He opened the sketchbook, traded the mug for a pencil, and tried to capture her snooty expression. Adorable. He smiled. What must she think of him? More than likely, she believed the Langfords had taken in a stray from the street. He couldn’t blame her. He’d stopped with the haircuts and shaving more than a year ago. What was the point? He didn’t work for corporate America, and it wasn’t likely that he would any time soon.
As her image took shape beneath his hand, he wondered who she might be. A friend of Ceejay’s, maybe, or another Lovejoy cousin. Probably. There were hundreds of them. Hell, it didn’t matter who she was. Life in Perfect had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.
Showered and dressed for work, Ryan headed to the veranda to wait for Noah so they could ride in to work together. He reached the corner of the house and heard voices. Noah’s daughter Lucinda and his midnight visitor. He stopped to listen.
“Be still, Luce, so I can tie your shoes.”
“I can tie them by myself.”
“I know you can, honey, but your hands are full with your backpack and lunchbox. I’ll do it this time.”
“Auntie Paige, you know what?”
“What?”
“We got Johnny Appleseed living in our backyard.”
Paige. Her name soaked into him like summer rain after a long drought, and her throaty laugh ignited a slew of erotic thoughts. It took a few seconds for things to register. Aw, shit. Noah’s kid sister. He wanted to kick something. She might as well have OFF-LIMITS tattooed across her chest. Never a good idea to get involved with the boss’s sister. And even if Noah weren’t his boss, he wouldn’t want his sister mixed up with a screwed-up, going-nowhere head case like him.
“Why do you think Johnny Appleseed is living in your backyard, Lucinda?”
“’Cause my teacher is reading his story to us, and he looks just like the man in the carriage house. Only, he wears shoes here, and in the book, he doesn’t.”
Ryan’s jaw tightened at the sound of more of that sexy laugh of hers. Damn his bad luck.
“You know what else, Auntie Paige?”
“What else?”
Ryan could hear the smile in Paige’s voice. He wanted to see her smile, even if she was off-limits.
“I can read the whole book all by myself. My teacher says I’m hyper-lex-ick.”
Ryan lifted his cowboy hat, pushed his unruly hair into submission, and set the Stetson back on his head before walking around the corner. “You’re hypercute is what you are.” He grinned at Noah’s six-year-old daughter. Sweet Pea, their mastiffwolfhound mutt, sat on the top step doing his best gargoyle impression. “Hey there, tubba-ugly.” He reached down with both hands and scratched the monster dog behind the ears. Sweet Pea’s tail thumped away on the wooden slats.
“Sweet Pea’s not ugly.” Lucinda reached for her aunt’s hand and gave it a tug. “See? Told you.”
“You must be Noah’s sister.” Ryan straightened and tipped the brim of his hat. “I can see the resemblance now.”
“And you must be Mr. Appleseed.” She grinned. “Or are you Noah’s newest ranch hand?” She raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at his hat.
“Langford & Lovejoy employee,” he corrected while his heart thumped away against his sternum. He tamped his unruly libido right back down to the pit of his stomach where it belonged. “Just plain old Ryan Malloy, I’m afraid. No relation to Johnny.”
“This is my auntie Paige. She’s going to wait for the school bus with me.” Lucinda hopped down the steps. “Come on. Mrs. Hebert doesn’t like it when I make her wait.”
“Where’s that little cowpoke brother of yours?” Ryan didn’t want them to leave just yet. Maybe it wouldn’t seem too weird if he walked with them down the driveway. Yeah. It would.
“Mommy’s feeding Toby breakfast. He makes a big mess. That’s what she says. I never made a mess when I was a baby.”
“I’m sure you didn’t, sweetheart.” He couldn’t help grinning. Lucinda was going to break a few hearts when she grew up. Sweet Pea ambled down the steps after the two as they walked down the gravel drive. Paige glanced back at him over her shoulder. The half smile she turned his way stole his breath. Ryan sat down on the top step. Damn. How long was she going to be in Perfect? Not long, he hoped. His poor heart couldn’t take the hit.
The door behind him opened, and Noah came out with two thermal cups. “Coffee?” He handed one to Ryan.
“Sure. Thanks.” He took it. “I just met your sister.”
“I heard you met her last night.” Noah shot him a wicked grin. “She said she saw a lot more of you than she wanted.”
Heat crept up his neck. “No names were exchanged, and in my defense, she woke me out of a dead sleep. Freaked me out to hear someone messing with the door at midnight.”
“My fault. I should’ve told her you were living in the carriage house before she arrived. I expected her to come to the house, not head straight for your place. I forgot we gave her a key.” He walked down the steps. “She’s coming into town with us today to tour the new facility and take a look at what we’ve got going on.”
Ryan tried to swallow, but his mouth lacked the spit to get the job done. He pushed himself up from the stairs, and his gaze strayed down the gravel drive. “Great.” There she was, walking that enticing walk, all curves and feminine sexiness. Time to cowboy up. He couldn’t have her.
Besides, even if he could make a move on her, what did he have to offer? He was a broken man, barely functional. Heading in to work and heading home to the bottle were about all he could handle. The realization brought him low. He’d been reduced to self-medicating, careful to keep the drinking to a strictly nighttime activity, and then it was only to shut out the voices and the dreams so he could get some rest.
“What’s with the hat?”
“Huh?” He jerked back to the present. She stood looking up at him with an amused expression. Too close, but he wasn’t going to be the one to back up.
“And the accent. Where are you from, anyway?”
“Southwestern Oklahoma. I grew up on a ranch.”
She smirked. “You’re not on a ranch now, cowboy.”
“You don’t like my hat? You don’t have to wear it.” He didn’t like the sting her words caused. “There you go, looking down your nose again. You don’t know anything about me, but I can sure tell a few things about you.”
“I doubt that.” She turned to her brother. “Are we taking the minivan?”
“No. Ryan’s driving today. I can’t leave Ceejay without a vehicle.”
She regarded his beat-up Chevy with a frown. “Where’s your pickup, Noah?”
“In town for service. I’ll have it back later today.”
Wonderful. His cab had no backseat. That meant Paige would be sitting in the middle between him and her brother. Ryan slid behind the wheel. Paige scooted over so her brother could climb in. Her thigh touched his, and her scent—soft, sweet, with a hint of musk—went straight to his head, sending all the blood from his brain to his lap. He leaned back to peer down at her. “I may be a hick in a cowboy hat, but I know a spoiled little rich girl when I see one.”
She sucked in an audible breath and tensed.
He grinned. “Score one for the cowboy hat.”
“Ass.”
“Ass in a Stetson, ma’am.” Ryan chuckled and started the truck.
“What’s with you two?” Noah frowned at them.
“Nothing.” Paige crossed her arms, screwed her face on tight, and stared straight ahead.
A twinge of guilt tugged at Ryan. He’d caught the flash of hurt in those pretty eyes before they turned to the double-barreled ember shooters he’d glimpsed last night. He’d hit a nerve, and it puzzled him.
If she truly were a spoiled little rich girl, she’d wear the badge proudly. He’d been around enough society types to know that much. Something was up with Noah’s little sister, and Ryan wanted to know what that something was. Sure, it was none of his business, b
ut he could use the distraction. Getting into her shit would sure beat wallowing in his own for a change.
He pulled around back to the parking spots behind Langford & Lovejoy and cut the engine.
“Ryan is designing a sign for us,” Noah said as he climbed out and moved to the side so Paige could follow. “You’ll have to take a look at what he’s come up with so far.”
She made a noncommittal noise and took off for the doors.
Ryan watched her go, climbed out of his truck, and turned back to wait for Noah. Once again, he was amazed at how well his friend got around with that state-of-the-art prosthetic. Noah had told him all about how it had been designed by a marathon runner who’d lost a leg in a car accident. They’d even gone jogging along the river together so Noah could demonstrate how the flexible carbon-fiber blade performed. Ryan hadn’t lasted more than a mile. Noah had gone on for five.
He should have felt ashamed of how out of shape he’d gotten, but he’d let that go about the same time he stopped having haircuts. He didn’t feel good. Why try to look good?
“What’s going on with you two?”
“Huh?” Ryan’s brow rose. “Between me and your sister?”
“Yep. I’m sensing some tension.”
“She saw me naked, man. There’s gonna be tension.”
Noah laughed. “You have a point.”
“How long is she going to be here, anyway?” He sounded like a whiny kid, and embarrassment burned his face. Good thing his facial hair hid it.
“She really got to you, huh?”
“Naw. Just startled the hell out of me, is all. I’ll get over it.” He shoved one hand into the front pocket of his jeans, gripped his thermal cup with the other, and headed for the loading dock. Ted must be at work already, because the double doors were propped open to let in the fresh air.
Noah followed. “Paige is good people. She can’t help that she was born into the Langford fold. She’s fought against the image of the spoiled little rich girl her entire life. Cut her some slack. Plus, she’s whip-smart.”
Ryan nodded. What else could he do? Being good people hadn’t prevented her from looking down her nose at him. That bothered him. It shouldn’t, but it did. He walked into their production area to find Ted giving Paige a bear hug greeting. She was all sweetness and happy smiles for the kid. That shouldn’t bother him either, but it did.
Ryan made a beeline for his workbench, booted up his Mac, plopped onto his stool, and brought up the file for the sign. Later today he’d have to photograph a few of the new pieces Noah had created and post them on the website. He tried to lose himself in his work. Instead, all he could focus on was the conversation going on between Ted and Paige.
Sure, it was all about business, but he saw the way Ted looked at her. Another thing not to like. He blew out a long breath. He wasn’t going to get much done with her around. Hyperawareness of her presence had exerted a magnetic pull, and he couldn’t break free. Frustrated, he grabbed his thermal cup and gulped a mouthful of coffee.
“Hey, Paige,” Noah called. “I want to give you the grand tour. This is production, obviously.” He gestured to the table saws, jigsaws, lathes, and shelves full of a variety of tools, stains, varnish, acrylics, and scads of sandpaper and shop cloths.
She turned in a circle to take everything in. “The space is wonderful.”
Ryan watched from the corner of his eye until the two disappeared into the freight elevator. Relieved, he let out the breath he’d been holding and turned back to his work, able to concentrate at last. If she stuck around, he’d move his computer to the third floor, even though he preferred to be here in the open space with the noise and the other men. Something about being with them calmed him.
He watched Ted go over a new cradle with fine-grade sandpaper. Cradles and nursery furniture were still Langford & Lovejoy’s primary focus, and he knew they’d been the beginning of their enterprise. They needed to branch out, and when he had the chance, he’d suggest it to Noah and Ted. Dining rooms, living rooms, bedrooms—they should be doing it all. He turned back to his computer, grabbed his earbuds, clicked on iTunes, and settled in for the morning.
“That’s the sign?”
Ryan pulled out one of the earbuds. Paige stood right behind him, close enough to peer over his shoulder. He gulped. “So far.”
“I like it.” She tilted her head to take it in from another angle.
He tried to see it through her eyes: an oak oval with LANGFORD & LOVEJOY curving along the top rounded edge and CUSTOM-MADE HERITAGE FURNITURE straight across the center. The web url, street address, and phone number curved along the bottom. The larger letters he’d fashioned to resemble woodworking tools. The overall effect was old-fashioned and craft-oriented. “I wanted something that would fit in with Perfect’s post–Civil War historic provenance, with an image conveying the company’s commitment to quality artisanship.”
One side of her mouth quirked up. “Provenance? Commitment to artisanship? Hmm, y’all talk real different at work.”
“Come on, now. You know you deserved it, darlin’.” He grinned back.
She chuckled. “I was as surprised as you were last night, maybe even more so. I’m sorry for barging into your place. I didn’t know Ceejay and Noah had a tenant, or that they’d moved the business. Can we forget it ever happened?”
“Sure thing.” Last night had been indelibly etched into his memory. Forget that first impact, her sweet body plastered up against his? Not gonna happen. “I plan to use the sign as the banner for our website.”
“Oh. You’re messing with my work?” She frowned. “I designed the website. Didn’t Noah tell you?”
“He did, and it’s great.” He watched the frown disappear. “I’m sticking with a lot of what you did, but we need distinctive branding, since L&L has been in business for a while now.”
“Sure. That makes sense.”
“Hey, come see the storefront,” Noah called. “We have it set up so that if someone wants to come in to browse through the prototypes, they ring a doorbell. Then one of us has to act like a store clerk for a while.”
“Usually me,” Ted retorted, “since Noah and Ryan aren’t real comfortable with strangers. After we photograph them, all the samples go into retail.”
Paige laid her hand on Ryan’s shoulder for an instant, and his lungs seized.
“I’m glad we’re starting over, Mr. Appleseed.” She patted him and followed Noah to the front.
Ryan struggled to get his lungs working again. Memories of Theresa’s touch, her affection, swamped him. Guilt tore him apart. He shouldn’t be attracted to another woman, shouldn’t be flirting and teasing the way he had. Besides the fact that she was Noah’s sister, she’d be better off not having anything to do with him. It was bound to end badly. Everything else had.
More coffee, that’s what he needed. To be more specific, he wanted to look at Noah’s sister some more. Not wise given the circumstances, but he couldn’t help himself. Grabbing the coffee mug, he headed for the kitchen. Damn. He couldn’t see her from around the bare brick wall separating the staff area from the showroom. He could hear them, though, and something about Noah’s tone had him honing in. He filled his cup and listened, all the while kicking himself in the ass. Since when had he turned into an eavesdropping freak?
“OK, Paige,” Noah said. “What’s going on?”
“What do you mean? Can’t I spend a little time with family without there being something going on?”
“As driven as you are? I doubt it. Plus, how much time off could you have accumulated in two and a half months?”
“I’m just not sure if Ramsey & Weil is where I want to be. I needed to get away and give my future some serious thought.”
Here there was a long pause, and he could imagine Noah giving his sister the commander stare. Nobody did that stare better than Lieutenant Langford. The pause went on, and he could practically see her squirming. Hell, it made him squirm, and Noah’s stare wasn’t even di
rected at him.
“All right, Noah. There was this guy—”
“Ah, now it all makes sense. You had your heart broken.”
“Not really. Dented a little, maybe.”
“I’m sorry, Paige, but that doesn’t explain how you managed to get time off from work.”
“I managed.”
He could hear the hedge in her voice. No doubt Noah caught it too. She was hiding something, and Ryan wanted to know why, not to mention what. Something about Paige piqued his curiosity in a way that made him feel more alive than he had in…forever. He wasn’t an idiot. Part of the allure was her being off-limits. That made her all the more irresistible. Fight it, soldier. You don’t want to mess up what you have here. Noah’s voice brought him back to the conversation.
Noah grunted. “How long do you plan to stay?”
“Not long. A week or two.”
Their voices grew closer, and Ryan started to make noise like he’d just gotten there. He put the carafe back on the burner and opened a cabinet for powdered creamer so that his back was to them. “Hey”—he glanced over his shoulder—“what do you think of the showroom?”
“Very nice.” Paige glanced at him.
Ryan didn’t miss the rabbit-in-a-trap expression on her face. He wanted to put his arms around her and tell her it would all be all right—after he pried what was going on in her world out of her. So much for fighting it. Wait. If he managed to piss her off enough, he wouldn’t have to fight the attraction. She’d stomp all over him with those fancy high-heeled leather boots of hers.
“I have to make a call about my truck. Do you want to stick around down here?” Noah asked.
“What’s on the top floor?” she asked.
“It used to be the apartment where the family who owned the place lived. We have a couple of rooms set up for photos so the images we put on the website give customers an idea how our stuff might look in their homes.” Noah nodded his way. “Ryan’s brilliant idea.”
The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana: Book Two) Page 3