Allie’s eyes veered to the pan of pizza resting there. No, she told herself. Do not invite him to eat with you. Their earlier exchange had proven a total embarrassment for her; she wasn’t about to dish up more of the same.
She remained quiet as he rinsed his large, muscled hands at the sink, wondering what it would feel like to link her small fingers through his. A new song started in the background, a soft and tender number. Braden didn’t pay any mind, simply grabbed a dishtowel and began drying off. Once done, he spun a slow circle, inspecting the home. Allie was inspecting something herself. Or dissecting was more like it. Why on earth did she feel so entirely unnerved? It was as if she was some young teenager again. In addition to being enamored beyond reason, she was bathing in insecurities and self-doubt. When would Braden say why he’d come? Did he expect her to say something?
At once it became too much, and Allie found herself blurting before she could stop the words, “I just pulled a pizza out of the oven.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her.
“You’re welcome to join me if you’d like.”
Braden gave her a lazy nod, began walking slowly over the hardwood floors toward the counter. “Okay,” he said. “If you’re sure there’s enough.”
“Well, I usually down these things by myself, but I’ll go easy on it today.” The awkward nature of their exchange made her worry that he’d missed the sarcasm in her tone.
He didn’t reply, only continued to look around as if he were taking inventory. “Don’t you believe in blinds?” he asked.
Allie’s gaze shifted to the window. “I never saw any reason for them. We don’t have close neighbors, and I love seeing the ranch. Letting that light in, you know?” Braden’s view, as she remembered, wasn’t so different from her own. Both had property that bordered her father’s ranching acres, just from opposing sides.
“Don’t you have teenage girls?” he asked, a furrow owning his handsome brow.
Allie shrugged. “Yes.”
“House full of females, not a man in sight and you have your windows wide open for all eyes to see.” His tone was thick with irritation.
“It’s not like we’re running around naked,” she said.
“If you were my wife, I’d have put some blinds in this place. Have you close them up at nights in the least of it.”
She eyed him for a moment, trying to guess why he’d become so irritated suddenly. It seemed fitting in a way though; she never had been able to figure the guy out. “You know, you sure haven’t changed a whole lot,” she said.
His eyes settled on hers. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Allie pulled out a plate, dragged a couple of pizza slices onto it and handed it to him. “Nothing. Would you like a drink?” She motioned for him to pull up a barstool.
“Sure. I’ll have whatever you’ve got.”
Allie opened the fridge, grabbed a can of root beer and slid it along the counter. It skidded to a stop next to his untouched pizza. Braden’s eyes were pasted on the wall behind him. She followed his gaze, a strange sadness in her heart as she realized what he was looking at. Photos. Several pictures of the family showed from behind the glass. Some of the girls on their own. The family together. And one of just her and Terrance, though, in her mind, that space was nothing more than another vacant spot. She made a mental note to add it to her list. She’d put a picture of the girls there instead.
Allie stepped back to the barstool she’d been sitting at, surprised by how close Braden’s chair was. Gripping onto the rounded edge, Allie slid her stool over before sitting down. She reached out to close her laptop next, the sudden awkwardness of the moment causing her to blush.
“I might have spoken a little too soon,” Braden said, reaching for the pizza. He gulped down a few bites before elaborating. “Like I said, Bree’s been bugging me about hiring a secretary for a long time. But I got so caught up in proving her wrong that I never stopped to think she might actually be right.” He cracked open the root beer and took a few swigs. “My father never hired anyone, so I figured I could do it on my own too. Except I never took into account how much my mother really did for him. She got sick shortly after he died, so I’ve just done it on my own ever since.”
Allie nodded, realizing how terribly difficult those years must have been for him.
“What I’m saying is that it might not hurt for me to have a bit of help around the shop. Just a few hours a day. Catching up on phone calls. Maybe come up with a system that keeps things organized too, like you mentioned, since I pretty much suck at that type of thing.”
She straightened her shoulders, trying to appear professional in her frumpy sweats. “Alright,” she said. “Which hours of the day would be best?” It was a strange combination: Excitement at the prospect of seeing him on a regular basis, satisfaction from actually getting a part-time job as she’d hoped, and the silly nerves of an adolescent girl that had her tucking a stray strand of hair behind one ear.
Braden pulled his gaze off a distant spot in the room. “It’s weird being in here,” he said.
Allie stiffened. “It is?” And though he hadn’t given specifics, she could sense what he meant by it.
“Yeah. I mean, I haven’t talked to Terrance in years. I never came here while you two were married-”
“I told him to invite you for dinner,” Allie said, “several times.”
He shook his head. “Naw, I know. It’s my bad.” He turned to her then, allowing Allie to take in the magnificent depths of his eyes. A touch of gold lined the warm, cocoa color, welcoming her as he held her gaze. And just like that it was back – what she’d felt for him in the past. Her heart sped into action as a sudden flashback rushed to her mind, causing her to blush and look down all at once. Had she not known better, Allie would have sworn she’d picked up on Braden’s thoughts in that moment. But could he have been thinking about the encounter the two had shared so many years ago?
She forced herself to speak up. “So… did you say what hours you’d be interested in?” She couldn’t think of what else to say, only knew she had to say something. Anything to distract her from the images in her mind. The heavy feelings brewing in her heart.
Braden reached for a napkin, wiped his mouth and came to a stand. “Tomorrow will be fine. If you could come, say from nine until noon or so that’d be good. Whatever minimum wage is these days, I’ll double that for your pay to start, if that works.”
She eyed his plate as he headed toward the door, noting he’d only eaten one of the slices. “Three hours a day?” she confirmed climbing off the barstool.
“That’s good, isn’t it? Part-time like you mentioned?”
Allie nodded, realizing it was perfect. She’d still have plenty of time to do her jewelry on the side. Which was good, seeing that her marketing efforts were starting to pay off. Perhaps between the two she’d be making close to her old wage sooner than she thought. “So tomorrow?” she confirmed.
“Mmm, hmm,” he mumbled, reaching for the door.
She dashed forward to catch him. “Wait.”
Braden dropped his arm, turned to face her. Allie hadn’t realized how close she’d gotten. Not until she felt the heat of him against her arm as he grazed her.
A knot of nerves twisted in her stomach. An audible gulp slunk past her throat. She’d nearly forgotten what she meant to say. “I wanted to ask you what I should wear. Do you want me to dress professionally or…” She paused in talking as he ran a slow gaze over her body. “I mean, I wouldn’t wear sweats or anything, but I could dress up, or just do Levi’s. Whatever you want.”
Braden shook his head, reaching for the door once more. “Doesn’t matter to me,” he said, and then headed out the door.
The exchange had been so strange that Allie had to replay it several times. The way he’d been looking at the family pictures. And why had he suddenly stood up to leave? He hadn’t even finished his food.
His bad? He’d admitted that Terrance had in fact
extended dinner invitations; he’d simply declined all along, just as Terrance said. Allie knew it was silly to be offended after all these years, but she could hardly help it. Still, in those moments just now in her home, Braden had gotten closer to her than he used to allow – physically nudging her as he walked by. And his gaze, moving over her in a slow, lingering motion that nearly set her skin ablaze. He was different. More bold suddenly.
Of course, they were both available now – that’s what was different. Back when they were teens, the chemistry between them was met with equal opposition: her close friend, Misty, who had the hots for Braden back in junior high, had staked her claim on him even after things didn’t work out. Allie had been waiting for Misty to get over Braden when she fell for his best friend, Terrance. And while Terrance had owned nearly all of her affection, Allie could never quite shake the effect Braden Fox had on her. She’d always felt guilty for the unexplainable pull she felt. In fact, a bit of guilt lingered even still. But that final element – the opposition – was wiped clean. And her ability to explore things with him was finally an option. The knowledge of it was thrilling.
Allie glanced at the clock, realizing she had just a few short hours to work on her orders before it was time to pick up the kids. And tomorrow, she’d start her new job at the workshop. She had no idea what things would be like, considering her unique history with Braden, but Allie was dying to find out.
CHAPTER FIVE
Talk about foolish. Braden shook his head as he drove from Allie’s house, a sick stone sinking in his gut. What had he done? Invited a massive torrent into his life? Had he not drowned enough over the years?
That old familiar ache sunk deeper, the pain of it nearly crippling as he recalled his failed attempts to turn his mind from her. Seemed as if – once the heart was stuck on someone – almost nothing could make the hurt fade. Not being alone, not being with another person – no matter who it was. Even when the mind forgets for a season, caught up in other ventures and such, it’s the heart that reminds, a quiet nag in every aching breath that the person you long for is not yours to have.
“Damn it,” he growled, smacking the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. Just what had he gotten himself into? His shoulders dropped a notch. Things had felt different today, hadn’t they? Hadn’t Allie seemed more… accessible than ever? Open to … to what? All she wanted was a job. And he was a fool to hope for more.
The sudden ringing of his cellphone was an irritation. Braden was in such a foul mood he mused he’d rather throw the thing out the window than answer it, but with a quick glance, he noted it was Bree calling. He stifled a curse while bringing it to his ear, balancing the steering wheel as he did. “Yeah?”
“Could you do me a favor?” his sister asked, her voice tense. One of the kids whined in the background.
“Maybe,” he said. “What is it?”
“Sophie’s fever is back, and now Carter has one too. I’m wondering if you could grab me some children’s Tylenol at the market.”
A bit of guilt seeped in. He hated it when those kids were sick. “Sure,” he said. “I’ve got some ice cream I’ve been wanting to get rid of,” he lied, “think they’ll eat it?”
“You can bring it, but I’m not sure they will.”
“That bad, huh?” Braden frowned, shutting off the wipers as the rain slowed. He made a mental note to slip Bree some extra cash along with the ice cream. She was taking a big hit in pay with her kids being sick and all, having to let the daycare children she watched attend the facility down the road for the second day in a row now. Still, it wasn’t enough to pull his mind away from the recent distraction in his own life. “Hey, did you tell Allie Emerson’s mother that I was hiring a secretary?”
Silence.
“Bree?” he urged.
“Well it’s no secret that I think you could use one. And I ran into her the other day at Lee’s Market.”
“And you decided to talk about me.”
“Only for a second.”
Braden sighed, the effects of being in Allie and Terrance’s home still squirming over his skin like an unwanted insect.
“Are you going to hire her?” she asked.
He kept his gaze set on the road ahead, hardly seeing it through the misty haze of his thoughts. “You have no idea what having her back in my life will do to me,” he assured. He was barely a mended man as it was. When Bree failed to speak up, he elaborated. “She’s sure to break me for good this time. And the worst part is, she won’t even know it.”
“Then tell her, Braden. Now is your chance.”
His shoulders tensed. His grip on the wheel did too. “Bob Harris asked me to come help out with a woodshop project at the high school,” he said, needing the shift in topic. “I just pulled up to the lot now, but I’ll grab the medicine as soon as I’m done.”
“I didn’t realize you still did that,” Bree said. “Well, I’m not going to forget where we left off, Braden. This is something you should talk about.”
He steered the car to the far end of the lot, wishing he’d have kept his mouth shut. “Yeah. See you in a bit.”
After killing the engine Braden checked the time on the dash. Ten minutes early. He rolled down the window, catching hints of mist as the rainfall ceased. Nostalgia rushed over him with the fresh breeze. From the sights and smells of the old school building, to the familiar feeling of longing that gripped hold of him all over again. Back in high school, he would pull into this very lot – thinking of her all the while. Waiting to see her. Talk with her. Steal her away from his best friend, he thought with a cringe. But that wasn’t exactly the case; really he’d imagined picking up the pieces after Terrance left – that was Terrance’s style, after all, love ‘em and leave ‘em. Until Allie came along, anyway.
Years had passed since then, and those feelings had all but washed away. So why did they seem so tangible now? As if they were moving back in and taking root with a vengeance. Braden rolled his neck, trying to shake the once-perpetual ache that accompanied the longing he felt for her, the heavy barbs that sunk into his shoulders and chest. He wouldn’t fall victim to it again. He didn’t even know her anymore. Allie Emerson was a stranger to him now.
The string of words had sped through his mind without a conscious thought. But they were true just the same. In his mind he was back in her place. Spinning around the kitchen and taking it all in. He shook his head. Had Allie really been prancing around that house all these years for any old pervert to see? No window treatments to speak of? What the hell was wrong with Terrance that he’d allow such a thing? Braden could picture it now: Allie walking into the kitchen in the middle of the night for a glass of water, dressed in who knows what with only heaven knows who looking in on her. And those daughters. There could be all sorts of perverts peeking in at those girls. If that was his family he’d make sure they were better protected.
Annoyed heat burned his throat at the thought. Terrance always did take things for granted. “Spoiled SOB,” he mumbled. Seeing Terrance in those pictures, his arm around Allie, it had set his blood to boiling. What a jackass. Couldn’t even appreciate what he had. If you asked Braden, Terrance hadn’t deserved her in the first place. And here he had the nerve to up and leave her behind. A woman Braden hadn’t fully stopped thinking about after all these years. He was sure to burn in hell for his jealousy, for his sheer desire for his best friend’s woman. There was a reason he’d said no to Terrance’s dinner invitations, and it had a lot to do with the commandment that spoke of not coveting another man’s wife.
The idea had him ducking his head in shame, and wondering what his real motives were for wanting to hire her. True, he needed help around the shop; Mrs. Carmichael’s lost sketch said it all. But Braden had to admit that he wouldn’t be willing to hire just anyone. In fact, he wouldn’t hire anybody except for Allie Emerson.
With one last sigh, he contemplated his fate. Had he done right by inviting Allie back into his life, or had Braden just made a
mistake he’d regret for years to come?
CHAPTER SIX
“What’s with all the necklaces, Mom?”
Allie heard Paige’s question, but was too distracted to answer. “Jillian, you’re riding the clutch too hard,” she said. “You need to ease up a little more as you accelerate.”
“I’m trying,” Jillian said, rounding the corner toward the Jr. high. “It’s hard with heels.”
“So one or two necklaces wouldn’t have been enough,” Paige prodded from the backseat. “You needed to wear all four?”
“Oh,” Allie said, finally realizing what Paige was talking about. She glanced down to see the necklaces she’d finished just that morning. “I’m shipping these today. I threw them on to make sure there weren’t any jagged ends. I don’t want the customers to put them on and get jabbed.” She gripped hold of the top necklace, slid the length of it along the back of her neck before moving to the next, feeling for any sharp wire tips.
“Are those all for the same customer?” Jillian asked, glancing over.
“Yeah. A woman ordered matching necklaces for herself and her three daughters. Well, matching besides the color of stones, of course. I was thinking of maybe doing a similar thing for us.”
Paige chuckled. “Go right ahead,” she said under her breath, “I’d never wear it.”
It didn’t take much effort to ignore the rude comment. Allie had learned to pick and choose her battles where Paige was concerned.
Jillian brought the car to a stop. “Am I close enough to the curb?”
“Yep,” Allie said, glancing out the window.
Paige threw open the door and climbed out. “You’re close enough if being ten feet away is good,” she muttered, and then slammed the car door.
Allie rolled down her window. “Goodbye to you, too.”
“Yeah,” Jillian said, leaning away from the wheel. “See ya.”
Rough Edges: Allie's Story, A Companion to the Sweet Montana Bride Series (Second Chances Book 1) Page 3
