Second Chance At the Ranch

by Maxine Morrey

  ‘They are clean.’ Nick leant in close to her ear when he’d worked out what Hero was studying, a smile in his voice.

  She looked up, embarrassment showing on her face at being caught. But then she felt it, deep within herself, like a revelation she wasn’t even aware she was waiting for. There it was, shining clear in her mind as bright as any neon sign. There was no need to be embarrassed anymore. Not here. Not with Nick. She didn’t need to be afraid anymore. She didn’t need to be anything but herself. As this realisation dawned within her, she turned and smiled at him again, for once not holding back. For once not smiling on someone else’s cue.

  Looking up at him, Hero smiled, wide and beautiful. The power of it made Nick catch his breath. This. This was what she was hiding from the world. The question was why? The smile hit Nick square in the face and didn’t stop until it got to his toes, detouring several times on the way down. He pulled her closer, the surroundings too noisy for him to hear. Bending his head towards her, she repeated herself close to his ear, so close that he could feel her warm breath on his skin as she spoke.

  ‘You have nice hands.’

  The simple, almost childlike compliment only added to the feelings racing around his body. His head spun with it all. How the hell did she survive in that cold, shallow world she lived in? Nick saw now what she did her best to hide from the world at large – the shy, insecure young woman who fooled people into thinking that she was in control, completely sure of herself, and everyone around her. But now he knew differently. This girl wasn’t in control at all. She was barely treading water, just trying not to drown.

  Nick squeezed her hand a little in a gesture of reply and saw the corners of a smile play upon her mouth. He looked up for a moment and caught the eye of his elder brother who was standing with his new bride, talking to some relatives who had flown in from Sydney for the wedding. He nodded at them and grinned. Nick gave him a brief smile in return. As his gaze left his family, it landed on Susannah. Susannah was also watching them, but she wasn’t smiling. Her eyes were on Hero, and there was something far colder in her expression.

  Nick turned back to his partner and steered them away from the main crush, as well as Susannah’s glare.

  ‘Don’t take this the wrong way.’ He smiled as he pulled away a little in order to look into those hypnotic eyes. ‘Do you want to go outside and get a bit of air?’

  He felt her body relax a little in his arms as he said it. That was more than enough answer for him. In a reverse of their earlier journey, Nick once again led the way through the thrumming dancefloor and out into the cool, quiet night.

  Chapter 5

  Once outside, they found a bench a little away from the doors, and the smoking area, and sat down. Nick still held Hero’s hand and, surprising herself, she didn’t pull away. Didn’t want to pull away.

  ‘Not something you’ve ever fancied then, all this?’ Hero nodded in the direction of the reception room they had just left. ‘By the amount of six-foot-under looks I’ve been receiving, I get the impression that you’re not short of offers.’

  Nick shrugged his eyebrows. ‘Nope. Not really sure it’s for me.’

  Hero turned a little, kicking off her shoes as she did so, and tucked her legs up in front of her. Resting her chin on her knees, she pulled a face at his reply. ‘The good-looking man with a fear of commitment – isn’t that rather a cliché?’

  Nick caught the twinkle in those mesmerising, cat-like eyes of hers. He tilted his head at her.

  ‘Was that a compliment? The “good-looking” part I mean?’

  Hero just smiled.

  ‘And who said I had a fear of commitment? Or is that a little projection on your part?’

  Hero ignored the second question, focusing on the first. ‘Don’t you?’

  ‘No.’

  She echoed his head tilt. ‘So how come you’re not happily ensconced somewhere with a clan of little Nicholases running around?’

  ‘Perhaps I’m just enough of a good bloke not to want to show up my big brother by getting there first.’

  ‘Well, that’s very considerate of you, if it’s the case.’

  ‘I thought so.’

  ‘But I’m not buying that as the reason for a moment.’

  ‘No?’ He laughed.

  ‘Definitely no.’

  ‘OK. So maybe I just haven’t found the right girl yet.’

  Hero considered that. ‘From what I’ve heard, you’ve conducted plenty of research in that department.’

  Again, Nick saw the eyes twinkle. She was enjoying this. As much as he was? It was hard to tell.

  ‘Research can be a very valuable tool.’

  ‘This is true.’

  ‘Want to help me with said research?’ He flashed a grin, enjoying this rare, unguarded version of Hero.

  She laughed. ‘No, but thank you for offering me the chance to take part in such a prestigious and vital project.’

  ‘No worries.’

  Silence fell between them for a few moments, but it was companionable. From the open windows, they heard the DJ transition one song seamlessly into another. She turned to the sound, then looked back at Nick, a question in her eyes. She didn’t really want to go back in. Not just yet. She wasn’t even comfortable at parties where she did know lots of people. When you barely knew anyone and were also receiving openly questionable looks from certain females, the discomfort tended to grow. Nick understood.

  ‘Got somewhere else to be?’

  A pause. His companion shook her head. The movement was almost imperceptible, but its ripples caused the shining locks to sway gently, catching the light of the outdoor lamp. Nick smiled softly at her, and Hero returned it. She shifted on the bench. The back slats were uncomfortable on her back. Keeping hold of her hand, Nick ran his other arm around her waist and shifted her body until she rested on him, rather than the bench. Much better.

  ‘Truth is, I thought I had found the right one,’ he said after a few moments.

  Hero waited.

  ‘Turned out I was wrong.’

  When he said nothing more, she spoke. ‘What happened? If you don’t mind me asking?’

  He didn’t mind her asking. Strange really, because until this moment, he would have thought that Hero Scott would be the last person on earth he’d open up to.

  As close as they were together, Hero felt the deep breath he took and then exhaled slowly as his mind worked.

  ‘I don’t know. To be honest, I thought everything was fine. I thought we were happy. We’d talked about getting married and she seemed stoked. I bought the ring, did the whole down-on-one-knee thing, she accepted, said she couldn’t be happier. Then, next thing I know, I’m walking in on her in bed with her boss. Stupidly, I’d never questioned all that overtime she was doing.’

  ‘Oh, Nick! I’m so sorry.’ She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. ‘I would never have said anything if …’ She trailed off and looked awkward. Nick laid his cheek against her head. She felt the smile as he returned the reassuring squeeze.

  ‘Don’t be daft. It’s fine. I didn’t know if Juliet had told you, but I guess not.’

  ‘No! No, she hadn’t!’ She pulled herself up and twisted so that she could see him. He was surprised to see she looked genuinely upset. ‘Nick, I know you think I’m rather cold, but I’d never make light of something like that … of you being hurt.’

  One hand gently cupped her face, the expression in his eyes soft and warm under the low light.

  ‘I know you wouldn’t. And just for the record, I don’t think you’re cold.’

  She smiled at him almost shyly. Their initial distrust and differences had been put aside – at least for the moment. It seemed so obvious to her now. What she first thought was conceit and arrogance wasn’t that at all. It was part of a defence mechanism, a shield. Creating an armour against the world was hardly something she could criticise him about when she spent so much time, perhaps too much, behind her own. She could see, feel, that it was a rel
ief for both of them to have a break from it, even for a just a few moments, revealing themselves to each other, if no one else.

  ‘So,’ Hero began, ‘you do actually have a fear of commitment, just not your own.’

  He thought about that for a moment, then gave her a lopsided smile. ‘I guess so.’

  She nodded, understanding, empathising, before breaking eye contact with him. Nick drew another deep breath before pulling her back closer. Without thinking, Hero let her body follow, feeling the warmth of him through the fine material of her gown. His slow, steady breaths soothed her. She knew she was on dangerous ground. But right at this moment, she didn’t care. Right now, it felt as though this was exactly where she should be. Resting her hands on the warm, muscular arm that encircled her waist, she didn’t need – didn’t want – that mask she usually wore. And as she felt his lips softly brush her hair, Hero closed her eyes and let the moment envelop her.

  ‘You tired?’ Nick’s deep tones drifted close to her ear.

  ‘A little,’ she replied. The truth was she could so easily stay here with this man, feeling his strength and his comfort, and not move for the next several days. It had been a long, although beautiful, day. Emotions had run high and Juliet had burst into tears on more than one occasion, especially with Hero. Hero’s eyes, as always, remained dry but Juliet knew it wasn’t because she didn’t care. Crying just wasn’t something she did. Not for a long time. She’d smiled as the ceremony came to its climax and everyone cheered, welcoming Juliet into her new family and her new life. Again, Hero had smiled. Smiling was the only way to stop the panic rising in her. Suddenly she felt alone. Out here in this land where their father had been born but that had meant nothing to either of his daughters. Now, to one it meant everything, and Hero felt cast adrift.

  ‘What’s up?’

  ‘Nothing.’ She closed her eyes again, pushing away the panic that had begun to creep towards her again. Her hands tightened almost imperceptibly on Nick’s arm.

  ‘So why don’t I believe you?’

  She shrugged against him.

  Feeling the soft kiss on her hair, her breaths gradually slowed. What was it with this man who could make her mad one moment and chase away her demons in the next.

  ‘You know your sister is worried about you.’ His words were a statement, not a question.

  ‘I know. She doesn’t need to be though. I’m fine.’

  ‘She thinks you work too hard.’

  ‘I like keeping busy.’

  ‘There’s keeping busy, and there’s back-to-back assignments.’

  Hero drew in a breath and let it out slowly, concentrating on the glittering stars and the warmth of Nick’s body behind her.

  ‘A girl has to pay the rent,’ she said, trying to lighten the mood, not to mention deflect the enquiry.

  ‘I don’t mean to be nosy, but I’m pretty sure you’ve probably got that covered.’

  ‘Maybe. But I like to be sure.’

  ‘Why do I get the feeling there’s more to this?’ Nick asked, getting his answer as he felt Hero’s body tense within his arms.

  ‘Of course there isn’t. I just like to be sure I’m financially prepared and independent. I know that’s still quite a radical view to take in some parts, but that’s what happens when you invite outsiders into your world.’

  Nick smiled. ‘Not me. I’m all for that.’

  ‘Good to hear.’

  ‘So, what do you do to relax?’

  ‘I …’ What did she do to relax? She spent time with Anya shopping, and visiting restaurants. She liked to read but the only times she ever seemed to be able to sit down with a book was on a long-haul flight like the one that had brought her here, although even then she never seemed to get far as fatigue overtook her and sleep won over reading.

  ‘What do you do to relax?’ Hero turned the question on him.

  She felt the deep rumble of laughter as he squeezed her a little more. ‘Oh no, you don’t. I asked first.’

  She sighed dramatically.

  ‘And don’t try and pull that diva stuff on me. I know you better than that now.’

  She could hear the smile in his voice as he teased her.

  ‘I suppose I go out with friends to relax.’

  ‘And do you?’

  ‘Do I what?’

  ‘Relax. It’s just that you’ve seemed as tight as a wound spring all day here.’

  ‘No, I haven’t.’

  Nick tipped her up and twisted positions so that her legs now lay over his and she was looking up into his face in surprise.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘If you’re going to fib to me, you have to look me in the eye when you do it.’

  Hero drew herself up. ‘I’m not fibbing.’ Was she?

  In the low light from the function room’s porch, she met his eyes and he knew that she was.

  ‘I don’t know anyone here. It’s different.’ Her voice was soft, and Nick pulled her a little closer, not just so that he could hear her but because there was something so hurt, so fractured in that tone that made him want to wrap his arms around her and protect her from whatever it was that had created that pain.

  ‘You know me.’

  A flicker of a smile danced on her face. ‘I think that probably goes for most of the women in this district from what I’ve witnessed today.’

  He grinned at her, even white teeth showing against the dark shadow on his jawline.

  ‘Point taken. OK, so you know all our family, and most people here are pretty easy going and I find it hard to see that someone would turn down the opportunity of talking to a stunner like you.’

  She dropped her gaze, knowing that, in a way, he was right. What she’d got used to at home, though, was wondering whether they were talking to her because they were interested, or whether it was because they wanted to be seen to be talking to her, or because they thought she might be useful in furthering their own cause. She knew how cynical her slant on it all was. Unfortunately, it seemed to prove itself over and over. Although, maybe here it was different.

  ‘I didn’t really know what to say to anyone.’

  ‘You probably don’t need to say much at all. Just ask about them and you’ll be golden. Most people love an opportunity to talk about themselves.’

  Hero let out a breath of laughter. ‘That is true.’

  The silence settled between them but there was nothing awkward about it. It felt natural. Companionable.

  ‘I’ve never seen Juliet as happy as she is here.’

  ‘I’d never seen my brother get such a dopey look on his face before she walked onto the property.’

  ‘I hope they’ll be happy.’

  ‘I have no doubt about it. Although, it does mean I’m going to have to get my arse in gear and get my own house built now.’

  ‘They’re kicking you out?’ Hero pulled back from his chest and stared at him, her mouth an ‘o’ of surprise.

  ‘Nah, not at all. But the house should be theirs. All theirs. Of course, it’s going to take a while to do anyway, but if I get started, I’ll feel better.’

  ‘Where will you be moving to? Won’t it be difficult if you’re still planning to help run the station?’

  He wrapped his arms a little tighter around her, warmth flooding through him at her gentle, unguarded concern. Hero rested her head back against the solid wall of his chest.

  ‘I’ll still be on the property. When the place was built, I think there was some delusion of grandeur going on, and they had a gatehouse put in, near the start of the driveway.’

  Keeping her head on his chest, Hero raised her eyes to Nick. ‘You’re not talking about that ruin on the left-hand side as you come in, are you?’

  ‘That’s the one.’

  ‘You’re rebuilding that?’ The astonishment that the feat was even possible was clear in her voice.

  ‘Mostly, plus I’ll be extending it a bit.’

  ‘That seems like a lot of work. Are you doing it on your
own?’

  ‘I’ve done the plans and had them approved, but not the rest. I’ve just been getting enough money together to make it happen.’

  ‘Did you enjoy planning it? Juliet said you were an architect. I was kind of surprised when she went on to say you’d moved back here from the city to go in with your brother on the station.’

  ‘Yeah, it was a change of direction, that’s for sure, but sometimes things happen to make sure you end up where you’re supposed to be, don’t they? Sometimes all the bright lights, big city thing can wear you down.’

  ‘It can. That’s true.’

  ‘After the whole engagement debacle, I realised I didn’t want to be there anymore. I’d brought up the subject a couple of times with my ex, but it never really came to anything. We came out a few times to visit and I could tell that she was desperate to get back to the city about ten minutes in.’

  ‘People change though. I never thought I’d see Juliet out here, on a place like this. We’ve only ever lived in big cities, and yet now it’s hard to imagine her anywhere else. She looks completely at home.’

  ‘I think the key is that you have to try. You have to have an open mind when it comes to change. It’s always scary but sometimes you just need to give it a chance.’

  ‘She’s very lucky, and I know she knows that.’ Hero smiled up at him briefly before resting her head back against him.

  ‘Ah, I think we’re the lucky ones. Finding someone as great as Jules to take Pete off our hands.’

  Hero giggled, and he held her a fraction tighter, trying to remember when he’d heard her laugh like that in his company. He couldn’t.

  ‘I’m so glad your dad agreed to walk her down the aisle. She was nervous about asking him, I know.’

  ‘Dad was thrilled. From the first time they met Juliet, they already loved her like a daughter.’