Guarding His Heart

by Annie Seaton

  Now close your mouth and stop blabbing.

  Liam opened a cupboard and pulled out a plastic container. She watched as he crossed to the sink and filled it with water before placing it on the tiled floor for Mutt, who took a big slurping drink and flopped down.

  Georgie frowned at the dog and muttered beneath her breath. “Make yourself at home, why don’t you.”

  “He’s fine.”

  “Thank you.” She turned to the door. “Now are you interested in listening to me this time?” Again, she pulled out her brisk, businesslike voice. Being in Liam’s company was starting to unnerve her, especially now that he was being a bit more hospitable. She wanted to appear calm, and not gab all of her private business just because he was acting like a reasonable human being. She deliberately pulled an image of Brent’s face into her head to remind herself of her determination to stay distant, and not allow herself to be attracted to any man, and especially not this one, just because he’d been pleasant to her friend’s dog.

  He leveled a cool gaze on her. “If I have to.”

  Good, the difficult Liam had returned.

  Chapter Four

  Liam stood back and allowed Georgie to precede him up the staircase. He’d noticed the moment when she had gone quiet on him. Her whole demeanor had changed and it had been strange to watch. Uncertainty had crossed her face while she’d told him about going away, and the brisk tradesperson had disappeared. Now, a woman with a distinct lack of confidence walked ahead of him.

  He pushed away the surge of interest. That was the writer in him, always interested in people and their lives and their personalities, and in one way, he welcomed the feeling. It was the first sign of his muse that had appeared in weeks. On the other hand, he didn’t like the response his body was having to the sight of her shapely derriere molded by snug-fitting jeans as he followed her up the staircase. She’d knotted the long work shirt at the front of her waist, and her red hair was scraped back into a high ponytail that swished in front of him. The color of her hair fascinated him. He’d never seen anything like it. It wasn’t auburn and it wasn’t red, it was more like a deep golden copper, and he wondered what it would feel like if he reached out and undid the ponytail and ran his fingers through it. Tucking his hands in his pockets, he followed her along the hall that ran the length of the top floor. They didn’t speak until they reached the room at the end. Georgie opened the door and led the way in.

  “So, what’s the problem?” Liam glanced down at his watch and she compressed her lips, obviously getting the message he was trying to convey. The sooner she got out of here, the better for his peace of mind. He leaned against the door and waited for her to speak.

  “I left my notebook downstairs by the door but I don’t need it. I’ll be quick.” She walked to the long wall at the back of the room and tapped her knuckles near the corner. A chunk of gray and white plaster fell and landed on the floor next to a few other pieces of similar size. “This bit will have to be knocked out and replaced before any shelving can be built onto it. It won’t support the weight of the shelves, let alone when they are loaded with books.”

  “So do it.” Impatience took over. He should be writing. Most of the morning had flown by and he hadn’t written a single word. His desk was tidy, his pencils sharpened, and his email filed into folders. Another morning gone with nothing added to his story. This block had to crumble soon, but it certainly wasn’t going to happen while he stood and listened to this far-too-attractive woman talking about knocking walls down in his house.

  “And the—”

  “Look. I appreciate that you want to share all this with me, but I don’t really care how you go about it and what you have to do.” Liam crossed his arms and kept his eyes on hers. “I want bookshelves. Just do whatever it takes.” He flicked a dismissive hand and he knew he was being rude, but the sooner he could go into the small room with his computer and lock himself away, the better. He was uncomfortable with his reaction to her. It had been a long time since he had taken pleasure in looking at a woman. Despite her old jeans and red work shirt, she had a sweet vulnerability that tugged at him.

  He’d always been a sucker for a woman in need, and look where that had gotten him.

  But he did smother a grin as her voice followed him when he turned away and headed for the door.

  “I’m sorry I bothered you. You’ll get your bookshelves. Eventually.”

  A woman who always had to have the last word.

  …

  Mutt tugged on the leash, eager to get home when Georgie finished measuring up. Honestly, Georgie didn’t know if she wanted to do this job or not. Maybe she should just forget it—leave for her trip and hand it back to the store.

  But she’d promised Blake she’d do it, and she knew he was worried enough about leaving the business in the hands of a manager while he and Ana were in New York helping his old boss wind up his hardware business interests.

  The wind had picked up and Georgie looked up at the scudding clouds. The weather was closing in and the temperature was dropping quickly. The look on his face as he’d buried his face in Mutt’s fur came to mind and she hoped Liam wasn’t planning on going out in the kayak today…and she was totally forgetting the tremble that had worked its way down her spine as he’d followed her up the stairs.

  All men are off-limits. Even a sad-eyed rude guy who was drop-dead gorgeous. If he wanted to go out in his kayak, it was absolutely none of her business. She was not going to worry about him.

  The sooner she got this job finished, the better. As soon as her vacation began, this uncertainty about leaving home behind would disappear and she’d have a wonderful time while she explored the world.

  Who knows? Maybe she’d settle somewhere else and never come back to Half Moon Bay. There was a great wide world to discover and she was going to do it.

  I am. Soon.

  Backing out of the driveway in Ana’s old work truck was tricky. One of the side mirrors was hanging loose, and Georgie had to reach out and hold it steady as she steered with one hand. Georgie had sold her car before Blake asked her to do this job. Now she glanced across the seat and grinned. She’d thrown her notebook and tape on the seat and it had landed on a pile of papers. Ana was no tidier in her car than she was in the cottage. It had driven Sienna crazy, because she preferred everything in its right place. Georgie had teased her mercilessly when they were growing up. One surefire way to get Sienna hopping mad was to rearrange her shoes…or even better, hide one of a pair.

  It had taken Georgie a couple of days to settle into the cottage and find everything she’d needed. Ana and Blake were so happy—Blake had even learned to live with Ana’s chaos. She fought back the surge of want that filled her throat, and the tears that pricked at her eyes. It was not to be for her, but she could still be happy that both Ana and Sienna had fallen in love and found their life partners.

  The sun broke through the clouds as she parked the truck at the back of Blake’s hardware store. The lumberyard was empty and there was no sign of life. Her stomach grumbled and she realized she hadn’t eaten since last night. This morning, she’d been keen to get next door to Liam’s place and get the measuring done. Her coffee had kept her going for a while. Then she’d been too busy trying to ignore her reaction to the owner of the house to think of food.

  Georgie sighed and headed out to the back street and walked along the small alley that brought her to Main Street. Since Blake had been the president of the local business organization, a few new shops had opened and the tourist trade had picked up. She headed south toward Uncle Renzo’s café and grinned as she spotted her surrogate aunt’s pink DeSoto parked outside the new sweet shop. When old Joe Humphries had passed on, they’d all been amazed when he’d left the car to Mitzi. It had been locked away in his shed for years, and no one had even known it was in there. Everyone had been used to taking turns driving Mitzi and her sister, Thelma, around. It had been a surprise to learn that Mitzi was the holder of a driver’s lice
nse that she had actually kept current.

  Mitzi wouldn’t divulge exactly why Joe had left it to her, but hinted at a story. Now she was fast becoming a character as she drove the 1960 Fireflite to town each morning with her elderly sister sitting in the passenger seat beside her.

  “Georgie!” Mitzi spotted her as soon as she stepped onto Main Street. The old lady was standing outside the sweet shop, dressed in her best clothes. A floral hat was perched on top of her soft white curls and an overflowing basket was balanced on her arm.

  Georgie crossed the road and stepped up onto the high curb. She loved this town with its old-fashioned quirks, and she adored her elderly friends. It was going to be very hard to leave it behind when she set off on her adventure. A cloud of lavender enveloped her as she kissed the woman’s soft cheek and took the heavy basket from Mitzi’s arm.

  “What on earth have you got in there? Have you been buying sweets?” Georgie lifted the red-checked cloth and peeked beneath. Bottles of lemon butter and small packets of fudge in clear cellophane tied with red ribbon filled the basket.

  “We’re going into business.” Mitzi tapped her nose as she smiled at Georgie. “Now that we have wheels.”

  Georgie narrowed her eyes. “Business?” As well as not missing a trick, and being the district’s busiest matchmakers, Thelma and Mitzi were full of moneymaking schemes that always seemed to fail.

  “Yes. Thelma is inside negotiating now.”

  “Where?” Just as Georgie answered the question, the sweet shop door opened and Thelma stepped out. Her smile spread even more as she saw Georgie standing beside her sister.

  “What a lovely surprise and excellent timing.” Tiny hands latched onto Georgie’s arm and before she knew it she was being dragged into the shop. “Come on, Mitz, I’ve got us a sale.”

  Before she knew what was happening, Georgie had been introduced to the new owners of the sweet shop, Thelma had unloaded her basket onto the counter, and they were back out the door.

  “Now we are going to have a celebration lunch.” Mitzi held on to Georgie’s arm. “And isn’t he a nice young man?”

  Georgie shook her head, not sure who Mitzi was referring to. “Who?”

  “The owner of the sweet shop.” Mitzi lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “That’s his sister, not his wife.”

  Georgie rolled her eyes and grinned. “Ah, but you forget. I am leaving for my round-the-world trip on Christmas Eve. By myself. No time for a new man this week.” She played along with them. They were well used to her succession of boyfriends and didn’t need to know that part of her life was over. She’d done a great job of hiding the pain of Brent’s breakup, and she was still cheerful and helpful Georgie to the world.

  Thelma and Mitzi both frowned as they stared at her.

  “We know, dear. That’s what we’re worried about. What if you meet someone on the top of one of these South American mountains? Why, we may never see you again.” Mitzi’s high-pitched voice trembled.

  “I’ll be quite safe.”

  “Oh, we’re not worried about that. Well, don’t get us wrong, we are, but what if you fall in love and never come home?” Thelma added her two cents.

  “Of course I’ll come home and visit you. And besides, I’m not going to fall in love.”

  Georgie let their chatter wash over her and gave the appropriate nods as Thelma put the empty basket in the trunk of the car before they walked the short distance to Uncle Renzo’s restaurant. She looked around, pleased to see the busy lunch trade. She missed Sienna and Ana so much. The three of them had often lunched here together when they’d been between restoration jobs and working in the hardware store before Blake had bought it.

  Why did life have to change?

  Renzo blew her a kiss as he put a plate of rolls in the middle of their table, and Georgie grinned back at him. He had been like a true father to her, when he and Lucia took her and Sienna into their family after Marietta had taken off.

  “I have to be quick, girls.” Georgie reached for the bread. The old dears loved to be treated as one of the gang. “I only came into town to get some lumber for a job I’m doing for Blake.”

  Mitzi had a sad, dreamy look on her face and let out a little sigh.

  “We heard you were working at Joe’s old place.” Thelma stared at her intently.

  Georgie rolled her eyes. Did nothing escape this pair? But she did love them. They were like family to her.

  “What’s the new owner like? We must welcome him to town.” Thelma’s face brightened. “We could visit this afternoon and take him a cake!”

  Mitzi clapped her old gnarled hands. “Yes, we have plenty left from our market stall.”

  Should I be nice? Georgie’s better nature won out and she cleared her throat. “Mr. Wyndham, the new owner, seems to want to be left alone.” How could she put it kindly? “I think he values his privacy and wants to keep to himself, so maybe give him a while to settle in.”

  “Of course he does, the poor man.”

  Georgie looked up from the roll she was buttering and frowned. “The poor man?”

  “Yes, the poor man. Don’t you know?” Thelma and Mitzi looked at each other and they both shook their heads. “Georgie dear, you do live in a little world of your own.”

  “Maybe I just don’t listen to gossip.” She knew her voice was sharp and she immediately regretted it when Thelma’s eyes clouded. “I’m sorry. I just like to keep to myself.”

  Mitzi reached out and took her hand. “Oh, darling, we know how much you’re hurting, no matter how much you smile. If I was brave enough to drive on that highway, I would chase that horrible Brent all the way to Los Angeles and give him a kick in the butt.”

  Georgie couldn’t help the peal of laughter that bubbled up from her chest at the thought of Mitzi kicking anyone in the butt. “Oh, I do so love you gals.”

  “You have to get over him,” Thelma added.

  Georgie swallowed and plastered a smile on her face. “I’m fine. You’re worrying about nothing. I’m well and truly over Brent.” She leaned forward and stared at Mitzi. “Okay, I know I’m going to regret this, but why is Liam a poor man?”

  “His wife was killed when he was in the Himalayas.”

  “His wife? In a climbing accident?” No wonder Liam looked so sad.

  “No, no, no.” Thelma and Mitzi spoke together and Georgie looked from one to the other. They were back in their element.

  “He was in the Himalayas. She was killed in a car accident in Los Angeles,” Mitzi said.

  “The magazines said she was with her lover.” Thelma shook her head from side to side. “That poor man. It’s so hard to believe what they said, that he made her stay at home while he traveled around the world.”

  “Why would the magazines write about her? And him?” Slowly it dawned on Georgie that she’d thought his name was familiar. “I know he writes books, but I’ve never heard of him.”

  Mitzi sighed and gently shook her head. “Georgie, Liam Wyndham is a famous author. He was researching his next book when his wife died…with her lover.”

  Thelma leaned forward. “And the magazines said he’d stopped her from accessing their bank account before he went away. And changed the locks on their house. Of course, I don’t believe a word of it. He looks like too nice a young man to do such a terrible thing to his wife.”

  “Oh, how sad.” She closed her eyes and remembered the look on his face as he’d been with Mutt. “But you know what those magazines are like. They make most of the stories up just to sell more copies. I’m sure none of it’s true.”

  “Well, she was killed and we will go and visit him tomorrow.”

  Georgie propped her chin in her hand and smiled at them, trying to divert the old ladies from their “welcome” quest. “I think that’s very sweet but honestly, he’s still unpacking. He barely had time to show me the room I’m building the shelves in. There are packing boxes piled up everywhere and he’s obviously very busy.” There was no n
eed to tell them that he had found time to go kayaking in the ocean. “I know he doesn’t want to be disturbed.”

  “Very well. Whatever you say, Georgie.” They smiled sweetly at her.

  It was midafternoon by the time Georgie had loaded the truck with buckets of plaster, a stepladder, and her tools, as well as a small amount of lumber. She asked the store to deliver the rest of the wood to Liam’s house tomorrow.

  Mr. Wyndham. Think of him as a client. Not the man with the sad life that Thelma and Mitzi had spilled the beans about. Now that she knew all that, she would keep them away from him. Not that her life was anything spectacular or worthy of gossip magazines, but she knew the pair of them would love to fill Liam in on her recent man trouble. And visit him they would, she had no doubt of that. She was really starting to regret confiding Brent’s nasty words to Thelma and Mitzi. She should have known better, but Ana and Sienna weren’t around anymore and she’d needed a couple of soft shoulders to cry on. It was going to come back to bite her, for sure.

  And all the more reason for her to keep her distance from Liam. He was ripe for the picking by the old, softhearted Georgie.

  She was pretty sure she’d persuaded them to stay away, but knowing the pair of them so well, they were capable of anything to help a soul in need, especially now that they had wheels. A giggle bubbled up in Georgie’s throat.

  Oh, if only the world worked under their rules. A slice of cake and a cup of tea would solve any problem.

  Georgie smiled as she drove Ana’s truck up the drive to the old house. It was a good feeling to be back out and about to start a job. As much as she had enjoyed working in the store and doing administrative stuff, it was not the same as the hands-on work she loved doing—and was good at. Building, creating, and restoring old houses to their former glory was the best job ever.

  This place was still Joe’s old house to her, and it would be hard to start thinking of it as Liam’s. She was hoping to slip in and unload the truck without being seen. He’d said he’d leave the door open for her, and he’d made it quite clear he didn’t want to be disturbed. Georgie winced as she missed a gear with a loud crunch on the final bend before the truck rattled to a stop outside the front door.