Reunited in the Rockies

by Mindy Obenhaus

  She straightened. Other than the wedding and the hotel, Jude was no longer a part of her life. Nor would he ever be. Still, the opportunity to renovate this house was one she’d jump on in a heartbeat. That is, if it was for sale.

  Looking to see if there might be a sign, she admired the house next door. Another Victorian that someone had breathed new life into. She visually skimmed the gray-blue exterior with all of its intricate details before shifting her focus to the stunning flower garden in the side yard. And there in its midst was an arbor similar to the one Lily had pointed out at the bridal shop yesterday.

  She studied it curiously. She’d heard it said that when God spoke He often repeated Himself so a person was sure to hear Him.

  God, I know an arbor would be perfect. But where would I build it?

  The sound of gravel crunching drew her attention to the street, where a police SUV moved slowly toward her. And inside was none other than Jude Stephens.

  He eased to a stop in front of her and rolled his window down. “Looks pretty bad, doesn’t it?” He pointed to the yellow house.

  Heat crept into her cheeks. “Yeah.” He knew how much she’d loved this house.

  “What are you up to?” Arm draped over the steering wheel, he continued to watch her.

  “Just catching up with the town.” She glanced at the arbor again, remembering not so much her conversation with Jude last night, but where it took place. His shop would be the perfect place to build an arbor. But first she’d have to ask him.

  Drawing in a breath, she faced him again. “See that arbor over there?” She pointed.

  “In that garden?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about it?”

  “When Lily and I were at the bridal shop yesterday, she showed me a wedding photo with an arbor similar to that. A couple had used it for an altar. She said she’d wanted to have something comparable but couldn’t find one rustic enough.” Kayla stepped closer to the vehicle. “Since I have yet to find the right wedding gift for her, I thought I could build her one. She could use it in the wedding and then later at their home.”

  “Where are you going to do that?”

  “Well...” Standing beside the SUV, she dragged her boot through the gravel. “Could I build it in your shop?”

  “I...don’t know about that.”

  “Oh. Okay.” He could have at least taken a moment to think about it. “I guess I’ll just have to come up with something else.” She returned to the sidewalk.

  “On second thought.” His words had her whirling back around. “I haven’t gotten them a gift either.” He drummed his fingers on the dash. “And something like that—” he pointed in the direction of the arbor “—would be more personal than something bought in a store.” He seemed to ponder her request before meeting her gaze. “What if we built it together and made it from both of us?”

  Together? That had never entered her thought process. But if that’s what it took to give Lily the perfect gift...

  “I’m willing to do that.”

  “Good.” He checked his watch. “I get off work at five. What do you say we grab some dinner and talk about a design?”

  Dinner? With Jude? “I can draw up something.”

  “Yes, but if it’s going to be from both of us, I’d like to have some input, too. And it’s not like we have a lot of time.”

  Suddenly her great idea didn’t seem so great. The way he manipulated the situation... Sure Jude was a nice guy, but Shane had been nice, too. Charming even. It wasn’t until after they were married that she’d seen his true colors.

  Jude’s not Shane. He wouldn’t try to make you do anything you didn’t want to do. But then, I think you already know that.

  Lily’s words replayed in her mind.

  Contemplating the man before her, Kayla thought about the Jude she once knew. In many ways, he was the same man. But when it came to judging someone’s character, she was a proven failure.

  The guy only asked you to dinner—a public, working one at that. He’s not looking for a lifetime commitment.

  She really did want to do this arbor for Lily. And since it looked like this was her only option—

  “All right. I’m craving stew. I’ll meet you at O’Brien’s at six. Don’t be late.”

  * * *

  Two days after an all-too-revealing discussion about his and Kayla’s breakup, Jude was still trying to wrap his brain around the fact that it was nothing more than a misunderstanding that had torn the two of them apart. He still couldn’t believe that she thought he’d broken things off. All the while, he’d been here, wondering why she refused to talk to him.

  He shook his head. Trying to forget what you’ve believed for years wasn’t easy. So, when Kayla had asked to use his shop, he’d been kind of taken aback. At least he’d managed to smooth over that mistake. By suggesting they work together, no less.

  Still, over dinner last night, he’d realized just what a great idea the arbor was. Like Kayla, he didn’t want to give his brother some cheesy, unmemorable gift that would be tucked away in a closet and forgotten. No, he’d much rather give Noah and Lily something with meaning and purpose. And an arbor would be just that.

  Now, Jude and Kayla were on a mission. Armed with the collaborative design they’d come up with over dinner last night, it was time to get the lumber and hardware. Since it was already Monday and they intended to present Lily and Noah with the arbor at the rehearsal dinner Friday night, there wasn’t much time.

  Darkness surrounded them as they headed north on Highway 550 just before seven Monday evening. Typically, he made his trips to the home improvement store in the mornings, but with him on duty today and Kayla helping Lily with wedding preparations, there wasn’t much choice.

  Glancing toward the other side of the cab, he was reminded of all the times he and Kayla had made this same drive, usually for dinner or a movie. Except back then she would sit next to him and they’d talk the whole way. Now she hugged the other side of the vehicle, not saying a word. As though they were complete strangers.

  He didn’t like that at all.

  Desperate to break the silence, he said, “Do you have your list?”

  “Yes, but I’m wondering if we shouldn’t make the arbor arched instead of squared.”

  “Why?” Last night she’d seemed to know exactly what she wanted.

  “Because I want it be perfect.”

  “I thought it was supposed to be rustic? That negates perfection.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her frown. “Okay, you said Lily showed you a photo. What did that arbor look like?”

  “It was made of cedar.”

  “Arched or squared?”

  “Squared.”

  He looked her way. “What’s the problem then?” Why was she vacillating?

  Her shoulder lifted. “I guess you’re right.”

  Oh, he knew he was right. Question was, why didn’t she? “Listen, Kayla, there isn’t a right or wrong here. Lily will love it no matter what.”

  The corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly. “Yeah, I think she will, too.”

  She thinks? That wasn’t the Kayla he knew.

  Tightening his grip on the steering wheel, he decided to change the subject. “What did you do today?”

  “Lily and I worked on favors for the wedding guests, and I called my boss back in Denver.”

  Ah, turning in her resignation. “How did that go?”

  “Better than I thought.” She twisted to face him. “Evidently the guy who’s covering for me is more than happy to stay on at the position permanently. My boss praised my work ethic, said the two weeks wasn’t necessary, but he was still going to pay me for them.”

  “That’s fantastic. He obviously thinks very highly of you and your work.”

  “He worries about me. You know, the whole w
idowed and pregnant thing.”

  “Don’t discount yourself. You’re a skilled worker. Though, let’s face it, not every woman could handle the circumstances you’ve found yourself in.”

  “Yeah, well, sometimes things work out for the better.”

  He shot a curious glance her way as they approached Montrose, the city lights illuminating the cab. Why would she say such a thing? Wouldn’t she prefer to share something as momentous as having a child with her husband? To have his help and support? Or was it a defense mechanism? Trying to make the most of a difficult situation?

  “Oh, and I heard from my mother today.”

  Thoughts of Claudette Brennan made him smile. The woman was as nice as she could be, though a little on the eccentric side. As evidenced by the fact that she was now traveling the country alone. In an RV, no less. “Where is Claudette these days?”

  “Florida. She’s been working at a marina somewhere in the panhandle. And, apparently, she has a boyfriend.”

  “No kidding?” Pausing at a stoplight, he eyed Kayla. “How do you feel about that?”

  “It’s fine.” She waved a hand. “It’s not like he’s the first. Though this one might be serious.”

  “Why do you say that?” He hit the gas pedal again.

  “Because she spent thirty minutes telling me about his boat and how he wants to sail around the world.”

  “Sounds like she’s found someone else with wanderlust. I can see it now. She trades traveling the US in an RV for traveling the world on a sailboat.”

  “I wouldn’t put it past her.”

  He was glad to see they were finally enjoying a normal conversation. Too bad they were pulling up to the home improvement store.

  He located a parking space and eased to a stop before turning off the engine. Exiting, he continued around the vehicle to assist Kayla, but she was already on her way to the entrance when he got there.

  Frustrated, he grabbed an industrial panel cart on their way inside and headed straight for the lumber.

  When they reached the cedar, he examined a couple of posts. “What do you think?” He held one vertically for a better view.

  Kayla looked from the wood to him. “These are our only options?”

  “In cedar, yes.” Did she think they were going to have some exotic wood or something?

  Crossing her arms over her chest, she cocked her head, sending her long hair spilling over her shoulder as she pursed her lips. “What are your thoughts?”

  Seriously? “It’s exactly what I had in mind.”

  She nodded then. “Okay.”

  Okay? “Is this or is this not what you envisioned?”

  “Yeah. It’s fine.”

  He loaded what they needed onto the cart, wondering where all this second-guessing had come from. “All right. Is that everything?”

  She looked at her list, then counted the wood pieces. “Yes. We just need some screws and brackets.”

  “All right, lead the way.”

  They continued on to the hardware section.

  Kayla picked out two different brackets. “Which one do you like?” She held them up. One more ornate while the other was plain and simple.

  “That one.” He pointed to the second one.

  “Oh.” Looking disappointed, she stared at them a moment. “If you say so.” She started to put the ornate one back.

  “Wait a minute.” He reached a hand to stop her. “This is supposed to be a joint project.” Good grief, how was she ever going to make any headway at the hotel when she questioned everything? “Which one do you like?”

  Again, she studied them. “The simple one.” Grabbing what she needed, she started to set them on the cart.

  But he stopped her. Something wasn’t right. “Kayla, is something wrong? You seem to be second-guessing yourself on everything tonight. Do you not want to do this anymore?”

  Her chestnut eyes wide, she looked up at him. “Of course, I do. This gift is important to me.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  She considered him for a long moment before shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m just tired.” Her hand went to her belly. “This pregnancy thing seems to wear me out a lot faster than usual.” She drew in a breath. “The cedar is perfect, and we’ll go with...” She contemplated the bracket choices. “This hardware.” Tossing the simple version he’d chosen initially onto the cart, she added, “After all, it’s supposed to be rustic.”

  Again, she glanced at her list before sending a smile his way. Forced as it may be. “My list is complete.”

  “All right, let’s get out of here then.” And hopefully, she’d be well rested tomorrow when they started the project.

  Chapter Six

  When Kayla woke up the next morning, she was struck by two things: she was without a job, and she and Jude had only three nights left to get the arbor built and decorated before presenting it to Lily and Noah. And she wanted it to be perfect.

  Okay, she wasn’t really without a job. She just wouldn’t begin work on the hotel until after the wedding was out of the way. Acquiring permits would take top priority, then hiring a crew. Research would be involved in both, though when it came to hiring, she was definitely at a disadvantage.

  Back in Denver, she had contacts. Even in a big city, word of mouth was a powerful resource. She didn’t know anyone in Ouray, except Lily, Jude and his family. Then again, his brother Andrew was a builder. Perhaps he’d have some suggestions. She’d need a couple of good carpenters as well as some men or women who could do just about anything from demo to grunt work to painting. And of course, they’d need to have experience working with historical buildings. Something that shouldn’t be too difficult in Ouray, given the large percentage of Victorian-era structures.

  She’d think about that next week, though. Tonight, she had an arbor to build. Fortunately for her, Lily and Noah had some event at the school, so she wouldn’t have to worry about them seeing her arrive. Not only would she hate to spoil the surprise, there was no telling what they might think if they caught her and Jude holed up in his shop. However, an arbor would probably be the furthest thing from their minds, so she supposed that was okay. This time.

  The sun was setting when she bumped up the drive of Abundant Blessings Ranch. She parked on the far side of Jude’s black pickup, hoping it might hide her blue truck, then drew in a deep breath before getting out. She needed to keep it together tonight. Jude was not Shane. Yet when he got frustrated because of her indecision...

  Her eyes closed briefly, and she took another breath. Help me, Lord.

  She grabbed her tool belt from the crossover toolbox in the bed of her truck before hurrying into Jude’s shop.

  He was standing in the middle of the space and jerked his head in her direction as she entered. “’Bout time you got here.”

  Her steps slowed. Hadn’t they agreed on six o’clock? She wasn’t late.

  Hands low on his denim-covered hips, he stepped around one of the cedar posts. “You might want to lock that door.”

  She gave the deadbolt a twist, wondering why he felt the need to start barking out orders. He was reminding her of someone else.

  Jude isn’t Shane.

  Turning, she approached the space where he had all of the wood laid out. “Looks good. Much better than it did at the store.”

  “Yeah, well, the store didn’t exactly have the best lighting.”

  She eyed the bright bulbs stretching the length of Jude’s shop. “That’s certainly not a problem here.”

  His gaze followed hers. “I do a lot of detail work and that requires good lighting, so I don’t skimp.”

  “I want to thank you again for allowing me to use your shop.”

  “Me?” His dark brow lifted. “I thought it was we?”

  “That’s what I meant.” Her shoulder aut
omatically lifted. “I just—”

  “It’s all right, Kayla.” He sent her a look that was somewhere between annoyed and amused. “I was just yankin’ your chain.”

  “Of course you were.” She fastened her tool belt around her hips, something that was more challenging than the last time she’d worn it.

  “You look cute like that.” Jude’s sudden shift from annoyed to charming reminded her of her late husband, ratcheting her anxiety.

  “Let’s get this thing built.” So she could get away without making a fool of herself.

  A short time later, Jude turned off the miter saw and moved his goggles to the top of his head. “Hey, I have an idea. Since we want to make this personal, what if I carve a phrase or something?”

  “Won’t that take a long time?”

  “Not necessarily. Though it would be easier to do it before it’s assembled, which means we probably wouldn’t be able to finish tonight.”

  “But we need to get it done.”

  “We’ll still have two more nights.”

  The fact that he was right bugged her. Then again, she didn’t exactly want to spend any more time here than necessary.

  “No, because I don’t know what Lily might have planned and my whole point of being here this week was to help her.”

  “Point taken.”

  Over the next two hours, they assembled the sides and top of the arbor. Even though they’d done it before, Kayla was surprised by how well they worked together. Now all they needed to do was to join the top portion to the sides.

  “Where are those brackets we bought?”

  “In that bag over there.” He pointed to one of the worktables.

  She crossed the room, grabbed the bag and pulled out the brackets, her heart stopping. There were only three. “Did you take one out?”

  He looked at her matter-of-factly. “No.”

  “There are only three in this bag. Could it have fallen out in your truck?”

  “You can check.”

  “I’ll be right back.” She hurried outside, sweat beading her brow despite the cool night air. Opening the back door of the cab, she hunted high and low before moving on to the front seat. Her breath quickened. It wasn’t here.