Ben nodded. “This place has a strange effect on people.”
Drew couldn’t help but smile at that. “That’s a good way to put it,” he said.
“Would you like me to take care of Gideon for you?” Ben asked. “You must be tired after the long ride up here.”
“I can handle it,” Drew said, heading for the barn. “Do you have a stall open for him?”
Ben followed him. “There’s an open one at the end,” Ben said. “I really would be happy to take care of the horse, though. I mean, with the altitude and everything, you might want to take it a little easy.”
It took Ben’s word a second to sink in. “What do you mean and everything?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at him.
Ben’s eyes got big when he realized that he’d said something wrong but couldn’t seem to stop himself from stammering. “I just meant that you’re a little older and that can make it harder to adjust. Altitude sickness can be a really bad thing. I just...”
Drew took a deep breath, trying to control his temper as it sunk in that Ben thought that he was old. “Exactly how old do you think I am?” he asked.
“Well, I know you’re the same age as Nick and Jake, and...” Ben trailed off, his face turning scarlet. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say you were old.”
Drew’s anger drained away when he realized that to Ben, he probably did seem old. “I think I can manage to take care of my own horse, but thank you for your concern,” he said, feeling his age for the first time in his life.
When Gideon was safely in his stall, Drew waved at Ben, who’d been keeping his distance, and headed for the woods, needing to shift even more. He was still reeling with the knowledge that someone had seen him as old when he let the magic inside him take over. When the shift came, it came with a burst of power so strong, he felt it pulsing through every cell in his body, and suddenly, he didn’t feel old anymore.
***Jordan***
Jordan walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain again, not sure if she was relieved or upset to see the front yard of the cabin empty. Letting the curtain fall back into place, she started to pace again, deciding that she should never have agreed to go to the barbecue with Ben. Not only was he sort of her boss, but it was also a huge mistake to start anything with anyone who worked at Serendipity.
If she wanted to date, she would have looked someplace besides where she worked, and as attractive as Ben was, he just didn’t do anything for her. Sighing, she went over to the window and looked out again, wishing she could just stay home and enjoy her new place. After weeks on the run, she’d been looking forward to climbing into bed, reading a book, and falling asleep early.
But Ben had insisted that she had to be at the barbecue, that everyone would think she was a snob if she didn’t show up. So, she was dressed and ready to go, hoping that the sundress she’d chosen wasn’t going to make her stick out.
She’d almost talked herself into staying home when there was a knock at the door. When she opened it, Ben was standing on her porch with a big smile on his face, and a bouquet of wildflowers. Inwardly groaning, she swung the door open further and gestured for him to come inside.
“I picked these for you, a housewarming gift,” he said, brushing past her.
“That was very sweet,” she said, taking the flowers from him. “I’ll just put them in some water.”
Ben stood silently watching her as she filled a glass with water and put the flowers in. When she was done, he said, “You look really nice.”
“Thank you,” she said, wondering if she should give him the speech about not dating co-workers now or later.
Ben’s face turned red. “It was no big deal. If you’re ready, we should go,” he stammered.
They walked in silence to the lodge, wondering where the bold man she’d met earlier that afternoon had gone. When he’d scared her that afternoon, she’d screamed, jumped to her feet, knocking over the stool she’d been sitting on, and causing an avalanche of tack to go tumbling onto the floor.
He’d laughed at her and said, “I didn’t think this place could get any messier, but you’ve done it.”
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people that way,” she said, getting up off the floor and brushing herself off.
“Well, since I still don’t know who you are, maybe it was a good thing,” he shot back, then leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m Jordan Andrews. Nick hired me for the trail rides,” she said. “I wasn’t supposed to be here until tomorrow, but Justice needed out of the trailer.”
Ben had relaxed a little then. “Well then, Jordan, let’s get you settled,” he’d said. “But first, maybe we should clean up this mess.”
The invitation to the barbecue had come later, after he’d helped to carry her things to the cabin she’d been assigned and she’d told him her plans for the night.
It was a short walk down to the lodge where the barbecue pit had been dug, and a roaring bonfire lit up the night. People filled the open space, sitting on blankets or wandering around visiting, and off to one side, tables bowed under the weight of the food on them. A wonderful scent filled the air, and her stomach began to growl.
“Oh, something smells good,” she said, her stomach rumbling.
“I promise you that you won’t leave here hungry,” Ben said, grinning at her.
They stood watching for a few minutes, then Ben pointed over to a crowd of people. “That’s Drew Mitchell; he’s the reason we’re having this barbecue,” he said.
At first, she couldn’t tell who he was pointing at, but then she spotted the top of his head. “I can’t really see him,” she said, standing up on her tip-toes.
“I can introduce you if you want; he was down at the barn today,” Ben said, then got a strange look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, reaching out and touching him on the arm.
Ben’s face turned red. “I might have said some things that made him think I was calling him old,” he said.
Jordan couldn’t stop herself from bursting into laughter. “Oh, Ben, you didn’t,” she finally said when she could talk.
He nodded his head. “I was just trying to help,” he said.
“Well, maybe you should go talk to him,” she said. “I’ll just wait here.”
“Are you sure?” Ben asked, looking over at the cluster of people around Drew.
“Yes, I’ll be fine, and I think you should try again,” she said. “How old is he, anyway? He can’t be that old.”
“He’s the same age as Nick and Jake, at least thirty-five,” Ben said, and she had to hold back the laughter.
“Go talk to him, but don’t mention his age,” she said, trying to keep a straight face.
She stood there watching the ebb and flow of people around Drew Mitchell wondering what the big deal was, but never managed to get a good look at him. After a while, she began to notice that there were far more women clustered around him than men and began to get the impression that the man was good-looking. Shrugging him off as just another one of those men, she turned her attention to the rest of the guests, happy to watch while they enjoyed themselves.
A little while later, Ben came running over, his hand out. “Come on, they’re going to open the pit you don’t want to miss it,” he said, grabbing her hand.
He pulled her through the crowd and right up to the front, where for the first time, she got a look at Drew Mitchell. There were still a bunch of women buzzing around behind him, and she could see what the attraction was. Besides being tall and muscular, with thick black hair and hazel eyes, he seemed to ooze charm; even from across the fire, she could feel it.
But she knew a playboy when she saw one and planned to stay as far away from him as she possibly could. She’d learned long ago how men like him operated, and she wasn’t going to fall victim to one ever again. But then his eyes met hers across the barbecue pit, and a thrill of attraction erupted inside her, stealing her breath for a secon
d.
Feeling the need to escape, she turned, but her path was blocked by the throng of people. Forced to turn back, she watched as Drew raised the shovel in the air. Just before he shoved it into the pit, he proclaimed, “Let’s eat.” Then he grabbed the woman closest to him and kissed her, before swatting her on the butt and pushing her away so he could help uncover the pit.
Chapter Three
***Drew***
Drew didn’t know what had come over him, but he’d suddenly found himself lip-locked with one of the women who’d been fawning over him all night. He wasn’t even sure what her name was or what she was doing at the barbecue, and he wished he’d controlled himself. Digging the shovel in, and beginning to uncover the fragrant meat underneath, he promised himself he’d stay as far away from the woman as possible for the rest of the night.
He had no interest in starting up anything with anyone right now, and especially not with the woman he’d just kissed, who had to be at least ten years younger than he was. It had come as a shock to him that he was getting old earlier that day, but after his shift, he’d realized that it wasn’t such a bad thing. He had some experience under his belt, and as much fun as his life had been, he was happy to be where he was.
Once the pit was uncovered, he backed away and faded into the darkness, relieved to have a few minutes to himself. He stood watching from the shadows as the meat was removed, cut up, and piled onto platters, the smell making his stomach growl. But he wasn’t ready to enter the fray again, still needed some space from the constant demands on his attention.
As much fun as it was to relive his adventures for all his old friends, he was getting tired of storytelling. What he really wanted to do was sneak into the lodge and spend a few minutes with the murals, which he hadn’t even seen yet. Everyone had been talking about how wonderful they looked since Marley had restored them, and there were several stories circulating about them moving and changing.
But he knew that wasn’t going to happen tonight, so he came out of the shadows to join the party again. As the guest of honor, he was expected to fill his plate first, and he knew that everyone would be waiting for him if he stayed hidden any longer. Knowing that the last thing he wanted to do was spend the rest of the night with women hanging all over him, he was intently searching for Nick when he stepped out of the darkness, hoping he could sit with his family.
He’d only taken a few steps when he collided with a woman, nearly knocking her off her feet. Grabbing her, he pulled her into his arms to steady her. “Oops, sorry,” he said, looking down at her.
His heart did something strange when her blue eyes locked on his, and for a second, he couldn’t breathe as desire washed over him. The temptation to kiss her sprang to life, and he almost lowered his head to brush her lips with his, but then she put her hands on his chest and pushed him away.
“That’s okay. I’m fine,” she said, then disappeared into the crowd.
He could see her blonde head for only a second before she was swallowed up, but he couldn’t seem to look away. “I wondered where you’d gotten to,” Nick said from behind him.
“I needed a few minutes alone,” he said. “Did you see that woman I just ran into? A blonde with blue eyes.”
Nick shook his head. “Sorry, buddy, I didn’t see her,” he said, looking at him strangely. “Why?”
“Well, I ran into her and nearly knocked her down; when I tried to apologize, she ran away,” Drew said, slightly puzzled and a bit surprised.
Nick burst out laughing, then slapped Drew on the back. “Are you losing your touch, old friend?” he asked, accenting the word old.
Drew gave him a dirty look. “We are not old,” he said, then stomped off.
“I was just kidding,” Nick said when he caught up to him.
“I know, it’s just that you’re the second person who’s called me old in the last few hours,” Drew said, with a sigh.
“Well, you’d better get used to it, because to the campers, we’re going to seem ancient,” Nick said.
“When did we stop being the young ones?” Drew asked, shaking his head. “I’m not sure I would have come home if I’d known that it was going to age me.”
Nick guided him to the food table. “It’s not coming home that aged you; it’s time, and we can’t stop it, so you might as well enjoy your elderly years.”
Drew gave him a dirty look. “You are not helping.”
“Just telling you the reality of life, my friend,” Nick said. “Now, let’s stop feeling sorry for ourselves and have some of this food. We still have lots of good years in us and a great place to spend them; that’s more than a lot of people have.”
***Jordan***
Jordan set the last of her breakfast dishes in the rack next to the little sink, then turned and looked around the cabin, pleasure washing over her again. She wondered how long it would be before it wasn’t all so new to her, how long it would take for the wonderful feeling of being completely alone to wear off.
All her life, she’d been surrounded by people, servants, bodyguards, nannies, and tutors; there had always been someone at her beck and call. The only reason she knew how to take care of herself was because of her mother, who’d insisted from an early age that she learn to be independent. She’d hated the lessons her mother had forced on her, had been embarrassed to have the staff teaching her things like how to cook an egg and wash dishes, but now she was grateful for each and every one.
A stab of longing for her mother hit her, taking her by surprise and bringing her grief back. Even after five years, she still grieved for her mother, still missed her as if the accident had happened yesterday. Forcing the pain away, she hung up the dishcloth on the faucet, dried her hands, and began to gather her things for the day.
It wouldn’t do any good to dredge up all those feelings again, or to think about how things would have been different if her mother were still alive. She was gone and couldn’t protect Jordan from her father, couldn’t stop him from making her marry a man she didn’t love, a man twice her age who had always made her uncomfortable.
But her mother had taught her to be independent, and that was exactly what she was going to do. Today was the first day of her first job, and she was ready to get started, ready to earn her own way in the world. When she shut the cabin door behind her, she stopped on the porch for a second and looked around her, taking deep breaths of the fresh mountain air.
It had been frightening to leave home with so little, but fate had been watching out for her, and she’d landed in a place that already felt like home. She’d be forever grateful and wasn’t going to waste one moment of the time she’d been given. She was safe, at least for now, and she’d treasure every day of freedom as if it were her last because she knew deep down that if her father ever caught up to her, her days of freedom would be over.
The only reason she’d been able to get away in the first place was that he never dreamed that she would run, but once he got her back under his control, she’d never get that opportunity again. Thinking of her father made her shiver, even in the warm morning sun, so she pushed him out of her mind and started for the barn.
When she got to the barn, it was a hive of activity, and she wondered if she should have gotten there earlier. It wasn’t exactly clear what her position at Serendipity was, and she wished she’d pushed Nick a little harder for an exact description when he’d hired her, so she knew what was expected of her.
Ben spotted her before she saw him. “Good morning; you look well-rested,” he said, grinning at her.
“I’m sorry if I’m late,” she said, feeling guilty.
“Oh, you’re not late; in fact, I’m not completely sure what you’re supposed to be doing,” Ben admitted.
“Well, that makes two of us,” she said, relief washing over her. “But I’m sure there’s something I can help with. At least let me take care of Justice.”
Ben studied her for a second. “That’s quite the horse you’ve got there. He’s a bit of sp
itfire,” he said. “He’s some kind of expensive thoroughbred, isn’t he?”
Jordan had known that this would come up at some point. Justice was a very expensive horse that her father had insisted on when she’d first started riding. He’d lost interest almost immediately when Justice proved to be a difficult horse, leaving him to her to train, a battle that took almost two years.
“He was a gift from a rich relative who couldn’t train him,” she lied, but only feeling a little guilty because it wasn’t entirely a lie.
Ben shook his head. “Wish I had a relative like that,” he said.
Jordan wanted to tell him that the last thing he wanted was a relative like her father, but instead, she asked, “Where is Justice? Is he causing trouble?”
“No, he’s out in the pasture with the other horses. He’s been making friends all morning,” Ben said, leading the way through the barn.
When they got to the end of the barn, she was pleased to see a nameplate with Justice printed on it above the stall she’d put him in. “When did you put this up?” she asked.
“This morning,” Ben said. “Do you like it?”
She looked up at it again. “I think it’s perfect,” she said, noticing that there was another new nameplate on the stall next to Justice’s. “Looks like Justice has some company.”
Ben nodded. “Drew’s horse, but I might have to move him. Gideon doesn’t play well with others. In fact, maybe there is something you can help us with.”
“Sure, I’d love to,” she said, following Ben out of the back of the barn and into the pasture.
When he gestured to the very back corner of the pasture, it wasn’t hard to see what the problem was. A huge horse was backed up against the fence, clearly in no mood to be caught; he was pawing the ground and snorting through his nose, his head lowered as if he was ready to charge the hands scattered around him.
Mountain Wolf Playboy (Daddy Wolves 0f The Wild Series Book 3) Page 2