The big barn was being rebuilt and the sidewalls were already framed. A tall figure strode out from the construction site, sleeves rolled up over powerful forearms and a grim expression on his hard-edged face.
Justin pulled the car to the side of the drive and climbed out. “Alex, good to see you.”
“I wish I could say the same. Still, we’re shorthanded here raising the roof. Come this way.”
Justin’s eyes widened as Alex disappeared back into the wood skeleton of the barn.
Anything it takes, baby, I promise. Whatever Alex made him do, Alicia was worth it.
With his next breath, he followed him in.
“Got a greenhorn here,” bellowed Alex. “But he’s light so he can climb up to the rafters.”
Justin swallowed as he glanced up to the high sill where the roof would rest. He could see the trusses stacked at the far end of the barn frame, with a crane ready to hoist them into place.
“Whatever you say, boss,” said an older man at the controls of the crane.
“Wear this.” Alex flung a scuffed yellow hard hat at Justin, and he caught it and put it on. “There’s a ladder up at this end where the first truss will be raised. You steady on your feet?”
“Sure am.”
Alex’s stern face betrayed no emotion as he tossed Justin a pair of worn leather gloves and a spirit level. But he could swear he saw a twinkle of evil in his eye.
Justin scaled the tall aluminum ladder leaning against the frame. He’d climbed masts higher than this out on a heaving ocean. Still, he hadn’t had a man who hated him at the tiller that time.
At the top of the ladder, he stepped up onto the sill. “What’s the plan?”
He saw the first triangular truss rise off the ground, lifted by the crane. It swung slowly toward him. Three other men climbed up into position around him.
“They’ll get the ends,” said Alex. “You line up the middle of the truss with the sill and check it for plumb. When it’s right, Joe will nail it down.”
Great. As long as the truss didn’t knock him to the ground, he might survive to enjoy marriage to Alicia.
He steadied himself on the sill, which happily was almost a foot wide.
Alex must know about his plans with Alicia. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have let him in here. This was a test. If he passed, he’d be home free.
Or at least that was a good thought to keep in mind as the heavy truss floated through the air toward him. As it moved within reach, Justin grabbed the truss and helped settle it in position at his feet, while the guys at both ends did the same.
He checked it for level. “It’s dead on.”
Pneumatic nailers fixed it into position with loud thunking sounds. “One down, twenty-nine more to go.” Alex looked up with a grin. “Though for the next one, you’ll have to move out along the center beam.”
Justin looked down at his feet where a long span stretched to the next support column. He lifted his head high.
“No problem.”
Alicia was worth it.
He wasn’t surprised to see her standing nearby when he finally climbed down from the barn frame nearly five hours later. They’d raised thirty trusses to form the biggest roof he’d ever seen in his life.
She came across the lawn toward him. “Great job, guys! Come on in the house and have something to eat.”
Justin glanced down. His light blue shirt was drenched with sweat and a layer of fine sawdust coated his entire body. Alicia clearly didn’t mind though. Her big dark eyes sparkled with…triumph?
Apparently, he’d done something right.
“The barn looks fantastic. It’s going to be nice to have all that extra space for the calves.”
“You’re right, ’Manita. I know you were sad about the old barn burning, but this one will be a lot more useful.”
“I’m glad Justin was able to help.”
He caught sight of her grin before she turned back to the house.
Inside, he found the kitchen table piled high with freshly made tortilla fixings. Alicia snapped the lids off two cold beers and set them down.
“Come help yourselves.” She handed them each a plate. “I have to run down to the post office before it closes. Eat up, and I’ll be back in a few.” She gave Justin a knowing look as she marched past him. Now’s your chance, the look seemed to say.
“Help yourself. You earned a good meal,” grunted Alex. “You’re stronger than you look.”
“I enjoyed it.” He wasn’t entirely lying. “I never did any construction before. It’s eye-opening to see how things go together.”
“A well-constructed building can last a thousand years. Even a wood building, as long as it doesn’t burn down.”
A brief silence settled in the room as they loaded rice and chicken onto warm tortillas.
Justin glanced up. “Are the police any closer to finding out who set the fire?”
“You don’t think I did it?” Alex lifted a dark brow. “That seems to be the word around town.”
“People are scared of what they don’t understand. They start flinging accusations about.”
“People like your friends Mitch and Lance Brody?”
“I think you all know that none of you are involved in any of this.” Justin spooned some guacamole on to his plate.
“Lance Brody outright accused me. Darius told me he was going around telling people someone saw my truck at the scene.”
“I’m sure the fire upset him and he started grasping at straws. I told him myself I was sure you didn’t have anything to do with it.”
Alex stared at him for a long moment. “You did?”
“Sure. The way Alicia talked about you, I knew you’d never be involved in something like that.”
“Alicia talked about me?” Alex’s grim expression softened into surprise.
“She talks about you a lot. She really looks up to you.”
“Huh.” His grunt contained more emotion than he probably intended to reveal.
“The problem is, if you didn’t set the Brody fire, and the Brodys didn’t set your fire, then who’s wandering around Somerset carrying chemical accelerants?”
“And why?” Alex frowned.
“Someone who has a bone to pick with both you and the Brodys.”
Alex snorted. “What in the heck do I have in common with the Brody brothers that would make someone come after both of us?”
Justin picked up a fork from a pile of gleaming cutlery. “Well, one thing occurs to me. You’re all fairly new members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Honestly, I have no idea.” Justin shrugged. “But something strange is going on—the fires, the money missing from the club’s accounts—and I have a feeling it’s all connected somehow.”
“Do the Brody brothers still have me at the top of their list of suspects?”
“I doubt it, but I confess I haven’t seen ’em in a while. There’s only one person I want to spend my free time with these days.” Justin spooned sour cream onto his tortilla.
“I suspected as much.” Alex picked up his beer and headed for the door. “Let’s sit out back.”
“Out back” was a wide, shady veranda with potted daisies and an expansive view of the back forty. Or the back four hundred, which is what it looked like. Sturdy cattle grazed as far as the eye could see.
Alex eased himself into a wooden chair, and Justin took the bench beside him.
“I love your sister.” There, he’d said it. “We got off on the wrong foot, but she knows I care about her and she’s prepared to forgive me and look to the future.” Justin inhaled the cool evening air. “I’m hoping you’re willing to do the same.”
“That’s a lot to hope for.” Alex took a hearty bite of his rolled tortilla.
“I’ve asked her to marry me, and she said yes, but only on the condition that you’ll give her away.”
Alex stopped chewing. “You asked her to
marry you?” He stared. “You only just met.”
So she hadn’t told Alex. She’d trusted him to sort things out on his own. Her faith in him warmed his heart still further.
“It doesn’t take a lot of time to know you’ve met the right person.”
His dark eyes narrowed. “You gave her a ring?”
“Not yet. I wanted to get your permission first. Alicia’s old-fashioned.” He couldn’t help smiling. “That’s one of the many things I love about her.”
Alex still looked as if someone had smacked him with a two-by-four. “You actually proposed marriage? And here I thought you were just hoping to take her out on a date again.”
“Alicia and I want to be together. We’re both adults. Why waste time?”
“You caught me off guard.” Alex blew out a long breath. “I was pretty impressed you were prepared to frame a barn just to win a date with her.”
“I’d frame a barn for the chance to see her smile.”
“I’m beginning to believe you would.” Alex frowned. “Our parents got married after only one evening together. They just knew.” He shook his head. “I guess it works that way sometimes.”
“I didn’t think I’d ever fall in love, but then I’d never met someone like Alicia.”
Alex put down his plate. “Alicia’s used to a certain lifestyle.” He leaned forward. “I’ve worked hard to provide it for her.”
“I can guarantee she’ll have everything she wants. I own a good-size shipping company and we—”
“I know, I know.” Alex’s frown deepened and he stared off into the distance. “Damn, I hate the idea of losing Alicia to another man.” He turned to Justin. “That sounds bad, and I don’t mean it like that, but she’s my baby sister.” He picked up his plate again and took a giant bite of his tortilla.
Justin did the same, and they chewed in silence for a moment. Then he took a deep steady breath. “Will you give Alicia away at our wedding?”
Alex looked up at the horizon. The sky had turned mauve and cast an eerie glow over the fields of cattle. “I know you’ve got a lot of money, but Alicia needs more than that.” He fixed his gaze on Justin. “She’s tough on the outside but soft and gentle inside. If you break her heart I’ll…” The look in his eyes said it all.
“I’ll cherish her and treat her with respect and love. I promise you that.” Justin swallowed.
Hope surged in his chest as he saw Alex’s expression soften.
“Then I give you my blessing.” He turned to Justin. His stern features showed some of the pain he’d no doubt experience at losing Alicia from his daily existence. “And yes, I’ll give her away. But if you don’t treat her right, you can count on it that I’ll come take her back.” Alex glared for a second, striking alarm into Justin’s heart. But then he simply said, “Congratulations, brother-in-law.”
Justin’s chest ached with joy. “I appreciate your trust. I promise you I’ll earn it every day.”
Justin extended his hand and Alex shook it with a quick nod. “I believe you will,” Alex said.
“You’d better both go have a shower and clean up,” said Alicia, as she stepped through the French doors out on to the patio, looking radiant as a sunrise. “Because we’re all going out to celebrate.”
“Were you listening the whole time?” Alex cocked his head.
“No, I really did go to the post office. But I heard the important parts.”
Her shy smile made Justin’s heart leap.
Then she turned to Alex and took his hands in hers. “And I’m very glad you’re going to give me away at my wedding. You’ve always been the most important man in my life, and everything I am today, I owe to you.”
Justin watched her brawny older brother tear up.
Alex pressed a kiss to Alicia’s forehead. “You’re the best sister a brother could hope for and I wish you all the happiness in the world. The two of you are welcome to live at El Diablo, by the way. I don’t like the idea of my baby sister living in sin at a hotel.”
“Alex! It’s the twenty-first century. They don’t call it living in sin anymore.”
“I call a spade a spade. Even if you are getting married.”
“If I listened to you, I wouldn’t be getting married. I’d have gone to stay with that sleazy El Gato.” She did a mock shiver. “Luckily, I decided to trust my own instincts for once.”
She smiled at Justin. “I’d be happy to live with you wherever you are.”
“As long as there’s a ring on your finger,” growled Alex.
“Speaking of which…” Justin reached into the back pocket of his pants and pulled out a small ring box. He turned to face Alicia, then lowered himself slowly to one knee. He wanted to do it the old-fashioned way—even in front of her brother—because he knew she’d like that.
“Alicia Montoya, will you be my wife?”
“Oh, Justin.” Her hands flew to her mouth as tears glazed her eyes. “How thoughtful!” Her voice wavered. “And yes, I will be your wife.”
He flipped open the small, white velvet box. Inside shone the most spectacular diamond he’d been able to find in the entire Houston area. It was nearly four carats and glittered like the Gulf of Mexico.
“Oh, my goodness.” Alicia’s eyes widened.
Justin pulled the ring from its satin bed and slid it onto her finger.
“Oh, Justin, it’s so beautiful!” Alicia admired the sparkly gem on her finger.
“I had it set in platinum since I notice you prefer silver jewelry.”
“It’s perfect.” She looked up at him, eyes shining with tears. “You’re perfect.”
“Oh, I’m a long way from perfect, but with you by my side I’ll be the best I can be.” He grinned, almost delirious with happiness. He turned to Alex. “And I have no intention of keeping Alicia prisoner in a high-rise hotel. I think we should buy a house in Somerset—perhaps one with a tennis court, since I know Alicia likes tennis.”
“And a pool,” said Alex with a serious expression. “She likes to swim and it gets hot in the summer.”
“What about a lake?” Alicia’s eyes sparkled with humor. “For you to sail on?”
Justin laughed and had to stop himself from pulling her into his arms.
“I think a sweet little house with a nice little garden would be just fine,” she said. “And the sooner we get married, the less time I’ll be living in sin.”
She tilted her head and looked up at Justin. “Could we get married here at El Diablo? That would mean a lot to me. If it’s okay with Alex.”
“Of course,” both men replied instantly. They glanced at each other and a half-smile formed on Alex’s face.
“I can tell we’re going to be a very happy family,” said Alicia with a smile. She looked at Justin shyly. “And maybe our new house can have some extra bedrooms, in case our family gets bigger.”
Justin’s chest swelled almost to bursting. “I can’t wait.”
“Then you guys better shower and change so we can go celebrate our engagement.”
“Great idea,” said Justin. “Where shall we go?”
Alicia smiled and admired her ring. “Why, the Texas Cattleman’s Club of course. Where else?”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-4282-5
THE MAVERICK’S VIRGIN MISTRESS
Copyright © 2009 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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*The Hardcastle Progeny
*The Hardcastle Progeny
*The Hardcastle Progeny
The Maverick's Virgin Mistress Page 14
