Branding Gemma [Grizzly Pines 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (4 page)

He was just heading downstairs when he heard a car pull into the drive. Pushing the kitchen door open, he stepped out onto the porch and smiled when he saw it was Beau and Gemma. Elodie was going to be upset that she wasn’t downstairs to greet her guest, but she’d get over it. Eventually. She took her job as lady of the house rather seriously.

He clomped down the steps and helped Gemma out of the SUV, pulling her into his arms for a bear hug.

“Good to see you, runt,” he said with a grin.

Gemma grunted and struggled to be put down. “I’m not a runt. I’m a grown-ass woman.”

“You’re a midget.”

“Where’s your better half? Does she know you greet your guests this way?”

Cody laughed. “Elodie is taking a bath and, you aren’t a guest, you’re family.”

The smile fell from Cody’s face when he saw the large, black garbage bag Beau pulled out of the backseat. He pulled open the back door and saw the lone box resting on the seat.

“Where’s the rest of your stuff, Gem?”

“That’s everything,” she said.

“Her asshole ex-boyfriend burned her stuff on his front lawn,” Beau said. “I still think she should have let me kick the shit out of him.”

“I just wanted a new start, Beau. Besides, he would have called the cops on you, then where would we be? You’d be in jail and I’d still be in the trailer, that’s where. I’m sure Elodie would really love me if I got you arrested while you were visiting.” Gemma crossed her arms under her bust. “Can we just forget about the mistake in my life called Trevor?”

“Whatever you want, Gem.” Cody smiled. “Come on, let’s get you settled. I know Elodie is anxious to meet you. She’s been up since five making sure everything is just right.”

Beau headed into the house with Gemma and Cody on his heels. Cody smiled as his brother took the stairs two at a time, knowing he was going to see Elodie. He was surprised Beau had lasted as long as he had being away from their angel. Beau might be the dominant one in the bedroom, but he was also the first one to greet Elodie every morning and the first one to rush home to her every night. If Cody had to guess, he’d say his older brother was addicted to their woman.

Cody helped Gemma get settled, putting her clothes away and un-boxing her books. He’d remembered how much she loved to read and had put a small bookshelf in the room for her. No matter how little time she spent with them, he wanted to make sure she felt comfortable. He wanted her to think of this as her home. They all did. If Elodie had anything to say about it, Gemma would stay with them indefinitely. He knew it had to be a bit taxing on her, having three men in constant demand of her attention. She needed some time with another woman, to discuss those romance novels she liked to read, swap recipes, and do other girly things. His gaze raked his cousin, taking in her well-worn jeans and old T-shirt. Well, if Gemma could be considered girly. He wasn’t even sure the woman owned a dress, or had ever painted her nails.

After Gemma’s things were put away, he led her back downstairs, giving Beau some privacy with Elodie. He had no doubt they were going to be delayed coming downstairs, and Cody couldn’t blame him one bit.

“Tell me about this asshole,” Cody said as they settled on the sofa in the living room.

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“I know you, Gem, and you’re hiding something. A guy doesn’t just burn your shit and wash his hands of you. Has he been by to see you? Has he laid his hands on you again?”

She shook her head. “I got a phone call yesterday, but it was just a bunch of blustering. He’s not going to do anything.”

“Are you sure?”

She looked hesitant. “I’m pretty sure. Besides, how is he going to get to me now? He’s all the way in Dallas and I’m down here, safe and sound with you three. Four. I’m sure that once he learns I’m no longer in town, he’ll move on to someone else.”

“You should have called the cops on his ass, Gem. He needed to go to jail for what he did to you.”

“How do you know what he did to me?”

“Nick.”

She winced. “I knew it was a mistake to let him in that day.”

“He said it looked like you’d gone four rounds with a boxer and lost. I’m surprised Nick didn’t tell the others where this Trevor guy lived so they could all pay him a visit.”

“I just wanted to put it all behind me. Nick understood that.”

“If the phone calls continue, I want you to take out a restraining order, just to be safe. Your brothers would kick my ass if I let something happen to you while you’re under my roof.”

Gemma arched a brow. “Your roof?”

“Okay, smart-ass. Our roof.”

“Fine. If he keeps calling, I’ll contact the local sheriff. Now, where’s this woman of yours? I can’t wait to meet the lady who can put up with all three of you! She must be a saint.”

Cody smiled. “She’s too naughty to be a saint, but she is definitely something special.”

“Eww.” Gemma scrunched her nose. “No talking about or references to sex, please. The last thing I want to imagine is my three cousins naked and sweaty. I haven’t had lunch yet and I don’t want my stomach to revolt.”

A bundle of energy entered the room and Gemma found herself wrapped in a very enthusiastic embrace.

“You must be Gemma!” The woman smiled broadly. “I’m Elodie. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m sorry I wasn’t down here when you arrived.”

Gemma hugged the woman back and gave her a tentative smile. She hadn’t known what to expect of the woman her cousins had claimed for their own. To say she was surprised was an understatement. The woman before her was beautiful, but not classically so. Her hair hung down her back in a riot of brown curls, and her smile was warm and welcoming. It was her size that was a little surprising, not that there was anything wrong with her. There was just more of her than her boneheaded cousins typically went for in a woman. She’d always seen them with the tiny, wasp-waisted cowgirls who hit the clubs. Elodie’s beauty shone from within, and her generous curves just added to that beauty in Gemma’s opinion. She was proud of her cousins. They’d done well in choosing a mate.

“It’s nice to meet you, Elodie. Thank you for inviting me to your home.”

Elodie smiled. “Are you kidding? I’m thrilled to have another woman around! Don’t get me wrong. I love the guys to death, but the testosterone is enough to kill a gal some days.”

Gemma laughed. “Yeah, I can imagine it would be. I grew up with three brothers, so I completely understand. And trust me when I say they’re just as bad as these three, if not worse.”

“I’m sure you’d like to get settled into your room, but I thought maybe we could take a little time to get acquainted before lunch, if that’s okay?”

“I’d like that. Is there anything I can do to help with lunch?”

Elodie waved a hand. “No. To celebrate your arrival, we’re going to eat at The Spare Rib in town.”

Cody mumbled something and Gemma arched a brow, catching part of it. It seemed the meal out wasn’t so much for Gemma’s benefit, but for Elodie’s. Honestly, Gemma didn’t care. Just being able to eat something other than canned soup and crackers would be a treat. If she ever saw another can of Progresso, it would be too soon. Between her time with Trevor and her week on minimal rations, she’d lost quite a bit of weight. She’d never been Elodie’s size, but she’d always been a curvy girl. The curves were still there, but they were just a bit understated at the moment. She’d dropped from a size fourteen to a size ten. Most women would probably be thrilled with such a thing, but not Gemma. She’d always had more meat on her bones and she preferred herself that way.

“Well, starting tomorrow I’ll help you with dinner,” Gemma said. “Although, I have to warn you, I’m not the best cook. And if baking is involved, I hope you have a fire extinguisher handy. I don’t make chocolate chip cookies. I make flaming round bricks.”

Elodie laughed. “Is it a matter of just not knowing how or not wanting to know how?”

“Maybe a bit of both.” Gemma gave her a sheepish look. “When I was growing up, I always wanted to tag along with the boys, do everything they did. And then I moved out on my own and realized I had no idea how to survive in the kitchen.”

“I don’t want to push you, but if you’d like to learn, I’d be happy to teach you a few things.”

“I’d like that.”

Gemma looked around and realized the men had slipped out of the room. Sneaky fuckers. Not that she minded being left with Elodie. She seemed sweet, if a bit hyper. Maybe that was just her enthusiasm over having another female in the house and she would be calmer in the morning. Gemma wasn’t sure she could handle all that energy, all day, every day. If the woman didn’t calm down, she’d have to switch her to decaf, and Gemma firmly believed the only place decaf had in a house was in the trash.

“You’d probably like to unpack and shower, wouldn’t you?” Elodie asked.

“Actually, I don’t have much to unpack. My things are already upstairs though.”

“Do you need anything? There are fresh towels in the bathroom and I made sure the guys put some feminine soap in there, just in case you didn’t bring your own. Since no one else uses that bathroom, there should be plenty of space for your stuff. Don’t hesitate to spread out.”

“How long do you see me staying here, Elodie? Because I know your relationship with my cousins is still somewhat new and I feel like I’m underfoot. I don’t want to get in the way or anything.”

Elodie gave her hand a squeeze. “You’re not in the way, Gemma. We want you here, for however long you want to stay. I get the feeling you’re like me and have an independent streak, so if you feel the need to get a job and find your own place, we’ll understand. Just don’t rush out on our account.”

“I really appreciate this, Elodie. You can’t begin to know how much. Things were pretty bad, even if I didn’t want to admit it at the time. I was at an all-time low.”

Elodie gave her a quick hug. “Why don’t you head upstairs and freshen up? The guys should be ready to go in about a half hour or so. I’m sure you’re starving after that long drive. Knowing Beau, he barely stopped long enough to swing through a drive-thru on the way here.”

“There was a quick stop for a sausage biscuit around nine, but I didn’t dare ask him to stop again. The minute we hit the road, he floored it. Obviously, he missed you. What little he did speak, all he could talk about was you and how much you mean to him.”

Elodie blushed. “You’d never know it, but Beau can be a real sweetheart.”

“Cody was always the sweetie of the group.”

“They all are, in their own ways. I’m thankful every day for all three of them. I don’t know what would have become of me if Beck and Beau hadn’t come into my life when they did. They saved me in more ways than one. Then Cody came along and I felt complete.”

Gemma smiled. “Just give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be ready to head out.”

“Take your time. I’ll just be down here channel surfing. Come down whenever you’re ready.”

Gemma nodded and headed for the stairs. She didn’t need a shower, since she’d just had one that morning, but she wouldn’t mind washing her face and brushing her teeth. Maybe unbraiding her hair and making it somewhat presentable. She had a small bag of makeup, but didn’t feel like putting any on. She seldom wore it, unless she was with a guy that insisted she wear some whenever she left the house. Yes, she’d really been out with guys like that. One of these days, she’d attract a man who wanted her for her, not because of how she looked or what they thought they could get from her. Until that day came, she would focus on herself.

Gemma woke the next morning, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her vision blurred as she tried to focus on the bedside clock.
9:34
. She’d slept longer than she’d thought she would. Normally, she was up with the chickens, as her momma used to say. It had been a long time since she’d slept past seven. Not sleeping the night before must have caught up with her.

She shoved the covers aside and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Even though she was sure it was hot as Hades outside, the floorboards felt cool under her bare feet. The bathroom was definitely the first stop she needed to make. Mother Nature called and she desperately wanted to scrub her teeth. She’d never been able to abide morning breath—hers or anyone else’s.

Once she was done, and had splashed some cool water on her face, she crept down the stairs, wondering if everyone had already started on the morning’s chores. She was surprised to see Cody sitting at the table, a coffee cup to his right and a paper open in front of him. He still looked rumpled, like he’d just gotten up, even though she knew he had to have been up for a while. Hadn’t he?

“Morning,” she said as she made her way to the coffee pot. Grabbing a mug off the tree beside it, she poured herself a healthy dose of caffeine.

“Morning. I wasn’t sure how long you’d sleep.”

“I’m normally an early riser, but I never went to bed the other night so I guess it caught up with me. I usually wake up at least once during the night but, once I fell asleep, I was out until this morning.”

“Elodie went to town with Beck, and Beau is already out in the barn. I decided to stay behind and see if you needed anything.”

Gemma raised a brow. “Cody, I’ve known you all my life. Since when have you ever done something like this?”