“I think we have a bowling team with that name.”
She rolled her eyes, clearly unammused by the dumb joke.
“What can I say, darlin’? You’re not in the big, bad city anymore.”
She looked up at me with those gorgeous brown eyes. “I’m not living with you. I don’t even know you.”
“You wouldn’t be living with me. The Rabbit Hut is a fully functioning, separate cabin. No one would bother you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Does that include you?”
I stepped closer to her and smirked. “Well, that depends.”
“On what?”
“On you, beautiful Tia Lopez.”
“Oh, my god.” She laughed, rubbing her eyes again. “This place is nuts. You are nuts.” She turned around and headed back down the track.
I couldn’t help myself and jogged back down to her, stopping her in her tracks this time. I blocked her path and gave her a genuine smile. “Okay, I gotta be honest with you.”
She sighed and folded her arms.
“I can’t help feeling like you and me, Tia, we’ve got this connection. This undeniable spark.”
Her nose wrinkled up. “We barely know each other.”
“I know. But does that really matter?”
She burst out laughing, and as much as I tried to keep a straight face, I couldn’t. Tia seemed way too clued up for my usual charms. Laying it all out in front of her, felt like my only choice. I didnt care if I looked stupid. I could laugh along with her. It was just as fun.
“Is this why you’re offering me a place to stay? So you can hit on me?”
“Well, I would have hit on you last night, but you were all traumatized and smelt of wet dog.”
She laughed again, and my heart grew with satisfaction, knowing I could put a smile on that gorgeous face.
“Come on, Tia. Give me a chance. I’m a good guy, really.” I took a step closer to her. It was enough to pick up the scent of my citrus showergel on her body again. “You know, when I woke up this morning and you were gone, I felt like total shit. I thought you’d be halfway home by now. But here you are. At least let me have a chance to get to know you better before you go running off again.”
Her face softened at my words and I could see them rolling around in her mind. “I’m not here to make friends, Colton. Or anything else. I’m doing this job and then I’m leaving. That won’t change, and I don’t want any more distractions getting in my way. Understand?”
I nodded to her respectfully, despite the disappointment sinking deep into my bones.
Tia’s lip lifted a little at the corner. “But if the offer still stands, then I’ll stay in the cabin. Just don’t get any ideas, okay?”
I tried my hardest not to grin like an idiot. “Okay.”
“And the door locks, right?”
I would have teased her about the question, but the look on her face last night told me it was no laughing matter. Tia lived in New York, and no amount of small town reassurance would change her habits. Her safety was non negotiable, and I would never mock her for taking care of herself. “I’ll fit a new one on for you.”
She looked down at the ground, kicking the wet dirt. “Three.”
“Three what?”
“Three locks.” She kept her eyes away from me, almost embarrassed at her own request.
It did seem a little overkill, but I’d already let her slip off once before and there was no way I was letting that happen again. If Tia needed three locks on her door, then three locks she would get. “Consider it done. Stop by for the keys later today. I probably won’t be there but the other ranger on shift will be. I’ll let him know he’s expecting you.”
I could see the appreciation in her face, and I wasn’t sure if it was for fulfilling her request or the fact that I didn’t question it. Either way, she looked happy and that was a win in my books. “Thank you, Colton.”
I gave her another wink and headed back to the truck, calling over my shoulder. “You are very welcome, beautiful Tia Lopez.”
I didn’t turn back to see her roll her eyes or hide another smile. I didn’t need to. I already knew it would be there. I was far too happy that I’d gotten her to stay, even if it was for only a month or two. Surely, that was enough time to woo her with my charms. If not, well, she wouldn’t be the first woman I’d lost to the bright lights of New York City.
Chapter Nine
Tia
It had been four days since I had moved into the Rabbit Hut, and I still wasn’t sure how the tiny cabin had gained that name. Patsy, who ran the office and gift shop in the station, had told me it was used for storage mainly and the occasional summer intern. She too had no idea where its name came from. And so I decided to sketch up some drawings of rabbits and framed one of them to hang up inside. It cheered the dusty, old shack up a little and managed to kill my boredom on day two.
I hadn’t seen Colton since the day at the camp. He’d been out dealing with the damages around the park and town, and when he wasn’t working, Patsy told me he was asleep. And as grateful as I was to be left alone, the solitude had started to get to me.
Colton must have told his team to leave me alone, which was of course what I wanted, but after spending my whole life in the bustling city, constantly surrounded by people, it was a huge change. Luckily, I had a rental car now, and tried to get out as much as I could before my job started.
Bluerock was small. Really small. It was nestled up in the mountains surrounded by breathtaking scenery and majestic wildlife. But fuck, was it small. And after just one morning, I was sure I’d seen everything the place had to offer.
The roads had cleared enough for me to head further out, and I spent one day browsing around Candace. It was much bigger than Bluerock but expensive as hell. Maddie told me that it was where most people came to ski in the winter season. It was much classier too, but far too rich for my blood.
I’d managed to get everything I needed from the strip mall, with Maddie. Clothes and essentials, along with new art supplies and a few necessities for the Rabbit Hut. I finally got a new phone charger too, and Maddie’s boyfriend, Logan, had hooked me up with the car.
I found a printer shop in Candace, to recover my lost designs, however Lily’s were still gone. Roger had misplaced his copy, and so he set himself the task of contacting her parents to send him another one. I was more than happy with that. The last thing I wanted right now was to speak to Mr and Mrs Dole.
Slipping my feet into my new ankle boots, I grabbed my portfolio and headed for the door. Colton had kept his word and attached three heavy locks to it. In fairness, the old shabby wood looked ridiculous with shiny new bolts drilled to it. But at least I could sleep better. I slipped the keys in my bag and headed to the car for my first day of work.
The drive was easy on the way to town. It was as though the storm had never even happened. After just a couple of days, the place was cleaned up and rebuilt. That was one thing I had to hand to the locals. They helped each other out and got the job done.
I parked the car up by the small town hall, with its newly restored roof. When Roger had told me to meet him here for the orientation, I was a little surprised, assuming it was still a disaster site. But here it was, just like new.
I checked my hair and makeup in the rearview mirror before getting out. I was adamant to make a good impression today on the youth team. After all, they would be the ones working with me for the next two months to paint Lily’s design. But it wasn’t just their approval I was looking for. I wanted Roger to see the organized Tia today, instead of the lost washout looking tourist he met at the summer camp last week.
I always took pride in a good first impression, and organization was key. People like me, who started at the bottom in life, rarely made it to the top, and I prided myself on working hard and making rational decisions. I’d done well considering my upbringing, and I knew how important it was to present myself in a professional way.
As soon as I stepped ou
t of the car though, in my new white blouse and black pants, my calm professional image slipped away. Colton was sitting on the stone steps, outside the building.
I slammed my door shut and stomped up towards him. “What are you doing here?”
He looked me up and down with that handsome smile he wore so well. “Well, good morning to you too. You look nice, Tia. Beautiful actually.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to hide my amusement. “You need to knock that shit off, Ranger.”
“Okay, okay. I get it. I gotta leave some game for the other guys, right? Let them have a shot at least.”
I scoffed and carried on up the steps past him. “The perils of natural charm. My heart bleeds for you.”
He caught up to me before I reached the door and placed his large hand on my shoulder. Warmth shot through my body, stopping me instantly in my tracks.
His blue eyes still sparkled down at me, and no matter how gorgeous he was, I could see the darkness underneath them and a thicker cover of stubble over his jaw. “You look tired, Colton.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Maybe you should go home and get some sleep, instead of hanging around town like a creep in a ranger hat.”
He chuckled low, sending sweet chills up the back of my neck. “Don’t flatter yourself darlin ’. I’m just here to sign some papers. I heard you were meeting the youth team today, and I figured I’d walk you in.”
“You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve been walking up steps all by myself for many years now. Thanks for the concern, but I don’t need an escort.” I shot him a smug smirk and pushed open the large door.
The town hall was just one big room with a small stage at the far end. A small group of tables had been arranged in the centre of the room with Roger in the middle and another man to his left. Sitting at the other tables were four very bored looking teenagers, lounging back in their chairs and playing on their phones.
Roger bounded over to me with a huge smile. “Tia, you’re early.”
“Well, I like to be organized.”
I swore I heard Colton snicker behind me. I looked back to him over my shoulder, shooting him a warning glare.
“Very good. Ranger Haxley, those documents are on the window ledge. Do you need a pen?”
Colton pulled a ballpoint pen from out of his shirt pocket and clicked it next to my ear. “Not necessary. I too like to be organized, Mr Anderson.”
I knew he was making fun of me, but a stupid giggle still slipped out.
“Come and meet the kids,” Roger said, leading me over to the tables. “Everyone, this is Miss Lopez. She’s the artist who will be running the program with you.”
I smiled at them enthusiastically. “Hey, guys.”
Roger gestured to the two girls sitting on one of the tables. The dark haired one was busy texting on her phone but looked up to give me a small smile. The dark blonde girl had her head down, frantically scribbling in a sketchbook. “This is Mackenzie and Shay.’’ He then turned to the two moody looking teenage boys on the other table and introduced them too. “And this is Kyle and Tucker.”
Tucker seemed to perk up a little and pushed back his beanie slightly. “You’re from New York, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Do you know any celebrities?”
Kyle’s scowl deepened and he elbowed him in the arm. “That’s Hollywood, dumbass.”
Tucker elbowed him back, even harder. “They don’t all just live in Hollywood. Some live in New York. Right, Miss Lopez?”
They both looked up at me for clarification, and I suddenly felt very on the spot. “Well, I guess. But I’ve never met any. Although, I did once sell a painting to the wife of a very popular plastic surgeon. That’s pretty much the extent of my claim to fame.”
Mackenzie dropped her phone down and leant into the conversation. “A plastic surgeon? Did he do your nose for you? It’s so cute. I really want to have mine done before college but Dad said it’s too expensive. Is that true, Miss Lopez? How much did yours cost?”
My palms started to sweat. The spotlight was certainly not for me.
“It’ll cost millions if it’s to fix your face, Mac.” Tucker spat out with a laugh.
“Shut up, asshole!”
I could hear Colton laughing from behind me. Roger attempted to calm the kids down, to no success, but when the other larger man at the table slammed his hand down on the hardwood, everyone jumped and fell silent.
Roger smiled over to him. “Ah, and this is Mr Greer. He’s in charge of this brat pack. Any problems and Mr Greer is your guy.”
I nodded to him and at the others, plastering on a bright smile. “Well, it’s nice to meet you all. I’m looking forward to working with you guys. And just so were clear, this nose is mine. But I’m flattered at the compliment, Mackenzie. And your nose is adorable too. You don’t need to change it a bit.”
“Right then.” Roger clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Let’s get to work.”
The meeting was short, but we got through a lot of the technical plans for the upcoming weeks. A schedule was put together to give the kids time to work on the mural without it cutting into their home lives and school too much.
I learnt that Mackenzie and Shay had joined the youth program for educational reasons. Both had their hearts set on college, and a volunteer program like this was a great addition to any application form.
Kyle and Tucker however, had not joined out of their own choice. Both had got themselves into trouble at school recently, and the principal had given them the ultimatum to join the church’s gardening program or this one. It didn’t sound particularly promising on my end, but Mr Greer assured me that Kyle and Tucker were above average in art class. I’d make it work somehow.
Colton remained on the back desk throughout the meeting, reading through the papers Roger had given him to sign. I stole glances of him, chewing on his pen and concentrating on the fine print. Every now and then, he caught me staring and smirked at my embarrassment.
Despite the distraction, we all got through the meeting and agreed to start work on Monday. As everyone put on their coats and headed towards the door, I noticed Shay had left her sketchbook on the table. I snatched it up and ran over to her before she left with the others. “Shay, hold on. You forgot this.”
“Oh.” She smiled back at me “Thanks, Miss Lopez.”
My eyes wandered down to the page in front of me. It was a portrait of Kyle and Tucker. It made sense as they had been infront of her for the entire meeting, but I was surprised at how accurate it looked in such a small time frame. “This is amazing.”
She shrugged and took the book from my hand. “Nah, it’s nothing. Just a scribble.”
“Don’t be so modest. You have real talent.”
“Really?” She giggled with surprise, putting her bag over her shoulder.
“Really. And I know what I’m talking about. I spend all day around people’s work. I know skill when I see it.” I ran my finger over part of the sketch. “Look at your lines here. They’re free and strong. You’re fearless in your markings. That’s not always easy, even for the professionals. Keep it up, Shay, and who knows, I may be selling one of your pieces one day.”
Her face lit up at the compliment. She squealed and turned to Colton. “Holy shit. Did you hear that Colt. Miss Lopez says I’ve got real talent.”
He sauntered over, zipping up his jacket with a proud look on his face for the girl. “Never doubted that for a second. Mom’s still trying to scrub those strong confident lines off her kitchen wall.”
As soon as the pair were in front of me, side by side, I couldn’t deny a blatant resemblance. The same dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. They even had the same energy in the way they spoke. How had I missed it the entire meeting? “Shay’s your sister? Why didn’t you tell me you had a sister in the art program?”
He shrugged. “You never asked.”
Shay narrowed her eyes at us. “Wait. You guys
already know each other?”
“Oh, yeah. We go way back. Right, Miss Lopez?” Colton nibbled on his lip to hide his smile.
Before I could say anything else, Mackenzie interrupted us from the open door. “Shay, come on. We’re gonna miss the bus.”
“I gotta go. It was nice meeting you, Miss Lopez.” She turned and gripped onto Colton’s sleeve. “You’re still coming over this weekend, right?”
Colton tensed up a little at the question but gave her a firm nod. “I’ll be there.”
She ran out with a huge smile on her face, and I wasn’t sure if I had put it there with my compliment, or Colton with his answer.
“She’s very sweet.”
A small smile turned up on his lips. “Yeah, she’s a good kid.”
We started to walk out of the door when Roger called back to me with an uneasy expression. “I actually needed a quick word with you, Tia, before you leave.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I’m afraid we’ve had a little setback in our plans.”
That familiar bad feeling began to creep back in, ready for something else to go wrong. Why not? Everything else had been a battle so far. “Set back? I thought we were all set for next week?”
“Actually, we’re set to get started now, but I wanted to give you a week to come up with a design. You see, I called the Doles, and they are refusing to let us use Lily’s original design. I tried to talk them around but, well, I’m sure you’re aware the topic of their daughter is still very raw.”
My heart sank.
In that split moment, all I could hear was my pulse thumping away in my ear, and Lily’s faint cry howling through my mind.
Roger could obviously see it was a blow to hear and gave my arm a reassuring squeeze. “Not to worry, Tia. I’ve seen your work and it’s fantastic. I know you’ll come up with something just as good.” He glanced down at his watch and frowned. “You’ll have to excuse me. I have another meeting I have to get to. I’ll see you next week, Tia. Take care, Ranger.”
Lost at Heart: A Steamy Small Town Romance (Bluerock Series Book 2) Page 7