by Vivian Arend
She held back far enough Elle and their mom were out the door and out of hearing range before turning and raising her brows. “What’s your problem?”
“Why him?”
She knew it. “So it’s Gabe in particular you have an issue with?” Maybe if she let him voice his concerns he’d relax. “Does he have a woman on the side I don’t know about? You don’t think he’s good enough for me? What?”
His nostrils flared as he drew a long breath. “Maybe it sounds stupid. And yeah, you surprised me with your announcement. But the Angel Colemans? I don’t have issues with Gabe himself. He’s been given the raw end of the deal in many ways as far as I know, but—”
His disapproval had simmered down and showed now as sheer frustration.
“I’m listening.” Allison finished buttoning her coat and waited as patiently as she could.
“If you really care about him, fine. But I heard they’re having money troubles lately, and all of a sudden he’s engaged to you? Face it, Ally, we are one of the wealthier families in town. Sorry if it makes warning signs go off, but I don’t like it.”
Allison wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed tight, the laughter escaping her completely real and relieved. “Is that what you’re worried about? That he’s marrying me for money? Oh, Paul, trust me, that is not at all in the picture.”
Maybe it was the fact she wasn’t lying that helped her sound extra convincing, but his shoulders eased slightly, and he smirked. “It does sound a little cloak and dagger when I say it out loud, but come on, I’m your only brother. If I don’t guard you from the dragons of the world, who will?”
She stepped back and nodded. “I can probably slay them on my own, but I understand better why you were grumpy. It’s fine. Gabe’s okay. Give it some time, and you’ll see. He’s so not about the money thing I can’t even begin to explain it.”
The door opened and Gabe’s smiling face appeared, the dark brown of his cowboy hat contrasting with his blond hair. She moved forward automatically to take his hand.
“Give me a call,” Paul suggested. “We can get together for…”
Allison peeked over her shoulder to discover her brother wasn’t talking to her, but staring directly at the cowboy at her side.
Paul cleared his throat. “We could have a beer or something. Catch up a little.”
Gabe blinked in surprise, but managed to pull it together quickly. “Sure.”
Allison pressed her shoulder against Gabe’s and they headed out. Elle had already taken their mom home, and it was quiet on the street as Gabe led her to the truck.
He helped her in on his side, and this time she didn’t even think to protest. Just stopped in the middle, buckled up and then closed her eyes and wondered what in the world they’d gotten themselves into.
They were halfway home before Gabe broke the silence. “That was a particular sort of hell I don’t want to have to do all over again. Shit.”
Allison laughed. “Don’t you mean ‘What the hell were we thinking?’”
“That too. Hell of a night. Hell of a day.”
Allison leaned her head on his shoulder and let the laughter take her. “Oh my God, did you see Paul’s face? I thought he was going to blow a blood vessel. And you know why?”
“Figured you’d gotten the reason for the stick up his ass. That invitation to join him for a beer was not what I expected. Did you kick him in the balls while I was gone and tell him to behave?”
“No, he explained he was worried you were marrying me for my bank account. Idiot. If he knew I was the one who had harassed you…”
Oh Lord. It had been a long day, but at least the worst was over. She could concentrate on getting back into the swing of things at the restaurant and being there for Mom.
Somehow try to secretly prepare the family for having their heart torn away.
Chapter Seven
Gabe splashed cold water on his face before soaking a washcloth and applying it to the back of his neck. Allison’s toothbrush rested in a glass, and a neat little fancy black case sat on the side of the counter. After a couple days of seeing them there, his eyes didn’t jerk to the side in shock as much. Now it was more in amusement.
Subtle signs they were sharing the house showed up everywhere.
A damp towel hanging where usually only his would be. Extra footwear stacked by the bench on the porch, and how anyone could possibly need that many shoes, he had no idea.
Still, she was trying damn hard to not spread out and take over. There was way less of a mess than his brother usually managed to produce after he’d been around for no more than a single night.
Gabe hurried through his cleanup and back into the bedroom to get dressed. The biggest issue was morning and a single bathroom. He tried to be done and into the kitchen before she crawled out of bed. The schedule wasn’t perfect, but it was working.
He knocked briskly on her closed door before calling out cheerfully. “Your turn.”
A low groan was the only response.
Gabe chuckled all the way to the kitchen area as he got the coffee going.
He was in the middle of breaking eggs into a bowl when the door at the edge of the room finally cracked open and Allison shuffled out, pale green robe wrapped tightly around her.
“You can stop the whistling now. I’m awake. You evil, inhuman person.”
“Hate to see you sleeping away your morning off, is all.”
She held up one strategic finger a second before disappearing into the master bedroom. Gabe went back to making breakfast without worrying too much.
Morning and Allison didn’t get along. Less than a week waking up in the same house, and he’d already figured that out.
Maybe he should have let her sleep in a little, but he was too excited to wait. She’d been gone to the restaurant and doing things at her mom’s for the past two days, but she’d promised to spend the morning with him, taking a look over the land.
Finally he was going to find out if his dream of making this section viable for organic ranching was possible.
Loaded coffee mugs on the table, a stack of pancakes at the ready. Allison dropped into her chair and reached for the steaming liquid without a word.
Gabe kept quiet even though what he really wanted to do was pepper her with a million questions. He had all the information she’d given him way back when, but trying to figure out how to apply it had been tough. Rules change, situations change.
He took another pancake and tried not to look at his watch again.
Allison held out her cup and shook it slightly to get his attention. “Are we driving or riding?”
“I thought we’d ride.” He filled her cup then drained the rest into his own before setting the thermos aside. “You need me to take along anything? I’ll have the saddle bags, so collection bottles, soil samples, anything we need…”
“You are way too energetic. Stop it. No being bouncy before noon.”
Gabe snorted. “Bouncy?”
“Like one of those teeny tiny rubber balls.”
He wasn’t sure if this was an insult or a compliment. “You’re calling me bouncy.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Drop it, Gabe.”
Something evil twisted inside. “Like a bouncy ball?”
“Arghhh.” Allison hid behind her mug and ignored him.
He was done well before she was ready, horses saddled and seemingly as eager as him to head out into the fresh morning sunshine. Allison finally joined them, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, big sunglasses covering her eyes. She plopped her cowboy hat on and tilted it back, and the cream-colour edges set off her face like a picture frame.
“I didn’t have a key to lock the door,” she apologized.
He passed over Patches’s reins. “Don’t need one. You’re not living in Red Deer right now.”
He stayed close enough he could give her a hand if needed, but she was up and in the saddle effortlessly.
“Right. Unlocked doors. You woul
dn’t believe how long it took to break myself of that habit.”
Gabe settled in comfortably. The familiar leather of his saddle was age worn and totally a part of his life on the ranch. He led the way out of the corral, the dogs racing around in crazy excited circles. Allison’s mount moved through the shuffling, yipping mass of canine excitement without a qualm, so he turned his attention upward to see how the rider was doing.
She was in the middle of a huge yawn, her hand rising from the reins to cover her mouth at the last second. She sat easily, body rocking gently as they took the trail to follow the extreme east boundary of the Angel land.
“You ride pretty good for a city slicker,” he teased.
She stuck out her tongue for a second then grinned. “I’ve been riding out in Red Deer. Not Patches—I didn’t want to haul the old girl too far from home, but there’s a couple great places that board horses and were always looking for help in exercising them. I got out at least a couple times a week.”
The trail narrowed, and he pulled in front to take her around the narrow gorge to the shallowest part of the creek. “We haven’t had a lot of runoff this year. The water table’s about as low as it’s been in the past ten years. Last year’s crops were lean because of the drought.”
“It wasn’t much better over most of the province. A few pockets got too much moisture—go figure—but it was a bad year all round.” She drew in a deep breath. “It’s hard to think of that right now, isn’t it? When there’s that smell of everything bursting out with new growth?”
She closed her eyes and the faintest hint of a smile teased her mouth. Gabe watched as a butterfly rose from the tall grasses to their left, its pale yellow wings barely visible against the deeper yellow of the old strawlike stalks. The little thing flitted up and past her face, circling and coming to land on the raised pommel of her saddle.
“Don’t move,” he said softly. “Open your eyes and look down.”
Her smile unfurled into full bloom as the butterfly took wing and escaped forward, dusting past Patches’s ears.
She turned to grin at him. “Nice. They’re a good sign, butterflies. Plus the frogs I hear going nuts at night outside your cabin.”
Gabe took her carefully through the rough terrain on the far side of the creek. “Right. If the ecosystem is in balance, there will be more butterflies. I remember reading that.”
“Is this part of the Angel land?”
He pointed to the side. “Everything on the west is ours. The creek is the dividing point on this side. It’s not a straight line, but when you’re splitting up land for the family, you don’t have to get out a ruler and set things in stone.”
“Who got this section?”
They topped the hill and he figured he probably didn’t need to answer.
Allison pulled to a stop beside him and sighed in admiration. “The Whiskey Creek clan do love their horses, don’t they?”
“Uncle George has got the touch when it comes to breeding. He’s not moving too fast, but he’s already managed to get a couple of their animals noticed in the stockyards.”
“Any studs?”
Gabe shook his head. “They need another generation, I think. It’s not an area I’ve been studying on—well, I’ve been working on the genetics part, but horses are outside my price range. My cousin Karen is the one who seems to be able to get them to do anything for her—she’s the magician around here.”
“I used to ride with her sometimes. She is good.”
He took her along the eastern boundary, talking comfortably the entire time. They stopped and took samples when she asked, but it wasn’t often.
“I thought we’d be doing a lot more testing,” he admitted.
They stopped at the end of the coulee at a small watering hole to refresh the horses, a place to sit and lean back and stare out into the blue spring sky.
Allison pulled off her hat and dropped it beside her, loosening off her ponytail holder and running her fingers through her hair to fluff it out. “It’s early testing, Gabe. And honestly? I don’t need to test often at this point. The uncomfortable truth is unless you and the Whiskey Creek side stopped using banned fertilizers a few years ago, chances are a lot of your fields around this side will be contaminated. You’re too close to other spreads as well.”
He nodded slowly. “I did think of that. And that’s why I thought this and the backside of the land are the most important to see first and take off the list. Our west boundary is up against crown land—if anything is going to meet standards, that will be it.”
“I’m glad to hear you’ve anticipated a few of the troubles. I didn’t want to be the one to have to burst your bubble.”
She looked so nervous he couldn’t stand it. Gabe leaned forward and caught her hand. “You’re not wrecking anything by telling me the truth. I am going to find a way to make this happen, but there are a ton of options at this point. You knocking a few of the blocks out from under me is helping, not hindering. Got it?”
“I still worry.”
“Ha.” He squeezed her fingers. “You were born worrying. Just saying you don’t have to tread carefully around me. You’ve got enough of that to deal with every day.”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
“How’s it going with your mom? You want to talk about it?”
She pulled back her hand—he hadn’t even realized he was still holding it—and dragged her fingers through her hair again. The act left the long tresses in a wild scramble around her shoulders and something shot hard into his gut.
“Things are good. My mom is thrilled to have me back. She doesn’t suspect why. I’ve managed to convince her to not show up any day before noon.”
“Your mom is taking time off?”
“I know. It’s like a mini miracle. She asked if I’d come to the house this weekend and help her with some boxes.” Allison smiled at him. “It’s right to be here. Thank you so much for making it possible.”
“No problem.”
She was in the middle of pulling her hair back and fastening it with an elastic when her bracelet got caught. “Shit. Gabe?”
He laughed and shifted forward, reaching around her to loosen off the bit that was caught in the tiny clasp.
She smelt good. Clean and fresh with that hint of flowers. He was kneeling at her side, one knee tucked between her legs where they extended in front of her. He tried his best to not pull as he worked, but he was getting distracted. The softness of the hair under his fingers, and the flannel of her shirt as it brushed his arm caused all sorts of wrong reactions.
“You having troubles?” Her wrist jiggled and pulled, and she hissed in pain.
He trapped her in place. “Hold still. What kind of unsolvable puzzle do you have on this damn bracelet?”
“Ouch. I’m not sure, but you’re scalping me.”
He couldn’t work the thing one handed. “This may seem strange, but don’t argue, okay?” He twisted her hand and placed it palm down on the top of her head.
Allison giggled. “I need to rub my tummy at the same time, right? To test my coordination?”
“Or walk and chew gum as we’d tease the twins. Hold still, I think I can get it now.”
He had to lean in even closer, but with something to brace on, she kept her arm steady and he had her loose from the tiny trap. He smoothed back the long strand of hair he’d freed, the silken softness a caress against his fingers, and suddenly he was aware of how close they were to each other. That he was damn near straddling her. Her breath brushing across his chest.
He retreated as carefully as he could, hoping she wouldn’t move and crash them together, because if they fell to the ground in a tangle there was little doubt in his mind he’d end up doing something other than try to get free.
He was brushing the dirt off his knees and looking for what he could pick up. Anything to distract him. That’s when he heard it. Small, but definitely there.
“Are you laughing at me, Allison Parker?”
She jammed on her hat and pulled the front brim low, effectively hiding her face. “Course not.”
One twirl took her away from him, but her shoulders continued to shake suspiciously.
“What?” He followed after her.
She stuffed her water bottle back in the saddlebag and obviously refused to face him. “Nothing. Ready to show me more of the land?”
She was still laughing.
Gabe stepped in close and tugged on her shoulder. He pulled hard enough she spun around, her full grin right there for him to see. “I knew it. Why you laughing, woman?”
She planted her fists on her hips, head tilted to the side a tiny bit.
She looked damn adorable. More than adorable, she looked edible and fuckable…
And that wasn’t appropriate for him to be thinking.
“There.” She snapped up a finger and pointed at his face. “You did it again.”
“Did what?” He would have stepped back, but she snatched up a fist full of his shirt, and he froze.
The images of wrapping his arms around her and dropping her to the ground and taking her right there were not a part of this deal.
“Gabe Coleman, are you scared of me?”
What the…? “What kind of shit question is that?”
She didn’t let go. Her right hand stayed fisted around a good chunk of his shirtfront, but her left hand snuck under his chin and her soft fingers cupped his face. “Not trying to tease, but damn it, Gabe, you should have seen how you scrambled away from me. It was like you’d seen a snake. And just now? When I kind of gave you that flirty look the girls do? You were ready to bolt.”
“Was not.”
“Bullshit.” The hand at his chest let go, only to thump down with the side of her fist. “You kissed me that first night—said we didn’t want to be caught because we couldn’t even get through a little kiss. But you’ve been shying away from me all day. What’s going to happen if you do that when we’re around family?”
“There’s no problem,” Gabe insisted. Damn it all. Last thing he wanted to admit was he’d been too ready to take things further than they needed for the deception to work. “And I wasn’t scared. Just didn’t see any need to make you uncomfortable.”
