A Deal Made In Texas. Michelle Major

She’d gotten contacts and started running, shedding the excess pounds that had plagued her for years. A bevy of expensive hair products helped her tame her wild mane, and the color had mellowed from the bright orange of her childhood. Her dad had called her “baby carrot” as a kid, and her sister had amended the nickname to “jumbo carrot” due to Christine’s size. Even though she thankfully hadn’t heard the nickname in years, it was how she still thought of herself.

      She took pains with her appearance and she knew she wasn’t ugly. She was decent-looking, in fact. But beautiful? No, not to someone like Gavin.

      “This is not real,” she said, both for his sake and to remind herself.

      Gavin’s thick brows furrowed. “That doesn’t mean—”

      “What’s your favorite color?”

      “Um...blue.”

      “Mine’s purple.” She crossed her arms over her chest, aware he was still staring at her like he couldn’t quite follow the direction of her thoughts. Join the club. Her mind and heart felt like they’d survived an emotional tornado, hurricane and maybe a tsunami thrown in for good measure, all in one night. “Favorite food?”

      “Pizza.”

      “I like burgers and fries.”

      His mouth quirked. “That’s kind of cute.”

      “Burgers aren’t cute.”

      “You’re admitting you like them as opposed to giving me some line about loving salmon and kale. That’s cute.”

      “I take yoga classes and run before work. What do you do to work out?”

      One brow arched. “So you’re flexible?”

      With a groan, she stepped around him toward the hotel room desk. “Do you want me to write all this down?” She picked up a pen and the small pad of paper with the hotel’s logo.

      “The ways you’re flexible?”

      “Gavin, be serious. You were the one who said your family would find out about us. We need to have our stories straight.” Christine clutched the pen and paper to her chest and fought the urge to whimper as Gavin ran a hand through his hair. She could see the muscles of his arm flexing under his white shirt. “When did we meet?”

      “We’ve known each other for years.”

      “Right. I mean when did we—”

      “It was Thanksgiving break my senior year of college. I was getting ready to retake the LSAT after my not-so-stellar performance the first time around.”

      Christine inclined her head, surprised and charmed he’d remember the very first time they met. “You were studying in the conference room at the Fortunado Real Estate office. It was quiet because of the holiday.”

      “And I was bitter because my buddies had flown to Aspen for the weekend.” He started undoing the buttons of his shirt, casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal for him to be undressing in front of her. Of course, he wore a white T-shirt under the formal shirt, so it wasn’t a true striptease.

      Christine’s heart stammered just the same.

      “You were the only one in the office,” he continued. “You kept bringing me coffee and takeout.”

      She shrugged. “It was my first week working for your father and I wanted to be helpful in any way I could.”

      “Do you remember what you told me after I’d complained to you for the millionth time about life being unfair?”

      She shook her head. She hadn’t remembered speaking to him at all. She’d graduated college a semester early and had felt lucky to be hired by Kenneth right away. It had taken almost a year on the job before she believed her boss wouldn’t walk into the office and tell her he’d made a horrible mistake taking a chance on her. Having Gavin in the office during the quiet lull of the Thanksgiving holiday had made her so nervous. All she’d been able to do was refill his mug and send out for sandwiches.

      “You told me to channel my inner Elle Woods.”

      Christine gave a soft chuckle. “I loved Legally Blonde.”

      “Clearly. You gushed about the movie. I didn’t know what you were talking about,” Gavin said with a grin. “I went back to my parents’ house and rented it.”

      “You watched Legally Blonde?”

      “Oh, yeah. I not only watched it, I was also inspired. I mean, if Elle Woods could get into law school, what excuse did I have?”

      She snorted a laugh then pressed her hand to her mouth. “Tell me you didn’t use scented pink paper for your admissions application.”

      “Not exactly.” Gavin draped the crisp white shirt over the back of the desk chair then held up his hands, palms out. “If you tell anyone I said I was inspired by that movie, I’ll deny it. But I might have Reese Witherspoon to thank for my law career.” His smile softened. “And you.”

      Christine felt her mouth drop open. “I...had no idea.”

      “It seemed like a stupid thing to admit at the time. But I’ve never forgotten. You helped me then, and now you’re saving my bacon once again. I owe you, Christine.”

      “It’s not a big deal,” she said automatically. But it was. It was that time he’d spent in the office poring over law books that had given her an initial glimpse of who Gavin truly was on the inside. Through the years she’d remained convinced he was more than the rakish attorney who was always scaling mountains or hurling himself down ski slopes in his off time. Back then he’d been nervous, vulnerable, and she hadn’t been able to resist him. Just like she couldn’t now.

      She lifted the paper and pen. “We should still go over some more details if we’re going to make this relationship believable.” Not that it would be difficult on her part. One look at her face and it would be clear to everyone that she was already half in love with Gavin.

      “How about we watch a movie while we talk?” He winked. “Elle Woods for old times’ sake?”

      “Sure,” she whispered.

      He picked up his jacket then patted the bed. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to order something from late-night room service. Can I tempt you with a hamburger?”

      Christine started to shake her head but her stomach rumbled. “No cheese and medium-well, please.”

      He nodded. “Got it.”

      She placed the paper and pen on the nightstand and climbed onto the bed, butterflies racing across her stomach. She was in Gavin’s bed. Or on it. Close enough.

      He used the room’s landline to place the order then clicked the remote to turn on the TV, searching until he found Legally Blonde. “I haven’t watched this movie in years,” he told her.

      “It holds up,” she said, choosing not to share that the movie was on her regular rotation of Saturday night rom-coms. It struck her that tonight was Saturday and here she sat watching a movie, as had become her weekly routine. Only tonight instead of curling up with her black lab, Diana, she was in one of the most beautiful hotels in Austin with Gavin.

      She loved her dog, but this was way better.

      Her nerves disappeared as soon as the movie started. She and Gavin talked and laughed, and then ate when the food arrived. He cleared the empty plates when the movie ended, placing the tray outside the hotel room door.

      “I think you should stay a bit longer,” he said, checking his watch. “The reception isn’t scheduled to end until midnight, and knowing my family, they’ll be closing down the place.”

      “I don’t want to keep you from going to sleep,” she said, stifling a yawn.

      “Apparently, I’m not the one