Walker Spirit

by Bernadette Marie

  The past few days had filled her head with plenty of doubt about this thing they had going on, but she was still curious. She’d give it today and see how she felt about it.

  Lifting her mop into the sink, she rinsed out the head. She cringed at the hair it had picked up. If this worked out, the salon at the Bridal Mecca, she’d never have to do hair in her own home again.

  Wiping the back of her hand over her forehead, she then squeezed out the excess water in the mop and dropped it back to the floor just as she heard her doorbell chime over the music.

  She looked up at the clock on the microwave. “Eight-thirty? Who is freaking at my door at eight-thirty on a Sunday morning?”

  If it was a client, she was going to lose it. That was one downfall to people knowing where she lived. Some of them didn’t have that common sense filter that would tell them she didn’t work twenty-four hours a day.

  There was the chance it was a sibling or even Lydia. Though she wasn’t sure she wanted to see any of them at eight-thirty in the morning either.

  Audrey hurried to the door, pulled in her pissed off, and opened it only to find a panting Gregory and his dog.

  “Hi,” she said, but was quite certain her face said something different, judging by the disappointed look on his face.

  “Can we come in?”

  “Are you being chased?” He flashed a quick smile, then turned to look over his shoulder. “No, actually, I think we lost them. But…”

  She grabbed his arm and pulled him in. “I was kidding,” she said frantically as she slammed the door, causing the dog to let out a bark.

  “Shh. Not inside,” Gregory scolded Black Sabbath. “I was out for a run, thought we’d head this way to see you, and some photographer must have decided to take a run too.”

  “So you are being followed?”

  “It’s normal. That’s my life,” he said shaking it off, but she was sure it had pissed him off too. “Have any coffee?”

  “I’ll make some.” She looked down at the dog. “I just mopped the floor. How about you two head out to the patio and I’ll bring it out. The door is just down the hall.”

  He didn’t move at her direction, just stared at her. She realized she looked horrible. “I was cleaning. I didn’t expect to see you until…”

  He moved in, rested his hand on her cheek, and lowered his mouth to hers.

  Warm. Inviting. The moment sucked her in until her head spun with its delight.

  “I missed you,” he said softly with his lips still hovering over hers.

  “You did?” She sucked in a breath. “You were busy.”

  “Not too busy to miss you,” he said before stepping back and leading the dog out to the patio.

  Audrey watched them disappear outside. She took a moment more for herself to recoup from the kiss, from the shock that someone was following him, from him missing her.

  A moment later she’d collected herself enough to be useful, and she headed back to the kitchen and began to fill the coffee pot with water. Pulling down the can of Tim Horton’s coffee she had on subscription from Amazon, because she enjoyed it that much, she filled the filter with the grounds and started the machine. But her mind kept going back to the fact that he was being followed.

  How could he be normal about people following him all the time? Just having the one person yesterday taking pictures, and she never did see them, had her locking up tight. She supposed it was something he was used to. Perhaps even Bethany was used to it. Audrey didn’t like it, and she had to remember that it came with the territory if she was going to continue this—whatever it was.

  Looking out the small window of her kitchen, she could see the man and the dog on her patio. It was a beautiful sight. Gregory had sat down in one of the chairs, and the dog’s tail wagged eagerly as Gregory rubbed his hands over the dog’s head and neck. They were their own little family, she noted. A man and his dog. It was something special.

  * * *

  Gregory looked up when he heard the door open. Audrey managed through the doorway with two cups of coffee and a bowl of water.

  “I figured he could use a drink too,” she offered as she inched the bowl toward him and he took it from her.

  “He appreciates that,” Gregory said as he set it to the side and Black Sabbath went directly for it.

  Audrey handed him his coffee, then sat down in the chair next to him with the other cupped between her hands. “Why didn’t you just call him Ozzy?” she asked as she lifted her cup to those rosy lips that kept his mind more occupied than he’d have liked to admit.

  He had to think a moment about the question. “Oh, the dog,” he realized, and she nodded. “The tribute to Ozzy was bad enough. Black Sabbath pissed her off more. When you know a breakup is coming, I think you automatically get vindictive, don’t you agree?”

  She sipped her coffee, obviously carefully considering. “I’ve never had a relationship like that. If you love someone or have loved someone, why would you want to hurt them in any way?” she asked as she kicked her pink painted toes up on the small table in front of them. “I don’t mean that to sound as if I’m above anyone, but I’ve seen too much deception and revenge in my life to think that any of it is necessary.”

  And knowing that now only drew him closer to her, he thought. He’d seen too much deception and revenge as well, but hadn’t it had the opposite effect on him? He’d accepted that and molded to it. He liked her thoughts on it better.

  “How long have you lived here?” he asked looking out at the view which was a sprawling hillside that looked out over the path at the river with the city peeking up behind the tree line.

  “A few years. A client of mine was selling about the time I was looking. It was fate.”

  “Sorta like me showing up at your salon that night, and you just happened to be there.”

  It should have hurt the way she laughed, but there was a gleam in her eye as she did so. That seemed to pull the pain away.

  “Fate?” she choked out the word. “Oh, coincidence maybe.”

  “Call it what you want. I’m going with fate.”

  Her lips pursed now. “Fate is a big word that leads people to think there’s more than there is.”

  “I’m up for that,” he offered, keeping his eyes locked on her face, so that when she looked at him, which she finally did, she’d understand he was serious.

  She worried her lip, then lifted her cup to it as if to hide her nervous fidget, which he’d found endearing.

  Audrey had fallen silent, and he figured he’d pushed too far. They’d known each other a week, and though where he came from, that was sometimes cause for marriage. He knew in his heart that wasn’t the way with her. She had a tainted view on relationships, though, from the few moments he was around her family, he wasn’t sure why.

  Black Sabbath nudged up against his leg. Gregory gave his head a rub. “Are you still on for the picnic and tour?”

  Thankfully she nodded as she lowered her coffee cup. “I hadn’t expected to see you this early. I was cleaning the house. I still have to get showered and do my hair.”

  Gregory smiled as he reached a hand to her hair which fell from its bun atop her hair. “I think you look perfect.”

  “Though I appreciate that…”

  “I know. I’ll come back by for you around noon. Does that work?”

  Finally, she smiled, and it lit a fire in his chest to see it reach her eyes. “What can I bring?”

  “I have it all covered. How about you bring a blanket for the picnic.”

  “I can do that.”

  With that as his cue, he stood, bent to kiss her gently, then called for the dog who obediently followed him out the door.

  16

  Usually picking out something to wear for something as casual as a picnic wasn’t a problem for Audrey. Today, however, it was crucial. This was no yoga pant kind of day. Gregory was taking her to the movie set. A Kent Black book was a big deal enough, but this was a Kent Black movie, and
big names had been called in for it. She had no idea who else she might meet that afternoon.

  Her heart raced a bit faster, and she found that her palms were damp. It was silly to get worked up about it. After all, Kent Black was her brother-in-law. Bethany Waterbury was her sister, and Gregory Bishop was her boyfriend.

  And that last thought had her rapid heartbeat skip and then ache. Was that what she really thought? Did she think of him as her boyfriend after a week? Now that was plain silly. She’d been the one to be so careful about it, but now the thought was planted in her head.

  No. He was still just an acquaintance, who kissed like a god and looked like one too. The smile that quickly formed on her lips didn’t surprise her at all. Audrey was a woman who enjoyed being kissed. There was no shame in that. It helped to remember that deep down inside he was a farm boy. They were more alike when she thought of him that way.

  Audrey ran the wand of her lipgloss over her lips just as the doorbell rang. Recapping the tube, she tucked it into the pocket of her jeans, tugged at her high ponytail, and headed toward the door.

  She assumed there just wasn’t going to be a moment when the man didn’t make her body turn to mush. Standing before her in a pair of Levi’s, scuffed boots, and a basic T-shirt, he was mesmerizing.

  Gregory lifted his sunglasses off his face and tucked them into the front of his shirt as he scanned a look over her. “You look gorgeous.”

  Audrey looked down at her white cropped pants and daisy yellow shirt which rode off her shoulders. It had been specifically put together to radiate spring and to perhaps stir him up a bit.

  “This old thing?” She filled her voice with a sexy air, bit down on her lip, and batted her eyes.

  She caught the hitch in his breath as he put his sunglasses back on.

  “I have our picnic in the car. You choose the spot.”

  With a nod, she grabbed her bag and a picnic blanket off the chair and followed him out the door, locking it behind her. She stopped when she noticed the old pickup truck parked on the street and Black Sabbath in the back seat, his head poking out the window.

  “Where did you get that?”

  He laughed as he took her hand and walked her down the path to the truck. “I met a guy on my run back to the hotel this morning who was selling it.”

  “This morning? You met a guy?”

  He nodded and rubbed Black Sabbath’s head. “Two-hundred-thousand miles and a new set of tires.”

  “1984?”

  “You know your Fords.”

  “I know this truck.”

  His eyes widened, and the smile remained. “Do you?”

  “This is one of my cousin Eric’s trucks from the ranch.” She walked to the back and inspected the bumper. “This is where I backed it into a fence post when he was teaching me to drive.”

  “He mentioned that.”

  Audrey bunched her hands on her hips and studied him. That grin should have had her warm inside, but it didn’t. “When did you meet Eric? Why did you buy this?”

  He moved to her and took her hands in his. “I met Eric when I bought the truck this morning.” Sucking in a breath, he gave her hands a squeeze. “Let’s backup. On my way back to the hotel this morning I ran into Lydia. Black Sabbath loves her by the way.”

  “She’s an animal person.”

  He nodded in agreement. “Somehow we got to talking about rental cars and pets. Then pickups on farms. She said that Eric had a truck over at your brother’s garage that he was looking to sell cheap.”

  “So you bought it.”

  “She drove me out there to meet Eric and your brother.”

  Now she felt a squeezing in her chest. “You met my brother and my cousin?”

  “I met them all at the ball. But yes, now I know them personally.”

  Audrey looked up at the dog who happily balanced his paws on the door. “He looks satisfied with your purchase.”

  “I think so. He liked your brother’s racecar too. And his fiancée.”

  “I think he has good taste.”

  “What’s not to like about a woman who is on a crawler under a car?” he offered with some humor. “When Black Sabbath climbed under with her she didn’t even so much as curse. I don’t think she’s rattled by much.”

  Audrey wasn’t too sure about that. Missy and Jake had spent years running each other into walls on the race track. She figured they rattled each other just fine.

  Audrey moved to Black Sabbath and gave his ears a rub. Maybe she should get a dog, she thought briefly. Nah, where would she keep him? And, when the salon opened, when would she be home? But it sure would be nice to have someone to go home to each night.

  The thought made her a little sad. Every day she was surrounded by people, and for the most part, when they left her, they were much happier than when they’d arrived. But still, she went home alone each night. Now with most of her siblings married, they didn’t just drop by as often as they once had. Todd did from time to time if he was in town, but he lived on the ranch. It was just too far to always come into town just to ease her feelings.

  “Everything okay?” Gregory’s voice broke her thought as he rubbed a hand down her arm.

  “Yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking.” She turned to face him. “Will the picnic keep for about an hour?”

  He shrugged. “I have it in a cooler in the back. Did you want to wait?”

  Audrey shook her head. “No. I just thought of the perfect spot, but it’s about an hour away.”

  The smile that formed on his sexy mouth turned her insides to mush. “More time to be with you. I’m game.” He pulled open the creaky door to the truck, and she climbed inside. After shutting the door, and giving it an extra bump with his hip, Gregory skirted the front of the truck and climbed in on the other side. “Which way do I go?”

  “Head northwest out of town.”

  17

  When Gregory thought of Georgia, this was what he had in mind, he thought, as they started down a dirt road that tossed them around in the old pickup.

  “Do I need to ask where you’re taking me?” He slid her a look and caught the smile form on her lips.

  “Might as well see if the truck remembers how to get home, right?”

  “I wondered.” He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. “Is this where you grew up?”

  The smile faded, and she shook her head. “No. I wasn’t lucky enough to live out here. I always lived in town with my mother and Pearl. My cousins all lived out here on the family ranch. We each will get a piece of it to build a home on when we’re ready. That was in my grandfather’s plans. Todd, my brother, he lives out here though.”

  “He works the ranch?”

  “Yeah. He’s not much of a city boy. Jake is nearly all city, except he is building out here. I guess that gives him balance.”

  “Do you plan to build on your part of the ranch?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve never really given it much consideration. I’ve always lived in town and worked in town. Don’t get me wrong, the country has its charm, but…”

  “It’s not for you?”

  She turned to study him, and he focused on the road ahead. “My father nearly lost the ranch in a poker game. Did I ever tell you that?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “It’s hard to want a piece of something that your father nearly lost for everyone. And I’m not just talking about his children. My uncle and his sons work that land. It’s their livelihood. My grandfather worked that land from youth until he died as well. Then there is my father, who thinks nothing about making it a deal in a game.” Her grip on his hand tightened, but he was sure she hadn’t known she’d done it.

  “Do your cousins or your uncle hold that against you, personally?”

  The grip loosened. “No. They never have and they never will. You will not find a more gracious group of men anywhere. They gave my little part of the family so much faith in humanity when we didn’t think it still existed. I’m
proud to be a Walker,” she said, easing back against the seat. “It’s just hard to admit, sometimes, that I come from the Byron Walker side of the family and not the Everett Walker side.”

  “However, both sides meet up under your grandfather?”

  She turned and fixed her eyes on him, and he offered her a glance. “You’re right. I really should remember that when I get like this. When the road forks, take a left,” she pointed toward the road.

  Gregory drove until the road forked and continued. It was then the large estate came into view, and it would put a Hollywood Hills home to shame, he thought.

  “That’s the main house?”

  “Yeah. It was my grandfather’s house. Now my aunt and uncle live there and a few of my cousins.”

  “Where does your brother live?”

  “He’s in the furthest southwest corner. You can’t even see the big house from his space. He has a little one-room cabin that used to house the help, years and years ago. He’s happy there.”

  “Am I stopping at the house?”

  “No, pass it and go up over the hill. You’ll see another house, a newer house. We’re going to go past it and toward the barn another mile down the road.”

  “Who lives in the new house?”

  “My cousin Eric and his wife, Susan. They’re expecting their first child soon. The house sits where his old house sat. It burnt down,” she said, but the way her words trailed off, he assumed there was more to that story. He’d have to ask someday, but for now, he was going to drive until she told him to stop.

  There was no missing the barn when he came up over the hill. It stood as majestically as the house had miles back. “Impressive.”

  “Eric runs all the horses with his brothers Ben and Gerald.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t know how you keep it all straight in your head.”