by Karen Kelley
She handed him the morning mail. “All I do at home is sleep.”
“Did you ever think your body might be trying to tell you something?”
“I’m fine, really.”
He still didn’t like the way she sounded or looked. “If you’re still fine by lunch I want you to go home.”
“Funny,” she muttered.
He glanced at the stack of letters. Shelley would’ve already gone through the mail and discarded the junk. Brian didn’t know how he’d ever managed without her.
“I’m glad you came in today, though,” he told her.
She gave a very unladylike snort. “That’s because your brother was screwing everything up.”
He paused, hand on the door, then nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Great football player but lousy secretary.”
“You should see the sticky notes he left all over my desk. It’s a good thing I came in early to sort through them. I’m still not finished.”
“Then I’m doubly glad you’re back.” He smiled. “But I still want you out of here by lunch. And remind me to give you a bonus.”
“You already give me a very nice one at Christmas, thank you very much.” She sneezed again.
“Then remind me to make it bigger this year.”
Her chuckle turned into a cough.
Brian started to go inside his office but paused at the last second when he remembered something else. “Do you know what time the woman I’m interviewing for the massage therapist position is supposed to be here?”
Shelley held up a small pile of sticky notes. “Your guess is as good as mine. Cal said today. That’s all I know.” She grimaced and shook her head.
“Well, send her in when she gets here.”
“Will do, boss.”
He went inside his office and closed the door, tossed the mail on his desk, and went to the window. He had a nice view of the front of the ranch and the tree-lined driveway. His office had originally been part of the living room. His grandfather’s chair had been exactly where Brian’s chair now sat.
Sometimes, if he closed his eyes, he could see him, feet propped on the footstool, pipe on the small round table.
“Now let me tell you the story about when I was a young fella. Times weren’t near as easy as they are now,” he’d say. Then he’d laugh and tell him and Cal a story. They would be enthralled with his descriptions of the way things used to be.
Man, he missed him a lot.
Or maybe it was just the family atmosphere he missed. Hearing his grandmother humming softly in the kitchen as she baked. Grandma had loved to cook and no one had ever been able to duplicate her rolls. He missed her homemade breads. He missed a lot of things.
It was good that Cal was home, even if he’d be leaving soon. And Brian knew he would. Cal liked the country but he wasn’t passionate about it. His enthusiasm lay in sports. Brian guessed everyone needed something that he or she cared deeply about.
The sound of a car pulling up in the circular gravel driveway drew his attention and he glanced out the window again. His eyes widened. At least he thought it was a car. The only thing holding it together was rust. At one time it might have been green, but it was hard to tell.
The person inside cut the engine. The car rattled and shook before backfiring, exploding a cloud of thick black smoke out of the tailpipe.
Whoever it was had to be lost. And down on his or her luck. He only hoped the person’s car had enough get-up-and-go to make it off the property. The car looked totally out of place, surrounded by the manicured lawns and the three-tiered fountain that spilled water over each rim.
Then she emerged. A vision in flowing robes, her hair tied back in a vibrant purple scarf. She stood beside the car, took a deep breath, and raised her arms toward the sun as if paying homage.
Or maybe she was just thankful she’d made it without her car exploding.
Brian didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until she turned toward his window. There was no way she could see past the dark screen, but for just a second it felt as though she could.
She was beautiful, ethereal, and she didn’t just walk to the front door and out of his line of vision. No, it was more like she glided on air.
Was she a guest? The people who stayed at the ranch were from various walks of life.
Could she afford to stay here? His prices were reasonable, but from the shape her car was in, he didn’t think she could pay the price. Hell, after just one look he was tempted to comp her room. The woman had literally taken his breath away.
A moment later, his phone buzzed. He moved to his chair and sat down, pushing the intercom button. “Yes, Shelley.”
“Your massage therapist is here.”
He looked out the window, then toward his door. Damn, that was the last thing he’d expected.
“Send her in.” He had a feeling his vision of loveliness was about to become a problem. He didn’t need another problem.
A few seconds passed before Shelley opened the door and ushered the woman inside his office. She breezed past Shelley and took the seat he motioned toward.
“You have a wonderful office.” She smiled and her whole face lit up.
He guessed her to be in her early twenties, maybe twenty-two. Not much experience for a massage therapist. He wanted someone like Amy, his last one, who’d abruptly moved away. She’d given only a few days’ notice, which had left him in a bind.
Okay, so maybe he didn’t want someone exactly like Amy.
But in everything else, Amy had been reliable. She’d been in her late thirties and had worked as a therapist for over ten years. This girl couldn’t have more than a year or so under her belt. One thing he prided himself on was offering only the best for his guests.
“Thank you,” he said. “I designed the room myself.”
He might as well be friendly before he sent her on her way. He’d make sure she had money and he could probably get Jake at the filling station to check out her car. He didn’t want to think about her stranded on the side of the road.
“No,” she said. “It’s more than that.”
He raised his eyebrows. Or she could’ve escaped from the nuthouse.
She laughed. A light, musical sound. It was almost as though she’d read his thoughts. That was impossible, of course, but she was cute.
“I can feel the love in this room.”
How the hell could she know what this room used to be? Goose bumps popped up on his arms. “It’s an office.” A real nutcase, that was all she was.
She shook her head. The silver hoops in her pierced ears swung hypnotically back and forth. “No, it’s much more than that.” She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. “I can smell the remnants of pipe tobacco.”
Now she was starting to worry him. “I don’t smoke.”
“Someone did. I can feel the love emanating from the spirit this person left behind.” She opened her eyes. “People leave a part of their spirit behind. Did you know that? That’s why we occasionally catch a glimpse of someone who’s crossed over or hear their laughter or even smell a pipe they used to smoke. That’s part of who they were. I think this person loved very deeply and he must’ve been very kind to leave such a strong reminder behind. Do you know this person?”
He cleared his throat. “My grandfather used to smoke a pipe. I’m sure there’s a lingering odor. It’s hard to get the smell out.”
“I see.” She bowed her head slightly.
“What do you see?” This was one strange bird.
“You don’t believe in ghosts.”
He twitched. Not that much, but he could see in her eyes that she’d caught his nervous movement.
“Or do you?”
“Of course I don’t.” Cal was right: he’d only imagined he’d seen something at the cabin. “You’re looking for a job?” he asked, steering the conversation back to why the woman was here.
“I already have one.”
“Then why are you h
ere?”
“You hired me.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. He could already see this was going to be a very long day. “I don’t think we’d gotten to that point yet.”
She nodded. “There was a Dallas newspaper at the truck stop. I saw the ad and called about the job. You hired me. I finished what I needed to do yesterday, then left very early this morning to get here.” Her brow knitted in worry. “Are you going to tell me I don’t have a job?”
For the first time since she’d gotten out of her car, he saw her confidence falter. That’s when he noticed the dark circles under her eyes. Just smudges, but they were there. Damn, he felt bad that he couldn’t hire her, but the woman was obviously delusional.
“We didn’t talk on the phone,” he gently told her, hoping she would understand.
“You’re not Cal?”
Of course. Cal. He should’ve guessed. His brother could have told him he’d hired her. He was going to kill him. Slowly and with great pleasure.
Business was business and Brian only hired the best. Tamping down the pity he felt, he looked at the young woman. “You can rest in the previous therapist’s room and I’ll have someone take a look at your car, but I think you’re too young for what I’m looking for. You can’t have that much experience.”
“There’s good experience and bad experience. Good massage therapists and bad. For the record, I’m twenty-eight. And you don’t have any idea what I can do until you try me.”
She was right about that. He still wasn’t sure. And she looked younger than twenty-eight. No more than…than…okay, maybe she did look twenty-eight. Why did he feel so much older when there was only three years’ difference?
“I’ll give you a massage. That should convince you.”
He thought of her hands kneading the taut muscles in his back, moving lower and lower.
Her giving him a massage wasn’t going to happen. It had been too damned long since he’d even been out with a woman. Cal was right. He’d been working too many long hours. He cleared his throat and shuffled through some papers on his desk. “I have work to do,” he said.
She nodded. “I can see you’ve already convinced yourself I won’t work out. Thank you so much for your time.”
When she stood, she weaved just a little and grabbed the back of the chair to steady herself. It was almost imperceptible, but he saw it.
“You can’t drive in your condition.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I assure you, I haven’t been drinking.”
“No, but you’re so tired you’ll probably fall asleep at the wheel and kill yourself or someone unfortunate enough to be on the road.” Damn, why did she have to be his responsibility? Didn’t he have enough as it was?
And he still didn’t have a massage therapist. He looked at her. She was right: he didn’t know if she was any good or not until she started working.
He made a quick, and hopefully not stupid, decision. “Okay, I’ll give you the job, but it’s on a trial basis only.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s your name?” He might need to know that since he’d officially hired her.
Her gray-green eyes sparkled. “Celeste Star.”
He had a feeling he was going to regret this.
Chapter 10
Cal looked up when he heard the soft pad of footsteps behind him. He had to blink so his vision cleared. For a moment, he wondered if he’d died and God had sent an angel down to get him, but then he thought about his life and didn’t figure he’d get an escort. At least not one who was this pretty, and he had a feeling it would be debatable which direction he’d be going.
“Good morning,” he said.
She studied him for a moment. “You’re Cal Braxton, the football player.”
“The one and only.”
He was surprised she knew who he was. She didn’t look the type who watched sports. His gaze swept over her. She didn’t look like a guest, either. Not like any who came to stay at the ranch, anyway. Not this young and pretty, anyway.
The outfit she wore was long and flowing, in a rainbow of colors. Hues ranging from deep purples to brilliant oranges ebbed and flowed when she moved. She reminded him of a little fairy—like Tinker Bell.
She smiled and the room lit up. “I’m just surprised I didn’t put two and two together when we spoke on the phone. You scored five touchdowns last year against KC. Not bad, not bad at all.”
People had been surprising him all year. Cynthia, when she’d announced to the world they were getting married, even though he hadn’t asked, and didn’t plan to ask. Nikki, he hadn’t expected a barracuda to look like her or feel quite as soft. Now this woman whose delicate beauty made her appear angelical, and yet she talked as though she was a fan of contact sports. Maybe the world had moved off course and screwed everything up.
“We spoke on the phone?” he asked. If they’d talked, he was almost certain he’d remember.
“I’m the new massage therapist you hired. A trial basis, that is. Mr. Braxton thinks I’m too young.” She smiled, then shrugged. “Age shouldn’t be measured in years but in the wisdom one accumulates along the way.”
She was an interesting creature. “Are you older than you look? I mean, in wisdom.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be resting?” Brian stood in the hallway, a sheaf of papers in his hand. “Where’s Shelley? I thought she was showing you where you’ll be staying? Did you get lost?”
“I’m right here,” Shelley chimed in as she came around the corner. “I had to take a bathroom break.”
Brian frowned. “Oh.”
“And you’re right, I’m very tired. As soon as I get to my room I plan to take a short nap.” Celeste nodded toward Cal. “It was nice talking to you again.”
He watched until the two were out of sight, then turned to his frowning brother. “Why are you looking so grumpy? You’ve replaced the massage therapist. This one is a lot cuter than your last one. I’d think you’d be overjoyed.”
Brian’s frown only darkened. Now what the hell had he said? His little brother really needed to lighten up.
“No, you hired her. Without telling me.”
“Did I forget to mention that? Sorry.”
“Yeah, remorse is written all over your face.”
“If you don’t like her, fire her.”
Brian waved the papers at him. “You saw her. She’s so tired she’s about to fall over. And there’s no telling how long it’s been since she’s had a decent meal. And I won’t even mention her car or the fact that the only thing holding it together is a prayer. So, no, I couldn’t tell her to go away and come back in a few years—like say, ten.”
“Maybe she’ll work out.” Cal studied his brother. “You really shouldn’t take things so seriously.”
“Like you?” He snorted. “Look at the mess you’ve gotten yourself into. And I’ve seen the tabloids, too. You change girls as often as you change underwear.”
He grinned. “Jealous?”
“I’m trying to make the ranch a profitable venture.”
“You have. Maybe it’s time you relaxed a little. Take a vacation. I’ll take care of everything while you’re gone.” He couldn’t believe he’d just said that. He didn’t want to be tied down.
Brian frowned again. “Stay away from her.”
“Huh?” Ah, crap, he’d met Nikki despite his attempt to keep the two of them apart.
“You heard me. Celeste is too young for you, and she seems to be a sweet kid.”
He let out a sigh of relief. Not Nikki. But it was awfully interesting the way Brian was warning him away from Celeste.
Cal downed his head. “You’re right. I’ll keep my distance.”
Brian cleared his throat. “Good. I’m glad you see that we’re in agreement. She’s not used to someone like you. You saw how delicate she looks.”
“Someone like me?” He frowned, not caring for little brother’s attitude right now. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You date a different breed of women. Women who know the score. Celeste is like a fragile flower that would wilt around you. Anyone can see that.”
“I’m hurt you have such a low regard of me,” he joked.
“Not a low regard,” Brian said quietly. “Never that. I’m proud to call you my brother.”
When had Brian grown up? It was right after they’d captured the big oak in the south pasture. The one with limbs that reached to forever then back. It had been their fort, a place all their own. Cal had started high school and Brian junior high. The old tree was forgotten, as were all their old haunts. He missed that time in their lives.
“Back at you, little brother, and Grandma and Grandpa would be proud of you, too, and what you’ve made of the place.” He meant every word. “Hey, what say you and I go riding this week?”
“I need to catch up on some things.”
The businessman was back, but he couldn’t really blame Brian too much. The ranch meant a lot to him. He nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
Brian looked as though he was weighing his options. “How about Friday? I’ll tell you about the brood of children Wanda Jo and Ape Man have.”
Cal grinned. “That will be perfect.”
Maybe he didn’t like the country as much as Brian, but he liked the memories, and he liked knowing he had family. That wasn’t a bad thing, not at all.
And he realized that Celeste hadn’t answered his question. Was she older in wisdom? He had a feeling there was a lot more to her than met the eye. It might be interesting to see what transpired between her and his brother. He knew damned well he’d caught a spark of interest coming from Brian—even if little brother didn’t realize it yet.
Things were definitely not boring at the Crystal Creek Dude Ranch anymore. His gaze moved toward the window, toward the old homestead.
Things had definitely gotten interesting.
Had making love ever been that good? Nikki didn’t think so. Not that all her experiences had been bad. They just hadn’t been this damned fantastic.
It was a little scary since she was here under false pretenses. Cal said he believed in honesty. She didn’t think he’d appreciate her lack of it with him.