by Desiree Holt
“Uh huh. Just don’t go doing any matchmaking here,” Nida warned.
Amy crossed her heart. “We promise.”
But Nida knew her friends. They just couldn’t seem to keep themselves from meddling. Mac McDaniel was carrying a truckload of pain, and she didn’t want to be the cause of adding more.
Mac himself was currently sitting on the newly expanded terrace at the rear of the Butterfly B&B, listening to the night sounds and studying the man sitting in the Adirondack chair next to him. Cade Hannigan had offered him a beer, but since Cade himself took only a soft drink, Mac followed suit. He liked Cade immediately. He had a quiet air of confidence and an ability to put Mac at ease. Georgie was also warm and friendly, an ideal type of person to be an innkeeper. It was obvious Cade adored her. Although Mac would have preferred isolation right now, Cade was easy enough to be with. And he knew he would only be staying at the B&B for a couple of nights.
“I don’t know what you have in mind for the property you’re buying, but—and forgive me—you don’t look like much of a rancher.”
Mac gave a rough laugh. “What does a rancher look like, exactly? Do I need different clothes?”
Cade chuckled softly. “Not at all. You just have, oh, I don’t know, the look of someone who has spent his life in the city.”
“God forbid you call me a metrosexual. I might have to punch your lights out, and then I’d need to find another place to stay.”
Cade shook his head. “No, not that. I just don’t get the feeling that ranching has been in your blood.”
Mac took a swallow of his cold drink and tried to figure out how to answer the man. When he’d checked in to the B&B, he had just given them the bare details, mostly because he knew Cade would find out about the sale and he wanted to be up front about it. He’d had no idea how the man would react, knowing even the little bit Nida had shared with him. He’d been enormously relieved when Cade had told him he thought this was exactly what the place needed to get rid of the last of the bad mojo.
“If I tell you I just needed a change in my life, could you understand that?” he asked.
“Man,” Cade told him, “I can certainly get on board with that. No one needed a bigger change than I did. I thank God every day for Georgie and her willingness to give me a chance. So, yeah, I hear you.”
They sat in silence for a few more minutes.
“My sister was killed in a car accident a few months ago.” Now why the hell did I blurt that out, Mac asked himself. He hadn’t even told Nida.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Cade took a swig of his own drink. “I hope they got whoever did it.”
“Well, see,” Mac said, “that’s the problem. They never did.”
“You mean he fled the scene?” Cade sounded incredulous.
“Sure did.” He gave the other man the briefest of details of the accident. It was always hard to relive it.
“And no one knows who it is? No one saw anything?”
“Actually, someone did say they looked out as soon as they heard the crash and saw a truck pulling away.”
Cade snorted. “That could be anyone in Rowan County, or anywhere else in Texas.”
“Don’t I know it. It was nearly dark so they couldn’t really give us much of a description, and the truck was nearly to the end of the block by the time this person spotted it.”
“That’s a damn shame.”
Mac stared out into the night, weighing his words. “I have a friend who told me the cops do know who it is, but the whole thing is being buried. Seems there’s a lot of money and power involved.”
Cade snorted. “Unfortunately, I know firsthand how that works, and believe me, I’m not proud of it.” He glanced over at Mac. “I gather you two were close.”
“We were twins.” There was more silence. “I couldn’t handle it in San Antonio any more. My folks are having trouble coming to grips with it, and I have a lot of misplaced anger. I know this will sound stupid to you—”
“Hey,” Cade broke in. “Remember who you’re talking to. Nothing sounds stupid to me.”
“Well, anyway, I left the investment firm I was with, cashed out my partnership and came up here to sort of regroup.”
“Uh huh.” Cade’s voice was tinged with skepticism. “You wouldn’t just be looking for a place to hide out while you do your own digging around, would you?”
Mac was silent for a long moment before he answered. “And if I was?”
“Then I’d tell you two things. One, that in your shoes I’d do the same thing. And two, that we have a pretty nice tightknit group here and we might be able to help you.”
“You’ve made it easy for me to tell you my story, Cade. And I don’t open up easily to strangers. Besides, I have no idea what kind of high-powered mess I’ll be stepping into, so I’m reluctant to get anyone else involved. I probably shouldn’t have spilled my guts to you.”
“Everyone needs to talk to someone. Let me let you in on something, Mac.” Cade shifted his chair so he was facing Mac. “My wife is part of a little group of amazing women, who have each had their own crisis. The other women just reach out to them and refuse to let go. I don’t know where Georgie and I would be without them. So think about it. I don’t want to push you into a situation where you’re uncomfortable, but try not to close anything off either. Okay?”
“Okay.” Mac nodded. He certainly wasn’t ready to say anything one way or the other.
“I’m assuming if you’ve set up headquarters here, the asshole lives somewhere in Rowan County. Finding him, however, is going to be a problem, even though we don’t have a huge population. I want you to know that we have resources. I’m sure I speak for the others when I say we’d be happy to use them to help you. Keep that in mind.”
“I will.” Although at the moment, Mac had no intention of doing that at all. This was his problem.
“On another note,” Cade said, “I don’t know your exact plans for the property, but you do need to tear down the outbuildings, which are already a fire hazard. I think the house is salvageable, but you need a better inspection than mine. If you want a hand with a hammer and saw, just holler.”
“Let me ask you a question.” Mac was determined to change the topic of conversation. “I met Nida Beloit for the first time today.”
Cade grinned. “What do you want to know about Nida?” He gave Mac a hard look. “Business or personal?”
“Business. I don’t know her well enough to get personal.”
Although he’d been bothered by an itch ever since he’d left her, and getting personal was exactly what he wanted. And wasn’t that just the damndest thing? As angry and upset and grief-stricken as he was, his dick didn’t seem to get the message. Or his brain, which kept sending him images of the woman in her trim slacks that caressed her curves and the outline of her breasts beneath her blouse. He could still see her green cat’s eyes with their flecks of gold, her thick black hair that he wanted to pull loose from its clip and run his fingers through. Her mouth that just begged to be kissed. He wondered what her body looked like under those clothes and how it would feel to plunge himself inside her. Feel her hot, wet pussy clench around him.
Fuck, McDaniel. What kind of asshole has sexual fantasies in a situation like this?
“Mac? Did you hear what I just said?”
Mac suddenly realized the other man was talking to him and gave himself a mental shake.
“Sorry, my brain seems to keep taking vacations these days.”
Cade grinned, as if he knew damn well what Mac’s brain was doing. “I said, she’s a very sharp lady. She helped Cyn Orosco with the purchase of her store and Georgie with the deal on this B&B. She’s about the only game in town, mostly because people trust her and they make it known they don’t want anyone coming in and cutting into her business. She’s got three salesmen working for her and they
all know this area like the back of their hands.” He studied Mac. “A word of warning. The women in this group love her and wouldn’t take kindly to anyone who gave her grief.”
Mac’s eyebrows flew up. “You think that’s what I might do?”
Cade shrugged. “You’re in a bad place right now. Nida’s the kind of woman who could make you feel a whole lot better without asking anything for herself. But she’s had a string of assholes walk in and out of her life, so her friends are very protective of her.”
“Jesus, man.” Mac raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m just buying a piece of property here. Tell the female warriors they’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Good. I hope you mean that.”
I’m going to do my best on that count.
But shit, he just couldn’t get her out of his mind.
Chapter Three
Mac turned off the Bushwhacker and wiped his face on his tee shirt, which he had long ago taken off. He tilted his head back to take a long drink of water then capped the bottle and looked around at his handiwork. Not too bad, he thought, if he did say so himself. He’d been at his new digs for a week, spending his days at hard labor and his nights on his state-of-the-art computer chasing every tidbit of information he had.
Cade had been a huge help, setting him up at the hardware store and turning him on to the people who’d come and torn down the outbuildings and hauled away the rotten wood. He had telephone service, an internet connection—which shocked him, way out here in the boonies—a sleeping bag and a minifridge. He still trekked to town once a day to pick up dinner, preferring to carry it back to the place rather than leave himself open to curious stares and too many questions. One thing he’d learned about Saddle Wells was it was a close-knit, friendly community, but the people could also be nosy. In a friendly way, of course, but still. He wasn’t about to satisfy people’s curiosity. He was here on a mission, and the less they knew the better.
A mission that he didn’t seem to be making much progress with. Before leaving San Antonio, he’d gone to the police lot where Alicia’s wrecked car had been towed. All the cops had been able to tell him was they had taken some paint scrapings from the bumper but they hadn’t provided any information. Mac had managed to take a few scrapings himself when they’d left him to stare at the vehicle, but at the moment he had no way to get them analyzed and use them to identify a vehicle. It was another thing he had to look into, but in a way that would not call attention to him or what he was doing. Flying under the radar was the only way he was going to get to the bottom of this mess.
And he didn’t need people around for that.
His parents were still having trouble coming to grips with the whole mess. Alicia had been a bright star lighting up the sky, and her death had really hit them hard. Mac called them every couple of days, just to check in on them, but he had no words of comfort for them. He barely had any for himself.
The police continued to list the crash as an open accident case. Yes, there was one person who’d gotten a look and told them it was a truck. But the witness hadn’t seen enough to give a good description. Yes, other people had run out of their houses, but not in time to see more than the taillights of the truck.
Mac kept up the pressure, checking with the police every few days. He had no intention of letting them shelve this in the cold-case files. As far as he was concerned, that wasn’t going to happen. But getting a list of possible ranchers and their families was a tedious job. He didn’t want to involve anyone else for fear of word getting out, but at this rate it could take forever. His level of anger was growing every day.
From his few trips into town, it was obvious Cade hadn’t spread Mac’s business around, and he was grateful for that. He didn’t want to be distracted by well-meaning people. But just as he thought that, he saw an SUV turning in from the road and heading up his driveway. For a brief moment, he actually hoped it might be Nida, although he kept reminding himself she was off-limits and he was a mess. Then he realized the vehicle was really dark green and not black.
Who the hell could this be?
He stood there, holding his sweaty tee shirt, until the SUV came to the end of the driveway and parked in the weed-choked gravel area. When the driver climbed out, he recognized Georgie Hannigan. Shit. Was she here on a do-gooder mission? That was the last thing he needed. He didn’t even bother to put the shirt back on, hoping she’d take the hint or else be offended enough to leave.
No such luck. She walked up to him, smiling broadly.
“Hey, Mac. Cade said you were working like a team of mules out here.” She looked around. “I see you’ve got those tumbledown outbuildings gone. And it’s good you’re attacking all this underbrush. I did that with the B&B so strange critters didn’t make homes in it.”
Okay, enough with the small talk.
“What can I do for you, Georgie? I don’t mean to be rude, but you can see I’ve got a ton of work to do here.”
“And I’m not here to stop you. But everyone needs a break now and then, and I have just the one for you. It’s midweek, the B&B is empty and we’re having a little friendly barbecue tonight. Just my girls’ group and their husbands, and we want you to come.”
Socialize? The thought made his nerves jangle.
“That’s very kind of you, but I don’t—”
“I could have called, since Cade managed to get your cell number, but I was sure you’d turn me down. It’s a lot harder to say no in person.”
“Like I said, I appreciate the invite—”
“Good. Good, good, good. Cade will pick you up at seven.” She glanced at the house. “You get the water working yet?”
“Marginally, why?”
“So you can shower after you’re done here, of course. Although I’m sure none of us minds a little honest sweat.” She winked at him. “So be ready at seven, okay?”
“Cade doesn’t need to pick me up.” He struggled to keep the frustration out of his voice. “How will I get home? Anyway, I’m not—”
“See you later. Hope you’re hungry.” She stopped at the open door of her vehicle. “Oh, and just FYI, I think Nida might join us. You can tell her all about the progress you’re making here.” Then she was in her vehicle and gone before he could find his voice again.
Cade had told him his wife was a steamroller, and he was certainly right about that. Now what the fuck did he do? He didn’t even know how many people would be there or even how he would tolerate being social.
Shit. Shit. Shit!
He wasn’t normally a rude person. It was just that circumstances had shoved everything but his mission to the back burner. Still, Cade had been beyond nice and helpful to him. If a meal with them would make them feel better, Mac guessed he could tolerate it for a couple of hours.
And Nida will be there.
Not that he should be concerned with that. Or her. He had no business even thinking about her while he had this going on. Revenge and justice were the only two things he should be thinking about. So why then, when he lay in his sleeping bag at night on the hard floor, did he torment himself imaging what she would look like naked? So much so, that in order to get any sleep, he’d had to resort to his good right hand. Not nearly as satisfying as the soft velvet of a woman’s inner walls.
Pulling the starter on the Bushwacker, he went back to work on the undergrowth along one side of the house, possibly pushing the machine with a little more force than necessary.
“I think this is a bad idea,” Nida said to Georgie as she walked into the B&B kitchen. “I feel like a fifth wheel here.”
Georgie lifted an eyebrow. “Why? We’re all friends, almost like a family. Right?”
Nida gave her a crooked grin. “Yes, and I really do feel like it, except on nights like tonight when everyone else is all coupled up.”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” Georgie turned away from
the table toward the counter. “I invited Mac McDaniel. Cade’s picking him up.”
Nida nearly dropped the bowl of dip. “Georgie, what do you guys think you’re doing? I’ve seen how you all work. No one’s safe from your matchmaking efforts.”
“Matchmaking?” Georgie gave a ladylike snort. “We’re just widening our circle of friends.”
“Oh, right.” Nida shook her head. “I know you think this is something nice for me, but I really don’t want you to set me up. Please. I’m happy just the way I am.”
“Not setting you up, okay?” Georgie turned around and put her arm over Nida’s shoulders. “But you’re our friend. I hope Mac will be our friend. That’s all it is. If you guys get along, so much the better. But no pressure. Honest.”
“Uh huh.” She grinned. “So if I just ignore him, you won’t mind?”
“What I’ll mind is if you deliberately stop yourself from having a good time. Even for one night.”
“No rude behavior. That’s the best I can promise.”
“Good enough.” Georgie nodded.
Not that she hadn’t been thinking about the man nearly every waking moment since the sale had closed. Nor had she had unexpected erotic dreams, fantasies where he strode into her bedroom naked, his cock rigid and at attention. How many nights had she had to resort to her personal vibrator to relieve the unexpected sexual tension? No matter how many times she reminded herself she wasn’t a kid anymore and that she had rotten luck with men, she still dreamt of his hands on her breasts and his mouth on her lips, her nipples, and lower still to her clenching pussy. She needed to take herself in hand. Oh, wait. She was already doing that.
“Nida?” Georgie’s voice cut into her thoughts.
“What do you need?”
“Can you turn down the oven on the potatoes? I’m going to toss the salad and put it in the fridge. Cade started the grill before he left so it should be ready to go when he gets back.”