“Thank you for a wonderful time.” Her smile, different from any he’d seen all day, and exactly what he’d set out to achieve, did strange things to his insides. “I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun.”
“Like I said earlier, you deserve it.” Unable to stop himself, he caressed her cheek. “You give so much of yourself to others. But surely we didn’t cover everything. So if there’s something else you’d like to do before Megan comes home—”
“As a matter of fact, there is.” She chewed her bottom lip.
“And what might that be?”
“This.” Before he realized what was happening, she pushed up on her toes and kissed him. A kiss that nearly knocked him off his feet.
She started to pull away, but he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Her fingers threaded through the back of his hair as their lips met again. He could stay this way forever.
Because, whether he planned to or not, he had fallen in love with Carly all over again.
Chapter Fifteen
It had been a long time since someone had made Carly feel as special as Andrew had yesterday. He’d catered to her every whim and, at the same time, made her feel like a woman instead of just a mom, caretaker or friend. He’d awakened something in her she’d thought she’d never feel again. Something she was too afraid to name. Because acknowledging it left her open for disappointment. Heartbreak. And yet she’d kissed him.
What had she been thinking?
Now here she sat, wedged in a church pew between Andrew and Clint. Every time Andrew shifted the slightest bit, she caught a whiff of fresh air and masculinity that reminded her of that kiss.
As if she needed any reminder. She’d had a hard time thinking about anything else since it happened. Even now, her heart thundered at the memory. Here in church, of all places.
Straightening, she eyed the wooden cross over the pulpit, trying hard to focus on Pastor Dan’s sermon. A message based on Isaiah 43. She smoothed a hand over the pages of her open Bible.
“Sometimes we get so bogged down in the past that we forget to open our eyes to the future God has for us,” the pastor said.
The future? Something she found very frightening. While her past might not be all that pretty, the future was unknown, and uncertainty was always scary. Especially when it involved the heart. Her gaze momentarily darted to Andrew.
If the future was so frightening, why did she keep thinking about that kiss and contemplating all sorts of what-ifs? Hadn’t Andrew told her that he would be going back to Denver once her kitchen was done? That he was about to sign off on another business?
God, I know that anything You have for me is better than I could possibly want for myself. Help me not cling to what I want and be open to Your will.
In the meantime, she would immerse herself in Mona’s scrapbooks and do whatever it took to stay away from Andrew.
After the service, the Stephens men congregated on the sidewalk outside the church, beside the towering white fir. Everyone except Matt, that is, who was on call with the sheriff’s department.
While Carly wanted simply to whisk right past them, it would be rude for her not to say hello to Daniel, the youngest of the Stephens boys. This was the first she’d seen him since he’d returned from his latest adventure.
She eased beside him. “How was Peru?”
“Awesome.” With his medium-length blond hair, blue eyes and sparkling smile, he looked like a young Brad Pitt. “Rafting the Cotahuasi River never gets old. You should try it sometime.”
She practically burst out laughing. “Daniel, I haven’t even rafted the Uncompahgre since I was a teenager. And that’s in my own backyard.”
He chuckled. “Why don’t you join us for lunch and I’ll show you some photos?”
Lunch? No. She had scrapbooks waiting for her. “I’m sorry. I can’t—”
“’Course she’s joining us.” Clint rolled up the sleeves of his blue plaid button-down shirt.
Her gaze narrowed. “I’m surprised you’re even here. You know, you still haven’t been cleared by the doctor.” Though, looking at him now, one would have a hard time believing he’d been sick. His color was back to normal, he was clean-shaven and, with his salt-and-pepper hair neatly combed, he looked quite handsome.
Lord willing, the doctor would give him the all-clear at his checkup tomorrow. The poor man had given up just about everything he loved to do these past couple of weeks, so she hoped he’d be allowed to return to most, if not all, of his normal activities around the ranch.
“It’s only church. It’s not like I’m out herdin’ cattle.” One corner of his mouth lifted then. “But if you’re that worried, you’d best come on to the house and help these boys keep an eye on me.”
She shook her head. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, Clint.” And even though she really would have loved to join them, the thought of spending another day with Andrew was what worried her most.
“You don’t even have to cook,” added Noah.
“That’s right.” The gleam in Andrew’s brown eyes sent goose bumps down her spine. “We’ve got everything taken care of.”
“Come on, Carly.” Daniel nudged her with his elbow. “It’ll be fun.”
That’s what she was afraid of.
She studied the conifers scattered around the vacant lot across the road, backdropped by Hayden Mountain. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to go for a little bit. She could look at Daniel’s pictures, have some lunch, then tell them she had a prior commitment and needed to leave. They didn’t have to know it was the scrapbooks.
“You guys sure drive a hard bargain.”
After a quick stop by Livie’s to change clothes, she drove to the ranch. She could do this. Having everyone around would naturally deflect her attention away from Andrew.
When she entered the ranch house, her stomach growled at the mixture of smells. She was delighted to learn that they’d prepared elk burgers, homemade french fries, coleslaw and brownies. And they wouldn’t let her set foot in the kitchen except to eat. These guys really did have a way of making a woman feel like a queen. Mona would have been proud.
After the meal, while Jude and Andrew cleaned up the kitchen and Clint settled in his recliner, Carly sat at the table with Daniel, poring over the photos on his tablet.
“That looks pretty intense,” she said as he turned off the device.
“Most extreme white water in Peru.”
“And you think I should try it?” She bumped him with her shoulder. “I think you need your head examined.” Laughing, she looked up and saw Andrew leaning against the counter. Evidently they were done with the kitchen.
“Well, guys, I hate to cut this short.” She stood and stretched. “But I have some things I need to take care of in town.”
Each of them gave her a quick hug, except Andrew, who insisted on walking her out.
“I didn’t know you needed to leave so soon,” he said as they emerged onto the deck. “I was hoping we could go for a walk.”
“I really—”
“Just a short one.” His crooked smile made him look like the Andrew she remembered from high school. The one who had been able to talk her into just about anything.
Say no. No, no, no... “Okay.”
He started toward the pasture. “Can you believe we’re closing in on your completed kitchen?”
“Finally.” She tilted her face heavenward, allowing the sun to warm her face. “It feels like it’s taking forever.” Though it also left her with a lot of mixed emotions. Once her kitchen was done, Andrew would be gone.
“You know what the preacher said this morning about not dwelling on the past?” Andrew took hold of her hand.
“Yes.” Ignoring that annoying voice in her head, she entwined her fin
gers with his.
“Do you ever do that? Dwell on the past.”
“More often than I care to admit.”
“Me, too.” He continued across the winter-weary landscape, looking straight ahead. “But then the verse he referenced went on to say that God was doing something new. And that ‘Do you not perceive it?’ part almost felt a smack upside my head. Like, ‘Don’t you get it, buddy? I’m working here.’”
She puffed out a laugh, eyeing the cattle in the distance.
“I’m not sure, Carly, but I think God is doing something new in my life.”
“Like what?” She peered up at him, squinting against the sun’s glare.
“I don’t know.” He drew to a stop beside the river, taking in the rushing water before looking at her. “Maybe it’s this new business venture. But selling my company—something I never imagined I would do—coming back here and reconnecting with my family.” He squeezed her hand and smiled. “Reconnecting with you.”
Her heart pounded.
“And this ranch.” He let go of her hand and bent to pick up a small rock. “Remember after the blizzard, when we came out here on the snowmobile?”
“Yes.”
Tossing the pebble in his hand, he said, “You challenged me to start looking at the good things the ranch had to offer.”
“I remember that.” She picked up her own stone, rubbed its smooth surface with her thumb. “Though I think it was more of an order than a challenge.”
He chuckled, throwing his rock into the water. “In that case, you’ll be happy to know that I followed your orders.” Hands slung low on his hips, he moved toward her. “Funny thing happened.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m actually enjoying the ranch, perhaps for the first time in my life.”
She couldn’t help but grin.
“Being here and talking with my brothers has brought back a lot of memories that have helped me realize that the hardships we endured while I was growing up were what bonded us together as a family and made us stronger. Not the other way around.” He moved a step closer. “I know the ranch had nothing to do with my mother’s death.” He shrugged. “I was just looking for a scapegoat instead of taking responsibility for my actions.”
Amid the soothing backdrop of the water, Carly’s heart swelled. She’d been praying that God would help Andrew realize the truth. Now she could only pray that he would decide to stay in Ouray. Because despite trying to convince herself otherwise, she wanted him in her life.
* * *
Andrew drilled another screw into the hinge leaf for Carly’s new pantry door, amazed at how quickly things had progressed.
It was only Tuesday, yet Dad was celebrating a clean bill of health by reclaiming his freedom as a rancher, and Carly’s kitchen was nearing completion. Andrew wasn’t sure how he felt about either one. Dad couldn’t just pick up where he left off. He’d need to ease back into things after being laid up for two weeks. And as for Carly, Andrew would be fine with her project going into perpetuity.
Unfortunately, it didn’t look like that was going to happen. The appliances had been delivered and installed yesterday, and thanks to Marianne’s help and persistence in following up with their order, the marble countertops were set to be installed tomorrow. All he had left to do then was install the subway tile backsplash and hang the pendant lights over the island. Carly should be able to move back in before the weekend.
And he’d be on his way to Denver.
The thought making his heart ache, he leaned back against the doorjamb. He was in love with Carly again. Perhaps he’d never stopped. All these years and he’d never forgotten her. She was the standard by which all other women were judged. Not that he ever dated that much. Finding someone who even remotely understood him the way Carly did was next to impossible.
But he’d made a commitment to purchase Magnum Homes. Signed a contract. And he was nothing if not a man of his word.
He glanced around the space, pleased with how everything had come together. He and Carly made a good team. Now if they could just figure out what to do about his grandmother’s house. Neither had broached the topic in weeks, and he was still clueless about how they were going to find a compromise.
He slid the screwdriver into his tool belt, grinning. He supposed he could marry her. That would keep the house in the family.
Yeah, right. If there’s one thing he knew for sure, it was that Carly would never leave Ouray.
Still, if they couldn’t come to some sort of agreement on what to do with Grandma’s house, owning just half of it did neither one of them any good.
Movement outside the window on the opposite end of the kitchen drew his attention. Carly was just crossing the drive, bringing him lunch. Now that his father had been cleared, there was no reason for her to hang out at the ranch all day. Perhaps this would give them an opportunity to discuss his grandmother’s house.
He hurried across the paper-covered floors to meet her at the door. At this point, he no longer wanted her to see the space until it was complete. Which reminded him, he needed to put paper over the windows, too, so she couldn’t peek inside.
He swung open the door, quickly closing it behind him. “Why didn’t you just text me? I could have come next door.”
She sent him a shy smile. “Well, I was hoping to get a peek at any progress.”
“Sorry.” Hands on his hips, he blocked the door. “No more peeking until it’s finished.”
“But—”
He descended a couple of steps, then sat down. “Nice weather we’re having today.” Grinning, he perused the cloudless sky. “Good day for a picnic, don’t you think?” He glanced back at her now. “And since you happen to be carrying a picnic basket...”
She sent him a pleading look. “Not even a little peek?”
“Nope.”
Squaring her shoulders, she narrowed her gaze. “What if I said I’d withhold your lunch?”
He shrugged. “I have protein bars.” Though they held about as much appeal as a brick compared to one of Carly’s homemade meals. Still, he wasn’t about to give in on this one.
“Okay, fine.” She set the basket on the step in front of him with a thud.
“Hey—” leaning forward, he touched her cheek “—just think how exciting it will be to see everything done.”
“I know.” She lifted the basket lid. “But patience isn’t my virtue.” Reaching inside, she pulled out a foil-covered plate and handed it to him. “Hope you don’t mind leftover fried chicken.”
“Are you kidding?” He lifted the foil off the warm plate to discover mashed potatoes, corn and green beans, too. “There’s no such thing as bad fried chicken.”
She pulled out a plate for herself. “I was craving it last night, and since I’m alone, there’s no way I could eat it all.”
“And I get to reap the benefits.” He bit into a drumstick. “This is delicious.” He took hold of the napkin she offered and wiped his chin. “Seriously, you know you’re spoiling me, don’t you? I don’t know what we’re going to do at the ranch now that you’re not there helping Dad.”
“What can I say? I like to cook and take care of people.”
“Well, your husband was a blessed man.”
Carly’s smile all but evaporated, and her pretty blue eyes clouded over. She set her plate on top of the closed basket, then dropped onto the bottom step.
Only then did he realize what he’d said. He set his plate next to hers and moved beside her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I wasn’t trying to open old wounds.”
“You didn’t.” She stared at her clasped hands in her lap. “It’s just that I don’t think Dennis would have agreed with you.”
“What do you mean?”
She drew in a deep breath before
looking at him. “My marriage was a sham. Everybody thought Dennis and I were the perfect couple, but we were barely more than friends.”
He could see the pain in her eyes and wished that he could make it go away. “Surely it wasn’t always that way.”
“No.” She again looked at her hands as though she was too embarrassed to look at him. “I wouldn’t have married him if it had been. But over time, his job took on a higher priority. He worked longer hours, and even when he was home, he was always tethered to his work.”
Standing, she started to pace. “One day he announced that he wanted to move to Grand Junction. Said he could make more money there.” She sighed. “Perhaps I should have heard him out. Instead, I told him no. We didn’t need more money. That wasn’t the real reason, though. Inside—” she laid a hand against her chest “—I kept thinking how lonely Megan and I would be in a strange place, not knowing anyone.”
She stopped pacing then. “Dennis told me I was being selfish. That the only reason I didn’t want to move was because I was afraid of change.” Finally she met his gaze. “Then he slammed the door behind him. Two hours later, the police were at my door telling me he was dead.”
Andrew’s eyes fell closed as he processed her words. He understood just how she felt. He knew all too well what it was like to live with that kind of regret.
“Carly...” Standing, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, trying to decide who was the bigger jerk. Her husband for not giving his family the respect he should have, or him for bringing up the subject. “I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head, tears falling. “I don’t know. Maybe Dennis was right. Maybe I am afraid of change.”
“Are you kidding?” Andrew set her away from him but still held onto her. “Look at how many changes you’ve not only faced but also overcome. You’re a single mom, a business owner, and what about this fire?” He let go just long enough to gesture to the house. “You’re stronger than you think, Carly. And you’ve tackled everything far better than most people.”
Their Ranch Reunion Page 15
