“I might not get the job yet. There is another applicant.”
“My money is on you.”
“I’m glad you think so. Well, thank you for the welcome and the address.” She tapped the slip of paper in her hand. “I’ll be off then. Have a nice day, Pauline.”
“See you again soon.” Pauline smiled and wiggled her fingers in a cute wave, watching as Denver walked out the door. When she turned back to look over her shoulder, Pauline was still watching her, fingers moving.
She looked at the slip of paper in her hand and stepped out onto the driveway, wondering if she should call Evan or start walking into town when a toot of a truck’s horn scared her. Shit. She was so busy thinking about how to tell Evan what had happened that she almost walked in front of a truck. The driver waved his fist at her and then floored it, leaving her standing on the edge of the road, heat washing over her cheeks.
A door slammed, followed by the sound of running feet. “Denver, are you okay?” Evan reached her, a frown on his face as he pulled her into his arms. “I was waiting for you and saw it all. Did that jerk hurt you?”
She swallowed and swiped her tongue over her bottom lip, her mouth dry and pasty. “No. No, he just scared me is all. My own stupid fault.” She rested her forehead against his chest, comforted by his closeness and the familiar smell of his woodsy aftershave.
He held her close, rubbing a circle on her back as she calmed down. Denver took a deep breath and looked up into his face. “How did your appointment go?”
He grinned like a school kid given the day off. “I’m pretty sure I got the job. He’s going to let me know in the next couple of days. If he doesn’t get someone to take over, the place is going to have to close because he can’t deal with it all by himself anymore. How about you?” He kissed the top of her head and slipped his arm through hers. Together they walked over to where he’d parked his truck.
They stopped at the door and Denver looked at him, hoping she could pull this off. “They have a position. Rory was right. I have to send my résumé in as soon as I can. Evan, I don’t believe it, it’s like we were meant to come to Marietta.” Would he believe such a corny line?
“That’s fantastic! Imagine if we both got jobs here. We can be together, Denver. Do you see how perfect that would be?”
She smiled at him, guilt making her hold back just a little with her enthusiasm. The more time she spent with Evan, the more she liked him. “He even gave me the address of the house I’d get if I got the job. Just as well I have my laptop with me. My résumé is on there. I can do it this afternoon.”
“Brilliant. Let’s go and see my father first. I know he’d be dying to meet you.” He helped her into the truck and hurried around to the driver’s door, a new sense of energy making him look younger and happier than she’d seen him before. Perhaps they would be happy here in his hometown. Denver wondered if she was doing the right thing dragging Evan into this ruse so she could get the job she wanted. If he was happy and appeared to be leading the way for a romance between them, was what she was doing so wrong?
Chapter Ten
“That’s a pretty nice old house. I think you’d be happy there. Plenty of room to grow your family if that’s how you roll.” Jock winked at his son over the cup of tea as Denver finished telling him about their job offers and the house they were going to check out.
His father looked good. Clear eyes and fresh humor were a testament to his years of being on the wagon. It appeared working for Chance on the ranch was also doing him a world of good. “Boss gave me the day off to get sorted for the wedding tomorrow. Promised Pastor Davis I’d help clean the church this afternoon. Gina’s organized someone to do the flowers, and I want to make sure it’s all pretty for them.”
“I can’t wait to see it all done up. It’s a beautiful old building, Jock. Evan pointed it out on the way here.” Denver put her cup down and smiled at his father. She seemed captivated by his childhood home, ignoring the peeling paint and worn floor tiles. Although the house shone like a new pin, it was dated and could do with a bit of love. Certainly nothing like the home she lived in and that had worried him. But Denver didn’t seem to mind and for that he was grateful. She was so down to earth. His kind of girl.
“So, when are you two tying the knot?” He looked at them in turn, his gray bushy eyebrows moving like they had a life of their own.
“It’s not like that, Dad.” Please stop. This isn’t happening. Denver is going to freak out. I’m so damned embarrassed right now.
“Like what? I’ve got eyes, boy. They might be old, but even I can see the way you two look at each other.”
“Mr. Watson…”
“Jock.”
Denver forced a smile. “Jock then. It’s not like that between us. Evan is right. Even though we’ve known each other for some time, we’ve only started dating.”
“And since when did that mean anything?” He leaned forward, pushed his cup out of the way, and focused on her face. “Listen to me, the pair of you. I lost Evan’s mother without notice. No warning or anything.” He shook his head. “Woke up one day and bam! Gone. Just like that.”
“And your point, Dad, would be?” Traipsing down memory lane wasn’t going to help his cause with Denver. He had to woo her gently and with integrity if he wanted her to take the hospital job and live here with him. It was the only way. She wasn’t like Callie, forceful and loaded with sass and prepared to rush headlong into anything. She was more the gentle type who liked flowers and being wooed over wine and dinner, or watching the stars on a moonlit night. Look how long it took to get his first date. Marriage would be a long process, one he intended to do right. His father had it all wrong.
“Take what you can while you can.” He coughed to clear away the emotion Evan saw creeping into his eyes. It seemed as though the misery over the death of their mother never left his father. Even in the bottom of a bottle, he couldn’t shake the loss that devastated the entire family. “Life is too short and I know that. There were days when I wished I could join her, but that wasn’t God’s plan, ’cause I’m still here. And if you know you love each other”—he pointed his finger at Evan—“and you can’t tell me you don’t, do something about it. Don’t wake up alone one day and wish you could’ve chosen different ’cause it’ll be too late.”
His father sat back, happy now that he’d said his piece. “So, tell me what you’re doing for the rest of your visit, Denver. I hope this boy of mine is taking you for a ride up the mountain.” He winked at her and Evan held back a smile. He’d planned on taking a picnic up before they headed back to the city. An afternoon of clean fresh air and Denver alone on a picnic rug was high on his priority list. Once the wedding was out of the way of course.
“Well, now, that sounds like a swell idea. Guessing I should put all of those horse riding lessons my father paid for to good use and, looking at the view from Chance’s place, I know I have to insist on some time up on Copper Mountain with Evan.”
“We have the wedding tomorrow, so I was thinking of asking Tyson to borrow a couple of horses the day after since we made other plans for today. Chance only has his big beast and Callie’s horse.”
“Your brother has a heap of them right now. Brought up a whole lot of nags cheap. Headed for the glue factory they were. Rory took a couple for him and Gina, and he kept the others. He couldn’t bear to see them destroyed when they had plenty of life in them. Make good trail riders. I checked them out, healthy enough. Sure he could put you two on a couple.”
“Why doesn’t Tyson use them then, start doing trail rides? Not like raising bucking broncos takes all his time, is it?” Evan pondered the idea. “Might suggest it when I see him again. That’s if we can pry the lawyer off of him.”
“What lawyer? That boy gone and got himself into trouble I don’t know about?” Jock turned on him, a frown creasing his brow.
“The lawyer who helped Gina settle the custody of Fisher with. You know, the blonde from Denver who Chance br
ought in? She’s taken a shine to Tyson, goodness knows why.”
“Oh right. Well, he is a good looking kid, even if I say so myself. Bit of an old woman, but some people are just like that. Can’t all be the same, now can we?”
*
“He’s a very handsome man, Jock. Must take after you.” Denver watched him blush. “Mind you, from what I’ve seen so far, all of your boys are capable of setting hearts a flutter.”
“What did I tell you, Son? Marry this woman before she gets away from you.”
Evan closed his eyes as if struggling for composure before giving her a quick smile. “Sorry about this. I thought we were coming for a cup of tea, not relationship advice. Please forgive my father.”
His mouth tightened and for a moment, Denver regretted encouraging Jock. If she was going to get her job, she needed a husband who lived locally and Evan was all she could ask for in a partner. If they were going to take the time and go down the dating ritual as he indicated he would like to do, she would still be interested, but time was of the essence here so a quick decision was important. He was solid, reliable, an all-around nice guy, and they had chemistry in spades. He made no secret of the fact he’d wanted to date her for the last couple of years and was handsome and charming. Plus, he was kind, considerate, and didn’t pressure her for sex—although giving into him wasn’t a hardship as she’d found out. Denver could eventually fall for him anyway.
“That’s fine, don’t apologize. I’ve loved every minute so far of our trip back to where you grew up. Things have a way of working out for the best so I’m going with the flow for now, wherever that may be.” I hope it’s what you want too because I don’t really want to deceive you. I really don’t but today’s meeting leaves me with no choice.
Evan looked peeved more than amused and she experienced a quick flicker of pity for him. Jock glanced between them and she had to smile at the old man. He’d done nothing wrong except give them his opinion. And he was right. Life was short, bad things happened to good people, and it was too late to cry over it after it’d happened.
“Right then, I suppose we’d better go and have a look at that house before we head back to the ranch. Rory wanted us to stop in and see his new place and I want to make sure he doesn’t need a hand setting up for the reception.” Evan stood up and pushed the chair in, and looked at his father. “You going to be at the church waiting in the morning, or do you want me to come down and pick you up?”
“Thanks for the offer; I’ll meet them down here. Gina said to be at the church waiting with Reverend Davis at two o’clock sharp.”
“Thanks for the tea, Jock. It was lovely to meet you.” She reached over and kissed his prickly cheek, cementing the bond she knew was building between the two of them. He was the father almost banished by his kids, fighting to make his way back into the family, and she was the newest girlfriend. They were both very much on the outside looking in as far as she was concerned.
Evan held her hand as he walked her out to the truck. She climbed in and did her seat belt up before waving out the window to Jock who stood and watched from the front garden. “Your dad is lovely, Evan.”
“Yeah, he seems to be doing well and that’s great. Went through a hard time there for a few years.” He turned on the indicator and pulled out into the street. “It’s Bramble Lane isn’t it?”
Denver nodded her head. “Yep, the big white house opposite the park.” She looked at the mailboxes as they drove down the quiet street. “There it is.” The house sat back from the street on a slight rise, looking over a rolling front lawn in need of a good mow. The path wound up to the front door and a small hedged porch. A love seat hung by the front door, the paint peeling and the chain hanging limp on one side.
She got out of the truck and shut the door, her gaze on the house. “This is beautiful.” Denver saw how wonderful this would be with a little bit of tender loving care and a family living there. Evan walked around to stand beside her, not looking as enthusiastic as she felt.
“Bit run down and overgrown. Guess if you get the job they’ll clean it up some.” He slipped his hand down and clenched her fingers, giving them a quick squeeze. “Let’s go take a proper look.” He drew her up the path, sparing a glance at the mailbox with old newspapers and pamphlets jammed inside and overflowing on the grass. They stepped up the wide steps, and Denver heard the boards creaking under their feet, but the sound only added to the charm of the old house for her.
The curtains hung open in the front room and Denver leaned down and looked in the window. “This must be the living room. I can see a fireplace just to the side.” The house sat unfurnished which made it appear more neglected and sad than it probably was. Carpet a dull shade of brown lay wall to wall, and Denver saw the door which she presumed led into the back of the house. It was shut, closing off the rest of the interior. She walked to the other side of the front door and around the half-collapsed porch swing and peeked in that window. The drapes were closed, spoiling her view of more than a sliver of the room. “This must be a bedroom, bit hard to tell. Seems clean enough inside, just very empty and unloved.”
Evan moved down the steps and around the front of the house. “Come around here. Might be able to see inside from the back of the house.” Denver hurried after him, a small thrill rising in her chest. This could be her new home. The excitement built as she caught up with Evan.
“Come on, there’s a back deck here with French doors we can peek through.” He held out his hand for her and when she reached for him, he gripped her fingers and pulled her up the back stairs. A large deck graced the back of the house, overlooking a fairly substantial yard dotted with large shady trees that rolled down to a small jetty on the river’s edge. An old rope swing hung from the lowest branch of the huge oak nearest the house.
The welcome door mat lay at an angle in front of the back door and Denver wondered if it was an omen. Was she doing the wrong thing in stringing Evan along for her own purpose? The more time she spent with him, the more Denver liked him. But she didn’t want to risk being hurt again, certainly not by a doctor. After her affair with Blake Lynch, the double-crossing cheating bastard, had ended with him throwing her over for a position arranged for him by her father at another hospital, she had stayed clear of anyone in her profession.
Denver had thought he was the one for her but in reality he used her to get what he wanted and tossed her off without a backward glance. She promised herself she wouldn’t go down that route again, not when it came to finding true love. And her career came first and foremost. Nothing was going to mess with her ten-year plan.
Chapter Eleven
Evan glanced at Rory, proud of what his brother had achieved. “This place is terrific.”
Rory held Fisher on his shoulders and walked around the outside of the renovated house, explaining to Evan as they went what work he’d done to make it inhabitable again.
“Yeah, it is, isn’t it? Mind you, when Gina first laid eyes on it she wasn’t that impressed. She’s pretty happy now though, isn’t she, tiger?” He bounced the toddler up and down and was rewarded with chortles of glee. Fisher waved his hands in the air, his little face showing just how much he enjoyed the ride.
“Must be pretty nice having a ready-made family.” Evan couldn’t be sure if it was jealousy nudging him in the ribs or happiness for his brother.
“Sure is, this little guy is perfect. When I first met him I was taken aback because I didn’t know about him. It didn’t take long for me to warm up to him. Planning on adding to the brood as fast as we can too. I can see Gina with a heap of kids around her feet.”
“Guess you got lucky. Both you and Chance seem to have found the women of your dreams.” He jammed his hands into his pockets and glanced up at the mountain behind the ranch. Snow caps gleamed white in the clear blue sky.
Rory put the wriggling toddler down on the grass and watched as he went straight for a daisy poking its head up through weeds at the fence line. “You and Denver s
eem pretty close. I sense something else. Do I detect a whiff of disharmony there?”
He stood with his hands on his hips reminding Evan of those big brother talks that came his way with uncommon regularity. Nothing much had changed between them over the years. Here comes another one.
Evan laughed, the sound bitter to his own ears. “Disharmony? No. More like I want to rush her off her feet but I don’t want to scare her away.” He kicked at the grass, frustrated. “I dropped her off at the hospital so she could check out that job you told her about while I had an interview in town, which I think went rather well by the way. Then after having a cup of tea with the old man we checked out the house that goes with the job, if she gets it mind you, at the hospital. Seems they were rather taken with her and asked for a résumé on the spot.” He glanced at the kitchen where Denver was inside with Gina. He wondered if they were talking the way women did given the chance. They’d seemed rather friendly since they met the other night.
“So what’s your problem then? If you’re both keen to work here and you seem cozy enough to me, why the long face?” Rory kept his gaze flickering over to Fisher exploring the garden while he listened to his brother.
“I want what you have, you and Chance.” It sounded weak when he said it. The picture was in the back of his mind already. The white house, picket fence, and the flower beds. And Denver sitting on a porch swing contentedly relaxing. Denver was the center of it all.
“So propose to her. What’s the worst that can happen?”
“I’ll scare her off. We’ve only just started dating and that took me two years to get her to agree to go out with me.” And I don’t want to have to start all over again if she freaks out. Or worse, lose her if I screw it up.
“Well it seems to me that you’re moving fast from there. Didn’t you share her bed last night?” Rory watched him with a grin on his face.
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