by Vivian Arend
“Stop worrying. I intend to enjoy my evening, but I wanted to know how your weekend went.”
Anyone else Josiah would’ve accused of wanting the dirt simply for curiosity’s sake, but Caleb was a good friend and had been for a number of years. He knew what was going on.
Which meant he would know the instant Josiah started lying.
He tried anyway. Or at least attempted to skip the details. “It was good. I always enjoy going back to Rosebud and visiting my parents. They have a production of Oliver they’re getting ready for the summer and I got to make suggestions for set design.”
“And…?”
Josiah sighed. “The wedding was great. Darlene and her husband are head over heels. He seems a decent fellow.”
Caleb offered a low rumble, something between sympathy and annoyance. “I can’t believe your ex-girlfriend asked you to give her away.”
“Hey, what can I say? I’m an awesome guy. Everybody likes me.”
“Of course, they do. She still shouldn’t have done it,” Caleb complained.
“It’s okay, really. We mutually called it off well over two years ago. It’s not as if I’ve been pining away with a broken heart.” Josiah chuckled. “My ego’s not broken. Although I’m starting to understand that always a bridesmaid, never the bride joke a whole lot more.”
Because that’s what made this annoying. This was the third time. Not the actual giving-away-the-bride part—this wedding had been a first for that oddity.
With Josiah’s college girlfriend, they’d both been clear what they were looking for. Companionship, some fun. Basically, a great time.
When she called it off, it was far from the end of the world. They were friends and liked each other, but it wasn’t going anywhere else, yada, yada. Josiah hadn’t been hurt, not even when she started dating someone else by the end of the week.
Within a month his ex and her new beau were engaged.
Josiah had laughed. He was happy for her—because even if he’d been considering getting more serious, which he hadn’t, no way he’d have been ready for marriage that quickly. He’d attended her wedding and shared amusing stories, and it hadn’t seemed strange at all.
Not until the same thing happened with his next girlfriend.
The third time? Yeah, it was no longer funny.
“Josiah?”
Damn. He’d been so busy in his head he hadn’t heard his friend’s question. “Sorry. Woolgathering. What’s up?”
“Wanted to know if you’re interested in a poker night. Tamara insists I take the chance before the baby arrives. Of course, that means I’m volunteering your house.”
Caleb sounded apologetic, which was just wrong.
“Yes to poker. Of course, we can use my house. Stop sounding as if you’re imposing. I know you love your family, but Tamara’s right. Especially if she has a girl. You’re going to need an extra boost of testosterone just to balance the scales.”
“As it’s been pointed out more than once, with my four brothers, all the ranch hands, and how often you stop by, there’s a decided testosterone overload around Silver Stone.”
Josiah wasn’t sure he agreed. “Between your two little girls, your wife, and your brothers’ women—I think every one of them is worth at least four of us. Which means you’re coming over Tuesday night, yes?”
“Yes,” Caleb answered decisively. “Want me to extend the invite to my brothers?”
“Definitely.”
“Wait—how did you know I was hanging out with Tamara?”
Confession time. Although Josiah wasn’t sure how much to admit. “Chatted with Lisa in the barn.”
“Ahh. She make a bet with you? Swear that woman gets more pleasure out of plotting mischief than anyone I’ve ever met.”
That was not what Josiah wanted to hear. He would love to be making mischief with Lisa. Hot, sweaty, dirty mischief.
Not a comment he should make to her brother-in-law, no matter that Caleb was his best friend.
He must have hesitated too long again because Caleb jumped in. “Dammit, Josiah. Something’s wrong. The weekend hit you harder than you’re saying,” Caleb guessed.
“No, I mean yes—it’s given me lots to think about,” Josiah admitted. “But I’m not upset. Why should I be? Both Darlene and I moved on with our lives and are perfectly happy. It’s good for people to grow and do the next thing.”
“I guess. Except sometimes people move on to the next thing because they don’t know how good they’ve already got it.”
That comment was way too cryptic for this time of night.
Josiah made the final turn into his driveway, shocked to discover two dually trucks with horse trailers behind them already parked outside his barn. “Looks as if my new roommates have shown up a day early.”
“Two more sets of pockets to win money from. Gotta like that.”
“Let’s hope they’re not ringers.”
“I’m glad they’re there. It’ll be good for you not to be rambling around that big house on your own. And next time, stop in. Jackass,” Caleb muttered with affection.
“I will,” Josiah promised before he hung up.
He parked in front of the ranch house, bundling up his coat tightly against the crisp night air as he marched across the snowy ground toward the barn.
The call from his friend had been a good distraction, but it didn’t change the annoyance in his belly.
He hadn’t lied to Caleb. The past weekend had hit him with some basic truths, and the trip home from Rosebud had been long enough to mull over an idea hard enough to make a decision.
It was time to stop messing around. He was ready to do the next thing. He was ready to settle down and put down roots, and all of the things that involved home and hearth.
He even had the perfect woman in mind. Lisa Coleman.
Josiah had spent the entire time he’d been trapped on the wall plotting how to convince Lisa to start dating him. Yet the first thing she’d shared was that she was going away.
Her comment had thrown him for a loop.
No more. No more was he playing fast and loose and just being with a woman for a good time—although Lisa had never been on the one-night-stand list for so many reasons.
Still, there nothing wrong with his past sex life—and he obviously hadn’t left a trail of broken hearts in his wake.
But what chance did he have at forever with someone who was already planning to leave?
Except…
Lisa hadn’t been positive what she wanted to do, and he regretted racing away so quickly. He’d never been good at coming up with last-minute changes, and this time it had kicked him in the butt.
No more living from day-to-day for momentary pleasures. He wanted it all. He wanted a future with someone who considered him valuable enough to stick with, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.
If he could figure out exactly why Lisa planned to leave Heart Falls, maybe he could offer convincing reasons for her to stay. Since it seemed she didn’t know what she was looking for, this could end up being a perfect opportunity for them to build a solid relationship.
It was a brilliant idea. It was an idea that was totally going to work.
Now he just had to convince Lisa to get on board.
2
Josiah stepped into the warmth of the barn. His gaze slid to the left where a yellow glow fell over the hay bales stacked along the inner wall.
Two men rose from where they’d been sprawled comfortably, hitting their feet as he approached.
“I’m Josiah. Sorry I wasn’t home when you got here.”
“We made better time than expected. We figured you wouldn’t mind if we got our animals under shelter.” The first man shook his hand firmly. He wore his reddish hair cut short, and his neatly trimmed facial hair framed a serious expression. “Finn Marlette. This is Zachary Sorenson.”
“I go by Zach.” The dark-haired man stepped forward, his bright smile spreading from ear-t
o-ear. In spite of the lateness of the hour, he looked as if he’d just begun his day. “We’ve got our horses tied up out of the way in your training arena. Where do you want them?”
“Over here.” Josiah guided them to the end of the barn and the stalls he’d prepared. “I board extra horses, mostly in the summer for visitors to the community. The stalls are empty right now.”
“These will work great.”
Josiah joined them in the arena where a half-dozen animals waited patiently. Finn brought forward a beautiful black stallion, pausing to glance back over his shoulder as another animal made a noise of distress.
Josiah hurried forward to help, catching hold of the stallion’s lead rope.
The beast stomped his feet uneasily before eyeing Josiah closer. He tilted his head almost like a puppy, nostrils flaring.
This never failed to give Josiah a thrill. He eased forward, eyes drifting over the animal’s withers. He kept his body twisted to one side, completely relaxed. Breathing deep, he focused on absolute calm inside.
The next moment the stallion sniffed him, muzzle rising until he could bat his head against the side of Josiah’s face.
Josiah moved slowly, but he firmly patted the animal on the neck. “Nice to meet you too.”
He tangled his fingers in the animal’s halter, twisting to discover Finn and Zach staring.
Zach’s jaw hung open. “How’d you do that? Mywaye gets cranky with anyone but Finn.”
Josiah shrugged. “We all have talents. Animals like me. I thought we could put him in the first pen. It’s one of the larger ones, so he shouldn’t feel as if we’re slighting him.”
He gestured to the side.
Finn finally found his tongue. “That’s great.”
They worked together easily as Josiah showed them around the barn, pointing out where the feed was and where they could put their tack. All three men were used to working with horses and by the time the animals were settled, Josiah felt as if he’d had a wonderful introduction to his new roommates.
Finn was the more serious of the two, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a sense of humour. Zach would set up the perfect straight line and Finn would step in to drop a great response. Josiah appreciated the teamwork involved and the deep-seated affection between the two men was clear.
They closed the barn door behind them, continuing to chat as Josiah led them toward the house. “I can tell you’ve been friends for a long time.”
“Us? Friends?” Zach paused. “Oh, right. Finn paid up until the end of the month, so we’re good until then.”
Finn snorted then ignored Zach, focusing on Josiah as he guided them into the warm house. “You’re a veterinarian?”
“Yes.”
Finn settled on the bench by the door to tug off his boots. “Good. Means you recognize bullshit.”
A soft chuckle escaped Zach as he grinned at his friend. “By the way, thanks again for the lodging. Finn bought a house, but it’s going to need a lot of work before it’s livable.”
“So you said. You never told me what you bought, though,” Josiah pointed out.
“Local gossip chain hasn’t let you know yet?” A smile, small but intense, teased Finn’s lips.
“That answers my second question. You obviously understand the dynamics of small-town living. No, I didn’t hear any rumours about you. Expect that to be over and done with by seven a.m. or earlier if you show up at the coffee shop. Buns and Roses is the best place in town and they open their doors at six.”
“We’ve got no reason to keep being here secret, right, Finn?” The way Zach said it implied the exact opposite.
“No reason at all,” Finn drawled. “But maybe we can discuss this over some food. If you don’t mind us helping ourselves to the kitchen.”
“I’ll grab the food out of the truck,” Zach offered.
In the end all three of them helped get the supplies, then Josiah offered a quick tour of where all the important appliances were, like the coffee maker and the frying pan.
They had a simple supper on the table in less than thirty minutes. They loaded their plates then fell silent, concentrating more on shoveling in food than chatting.
Josiah hadn’t realized how huge the empty pit in his stomach had been. He’d forgone dinner until after stopping at Silver Stone, but getting caught on the wall had knocked everything else from his brain.
They all finished around the same time, sliding back in their chairs and refilling their cups as they settled in for more conversation.
“I know you said you bought property, but I’m not clear what you’ve got planned in Heart Falls. It’s a pretty small place for new ventures to take off.” Josiah focused on Finn. “And I can’t figure out why your name sounds so familiar.”
“I bought land at the north boundary of town. There’s a few old buildings and a ranch house that’s ready to fall apart, but the views are amazing, and I don’t mind putting money into a new structure,” Finn said.
“Finn is the money man,” Zach said. “Likes to invest in all sorts of things and see what sticks. Property, dude ranches, oil and gas—”
That was it. “You’re the one doing the oil exploration on my friend’s ranch. Now I remember.”
Finn glanced up from where he was repetitively rotating a fork on the table. “Been disappointing not to be able to give Caleb better news, but sometimes that’s how it goes. If you’re interested, we can do some testing at your place as well, but you’re not in the right geological zone.”
Josiah waved off the suggestion. “I knew when I bought the place there were no mineral rights to utilize. But it’s interesting you’ve decided to come out here. To Heart Falls, I mean. Seems as if you’ve got your choice of locations to settle.”
“Not really settling down,” Finn said. “It’s always good to have more than one pot on the stove. Gives you lots of options.”
A chair scratched against the tile floor as Zach pushed back from the table to grab the coffee pot, lifting it in the air in question.
Josiah shook his head. Zach refilled Finn’s cup and his own then sat. “Speaking of options, what can you tell me about downtown? I understand it’s small, but do you know anything about the old Brewster building?”
“The old bank? I’d guess it’s one step away from a historic site. It’s been empty for as long as I’ve lived in the area.”
For some reason that answer brought a pleased smile to Zach’s face. “You know who owns it?”
Josiah thought for a moment. “I could ask around. What do you need a building downtown for?”
“Zach is the idea man,” Finn offered quietly. “Of course, all his ideas seem to require some of my money…”
“You’re not required to participate in any of them. You just know a good investment when you hear one,” Zach tossed back.
Josiah laughed. It was going to be good to have these two around for the next while. Caleb had been right—it was too big of a house to be rambling around in by himself. While he fought to figure out what to do about the Lisa situation, getting to know these two would help pass the time.
“What’s your idea?” he asked Zach.
“Microbrewery. I did some research, and there’re none in the immediate area. Depending on how we market it, something like Heart Falls Hops could end up being a lot of fun.”
“And fun is his middle name,” Finn drawled.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Josiah said with a nod. “You might do just fine setting up a brewery. Honestly, the only business I wouldn’t suggest is another coffee shop, because supporters of the Fields family would find some way to bury you.”
For a second Zach looked as if he wouldn’t mind a challenge. Then he shrugged. He gathered their plates and headed to the counter to start washing up. “I’m not looking to make trouble. At least not at first. I need a little time to discover the lay of the land and figure out exactly what I want to do. In the meanwhile, I’ll be swinging a hammer and using a crowbar over at t
he money pit Finn bought.”
“You need time swinging a hammer to come up with a better name than Heart Falls Hops. That sounds like a grade two jump rope team.” Finn stood and offered Josiah a brief grin. “Zach’s got his usual twenty-four-seven energy, but I need to hit the sack before I fall over. Thanks for opening your home.”
“My pleasure.”
As Josiah helped them clean up and put things away then showed them their rooms, he realized it was the truth.
He liked having people around. He’d grown up in a big family and being on his own was no longer what he wanted. It was far better to have conversation to occupy his mind rather than cold, empty walls echoing back nonsense when he spoke out loud.
When he woke in the morning to dreams that involved female hands running over his torso, damned if the illusion didn’t bring up another reason why he was tired of being alone.
Lisa Coleman was smart and sexy, and both descriptors turned him on.
In that restless space between sleep and awake, he pictured her perfectly, her dark hair curling softly around her shoulders. He’d only seen it down a few times instead of pulled up into a ponytail as she rushed after her nieces or gave her extended family a hand doing tasks around the barn.
Slim body, smaller up top, but with more than enough curves. He’d be happy exploring every one of them for a hell of a long time.
He had far too good of an imagination, which was both a weakness and strength. Josiah forced himself into his morning routine instead of lingering in bed and dealing with his hard-on.
This impulse he had to press Lisa up against the nearest surface and kiss the grin off her face until she was screaming his name with pleasure—that was only part of it.
Although that was the part he’d been dreaming about with great regularity.
Enough. The day was young. Somehow, he was going to move forward and find out more. Find out what needed to happen to make both their dreams come true.
If he had to do some ahead of time planning to make sure he didn’t once again get caught unawares—
Oh.
Oh, yes.
Josiah found himself grinning as an idea bloomed from seed to actionable. He had plenty of past experience following a script.