“Tell me about yourself,” he said.
“What do you want to know?” She hated to talk about herself.
“Your family, what made you take up designing, anything you want to talk about.”
“Let’s see. I have a younger sister, Lindsey. She’s away at college right now. My childhood was pretty normal. I’ve lived in Heaven all my life except for my stint in college at Arizona State. As far as designing, I’ve never wanted to do anything else. When I was a little girl, Dad built a dollhouse for me. I repapered, repainted, and redecorated that place countless times. My mother loved to rearrange furniture. She was a painter, too—a house painter. She taught me how to do special paint techniques when I was only eight.”
Nick nodded. “I need to know how you tick if we’re going to work out this problem.”
Callie couldn’t help the stab of hurt. Was that the only reason he was interested in her? She had to be honest with herself and admit it wasn’t just the Miller project that intrigued her about Nick.
They continued to chat, and she found out Nick had a younger sister, that his parents lived in Phoenix, and that he’d designed his first house out of Legos at age three. The desert landscape zipped by until the truck slowed nearly an hour later.
Nick turned the steering wheel and pulled into a track strewn with potholes. “We’re here,” he said.
Callie stared as they passed horses and people. The men wore Western wear similar to Nick’s, and many of the women were dressed in calico skirts that reached to their ankles. It looked like the set of a John Wayne Western.
“What is this?” she asked. “A movie set? I hadn’t heard about any movies being made in Heaven.”
“This is a SASS Cowboy Action Shoot. Single Action Shooting Society,” Nick said. He pulled the truck and trailer into a vacant spot and opened the door. “You said I was a cowboy, but you didn’t know how right you were. I’m about to show you.”
Chapter 4
All the activity made Callie’s head swim. Men were selling, cleaning, and repairing guns, grooming horses, practicing shooting, riding by with wild Indian whoops of delight, and generally making a noisy scene. The sun shone in a blue blaze of good weather and good times. A dust devil spun out its short life in the distance against a backdrop of saguaro, prickly pear, and cholla cactus.
“Here—take my guns.” Nick offered her the handle of a trunk on large wheels.
She tugged on it and found it rolled easily over the rough, sandy ground. Callie pulled it out of the way and watched as Nick led his horse out of the trailer and tied him to a post. Taking a tarp and poles, he quickly erected a lean-to shelter from the sun and put the horse under it.
He knelt beside the chest at Callie’s feet and opened it. Pulling out a gun and holster, he strapped them on then grabbed a rifle from the chest as well.
“I can’t believe this,” she said. She’d been smiling so widely as she looked around that her face ached. “Cowboy Action Shooting. You training to be in a movie?” This man was full of surprises, and to her amazement she found she liked that.
“Nope, just having a good time.” Nick took the handle of his gun cart from her and started toward a white canvas tent. “I have to register.”
Men and women hailed him as they passed, and Callie could tell Nick was well-liked. Men slapped him on the back and called him Ace, and women smiled flirtatiously—though to his credit he simply smiled and nodded. He stopped in the registration tent, paid his money, and signed up.
“I’ll be assigned to a posse soon,” he explained. “It’s the group I’ll shoot with all day.”
“Congratulations, Ace!” an older man with a handlebar mustache called from the corner. “I heard you won the Ben Avery shoot in traditional.”
Nick grinned. “Dumb luck. Deuce Derringer was having an off day.”
“What was he talking about?” Callie whispered as they went on their way.
“Winter Range was two months ago. I won the traditional division. That’s where we have to shoot with only weapons that would have been around in the 1800s. I’m the national champion.”
“Wow.” Callie glanced up at him. She could believe he would be the best at anything he did. Confidence and intelligence were as interwoven in his face and bearing as the warp and woof of a Navajo blanket.
“What’s with the weird names? Ace and Deuce?” Callie was finding it hard to grasp everything.
“We all take handles. I’m Ace Derringer, an uncle is Deuce Derringer, and my grandpa is Pa Derringer. He won the senior division at Winter Range. I have another uncle who got us all started. He’s known as Macon Sackett, and he won the duelist division.”
“Sounds like your family swept the awards. Are they here today?” Callie craned her neck and stared at the crowd to see if she could find anyone who looked like Nick.
“You couldn’t keep them away. We’ll run into them sometime today.”
“When do you ride the horse?”
“I don’t. My sister, Erin, does. She’s known as Daisy Derringer. There she is now.” He nodded, and Callie turned to look.
The young woman hurrying toward them was obviously Nick’s sister. She had Nick’s dark curls and blue eyes. Male heads turned to follow her progress. Her face radiated the same good nature and intelligence as Nick’s.
“I saw you pull in,” she said breathlessly. She turned a friendly gaze toward Callie. “Hello, you must be Callie.”
Callie’s heart did a funny shudder in her chest. Nick must have talked about her. She didn’t know if that was good or bad. Maybe he’d complained about her meddling with his design.
“I’m Nick’s sister, Erin.” She linked arms with Callie. “Don’t believe a word he tells you about me.” Her smile widened. “Though I must say he told the truth about you when he said you were beautiful.”
Callie’s throat grew tight. Unsure of what to say, she glanced up at Nick and saw him staring back at her with one eyebrow cocked. A smile tugged at his lips, and she smiled back at him. Suddenly the day seemed brighter and the air more refreshing. Her heart felt light and joyous. All the inner warning bells were going off, cautioning her to guard her heart, but she pushed them away. She intended to enjoy this day with Nick. They could worry about their disagreement on another day.
She and Erin chatted as they followed Nick to where the horse waited. Ranger nickered softly and nuzzled Erin’s hand. She laughed and dug in her pocket for a cube of sugar.
“Do you ride?” Erin asked.
“Not in years,” Callie admitted. “We had a horse when I was growing up, but we sold her when I was about sixteen. I love horses, though.” She rubbed Ranger’s nose.
“Maybe we’ll get you in the competition one of these days,” Erin said.
Callie laughed. “I’m not the competition type. Ask Nick.”
“She’s not telling the truth, Erin,” Nick put in. “She’s a shark. She’d cut my throat if it would mean she could do the design she wanted.”
Callie’s laughter faded. Was that how he really saw her? Maybe she had been opinionated about what she wanted, but she knew she was right. That should count for something. She glared at him.
He held up a hand. “Whoa, don’t look at me like that. I was only joking. We both want the same thing—to turn out the finest home in the valley. Besides, we’ve called a truce for the day.”
“You’re the one who broke it,” she pointed out.
“I apologize,” he said solemnly. “Now can we get on with the fun?”
“Lead the way,” she said.
“I’ll see you later,” Erin called. “My posse is gathering on the other side of the range.”
Callie waved then followed Nick to the first staging area. Targets were set up in the field, and she watched as he fell in with his posse. When it was his turn, she was mesmerized at his lightning fast draw and accurate hits as he switched from pistol to rifle and back to pistol again. The other men were good, too, but Nick’s expertise was eviden
t.
At the end of the long, hot day she stood proudly in the pole building where the awards were handed out and watched Nick mount the stage to take his hard-earned trophy for winning his division. She saw his uncles and grandfather as well as they accepted awards in their divisions. It would be a day she wouldn’t soon forget. This was a side to Nick Darling she knew few had ever seen.
Nick stepped from the stage and joined her. “I have to go wrap up a few things. You want to meet me at the truck?”
“Okay. Why don’t you give me the keys, and I’ll take your chest with me and get it loaded?”
“It’s too heavy for you to lug across the field. But here are the keys.” He shoved them in her hand. “You can at least rest in the air conditioning. You’ve been a good sport to indulge me today.” He grinned then bent and kissed her cheek.
Her skin tingled where his lips had touched. His breath across her face did funny things to her heart. She would have to watch herself around the charming Mr. Darling.
She took the keys and headed across the field. Now where had they parked? Every row looked the same. Trucks, trailers, cars, and motor homes lined the roads around the range. Every cactus looked like the next. She was at a disadvantage today. Nick had no flower on his antenna as she had on her car.
She huffed impatiently. It was too hot, and she was too tired for this. Where was that truck? Her boots kicked up puffs of dust as she walked from truck to truck. Finally she remembered the canvas shelter Nick had erected for Ranger and began to look for that. But there were other shelters with other horses under them.
Her anxiety lifted a notch. What if he got there first and called in people to help search for her? She’d die of humiliation. Her parents had done that to her once when she’d lost her way coming home from school. When she arrived two hours late, the entire neighborhood was in an uproar.
Her mother accused her of always having her head in the clouds, and it was actually the opposite. She took time to enjoy the small things along the way, the flowers blooming by the side of the road, the glitter of sunshine on quartz. It left no time to orient herself to the bigger picture like how to find her way.
She glanced at her watch. Nearly six o’clock. Nick was surely back to the truck long ago. Would he be worried? Her stomach growled. The hot dog she’d eaten hadn’t lasted long, but part of the empty feeling was the knowledge she’d done it again. Would she never learn to pay attention to where she was parked? No matter how often this happened and how often she promised to pay attention next time, she seemed incapable of this one simple task. It was the bane of her life.
Her good mood had evaporated an hour ago. Now all she wanted to do was get home and nurse her humiliation. Gritting her teeth, she stomped along through the dust. She would find that truck if it was the last thing she did. The system that always worked was to start at the first row and simply walk every one. But her feet throbbed, and her pride hurt even more.
She lifted her chin and marched toward the first row. Halfway down the row she saw a familiar set of wide shoulders. Relief coursed through her. “Nick!” She waved her hand and started forward eagerly.
He turned, and her smile faltered at the scowl on his face. What did he have to be angry about? She was the one who had been traipsing dusty lanes in the hot sun for over an hour.
His scowl turned to a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Where have you been?”
“Looking for the truck,” she snapped. “And don’t look so skeptical. Surely you recall from our first meeting how easily I get lost among a bunch of vehicles.”
The skepticism on his face changed to chagrin. “I forgot,” he admitted. “I figured you found someone more to your liking and had gone off with him.”
Her mouth dropped. “What kind of woman do you take me for? If that’s been your experience, you’ve been hanging around with the wrong kind.”
His gaze grew warmer, and Callie was drawn into the blue depths of his eyes. The fading sunshine felt warmer, but her anger hadn’t cooled. She turned her back on him and went to the passenger side of the truck. Yanking open the door, she climbed inside and slammed the door shut behind her.
She wanted to be home. After a hot bath she’d slip into her pajamas, turn on some Beethoven, and start on that new novel she’d bought. All she wanted was to forget the past hour and its accompanying humiliation.
Nick opened his door and slid behind the wheel. “Would it help if I apologized?” he asked.
“Not a bit,” she said. “I’m sorry my stupidity had to ruin the day.”
“It’s easy to get turned around out here. There are so many trucks that look alike. It wasn’t your fault. I should have realized that and gone looking for you. Can you forgive me?”
He spoke in such a contrite tone that Callie felt her embarrassment and anger melting like tar in the Arizona summer sun. “It’s not your fault,” she mumbled. “Can we just forget about it?”
“Done,” he said. “How about some supper? I’m ravenous. We can leave Ranger here. Erin is camping here overnight, and she’ll keep an eye on him.”
Suddenly the thought of a bath, book, and music wasn’t nearly so appealing. Her stomach growled again.
“Is that a yes?” Nick’s eyes twinkled, and his grin widened.
“As long as you don’t expect me to eat beans from a tin plate,” she said.
He threw back his head and laughed. Callie admired the long line of strong throat and jaw. He drew her in ways she couldn’t explain to herself. She’d seen more handsome men, but Nick’s strong, craggy face made her long to probe beneath the surface and really know and understand him. She didn’t know why that was so, but she couldn’t deny the truth of it.
“Nothing ever dampens that wit of yours for long, does it?” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll have to stay on my toes to keep ahead of you.”
“Just what I’ve always wanted to see—a ballerina cowboy. I think I have a tutu that might fit.”
“Don’t push it,” he warned, starting the truck. “I don’t look good in pink.”
Callie laughed and settled back against the seat. “So where are we eating? Or is it a surprise too?”
“There’s a great café on the edge of town. Family Fixin’s. You know it?”
She nodded. “Quite well. My cousin married into the family.”
The quirk of his mouth drew her gaze; then she turned her head and stared through the windshield. She needed to keep her mind on business.
“We can talk about the plans for the Miller house over dinner,” she said.
“Do we have to?” Nick said in a plaintive tone. “You’re just now recovering your good spirits. I’d rather not rile you.”
“I promise to stay perfectly calm as long as you do what I want,” she said primly.
He gave a bark of a laugh. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
A few minutes later they pulled into the paved lot of the restaurant. The low-slung building radiated country charm with its green shutters and brick facade. Nick slid out then came around and opened Callie’s door and helped her down. She wanted to cling to the warm press of his fingers, but that was all the more reason to snatch her hand away as soon as she could.
They were seated at a booth near the back. A window overlooked a desert garden area. The cool blast of air conditioning felt good on Callie’s heated skin.
A perky girl with strawberry blond curls approached the table. Her smile was all for Nick. “Hi, Nick,” she purred. “What can I get for you today?” Her tone intimated there was nothing she wouldn’t do for him.
Callie’s hackles raised, and she gave a mental shake of her head. Nick could flirt with every waitress in town, and it was nothing to her. In spite of her self-chastisement, though, she couldn’t help but check his response to the pretty waitress.
He smiled politely, but there was no hint of flirtation in his manner. “Hi, Andrea. I’ll have some iced tea,” he said. “What do you want to drink, Callie? Boiled coff
ee?” His grin was all for her, and the smile on Andrea’s face faded.
Callie felt ashamed of her jealousy and flashed a bright smile on Andrea in atonement. The other woman blinked at its brilliance. “I’ll have water with lemon, please,” Callie said.
Andrea took a pad from the pocket of her apron and jotted it down. “I’ll be right back with your drinks and take the rest of your order,” she said stiffly. She flounced away.
Callie watched her go. “I think she likes you,” she said.
Nick raised one eyebrow. “Andrea? I don’t think so. She’s just a gal I’ve seen in here a few times.”
Callie knew it was more than that, but she didn’t argue. “You want to talk about those plans now?”
He groaned. “If we have to.” He raised beseeching eyes to the ceiling. “Why, Lord? We were having such a nice time.”
She grinned. “Don’t expect God to get you out of this. You’re the one being pig-headed. My way makes sense. I want to give Barbara a home that satisfies her need to impress her friends, plus something more. I want her to feel relaxed and comfortable in it. If it’s just a showplace, it will never be home. She won’t be able to kick off her shoes and be herself, and she is a woman who needs that.”
Nick snorted. “I can’t imagine anyone less likely to let her hair down than Barbara Miller.”
“All the more reason why she needs that,” Callie said. “She doesn’t realize it either. But she’s like a spring that’s wound too tightly. She needs her home to be a haven. I have some ideas to make it that. But not in the house you’ve designed. Your design would be a showplace only, never a home.”
“So you expect me to go back to the drawing board and start all over.” Nick leaned back and gave an exasperated sigh. “I can’t do that, Callie. I can’t afford to do that. There are other projects clamoring for my time. I’ve already allotted the Miller house more time than I should have. I’m ready to move on to the next project. Starting over would ruin my schedule for the whole year. We have to come up with another way.”
A Match Made in Heaven Page 4