“We’re not engaged,” she said. “But I heard he’s bought a ring.”
Chapter Five
Lady Luck could be your best friend or your worst enemy, Dee mused as she eased the ratty pickup truck into Ray’s parking lot. Right now, the Lady was not on her side.
She parked the truck, turned off the key, and waited while the engine coughed, heaved, and finally sighed. It was nothing but rotten luck that the car she’d used so much of her precious cash for had major wheel problems. “Front end suspension,” Charlie Wilson called it. The problem was serious enough that it could cause a wreck if she didn’t have it fixed. And no, he didn’t have that particular part. It was on order. Back order.
Dee rested her forehead on the steering wheel. If Charlie hadn’t generously offered her the use of his spare truck, such as it was, she’d be forced to camp out in the repair shop. Leaving Central Kentucky, continuing to run, was no longer an option.
She peered under her arm at the wooden structure. Waiting for trouble didn’t mean she had to waste time. She needed a job, a way to support herself, and a way to pay for the repairs to her car.
Taking action, any action, was like choosing to live. Pursuing this job was empowering.
As, possibly, her first job as a graphic designer, it was also a challenge. The thrill of that almost outshone the potential danger of remaining in the Lexington area like a sitting duck. Almost.
How could Jared have done that? She understood the logic behind his process, but that did nothing to erase her sense of betrayal.
She couldn’t overlook her own culpability. Spilling her guts to the police? There was no excuse. Jared was a cop. She knew better.
Dee heaved a sigh and climbed out of the truck. She needed this job, needed to get it, get it done quickly, and get paid. If Carl hadn’t come by then, she would have money to move on. There had to be a place—maybe out of the country—where she would be out of his reach. It was time to face her destiny. Then she could start living her dreams by successfully pursuing her career.
She forced a bounce into her step as she crossed the gravel lot. She pasted a sunny smile on her face as she pulled open the door. She stumbled as her gaze landed on Jared. How had she managed to overlook his car in the near-empty lot? Yet, there he was, sitting at a table right in front of the bar, a half-full bottle of water gripped in one hand, dark, scruffy face unsmiling.
Stiffening her knees, Dee found Ray polishing glasses behind the counter. There was no doubt where she would to sit. Dee walked to the bar and perched on a stool directly in front of Jared’s table, the only seat that kept him completely at her back. As long as she didn’t move, she could even avoid seeing his reflection in the mirror that spanned the wall behind the bar.
“Glad you could make it, Dee,” Ray said. “What can I get you?”
“Nothing.” Her stomach twisted. “Really,” she said when Ray lifted a bottle of water. How could she start the conversation about his possible job offer without sounding too anxious, too pushy? Too needy?
“So how was your night last night?”
She searched his face for some indication of his thoughts. “It was fine.”
He swiped a towel over the already gleaming bar. “So what did y’all do?”
“Y’all?”
He grinned. “It’s a Southern term. You all.” He nodded toward Jared. “The two of you.”
Dumbfounded, she turned to glance at Jared’s stony expression. “Nothing,” she said as she returned her attention to Ray. Why would he think she and Jared were together? “We… He…” Neither of them needed to know she’d spent another night parked between dumpsters behind the local Walmart. “I wasn’t with him last night.”
Ray sent a squinted, death-ray glare toward Jared.
A lead weight settled in her stomach as her gaze darted back and forth between the silent men and realization hit. Ray wasn’t really interested in doing any remodeling; he’d been trying to hook them up.
Dee stood and stepped away from the bar. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood.” She had to find a job. Today.
“Where are you going?” Ray asked, his gaze still locked with Jared’s. “I thought we were going to talk about remodeling this place.”
She hesitated. “Are you still interested?”
“Yeah.” He slapped the towel on the bar with some heat, shot Jared one last blistering look then stepped from behind the bar. “Wait just a minute. I want to show you something.”
Dee slid back on the stool and watched in the mirror as Jared’s midnight gaze tracked Ray to a tiny room and back.
Ray waved a handful of papers at Dee. “I want you to look at these,” he said.
“Cut the crap, Ray,” Jared snarled. “She thinks you’re serious.”
“I am.” Ray sat on a stool to Dee’s left. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.” He looked directly into Dee’s eyes as if trying to convince her of his sincerity. “After listening to you talk the other night”—he shrugged—“I started thinking maybe this was the time. I’d at least like to hear your ideas.”
He spread a series of grainy black and white aerial photographs in front of her. “These show the current development in the greater Lexington area. You can see the city’s expanding in all directions. And this”—he set down another photo —“is the Maystown area. It’s still a small, rural community; about fifteen miles separate the two.” He tapped a finger on the Maystown photo. “But there’s a lot of new growth here, too. And it’s coming this way. Toward the city.”
His excitement was building, palpable.
Dee leaned over the photo spread and studied the views. Her fingers feathered over the pictures, separating and realigning them. The potential was greater than she’d originally imagined. “This place is a gold mine,” she stated in wonder.
“I don’t know about turning it into a gold mine,” he scoffed as splotches of red spread across his high cheeks to the roots of his white blond hair. His ice blue eyes popped against the contrast.
“It already is a gold mine,” she assured him, “no matter what you do.”
Ray’s attention wavered between the aerial pictures and her. The wide-eyed, little boy look of hope on his face nearly made her laugh.
“You’re zoned commercial, right?” she asked, her enthusiasm growing.
He nodded.
The stool on her right scraped across the floor. Dee jumped, a startled yip escaping her lips as she whirled around and stared into the deepest blue eyes she’d ever seen.
Ray lifted his chin, acknowledging the man. “What can I get you?”
“I’ll take a beer. Lite. Whatever you’ve got,” the man said, his gaze focused on the aerial maps.
Dee’s frazzled nerves relaxed. Lesson learned. She couldn’t afford to sit with her back to the door. It was just luck that this guy, whoever he was, wasn’t a stranger to the area.
Ray served the man and then leaned on the bar across from Dee.
“If you do nothing but sit here,” she resumed, “as Lexington expands someone will want this property. And they’ll pay big bucks for it.”
“I don’t want to sell it,” he said with some frustration. “This is my legacy. It’s all I have left of my parents.”
Dee lifted a silencing finger. She had to sell him on the idea of doing this, with her, now. “This little town”—she indicated the picture of Maystown—“is becoming a rural bedroom community for Lexington. It’s close enough to offer all the amenities of big city living within easy distance, but rural enough to offer the appeal of a close-knit community.”
She picked up the photo and held it out to him, her finger tracing the black ribbon of highway that connected the rural community to the city. “Everyone who lives here has to drive past your front door when they go out for the night. With some expansion, you could nab a large portion of those customers. And at the same time increase your draw from the city.”
“You’re talking major expansion,” he said with
quiet speculation as he stared at the photo.
She nodded, that addicting nip of adrenaline zinging through her blood. “Huge. Your bar would have to be three times this size, with a deck almost as large on the side. I’m talking food service”—she ticked off on her fingers—“music, dancing.”
“Where is he going to put all this?” Jared scoffed from behind her. “In the parking lot?”
Dee refused to turn around. “He’s surrounded by empty fields.”
The stunned silence pleased her. Yes, she’d noticed. Graphic designers noticed everything about a place.
Ideas bombarded her brain. She stretched across the bar and snagged a fistful of paper napkins, then rummaged through her purse for a pen. “Buy the land surrounding you,” she said to Ray.
“What?” The word erupted on a breathy laugh. “I can’t buy all the…”
She waved a hand absently and started sketching. “Buy what you need.”
“But…” Ray started.
“This is for your expansion.” Where was his vision? She could see it so clearly in her mind. “You’re going to need to expand this bar area.”
“Whoa, slow down…”
She tilted her head and studied a design, frowned, and attacked the next blank napkin. “It needs a larger deck.”
“He doesn’t have a deck.” The caustic comment came from behind her.
Hadn’t they had this discussion before? Two nights ago? “Well, he needs one. A large one. With tables and umbrellas. People like to eat outside.”
“I don’t serve food here,” Ray said.
She shook her head. Lots of desire, limited imagination. This was such a minor detail. This last rough sketch of the new building and deck was almost perfect.
“Look.” Ray lowered his voice as if speaking to a fractious child. “I’m not equipped to serve food. That would require a huge change.”
Dee slid her latest sketch to Ray. “What do you think?”
Ray turned the napkin and studied it.
The stranger beside her made no effort to be subtle as he leaned closer to look at her design.
And all that heat at her back? When had Jared left his chair? She was sure if she raised her gaze to the mirror, she’d find him leaning over her left shoulder.
“It’s nice,” Ray said.
Nice? It wasn’t nice. It was fabulous. The shape complimented the curve in the road, nothing jarring or abrupt, but natural, like it belonged there.
“It’s huge,” Jared murmured.
“It will be expensive as hell,” the stranger commented.
Who was this guy?
“Yes, this will be expensive,” Dee agreed. “But it will be worth it. Just One Moore will become a complete entertainment destination.”
The stranger rested his forearm on the bar. “Ray, if you want to expand, why don’t you let me draw you up something? It’ll give you the extra space you want without all this frilly stuff tacked on. I’ll even build it for you.”
Ah, the competition. She tapped her pen on the aerial shots of Maystown. “These people would still have to drive past you to get a meal. And once they’re in the city, where there are so many choices, what reason would they have to come back here?”
The air thickened around her. This was it. All or nothing. The challenge had just become personal. She wanted this job. Bad. It was no longer about money, but vision. Hers was right for this place; she could feel it in her bones.
A warm hand settled lightly on her left shoulder. A show of support or an effort to rein her in? She didn’t dare look.
She continued to hold Ray’s gaze as she tapped her pen on her drawing. “With this, you’ll give the people of Maystown a reason to go no further. With some good marketing, your unique location and offerings will draw a bigger crowd out of the congested city.”
Silence settled around them for several long seconds.
The stranger beside her shifted. “Ray….”
Without breaking eye contact, Ray lifted a silencing finger. “One week,” he said to Dee. “I want a full proposal: design, marketing strategies, cost estimates, everything.”
“One week?” she squeaked as a thrilled tremor coursed through her.
“A week and one day. And not a minute longer. Keep track of your time. I’ll pay you thirty dollars an hour.”
“Thirty-five,” she countered.
“Thirty-two fifty.”
She gave one quick nod, her heart thumped like a crazed rabbit. Dee fisted her hands at her sides to keep them from pumping a victory dance.
Ray picked up the phone and punched in a number. “Ed?” He stared at Dee and lifted his brows in question.
After a second’s hesitation, she gave him a quick nod.
“She’ll take it.”
An economy of words that held a wealth of risk and promise. It would tie her down to one location, an easy target. But it would give her a chance to start her new career. Even if it was no more than one job, it would give her something to put in her portfolio.
With nothing more than loose change in her purse and a car in the shop, how many choices did she have?
The fingers at her shoulder flexed before lifting, and the heat at her back was gone. She didn’t want to know whatever was going on in his head. He was nothing but a danger to her, another threat. A cop. She wanted to shake her head and cry.
He hadn’t believed her and he’d been reckless with her safety. She didn’t need that negative energy surrounding her.
She didn’t need the distraction of his presence. Hadn’t Carl Ormsby already taught her about her poor judgment when it came to men? If she wasn’t careful, Jared would be her next big mistake.
Dee stepped back from the bar. “Next Thursday. Same time,” she said to Ray. “I’ll bring your proposal.”
“Good enough,” Ray said.
Her mind raced as she stepped out of the air-conditioned building and into the hot soup of Kentucky’s humid summer. She had a lot of work to do in a very short time. She didn’t know any vendors or suppliers in the area, didn’t know any contractors or their reputations.
The crunch of gravel behind her brought her out of her thoughts.
“Look, I don’t have time…” The words died as she spun around and found not Jared but the stranger behind her. For the space of a second, she stood in the blazing sunlight and stared at the man before offering her hand. “Dee Quinn.”
He accepted her hand with a solid grip. “Jack Duer.”
“Are you an architect?” She needed to know what she was up against and didn’t have time to be subtle.
“Builder and draftsman.”
She nodded, her eyes narrowing against the noon sun’s reflection off the white gravel. “Local,” she guessed.
“And you’re not.” He studied her from behind dark sunglasses. “Whatever he decides to do to the place, I want a piece of it. As big a piece as I can get.”
She had the uneasy sense of being a gun-slinger in the middle of a dusty western town. She nodded, searching for her last ounce of ego. “I’ll give you a call when we’re ready for your services,” she said, then forced her wooden legs to move toward the truck, his bark of laughter quickening her step.
Chapter Six
The woman was annoying. Even when he hadn’t seen her. Especially when he hadn’t seen her. Not that he wanted to see her, but it had been four days since he’d had even a glimpse of that fiery hair, those hazel eyes.
Jared shifted into second gear as he pulled out of Moore’s.
If she’d been around long enough to know his routine, he’d think she was deliberately avoiding him. But that couldn’t be true. Still, everyone else had seen her. Daily. A fact Ray didn’t hesitate to point out. Daily.
It was getting to the point where a man couldn’t stop for something to drink without hearing about the amazing Dee Quinn. Every word was as comfortable as salt in a wound.
He shifted low for the long climb of the hill.
Dammit. He
hadn’t deliberately endangered her. He was an officer of the law, sworn to uphold and defend. There were rules and regulations and procedures designed to keep citizens safe and cops honest. Without those measures, chaos and vigilantism would reign.
He was a cop to the core. She didn’t know him well enough to understand all that meant, yet.
And as a cop, he was honor-bound to follow up on her report of a crime. Or what she thought was a crime. His inquiries had to be subtle. If her allegations were true, he didn’t want to tip Ormsby off to the investigation. If she was wrong, he didn’t want to insult the guy.
Being on leave gave him the time to research, but it cut him off from any inside sources. Frank had been solid in this guy’s corner. No way would he push his commanding officer until he found supporting evidence.
He wanted to tell her, wanted to assure her he hadn’t blown off her story, but he hadn’t had the chance. God! Her expression when she first noticed him! She’d have bolted out the door if she hadn’t needed to talk to Ray. Without interrupting their discussion, he’d tried to let her know he supported her…was on her side…something. But she’d pretty much shut him out.
He’d let her shut him out. It was time that ended.
He slowed as he crested the hill and absorbed the pleasure of the view. He loved this area, this piece of central Kentucky. He loved the thick stand of trees that spread as far as the eye could see. Oaks and maples and redbuds and ash all lent distinct looks to the canopy from early spring buds to late autumn colors. Even the stand of pines on Ed’s place—Dee’s home now. Was she there?
His gaze followed the ribbon of the two-lane highway that swept down and through the valley below. Or was she that tiny spark of pink beside the road in front of the pine stand?
He watched as the sun glistened off red highlights, watched as she moved back and forth across the pavement. His palms grew damp; his heart kicked a faster rhythm. Even from this distance, he recognized her. What was she doing down there?
His gaze encompassed the valley, measured the distance between them. From one blink to the next, he noticed a car ahead of him racing along the flat valley floor, approaching her. The car showed no sign of braking, no effort to slow down as it neared the woman standing in the road.
Unforgettable Heroes II Boxed Set Page 236