Falling for the Hometown Hero

by Mindy Obenhaus

  “Not at all. Your job entails things I won’t even pretend to know about. But I do appreciate an attention to detail and, based on our earlier conversations, I think you bring that to the table.”

  She nodded, her lips pursed. “And just so you’ll know, I’m...not usually so stubborn. My mother taught me to play well with others.”

  He chuckled.

  “Speaking of my mother, can you tell me how to get to Fifth Street?”

  “Sure.” He pointed toward the southeast corner of town. “Simply head up Seventh Avenue and make a right onto Fifth.” He faced her again. “Donna and Roger will be happy to see you.”

  Her smile evaporated, her eyes narrowing. “How do you know who my mother is?”

  His stomach muscles tightened. She didn’t know. “Uh, Roger. He’s one of my guides. Matter of fact, he’s the one who convinced me I should buy Mountain View Tours.” Even going so far as to provide some financial backing. But she didn’t need to know that. Nor did she need to know that, after learning Grace was one of the applicants for the office-manager position, Roger was the one who’d recommended her for the job.

  “One of your guides?”

  “I’m surprised they didn’t say anything to you.”

  “I’m not.” The words were mumbled, so he wasn’t sure he heard her correctly.

  “What?”

  “I mean, they probably thought I already knew.” She shifted the compressor to her other hand and proceeded to unroll the electrical cord. “So, it looks like Roger and I will be working together, huh?”

  “To a point, yeah. I mean, he’s a guide, so it’s not like he’ll be hanging around the office all day or anything.” Lowering his head, he tried to read her expression. “That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

  She continued with the cord, seemingly taking forever. When her eyes finally met his, her smile appeared a little too forced. “No. No problem at all.”

  Then why did he suddenly get the feeling it was going to be a big problem?

  * * *

  With her tire fixed and Kaleb gone, Grace swapped her traveling clothes for a pair of skinny jeans and a long-sleeved tunic top and grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading to her mother’s. She hadn’t planned to visit until tomorrow evening. However, after learning that Roger worked for Kaleb, she decided she’d better put in an appearance tonight or else face the possibility of an even more awkward scene tomorrow at work.

  Why hadn’t Mama said something—anything—when Grace told her where she’d be working? Instead, her email said simply, Can’t wait to see you.

  Now, as Grace plodded up Seventh Avenue, hesitation plagued each step, her roast beef sandwich souring in her stomach. She and her mother had never had the kind of close relationship Grace had shared with her father. No, while her mother and Lucy bonded over clothes and shoes, Grace and her father bonded over motorcycles.

  Then, suddenly, Daddy was gone and Mama married someone else. Leaving Grace drifting aimlessly, without a compass or anything to hold on to. Not even her husband.

  Seemed she didn’t fit in anywhere.

  Turning onto Fifth Street, she continued a couple more blocks. Moving past the rows of mostly older homes, some well kept, some not so much, she could feel the weight of anxiety settling in her chest. Then she spotted the slate-blue-and-white Queen Anne style two-story.

  Her heart pounded against her rib cage. How could she do this? Set foot inside his house? Not her mother’s, not one they’d purchased together, but the house Roger had grown up in, according to her mother.

  You’re simply going to visit your mother.

  She drew in a deep breath. That was right. Maybe he wouldn’t even be there. She eyed the white wicker chairs and love seat on the porch. Perhaps she wouldn’t even have to go inside.

  Picking up the pace, she marched up the front walk, climbed the two white wooden steps and rang the doorbell.

  A minute later, the door swung open, and Roger stood before her. His silver hair still had that tousled appearance, and the medium blue Henley he wore seemed to match the color of his eyes. If he were anyone else, she’d think him a fairly handsome man.

  “Grace!” Though his smile was quick, his brow puckered in confusion as he pushed open the screen door. “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow. Come on in.”

  The aroma of lavender and vanilla wafted outside, stirring fond memories of every military house Grace had ever lived in. No matter where in the world they were, Mama’s favorite fragrance made it feel like home.

  Shaking off the recollection, she kept her feet planted on the porch. “Um...is my mother here?”

  “’Fraid not. They’re having a VBS planning meeting at the church tonight.”

  Of course, her mother would be there. She had taken an active role in every vacation Bible school at every church they’d ever attended.

  Apparently her love for Grace’s father was the only thing that didn’t transcend time.

  Roger held the door wider. “You’re welcome to come in and wait on her, though.”

  “No. Thank you.” Grace squared her shoulders. “I hear you’re a guide at Mountain View Tours.”

  “Going into my fourth year.”

  She nodded. “And nobody felt the need to share this information with me?”

  He moved out onto the porch in his white sock feet. “We weren’t trying to deceive you, Grace. We were afraid that if you knew I worked there, too, you might not come. Your mother’s looking forward to seeing you.”

  Looking everywhere but at Roger—the wooden floorboards, the neighbor’s house, the hanging flower basket swaying in the breeze—Grace fought to keep her breathing even as the words seeped in. While her knee-jerk reaction was to reject the notion, she knew deep inside that Roger was probably right.

  “In that case—” she started down the steps “—I guess I’ll see you around. Tell my mother I stopped by.”

  “I’ll do that. And, Grace?”

  As much as she hated to, she halted her retreat and turned.

  “You’re welcome here anytime.” His smile was sincere, the lines around his eyes indicating it was something he did a lot.

  Maybe Lucy was right. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. But Grace wouldn’t betray her father.

  Her gaze drifted to the ground before bouncing back to Roger. “Good night.”

  She moved down the street at a much faster pace than when she’d arrived, ready to put this day behind her. Despite her long sleeves, the cool evening air sent chill bumps skittering down her arms, making her wish she’d brought her jacket. All she wanted to do now was get back to her camp, crawl into bed and hope tomorrow wasn’t as convoluted as today.

  Coming to Ouray was supposed to rejuvenate her. Instead, it felt more like a chore. That cruise ship was sounding better and better all the time.

  Rubbing her arms, she surveyed the surrounding mountains. Though the town lay bathed in shadows, the sun’s fading rays radiated from behind the western slope. Glancing eastward, her breath caught in her throat. The gray, volcanic-looking mountains that seemed to hug the town were now painted the most beautiful, yet indescribable color. Shades of orange, rose and yellow blended into one harmonious hue that was unlike anything she’d ever seen before.

  “Grace?”

  Turning, she saw Kaleb coming up the block. Couldn’t she go anywhere in this town without running into him?

  Gravel crunched beneath each step as he continued toward her, looking annoyingly handsome. “Enjoying the alpenglow?”

  “The what?”

  Hands on his hips, he nodded in the direction of the colorful mountain. “Alpenglow. It’s a phenomenon that often happens this time of night.”

  She readily focused on nature’s beauty. “What causes it?”

  He sh
rugged. “Something about the sun reflecting off particles in the atmosphere. I tend not to question it. I simply enjoy it.”

  “I can see why.” It had that same captivating quality as a rainbow. A supernatural splendor that commanded one’s attention.

  “Were you visiting your mom?”

  The colors had begun to fade by the time she faced Kaleb. “That was my intention, but she wasn’t home. Roger said something about a vacation Bible school meeting.”

  “Yeah, that was tonight.” He dragged the toe of his work boot over the dirt road. “Did you and Roger have a nice visit?”

  Visit? They barely conversed. But getting the impression that Kaleb was rather fond of Roger, she said, “I suppose. Yeah.”

  “He’s a good man. A fellow vet, too. But then, I suppose you already knew that.”

  She did not, but was too exhausted to offer anything more than a nod.

  “Hey, I hate to cut this short, but I need to get back to camp. New job tomorrow.” She had to make herself smile. “Gotta get a good night’s rest so I can make a good impression on my boss.”

  “I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” His grin set off a strange and unwanted fluttering in her midsection. “Don’t forget to make sure any food you’ve got at your campsite is secured inside a cooler or something with a latch. Bears like to wander down the mountain at night and help themselves.”

  She puffed out a laugh. “You’re kidding, right?”

  His smile evaporated. “Not at all. I’m surprised Bud didn’t say something to you when you checked in.”

  The fluttering morphed into a whirlwind. “Let me get this straight. While I’m asleep, bears are going to be roaming around my campsite?”

  “Possibly.”

  She surveyed the rapidly darkening sky, sweat suddenly beading her brow. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Despite the fatigue nipping at her heels, she broke into a jog.

  Controlling bosses, working with her stepfather and now bears. With all that on her mind, she’d never get any sleep.

  At this rate, Ouray was turning out to be the worst idea her sister ever had.

  Chapter Three

  Kaleb pulled his Jeep into a parking spot alongside Mountain View Tours shortly after noon the next day. As promised, he’d taken Grace on her first tour to Yankee Boy Basin and, so far, it had been a fantastic day. “My goal is to create a memorable experience for each of our guests. One they’ll talk about for the rest of their lives.”

  And judging by Grace’s reaction, he’d achieved just that. The look of unequivocal reverence as she took in the snow-covered peaks that stretched as far as the eye could see was something he’d never forget. Her genuine interest and appreciation for every little thing, from the old mines to the cascading waterfalls to a grosbeak’s sweet song, reinforced his belief that he’d made the right decision in hiring her.

  Now he shifted the vehicle into Park, glancing toward her in the passenger seat. “Unfortunately, the previous owner didn’t feel the same way, so I’ve got an uphill battle.”

  “Which is why we need to appeal to folks from the moment they walk into Mountain View Tours, if not before.” She gathered her things and exited the vehicle.

  He climbed out, liking the way she used the word we, as if they were one, focused on the same common goal. Yes, the sooner he could bring Grace up to speed and put her to work, the better off his business would be. Memorial weekend, the unofficial kickoff of the high season, was only a few weeks away, and there was still much to do.

  Meeting her at the front of the Jeep, he stared down at her. “And how do we do that?”

  “I have a few ideas, though you may not like them.” She wasn’t afraid to meet his gaze. As though issuing a challenge.

  Like he’d back down from a challenge. “Try me.”

  “Okay. You said you want to create a memorable experience for your guests.”

  “Yes.”

  “What if we added a tagline?” She shifted her weight from one foot to the next. “Something like, ‘Mountain View Tours... Memories in the making.’”

  He let the phrase tumble through his brain. “Okay. Yeah. I’m kinda liking that. Tells people exactly what our goal is.”

  “Just like a tagline is supposed to.”

  “That would look good on my new brochures, too.” Rubbing his chin, he took a step back. “Which reminds me. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about designing brochures, would you?”

  “Sure. I’m pretty good with websites, too.”

  He couldn’t stop smiling. “Grace, you may just be the best thing that ever happened to Mountain View Tours. So what other suggestions have you got?”

  Clasping her notepad and camera against her chest, she took a deep breath. “I think you need to consider sprucing up the front office. Something as simple as a fresh coat of—”

  “No.”

  “Why no—”

  “We discussed this yesterday. The rustic look stays.”

  She took a step closer, her gaze narrowing. “For your information, it’s industrial, not rustic. And it only works if it’s done right.” She pointed toward the building. “That’s not it.”

  Hands on his hips, he put himself toe-to-toe with her. “So what? My building, my business, my decor.”

  After a momentary staredown, she took a step back. “You asked for my input.”

  Something he’d think twice about next time.

  Exasperation mounting, he started toward the building and pushed through the front door, the heels of his work boots hammering against the concrete floor. “Sami, would you please tell Grace the office looks perfectly fine.”

  Sami glanced up from behind the counter. “Grace, the office looks perfectly fine. If you like drab and uninviting.”

  Behind him, Grace choked back a laugh.

  He glared at his sister.

  “I’m serious, Kaleb.” Sami rounded the counter. “This place is about as lackluster as you can get. I about fell asleep while you were gone. You need to liven things up. Make Mountain View Tours a place people want to be.”

  “Now, where have I heard that before?” Tapping a finger to her lips, Grace pretended not to look at him. A move that only served to further annoy him.

  Sami stepped between them, her dark brown gaze fixed on Kaleb. “Mom and I were talking about this just a little while ago. You know that we all want Mountain View Tours to be a success. However, we also know that you have some huge hurdles to overcome.”

  He couldn’t argue with her so far. No matter how much he might want to.

  “Which means you need to do whatever you can to overcome some of those hurdles.”

  “Like replacing all of the tour trucks and rental fleet? I’ve already done that.”

  Sami jammed a fist into her hip. “That’s not what I’m talking about.” She strode to the counter, spread out a swath of papers then stabbed them with her finger. “This is what I’m talking about. Just look at these before and after photos I found online.”

  He didn’t want to look at them. But curiosity got the best of him.

  Easing toward the desk, he cast his sister a wary eye. “Those are some pretty dramatic changes.” Not to mention costly.

  “Yep. All with little more than paint.”

  Grace sidled up beside Sami, no doubt pleased to have someone else in her corner. “I like how they incorporated the brick wall into the design of this one.” She pointed from the picture to the brick wall behind his reception counter. “With the right color paint, some rustic elements, you could really make that stand out.”

  “Though they don’t look like much right now, Kaleb’s got some great pieces around here he could use.” Sami turned. “Like that old Coke machine.” She pointed across the room. “That thing is too cool to be hid
den in a corner.”

  Grace strolled over to the vintage machine. “It’s not often you find a soda machine that offers glass bottles. Does it work?”

  “Yes,” said Kaleb.

  “Sami’s right, then.” She faced them again. “You need to move this someplace more prominent. Keep it stocked and you’ve got another source of income.”

  Kaleb tried to hide his annoyance. Not only due to the bossy women in front of him, but the fact that he hadn’t given more consideration to the Coke machine.

  “So what do you say, Kaleb?” Sami looked like a kid begging to open just one gift before Christmas. “We’re only talking about the cost of materials. Mom and I are both willing to paint.”

  “Me, too.” Grace thrust her arm in the air like a second grader. “It’d be fun. As a matter of fact—” She waved a hand then dropped it to her side. “Ah, never mind.” Her narrowed gaze drifted to Kaleb. “I’ve learned to keep my suggestions to myself.”

  “Oh, no. You’re not getting off that easy.” Sami inched toward her. “Out with it, Grace.”

  Grace looked from him to Sami, as if deliberating whether or not to divulge her secret. “What if you had a grand opening? Something that invited people to come in and check out the new Mountain View Tours.”

  Sami’s eyes grew wide. “That’s an outstanding idea.” She whirled toward Kaleb. “We could do it Memorial Day weekend. You could have your new trucks on display, offer discounts on tours... We could have cookies, balloons—”

  He held up a palm, cutting off his sister. “No. I appreciate the suggestion. However, something like that involves a lot of work. I think we best focus our energies on bringing in business.”

  “That’s exactly what we’re trying to do.” Returning her fist to her hip, Sami scowled at him. “Besides, wasn’t it just the other day I heard you say that you were looking for a way to separate the new Mountain View Tours from the old?”

  He hated it when she used his own words against him. “Yes. But a party wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

  “Then what did you have in mind?” His sister’s smug grin only served to irritate him.