Kathleen Brooks - Secrets Collide

“I can have this ready for upload by this afternoon. What kind of time frame are you looking at?” Cade asked as he sent the image to his computer.

“We’ll be ready by then. I’ll let you get to it and will start picking my team. We’ll call you as soon as we have something.” Cole grabbed his black cowboy hat and left with a nod.

When he opened the door, he found Paige and Pierce walking up the steps. “Hey!” Paige greeted. “It’s just a big party over here, isn’t it?”

“Hi, honey. They did a great job out in California. I’ll probably be home late tonight,” Cole told her as he bent down and gave her a quick kiss.

“No problem. I was actually coming here to steal Gemma for lunch. I’ll see you whenever you get home.” Paige waved her husband off and turned her attention to Gemma. “So, what do you say? Girls’ lunch?”

“Sure. I think I’ve done all I can here,” Gemma said as she grabbed her purse. Fred jumped into the bag. His little black nose twitched in anticipation of the treats Miss Daisy would sneak to him.

“I’ll pick you up from the café. Pierce wants to show me his Cropbot at work on my fields. I think he’s trying to get me to buy one,” Cy teased his brother who was covered in straw and not looking anything like the multimillionaire Cy told her he was.

“You boys have fun,” Paige yelled as she linked her arm with Gemma’s and led her to her truck. Gemma gave a quick glance over her shoulder and smiled as Cy watched her leave. He gave her a wink in return and Gemma felt the click, felt the connection of an actual relationship. Now, if only she could convince him to get a new phone number.

Cy leaned forward in the saddle and watched the Cropbot move up and down the rows of corn. It tested water levels and directed irrigation, tilled the soil to keep it weed-free, and even had a way to spray organic-friendly pesticides to keep the bugs from snacking on the stalks.

“This is amazing, Pierce. I’ll take one. With this helping me, the transition to farmer will be much easier.”

“I still won’t believe you as a farmer until I see it.”

“What? You already forgot how I took care of the farm with Dad until you were in college? I’m hurt.”

“I don’t know too many farmers with a Jaguar F-Type.”

“How do you know about my car?”

“Marshall told me it was delivered to his house today. He also told me to tell you he appreciates your kind donation and will be using it as the sheriff’s car for the rest of the week. Between you and me, you may not get it back. Katelyn was thinking of reasons to get Marshall to go into the house so she could steal it.”

“Well, I do have my eye on a new truck. Maybe Gemma would want to use it.”

“Gemma, huh? Is she thinking of sticking around after this is all over?” Pierce asked as he programmed the Cropbot to finish its task and return to the barn.

“I guess. I haven’t really asked her, but I just assumed.”

“You’re assuming? Not a good move, bro. Women liked to be asked. I made the mistake of assuming Tammy would want to go on a romantic camping weekend. Yep, should've asked. She hates hiking, hates sleeping on the ground, and basically everything else camping. Let’s just say the weekend wasn’t what I had thought in my head.”

“Fair point. I’ll talk to her now. It’s about time to pick her up from lunch anyway.” Cy turned his horse around and started trotting back to the barn. “Pierce, you’ve done a damn good job here and I’m very proud of you.”

Pierce smiled and puffed up with the compliment. And maybe Cy's little brother was right about women, too. He’d talk to Gemma right now and let her know he’d love for her to stay in Keeneston as long as she wanted. However, the question going through his mind was would he ever be able to let her leave? Keeneston wouldn’t be the same without her now.

Tears slid down Kenna’s face as she gasped for air. Paige had her hand over her heart trying to calm herself down and Annie was still snorting with laughter. Morgan was leaning on Katelyn for support as they giggled and Tammy stared at her wide-eyed. “Shut the front door.”

Gemma paused in her relaying the story of catching Miss Lily and John to stare at Tammy in utter confusion. “It is shut,” Gemma said slowly, only bringing more laughter from the table.

“It’s just a saying of surprise. I don’t know if I can breathe yet,” Paige said between deep breaths.

“Broom!” Kenna barked and the peals of laughter started all over again. “I can’t wait to tell Will.” Kenna used a napkin to try to dry her tears but gave up in the end.

“And I’m sure you and Cy were completely innocent in this situation,” Morgan said mischievously.

“Oh, do tell.” Katelyn sat forward in her chair. “We all want to know about Cy. He’s so mysterious, even to us.”

“That’s not all he is,” Tammy said as she started fanning herself.

“Listen to you talking like that. You’re almost a married woman,” Annie chided, “but not yet.” The women laughed again and Gemma felt the warmth of sisterhood for the first time since she’d lost Gia. These women weren’t even related by blood, but they had found a similar connection and Gemma wanted it again. It felt so natural being here with these amazing women. They were all so different, but equally strong.

“It’s actually going well. When it’s just the two of us, we’re so relaxed and comfortable with each other. It’s really quite strange, given the circumstances, isn’t it?” Gemma asked the women who all shook their heads.

“Not at all. I think being in this kind of situation brings out the real person. There’s no time for pretending. If you all are hitting it off now with all this going on around you, you’ll be nauseatingly cute when you have time to slow down and enjoy each other,” Annie said with fake disgust.

“I guess we’ll see. Sometimes it’s hard to get the real Cy to come out. He had become this Hollywood guy and sometimes he just falls back into it. And then there’s his phone. I am not a violent person but I daydream of shooting it or beating it with a bat until it doesn’t dink anymore.”

“What’s that all about?” Morgan asked as Gemma tried to relax her grip on her glass of special iced tea the girls told her she had to try.

“All these super-hot actresses,” Gemma paused and took another sip of the drink, “models, and socialites. They just keep calling and texting and it always makes me stop and wonder why he is with me when these women want him. I guess it’s giving me a little trust issue. Especially after seeing him in action at the club.”

“You have nothing to worry about. I used to be self-conscious, too. But when the Davies men set their sights on you, they have a way of making you forget all about that,” Tammy giggled before she started to fan herself again. “Is it getting hot in here?”

“Besides, those women are a thousand miles away. You’re here and he’s giving you his undivided attention,” Katelyn said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Cheers to that.” Gemma took a sip and then stopped when she realized no one else was taking a drink. Tammy’s eyes were wide. Katelyn’s drink was paused in the air and Annie thumped her head with her hand. “What?” Gemma asked, but her question died in her throat as she turned in her chair.

A blonde knockout in cut-off jean shorts, sexy heeled boots, and a shirt that didn't quite cover her navel stood in the door of the café. “Excuse me. I’m looking for Cy Davidson. Can someone help me?” the young bombshell asked the stunned restaurant.

Gemma downed the rest of the glass of the ice tea. “Taylor freaking Jefferies.” She turned and grabbed Tammy’s glass and started drinking hers. The door tinkled again and Cy walked in with his little grin that she used to think was sexy.

“Cy,” Taylor squealed as she leaped into his arms.

“You've got to be kidding me,” Gemma groaned and she finished Tammy’s drink. The only sound in the café was the clinking of the ice in her now empty glass.

“Taylor, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?” Cy asked with a grin Gemma realized as his real look. Apparently he didn’t feel the need to be his undercover self with her.

“Oh, I’m fine. I just wanted to see you and you said I could come anytime,” Taylor told him as she finally let go. Gemma grabbed the drink from where Katelyn still had it paused halfway to her mouth and downed it. They had told her it was special and she had to agree with the way the world was tilting around her. Maybe a couple more and the perfectly perky blonde would simply disappear.

As she set the glass down, Cy caught her eye and smiled. “Gemma, you have to meet Taylor.”

Gemma smiled, raised her middle finger, and passed out.

Cy dropped his arm from around Taylor and stared at the woman he loved face down in a plate of peach cobbler. Katelyn’s mouth was open, Tammy’s eyes were wider than he knew possible, Paige looked ready to stab him with a fork, and Kenna would back Paige up. Morgan’s look was so cold he practically shook where he stood and then heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being unholstered. Annie gave him a sweet little smile as she placed the gun on the table.

“What is wrong with you all?” Taylor gasped at the sight and hid behind Cy. Annie directed her gaze to the starlet and cocked the gun.

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong. Cyland, you should be ashamed of yourself.” Miss Violet came at him with her wooden spoon in hand and thwacked him on the head before he knew what was happening. “You toy with a woman and make her fall in love with you and all the while you have some blonde tart in the background,” Miss Violet berated before she lowered her voice and looked to Taylor, “Sorry, hon, I loved you in Mountain Falls.”