“I bet.”
Red looked skeptical, and Derek couldn’t say he blamed her. He knew the kind of reputation he had as far as women were concerned. The crazy thing was, most of it was an illusion created by the studio, and the rest was highly exaggerated.
“You don’t need to tell me. Your private business is yours, now that we’re not on tour. You can even have Kellie up here and spend your entire vacation—”
“Thanks, but no thanks!” Derek snapped abruptly.
Red was leaning forward on the kitchen island, the sun streaming through the kitchen window setting the pale, delicate skin of her cheek aglow as she rested on her forearms.
Stop staring at her, Holt!
He averted his gaze, focusing instead on a handwritten note from Heather, Tanner’s wife, that was on the counter. An idea occurred to him.
“I think there might be another willing babysitter in town—if you ever wanted to go out for the evening. I don’t mean with me,” Derek cleared his throat, “but just in general. Or, with me.”
“Really? That could be helpful. Who?”
“My niece, Chloe. She’s sixteen,” Derek added, seeing Red’s expression cloud with doubt. “She’s very responsible, smart, loves kids. Do you want me to give you a number, and you could see how it goes?”
“Sure, I guess,” Red agreed.
Derek hastily scribbled down the number for Tanner’s ranch, wondering why he was suddenly so set on the idea of Chloe babysitting. He knew that he’d be on his niece’s “best uncle ever” list if it worked out, but he couldn’t deny the fact that the primary motive was to get Kellie well away from Red’s son.
“Here.” He handed the slip of paper to Red, who took it and shoved it in her handbag.
“Thanks. Who knew Derek Holt would be a good source for babysitting recommendations?”
“Clearly I’m a completely different man out here,” Derek replied smoothly, knowing it was a load of horse shit but saying it anyway. He always said the dumbest stuff in front of Red, or just stuff he plainly didn’t mean.
To his surprise, Red looked thoughtful.
“You kind of are,” she said solemnly, then a split second later she broke into a wry grin. “Probably just because you’re sober, and I don’t think I’ve ever met sober Derek.”
Derek grinned.
“Pleased to meet you, Red.” He held out his hand in introduction.
“Audrey,” she corrected with a smile. “Pleased to meet you.”
When she placed her hand in his, her soft skin touching his weather-worn, Arizona mining hands was like a balm to the soul. The effect on Derek was brutal and immediate. A bolt of electricity ran up his arm while blood surged down to his groin, engorging his manhood till it strained violently against his jeans. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, and a stirring deep down inside his gut
Red released his hand.
“I better go,” she said stiffly.
Derek nodded. He knew, of course, that he would watch her go.
“Bye, then,” Red said.
“See you,” Derek croaked.
He opened the door for her. She walked past him, their bodies an inch apart, so close he could feel the body heat radiating from her and smell the fresh berry and honey scent he’d come to identify as hers. Derek prayed she wouldn’t notice the very obvious evidence of his desire for her. She didn’t seem to, making her way across the porch, already retrieving the car keys from her pocket.
Derek turned away from the door. He didn’t want to watch her drive away today. He headed straight from the bathroom; before he lost his head entirely, Derek needed a cold shower.
8
Audrey sped around the apartment tidying before Chloe arrived.
It was a beautiful place, typically rented to tourists on winter vacations when Jackson became much busier with skiers. The apartment was vast, built for at least two families to share, with two master bedrooms and four smaller ones for children. She felt mildly guilty that her apartment was far more chic and elegant than Derek’s lodge, but he’d seemed perfectly happy in the remote spot he’d found.
Because of its size, Zach had gotten very creative with where he chose to leave his toys, crayons and paper, books, and clothing. He was like a mini torpedo when he was at home, racing his cars from room to room. He’d never stayed in a place as big as this. Their home in Chicago was very modest. Audrey was a single mom, of course, and her ex-husband had failed to pay a single cent of child support.
Along with Zach, Audrey was enjoying the luxury. They had a huge fireplace in the family room, stylishly built from granite. Her bedroom had an adjoining bathroom and walk-in closet. Even though she’d never lived in a place so grand, this place already felt like a home. Most of the walls were glass paneled, so every morning when she and Zach woke, they had glorious views of the mountains, miles of beautiful forest, and a perfect blue sky. She had to admit that Jared had been right. It was a perfect place for her and Zach to spend their summer vacation.
The bell rang. Audrey stuffed some of Zach’s drawings into a closet and hurried to get the door.
Chloe smiled broadly at her on the doorstep.
Audrey liked her instantly. She was very beautiful, but the way Chloe wore such an innocent, interested expression, Audrey was quite sure that she didn’t know or care just how beautiful she was.
“Audrey?”
“You must be Chloe. Come in!” She ushered the girl inside, smiling as Chloe looked around in amazement at the apartment.
“I’ve always wondered what these looked like in the inside. They’re so amazing!” she exclaimed.
“They really are,” Audrey agreed. “Can I get you an iced tea or coffee?”
“Iced tea would be great. It’s boiling out there.”
Audrey took the pitcher from the fridge, wondering where Zach was. He normally raced to greet guests.
“Oh, hi there,” Chloe said. Audrey turned to see her smiling at Zach, who had appeared around the corner from the living room.
“Are you Chloe?” he asked seriously.
“Yes.”
“I’m Zach. I’m five years old. Would you like to see some of my cars?”
“I would love that.”
Zach held out his hand to Chloe and tottered off with her to his bedroom. Audrey exhaled with relief. It was clearly a good match. She had already checked the references Chloe had conscientiously given her over the phone—two local couples who clearly adored her—but Audrey also trusted her instincts when it came to these things. Chloe was someone she was sure she could trust.
Audrey did find it puzzling how someone as sensible-seeming as Chloe could come from the same family as Derek. It made her curious about Chloe’s father and her mother, who she had very briefly spoken to on the phone. What sort of people were they? She wondered what they thought about Derek, if he was a black sheep of the family or if they were so impressed with his fame and talent that they thought his moral compass, or lack of one, didn’t matter. Maybe while she was here, she would find out.
* * *
“He’s such a cutie. You’re so lucky.”
Chloe and Audrey had finally found some time to sit down in the kitchen. Zach had exhausted himself after an hour spent with Chloe and was napping on the sofa.
“I’m sorry he monopolized so much of your time. I’ll pay you for the hour,” Audrey said, reaching for her wallet.
“No. Please, it’s all part of the interview. Zach has to like me too, or there’s no point.” Chloe waved the money away. “Plus, I’m on summer vacation. There’s really not a whole lot else to do around here.”
The girl looked momentarily forlorn, but almost instantly cheered, taking a sip of the iced tea.
“This is heaven,” she sighed. “My uncle’s lucky to have you as his assistant if this is what you serve him!”
Audrey laughed. “Derek’s never had one of my iced teas. It’s my mom’s recipe. Been in the family for years, but I’m pretty s
ure Derek likes his drinks a little stronger.”
Chloe looked puzzled.
“Well, if that’s the case, he doesn’t know what he’s missing. I’m so glad he’s spending some of the summer here. I never get to see him. Well, hardly ever. He came down to Mom and Dad’s anniversary dinner, but before that, it had been about a year. I grew up with him around, so it sucks. It’s kind of weird him not stopping over on a Saturday night. He always used to let me watch horror movies. He’d argue till he was blue in the face with my dad or Josiah, that’s our ranch hand, who’s basically my second dad, saying that it was character building.” Chloe let out a bark of laughter. “They used to scare me half to death, but I’d watch them anyway because uncle Derek fought so hard for me.”
Audrey tried to smile but made a mental note not to let Derek around when it was movie night.
“He wouldn’t with Zach,” Chloe assured her, catching the weak smile. “Has he met Zach yet?”
“No. I didn’t think Derek was all that child-friendly.”
“Really?” asked Chloe in surprise. “Derek loves kids! He’s so awesome at picnics because he runs around entertaining all the kids. Then, when he brings out his guitar, he also entertains the adults. My mom loves him for it. When I was younger, he used to take me fishing and canoeing, and the two of us used to do niece-and-uncle ice cream dates sometimes. He’d take me to the local ice cream parlor.”
“Oh wow. Well, I guess I know a different Derek,” Audrey replied slowly. She wasn’t entirely sure that was true. It might be more honest of her to admit, to herself at least, that she hadn’t really bothered to get to know Derek. Not the real Derek.
“That’s fair,” Chloe chirped on, oblivious to Audrey’s discomfort. “I guess if you’re on tour all the time, you’re probably all stressed and stuff. Still,” her eyes lit up, “I’m so jealous. Dad would never let me go on tour with Derek, even though I used to beg him all the time. I heard Dad telling Mom that it would be all loose women and parties and late nights.”
This time was Audrey’s turn to laugh.
“Your dad was right!” she exclaimed.
“Yeah, I figured,” Chloe sighed dramatically. “I wish Uncle Derek would find someone to love and settle down with. I’d use my excellent matchmaking skills if I ever saw him enough to get a good plan going.”
“I don’t know if Derek would appreciate that. Maybe save your matchmaking skills for school friends?”
Chloe smiled sweetly.
“Maybe.”
Audrey laughed. Derek better watch out. His niece seemed quite the determined young lady. She wouldn’t be surprised if Derek found a lineup of women outside his “getaway” cabin, waiting to be escorted to the local honky-tonk by the platinum country artist. Audrey laughed to herself. It almost made her pity Holt. Almost.
* * *
That night there was a thunderstorm.
Audrey went to check on Zach, who was sound asleep, curled up in a mound under the covers, Kittles the toy cat—threadbare and balding—wrapped in his arms. Audrey turned on the small night-light in the corner of the room in case he did wake up, but it seemed that she was the only one bothered by the violent crashing and the roar of rocketing thunder. Lightning ripped the sky, momentarily illuminating the dark apartment, casting ominous shadows. Audrey grew annoyed at herself. Never in her life had she been disturbed by a storm. But her imagination was running wild, and she seemed incapable of stopping it. The flashes of light created strange shapes in the apartment, which was now feeling a lot less like home.
She wrapped herself up in bed, leaning against the headboards. As unnerved as she was, Audrey could still appreciate the majesty of the forest as it was lit up, and the heavy rolling thunder that shook the mountains. It was entirely awe inspiring.
She fought down the impulse to call her mom. It wasn’t that late, only nine, but what would she say? Mom, there’s a thunderstorm and I’m scared? The idea was laughable. But she couldn’t shake the unease, the sense that not all was right with the world somehow.
It’s your imagination, Audrey, go to sleep!
She snuggled deeper under the covers, trying to get comfortable. As she bad-temperedly fluffed up her pillows, her cell phone rang.
Audrey leaped out of bed, half apprehensive, half relieved, entirely sure that the only person who’d be calling her at this time of night was her mom.
She snatched up her phone in haste.
“Hello, Mom?”
There was nothing on the other line except crackling white noise.
“Mom?”
Audrey moved the phone, the storm clearly tampering with the reception.
“Mom?”
Then she heard deep, heavy breathing. It only lasted a few moments, enough to terrify and then utterly enrage her.
“Who is this?” She tried to keep her voice as firm and steady as possible. The last thing she wanted whoever was trying to frighten her to know was that it worked.
The phone line crackled again and then went dead.
She slammed down the receiver and scrambled out of bed.
Audrey paced the kitchen, anger fast replacing the fear from the thunderstorm. As jarring and unpleasant as the call was, she reminded herself that it was most likely some stupid school kids staying up late and prank calling during an eerie night.
When the phone rang again, Audrey picked it up instantly.
“Whoever this is, I’m reporting you to the police!” She was about to slam down the receiver again when she heard the familiar voice on the end of the line.
“Jesus, Red, I was just checking to see if you were okay. No need to have me arrested.”
“Derek?”
“Yeah, you okay?”
Audrey sank against the kitchen wall in relief.
“Did you just try calling?”
“Before this? No.”
Audrey groaned.
“Just some stupid kids, then. I got pranked called. Ordinarily, it wouldn’t have bothered me, but with the storm and all…” she trailed off. There was no need to let Derek know what a scaredy-cat she’d been.
“That’s not cool. Are you okay, really?” He sounded genuinely concerned. Audrey was grateful for that. She wasn’t sure she could handle him laughing at her in a situation like this.
“I-I’m fine. Really. Just got a bit spooked. Anyway, are you okay? The storm hasn’t managed to knock down that cabin or anything, has it?” Audrey tried to make a joke of the situation, but as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she got a mental image of the ceiling collapsing at the rented cabin. Not so funny.
“It’s held up well, considering. I’m all good.”
Audrey waited for him to continue, to explain why he had called. This was the second call she’d had with Derek recently that seemed to be entirely pointless.
“Well, that’s good. Anything I can do for you?” she prompted.
“Just wanted to make sure you were holding up, with the storm and all. Chicago doesn’t have storms like we do out here in Wyoming—not in the same way. These monsters can freak city dwellers out. Just wanted to check you weren’t one of them.”
Audrey rolled her eyes at the irony. She had been entirely freaked out, but there was no way she was going to confess that to Derek.
“I don’t mind the storm,” she lied.
“Good to hear. I guess I’ll let you get back to it, then.”
“Thanks.”
“And Audrey?”
She hesitated. She couldn’t remember the last time Derek had used her real name, and it sent delicious shivers down her spine, which made her toes curl. She shook the feeling off almost as soon as it came.
“Yes?”
“If you get another call like that, call me right back. I know the local cops. I can get ‘em out there fast, okay?”
“Uh-huh,” Audrey nodded as though he could see her.
“Promise.”
“Huh?”
Promise me. I want your word that if anything
happens, you’ll call me right away. Promise me.” He sounded stern—and concerned. She’d never really heard him take on the role of protector rather than that of a laid-back grown child.
“I, uh, promise.”
She suddenly felt safer knowing Derek was just a phone call away. She’d forgotten he probably knew everyone in town.
“See you tomorrow,” she added.
“See you.”
He was still on the other end when Audrey disconnected the call.
9
Derek surveyed the devastation of the night before. The yard was strewn with debris, a fence leading from the garage had been taken down by an elm, which, now fallen, stretched the length of the house. He’d brought the recliners inside last night, but the upper railing of the porch was sagging, and the drain pipe was hanging in two parts. There were aspen trees surrounding the edge of the immediate property where branches had fallen and now hung limply from the main body of the trunk.
Derek emitted a low whistle. The storm had come out of nowhere—one of those summer devastators that typically came at night, when earlier there’d been nothing but bright blue sky and a pinkish sunset.
He went inside and made himself a pot of coffee. There’d be work to do today. He’d start with the porch and drainpipe and then move on to the fence. He hadn’t done any manual labor for what felt like a lifetime. In their early twenties, he and Tanner had worked for a time as miners in Arizona. Then later, when they moved to Jackson and Tanner was getting the ranch up and running, Derek could be found every night of the week and weekend playing his music in any small-town tavern and honky-tonk that would have him. In order to survive, he’d spent his days doing odd jobs for locals—a lifetime ago. Times sure had changed quickly.
It did occur to him that he could make a couple of phone calls and have a crew of laborers down there by afternoon, but he found himself looking forward to some physical exertion. There was something soothing about the systematic actions, the manual labor, the almost mindless repetition of the tasks ahead that appealed to him.
Jackson Valley Shifters Complete Series: Bear Shifter Romance Page 13