Free The Heart of Texas by R. J. Scott Page B

food into servers, and she said nothing, simply smiling softly and leaving as the two men entered. Jack dropped Riley's hand and moved straight for the bacon and sausage, his eyes widening at the mass of food available. He was used to a big breakfast. His momma was always there with pancakes and bacon, eggs and sausages. He had often been working a good solid three hours before he ate and he needed it. But this —this obscene pile of food— this was kind of odd.
    "I'm guessing y'all have big appetites?" he asked wryly, picking up a plate and piling it high with fried goodness before sitting at the table and trying not to stare at the gilt-edged crockery and sparkling silver cutlery. Riley wasn't far behind him, although he'd added pancakes and also juggled two glasses of orange juice. The maid came back with fresh coffee, and Riley, who had virtually inhaled his breakfast before Jack was even halfway through his, was sitting back and sipping at the fragrant coffee with a look of bliss on his face. This was obviously relaxed Riley at his best, and Jack sought to examine this rare species more closely, watching as suddenly Riley stiffened and paled at a single word.
    "Riley?"
    Both men stood. Riley's mother. Perfect in dove gray and pearls, her dark hair —bottle brown Jack thought— loose about slim shoulders. Her makeup was perfect, and a cloud of Chanel announced her presence. Riley stood, as did Jack, and Riley dropped a small kiss on her smooth cheek.
    "Mother."
    "And Jack Campbell is here because?" Her voice was friendly in that false way that meant she wasn't at all pleased to have a Campbell at her breakfast table.
    "I have something to tell you," Riley began, holding out his hand blindly. Jack caught it and moved closer to Riley. "Yesterday… I got married. Jack is my… This is my husband, Jack Campbell-Hayes."
    There was silence, sudden and all encompassing. "How perfectly ridiculous, Riley" was all she said, then added, with a good healthy portion of derision. "It's far too early for this nonsense." Riley couldn't find the words, and Jack just stared. He had expected a reaction from the matriarch of the Hayes family, but dismissal hadn't been on his list of first options, having already settled on southern belle fainting or icy anger.
    "Ma'am," Jack started. "No nonsense. We got married yesterday, in Vancouver."
    "I don't know what is going on here." She blinked at Jack, her lips thin and pressed hard together, a small twitch in her eye the only evidence that she felt anything. "This joke is not funny, Riley." Turning on her heel, she left the room, the Chanel moving with her. All the oxygen rushed back into the space she had occupied, and both Jack and Riley breathed deeply.
    "That went well," Jack said wryly.
    "It's okay. She'll speak to Dad, or maybe Jeff, then she'll come back and rail at me at a later time that suits her." Riley sounded unconcerned, like the icy calm that surrounded his mother was perfectly okay. Jack thought of his mom, of the passion in her, the grace that still remained even when she smacked Jack upside his head with a spoon. She would never have just left the room. They would have argued, shouted, screamed, hugged, made up, perhaps all of that in the space of five minutes. It was what defined Jack's life and the life of his siblings, that passionate discussion that was the beginning and end of arguments, nothing lingering or festering for days.
    "Riley?" Another voice. "I can't believe you took the jet! I needed it!" This must be Eden. "Annabelle and I wanted to go and shop in New York and— Well, hello, gorgeous." Her voice changed as she pulled Riley in for a hug and noticed Jack standing beside him. "Where did you come from, handsome?" Jack winced. He was being hit on by a girl only a year or two older than his sister.
    "Eden, meet Jack, Jack meet Eden, my annoying brat of a sister."
    "Helloooo, Jack," she drawled, sliding her hand to touch his arm, only dropping it when Jack backed