by Alicia White
“If you hear anything, call me. I…uh…can’t wait too much longer. I’m going out to look again today.” Aubrey nodded and Sophie glanced up at the man from the grocery store before shimmying past him and leaving.
Chapter 5
Mason watched from the hallway as Aubrey spoke to her cousin, Sophie. He finally knew her name. It rolled off his tongue and bounced around his brain. The woman cleaned up real nice.
Today, she was wearing a tight pair of jeans that showed off her gorgeous ass and hips with a blue hoodie that gently clung to her. He couldn’t believe his luck. The whole weekend he’d been worried about her, and now here she was. This was his chance to introduce himself, and he would. He wouldn’t let her get away a second time.
“Mas, you’re drooling and staring. You better not be checking out Aubrey.” Riley came up next to him and Mason shook his head.
“No, he’s looking at the other woman. What was her name? Sophie?” Alex asked, peeking in the room.
“She’s the one.” That’s all he could say, he was so shocked to be seeing her here.
In fact, he had been looking for ways to run into her around Sanctuary all weekend. Mason had ventured to town on a few occasions and each time was a bit disappointed to see her vehicle parked at the boarding house. He was certain that she would leave at some point. When he realized what he was doing, he drove back to the ranch ashamed at his behavior. He didn’t know her, yet he was drawn to her. It made no sense. Now, here she was right in front of him.
“The one? You haven’t even met her,” Noah commented.
Mason stopped and wondered why he had used those words, the one. Shaking his head, he stopped himself from thinking that out further. Something about her called to him, bringing forth his protective nature.
“Really? She’s the one from Friday night? The one you met at the grocery store?” Alex elbowed him, and Mason finally turned around, taking his eyes off the goddess.
“Yeah.” He gave a pointed look at Alex and hoped that his brother would keep his mouth closed.
He didn’t want to bring up what had happened at the grocery store in front of Riley and Noah, at least not right now. There were too many people that might overhear the conversation, and he didn’t want to embarrass Sophie. If she was on the run from someone… He had to stop. He was bordering on obsession now, and he didn’t want to freak her out or come on too strong. Never in his life had he acted this way, and it actually surprised him. He was usually the levelheaded brother, the one who thought things out and helped his family. Now, one look from that woman and he turned to mush.
“Wow…she’s cute.” Alex grinned.
She was more than cute. Puppies were cute. This woman, she was exquisite.
Turning back, he watched the scene unfold before him and wished he could hear their conversation. He didn’t take his eyes off Sophie. She leaned down, hugged Aubrey, and sat next to her on the bed. He couldn’t stop the smile from forming, completely relieved that she wasn’t alone. She had family in Sanctuary. He now had a way to meet her, and he wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass him by.
The conversation continued, and Mason let his eyes wander down the slope of her neck. His eyes caressed every inch of her. He was still staring at her when she turned, looking over her shoulder, and made eye contact with him. Her facial features softened and he smiled. He saw her cheeks twitch as if she might smile, but only one side of her lips kicked up slightly. It was a good start.
Sophie turned then and hugged Aubrey once more before standing. She adjusted her thin jacket, and in that moment Mason decided that he was going to purchase her a better coat. There was no way she could be warm wearing that. Montana got cold at night, and he wanted her to be comfortable. Maybe he could drop a package outside her front door. He knew that she probably wouldn’t accept it from him, or he could give the coats to Aubrey to hand off.
She walked toward him with her eyes on the ground. She didn’t want to look at him, and he knew why. She probably thought he pitied her because of the grocery store scene. Exhaling, his shoulders sagged and he slouched a bit, trying to appear less threatening just in case she looked up. He was six foot three, and the petite female was around five foot two. When she reached the door, he moved out of her way, giving her plenty of space to pass. He didn’t want her to feel trapped or scared. Her emotions were obvious. It was as if he could feel them himself.
She stopped, surprising him, and Mason hoped that she might at least say hi or introduce herself. Instead, she looked back at Aubrey before scooting past him and leaving.
At first, he wanted to follow her but decided against it and went back inside the hospital room. Aubrey pulled the blanket up and leaned back. He didn’t want to bother her. She needed to heal, but he wanted Sophie more and didn’t want to waste time.
“Aubrey, I hate to bother you, but what does Sophie need? Why can’t she wait much longer?” He heard footsteps and assumed his brothers were behind him but didn’t turn to find out.
“I was going to talk to you about that, actually.” She smiled gently, and Mason was all ears.
“Good. I wouldn’t want to make Noah and Riley torture it out of you.” He grinned and Aubrey laughed. Riley and Noah both grumbled something, but he wasn’t really paying attention to them.
“She needs a cash job. The only reason I was even going to ask you is because I saw the way you were staring at her. She hasn’t had the best life. You and Alex are really good men. I’ve known you for most of my life and trust you.”
Smiling broadly, Mason nodded. He would find a million different jobs for her to do, anything to give him some time to get to know her better. “Thanks, Aubrey. Please, call her and tell her that you found a job for her. Also, mention that her employer won’t ask too many questions and will pay cash.”
“I told her that she would probably be doing housework, cooking, and maybe some ranch work. I wasn’t too specific.”
“I’ll figure it out. Tell her right away. I know she needs the money. Ask her to be at the ranch tomorrow morning after she drops off her daughter at school.”
“I will. Thanks, Mason. You’ve always been a good man.”
“You get better. Alex and I are gonna head out. I’m sure Riley and Noah want to have some alone time with you.”
“I’ll call Sophie right away. Oh, and Mason, her daughter’s name is Alice.”
“Thanks.” He really hoped their relationship would work out. It was obvious to him that both his brothers were in love with Aubrey.
“I’ll call her, but you have to promise me you’ll go easy. She’s had a tough time of it. I don’t know all the details, but you can see she needs some peace in her life.”
Mason nodded. “You know we’ll respect her, Aubrey.”
“I know. I just worry about her. She looked ready to break into a thousand pieces. Honestly, I’d feel better knowing she had you two looking out for her.”
Riley tossed his hat down in a chair. “You trust them to look after your cousin, but you don’t trust us to look after you? Shit.”
“Alex and Mason are more mature than you are.”
Mason didn’t want to stand around and listen to his brothers argue with their woman. He needed an out and fast.
“I’m mature, woman. Fuck, we were going to propose Saturday night. That’s how mature we are.” Mason’s mouth dropped open in shock. Had his brother just said that?
“We didn’t mean to tell you like this. Hell, we wanted it to be romantic, dammit. We love you. You can’t get rid of us or push us out of your life. It won’t work.”
Please just shut up, he begged Noah and Riley inside his head.
“Not sure you make good husband material. You keep getting into bar fights.”
Mason shook his head.
“I’m getting out of here since this is obviously none of my damn business. I hope you feel better, Aubrey. Let us know if you need anything.” He shook his finger at her. “Let people help you. Don’t ov
erdo things, young lady.”
Aubrey rolled her eyes at him. “Geez, okay. Got it. Damn, the McLean men are bossy.”
Mason didn’t have to say a word to Alex. His brother walked next to him as they strode out of the hospital. He was really looking forward to officially meeting Sophie in the morning. Now he just needed to figure out what job to give her. For bachelors, they were both well trained. They cooked their own food, cleaned the house, and took care of the ranch. He didn’t want her to be their maid, but he knew she wouldn’t accept money unless she earned it.
He climbed into his truck, started the engine, and waited for the interior to warm up a bit. Shoving the gear in reverse, he pulled out of his parking spot and headed home. He needed to write out a list of different jobs that she could do. He wanted to make this seem like a real job and not some sort of handout. Should he interview her?
“Mason, what are you thinking about so hard, man?”
“Aubrey is sending Sophie over to our house tomorrow morning. She needs a job and wants to be paid cash.”
“I know, I heard,” Alex mumbled, and Mason felt guilty that he hadn’t really been including Alex in the decision. He needed to include him with Sophie. “Cash, huh? Maybe you were right. Maybe she is on the run from something. Being paid cash means no paper trail.”
“That’s what I was thinking. I’m not too sure about what to have her do. I don’t want her to consider herself our maid.” He shook his head. There was nothing wrong with cleaning for a living, but he didn’t want Sophie to feel as if she were beneath them in any way.
“She wouldn’t just clean. She could make dinner for us, run errands, and do the grocery shopping. Hell, she could even do some of the paperwork for the ranch. If she wanted to work outdoors, we could teach her about ranching firsthand. There is always a ton of work to do.”
“Let’s get some work done, and then we can make a list. She’ll be at our place tomorrow morning after she drops off her daughter, Alice, at school.”
Mason pulled up the long driveway to their home. He hoped that Sophie would like it here. Already, he could imagine her with them and although it was too soon, he really hoped she would like the place. He was ready to jump out of his truck when Alex stopped him, grabbing his bicep.
“Mason.” Alex’s voice was serious, and he turned to look at his brother. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”
“I’ve never felt like this before, either. I can’t explain it, I don’t even know her, but I want to hold her, protect her, and make her laugh. Hell, I’d settle for a smile.” Mason could only shake his head. His brother probably thought he was crazy. Maybe he was.
“I know you care about her. It’s obvious. I just want you to know that if she’s not okay with the both of us…I still want you to move forward.” Mason couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He reacted as if he’d been punched, jerking back.
“What? No, don’t say that. She will want us both. We’re both going to woo her, and she won’t be able to help herself. She’s going to fall in love.” Alex grinned and rolled his eyes.
“I’m just saying that if she doesn’t, I want you to be with her.”
“I know, but we do this together.” Mason got out of his truck and walked toward the house. He wasn’t going to have this discussion with Alex again. If Sophie was the one for them, then it would work out. If not, then at least he had helped someone who needed him.
* * * *
Sophie had spent hours walking down each street in Sanctuary. She walked into almost every place of business looking for a job. So far, things weren’t looking good. She passed Thomas’s Saddle Store on First Street and crossed the road, heading back to the boarding house. Her feet hurt, and she was a tad depressed. Was the economy in that bad of shape that she couldn’t even get a job scrubbing toilets? At this point, she was willing to do almost anything. Almost. She wouldn’t strip or have sex for cash. She had to draw the line somewhere.
Opening the door to the boarding house, Sophie stomped off her feet as she walked inside.
“Hello, Sophie. You got a call from Aubrey Maxwell while you were out.”
“Thanks.” Feeling her spirits lift a bit, Sophie went upstairs to her room. She hoped that Aubrey had some good news.
When she walked inside, the red light on the phone was blinking rapidly. She dialed up the voice mail box and waited. “Hey, Sophie, sorry I missed you. I just wanted to thank you for stopping by. We really need to hang out soon and catch up. I talked to a friend about a job, and they are expecting you tomorrow morning at their ranch. Head there after you drop Alice off at school. The McLean ranch is just off State Road 47, make a left out of the school parking lot, you can’t miss it. Drive past the first main house and follow the road to the left. Mason and Alex McLean. Good luck.”
Exhaling loudly, Sophie hung the phone up and smiled. Thank God! She only had a few minutes before she needed to pick up Alice from school, and her day had just made a turn for the better. It seemed that Aubrey had already told Mason and Alex that she had a daughter, so now she could talk about a work schedule with them. Feeling completely relieved, Sophie grabbed something to eat and headed out to pick Alice up from school.
She reached the school parking lot at two thirty and pulled up against the curb out front of the main office. Having the stress of finding a job off her mind, she was able to relax a bit. Tomorrow was going to be the start she needed, a new job, and a new life. Sophie already knew what she would purchase with her first paycheck. Besides paying for a couple of weeks at the boarding house, she would also buy Alice some new clothes. She was getting taller, and her long pants were looking more like capris.
When the bell rang, signaling the end of school, Sophie looked out the window and waited for Alice to appear. It didn’t take too long before she spotted her and smiled, waving rapidly. Alice grinned and sped up her pace, practically running to the car. She seemed fairly happy, so Sophie assumed that she’d had a semidecent day.
When the passenger side door opened, Sophie greeted her immediately. “Hi, sweetie! How was your first day?”
Alice put her backpack on the floorboard of the car and climbed in, shutting the door behind her. “It was good. How was your day?”
“Good news, I got a job. I start first thing tomorrow morning, after I drop you off at school.”
“Awesome. I’m really happy for you, Mom.” She grinned.
“So, tell me about your day,” Sophie said as she pulled away from the curb and followed a line of cars out of the parking lot.
“It was okay.” She shrugged and Sophie groaned. She always had to pull information out of Alice.
“Do you like your classes? What about your teachers, were they nice? Did you meet any new friends?”
“The classes were okay. The teachers seemed nice. I met a few people.”
Sophie really wished that Alice would open up and chat freely about her feelings, but at least her questions were answered.
Sophie yawned. All weekend she had been looking for a job and worrying herself sick. What she needed right now was a nice, hot bath and a full night’s sleep. Her first day of work was tomorrow, and she was a bit nervous. She assumed that it was like the first day of school for Alice. She would be the new kid, and although she was a quick learner and a hard worker, she was always worried that she wasn’t good enough. She tried to think positive and have good thoughts, but the butterflies wouldn’t go away.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot, next week is spring break. One week of school and then I get a vacation for a week. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Yeah, that’s great,” Sophie responded.
Oh crud, I’m starting a new job tomorrow. I’m going to need to talk to them about Alice. I was going to ask for an afternoon break to pick her up from school. I can’t leave her at the boarding house, alone. Shit…what if they won’t let me have the job? Will they let me bring her with me? What if they don’t? Next week she’ll have the whole week off. What am I going to
do?
Her palms sweating, Sophie gripped the steering wheel tighter and tried to get her breathing under control. She was starting to panic. The only person she knew in Sanctuary was her cousin, and she was in the hospital. She didn’t really feel that comfortable asking for help, but she couldn’t afford any after-school care at this point.
“Mom, are you okay? What’s wrong?” Alice asked, her voice a bit shaky.
Sophie got control of her mild panic attack. She couldn’t worry about that right now. She would talk to her employer tomorrow. It would all work out.
“Everything’s fine. I’m just a bit tired, I guess.”
“Okay…” she said slowly, sounding completely unconvinced.
Sophie felt like such a damn failure. She needed to get herself under control and have a positive attitude. Shaking herself out of her funk, Sophie decided that today she wasn’t going to be weak, passive, or scared. It was time to take her life back. Everything is going to be okay. I’m going to get the job tomorrow and still be able to take care of Alice. There is nothing to worry about.
She took a few deep breaths and felt as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders. No more fear. She really did believe that everything was going to be okay.
Chapter 6
She was screwed.
Sophie had woken up with a positive attitude. She’d gotten dressed, gotten Alice ready, and dropped her off at school. When she pulled up to the McLean ranch, her mouth dropped open as she stared at the beautiful home. This was a house that she had always wanted for Alice. The property was breathtaking, wide open land with animals wandering around. She felt a sense of peace fall over her like a blanket and took a deep breath. Everything about this place was perfect. At least it was until she saw him.
The front door opened a second after she knocked and Sophie came face-to-face with the man who had witnessed one of her most embarrassing moments. She took a step back, biting her bottom lip, and he stared at her, a slight frown on his beautiful face. She was a bit nervous, but instead of cowering or running away, Sophie stood tall and pushed her shoulders back. His facial expression changed immediately, and his eyes sparkled with amusement.