Agent's Admirer (Culpepper Cowboys Book 13) Read online

  The waitress stopped by then to take their order. She seemed nervous to be serving her boss, but she tried to be casual about it. “I’m Amy. What can I get for you this evening?”

  “Hi, Amy,” Megan said with a smile. “I want the Royal Robert. No lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise or mustard.”

  “How do you want the egg?”

  “I didn’t even think about that being an option. Hard yolk, I guess.” Megan looked at Bob and saw that he was frowning at her.

  “To drink?” Amy asked.

  “Just water, please.”

  Bob ordered a chili cheeseburger with bacon. “We also need a large order of fried cheese curds to share, and I want a Dr. Pepper to drink. Ranch sauce for dipping.”

  “How do you want your burgers cooked?”

  “Well done for me,” Megan responded quickly. She couldn’t stand any blood on her plate or her bun.

  “Medium rare.”

  Amy quickly repeated their order back to them before running off to the kitchen.

  “Why were you frowning at me?” Megan asked.

  “I make sure I get the proportions for everything in my burgers just right, and you come along with your special orders, making them totally different. Why do you do that?”

  Megan shrugged. “I’ve never been able to eat raw veggies. There’s something about the texture that makes me gag. So I order without. Oh no! I forgot to order my burger with no pickles. I can’t stand it when I get pickle pee on my burgers!”

  Bob shook his head, but stood up. “I’ll go tell them. Don’t go away.”

  “I never do.” Megan fiddled with her phone while Bob was gone, skimming through the emails she’d received, and quickly rescheduling someone who wanted a showing on Sunday.

  Bob slid back in across from her. “There will be no pickle pee on your burger. Happy now?”

  “Mostly. Is that really why you were frowning at me? You don’t like my special orders?”

  He nodded. “That’s really why. I don’t understand why you can’t just eat it like it comes.”

  “Because I don’t like it that way. Why would I eat a burger, which isn’t particularly good for me anyway, if it didn’t taste good to me?”

  He sighed. “I guess that’s one of your little quirks I’m going to have to get used to since we’re getting married.”

  “Yup.” She put her foot up on the booth beside him. “Now, about that thing we need to talk about. My sister asked if you wanted kids today.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That I have no idea! It’s not something we’ve ever talked about, so how could I know if you wanted kids?”

  “Do you want kids?” he asked, his brows drawn together.

  “I want at least a couple. I’d be happy with five or so.”

  “Five? Are you kidding?”

  She shrugged. “You asked. A couple would be fine.”

  “I can handle a couple, but I don’t want to start trying for at least a year.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because I want to make sure I can support a family before I actually have one. If you want to be able to stay home with the kids, you should be able to.”

  “You know I can work and have kids. It’s not a big deal to me to be able to stay home with them. Besides, I make enough we can afford a nanny, or I can hire someone to fill in for me while I’m taking time off to be with the kids.”

  “I need to be able to support us,” he said again. “It’s how I was raised.”

  She shrugged. “It’s honestly how I was raised too, but it wouldn’t bother me, so I don’t see why it matters so much.”

  “Because it does. I’d feel like a failure if you couldn’t stay home if you wanted to. I’m not saying I need you to stay home, but that you deserve to have the choice.”

  She sighed. “I’ll have the choice either way, because I have the option of hiring someone to work for me. I’ve been making good money for years, and I have enough saved that I can make things happen.”

  “But I’m the one who needs to provide.”

  She groaned. “You really believe that, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do!”

  “Okay, we’ll wait until you’re ready, but that means we need to deal with birth control.”

  He shrugged. “We can handle that. I’ll use something until you can get on the pill.”

  “What if I’d rather not put hormones in my body?” Megan asked. He was infuriating on this topic. Maybe she could kick him really hard, just once. Would that even get his attention?

  “Is there a danger with taking hormones?” he asked, his brows drawn together.

  “There can be. My aunt got breast cancer from hormones, and they won’t give them to you after a certain age, because the risks go up.”

  “Well, then I don’t want you taking hormones. I can use a condom.” He sighed. “You think I’m being stupid, don’t you?”

  “Not stupid, but definitely old fashioned. After we’re married, everything we do is a team effort. What does it matter which part of the team is bringing in money? Maybe we’ll want you to stay home with the kids.”

  “Me? How am I supposed to know how to take care of kids?”

  “Do you think women are born knowing how? ’Cuz we’re not!”

  Bob frowned at her, wondering if he was just digging a deeper hole. “It’s not that. I just feel like you’ll be better at it than me.”

  She made a face. “My only sister was born when I was two. You at least have had practice taking care of younger siblings.”

  “I have some. Not a whole lot, though, because my mom was a stay-at-home mom.”

  “And that’s why you think I should be?” Megan asked, trying to understand his reasoning.

  “I guess. I’m not even sure. I’ve always had in my head that I needed to be in a position where I could take care of my family financially before I married. I don’t feel there yet.”

  “Do you want to call it off then?”

  “No, calling it off isn’t an option.”

  “Postponing it is. No big deal.”

  “Are you trying to back out?” Bob asked, alarmed. It seemed like she was always trying to find some way to avoid marrying him. He was ready to marry, and he wanted it to be her.

  “No, I’m not trying to back out. My whole family is coming for our wedding on Sunday. Why would I back out?”

  “You don’t sound convinced that we should marry.”

  Amy stopped next to their table with their food then. “Should I come back?”

  Bob’s eyes widened as he shook his head. He certainly hadn’t meant for one of his employees to hear that discussion. “No, we’re good.”

  She put both burgers and the basket of fried cheese curds on the table. “I’ll get you both refills on your drinks and be right back.”

  Megan sighed. “Let’s just see what happens, okay? We don’t have to start trying for babies this weekend, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it. You may not be financially ready for children, but we are.”

  Bob nodded, saying nothing else as their glasses were placed in front of them. “Thanks, Amy.”

  Amy nodded. “Anything else I can get you?”

  Megan shook her head, picking up one of the fried cheese curds and dipping it in ranch. “I think we’re good. Thank you!”

  As Amy hurried off, Bob nodded. “It can take a long time for a woman to get pregnant anyway, right?”

  “It can. It never worked that way for my mom, but it can.”

  “Your mom got pregnant easily?”

  Megan nodded. “She was pregnant within a couple months of marrying both Erin's dad and my dad. She was only married to my dad for three weeks when he was killed in a fire.”

  “Wait…I thought your dad was still alive.”

  Megan shrugged. “I never knew my real dad. My whole life, the man I think of as my dad has been there for me, so why would I think of him as a step-father?”

  “How old were
you when they married?”

  “I wasn’t quite a year. Erin is twenty months younger than me.”

  “So you’re half-sisters.” Bob was surprised. “Why didn’t you say anything when we talked about my family?”

  She shrugged. “It didn’t feel the same. Really, I know who my birth dad is from pictures and a few stories my mom has told me. I feel like John, my step-dad, has always been my father.”

  “I guess that makes sense. I’m meeting your family tomorrow?” he asked, a bit worried about meeting them all.

  “Yup. My mom, dad, and sister will all be here for lunch at two. Erin’s going to spend the night at my place. She’s going to be my maid of honor.”

  He frowned. “I guess I’d better talk to Austin then, but I don’t want to.”

  “Talk to him about what? And why don’t you want to?”

  “I need a best man, and he told me Monday night that when I found myself suddenly needing a best man for a wedding that was taking place way faster than I meant it to, I should ask him.”

  Megan bit back the giggle that wanted to erupt from her lips. “You should talk to him tonight,” she said, right before she took a huge bite of the Royal Robert. She chewed slowly, savoring the taste. “This is good!”

  “Of course it is. Have you ever had a bad burger here?”

  Megan shook her head. “Nope. I wouldn’t come back as often as I do if I had.”

  “Glad to hear it. I’ll pass the compliment along to my staff.” He reached for her hand, stroking it. “Are we really dancing tonight?”

  “Of course, we are. You know how much I love dancing! And that way you can talk to Austin.”

  Bob shrugged. He didn’t know Austin all that well, but he’d do. He didn’t know anyone else in town extremely well either, and Austin had offered. That made him easy to ask. “Sounds good.”

  “Did you have something better in mind than dancing?”

  He shrugged. “I thought we could iron out some details. Like, we don’t even know where we’re going to live yet!”

  “My place, of course. It’s bigger.”

  “Makes sense. I need to pack my place up then. I guess I can do that tomorrow night while you’re with your sister.”

  “Sounds like a good solution. I need to spend time with Erin anyway. She’s contacted a matchmaker, so she’ll be married soon as well.”

  “She will? Is it that easy?”

  “This matchmaker introduces people at the altar, and she does it fast. She introduced the Culpeppers to the Quinlan sisters.”

  “Wait…you mean they were all set up with each other? They didn’t just meet and fall in love?”

  Megan grinned. “Hard to believe, isn’t it? They were introduced with a caveat that they’d all be married within one month. It worked out, although from what I hear, Linda Culpepper was sweating it out over whether Chris and Chastity would get married on time. They seemed content to be caught making out all over town.”

  Bob grinned. “That’s why we’re getting married so fast. I refuse to be caught making out with you.”

  “Well, I think it might be fun. The pastor knows you’re trying to look at my panties after all…”

  He ate another bite of his burger, refusing to respond to the comment about the pastor. Two more days. They’d be married in two more days. He could wait that long…

  7

  Megan was waiting at the Burger Barn when her family arrived around two the following afternoon. She’d been led to a corner booth with enough seating for five by Kari, who had left her with a wink. “Bob’s working his magic,” she called back over her shoulder.

  Megan had waved and smiled, wondering what that meant. A few minutes later her family joined her, leaving a spot open beside her for Bob to sit. Her sister slid around to the middle and her parents sat opposite her and the empty spot. “Is he here?” Erin asked, craning her neck to try to see any man there.

  “He’s in the back. He’ll be out in a minute, I’m sure.” Megan hoped she was right. Her family had come a long way to meet him, not just eat the food he fixed for them. He was more important than what he made, although she knew he didn’t always believe that.

  “How was dancing last night?” Erin asked, her eyes lit up.

  “It was good! I love dancing with him. He hasn’t really done any of the fast dances before, so I’m teaching him.”

  Her dad groaned. “I can’t imagine having to learn all those fast dances to please my woman. Poor Bob.”

  Bob arrived then with a full platter balanced on one hand. He had a pitcher of water, five glasses, and an appetizer sampler with plates. “I thought we’d just sample a bit of everything.” He carefully set everything down. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to take off my apron and turn into a human.” He hurried off toward the kitchen again, and Erin kicked her under the table.

  “You said he was sexy, but you didn’t say he was punch you in the gut sexy.” Erin fanned her face with her hand.

  Megan laughed. “Mom made us quit talking about sexy men, remember?”

  “Mom has serious issues.” Erin took a plate from the stack and reached for one of the appetizers. “Tell me what it is before I try it, Meg.”

  “That’s a fried cheese curd. They’re my absolute favorite. I could sit here and munch on them all day long!” Megan poured water for everyone. She wasn’t surprised Bob had thought to include the fried cheese curds, because he was getting to really know her tastes in food.

  Bob slid in beside her, planting a light kiss on her cheek. “Sorry to keep everyone waiting. Have you had a chance to look over the menu?”

  Her dad leaned forward, his arms planted firmly on the table. “You know we came here to meet you, and really don’t care much about what kind of food you serve, right?”

  Bob shrugged. “I guess I do. I just feel like since you’re here, I should feed you. I’m a chef, after all.”

  Her dad shook his head. “Tell me about yourself. Megan said you grew up in Texas?”

  He nodded. “I grew up in a small town outside of Dallas. I’m sure you’ve never heard of it. My dad was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty when I was very young. My mom remarried when I was five, and my step-father has raised me ever since.”

  “Sounds a lot like our family’s story.” Her dad eyed him carefully. “Megan may not be mine biologically, but she’s still my daughter in every other way. Treat her right.”

  Bob nodded, squeezing Megan’s hand under the table. “I couldn’t hurt her.”

  “I hope not.” Her dad frowned, then picked up the menu to read it and figure out what he wanted.

  Her mom smiled at Bob. “I’m glad to see Megan as happy as she is. Be good to her. That’s all we ask.”

  “We’re also asking if you have any younger brothers? I wouldn’t mind meeting a younger brother.” Erin’s eyes were full of mischief as she asked.

  He laughed. “I have three younger brothers. The oldest is still in college.”

  “Oh.” Erin sighed. “It was worth a try!”

  Megan grinned at her sister. “Told you.”

  “Told her what?” Bob asked.

  Megan shook her head, blushing. She should have known better than saying that in front of him. “Nothing much. We’ll talk later.”

  Bob frowned. “When? I thought your sister was going to stay the night, and I wouldn’t see you until the wedding tomorrow.”

  “She is, but that doesn’t mean we can’t see each other at all.”

  “I guess I could come over for dinner?”

  Megan nodded. “Sure. Erin and I will cook dinner for you. I’ve never cooked for you before.”

  Erin gave Megan a look that said she’d lost her mind, while Megan’s mind raced through the few things she could cook to come up with something that would work for Bob. She made a mean grilled cheese. Maybe that would work. “You don’t mind something light, do you?”

  Bob shook his head. “Nope. If it’s too light, I can make some
thing more when I get home. I can cook.”

  “That’s a good thing, or your kids would starve to death!” Erin said.

  Bob looked at Megan. “Not going to respond to that?”

  “She’s my sister. She’s supposed to say evil things to and about me. It’s kind of the law or something.”

  Because he’d been so much older than his siblings, Bob had mostly missed out on the sibling rivalry thing. For a while, he’d thought that was a bad thing, but watching Megan and Erin, he wasn’t so sure. “I see. Maybe it’s better if you do cook for me before we marry.”

  Megan glared at her sister. Now she was going to have to pull out all the stops. She’d make a good homemade soup to go with the grilled cheese she had planned. They’d have to go to the store on their way to her place. “You’re going to pack tonight too, right?”

  “Sure. But that’s not going to take real long. I don’t have much stuff, and I’ve only lived there a couple of months. You’re going to have to sublet my apartment for me.”

  Megan shrugged. She’d figured as much. She smiled at her mother when she caught her staring at them. “What are you going to eat, Mom?”

  “I thought I’d try Bob’s Bleu Burger. You know how much I love bleu cheese.”

  “It’s really good,” Megan said enthusiastically. “Especially if you take away the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and add bleu cheese dressing.”

  “One of these days you’re going to eat one of my burgers, and you’re not going to do anything to modify it. Then you’ll understand the true genius behind my work.”

  Her mother rolled her eyes. “Don’t hold your breath. Megan is even pickier than her sister. And Erin is one of the pickiest people I know.”

  The two sisters looked at each other and shrugged. “I like the way I eat,” Erin said defensively. “I’m going to get the bacon cheeseburger.” She reached for an onion ring and dipped it in ketchup before taking a big bite. “What’s your secret to the spicy breading?”

  Bob shook his head. “I don’t give out my cooking secrets, even to family.”

  Erin wrinkled her nose at him. “Fine. I’m not going to call you big brother then.”