Her face heated as she smiled. “You already know what I like.”

“Man can always learn more.”

Brody had thought of her and that scene for the rest of the day. He wasn’t able to see her that night or for the next few because their schedules were off. Thanksgiving was coming and he’d been dealing with that. With employee schedules and shop hours and making sure Erin didn’t have a freaking heart attack doing all the planning. It would be the first time she hosted it with Ben and Todd, and they were expecting a full house. Even Todd’s father, whom he’d been estranged from for some time, had agreed to come. That had been a huge deal for Todd and, because of that, for Erin too.

Brody pulled up into his driveway a week after that incredible afternoon, and as always, his gaze moved to the house across the street and he caught sight of her through the front window. Hugging a man. Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?

Before he knew what he was doing, he was striding across the street just to see what the hell was going on.

She answered the door, happy and slightly harried, and he sent her a raised brow. “Busy?”

She cocked her head at him. “Hey, Brody. Wanna come in?”

“Sure.” He walked in, smiling as he heard Rennie singing at the top of her lungs. “I noticed you had company. Am I interrupting?”

“What is up your butt?” she asked, her voice low.

“Look, I know you’re not wearing my frat pin or whatever.” He mimicked what she’d said that first day. “But we agreed not to see other people.”

Her puzzled look dissolved into a grin, followed by laughter. “You’re jealous?”

“Am not.”

She only laughed harder. “Daddy? Mama? Come on out here, I want you to meet my neighbor and our very good friend.”

“Christ.” Her dad. He’d just thrown a jealous tantrum over her father. Great.

She just nodded, tears from her laughter leaking down her face. “I have to deal with Raven all the time; you got jealous of my father.”

Rennie’s singing had stopped and she came thundering downstairs with her grandparents in tow.

The woman at Rennie’s left was very clearly Elise’s mother. Taller by four inches or so, a little bit rounder and softer, but the same piercing blue eyes, the same pale blonde hair. Even the same cheekbones.

“Wow, I’d say someone has some pretty dominant genes. I can see where you and Rennie get your good looks.”

“You didn’t say he was so charming in that introduction.” The woman swept forward, holding a hand out to Brody. “I’m Martine DuLac. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Rennie has been telling us all about you.”

“All good things, I hope.”

The father made one of those Gallic sounds that said everything and yet nothing at all. He even gave the shrug.

“This is my father, Paul.” Elise smiled to the man who’d approached her and kissed the top of her head. Where Elise and her mother were elegant beauties, this man was broad and dark. Green eyes took Brody in from head to toe and back again. He even had those professor eyebrows that only seemed acceptable on men like Paul DuLac.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” Brody offered his hand and the other man took it.

“You staying for dinner? My father has been cooking all day. Roast chicken. He’s a really good cook.”

“Since I was going to nuke something or call for takeout, I’ll accept that invitation.” He looked to her parents. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

Martine began to assure him they were more than happy, Rennie hooted her approval, and Paul continued to check him out.

“Can I help set the table or anything?”

Paul pointed at Brody. “You and I will have some wine. Rennie is going to go wash up, and the ladies will go into the kitchen and pretend they’re the ones who cooked dinner, while the men have wine and talk about worldly, manly things. When, in reality, I do most of the cooking and they know I’m going to be grilling you.” Paul shooed his wife and daughter from the room and turned to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses.

Elise said something in French to her father, and he snorted at her before turning her around and giving her a gentle push from the room. Brody laughed and nodded at her. He could hold his own, and in truth, he liked that her father wanted to know who the hell he was.

“My granddaughter talks about you all the time. You see them both a lot?” Paul handed Brody a glass and sat across from him.

“I see them both a few times a week. I’m glad Rennie likes me. I happen to think your granddaughter is an exceptional person.”

“Like her mother.”

Brody nodded. “Yes, sir. Exactly like her mother. Strong, intelligent, funny, pretty, talented too.”

“Enough with the ‘sir,’ already.” Paul waved a hand. “Paul is fine. So what are your intentions toward my girls?”

He wasn’t going to ask for her hand or anything, so why did he want Elise’s father to like him and approve of him? He’d never met the father of any woman he’d seen before. It was odd. “Elise is my friend. I feel protective of her and I enjoy her company. I would not harm either one of them, not ever.”

“Is this romantic then? This entanglement?”

He laughed. “It’s not an entanglement, but sure, it’s romantic. I’m not going to treat her wrong, Paul. Elise is special, but she can hold her own. Anyone can see that. What brings you and the missus out west?”