Setting Beauty down, Nate shook the man’s hand. “Travis. This is Chuck Chamberlin and his daughter Paige.”
“Pleased to meet you.” There was a touch of the South in his voice.
“Georgia?” Nate asked.
“Tupelo, Mississippi. Best honey in the world.”
“I can’t argue. I spent a very pleasant spring down South. Biscuits and honey every morning.”
“And grits.” Travis sighed. “Don’t forget the grits.”
“You’re making my mouth water,” Chuck smiled. “You want to come in the house? I can’t promise a Southern breakfast, but I have a pot of corn chowder on the stove. Do you like cornbread?”
“Yes, sir.”
Gesturing to Travis, Nate held back as Chuck and Paige headed inside.
“I haven’t had a chance to call Jack.”
Grinning at the puppy sniffing his boots, Travis bent down to introduce himself. “Is there a problem?”
“You could say that. We need to increase the security.”
Travis stood up straight, the good old Southern boy quickly replaced by a man who meant business.
“When you say increase, how many do you mean?”
“I’m not sure.” Nate rubbed the back of his neck.
“Let’s call Alex,” Travis said. “He handles this kind of thing every day. You can fill us both in. He’ll get you what you need.”
“Let’s take this inside.” Nate started up the front steps. “Chuck and Paige should hear this.”
“This is their ranch, right? They need to sign off on bringing in more security?”
“That won’t be a problem.”
Nate held the door for Travis. Whatever it took to keep Paige, Chuck, and everyone safe. He would brook no arguments. If it took a hundred men to lock this place down, so be it.
Beauty sat, waiting patiently.
“I won’t let anything happen to them. This is between us.” He scooped her up. “If I don’t think I can keep them safe, we are out of here. You and me. Understand?”
Beauty gave him what looked like a nod. Nate knew she didn’t understand his words. However, he swore the look in her eyes said, “What about Paige? Can’t she come?”
It was his own conscience talking. And maybe his heart. Nate rubbed his chest, right above that beating organ. Nope, Paige didn’t belong with him and his nomad lifestyle. She belonged here. With her father. With her horses. This was her home.
Nate took a long look at the ranch and the mountains that bordered it. He knew he would miss this. Most of all, he knew he would miss Paige.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
HER FATHER HADN’T blinked an eye when Nate declared he was bringing in more security. On speakerphone with Travis’ boss, Alex Fleming, Chuck laid out the logistics of the ranch and number of people who worked on the movie at any given time. Once they had everything worked out, the speed in which it was set into motion made her head spin.
H&W Security gathered their crew and had them on a plane to Montana in record time. This Alex Fleming knew how to get things done.
Travis had explained that Alex was ex-Army. He said it with a touch of reverence that made Paige curious about what the man’s job had been. When she asked, Travis shrugged. Alex was the best, he said. That was it. The subject was closed.
The best? The best what? Sniper? Code Breaker? Spy? She quickly realized that she had seen too many movies. Travis and Nate trusted Alex. That was all Paige needed, or wanted, to know.
The house couldn’t accommodate fifteen large men and the equipment they brought with them. Luckily, the weather was holding. Early October could turn cold — fast. However, it seemed this year they were in for a mild, seasonably warm month. The barn, in addition to housing the movie paraphernalia, was now a makeshift barracks.
“It won’t be very comfortable,” Paige said as she watched the men remove cots and sleeping bags from a large, black van.
“This is a five-star hotel compared to some of the places we’ve slept,” Travis informed her.
The group worked like a well-oiled machine. There was no need for conversation. They were trained to be ready for last minute assignments and knew how to hit the ground running.
The rest of the day was a blur of activity that often looked like barely contained chaos. Paige watched the show with admiration and a touch of awe. Motion sensitive cameras. Flood lights. Alarms. She lost track of everything they installed.
The men spoke in a kind of shorthand that was confusing at first, but the longer she listened, the easier it was to decipher. There was no question about what was going on when one of the men reported that the house had been swept. It was clean. No listening devices, cameras, or other foreign objects found
Alarmed, she asked Travis why he thought someone would bug the house.
“It’s routine for us to check,” he assured her.
Paige was relieved. She was still working on reassured.
On top of everything else, the men had brought along portable gas stoves and an upscale version of K rations. It was an impressive setup.
When she asked her father what all this was costing, he told her that Nate was handling it.
“You’re letting Nate foot the bill?” Paige couldn’t believe her ears. Her father was a stickler about paying his way. There was no way they could afford one of these men, let alone fifteen of them. And the equipment? It boggled the mind.
“You heard him, Paige. All of this,” he motioned to the bodies at work, “is the only way he would agree to stay. Do you want him to leave?”
“You know I don’t.”
They hadn’t discussed the reason that she and Nate had been at Lottie’s house, and Paige didn’t expect they ever would. However, Chuck wasn’t a fool. He knew her relationship with Nate had taken a more intimate turn.
“I’m signing over all rights to the movie.”
“Dad! You can’t do that.”
“I wanted Erin’s story to be told. It was never about making money. Now,” Chuck shrugged. “I’m not fooling myself. If the movie turns a profit, it will be a miracle, but it’s the only thing I have to offer. Nate would never agree to take part of the ranch.”
“Damn straight.”
Paige took in the sight of Nate. There was nothing for him to do. Every man had a job. He would be in the way if he offered to help. However, there was no doubt who was in charge. Travis orchestrated the action, but he consulted with Nate every step of the way. It wasn’t because he footed the bill. Nate was a born leader. He was the man one would gravitate toward in any crisis — confident that he would find a way out.
Paige understood. She believed in standing on her own two feet. Making her own way. Solving her problems with no outside help. Yet all she wanted to do was curl up in his arms and let him take care of everything. That impulse made her keep her hands firmly anchored to her sides.
“This is your ranch, Chuck. Yours and Paige’s. The same goes for the movie.”
“I can’t let you do all this without paying you back. I know the movie isn’t worth anything, but it’s all I have to offer.” Paige recognized the stubborn set of her father’s chin. Her brown eyes weren’t the only thing she inherited from him.
“My mess, my responsibility.”
“You’re here because of me,” Chuck reasoned.
“Technically, I’m here because of Paige. Isn’t that right?”
Paige nodded. She didn’t trust herself to speak. Too many emotions that she hadn’t found names for.
“Fine.” Chuck crossed his arms. “You agreed to stay because my people guilted you into it. That shifted the responsibility back to me.”
Fascinated by the game of testosterone ping-pong, Paige waited to see how Nate would respond now that the ball sailed back his way.
“I hold all the cards, Chuck.”
Nate’s stance was deceptively relaxed. Even with her father between them, she could feel the coiled energy radiating from him. Nate looked like he didn’t
have a care in the world. Paige wouldn’t want to be the person who made the mistake of testing that theory.
“Damn it, Nate.” Paige knew her father was out of arguments. And so did he.
“One more thing.” Nate’s gaze landed on her, then shifted to Chuck. The deep blue color intense. “That is the last time I want to hear you say that the movie isn’t worth anything. I’ve never been privileged to work on a project that meant more than this one. You can’t measure it in dollars and cents. The sense of accomplishment and pride I see in the cast and crew. The way you are honoring Erin’s memory. It’s priceless, Chuck. Never forget that.”
“He’s the most arrogant person I have ever met,” Chuck said with a huff as they watched Nate walk over to where Travis was making notes.
“Yes,” Paige agreed.
“Frustrating.”
“Absolutely.”
“Pig-headed.”
“No argument here.”
“Admirable.” Chuck’s tone softened.
Paige smiled, nodding her head.
“A man like that is a rare thing.”
Once in a lifetime, Paige thought. If you were lucky.
“Lottie called him a good man.”
“Mmm. She hit it on the head.” Chuck put an arm around her shoulders. “You’re in love with him.”
“I…” Paige shook her head. “I barely know him, Dad. People don’t fall in love this fast.”
“I fell for your mother the second I saw her. I opened the front door and saw my future wrapped up in a coat that made her look like the Michelin Man. The heart has no sense of time, Paige.”
“I don’t know what I’m feeling.” Paige couldn’t tell her father something when she didn’t know the answer. “Nate has me tied in knots, Dad.”
“That’s okay. Knots aren’t always a bad thing.”
“In this case, they are. Nate and I are on two separate paths that have briefly intersected. In a few weeks, he’ll be off to who knows where. I’m fine with that.”
“Oh, Paige.”
“What?”
“Earlier, you gave him hell when you thought he was leaving.”
“No one wanted him to leave. Don’t laugh.” Paige smiled in spite of herself. “My reasons may be a bit more personal than everyone else’s.”
“Just a bit.” Chuck tucked her arm through his and began walking toward the house. “You may believe it will be okay, Paige. But when the time comes, letting him go won’t be easy.”
“No.” That much she would admit. “I won’t make a scene or beg him to stay.”
“You forget one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“This love thing can work both ways. When the time comes, Nate might not want to give you up.”
Hours later, her father’s words stuck with her, like little whispers of hope that she couldn’t shake off. Closing her eyes, Paige rolled her head in a slow circle. Right now, all she wanted was a good night’s sleep. It had been crazy to think she would be in any condition to go out. When Lottie had called, Paige yawned through the conversation as she filled her friend in.
Mentioning the addition of the security force had not been a good idea. She blamed it on a fuzzy brain. Lottie’s first reaction was a squeal of excitement. Fresh blood. It was all Paige could do to keep her from jumping in her car and racing over. The men were not here for Lottie’s enjoyment. They had a job to do.
“They take breaks, don’t they?” Lottie asked slyly.
“Yes. What’s your plan? Sit around and pick them off one by one? Five minutes here? Five minutes there?” Paige had to smile. She knew Lottie better than anyone. If she thought it would work, she would do exactly that.
“I hoped for a little longer.” There was a pause. “Five minutes? I can work with that.”
“Down, girl. You don’t want to be the cause of a man losing his job.”
“Fine.” Lottie heaved a huge sigh of disappointment. “Fifteen of them?”
“Fifteen,” Paige confirmed.
“What a waste.”
“You’ll survive,” Paige teased.
“I suppose.” Lottie laughed. “It’s a good thing they don’t know what they’re missing. Those men would be eating their hearts out.”
They hung up with a promise to get together as soon as things returned to normal.
PAIGE HAD LONG ago passed exhausted. Sometime during the day, there had come a point where her eyeballs began to feel like they were glued open. Add to it the rollercoaster of emotions, and it was a wonder she functioned on any level.
She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, brushing her teeth with slow, deliberate motions. It was just after nine o’clock. At this time last night, she had been bouncing around, anxious for her night with Nate to begin. The only thing on her mind had been how good the sex would be. The answer was great. Fantastic. Earth shattering.
Since then, her world had turned upside down and spun around in the span of a few short hours.
The explosion. Nate’s decision to leave. His decision to stay. Not to mention the influx of strangers whose job it would be to keep the ranch and everyone on it safe.
Paige pulled the band from her hair, running her fingers through the long tresses. As with brushing her teeth, washing her face was a nightly routine she refused to skip no matter how tired she was. A touch of moisturizer and she was done. She shut off the light and headed down the hall.
Travis and two of his men shared the bedroom on the first floor. She refused to worry about those big bodies trying to fit onto a couple of twin beds and an old love seat. They insisted they would be fine, and she took them at their word. She made sure they had clean sheets and towels and knew where the bathroom was. The rest was up to them.
At the end of the hall, her father’s door was closed. There was no telltale sliver of light underneath signaling that he was still awake. He was as worn out as the rest of them. The early night would do them all good.
Without a second thought, Paige walked past her door, instead entering the bedroom farthest from the stairs. Removing her robe, she slid under the covers.
“What are you doing?” Nate’s voice rumbled. The room was dark, but Paige had no problem finding him. She snuggled up against his back, her arm reaching around his waist.
“Going to bed.”
Paige laughed quietly when she felt a wet tongue lick the back of her hand.
“Beauty is happy to see me.”
“She’s a sweetheart. She’s happy to see everyone.” Nate took her hand, rubbing the damp spot.
“I’d like to think I’m a little bit special.”
“You have no idea.”
Paige smiled, her lips touching Nate’s warm back. No shirt. Being good, she didn’t check to see if he had anything on below the waist. Her nightgown provided enough of a barrier to keep this visit G-rated.
“I made a promise to your father, Paige.”
“You are an honorable man, Nathaniel.” Paige rested her head on the pillow, her eyes drooping.
“Paige?”
“Hmm?”
“We can’t do this.”
“What?” Having Nate close by was all the extra push Paige needed. Sleep was blissfully close. If only he would stop talking.
“No sex. I promised.”
That caught her full attention.
“No sex? What would you call what we did last night?”
“That was at Lottie’s. We can’t do it here. In this house. I promised.” Nate made no effort to move away. He was honorable. He was also a man. He asked her to leave before he broke a promise he considered sacred.
Relieved, Paige relaxed. Sex was still a go. Letting her eyes drift shut, she reassured Nate.
“I want to sleep with you. Just sleep. I don’t want to be alone.”
Nate understood. It felt good to have her with him. It felt right. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. His body settled into the mattress, his limbs heavy.
&nb
sp; “Good night, Paige.”
She didn’t answer. Nate felt the warmth of her even breathing against his back.
I could get used to this. Nate waited for the feeling of panic. When it didn’t come, he knew something had changed. However, he was too tired to figure out what it was.
Lacing his fingers with Paige’s, Nate drifted off. No more worries. Not tonight.
“TELL ME WHAT’S going on.”
He hated being left in the dark. It was one of the reasons he hired others to be his eyes. Information was power.
He had his enemies watched — constantly. Any weakness. A tiny chink in their armor could be invaluable. One never knew when a seemingly innocuous fact would be the one to give him the leverage he needed.
The devil is in the details. That had been his father’s favorite saying. Overlook nothing, he would tell his son. Sloppy people lose. Be meticulous in everything and one could conquer the world.
The world didn’t interest him. What would he do with it? No, his focus had always been much more localized. A block of buildings. A chain of stores. A racehorse. He never wanted what he could easily buy. He wanted the unattainable.
To get it, he destroyed anyone who stood in his way. That was where the fun lay. The more he hurt the person who stood in his way, the better. The problem was the pleasure was fleeting. The luster quickly wore off his shiny new toys leaving him dissatisfied and looking for the next thrill.
He had been working toward his current goal for some time. The chase was sweet. His prey, elusive. Now that he could see the end in sight, he would not let anything stand in his way.
“The place is swarming with armed security. They spent most of the day installing surveillance equipment.”
“Can you get around it?” He swirled the expensive brandy, warming it through the crystal. The finest of everything. Some would say there was no difference between a bottle that cost four thousand dollars and one that was a thousand more. It wasn’t true. He tasted it on his tongue. In the back of his throat. The difference was exclusivity. The more expensive the item meant fewer people could afford it. That made it better.
“I can’t get close enough to tell what they’re using. I thought some of the men might leave once they were finished, but they are patrolling the area. Half a dozen at a time. Every few hours they—”
Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2) Page 23
