Free Branded by Laura Wright Page A

the cabinet. “I’m fixin’ to start some bread pudding. I heard that was Cole’s favorite when he was young.”
    Oh, dear,
Mac thought bleakly. Did Elena really think Cole was coming to supper? Or Deacon or James or Blue? When she’d checked on Gypsy earlier, Sam had told her that Cole and James were at the bunkhouse, and she had no idea where Deacon was. Probably on the horn to his lawyers,trying to find some loophole in the will as he waited for his DNA expert to arrive. And Blue. Mac’s heart sank. Blue had taken off on Barbarella somewhere. She was pretty sure he wasn’t coming anywhere near the house tonight.
    â€œForget the pudding, Ellie,” Mac said gently. “It’s just gonna be you and me. Come sit down.”
    Her back to Mac, the woman fiddled around with a bowl and wooden spoon. “I’m not hungry.”
    â€œYeah, me neither.” She pushed a few delicious-looking dishes to the side. “So how ’bout you drink with me, then?”
    Elena stilled, the bowl and spoon poised in her hands. “Oh, Mac,” she whispered.
    â€œI know, Ellie. I know. Come on over here.”
    This time when the housekeeper turned around, her eyes were filled with tears and her dry lips were pressed together tightly. She placed the bowl and spoon on the counter, then opened one of the cupboards and grabbed a bottle of tequila and two glasses. Her shoulders limp, she came over to the table and pulled out the chair across from Mac.
    â€œGood girl,” Mac said, breaking into a melancholy grin. “Lord, if there’s ever a night for it, it’s tonight.”
    Elena didn’t answer. Her eyes drawn and sad,she poured Mac two fingers of tequila, then two for herself.
    Mac held up her glass. “To a shitty day.” Then she shrugged lightly. “And to being alive.”
    It took a moment, but finally Elena followed suit. “To Everett,” she whispered on a shaky breath.
    Mac paused, the rim of her glass pressed to her lips. Her eyes moved over the woman, really studying her. Maybe for the first time all day. This devastation wasn’t just Elena mourning the fact that her secret had been revealed. This was a deep, painful ache that came from loving someone hard and long, someone who was gone and never coming back, and it made everything much more complicated.
    When Elena downed her shot, Mac followed, then grabbed the bottle and poured them both another round.
    â€œOh, my Blue,” Elena uttered sadly. “He hates me, doesn’t he, honey?”
    â€œHe’s angry,” Mac said, placing the bottle back on the table and picking up her glass. “He has a right to be.”
    Elena took her glass and pounded the thing back, hissing with the second round of lovely, painful heat. “I didn’t want to hurt him,” she said. “I didn’t want him to ever know.”
    The alcohol’s soothing heat spread throughMac’s chest and made her sink back into the chair. “The not knowing is what hurt him, Ellie.”
    The woman’s eyes filled with fresh tears.
    On a sigh, Mac reached out and took her hand. “Listen. I’m not one to cast stones. Shit. Way too many coming back my way, but why?” Her words sounded slightly slurred, but not enough to make her stop drinking.
    â€œI loved him, honey.”
    Mac shook her head as she poured them both a third. “But he was married.”
    â€œDoesn’t stop the love.”
    â€œIt should.”
    Elena didn’t say anything, just stared at the glass of tequila in front of her.
    â€œWhen did you meet him?” Mac started in a soft voice. “Where? Was it here in River Black?”
    â€œIt wasn’t in River Black. That’s all I’m sayin’.”
    â€œDid he lie to you?” Mac asked, blinking to clear her vision.
    â€œStop, Mac, okay?”
    â€œNot tell you about his family?”
    â€œI said