by Vivian Arend
Zach rolled his eyes. “This is what happens when Finn says he’s going to take the day off.” He marched to the front door, speaking loudly as he went as if hoping Finn would hear. “Wouldn’t hurt if you spent one day on your ass and let the rest of us do the same.”
He jerked the door open.
It wasn’t Finn. It was Julia’s father, George Coleman, standing there larger than life with a very unwelcoming expression on his face as he stared Zach down.
“Don’t usually spend a lot of time on my ass, especially when one of my girls gets married without letting me know. There’s a family dinner on Monday. Figured this might be a good time to come and get to know my new son-in-law a little better.”
13
Unexpected was a mild word for it. Zach held his ground, even as Julia jerked her robe tighter around herself. She inched her way out of the center of the room.
“Hey,” she said. “Give me a minute to get dressed, and I’ll come say hi.”
She slid out of sight, disappearing into the bathroom.
Being alone with her father set a twitch rolling at the back of Zach’s neck. Still, he kept it together enough to gesture the man farther into the room. “Can I get you a coffee?”
George Coleman nodded briskly, slipping his boots off by the door and making his way across to the table. “I made better time than I expected. Figured it would take until at least midmorning to get here.”
Zach worked the coffee machine. “You got somebody covering chores while you’re gone?”
The other man settled in the hardback chair where a short time ago Zach had been happily staring across the table at a sleep-tousled Julia. In fact, he’d had all sorts of delicious plans for the day percolating through his brain.
And while the information about the job had snuck out a little sooner than planned, her impulsive hug had meant a lot.
He liked making her happy.
Zach put the coffeepot on the table along with a cup and cream and sugar. Settling into his chair made him realize the other man hadn’t answered his question. He just sat there, glaring.
Zach raised a brow. “Something wrong?”
George folded his arms over his chest. “You think I’d come out here without having someone taking care of things back home?”
Dammit. Zach prided himself on being able to talk to just about anybody about anything. Usually he could sweet-talk them into profitable ventures for him and Finn to boot.
It seemed he had met his Achilles’ heel.
He was about to launch into his defense, when Julia reappeared, slipping back into the kitchen area now dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
Zach blinked. She’d reentered the room by walking out of his bedroom.
“Hey, Dad. This is an unexpected surprise.” Julia snuck in close enough to give the older man a quick peck on the cheek before she settled in the chair closest to Zach.
When she tangled her fingers with his, Zach finally found his smile. A true smile, because she was putting them out there as a real couple.
It felt good.
George eyed them both before filling his cup and adding a dash of milk. He stared into the liquid as he stirred. “Tamara told me to come for dinner Monday night, but I figured I’d come a little early to spend some time with you.” He lifted a finger toward Zach, not meeting his eyes. “I’d like to have a chat with this one.”
Julia’s expression tightened. “I hope you don’t intend to try some ‘what are your intentions with my daughter?’ thing with Zach. Our relationship is our business.”
George dipped his chin, seemingly fascinated with his cup of coffee. “So Tamara told me. Nothing wrong in a man wanting to make sure his girls are being treated right, though.”
Beside him, Julia nearly vibrated. While Zach understood some of her frustration, he understood a whole hell of a lot more where George Coleman was coming from. “Of course you’re concerned. But I assure you, Julia and I are doing just fine. We’ve got things figured out.”
“Still be good to have some time to chat,” George said briskly. He glanced at Julia. “The other girls told me you’ve got a spare room here in the cabin. Thought I’d bunk with you guys this trip. Make it easier to shoot the breeze while I’m here.”
Zach’s first response was the fervent wish he could swear out loud and profusely. Having a houseguest was going to complicate things. The second thing to race through his mind, though?
Having a houseguest could make things very interesting indeed.
Julia hesitated before managing a shaky smile. “Sure. Just have to give me a few minutes to tidy up. I’ve kind of spread out all over the place.”
Utter bull hockey. The woman never left a single thing out of place, and her room looked like a military unit had bunked down with him. Still, Zach figured he knew what she was planning.
“Why don’t I take your dad for a tour of the ranch while you deal with that, sweetie?” Zach squeezed the arm he’d wrapped around her waist.
Julia’s expression as she stared up at him was halfway between amusement and terror. “Sounds like a great idea, baby.”
He shoved down a snort of amusement, finishing the rest of his coffee before tilting his head at George. “Ready to go?”
It was rather surreal wandering Red Boot ranch with Julia’s dad. The man asked a few generic questions, but mostly just marched at Zach’s side, peering into nooks and crannies as if they were of vital interest.
They’d just entered the main barn where the horses were stabled when Finn appeared. Thank goodness for small mercies.
George’s expression lightened the slightest bit. “Finn.”
It seemed the arrival of their father-in-law—there was a strange realization. Father-in-law!—had also come as a shock to Zach’s best friend.
Finn recovered quickly though, marching forward to offer his hand. “Didn’t expect to see you here this early. Dinner’s not till tomorrow night.”
“Took some time off.” George folded his arms over his chest again, glancing between Finn and Zach. “Now which one of you is going to tell me what the hell is up?”
Even as Zach prepared for battle, Finn chuckled, easing the tension.
His best friend had experience dealing with the older man. If Finn could find a way to make this go smoother, Zach would back his play all day long.
A gentle shift of Finn’s shoulders followed. “Don’t know if you’ve seen this in action yourself, but what I figure is this one here”—Finn jerked a thumb at Zach—“saw what a good thing Karen and I had going on and decided he was ready for it himself.”
George’s frown remained in place. “It’s a little quick.”
Zach followed Finn’s lead. “Not really. Julia and I met last spring. It’s true we didn’t officially start dating until the summer, but as Finn said, there’s a lot to like about Julia.”
George Coleman’s expression hardly budged. “Don’t try tossing me a line, boy. Whatever’s happening, it isn’t because you’re head over heels in love.”
Lie, or go for the truth?
He never got a chance to decide which route to try because feminine laughter rang behind them. Karen and Julia appeared, as if they’d just happened to end up in the same place at the same time.
“Hey, Dad. Julia told me you’d shown up. Glad you made it early.” Karen came and gave him a quick hug before stepping back with a seemingly excited smile. “In fact, this is perfect timing. Finn and I have been wanting to take you for a ride with some of the new stock we purchased.”
George’s expression grew conflicted. “Wanted to spend some time with Julia. And him.” The flick of his finger was pretty much as if he was knocking an unwanted fly away.
Zach rubbed his hand across his lips to hide a smile.
Julia was at his side, hand slipping into his again. “We’d love to go for a ride. No reason why the five of us can’t head out.”
It seemed that was all it took. Finn gestured the older man farther into t
he barn. “Come on. I’ll show you a couple to take your pick from.”
The temptation was obviously too much. Julia’s dad cracked a smile and paced after Finn. “Karen told me you’ve made some fine purchases.”
At Zach’s side, annoyance zinged across Julia’s face. “Karen was the one who made those purchases,” she murmured, leaning into him.
The expected error from her father wasn’t the first thing on Zach’s mind. “I thought you were cleaning up your room so your dad can use it tonight.”
“I started, but then realized no way I should leave you alone with him for any length of time. I called Karen, and we figured since we’re here, we were the quickest rescue squad. Lisa is coming over. She’ll sneak into the cabin and move my stuff into your room.”
Teamwork at its finest. Zach nodded. “That means we don’t have much to do except enjoy another horseback ride. Your dad’s not gonna get out of line with Finn around. He respects him too much.”
Which meant the next couple of hours passed in a comfortable haze. George Coleman was suitably entertained by Finn pointing out the latest developments around the ranch.
Also, Karen periodically asked her father’s opinion about various animals. Advice she didn’t need, but the questions stroked the man’s ego just enough to keep him off-kilter.
Zach was forced to contrast this with his last interaction with his own parents. Zachary Senior and Pamela Sorenson did demand their children live up to their potential—but said potential was always based on what made each of them personally happy, not on kowtowing to parental expectations.
It seemed what he had was less common. His family had always been there for him. Even now he knew they would be supportive and help him reach his goals—once he got around to mentioning his current situation, however much he decided to share.
That wasn’t the case with Finn. Zach had also caught bits and pieces over the past months that suggested the Whiskey Creek girls hadn’t always felt supported.
Watching George Coleman move through the morning with his daughters and Finn—and admittedly a plus-one unexpected son-in-law—Zach wondered if the older man had the ability to change enough to be what Julia needed.
That old sensation of possessiveness struck, but this time with a twist. Zach didn’t really care what the man thought about him, but he cared immensely how Julia felt at the end of the day.
It gave Zach an additional reason to be watchful. Perhaps his recent resolution had been to say yes to all of Julia’s requests, spoken and unspoken, but it was equally important to say no to anything that would hurt her.
Somehow, he needed to do it in a way that made it clear she would be provided for but also listened to. If George Coleman had a problem with Zach being that person in her life, the sooner they found out, the better.
Family to the rescue.
Even the thought of that seemed strange, but also sweetly welcoming. Julia inched closer against Zach’s side, partly as a pretence to stay out of the conversation on the other side of the fire where her father was regaling them all with a tale of something big and supposedly important.
While the official family dinner wasn’t until tomorrow evening, Lisa had offered up an impromptu barbecue at her and Josiah’s place.
Barbecue meant less time sitting at the table and more spent relaxing beside Zach.
Thinking of Zach—the entire day he’d been wonderful and terrible all at the same time. Always within reach, yet never overwhelming. When it was appropriate, he’d held her hand or draped an arm over her shoulders.
Julia had to face the truth. This pretend thing between them wasn’t enough anymore. Barely a week in, and she was ready to toss good sense to the wind. Which made her the worst possible fake girlfriend—oops, worst possible fake wife ever.
Because wanting more was just going to get them both in trouble.
As the night grew later and the sun dipped behind the Rocky Mountains, Julia decided she may as well take the chance. Zach could be trusted. He wasn’t going to run off and spout her business to all and sundry.
Still didn’t mean he would say yes to her proposition.
The fire crackled, and a yawn escaped her.
Zach took that as his cue to squeeze her waist. “Ready to head home?”
She glanced across at where her father was still involved in a vigorous conversation with Finn and Josiah. “He doesn’t look ready to leave yet.”
Zach shrugged. “He’s got legs. If he insists on bunking with us, he can get a ride back with Finn and Karen, then march over to the cabin and let himself in.”
On her other side, Lisa tapped a hand on her leg to get her attention. She crooked a finger, waiting until Julia leaned over far enough to hear her quietly spoken words.
“Go home. Dad surprised you in the first place, but we’ve got it under control. You’ll spend all day tomorrow dealing with him.” Her eyes widened, then mischief painted her features. “Although, I meant to remind you. You and I said we would meet at Buns and Roses at ten.”
“We did?”
Lisa nodded solemnly.
Understanding flooded Julia. “Oh, right. We did.”
Her sister’s grin flashed brightly. “Bring him along. We’ll divide and conquer.”
Impulsively, Julia caught Lisa’s fingers and squeezed them tight. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. For everything.”
Julia wasn’t exactly sure what that last bit meant, but as she pressed her shoulder against Zach’s, Julia winked then raised her voice to be heard across the fire. “Zach and I are heading home. Do you want to come with us now, Dad? Or get a ride with Karen?”
George Coleman glanced toward them briefly before dipping his chin. “You kids go on ahead. Finn will take care of me.”
Julia caught Karen’s gaze for a moment. So much shared emotion passed between them. It took effort to pull herself back together to offer a lighthearted response. “Okay. We’ll see you in the morning.”
Escaping wasn’t quite as simple as that. Everyone offered hugs, including her dad. Sort of. He laid a hand on both her shoulder and Zach’s and squeezed. “Just leave the door open. I’ll be sure to be quiet.”
Slipping in the door of the cabin was like taking a deep inhalation. Trembling on the edge of a decision, Julia knew she had to make a choice. It was either time to move ahead or stop tormenting the two of them for good.
Zach turned in the middle of the kitchen area, giving her plenty of room as his expression turned apologetic. “I guess we’re back to being literal roomies.”
She nodded. “Don’t try and give me some half-cocked idea about sleeping on the floor. Hardwood is nice, but not as a mattress.”
He hesitated. “Well, why don’t you get ready for bed? Hopefully you can find everything from where Lisa hid it.”
“You go ahead,” she insisted. “I need to make a few notes for tomorrow while I remember.” She picked up her journal and wiggled it in the air. “I won’t be long.”
He glanced at the book in her hands then turned obediently. “See you when you’re ready.”
The sound of water coming on in the bathroom mixed with her pen moving slowly across the page. If she was going to do this, she may as well make it official.
It took thirty seconds to write the actual words, but it seemed she’d barely finished when ten minutes later, Zach cracked open the bedroom door. “Bathroom is all yours.”
Chin up, she stepped boldly across the room and across the threshold, closing the door firmly behind her.
At first glance, there weren’t many of her things around the room. But then again, she didn’t tend to have a lot of knickknacks to spread out.
Zach pointed at the dresser. “I’ll say this for her, she’s efficient. Lisa amalgamated my stuff into the drawers on the left. Your things are on the right.”
She made a face. “Sorry. I didn’t realize she would crash your privacy while helping me.”
A snort escaped him. “I am de
vastated that she discovered I have mismatched socks in my sock drawer.”
Julia folded her arms over her chest then stared at him.
His brow rose. “What?”
“You’re being far too reasonable again.”
“Reasonableness is my downfall,” he confessed. “Sometime you’ll have to take it up with my sisters. I’m sure it’s their fault.”
“I’m sure.”
Still laughing, Julia grabbed what she needed from the drawers on the right then disappeared into the bathroom.
Five minutes later she gave herself a stern pep talk, staring into the mirror. “This is a no harm, no foul situation. Either he says yes or he says no, and either way, we’ll know how to proceed.”
A firm chin dip later, she opened the door and marched to the side of the bed.
Zach was tucked under the covers. He wore a pale-grey T-shirt, his broad shoulders and muscular chest visible as he sat upright, leaning on a stack of pillows. He had a reader in his hand, and—
Holy crap, that was sexy. “You wear glasses?”
The most adorable flush covered his cheeks. “Sometimes?”
She made sure her expression matched her approval. “I like them.”
“I like them too, since they help me see and all.” Still, he slipped them off, placing them on the side table. “They’re special glasses with a tint to them. They help me track better on digital devices. I don’t have much of a problem when it comes to paperwork, but screens are a different matter. My mom figured out that’s why I was getting wicked headaches back in high school.”
“Go, Mom.” Julia took a deep breath and settled on top of the covers of what she guessed was her side of the bed. “Can we talk about something?”
His expression turned inquisitive, his full attention on her.
She held out her journal. “Since I figured we’ll be all awkward sharing a bed because of not letting my dad find out the truth, I decided we may as well go for full-out embarrassment.”
Zach took the notebook from her. “What’s this?”