Most Eligible Texan. Jules Bennett

the Publisher

       One

      An entire morning of pleasure reading plus an extra-large pumpkin-spice latte with a healthy dose of whip? Hell yes, sign her up.

      Rachel Kincaid spotted The Daily Grind across the street and nearly skipped to the door. She had two weeks before she had to dive back into her textbooks and this was her first time out alone since giving birth eleven months ago.

      Part of her felt guilty for leaving her precious Ellie, but on the other hand, she knew her baby was in the best hands back at the Lone Wolf Ranch under the care of her friend, Alexis Slade, and the host of staff members they had. The chef had taken quite a liking to Ellie and was always fussing over her.

      Alexis had graciously invited Rachel and Ellie to stay in her Royal, Texas, home and Rachel desperately needed the gal-pal time. Alexis and her grandfather Gus had gone out of their way to make the two of them feel like part of the family.

      Rachel stepped up onto the curb and pulled her cell from her boho-style bag. She’d just shoot off one quick text to make sure everything was okay. Although she was most definitely looking forward to this break, she was still a fairly new mom and a bit of a worrier when it came to her baby girl.

      Just as she pulled up the text messages, Rachel plowed into the door.

      No, not a door. A man. A broad, strong, chiseled man.

      Large hands gripped her biceps, preventing her from stumbling backward. Rachel jerked her gaze up at the stranger she’d slammed into.

      Familiar dark blue eyes stared back at her, no doubt mirroring her own shock.

      “Matt?”

      “Rachel?”

      The last time she’d been in Matt Galloway’s arms had been at Billy’s funeral, and that had been just over a year ago. Other than a handful of texts immediately following, she hadn’t heard a word from her late husband’s best friend.

      The pain from the void thudded in her chest. Matt had been her friend, too, and she’d wondered where he’d disappeared to. Why he’d dodged her for so long.

      “What are you doing in Royal?” she asked, pushing aside the heartbreaking thoughts.

      Last she knew he was still in Dallas making millions and flashing that high-voltage smile to charm the ladies.

      Matt released her and stepped back.

      “Hiding out,” he stated with a laugh. “I’m taking a break from the city for a bit and staying out of the limelight.”

      Rachel couldn’t help but smile. “Ah, yes. I recall you being dubbed Most Eligible Bachelor in Texas. What’s wrong, Matt? Don’t want all the ladies chasing you anymore?”

      Matt never minded the attention he received from beautiful women. In fact, Rachel had been interested in him at one time, but then Billy had asked her out, whisked her off her feet and, well...that was all in the past. She was moving forward now.

      “Come in,” he said, gesturing toward the door. “I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.”

      “Just like that? As if the past year of silence hadn’t happened?”

      The words escaped her before she could stop herself. But damn it, she’d needed him and he’d vanished. Didn’t she deserve to know why?

      Honestly, such a heavy topic was just too much to handle this early in the morning running on little sleep and no caffeine.

      “You know, never mind,” she amended, waving her hand through the air as if she could just erase the words. “It’s good to see you again, Matt.”

      She wasn’t sure what to feel or what memory from their past to cling to, as there were a great many. From meeting him and Billy for the first time at a college party, to the fun times they all had together, to the tragic death that had forever changed the dynamics between them.

      Rachel pasted a smile on her face, though. She needed a day out, and running into Matt might just be what the doctor ordered. Even though he’d hurt her, she’d missed him, and she knew Matt well enough to know he had a reason for staying away. She just couldn’t fathom what could keep him at such a distance for so long.

      “I don’t do coffee,” she stated as she passed him to enter The Daily Grind. “But you can buy my glorified milkshake.”

      Matt placed a hand on the small of her back, a simple gesture, but one that had her inwardly cringing. Not because she didn’t want Matt to touch her, but because the electric tingle that spread through her was so unexpected. No other man had touched her in so long...

      She wasn’t affected by him, she told herself. He was her friend, for pity’s sake. No, the reaction only came from seeing him again and the lack of human contact...the lack of male contact.

      Ugh. This was so silly. Why was she letting such a simple gesture from Matt occupy so much of her mind?

      “You’re going to get something pumpkin-spice with whip, aren’t you?”

      Rachel smacked his chest as she made her way toward the counter. “Listen, I won’t judge you and you won’t judge me. Got it, Mr. Eligible Bachelor?”

      Matt shook his head as he placed his order for a boring black coffee. Once Rachel placed her own order, the two of them found one of the cozy leather sofas in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass window.

      The shop wasn’t too busy this morning. A few people sat on stools along the back brick wall, and the bar top that stretched along the brick had power stations, so those working had taken up real estate there.

      Even though they were seated in the front of the coffee shop, Rachel and Matt had just enough privacy for their surprising reunion. She still couldn’t believe he was here in Royal. Couldn’t believe how handsome and fit he still looked. Okay, fine. He was damn sexy and she’d have to be completely insane to think he’d ever be anything but. The past year had been nothing but kind to Matt, while she figured she looked exactly how she felt: haggard and homely.

      Rachel eased back into the corner of her seat and smoothed her hands down her maxiskirt. She wasn’t sure what to say now, how to close the time gap that had separated them for so long.

      More importantly, she wasn’t sure how to compartmentalize her emotions. Matt had been her friend for years, but seeing him now had her wondering why she felt...hell, she couldn’t put her finger on the exact emotion.

      “What are you doing in Royal?” Matt asked, resting his elbow on the back of the couch and shifting to face her. “You’re not hiding from some newly appointed title by the media, too, are you?”

      Leave it to Matt to fall back into their camaraderie as if nothing had changed between them over the last year. She’d circle back to his desertion later, but for now she just wanted a nice relaxing chat with her old friend.

      “Afraid I’m not near as exciting as you,” she stated with a smile. “I’m visiting Alexis Slade, my friend from college.”

      “I’m familiar with the Slade family. Are you alone?”

      “If you’re asking if I have a man in my life, no. I’m here with my daughter.”

      Matt opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the barista delivered their orders and set them on the raw-edged table before them. Once they were alone again, Rachel reached for her favorite fall drink.

      “I didn’t mean to pry,” Matt muttered around his coffee mug. “I don’t have any right to know about your personal life anymore. How are you, though? Really.”

      “I’m doing well. But you’re not prying. We’ve missed a good bit of each other’s lives.” She slid her lips over the straw, forcing her gaze away when his dark blue eyes