When Petals Fall: A Cowboy, Second Chance Romantic Suspense (Chance Creek Book 1)

by A. L. Mercier

  Jake opened the front door and stepped onto the porch. He must have heard the truck. She eased off the brake and drove the remaining distance to the house. When she reached the house, she put the truck in park and before she even got the keys out of the ignition, Jake was there opening her door for her.

  He pressed his lips to hers in greeting. "What are you doing in Logan's truck?"

  She heard the underlying anger in his voice and sighed.

  "Relax, he just let me borrow it. Oh, and I ran into your dad. He was sitting on the porch." She watched him visibly wince and she laughed. "It wasn't bad at all."

  "If you say so, but don't forget that I know how good ol' dad can be sometimes."

  "Yeah, well, you're not going to believe it, but he was nice to me."

  Jake laughed. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

  "Who knows what the reason is, I'm just glad he's not hostile toward me any longer."

  "He's changed in a lot of ways since the heart attack."

  "He's okay though. He's better?"

  "Yeah, he's fine. Why?"

  "He just looks so much older than I remember."

  "Don't worry, Lizzie, my dad will outlive us all."

  She hoped so, because when Leo Kramer died, so would a huge piece of Jake. "I saw Amy."

  "She's home for the summer from Berkeley."

  "So, she did get into Berkeley. Good for her." Even at twelve Amy knew she wanted to be an English professor and author and Berkeley had been her first choice of college.

  "She worked damn hard at making that dream a reality."

  "I imagine she did. Scholarship?"

  Jake nodded. "Full."

  Lizzie smiled. "She always was smart as a whip. I'm happy for her."

  "So, back to Logan's truck."

  "Amy told me you were in the barn, so I went out there."

  "And I wasn't there."

  "Right. And then I ran into Logan."

  Jake nodded.

  "He seems different."

  "I've been working with the man for nearly seven years now, and he's never done anything to make me doubt him since he's been off the sauce."

  "Well, that's good then."

  "Two surprises in one day, huh?"

  "That would be three."

  "What do you mean?"

  "This house, Jake. Why didn't you tell me you built your dream house?"

  "I thought someone would have told you already and if not, I figured you'd see it eventually."

  "But why didn't you tell me?"

  "It didn't seem important."

  Obviously, he wasn't ready to tell her why yet, so she let it go, coming up the last two steps until she stood beside him, tipping her head back for his kiss. When his lips parted from hers, she asked, "Are you going to show me the inside of this beautiful house or what?"

  "Sure," he said threading his fingers through hers, "let's go." He held open the door and Lizzie headed through.

  32

  Jake

  When she took the first step into the house she sucked in a breath and held a hand to her chest. She turned to him with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. "It's gorgeous." He let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. A wave of relief washed over him. He'd waited a long time to see her in this house as she was now, the sunlight streaming through the windows, casting an angelic glow about her silhouette. It'd been well worth the wait. Now he needed to know what she thought of the rest of the house. Her approval was everything because he had built this house for her. For them. For the family he longed to have with her.

  From the look of awe on her face, he was pretty sure she liked it. When she saw the fireplace in the great room she stopped and stared. Again, he found himself holding his breath. He and Ryan had worked their asses off getting the mantle just right. Her lips were slightly parted, her eyes soft as she ran her hand along the wood grain.

  "It's magnificent, Jake."

  He breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you like it."

  She stopped abruptly and looked at him.

  "Jake, I don't just mean I like it, I love it. It's the most amazing work I've ever seen."

  At her words, he relaxed because he knew everything would be all right now. So much had been weighing on her reaction. Maybe that was the reason he hadn't told her about this house, why he hadn't invited her here. Whatever the reason, it all seemed so foolish now, including his reticence when she had pulled up.

  Her hand slid down the carvings, her fingertips tracing the engraved intricate pattern he had worked tirelessly on. He had hoped to design something she would appreciate, and relief poured through him now that he was sure he had.

  Jake followed in her wake, saying nothing, as she breezed through the living area oohing and ahhing about this and that, then followed suit when she reached the dining room. When she pushed open the kitchen door she froze. He was behind her so he couldn't weigh her reaction. She just stood there, saying nothing, doing nothing, all the while tying his gut up in knots at the not knowing.

  Finally she stepped inside and turned to face him. Her face held a wide and excited smile. "You know I have to cook in this kitchen. It's perfect." He just watched as she made her way through the room, running her hand along the surface of the deep blue marble countertop. She walked over to the stainless-steel refrigerator, pulled it open, and began taking food items out and setting them on the countertop.

  Amused by her impulsiveness and pleased that she felt comfortable enough in this house make herself at home, he walked over to the dining island and took a seat on one of the stools, watching carefully for any signs of acknowledgement of the fact that this was the house they had discussed seven years ago.

  Spotting the radio, Lizzie turned it on and did a little shimmy as Justin Timberlake sang about bringing sexy back. Lizzie sure as hell brought it back when she shook her hips like that.

  She shimmied to where the pots and pans hung. As she grabbed the frying pan, the rack swayed on the chains that secured it to the ceiling. She started in surprise at the fact she didn't have far to reach, then looked at him with delight etching her features.

  "How cool is that? I don't need a step stool to take down the pots and pans." With that, she reached for a saucepan, then resumed her shimmy all the way to the stove.

  He chuckled and waited for her to recognize that everything about this house had been customized for her. He had a feeling it was going to be a long wait because from the looks of things, the little bulldozer was going to cook and when she cooked, she went off into her own little world.

  33

  Lizzie

  As she took another bite of the spaghetti and meat sauce, Lizzie realized something. "You know what?"

  Jake paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "What?"

  "I didn't see the rest of the house."

  He raised an amused brow. "No kidding."

  "I'm sorry, Jake. Does dinner make up for the fact that I took over your kitchen?"

  "If you promise to make dessert, I might be able to forgive you."

  She should have known. "Hmm. I think I could whip something up. I'll make you a deal."

  He nodded.

  "I'll make you dessert, but only if you agree to do the dishes."

  He grinned. "You're one the cleanest cooks I've ever seen. I've never seen anyone clean up their dishes as they cook. So, seeing as I'm getting the better end of the deal, I'll get the rest of the dishes."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Absolutely. You cook, I clean."

  "Sounds good." She stood up and he put his hand over hers, stalling her movement.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Ah, I was going to make dessert?"

  "Why don't I show you the rest of the house first?"

  Lizzie shrugged. "Okay."

  They walked through his office then upstairs to where the bedrooms were. He showed her the three spare bedrooms. The first was yellow, unfurnished, but painted. The second was light green, and
again unfurnished. The third was done in a blue striped pattern and had an adjoining bath. "The guestroom?"

  Jake nodded. "Yes."

  Lizzie crossed the hall to what was obviously the master bedroom. When she saw the large bed, she laughed with delight and then ran and dove onto the more-than-king-sized, four-poster bed. She flipped over onto her back and looked up through the skylight. "This is amazing, Jake!"

  What he found amazing was the fact that she was laying in his bed. Finally. He had waited for this moment for far too long. He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb and enjoyed the sight before him.

  There she was, his Lizzie, sprawled out across his bed, her beautiful hair blending in with the burgundy comforter, her face filled with evident joy and contentment. He wanted her. Badly. But when he got a look at the clock, he realized he had let time get away from him. He needed to meet with his dad before he went to bed. They had business to discuss.

  As he walked closer to the bed, Lizzie patted a spot next to her in invitation. Maybe business could wait for a while. He lay down next to her and she turned her back to him, then scooted back against his body.

  "This bed is so comfortable, Jake."

  "Hmm," was all he could manage as she wiggled her bottom against his growing erection.

  She sighed then yawned. "I could use a nap," she said, snuggling deeper into the pillow and pressing tighter against him.

  Her mother had told him she wasn't sleeping, and he noted the dark circles under her eyes, so rather than make love to her as his body urged him to, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, cocooning her in his warmth.

  Within minutes he heard the telltale soft snuffle of Lizzie's snore. He held her close for a while more, keeping her close and safe in his arms, in his bed, in their house, holding her more for his sake than hers, knowing that all too soon he'd have to let her go.

  34

  Lizzie

  She couldn't believe she fell asleep. As Lizzie passed the corral, she kneed the horse into a run. The beauty of the open range as she rode fast, the wind whipping against her face, her hair floating in the breeze behind her, gave her a feeling of peace for the first time since the break-in, one she craved, one she needed in order to get things worked out in her head.

  One minute she'd wanted to entice him into taking her in his big bed, and the next she conked out. That bed was magic. She hadn't been able to sleep since the break in, but two minutes in Jake's bed and she fell sound asleep.

  Was it because of the comfort of the bed or from being held in Jake's arms?

  Whether she wanted it or not, she was in love with him, and with each passing day falling deeper, but that didn't mean she had to tell him. Though time and time again the words had been on the tip of her tongue, her heart tempting her to say them aloud, but she hadn't. Not yet. Not until she figured out how she was going to be able to stay in Chance Creek when she and Katie were going to be starting a business over two hundred miles away in a matter of months.

  When she settled in Jackson, she'd be a minimum of five hours away, and that'd be with clear weather, and on a really good day up through the twisting curves and turns through the mountains. On the bad days, which occurred frequently in Wyoming, she'd be a minimum of eight hours away, and if the snow fell as heavily as it was known to do, the roads would be impassable which made the whole thought of a long-distance relationship with Jake impossible. And though technically winter was from November through March, snow was known to come as early as August and as late as May.

  Lizzie growled, and frustration had her pressing her knees a bit stronger into Dahlia's sides, sending the horse into a full run. The wind cut gloriously across her face. This was exactly what she needed to get some of the simmering aggravation out of her system. A good long run across the green pastures of the Bar T always helped her clear her head. She didn't pay any mind to the beauty surrounding her as she rode, instead she just let her mind go blissfully blank, which meant she missed the lone shadow standing at the top of the ridge.

  35

  Lizzie

  Convincing her mother to leave for the cruise proved difficult.

  "I just don't feel right leaving you now, Lizzie."

  Lizzie rolled her eyes. God, her mother was such a worrier. "Mama, I'll be fine. I've got Brand and Matt staying in the house and the other ranch hands are keeping their eyes open, so we're perfectly safe."

  "I still don't feel right about it."

  "They'll be okay, Gretty. Besides, the cruise was your idea," Peter assured her. "It'll do us good to get away."

  "You're both right. I just can't help but worry with all that's been going on."

  Lizzie cast a pleading look at her brother. On cue, he stepped forward and put an arm around their mother's shoulder. "Mom, Sheriff Brooks has a good handle on things right now and, like Lizzie said, we've got everyone on the ranch on full alert. Nothing has happened since the break-in. Not even a heavy breather call. And you know if anything even remotely suspicious happens, we'll be on it."

  "You see there Mrs. T? No worries. These rough and tough men have things under control," Katie added. "Besides, that Caribbean cruise sounds fabulous to me. You and Mr. T are going to have a blast." Lowering her voice, Katie winked, "With all that privacy, you're sure to get a lot of lovin' on that cruise." She waggled her eyes at Lizzie's dad. "Isn't that that right, Mr. T?"

  When Lizzie looked at her father, she caught his amused grin as well as his blatantly heated gaze at her mother. It made her smile. A love like theirs was rare, after thirty-one years together that they could still be so deeply in love and want each other so badly was pretty great.

  Brand cleared his throat. "The bags are loaded. You sure you don't want me to take them to the airport?"

  "I can handle it, big brother. Rock Springs is only a little over an hour away. Besides, I've got Katie along."

  Brand grunted, not bothering to conceal his sarcasm as he muttered something about that being part of the problem.

  Lizzie laughed and patted him on the back. "As long as we've got that cleared up, we better get going so Mama and Daddy don't miss their flight." Turning to her father, she asked, "Daddy, you want to drive?"

  Her father shook his head. "Not this time, honey. I'm on vacation. I'll sit in the back with your mother."

  Katie grinned. "So we're the chauffeurs. I can handle that." She opened the rear passenger door with a flourish, "Allow me, Sir."

  Peter let out a laugh. "Now that's what I call service."

  Lizzie would have followed suit at opening the door for her mother, but Brand already beat her to it. "I've got my cell, Brand. If anything happens, I'll call."

  "But nothing will." Katie chimed in.

  "Alright. Be careful and call me with updates."

  Lizzie nodded. "You bet. Every two hours just like we planned."

  "I know it's a pain for you, Lizzie, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

  "I know." She climbed in her SUV and, leaning out her window, she parted with, "I'll talk to you soon."

  The drive to the airport went off without a hitch. Traffic on the highway was light and her parents' flight took off on time. She was grateful for Katie's company because, even though she wouldn't admit it, to herself or anyone else for that matter, she'd had a nagging feeling all day long something wasn't quite right.

  Now, on their drive back to Chance Creek, they sang loudly and extremely off key, to songs on the radio. When one station played a song they didn't particularly like, Katie switched the stations until they found one they did. Thankfully she didn't have Bailey along or he'd be howling in protest. Off key or not, it was fun and stress relieving.

  "You hungry, Lizzie?"

  "Yeah, I could eat."

  "I'm starved. Why don't we hit one of the fast food joints coming up and grab some food?"

  "Sounds good."

  Leaving the drive-thru, they headed back to the highway, eating their burgers, fries, and chocolate shakes, singing, l
aughing and simply enjoying themselves. Lizzie had just eaten the last of her fries when she turned off the interstate to the local highway that would lead them back to Chance Creek.

  "You're still coming over, right?"

  "Yep. We'll have a slumber party, just like when we were kids." Katie replied.

  "Except there's no need to sneak out to go kissing with boys in the barn."

  Katie groaned. "Don't remind me. Jimmy Evans was not one of the smartest moves I've ever made. Besides, he was a horrible kisser."

  "Yeah, that and the fact my dad caught you." Lizzie laughed again and Katie shuddered.

  "One of the most horrifying moments of my life. I fancied myself in love with Jimmy and the humiliation of your dad catching us making out was the worst."

  "I remember. You came in the house crying. Not because my dad was going to tell your mom you were kissing a boy in the barn, no sir, but because my dad asked you right in front of Jimmy if he had slipped you the tongue." Lizzie could barely finish the sentence she was laughing so hard.

  "I was mortified!" Katie gave her shoulder a playful shove. "I had to tell him because he wouldn't let me go to the house until I did, and then when I told him yes, but I didn't particularly like it, he tried to instruct Jimmy on how to do it properly. He said if we were going to do it, we should at least do it right."

  "You have to admit it was hilarious."

  Katie harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, a laugh a minute up until the point when Jimmy dumped me, and your dad's instructions helped him earn the reputation of Chance Creek's best kisser. I only got the sloppy wet kisses, none of the good stuff."

  "Don't pout, Katie. I'm sure he wasn't that good."

  "That's not what Laura Carson said, and Laura Carson was a slut. She'd know a good kiss from a bad one."