Stealing His Heart (McCormick's Creek Series Book 4)

by Jen Peters

  She did have a good set of events planned. She also spoke well and could make a good case for herself. So even if she was only recently back in town, she had a good chance of grabbing that grant money. And that put a rock in the pit of his stomach.

  He had run the numbers, and the amount of money he needed was staggering if he wanted a full three-day ride with the accompanying amenities. Even if he could con enough friends into volunteering or contributing some services for free, he’d still need several thousand dollars. He had sent out the first feelers for sponsors, but hadn’t heard back. If he could get the two thousand from the grant committee, he’d at least know he could get started.

  He had to admit that Raine was right, though—she had as much right to use the grant money for an event as he did. So why did the thought of her winning make him feel like she was sneaking in and stealing it from him?

  If he got the grant money, maybe Raine could help him with his rally instead. She might be happy to use her expertise. On the other hand, maybe she wouldn’t be speaking to him at all.

  So much for connections and kisses.

  It had been an exhausting day. Brandt had worked as hard as he could, thought as much as he could. He grabbed half of a cold, leftover pizza and crashed on his bed. Raine’s pert eyes came back into his mind, but he shoved them right back out, counted trees instead of sheep, and drifted off.

  * * *

  Rudy said he could man the shop for the whole day, so Brandt took off for some much-needed fun on the trail before the work crew started.

  He headed up the hill on the Sharptail Trail, muscles and bike all working smoothly. The freedom from mental work felt good, but he couldn’t turn off thinking. The forest changed depending on the section he was in, some sparse, some thick with old growth Douglas firs. But no matter where they were, there were places that they’d be cutting some trees. Perhaps that could be done in the winter while they waited for the ground to thaw.

  More trails equaled a good event that would draw plenty of people. A good event equaled more mountain bikers coming to ride on their own more often. And more riders meant more business for his shop, at least some of the time.

  He broke out of the forest and into a meadow. It would be gorgeous on a sunny day, but even with a sky the color of steel, it was a nice change from the deep woods. It didn’t brighten his thoughts, though. If he couldn’t build the trails and pull the event off, it would be years more before his business started making money.

  He didn’t have years.

  He plunged back into the trees and followed the smooth downhill curves almost by rote.

  By his calculations, he’d be out of his grandmother’s money at the end of July. Maybe his website would bring in some long-distance customers, maybe not. And if not…

  Could he really go back to working for his dad? He shuddered. The noise of the city would shatter his nerves now.

  He remembered a particular family, though. The Millers had wanted a house that fit their own carefully-worked budget rather than what the bank said they could borrow. Vaughn had rolled his eyes when they weren’t watching, and turned them over to Brandt.

  Brandt had shown them a few houses in good school districts, learning from their reactions what was really important to them and where they were willing to compromise. Then he went back through his listings and…bingo.

  They had toured a house in a northeast neighborhood, and he’d known from the moment that they walked in that it was the one. The kitchen she wanted, the study he wanted, room for the kids, and right at the top of their budget. They could add a deck and grilling area later.

  The way she’d shrieked and jumped into her husband’s arms would stay in Brandt’s mind forever. So would the handshake Mr. Miller had given him, thanking him for actually listening instead of pushing him into higher and higher priced homes.

  Brandt was on a steeper section of Sharptail now and took a jump and twisted mid-air just for the fun of it; he landed smoothly, negotiated a rocky section, and then things calmed down. Both on the trail and in his mind.

  He’d had his share of real estate buyers who were the opposite of the Millers. One lady had dragged him all over the city to see all sorts of listings: waterfront condos, converted lofts, ten thousand square foot homes…you name it, they’d looked at it. She had complained about the view in one (it overlooked a marina, but there was a telephone pole too close), the master bath in another (the garden tub was six inches too short), the lack of a reading nook in another (although she said she never had time to read).

  After two days, he had happily turned her clipped words and lack of enthusiasm over to Vaughn. Who, of course, had found a match for her in a day. Maybe because they were kindred spirits.

  And Vaughn had earned four times the commission on that sale than Brandt had on the Miller home.

  Even if all his clients could be like the Millers, he still wouldn’t want to return to that life. The city was noisy, the air was filled with car fumes and construction noise, and the social circles his family ran in tended to be superficial.

  Brandt looked up to find he had ridden the Ridge section without even realizing it. But the Sidewinder was ahead, flowy sections and downhill speed, plenty to clear his mind and make his heart pump.

  McCormick’s Creek held everything he wanted: running his own business, riding the trails, and hanging out with friends who worked hard and played hard. His heart was here, and he had to find a way to make things work.

  Chapter 18

  Raine drove out to the Double J ranch on Saturday and looked across the bulldozers clearing a building site for Robin’s animal shelter. Finally, she saw Robin leaning against a fence by the road, talking to a tall cowboy.

  “Robin, hi,” Raine said tentatively. After all, Robin thanking her for an apology didn’t mean they were friends again.

  Robin hesitated too, but was at least kind. “Hi, Lorraine.”

  The cowboy looked between the two of them, then tilted his hat back and waited.

  “I heard you’re doing a calendar for the animal shelter,” Raine began. “I had an idea I wanted to talk to you about.”

  The cowboy looked at Robin again, then spoke. “Hi, I’m Cliff Jackson. Robin’s boyfriend.”

  “Nice to meet you.” And what a boyfriend he was—tall, handsome, and all focused on Robin. Raine was glad for her old friend.

  “About the calendar?” Robin said.

  “Yeah, well, you’re the one with the marketing degree and I’m just an event planner, but I wondered if …” Her voice trailed off. Robin was capable of making her own plans, and Raine really had no business poking her nose in.

  “You wondered what?” Robin leaned against Cliff, and he wrapped his arms around her.

  “Well, puppies are cute, but there are a gazillion calendars out there with them already. So your biggest group of sales will come from people who want to support the shelter. Which is good, but…”

  Robin and Cliff waited. “But what?” Cliff finally said.

  Raine let the words rush out, glad she had rehearsed them so they were at least a little on point. “But wouldn’t it be great if you had calendars that would pull in other people too?”

  Robin frowned. “Like what?”

  “Well,” Raine paused. Here was where it got tricky. “You know our volunteer firefighters? Firemen are also a popular choice for calendars, and a lot of ours are hotties. So what if you combined them? Firefighters and puppies? And the first proceeds could go to the shelter, and any more than that could be split between the shelter and the fire district.”

  Robin looked thoughtful, but Cliff didn’t hesitate. “That would be great! I’m not on the crew, but if I were, I’d be in. And ladies will drool over Justin.”

  Robin giggled. “I can just imagine what he would say.”

  “And Javi and Mick.”

  “Oh, Javi would never take his shirt off for pictures.”

  “He wouldn’t have to,” Raine said. “They can st
ill be plenty sexy with clothes on. And cuddling up to cute puppies? It’s a win.”

  Robin’s eyes brightened, then clouded over. “It felt like old times for a second, but it’s not, is it? I appreciate the idea, and I’ll think about it, but you can’t be part of this.”

  Cliff looked at her quizzically.

  She sighed. “I told you all this, remember?”

  Cliff whipped back to Raine. “That was you?” He pulled Robin back a step.

  Raine looked at the ground, wondering just how much Robin had told him to make him protect her like that. Everything, she supposed. The look on Cliff’s face made her wish she could dig a hole and disappear.

  But she couldn’t. Actions, even past actions, had consequences. She nodded, knowing she had to accept the situation. “I understand. But I still think the calendar is a good idea. And I wish you the best of luck.” She turned and walked back to her car, the noise of the bulldozer filling her ears.

  It had felt like old times for a moment, a whole two-second long moment. Her heart longed for more, for the happy camaraderie of childhood to return. She had to get used to the idea that it was gone.

  * * *

  Raine wandered the living room, stewing over past mistakes and the current lack of good friends. She couldn’t count Brandt—she didn’t know how she felt about him, or how she should feel.

  Ree still judged her harshly, Robin was still standoffish, and that was only fair. Raine wished desperately she could re-do her teenage years, only with the wisdom she had now. Or at least the wisdom she was trying to find—she sure hadn’t had any in Seattle.

  But it was November now, and all she could do was control her own actions. Even with her grant proposal turned in, she still had plenty to do. She gathered paper and pencils and sat at the dining room table to work on the Christmas tree contest. A few businesses had already signed up, she had several families who were excited about it, and the PTO was going to provide concessions. So far, so good, but she needed more.

  Raine sketched a poster design, something shops could put in their windows for easy publicity. And since the school had agreed to donate space, especially since the PTA would benefit directly, she started working out how many trees she could fit in each area.

  Draw a rectangle with circles in it. Try to stay focused. Try circles in different arrangements.

  She finally flipped her pencil in the air—it was pointless to plan walkways without knowing how many trees there would be.

  Besides, her mind wouldn’t stay focused; it kept straying to a certain handsome, often-grimy gentleman.

  She relived their last encounter and wondered if he was right. Could they ignore the competition for the grant and really make a relationship work? Or were they doomed to infrequent, toe-curling kisses?

  Enough of that! Raine pushed herself off the couch, put her tennis shoes on, and headed out to a crisp November day. Maybe a hike up in the fresh air would help.

  She parked on the side of a dirt logging road and started up the mountain. The pine trees and Douglas Firs blocked the sun, but the forest smelled so good that she didn’t care. She took a wide path covered in brown pine needles, pushing herself until her body warmed, and she tied her jacket around her waist. A jay called out raucously, startling her.

  She breathed deeply, letting her heart calm. She’d missed this in the hustle and bustle of city life. Quiet spots to think and feel.

  And feeling right now was … good. She had excitement and frustration with Brandt. She had a cousin and a little boy who loved her, a job that she was expanding, and a life away from drinking and casual sex.

  She did have to admit she was lonely. The only interaction she’d had with Ree or Robin, other than what she initiated herself, was at the grocery store. She hadn’t reconnected with any other old acquaintances beyond the checkout lane, either. Tori was a good friend as well as her cousin, but they were mostly working opposite hours. Tyler brought joy, though—taking care of him was the highpoint of her day.

  Then there was Brandt. What was going on between them? She couldn’t just go and hang out with him, but there was definitely something between them. Sure, he could kiss her socks off, and she’d welcome that any day of the week, but she liked what she knew about him. He was like her in a way, people pushing against him while he tried to make it on his own. And while he liked to be a tough guy who wouldn’t back down, he really was pretty gentle. After all, he kept a pink polka-dot towel because a child gave it to him.

  But there was so much danger there. They were on opposite sides of something that was important to each of them—a perfect recipe for disaster. She’d never known anyone who could make something like this work.

  On the other hand, perhaps she could give him some pointers on putting an event together. He wasn’t trying to host a bike race, just a gathering—surely some of her expertise would come in handy. To start with, did he need help figuring out how to approach potential sponsors?

  There were also the changes she was trying to make in herself, and the reputation she was trying to rebuild. Getting involved with someone led to bad things happening. She’d lose her resolve, they’d end up in bed together, and then someone—Raine—would get hurt.

  She sighed and looked up at the trees, but they were sorely lacking in good advice. “You’re supposed to provide inspiration!” she shouted.

  The only answer was a squirrel she’d startled, scampering up the backside of a tree.

  She leaned against a fir and closed her eyes, not caring if strands of hair got stuck in the bark. She was worth more than a fling, no matter how delicious.

  Which left her alone and lonely.

  Even if everything else were good, could she survive without friends? A bleak image of slogging through day after day at the store flashed through her mind, and she shook her head. She was a social person by nature, and while a lack of boundaries had gotten her into trouble before, she couldn’t live a life without people.

  Maybe coming home hadn’t been such a good idea. Maybe after the Christmas tree contest, she ought to go out to New Jersey and stay with her mother and new step-father.

  On the other hand, maybe she wasn’t the only lonely person around. If Robin and Ree were beyond her reach, and Brandt was confusing, maybe she should go to Chelsea’s barbecue. She could catch up with whoever was still in town and maybe make some new friends.

  A gray bird squawked and flew away. Was that a message?

  She really didn’t think she wanted to hang out with Chelsea on a regular basis, but there had been other girls in the group who hadn’t been too bad. Linda and Amy had actually been decent, probably just caught up in the popularity contest like Raine had.

  Raine pushed off the tree, smoothed her hair, and headed back down the path. Chelsea’s party was on Sunday. She could go after work and see who was there.

  As she walked along the logging road, unexpected voices came from deeper in the forest. Curious, she picked her way through the underbrush.

  “That would be a great line—let’s do it,” came Brandt’s voice.

  “Meet in the middle?” said someone else.

  Puzzled, she pushed between two saplings and saw Brandt with a shovel and Mick with a pick axe. Shauna from the coffee shop worked with a pair of loppers, snipping off slender branches. Javi, Lizzie and two more guys were farther up the hill.

  “What are you doing?” Raine asked.

  “Building another mountain bike trail,” Mick said, at the same time Brandt snapped, “What does it look like?”

  Whoa! What was up with him?

  His eyes were dark, his face guarded. “Sorry, didn’t mean to yell at you.” He softened for just a moment, then stiffened again and went back to his shoveling.

  That certainly answered any relationship questions she might still have, which was good for keeping her resolve. She tried to ignore the way she was crumbling inside.

  “Hi, Raine.” Shauna wiggle-waved her gloved fingers.

  “H
ey, Shauna.” Raine put a bright smile on her face. “So, mountain biking?”

  “Yeah, there’s a bunch of us here. We need more trails for us to ride, plus for next year’s event.”

  Raine moved toward a downslope to see what they’d done. “It’s still going to be too steep for me.”

  “Do you ride?” Shauna asked eagerly. “I’d love someone to ride with.”

  Brandt dug his shovel in. “She can’t decide what she wants to do.” He flung the dirt to the side and slammed the shovel in again.

  Mick and Shauna stared at him, then back at her. Raine shrugged. Evidently he was as frustrated as she was, but she didn’t need to hang around to see it.

  “See you later, guys,” she said, heading back to the logging road. She was definitely going to Chelsea’s barbecue.

  Chapter 19

  “No. Definitely no.” Brandt crossed his arms and stiffened his legs the next day. Neither Justin Cooper’s arguments or Robin Cooper’s pleading on behalf of her dogs were going to change his mind.

  “Come on, it’ll be fun,” Justin said again. “Something to tell your grandkids about.”

  Brandt huffed. “If I do this, I’ll die of embarrassment, and won’t live to have grandkids. I am not going to be a calendar model.”

  “You’d be fully clothed,” Robin said. “Either jeans and a t-shirt or your firefighter gear. Or maybe the photographer would want to try some of each.”

  “And just think of the publicity for your store,” Justin added.

  Yeah, right. Like people would read the back page of a calendar to even know he had a store. He’d had girls all over him during high school and college, including a model who thought he should join her in the business, but giving fake poses in front of a camera was never his thing. And his family…