Unmasking the Maverick

by Teresa Southwick

  “What’s your point, Nell?”

  “Brendan Tanner.” There was a gleam in her eyes.

  “It’s certainly no secret that he’s staying there.” Fiona knew she was being guarded, but this conversation was headed to a place she didn’t want to go.

  “My point is—what’s up with you and Brendan?”

  “We’ve met.”

  “That’s usually a prerequisite for something being up,” Nell said wryly. “There’s a rumor that you two are more than acquaintances.”

  Eva and Luke would know they’d hung out. Her parents and brothers, too. That meant her sisters, Fallon and Brenna, could know and say something to their husbands. Any one of them could have dropped a casual remark to anyone. In this town gossip spread fast, like fire in dry brush with hurricane force winds to push it along.

  “Where did you hear that we’re more than friends?”

  “Around,” the other woman said vaguely. “Is it true?”

  “Is what true?”

  “Oh, come on, Fiona. You know what I’m asking.” She folded her arms over her chest. “Are you and Brendan Tanner an item?”

  She did her best not to squirm in the uncomfortable chair under her friend’s scrutiny. They knew each other so well it was possible Nell could see on Fiona’s face that she’d done the wild thing with Brendan. “There is nothing but friendship between Brendan and me.”

  “You’re lying. Something is up with you. What is it?”

  “I feel like a witness on the stand. Since when is it your job to be the town’s heart monitor?”

  “Since you’re my friend. And it’s not the town’s heart I’m concerned about. It’s yours. I care about you.” She shrugged. “Plus, I hear things.”

  “Things are thrown around in conversation every time someone in Rust Creek Falls goes into a store or business. How much of it is actually true?” Fiona argued.

  “If you’re talking about the Lonelyhearts Ranch, so far it’s one hundred percent accurate.”

  The woman had a point. On top of everything else Fiona was wrestling with, she was going to have the distinction of being the first one to spoil that perfect romantic record. The quieter she kept whatever was happening with Brendan, the less likely she was to go down in Rust Creek Falls lore as a loser at love.

  “Every streak comes to an end.” Fiona did her best to keep her tone neutral.

  “I haven’t met him yet,” Nell admitted. “Is he as good-looking as I’ve heard?”

  Even better, she wanted to say. And you should see him without his clothes on. Sharing that, however, was not the way to avoid more personal questions. “He’s very pretty, in a manly way.”

  “Where on the scale?”

  Fiona knew she meant one to ten with ten being Hollywood-hunk gorgeous. “He’s definitely above a five.”

  Nell removed her glasses from the top of her head and tossed them on a pile of papers littering the desk. “If I didn’t know you better, I would say that you’re trying to discourage me from checking him out. Is that because you’ve staked a claim?”

  “No.”

  And even if she had, it would take two to be exclusive. Brendan obviously liked hanging out with her. She would have to be an idiot not to get that. But he never made a promise to her, so there’d been no vow to break. That would almost make it easier because then she could be angry. Anger was a very big shield to hide behind.

  Fiona stood. “If you want to check him out, go for it. Be my guest. I have no objection.”

  “No, thanks.” Nell grinned. “You of all people know that I don’t have time for men.”

  What her friend meant was that she’d sworn off them, with good reason. “I better go. It’s getting late. Do you want to go to Ace in the Hole for a burger?”

  “If only.” She sighed. “I have a lot of work here. Top on the list is writing up something about the Halloween party fund-raiser at Luke Stockton’s place.”

  “I’ve never been more grateful that you’re a workaholic. It’s a really good thing he’s going to do.” Fiona stood. “Thanks, Nell.”

  After a goodbye hug, Fiona left the building and went to the parking lot. She glanced at the vehicles there and noticed a familiar truck with Texas plates in a Marine Corps frame. It was in a space right by Daisy’s Donuts.

  And suddenly she had a very strong craving for sugar.

  Chapter Ten

  Brendan’s last delivery of the day was a repaired toaster oven. After reluctantly accepting payment, he walked away with a broken vacuum cleaner. He put it in the rear passenger section of his truck with the other things folks had given him to fix. It seemed customer satisfaction was so high he had as many broken items as before, and that didn’t include the list of ranch jobs he’d promised to do. Job security if he wanted it.

  The last stop had been on North Broomtail Road, and Daisy’s Donuts was ahead on the right. He knew he could get a cup of coffee there and that sounded pretty good right about now. So he pulled into the lot behind the store and parked. As he walked inside, the sweet baked goods smell made his stomach rumble. He couldn’t remember whether or not he’d eaten lunch.

  This was where Eva Stockton worked, doing the baking, but he didn’t think she’d be here now. Since it was coming up on dinnertime, most likely she would be home, cooking for her husband.

  A feeling of loneliness seasoned with a dash of envy rolled through him. It was a little surprising that he so quickly recognized the emotions since they were rare for him. He’d always been a little smug about having everything he needed. Then he came to Sunshine Farm and realized he had nothing. That was another reason why he was leaning toward reenlistment.

  He glanced around at the empty tables of the shop and at the glass display case. There weren’t many customers this late in the day. Before he could approach the counter, the bell tinkled over the door he’d just walked through.

  Automatically he turned to see who came in and recognized Fiona. He was really happy to see her, no two ways about it. Loneliness retreated and her sunny smile chased away the darkness. A man could get used to that. In fact, every time he saw her it was like the first time, when he felt as if he’d been smacked upside the head with a two-by-four. In a good way.

  He was grinning like a fool and didn’t care. Maybe it was low blood sugar. “Hi.”

  “I thought that was your truck in the parking lot.” She moved close and looked up at him. “In Montana a Texas license plate sticks out like a fly in milk.”

  “So this isn’t a coincidence.”

  “Only in the sense that I was at the newspaper the same time you stopped here,” she said.

  So it had been deliberate on her part to come inside and see him. The fact that she’d made the effort had him feeling pretty doggone good.

  “What were you doing at the Gazette?”

  “I’m following up on my promise to Luke—to organize his first annual Halloween party fund-raiser.” She glanced through the big window to the newspaper building across the parking lot. “Every edition of the paper has a list of what’s going on here in town. My friend works there. She’ll give Luke’s foundation benefit good play.”

  “You didn’t waste any time.”

  “There isn’t any to waste,” she said. “It’s right around the corner.”

  And the idea for it had gone down yesterday. Right after he’d made love to her. Brendan felt a hitch in his breathing and fought the urge to pull her into his arms now. But this was Daisy’s Donuts, not an isolated, sun-drenched meadow overlooking a river. That one time was a slip-up. It wasn’t fair to put her in that position again. Not when his future was unsettled. He wouldn’t be another jerk who led her on, then walked away and hurt her.

  “Hey, Tanner. You listening?”

  “Hmm?” He reeled in his thoughts and saw Fiona angle her head toward the blond
e teenage girl watching the shop and patiently waiting for him to order something. “Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”

  “Sure.”

  Together they walked over to the low counter beside the glass display case. “Two coffees, please.”

  “Anything to go with that? Cookie? Donut? Muffin?” The blonde looked about twelve but had to be older than that to work here.

  “Do you want something?” he asked Fiona.

  “So very much.” She sighed. “But no. Just coffee.”

  “Nothing else,” he told the teen.

  “Okay.” She filled two cups and made change when Brendan paid. “Coffee stuff is over there.”

  Fiona took her coffee, moved to a table not in front of a window and sat down.

  Brendan joined her and took the seat across from her. “No ‘stuff’ for you?”

  “I learned to drink it black. Easier when you have to get up before God in the morning.”

  “Me, too.”

  “No sissy coffee for you?” she teased.

  “That’s one way to put it.” Places he’d been while in the Marines didn’t have frills, so black it was.

  “What brings you into town?” She blew on the coffee, dispersing the steam. The movement made her lips pucker and all he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her.

  “Deliveries.” His voice was hoarse so he cleared his throat. “I returned small appliances that I fixed.”

  “So you don’t make people pick them up. Great customer service.”

  He shrugged. “They could if there was a rush. Otherwise I’m happy to drop them off.”

  “And then you needed coffee. Is it safe to assume you’re so busy that the abundance of work wore you out?”

  That was partly true. The other part had to do with a lousy night’s sleep because he couldn’t stop thinking of her in his bed and wishing she’d never left. But he only said, “Business has been good.”

  “So, has Luke said ‘I told you so’ yet?”

  “No.” The man only said people were starting to depend on Brendan, which might be worse. And clearly his friend hadn’t given up on the fix-it shop. He told Fiona about Luke’s idea of going mobile for dishwashers and refrigerators, and how he was thinking about turning trashed items into profit to benefit the foundation. “I’ll admit he may be onto something. A shop like that could turn into a profitable business in Rust Creek Falls.”

  “Not just anyone could make it successful,” she pointed out.

  Only he could do that, was what she meant. The work made him feel good, which surprised him because he’d felt just the opposite when he was a kid. He’d been ashamed that he never had anything new. His dad cobbled things together, including a life after his mother left. There’d been another woman for a couple of years and Brendan had gotten a taste of what a family might feel like. But it didn’t last. In his experience, the only place he was guaranteed to fit in was the Marine Corps. In the military he knew he would have a place to belong, be a part of a family.

  But sitting across from Fiona was temptation on steroids. She was the kind of woman his father had warned him to guard his heart against. A pretty, practical, down-to-earth woman who could make him want to give her everything, then yank the rug out from underneath him. The kind he would miss for the rest of his life.

  He sipped his coffee and thought about her words. Only he could make a fix-it business successful. The question was whether or not he wanted to try. He didn’t know the answer and wanted to shelve the subject. So that’s what he did.

  “How have you been?” he asked.

  “You mean since yesterday?” The thing about a redhead’s skin was not being able to hide a blush.

  He really liked the way the high color made her eyes bluer and put a sparkle in them. “Yeah, since then.”

  Her expression turned a little shy and it was a good guess that she was thinking about what they’d done in his cabin. But she met his look directly. “I’ve been really good. How about you?”

  “Fine.” A lousy night’s sleep didn’t count. “Like I said. Busy.”

  “Me, too. In between ranch chores I sold another article.”

  “Which one?”

  “The one I was telling you about. How to survive a Montana winter.”

  “And how does one do that?” he asked.

  “Find a way to stay warm.” Her eyes went all smoky and soft and it looked like she meant sharing body heat. In a naked sort of way.

  Or maybe she hadn’t meant that at all. Could be his imagination was overheated. Before he had a chance to decide which, he realized the donut shop teenager was clearing her throat, trying to get their attention. That’s when he saw that the glass case had been emptied and the lights behind the counter were off.

  “I’m sorry, but it’s time to close up now,” the teen said.

  Fiona stood and carried her empty cup to the trash can. “I didn’t realize. We didn’t mean to keep you late.”

  “I normally wouldn’t care, but it’s a school night and I have to get home and do schoolwork.” She looked apologetic.

  “We are out of here.” Brendan put his cup in the trash by the door. “Thanks for letting us stay awhile.”

  “No problem. Come back again.”

  “Will do.”

  He held the door for Fiona as they walked outside. The air was crisp and cold, a prelude to the Montana winter she had been talking about surviving. She was going to get in her truck and he’d get in his and that would be that. Saved from naked body heat.

  But a feeling took hold and wouldn’t let go. He just didn’t want to spend another evening alone in his cabin. Not if there was a chance of spending it with her. Even fully clothed.

  He put a hand on her arm to keep her from walking away. “How would you feel about going to Ace in the Hole for a beer and a bite to eat?”

  “I wouldn’t like to go alone.”

  “Smart-ass.” He must be way out of practice with this stuff. Asking a woman to eat with him shouldn’t be this hard. “I was wondering if you would go with me.”

  “In that case, I would enjoy it very much.”

  That’s when he turned to rationalization to justify his lapse in willpower. Lately he was very good at rationalizing. He told himself he and Fiona were just two friends having a burger together. No big deal. It was a public place. Nothing would happen.

  * * *

  Fiona rode to Ace in the Hole with Brendan and was pretty happy that he’d invited her along. And just a little proud of herself for taking the initiative to say hello to him in Daisy’s Donuts. The evening couldn’t have turned out better if she’d planned it.

  After doing a mental high five, she smiled sweetly at him from the truck’s passenger seat. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. It was a nice coincidence, us being in town at the same time.”

  “My good luck.” In the light from the dashboard, his grin was clearly visible.

  The words made her glow almost as brightly as she had in his bed. Then, after talking to Luke Stockton and Forrest Traub yesterday, she’d gone home without anyone the wiser. But there’d been no promise of a phone call or date. Then they both ended up in the same parking lot at the same time, so who was she to spit in fate’s eye?

  The drive took only a few minutes and she was almost disappointed when the neon beer sign in the window of the local cowboy bar came into view. Also on display was the big ace of hearts playing card that gave the place its name.

  Brendan pulled the truck into the lot and parked. “There are quite a few people here on a weeknight.”

  “It’s a popular place.” She was reluctant to give up the intimacy of being alone with him, but hunger won out. “Let’s go.”

  After exiting the truck, they walked side by side to the entrance, and he opened the squeaky screen door for her. The inter
ior was dimly lighted but she knew this place like the back of her hand. Tables and chairs were arranged on the wood plank floor to form a dance area and there were booths around the perimeter of the large room. An oak bar, scratched and scarred from years of use, took up one wall. Halloween decorations were evidence that trick-or-treat time was fast approaching. There was a plastic pumpkin sitting at one end of the bar and fake webs with plastic spiders sticking to the walls.

  Brendan pointed. “Let’s grab a booth.”

  “Okay.” It was on the other side of the big room, a little more private than the tables near the dance floor.

  He put his hand to the small of her back, and the pressure of his touch warmed her everywhere. They walked past a table where four women sat with drinks in front of them. A beautiful, slim blonde stared shamelessly at Brendan and there was no mistaking the flirtatious expression on her face.

  Fiona glanced up at him to see if he’d noticed and his tense expression made her curious. “I bet that happens to you all the time.”

  “What?” He frowned at her.

  “You walk into a room and have women eating out of your hand.”

  “First of all, it’s less messy when people use plates. And second, someone that obvious isn’t a person I want to get to know.”

  “So you did notice the ogling.”

  “Seriously?” His voice was teasing. “Survival training stresses close observation of your surroundings. I was a marine. It’s a hard habit to break.”

  “Who knew your survival skills would come in handy for civilian life?”

  “Identify and evade,” he said. “Sometimes it’s the best way to avoid awkward, messy situations.”

  Interesting, Fiona thought. She guessed that he didn’t like rejecting someone. To be fair, most people didn’t, but if she had to speculate, the process made him acutely uncomfortable. Since Fiona was with him, her presence should keep in check any unwanted attention.

  They left Ms. Ogler behind and slid into the booth across from each other. It wasn’t more than a minute or two before Rosey Traven appeared. The sixtyish owner of the Ace wore a peasant blouse that revealed a hint of her ample bosom and was cinched at her waist with a wide leather belt. Her dark blue jeans were tight and she wore red cowboy boots.