Of Water and Madness by Katie Jennings

swiftly putting together the same sample of squash she had just tried and handing it to him. “Tell me what you think of that.”
    He sniffed at it before eating it, less apprehensive than Liam usually was. Brogan had more faith in her culinary abilities. As he chewed, he nodded and met her eyes. “It’s good, I like it.”
    She beamed. “I think it’ll be good in a casserole, maybe with some sweet apples and raisins.”
    “How do you come up with all this stuff?” he asked, resting his chin in his hand and watching her with wonder. Whenever he looked at her that way she couldn’t help but feel he was giving her more credit than she deserved.
    “It’s just knowing the flavors and experimenting with them, that’s all,” she told him, eyeing the ingredients as she did. “There are limitless possibilities.”
    “I see,” he murmured, suddenly looking sheepish. “I came up here because Rian’s been restless all day. It was driving me crazy.” He laughed, embarrassed. “I hope you don’t mind, I had to escape for awhile.”
    “Not at all,” Rhiannon assured him, pushing aside her notebook and resting her elbows on the table. “What’s he anxious about?”
    He shrugged. “The wedding, I guess. It’s a big step for him, and he’s thrilled, but worried too in some ways. He hopes that he’ll be good enough for her.”
    “Why wouldn’t he be?” Her brows drew together in confusion as she shook her head. “She loves him.”
    “I think he just hopes he can give her everything she needs emotionally. He’s devoted to her, but part of him worries that she deserves someone better than him. Someone who doesn’t take everything so seriously.”
    “That’s nonsense,” Rhiannon huffed, looking insulted. “You can tell him that I have full faith in his ability to take care of Capri and that I would not approve of this marriage if that were not the case.”
    “Alright.” He grinned, amused by the heat in her eyes. “Don’t worry about it, though, he’s crazy about her. He’s not going to blow this.”
    “I’d hope not.” She let out a sigh and then suddenly remembered the conversation she’d had with Blythe while they were in New York. She felt her face flush with embarrassment. Well, here was her opportunity to ask him… “Brogan, this is kind of embarrassing, but Blythe had this idea that maybe we could set you up on a date…”
    “Excuse me?” he managed, surprise and alarm in his eyes as he stared at her, eyebrows raised incredulously.
    She shrugged, hoping not to come across as nosy and insistent, which she was sure she was going to anyway. “She says that Jax knows some nice girls down in Texas and if you’re interested maybe we could arrange something.”
    He gaped at her, caught off guard. “Well…I don’t know what to say, Rhiannon.”
    “Oh, forget I said anything. I knew it would sound meddlesome.” Rhiannon waved it away, embarrassed. “I’ll tell her you said no.”
    “But I didn’t say no,” he said softly, his mouth curving into a shy smile.
    She froze and then let out a shaky laugh. “Okay, good. Well, give it some thought and when you’re ready let me know and we’ll figure it out.”
    “Okay.” He reached out for her hand, amusement in his eyes. “I’m humbled that both of you even thought this up. It’s…strange, but maybe worth giving a shot.”
    “I know, it is strange.” Rhiannon laughed, squeezing his hand. “But maybe it’ll be–”
    The door burst open suddenly and Lucian peered in, looking distraught.
    “He’s not here?” he asked, concern in his eyes as he glanced around despairingly.
    “Who?” Rhiannon felt a jolt of fear pulse through her at the anxiety in Lucian’s eyes.
    “Liam. I don’t think he’s come back from New Orleans yet,” he informed her, coming into the kitchen fully and shaking his head. He looked exhausted, and more than a little worse for the wear. “He was supposed to have been back hours ago.”
    Rhiannon