by Jeannie Watt
That part of his life was gone in a physical sense, but he would always love his Kayla.
Two years after losing her, he was a different guy with different emotional needs, although he hadn’t yet pinned down what those needs were. Again, no hurry. Things that developed organically were so much more stable than those that were forced.
Alex shifted her weight, then tilted her head toward the door. “Do you have time to come in for a bit?”
Judging from her tone, she had something she needed to say, and he didn’t think it was that she needed to be kissed again. “I do.”
The dogs greeted Alex joyously, then turned their attention to Nick, giving him a somewhat less exuberant greeting. “They like you better,” he said as he rubbed Gus’s ears.
“Well, I do feed them.” Roger gave a particularly springy leap as she spoke and ended up in her arms. Alex almost went over backward as she automatically clutched the little terrier to her chest. “That’s a first,” she said as she caught her balance. Nick was glad she wasn’t knocked flat for the second time that evening.
“I believe you have been accepted.”
“I guess so.” Alex held the little dog closer, running a hand over the wiry hair on his head.
She sank down onto the sofa, still holding the dog. “Thanks for an exciting evening,” she said. “I’ll get your shirt back to you as soon as I do laundry.”
“No hurry,” he said.
“What are we going to do about this?” Alex asked. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question, and she lifted her hand from Roger’s head to point first at him, then at herself.
Nick crossed the room and sat down on the sofa next to her, their shoulders not quite touching. “I don’t think there’s an easy answer here, Alex. I never saw this coming.” He’d had only one super-serious relationship in his life, and it had ended in marriage.
“I’m not ready for...more,” she said as she hugged Roger to her like a canine shield.
“I understand. You have unknowns in your life.” Some of which he was certain he didn’t yet know about.
“I feel like I’m on a runaway train at times. So many things over which I have little control.”
He brought a hand up to lightly trace the curve of her cheek with the back of his fingers. “I told you earlier, no pressure. I meant it.”
Alex pressed her lips together, then nodded. “I won’t make promises I can’t keep. I won’t get involved in something I can’t see through.”
Nick’s stomach tightened. “Is this goodbye?”
She gave him a startled look. “I need my contractor.”
“And that’s all?”
Alex’s throat moved as she swallowed. “No.”
The simple word brought a rush of relief. She wasn’t done, but she did need space. When she met his gaze over the top of Roger’s head, she looked as if she was willing him to understand and to agree to the terms she hadn’t yet laid out.
“No more kissing?” he guessed, figuring he may as well address the silent question hanging between them.
“It does tend to fog my judgment,” she said on a note of wry humor that both surprised and charmed him. “And... I don’t see to be saying no in the moment very well.”
He smiled a little. Neither of them was very good at that. “Well, if you want to be kissed, you only need to ask.”
She smiled back, but it faded as she hugged Roger a little closer. “Thank you for understanding.”
“Yeah.” He reached out to lightly touch her upper arm. “I’ll get going if you’re sure about the house.”
She stroked a hand over Roger’s head. “I’m sure.”
“Okay, then.” He got to his feet and nodded at the door a couple of feet away from him. “I’ll see myself out.”
She stood up. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah.” Nick let himself out into the warm early-evening air and crossed the porch. The deadbolt clicked into place behind him before he reached the steps. Alex was locking him out in more ways than one. On the one hand, he was glad she was physically safe. On the other, he wished that she was willing to take a cautious step forward with him.
She needs space. So do you.
The unfortunate thing was that he didn’t want space.
* * *
GLORIA OFFERED TO go to the county commission meeting with Rosalie to learn the final determination of the board concerning bridge construction now that they’d had time to go over the ecologist’s report, but Rosalie had politely waved the offer aside, just as she’d waved aside Nick and Katie’s offer to drive in.
“If they do not approve the permitting, then the three of us will tackle it together,” she’d said. But right now, she saw no need for her grandchildren to make the drive to town.
Will was in his seat when she made her way into the meeting room, and her heart lifted at the sight of him. She was getting used to that happening. No, she didn’t want to get involved with a man who ranched for a living, but she liked Will, and after the meeting, no matter what happened, she would talk to him. Maybe accept that ride home he always offered.
He turned his head as she took her seat, then, to her surprise, rose from his own and made his way back to sit beside her.
There was no reason on earth that her heart rate should have doubled, but it did, and as Will settled beside her, she felt both alarm at her reaction and a deep sense of everything suddenly being all right.
That made no sense. She simply hadn’t had enough contact with the man to have such a reaction, but there it was.
“I have a feeling this is going to work out just fine,” Will murmured while keeping his eyes on the board members taking their seats.
“Did you put in a fix?” Rosalie asked.
“Maybe.”
Her back automatically stiffened, and Will turned his head to smile at her. “No. I don’t work that way. But Travis did meet with the chairperson of the council on another matter and made it clear that the bridge benefits our ranch as well as yours.”
“Only when you deliver hay.” They sometimes bought extra hay from the McGuire ranch.
“Still a benefit.”
Rosalie bit her lip, then rose to her feet for the Pledge of Allegiance. Once seated again, she clasped her hands together and waited while the commission dealt with minutes and warrants and the like. Finally, the matter of the bridge came up and again her heart pounded a little faster, although it didn’t get nearly the workout it had gotten when Will changed seats.
“After careful consideration of the evidence, we’re granting all permitting for the reconstruction of the bridge leading to the Callahan ranch and adjoining properties.”
Will smiled at Rosalie, who couldn’t help smiling back. “Finally,” she murmured.
“Congratulations. I just wish Vince Taylor were here.”
“Word will get back shortly.”
“No doubt,” Will agreed.
The remaining agenda items were dealt with in short order, and the chairperson made a quip about wishing that all the meetings would go so smoothly, then lowered his gavel and adjourned the meeting.
Will and Rosalie joined the small crowd exiting the room. Once they were outside, Will turned to Rosalie and said, “Does this mean no more commission meetings for you?”
“It might. I’m pretty busy with the shop right now.”
“Then...will you let me buy you a cup of coffee and a piece of pie?”
“Yes.”
Will’s silver eyebrows lifted at the simple yet adamant response. “Maybe I should have asked before.”
Rosalie laughed. She was so very relieved about the bridge that everything seemed just that much rosier. Will drove to the Cold Creek Restaurant on the edge of town, a place where you could eat either casual or fancy depending on your mood. Tuesday seemed to be primaril
y causal.
Will held Rosalie’s chair, then took his own seat, turning over both coffee cups. When the server arrived, he rattled off the list of pies and they both chose apple.
“Coffee and apple pie,” the server said with a smile. “You guys are easy.”
“He doesn’t know you,” Will said in an aside.
Rosalie flattened her mouth, but she wanted to smile. Relief that the bridge ordeal was over. That was it.
“Rosalie,” Will said after the coffee cups were filled, “I know I butted into your business a few months ago, but...do you have something else against me?”
Rosalie’s mouth fell open. “I... No.” Will lifted one eyebrow and she glanced down briefly. “You are a rancher.”
“So are you,” he said in a perplexed tone.
Slowly Rosalie shook her head. “I’m not. My grandchildren are ranchers. I run a gift shop. It’s what I always wanted to do.” She turned her cup. “I’m a town girl, Will. I always have been. I don’t want to get involved with another rancher.”
“But...”
“I loved Carl with all my heart. I was a ranch wife because I loved Carl, but that part of my life is done.”
“That’s some plain speaking, Rosalie.”
“It is,” she agreed, lifting her cup to take a sip. It felt good to say it aloud instead of dodging the man.
“Do you think there’s a danger of us getting involved?”
“Yes.” Her heart hit her ribs, but she was too old to pussyfoot around like this. She found Will attractive, and she believed he felt the same about her. If not, then she was reading this situation all wrong. If so, she’d apologize and go home.
Will’s eyebrows drew together in a thoughtful frown, broken only by a quick nod at the server when she set a piece of pie in front of each of them.
“Well, what do you say we do not assume that we can’t work out some kind of a compromise in this situation?”
“What kind of compromise?” Rosalie asked as she cut into the buttery crust.
“I understand your position and now I’d like you to understand mine. I’ve been alone for almost five years now. I’ve grieved. I’ve come to accept my loss. I have a lot to fill my time. I wasn’t looking for you, Rosalie, but somehow you just showed up on my radar about a year ago, and I thought to myself, ‘I like that woman.’”
“That’s very flattering, Will.” And a touch terrifying.
He reached across the table and lightly touched her free hand. “How about we just agree to be friends? Maybe we can see a movie or go to dinner? Do...things. You don’t have to set foot on the ranch.”
Rosalie gave him a wry look. “I don’t mind setting foot on your ranch, Will. I just don’t want to live miles from town.”
“Fine. Then you don’t have to live on my ranch.”
Rosalie rolled her eyes, but inside she felt a warm glow of anticipation. Friends. She could do that. She’d been truthful and so had he. Maybe they didn’t have to be lonely.
“And I know that you have Nick and everything, but I’m a pretty good carpenter. If you need any work done on that old mansion of yours, I’d be happy to help.”
“Would you?”
Will made the first cut into his pie. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.”
Rosalie gave a satisfied nod. “Neither do I, Will.”
He met her gaze, the intensity of his brilliant blue eyes making her catch her breath. “Then I think we’ll do all right together.”
Rosalie nodded and focused on her pie. Suddenly life had gotten just that much more interesting.
* * *
ALEX WOKE EARLY the next morning, just as the sun was topping the mountains to the east and spilling sunlight into her bedroom. She pushed her hair out of her eyes as she propped up on one elbow and yawned, surprised that she felt so rested. When she’d gone to bed, she’d assumed she’d lie awake, thinking about Nick and the boundary she’d drawn between them, but instead she’d fallen into a deep sleep and now felt remarkably ready to face the day.
It had helped that Nick had been so understanding when she’d asked for space. But that understanding had also nudged him even further into good-guy territory. He was the kind of guy she wished she’d met instead of Jason. It stunk that the timing wasn’t right, but it wasn’t. End of story.
Alex pushed the covers back and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her feet skimming over Gus’s warm body. Roger was curled up at the foot of her bed, and he crawled across the lumpy covers to nudge her arm up and over him.
“Okay, guys. What say we have breakfast, then take a walk to open the gate?”
Even though Nick had promised to take care of the gate, she liked the walk. It gave Roger a chance to explore and Gus seemed to enjoy padding along beside her. She munched on a granola bar as she walked, enjoying the breeze that lifted the hair from her forehead. She’d loosely braided her hair but hadn’t pinned it up in case the girls came with Nick that day. Bailey liked her hair down, even if it was in a braid, so down it would be.
When she reached the gate, she swung the heavy cable padlock around to her side and started the combination, then stopped as she realized that the lock should have been on her side to begin with, since it had been locked from her side the previous day.
That was when she noticed the fresh tire tracks. She was not a master tracker, but it was easy to see where the vehicle had stopped, and there was a footprint in the dirt where someone had obviously tried to open her gate.
A chill went through her.
It’s nothing. Somebody on a wrong road. Or someone trying to get to Callahan Ranch, who didn’t realize there was a lock on the gate.
You hope.
She swept her gaze over the surrounding area, turning in a slow circle. The vehicle that had made the tracks was long gone, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t someone there. Except that her dogs seemed to think everything was okay.
Gus poked his nose at a gopher hole near the gatepost, his tail slowly wagging, and Roger darted over from where he’d been sniffing in the ditch to see what his big friend had found. He started digging with both front paws, throwing dirt at Gus, who winced as it hit his nose.
Definitely no problem in the area as far as her bodyguards were concerned, but Alex still took a moment to study the road on her side of the gate. There were no large footprints as near as she could tell.
She shook her head as dirt from Roger’s frantic digging hit her shoes, then undid the lock and resolutely swung the gate open.
False alarm. Just someone who’d driven down the wrong road.
But her perfect morning wasn’t quite as perfect-feeling as it’d been before she’d walked to the gate.
* * *
NICK’S DAUGHTERS CAME to work with him that morning, spilling out of the truck and racing to where Alex stood on the porch with a mug of coffee.
“Hi, Alex,” Kendra called as she stopped to open the gate. “We brought stuff to do at your table.”
“Excellent,” Alex said.
Nick smiled self-consciously as he followed Kendra through the front gate, and Alex had to admit to feeling a little self-conscious herself after yesterday. Although, truth be told, she’d feel a lot more self-conscious if she hadn’t spent the last hour convincing herself that the gate incident was random. It was, but there was still that small speck of doubt that kept her from totally relaxing. By the time Nick left that afternoon, she was certain she’d have more of a grip on the situation, but for now it was nice to have him there.
“I brought help,” Nick said, as if that wasn’t patently obvious.
“You know I like your crew very much.” And she was glad he’d brought them; he got time with his daughters, and their presence practically guaranteed an environment in which there would be no long looks, or accidental touches.
The girls’
colorful tote bags were filled with books and art projects and a tablet with videos and games. They spread everything out on the table, and then Kendra spent the day shadowing Nick and Alex while Bailey divided her time between following her sister and playing with Roger and Gus.
“My grandma did that,” Kendra announced after leaving her dad banging on pipes in the cellar to touch base with Alex, who was sanding a cabinet door down to wood. “She wore a paper mask.”
Alex stopped sanding. “I should wear a mask. You’re right. And so should you.”
“I’ll bring some tomorrow,” Kendra said importantly.
“That’s a good idea.” Alex stopped sanding and set the sanding block on the kitchen counter. “I’ll stop until I get the mask.” She wanted to be a good role model, and she didn’t want Kendra and Bailey breathing in sawdust. She should have thought of it earlier.
“I didn’t think to buy dust masks for sanding,” she said to Nick later in the day after he’d shown her where he was going to have to put holes in the kitchen wall. She’d barely seen him as he chased down pipes and decided how he was going to tackle the plumbing issues, but she’d been aware of him—both in her house and in her head.
How was she not supposed to think about him when he was banging around, and when all she had to do was close her eyes to recall what it was like to kiss him?
When she wished things were different so that she could kiss him again?
“I should have thought of that, too,” he said, fixing his amazing dark gaze on her. He might have taken a step back, but she sensed that he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him.
“Kendra is bringing me a paper mask tomorrow. I hope that won’t short you.”
He laughed, and she tried not to appreciate the way his cheeks creased. Total fail.
“I buy them by the gross,” he said.
One corner of her mouth lifted. “You can add one onto the bill.”
“Twenty-five cents for a dust mask. I’ll make a note.”
“Hey...”
He lifted his eyebrows at her overly casual opening. “Hey, what?”