Instead of looking at her, he turned toward the blue waves outside the window. "She doesn't hate John. She doesn't know him. I don't even hate John."
She stood next to her brother, staring up at his profile. "Even? You should hate the others?"
His face turned red. "Let's not talk about me. What's going on with you?"
"I'm angry she disowned me, again." She took a step backwards. In the background, John put on some music.
"She's been like that all our lives. Don't let her get to you."
"Easier said than done."
Alice tucked her hair behind her ear. "I was supposed to move into my condo."
Colt crossed his arms. "Why didn't you discuss it with your boyfriend?"
"He's not my boyfriend."
That just blurted out as a defense. Alice wished she could take the words back. Her feelings for John were too complicated.
"He's not? So I should go in there and beat him?"
She grabbed her brother's arm with both hands. "No."
Colt called out over the music. "John, would you date my sister?"
John walked inside with three glasses of iced tea and placed them on the table next to him. "Yes. I already said I'd marry her."
"The last time you said that it didn't end well." Again, he told the same lie to her family. Everyone was liable to believe it. She shook her head. This was ridiculous. "Colt, stay out of my life. Wait. Don't you have to get back to Clara?"
"You want me to leave so you can talk to your guy?"
"Stop it, Colt."
"Sorry I can't stay for dinner, John," Colt said.
Her entire body heated. She pushed her brother to the door. He stalled and dug his heels in. "If you want this guy then go for it, Sis. Don't let what Mom says get in your head."
No answers on what charged up her mother against John in the first place. She'd ask later. It was more important to get Colt out the door before he had it in his head to speak to Mom about wedding planning. "Thank you."
He stalled again. Perhaps talking to Colt was a bad idea. He placed his hands in his pockets. "For what?"
The Marines had transformed her brother into someone nicer, but he was still her family. She nodded. "For support no matter what I choose."
Colt glared at John who stayed quiet throughout all this. "You're my sister. I'll kill him for you if I have to." Colt then kissed her forehead.
Too much discussion about death. Everyone's heads stayed attached to their bodies in her mind, and no bullet would graze any of them. "Personally, I like John's head on his body. We do have to talk about something else."
John ducked out of the room, scratching the back of his head. "What?"
She lowered her voice. "Peter Morgan wants to end our contract."
Colt's gaze turned to ice. He reminded her of their mother as he said, "Then let's find new buyers."
"It's one of the things I wanted to work on at my condo, away from distractions."
"Close your bedroom door and use the computer." Colt crossed his arms. "You think John will stop you from working?"
John''s footsteps echoed behind her. Her body tensed. "No."
"I had already prepared this. Wish you could stay." John came in with a cheese tray. As neither of them were speaking, he asked, "What's going on?"
Her brother shrugged. "We're talking business. Alice just told me that your brother canceled the contract."
She took the tray from John and set it next to the iced teas as he said, "I'll buy all your products and get them into stores."
Alice waved her arms in front of the men. No one would shake on that offer. "You don't have the business to do that. You're not Peter."
John's expression steeled. "I hope I'm not."
"Then don't try to throw money at us like we're desperate. We'll find a buyer. I know what I'm doing and my family will not take charity."
Her voice was sharp and left no room for argument.
John took a step back, his expression confused as he tried to understand her. He nodded, but countered, "Can I approach this again if I have a business plan you approve of?"
If she said no, she'd sound like a harpy. She rubbed her arms. "Sure."
John's smile dazzled the room. "Perfect. It gives me a reason to get to know the farm better. Did Colt get you to say why you left?"
This was not going to happen. She stood between the men and crossed her arms. "We should talk alone."
Then she turned and gave her brother a slight nudge toward the door.
"That's my sister's way of telling me to leave. I'll go home to Clara. Do we still have that patrol car around the farm?"
"Absolutely." John nodded.
"Stay safe, Sis." Colt opened the door to slip out.
Alice unlocked the door ready for him to leave. "I love you, Colt. I'm glad you're home."
"Me, too."
John walked next to Colt and asked, "Who's Clara?"
Alice's heart went cold like there was some clue in what she said though it made no sense. "His daughter. She's a sweetheart."
John's eyes widened. "I had no idea you had a child."
Colt stepped out the door. "If you're still dating my sister, then you'll meet the moppet soon enough."
John waved from his side door, and Alice stood beside him. To the outside world, they must seem like a couple who waved off a loved one. John shook Colt's hand and said, "I'm looking forward to it."
Colt hugged his sister and then stepped into the garage. "See you both later."
From the window, Alice blinked and saw a black car across the street from John's house. John's gaze must have followed hers as he pulled her inside and locked the side door. "Those are Morgan men. Don't worry."
Good. His family intended to save her. She sucked in her cheeks and walked away. John followed her without another word. In the living room she slumped on the couch. He sat next to her. "What's up? Why did you run this morning?"
Her heart beat grew loud in her ears as she said, "I have wanted to be independent for years, John."
Her hand shook, but she hid it to her side for him not to see.
He scooted closer to her. She played with her necklace as her heart raced. He then said, "Last night we ended up in bed. Did I disappoint you somehow?"
All she could do was blink. That was definitely not it. She reached out and brushed his arm. "Absolutely not. It was the best night of my life."
He nodded. "Mine too. Then what?"
His too! Her head became dizzy as she stared back at him. "I can't be one of those girls who forgets everything they are supposed to do because my childhood crush finally noticed me."
The light in his eyes dimmed as if her words might have hurt him. He asked, "What are you saying, then?"
The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. John was like the sunshine that fed the plants at her farm. Her mouth went dry. "That I want to take things slow."
He shrugged. "You could have told me that this morning."
The right words did not bubble forth. If she apologized and said she'd stay forever then she'd be a fool. She rubbed her arms and changed the topic. "I intended to talk to you. I didn't know you would get some threat against me."
"I told you someone threatened you before."