear to the charity ball this weekend and neither do I. Besides,” Casey added as a grin spread across her lips, “that way I get to spend time with you without Clint hovering about. He seems to think I’m going to reveal some deep, dark, embarrassing secret about him from our childhood. He’s really overprotective where you’re concerned. I guess I should thank my lucky stars that the two of you are already married.”
Alyssa frowned. Surely Casey knew her and Clint’s marriage wasn’t going to last forever. In fact they were merely biding time waiting until the day came where they could end it. Alyssa’s thoughts were interrupted when Casey’s cell phone went off.
“Excuse me, Alyssa, while I get this.”
Alyssa stood from the table to refill her coffee while Casey answered the phone. Clint and McKinnon had left the ranch early that morning and weren’t expected to return until dinnertime. Clint was eager to show McKinnon the most recent pack of wild horses that had been shipped from Nevada.
“Great! That was Spencer,” Casey informed her, after she had finished the call. “He and Chardonnay just arrived and are at the airport. They should be arriving at the ranch within the hour.”
Alyssa raised a brow. “Chardonnay?”
Casey smiled. “Yes, that’s her name. Her family owned a winery in California and she was named after her grandfather’s favorite wine.”
“Oh.”
“So we might as well wait and take Chardonnay with us,” Casey said.
Alyssa then decided to ask, “Do you know who else is coming?”
“Shopping with us?”
Alyssa shook her head, grinning. “No, coming to the ranch to attend the charity ball this weekend,” she said.
Casey looked confused. “Didn’t Clint tell you?”
“Not really. He mentioned some of his family was coming, but he didn’t say exactly who. I’m sure he mentioned it to Chester for him to get the guest rooms prepared, though,” Alyssa said.
Casey frowned. “Never mind if he did mention it to Chester. You’re the mistress of the ranch and he should have specifically told you. You shouldn’t be hearing it secondhand. Men can be so fruity at times,” Casey said.
From what Casey had just said, it was apparent she wasn’t aware of the circumstances surrounding her and Clint’s marriage. “It’s not that Clint’s fruity,” Alyssa said, coming to his defense. “It’s just that he doesn’t consider me as the mistress of this ranch.”
Casey raised a brow. “And why not?”
Alyssa sighed. If Clint hadn’t informed his sister of anything, she wasn’t sure it was her place to do so. She hesitated to find the proper words, couldn’t find them, shrugged and then said, “Because he just doesn’t.”
Casey stared at her as if trying to figure out what she meant and then a smile touched her lips. “Oh, you’re talking about that business with the thirty days and how the two of you have to live under the same roof and all of that?”
Alyssa nodded. So Clint had told her. “Yes.”
Casey chuckled before taking a sip of her coffee. “I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you. Trust me, Clint plans to keep you,” Casey said.
Alyssa shook her head. “No, he doesn’t,” Alyssa argued.
Casey laughed. “Yes, he does and what’s so sad is that besides being fruity, some men are also slow. Clint is one of the slow ones. Chances are he hasn’t even realized what he