When the guests from Boulder City had gone on their way, he poked his head out of the library, which he used as an office when she was occupying the front desk. “Can you come in here for a minute?” he asked.
“Sure,” she agreed, pausing on her way to peek into the solarium and ensure that everybody was being looked after.
Of course, it was a Wednesday morning, and aside from the Hemingways, who had already gone on their way, “everybody” consisted of a young couple who had booked the Bonnie Room and two middle-aged women—lifelong friends nearing the completion of a cross-country road trip—who were staying in the Clyde Room. At the moment, they were all digging into their cooked-to-order breakfasts, ensuring that she wouldn’t be missed if she was away from the desk for a few minutes.
“What can I do for you?” she asked, stepping through the doors and into the library. It wasn’t an unusual question but considering the things she’d done for him—and vice versa—the night before, the ordinary words suddenly took on a whole other layer of meaning.
Liam’s gaze locked onto hers, his sparkling with heat and humor, and she knew that his mind had gone in the same direction. Then his expression sobered, and he said, “You can tell me if I crossed any lines last night.”
“None that I didn’t want crossed,” she assured him.
He seemed visibly relieved by her response. “Good. But I realized this morning that we didn’t talk about what was going to happen next.”
“I didn’t know that there was going to be a next...but I was hoping.”
He smiled at that. “Me, too.” Then he lowered his head and kissed her, slowly, deeply and very thoroughly. “Next...I want to take you upstairs and pick up where we left off last night.”
“Me, too,” she admitted. “But my boss isn’t paying me to lie down on the job.”
“Is that your way of suggesting we should try it standing up?” he asked, and followed the question with a lascivious grin.
She shook her head. “It’s my way of telling you that any extracurricular activities will occur outside of my working hours.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” he lamented.
But somehow, over the next few weeks, they made it work.
It wasn’t easy, especially when The Home Station opened to offer evening dining. At first, it was only guests of the inn who showed any interest in eating at “that fancy new restaurant,” but when those guests were overheard at The Daily Grind or The Trading Post talking about the fabulous meals they’d enjoyed, a few daring locals decided to give it a try. Then a few more.
The only downside was that Liam was no longer enjoying Jo’s pizza two or three times a week—but not for lack of trying. He’d placed several orders that were somehow either lost or missed or made wrong, such as when he’d ordered a five-meat pizza and been given a vegetarian instead. He knew Jo was upset that Kyle was working at the inn now, but he hoped she wouldn’t hold a grudge forever.
After only a few weeks, the restaurant was booked to capacity every night. Of course, the success of the restaurant meant longer hours for Liam at the hotel—and fewer trips out to the Circle G. But Caleb was right—they didn’t really need him there, so he stayed where he was needed.
And since Macy was usually at the inn, it was also where he wanted to be.
It took some creative juggling of other responsibilities for them to steal time alone together, and it was still easier for him than her, because he didn’t have three babies depending on him. As a result, he found himself planning outings that were suitable for Ava, Max and Sam, too—even if that simply meant going to places where the triplets could ride around in their stroller and watch the scenery or other people passing by. And the more time he spent with all of them, the more he realized he was in serious danger of losing his heart to the single mom and her three adorable kids.
* * *
Liam was yawning when he walked into the inn’s kitchen Wednesday morning, desperate for a hit of caffeine. He’d gone to bed after midnight and been up since dawn, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to get through the day.
He halted in the entranceway, as if to remember why he was there. Macy came to the rescue, putting a mug of steaming coffee into his hands.
“Thank you.”
“You looked like you needed it.”
He swallowed a mouthful, willed the caffeine to jumpstart his brain.
“Is everything okay?”
He blinked. “What?”
“You seem really distracted this morning.”
“I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“Anything more than usual?”
“I went out to the ranch yesterday morning, to show my grandmother the updated menus for The Home Station,” he confided. “And, not unexpectedly, crossed paths with my dad while I was there.”
“Did you argue?”
He shook his head. “No. In fact, he was almost civil.”
“Now I know why you look so worried.”
When he didn’t respond to her teasing tone, she realized that he really was worried.
“Maybe it’s just that I haven’t been out to the ranch in a few days, but he didn’t look right.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “But he seemed pale, tired.”
“Did you ask him how he was feeling? No,” she answered her own question before he could. “Of course, you didn’t. You don’t communicate with your father.”
“No more than he communicates with me.”
“Did you say anything to your brother?”
He nodded. “Caleb didn’t think there was any cause for concern.”
“Then there probably isn’t.”
“You’re right,” he acknowledged. “I’m probably just feeling guilty that, as everything has amped up around here, I’ve been spending less time there.”
“Is it only guilt?” she wondered. “Or is there maybe a little bit of second-guessing going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“You could have emailed the new menus to your grandmother instead of taking the time to drive all the way out to the Circle G,” she pointed out. “Which makes me suspect that you wanted to make the trip—either to ensure ranch operations were running smoothly or to touch base with your family.”
He scowled. “You sound like you’ve been reading my sister’s psych textbooks.”
“Or maybe just talking to your sister,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because she stopped by yesterday morning when you were out at the ranch.”
“Why?” he asked again.
“Because she wanted to know if we offered a family discount.”
“For Sky? Yeah, she can pay a hundred and fifty percent of the usual rate.”
“Even if the room is for your grandparents? For their sixtieth wedding anniversary?”
“I’m one step ahead of her,” he said. “Wild Bill’s Suite is already booked.”
Macy smiled. “You’re a good man, Liam Gilmore.”
“Come back here later tonight, and I’ll show you how good,” he suggested.
Of course, she did.
Because even after more than a month together, the physical attraction between them showed no signs of abating.
She didn’t have enough experience with relationships to know if this was normal, but she did know that she was well on her way to losing her heart to the sexy cowboy.
* * *
“Can you do me a favor?” Liam asked, a few days later.
Macy finished logging a new reservation into the system and clicked save. “Sure—what do you need?”
“Lunch.”
She looked up from the computer, her expression quizzical. “You want me to make lunch for you?”
“No. I just want you to order it
for me. And pick it up.”
“I’m pretty sure running your personal errands isn’t part of my job description.”
“Not even if I offer to share my pizza with you?”
“Jo’s still refusing to serve you?” she guessed.
His concern about backlash from the owner of the pizzeria had not been unfounded. Jo was furious with him for giving Kyle free rein in his fancy kitchen—a surefire guarantee that her son wasn’t going to be tossing pizza dough anytime soon.
Liam nodded. “And I’m going through pizza withdrawal.”
“What am I ordering on this pizza?”
“Pepperoni, Italian sausage and bacon crumble.”
She wrinkled her nose. “And after lunch I’ll make an appointment at the medical clinic in Battle Mountain so you can have your arteries cleaned out.”
“My arteries are fine—and my stomach is empty.”
“Okay,” she relented. “Pepperoni, Italian sausage and bacon crumble on one half, ham, pineapple and black olives on the other. I’ll order it in my name, but you’re going to pick it up.”
“Last time I went in there, she threw a ball of dough at my head.”
“Which is why you need to go back and talk to her.”
He grumbled, because he was certain that Jo wouldn’t listen to him, but in the end, he walked over to the pizzeria.
The reception he got when he entered the restaurant was no less than he expected.
In response to the tinkle of the bell, Jo glanced up from the pie she was making, a sauce-filled ladle in hand. “You.” She narrowed her gaze and lifted her other hand to point a bony finger at the door. “Get out of my restaurant.”
He held up his own hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m here to pick up a pizza for Macy.”
“If she really wants her pizza, she’s going to have to come and get it herself, because I’m not giving it to you.”
“Come on, Jo,” he cajoled. “Don’t you think you’re being a little unreasonable?”
“I don’t have to sell my pizza to anybody I don’t want to,” she said stubbornly.
“That’s not really true. A public business can’t randomly refuse service to someone.”
“Oh, don’t worry. This isn’t random at all.”
“I’ve been buying pizza here for as long as I’ve had money to buy pizza,” he pointed out to her.
“It’s the only place in town to get pizza,” she said, obviously unimpressed by his claim of loyalty.
“Exactly,” he said. “And I have no intention of competing with your business. In fact, I’ve always encouraged my guests to come over here.”
“Are you waiting for me to thank you for that?”
“I didn’t do it for thanks, but I didn’t expect to be punished, either.”
“You hired my kid,” she reminded him.
“Duke hired him first,” Liam noted.
She waved a hand dismissively. “I knew he wouldn’t be happy at Diggers’ for long—and then he’d come back here.”
“He came to me looking for a job,” he said in his defense.
“He had a job here.”
“You wouldn’t let him make anything but pizza.”
“The sign over the door says Jo’s Pizza.”
“A lot of pizza places do other things,” he remarked.
“We do calzones, too.”
Which was essentially folded-up pizza. “I was thinking more along the lines of wings or pasta.”
“Folks want wings or pasta, they go to Diggers’.”
“They might appreciate having another option.”
“You plan on serving pizza in your fancy restaurant?”
“No,” he immediately replied.
“Why not?”
“Because everyone in Haven knows that nobody does pizza better than Jo’s.”
“And you’re not going to get around me by stating what everyone knows is a fact,” she told him.
“I’m not trying to get around you.”
“Then what do you want?”
“I want my pizza.”
Her brows lifted.
“I mean, Macy’s pizza.” And then, since he knew she’d already seen through the ruse, he opted for honesty. “I also want you to stop canceling my orders—or deliberately screwing up my orders. And I want you to come to the inn one night to enjoy a meal prepared by my new chef.”
“Unless your fancy new restaurant is somehow in a different time zone, dinner time there is dinner time here, which means I’m working.”
“You could try leaving your daughter in charge for one night,” he suggested. “Then maybe she won’t be looking for a job somewhere else in a few years.”
Jo’s eyes narrowed dangerously, then she turned around and picked up a flat white box. An order slip with Macy’s name on it was tucked into the end. “I think you should take your pizza and go now.”
He didn’t have to be told twice.
He picked up the box, dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the counter and left without waiting for his change.
* * *
“Do you think I’ve been spending too much time with Liam lately?”
“Why would you ask a question like that?” Bev wondered as she squeezed a rubber dolphin, squirting water onto Max’s belly.
Her grandson giggled and kicked his feet in the water, splashing her back.
Macy shrugged as she rubbed a cloth gently over Sam’s body. “Maybe because I’m feeling a little out of my element,” she acknowledged. “I don’t have a lot of experience with romantic relationships, and I can’t remember ever feeling so much so soon.”
Bev’s sigh was both wistful and worried. “You’re falling in love with him.”
“Am I?” The panic that spurted inside of her at the thought must have been reflected in her tone, because her mother smiled and touched a hand to her arm.
“Love isn’t anything to be afraid of,” Bev assured her daughter.
Macy didn’t think she was afraid of love—but she was afraid of offering Liam her heart and having it rejected.
“And if you had to fall, you could do a lot worse than Liam Gilmore,” her mother continued.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because it’s obvious the man is just as crazy about Ava, Max and Sam as he is about you.”
“He’s been great with them,” Macy agreed, as she continued to wash her babies and her mother continued to distract them with play. “Of course, his sister has a little girl, so kids aren’t a completely alien species to him.” Despite his initial attempts to convince her otherwise.
“That’s one child,” her mother pointed out. “Three can be overwhelming for someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience with kids.”
“Believe me, I know.”
“You caught on fast,” Bev noted.
“As if I had a choice.” She lifted Ava out of the bath and wrapped her in a thick, fluffy towel.
“The point is, he’s caught on pretty fast, too. A lot of guys would have balked at the idea of dating a single mother with three kids.”
Liam had, as well, Macy remembered. In fact, he’d taken a literal step back when he’d learned that she was a mom.
“Maybe I should take a step back,” she mused.
“It’s hard to make any progress when you’re moving in reverse,” her mother pointed out, with unerring logic, as she wrapped Sam in another towel.
“I thought I’d given up on having a traditional family,” she admitted now. “But the more time I spend with Liam—especially with Liam and Ava, Max and Sam—the more I find those old dreams being resurrected.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“Maybe nothing—except that we haven’t really talked about the future.”
“So maybe you
need to have this conversation with him,” Bev suggested.
“You’re right,” Macy agreed, removing Max from the tub. “And I will. Tomorrow.”
“Good. Because right now, we’ve got to get these munchkins into their jammies and into bed.”
* * *
But their paths didn’t cross until late the following morning, when Macy was on the phone with the wine merchant and Liam was on his way to a meeting with Kyle and a local organic wholesaler.
“Lunch?” he mouthed the request.
She nodded.
He glanced at his watch. “Twelve-thirty?”
She nodded again.
He returned to the inn at 12:25.
“You’re early,” she noted.
He leaned across the desk and kissed her. “I wanted to make sure I had time to do that.”
She grabbed the collar of his jacket and brought his mouth back to hers. “You know, one-thirty is a pretty good time for lunch, too.”
He drew away slowly, reluctantly. “It is—except when breakfast was a mere blueberry muffin more than five hours ago.”
She pushed away from the desk and reached for her coat. “In that case, we better go get you fed.”
“Over lunch, I thought we could review the website updates for the fall and winter—”
The ring of his cell phone cut through his words.
“Go ahead and take it,” Macy encouraged.
“It’s just my brother.” He swiped the screen to send the call to voice mail. “Whatever he wants can wait.”
But Macy had barely set the “Back at 2:00 p.m.” sign on the desk when his phone rang again.
Liam frowned at the same name and number on the display.
“Obviously it can’t wait,” Macy said.
While he was talking to his brother, she tidied the brochures in the pockets of the wall display by the desk. The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko was long past, but she kept the flyers, in case they piqued the interest of anyone who might be planning a visit the following year.
She straightened the cards advertising the Basque Museum, replenished the Adventure Village brochures—and found a miniature Hulk action figure that she’d noticed a little boy playing with while his parents checked in the day before. Rick and Monica Wallace in the Clark Foss suite, she remembered now. They’d gone out to tour the town today, but she called up to their room and left a message that Harrison’s action figure was at the front desk.
Claiming the Cowboy's Heart Page 15