by Jeannie Watt
And part of it was just her nature. She’d never liked to be beholden to anyone, or to pin her hopes on anyone having her back, with the exception of her few close female friends, who were now scattered around the country, building careers, having families. Living full lives. Her parents had taught her through their actions that she could depend only on herself—heaven knew she couldn’t depend on them. She’d made an exception and allowed herself to depend on Jason, and then he’d screwed her over and taught her that she couldn’t trust her own instincts.
That isn’t exactly true.
Her small voice was correct.
Every now and again, she’d had a vague feeling that something was off, that Jason was there in some ways, not in others. But she couldn’t identify exactly what the problem was, and he somehow knew the exact moment to turn on the charm and quell her doubts. Eventually she’d assured herself that she was thinking too much. Looking for trouble where there was none.
Big mistake, that.
Thumps and bangs came from the front of the house as Alex continued her search for the gloves, finally unearthing them from a plastic container stored in the bedroom closet. She brought the gloves into the light and grimaced. Stiff floral canvas with orange leather palms. Very festive.
She pulled them on as she trotted down the stairs, flexing her hands to take the stiffness out of the leather. She heard the rattle of a chain as she hit the last step, and by the time she’d gone out the back door and come around the house, Nick had his truck backed up to the front gate and had attached one end of the chain to the limb and the other to the trailer hitch of his truck.
“Better stand back,” he said as she came to a stop.
Alex obligingly stepped back to the side of the house, where she had cover if something broke and went flying.
Nick got into the truck and slowly moved forward. The chain tightened, popped once, then the branch moved across what was left of her porch with a low screech that had Alex putting her hands over her ears. Nick dragged it through the gate and to the far side of the wide driveway before stopping and backing up a few inches, allowing the chain to go slack.
Alex surveyed the damage while Nick dealt with the end of the chain. The front of her house was in rough shape. The branch had torn the porch roof free of the house, and the floor was now tilted at an odd angle. This had money written all over it.
She had money, but she didn’t want to spend it on something like this.
It isn’t like you have a lot of choice.
True.
Nick got out of the truck and strode toward the wreck of a porch, a man on a mission. Since his attention was on the house, Alex allowed herself a moment to study him for the first time from a bit of a distance, as opposed to being toe to toe. He was something. Lean muscled, broad shouldered and, frankly, gorgeous.
Abruptly she yanked her thoughts back to the straight and narrow. The guy was married. He had kids, for Pete’s sake. When his wife had called with some kind of unicorn emergency that involved house monsters, a small part of her had protested the fact that he was not available. Another part cheered because, well, problem solved. He was attractive, but she wasn’t in a position to be attracted—in fact she couldn’t think of a worse time to be attracted to someone, after having been gut-punched in her last relationship.
So, yay. Nick Callahan was married and had kids.
That didn’t diminish the fact that he looked hot while he was undoing the chain from the branch and gathering it back up, but it did help Alex keep her head where it was supposed to be—worried about her present and her past, not lusting after the neighbor.
He turned toward her, and she lifted her chin in an innocent way—perhaps a little too innocently, judging from the way his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Why don’t you hand me the glass and debris inside the house, and I’ll clear away the stuff on this side.”
“Sounds good.”
She was about to head toward the back door again when she heard him say, “Nice gloves, by the way.”
She shot him a wry look over her shoulder, then continued on her way, surprised that he’d teased her. Surprised, and warmed, and of the mind that perhaps she needed to be careful around this man.
* * *
“LET ME GET this straight,” Katie said as she sprayed stain remover on Bailey’s pale blue sweatshirt. “You had the perfect opportunity to exert some leverage yesterday, get us easy access, and you chose not to.”
“That pretty much sums it up,” Nick agreed. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to broach the matter—he simply wasn’t ready to broach it yet, because the next no would be a definitive one.
Katie regarded him for a long moment, then bunched up the shirt and tossed it into the open washer. “And your ultimate goal is...”
Nick lifted the coffee cup to his lips. “Friendly relations,” he said before he sipped. “She doesn’t belong here. She’s not comfortable, and I think it’s totally possible she might sell once she figures that out.”
“Then we could buy.”
“Preferably before the place goes on the market.”
Katie gave a considering nod. “Good plan. If she decides to sell.”
“Yeah.” Nick sipped again. “I don’t know why she’s here, but I have a strong feeling that it’s not because she’s living the dream.”
“Huh.” Katie twisted dials and the machine made a series of clicking noises as sensors went on. He missed the old-school agitator washer he’d left behind in California. Easy to run, easy to fix. This thing required a technician.
“I need coffee,” she said as soon as she was done. “You didn’t take it all, right?”
“Like I would.”
She made a sputtering noise that had him smiling. It was good to be back home. Good to have his girls close to family.
“By the way, Grandma called and very casually asked whether you’d had any recent issues with our new neighbor.”
“That was to be expected, what with both Mary Watkins and Lester witnessing the event. What did you tell her?”
“That it was a misunderstanding. I told her how Emmie had gone all protect-o and the neighbor thought you were behind it.” Katie shrugged. “She said she could totally see that happening.”
“Pretty much because it did,” he said as he sat in his usual spot at the kitchen table. “By the way, can you watch the girls while I repair the window and tear out the fence tomorrow?” The glass was stored flat in the bed of his truck, wrapped in cardboard and a blanket, and the pricing figures for various dog-proof fences were printed and lying on the front seat.
They’d agreed yesterday that he would put in the window first, then tackle the yard, so that she could get her dog as soon as possible. After that, he’d go to work on the porch.
A shadow crossed Katie’s face. “Grandma and I are driving to Dillon tomorrow for a doctor appointment. A last-minute cancellation came up, so she took the appointment.”
“Guess I’ll take them with me. Kendra’s pretty good with a claw hammer.”
“And Bailey?”
“I’ll find her a light one.” The last time she’d gotten hold of his heavy framing hammer, she’d raised it too high and almost conked herself in the head. He wasn’t going to let that happen again.
“Maybe Gloria can babysit them at the shop?” Katie suggested.
“No. That’s fine.” He’d keep the girls busy by letting them “help” him.
Katie cocked her head. “Do you think she’s going to mind? The neighbor?”
“Alex?” He wondered at the need to say her name. To make her a person instead of just “the neighbor.” Something he might have to think about at some point. He’d caught her watching him the day before and assumed she was trying to decide whether or not to trust him. Her cheeks had flushed a guilty pink when their gazes connected, so apparently, in
Alex’s world, people didn’t stare. “My guess is no, because I’m the only game in town as far as she’s concerned.” He truly doubted she wanted to find another contractor and give him the combination to the gate lock.
“If you’re sure...”
“This is how kids learn. We’ll make it work.”
“You’re such a dad,” Katie said.
Yes. He was. Parenting was the scariest journey he’d ever embarked on, especially now that he was going it alone, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The next morning Nick loaded his girls in the truck and headed for the Dunlop ranch. Everyone was ready to go to work. He’d found a light tack hammer for Bailey, as well as a box of carpet tacks, which should keep her busy “building,” while Kendra was excited to pull nails. He’d have to pull them most of the way out first, but she could finish them off and put the used nails in a small pail.
Emmie had agreed to waive the delivery fee for the fencing and porch materials once they were chosen, maybe to make up for almost making Alex cry. She had, of course, been terrifically interested in how it happened that Alex had left the building-supply place angry and close to tears and then Nick had showed up to buy fencing for her place less than six hours later.
“We met at the grocery store,” he’d explained.
“Must have been some meeting,” Emmie said as she rang up the cost of the hinges and screws he’d need no matter what kind of fence Alex wanted.
All Nick did was smile and shake his head. Emmie was a close-enough friend to know that when he didn’t feel like talking, he wasn’t going to.
“Someday you’ll have to tell me the story,” she called after him.
“Nothing to tell.”
“Ha.”
Nick pulled the truck to a stop near the wire gate with the bicycle lock looped around it.
“Why are we stopping?” Kendra asked from the back seat.
“I have to open the gate.”
“No bumpy road?”
“Not today.”
Nick left the bicycle lock hanging over the gate brace after he drove through and closed it again. He’d lock up when he left, even though the only people he’d be locking out were himself and his family. If it made Alex feel safer, then so be it.
Safe from what?
He told himself it couldn’t be that bad, or she would have taken up his offer to stay on the ranch. Maybe she was someone famous, trying to keep the paparazzi at bay...except that Emmie, who’d been addicted to pop culture for as long as he’d known her, would have recognized her. So that left woman on the run. Or a criminal.
Somehow criminal didn’t seem to fit. If it had, his daughters wouldn’t be there with him.
Alex was picking up branches as he drove into the place. She stood up straight at the sound of his truck, a branch in each flowery orange hand. The girls were going to love her gloves.
“Good morning,” she called as he opened his door. The first friendly greeting he’d gotten from her.
“Morning,” he replied.
Today her hair was loose, falling almost to her waist in damp waves, giving her a softer look. He imagined that once it dried, she’d contain it again, but he had to admit to liking it loose.
“I brought some help,” he said as he opened the rear door of the truck, acting as if it was perfectly normal to bring one’s kids to a work site. He folded back the cushioned arms on Bailey’s car seat while Kendra undid her own buckles and reached for the door handle. She dropped to the ground as Nick lifted Bailey out of the truck.
“These are my daughters, Bailey and Kendra.”
Alex’s face relaxed into the first genuine smile he’d ever seen from her, and Nick felt the impact. Alex Ryan was a natural beauty, but when she smiled, it seemed to light her from the inside out. Bailey seemed to be having the same reaction. She leaned her head against his leg as she stared at Alex, who gave a small nod.
“Hello, Bailey and Kendra. I’m Alex.”
“Hello,” Kendra said solemnly, while Bailey hugged herself more tightly against Nick’s leg. Kendra glanced up at him as she held her utility belt against her pink striped shirt. “I need help with my tool belt.”
“Sure.” He knelt down and tied a bow while Kendra held the tool belt in place. Once he was done, she smoothed her tool belt. “I’ll get my hammer,” she said in an important voice, heading back to the truck without glancing at Alex. “Do you want me to get yours, Bailey?”
Bailey nodded, still staring at Alex, and Nick called, “Please do that.”
When he finally glanced back at Alex, he found her studying him with an expression he couldn’t read.
“Quite a crew,” she said.
Bailey let go of Nick’s leg and took a few steps forward. “You have princess hair,” she said.
Indeed, Alex’s golden-blond hair did appear princessy as it fell over her shoulders and down her back. Stick a crown on her head and she’d look positively medieval.
“I try,” Alex said, running her fingers down the dampish waves. Nick found his gaze following the movement and instantly brought it back to her face.
“Usually my sister or grandmother babysit, but they weren’t available. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No. Not at all.”
She appeared sincere, and he noticed that she seemed as fascinated with his daughters as Bailey seemed fascinated with her. She had to be wondering about where the girls’ mother was, so he would explain rather than have her guessing or depending on gossip, which she wouldn’t get because she was an outsider.
“Hey, Bailey, would you help Kendra find your hammer?” It must have slipped into a crevice, because he could hear Kendra digging around in the back seat.
Bailey instantly ran around the truck as if glad to have an excuse to escape, and Nick met Alex’s gaze. “I lost my wife two years ago.”
“I’m sorry.” The words were automatic, but heartfelt.
“Yeah. Single car rollover on a foggy night.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, as a single dad, there are times when things come up, so I try to make it clear from the beginning that the job will get done on time, but, like I said, things happen.”
“Like today.”
“Exactly. I wouldn’t normally take the girls on a job.”
“I don’t mind.”
He managed a smile, and he was fairly certain it looked genuine, but the truth was that, even two years in, it took something out of him when he explained his situation. It was like breaking open a wound yet another time. Granted, the healing came faster with each passing day, but he still had a ways to go.
“I appreciate that.” He tore his gaze away from hers and glanced toward the backyard. “Emmie will deliver the fencing material, so the main gate needs to be open. In the meantime, I’ll install the glass, then my crew and I will tear down the back fence. I’ll be able to get a start on the new one as soon as Emmie delivers.”
“Great. I’m excited to get my new dog.”
“Yeah. I imagine its lonely here.”
“I’m looking forward to the company. It’s been a while since I’ve had a pet.”
“City living?” Even though he knew better, he pushed for another clue.
“Exactly.” She rubbed her hands down the sides of her jeans, and the girls slammed the door on the far side of the truck, giggling to each other. Nick clearly heard Bailey say “Wapunzel,” her name for the fairy-tale heroine. Alex must have heard it, too, because her cheeks went a little pink. “Quick question—do you mind if I pay in cash?”
Gee, could he handle putting cold, hard cash into his pocket instead of waiting for a check to clear?
He kept all hints of irony out of his voice as he said, “Not at all.” He’d pretty much expected the mystery woman to pay in cash, anyway.
“Excellent. I’ll...see you later.” The
girls came around the truck, Bailey dragging her tool belt with one hand and holding the tack hammer in the other. “It was nice meeting you, Bailey and Kendra.” She smiled at his daughters, then turned and headed back to the house.
“Isn’t she going to help?” Bailey asked, sounding disappointed.
“Not today, sweetie.” He bent down to fasten her tool belt around her waist. “But if we’re going to get done in time for an ice cream in town, we’d better get started.”
* * *
OF COURSE NICK CALLAHAN’S daughters were adorable. And of course he was a widower, instead of a firmly off-limits married guy.
He’s still off-limits. Daughters. Stable life. All that stuff you don’t have at the present moment.
Alex took comfort in that thought as she watched through the kitchen window as little Bailey enthusiastically assaulted a large nail sticking out of a fence post with her tack hammer, angelic features screwed up into an expression of extreme concentration. Meanwhile, Kendra, the older daughter, was dutifully prying nails out of pickets that Nick had laid out for her. He’d started each nail and then she proudly finished it off. He’d told Alex before starting that he was deducting two hours off his rate because having his daughters there slowed him down. She almost told him to forget it, then reminded herself that he was correct. A deal was a deal. She was paying for the time he put in on the fence, and yes, having his daughters there slowed him down.
But bringing his daughters to work, and offering to adjust his time, firmly shifted him into good-guy territory.
Was that good? Or bad?
Alex pushed off the counter and turned to face the cluttered kitchen. The glove search convinced her that she needed to deal with Juliet’s junk ASAP, so she’d hauled stacks of boxes that had been tucked away in various nooks and crannies of the house into the dining room, where she could sort through the junk. Ninety percent of it would go to the trash or donation, but she needed to sort, just in case there was stuff she could use in her new life.