Always On My Mind: A Bad Boy Rancher Love Story (The Dawson Brothers Book 1)

by Ali Parker

  She leaned back, her pencil and paper still sitting lonely between them. "And what happened to that dream?"

  "Same thing that happens to most dreams, I guess. I grew up." He smiled and pointed to the paper. "Don't forget to write some of this down. Martha will grill you for her story tomorrow."

  Kari chuckled and moved back toward the pad, reaching to pull it into her lap as she scribbled down a few things and thanked him quietly. She tapped the paper twice before looking up, the warm caramel-color of her gaze drawing him in further than he was willing to admit - even to himself.

  "I read that you're a hometown hero, a firefighter. Tell me about that?"

  "I'm not sure about the hero part. When I moved here a few years ago, I decided that I wanted to really experience what it meant to be part of a smaller community, so I volunteer a lot and help out everywhere I can. I took firefighter training back in college after I decided to change my focus and figured they needed help, so here I am."

  "How often do you work at the fire station?"

  "Three nights a week, and I'm on call if something goes down."

  She sat back and smiled. "Anything else you want to add?"

  ***

  He laughed at her question and she shook her head. "I'm the worst at this kind of stuff. I'm a photographer, not a reporter, but Martha needed me to fill in today."

  Jake extended his hand. "Give me the pad and I'll write a few more things for you to give to her. Let's not get you fired your first day."

  She stood up and handed him the pad, smirking like a teenage girl at his playfulness. He was gorgeous, dark spiked hair and tanned skin, with incredible dark brown eyes that seem to see right through her. She moved toward the far wall of the small office, her eyes moving across the various awards he'd won, pictures of him with various kids littering the walls. She reached up to touch a picture of him with a small boy in a wheelchair, the child holding up a blue ribbon.

  "What's the story behind this one?" She looked over her shoulder as he stood, the large muscles of his arms flexing and grabbing her attention. He stopped just behind her, closer than she felt safe with, farther than her hormones demanded. She turned back around as his arm moved beside her, his finger touching the glass where the young boy sat.

  "That's Henry. His father is the mayor here in Bar Harbor." He moved his hand as she turned to look up at him. His long eyelashes framed his gaze, his look one she wasn't sure how to decipher.

  "Did he get in an accident, or was he born with something wrong?"

  Jake took a subtle step back, his hand reaching out to play along the top of his desk. "He was born with neither of his legs functional. Kid’s smart as a whip and can make a basket in that wheelchair from just about anywhere on the court."

  "When was the picture taken?" She moved around the rest of the office, her eyes stopping on each photo that Jake was in, his smile warm and welcoming, his body sinfully delicious. Her heart skipped a beat at the last photo, the beautiful blond in it wrapped around him in a more-than-friends way.

  "A couple of years back. Henry's in high school now and has a cute little red-headed girlfriend that makes his life miserable and worth living." Jake laughed and moved to the door, extending the pad and pen back to her. "Come on, let's go take that last picture you need. I'm due at the fire station in an hour and I could use a quick shower before going."

  She turned and walked toward him, picking up her bag and her purse. The image of him in the shower, his long athletic body covered in suds racing across her vision. She swallowed hard and tried to focus. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't even think about the fact that you might have a life."

  He laughed and moved back as she slipped past him, her shoulder brushing along his chest. She bit at her lip to keep from making a sound of appreciation at the smell of his cologne, or deodorant, or just him. Dear Lord let it be just him.

  "I take it you just arrived to Bar Harbor?" he asked, turning to shut and lock the door.

  "Yeah. We drove in yesterday, unpacked, and went grocery shopping last night, and I got a job today."

  He pointed to her camera bag. "Want me to tote that for you?"

  A soft smile played on her lips as she shook her head. "No, I'm good, but thanks."

  "Just pretending to be a gentleman."

  She laughed and pushed the door before them open. "Somehow I doubt you're pretending at all."

  "Damn, my cover has been blown."

  They laughed and walked along the small path of dead grass to the swings, the playground built for older kids and showing its age by the paint chipping in places. Jake moved toward the swing set and ran his hand along one of the structural poles. "Where do you want me?"

  All over me.

  She turned away from him as if looking around the field, her heart thumping hard in her chest. Why did she have to run into the perfect guy when all she really needed was time to heal and get her life together? What did it matter? He had the blond in the picture and he was way out of her league anyway.

  She pointed to a soccer goal. "You want to go out there, and I'll take a few pictures of you by the goal?" She looked over her shoulder and caught the silhouette of him as the sun moved behind him. His body lean, and yet the perfect curves of well-defined muscles left her mind struggling to remain present and not slip into a daydream.

  "Sounds good." He moved past her, turning to look over his shoulder as he jogged to the goal. "What do you do to stay in shape?"

  She looked down at herself as she walked carefully toward him. No way was she falling it in front of him. "You assume I'm in shape."

  His eyebrow lifted as his gaze moved about her. "I'm a coach. You're in shape. I can tell just by looking at you."

  She looked down at herself and shrugged. "I like to jog."

  "Oh yeah?" he asked, moving toward the goal and trying to appear natural. "There are some great trails around here. You just have to know where to go."

  She lifted her camera to her face, the lens allowing her to zoom in and study the regal structure of his nose, his high cheekbones, and perfect lips. "Maybe you can show me on a map sometime where to go."

  He winked at her. "I'd be happy to. The next time I go for a long run, you can come with me if you want."

  Did he invite her or was he just being a gentleman again? She wanted to ask about the blond in the picture and yet now wasn't the time. They didn't even know each other. Did she want to know him?

  Yes - badly.

  She pulled the camera down and nodded. "Sounds good. Okay, all done. I have everything I need for the paper tomorrow."

  "Excellent. I'll walk you to your car."

  "No, no need to do that."

  He moved up beside her as they started back toward the school. "Don't go blowing my cover, Kari. I'm here to fool everyone into thinking I'm a nice guy and all."

  She laughed and followed him around the building to her car, wrapping her arms around herself as the wind picked up. "I think perhaps it's you who's fooled."

  He scoffed and opened the door for her, watching her like a hawk as she got in. "Are you saying that I think I'm a nice guy myself?"

  She shook her head and reached for the door, looking up at him and knowing that he was everything physically she'd dreamt a man could be. "Nope. I'm saying that you think you're not."

  Chapter 12

  "Wait, you have to tell me everything, like every little detail." Lisa threw her hands up in the air as Kari pulled her sweater dress off her head with a loud sigh.

  "I did tell you everything. He was beautiful, like the most gorgeous man I've ever seen."

  "And he didn't ask for your number?" Lisa scoffed and reached to pick up the dress and put it in the hamper.

  Kari shook her head. "No he didn't. He's way out of my league, and did you really just put my clothes in the dirty clothes hamper? You're the most unorganized person I know."

  "Unorganized does not mean dirty. I hate dirty messes and clothes turn into a monster if left out."

 
; "Don't go into the guestroom where Marc has been then. He's a hot mess when it comes to losing his clothes wherever he stands. My mom used to always say that the clothes basket in his room looked like four hoodlums were standing around the basket talking about nothing when the apocalypse came."

  They laughed and Lisa started back up. "How is he out of your league? You have the best curves of any girl I know, you’re stunning smart, not to mention funny."

  "You want me, I knew it."

  "Duh," Lisa uttered, moving to pick the sweater dress up out of the bin and chuck it at Kari. Kari caught it and threw it back, as they laughed at each other. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and followed Lisa down the stairs to the kitchen.

  "Where is everyone?"

  Lisa pointed to the small window in the kitchen that overlooked the porch. "Sicily and Marc are putting together a small picnic table and swing that we picked up from the hardware store."

  "Who paid for that?" Kari asked, moving to look out the window.

  "My mom and dad. They sent a chunk of money to make sure we were okay. Not sure when they'll ever learn that money isn't the same as a relationship." She shrugged as Kari turned around, catching the sadness that ran across her friend's features. She'd known Lisa had a pretty pathetic relationship with her folks, but they'd never really gotten deep into the whys and hows.

  "Well, my mom's coming in a few days, so you can properly bond with her."

  Lisa snorted. "Your mom thinks I'm a punk rock hooker."

  Kari tilted her head. "That's because you are."

  "Noted." Lisa moved to the fridge and pulled out a peach. "You want anything?"

  "No, I figured we'd go out to dinner tonight."

  "I can't. I'm going out on a date." Lisa walked to the kitchen table and sat down.

  "With who?" Kari moved to sit across from her.

  "Well, if it's okay with you - your brother." Lisa smirked before biting into the fruit, the juice running down her chin as she cursed and reached for a nearby dish towel.

  "Oh that's interesting." Kari leaned back, mixed emotions playing along her senses.

  "Interesting... like you're okay with it, or..."

  "Yeah, I mean he's grown and you're grown. I just hope you both understand the situation you're possibly putting yourself in and know that if the shit hits the fan that I'm not standing between you in a fight. You’re my best friend and he's my brother. It's a no-win situation for me unless you have a casual fling or get married and live happily ever after."

  "Whoa on the baby talk. I'm just going with him to dinner. I have no plans after that." Lisa's eyes widened and Kari laughed, her best friend the most commitment phobic person she knew.

  Sicily walked in the back door, a loud growl coming from her as she marched into the kitchen. "Ugh! Your brother is impossible. I told him if he'd just use the instructions on the swing that we'd be done, but no! What is it with men and instructions? Don't they know that a freaking man wrote the instructions for other men?"

  "It's a stab against his pride if he has to use the instructions. Did you not take this in boyfriend 101 in high school?" Lisa smirked and threw the dishtowel at Sicily.

  "What? That's ridiculous. I'm done working on it with him. He's running in circles and I'm not sleeping with him, and we're not family. Done!"

  Kari stood up and stretched. "Let me go talk to him."

  "Best of luck. He's in grunt mode where all he does is grunt and huff." Sicily rolled her eyes and moved to the fridge getting out a beer. She chucked it at Kari. "Take this with you. He might be willing to at least talk."

  Kari caught the beer and walked from the kitchen down the small hall, taking the first right to get to the back porch from the laundry room. She walked out in time to hear her brother cursing in a way that'd have their mother falling over dead.

  "That bad?" Kari walked over as he looked up, his face a sweaty mess though it was close to freezing outside.

  "Yes. Why can't anything just be simple? This should be insert A into B and beeeeeeeeee done." He reached for the beer, popping the top and throwing it back until it was gone. He burped and crumpled the can, dropping it on the porch and moving back toward the half-built swing.

  "Um, you’re welcome and I'm thinking the instructions would make that a lot easier."

  He looked over his shoulder and growled. "Not you, too."

  Kari laughed and walked toward the railing, leaning over and enjoying the early scenes of the sun setting. Dark blues pushed at the burnt orange of the sun, like some unseen force shoved it from the sky. She let the conversation with her brother die before it really started, his unwillingness to make things easier on himself not really her problem. The swing would get put together somehow. Most likely by her and Sicily when Marc and Lisa left for their date.

  The date.

  She turned and pressed her back to the railing, her arms crossing over her chest as she watched her brother fumble with the swing. "Hey... can you look at me for a minute?"

  He looked up with angst on his features. "Can it wait? I'm ready to be done with this."

  "Then be done with it. It's getting dark anyway. Put the damn thing down and we can work on it in the morning. You still have another day or so with us. Let it go."

  He sighed and put the large leg of the swing down, sitting back in the small plastic chair he'd somehow squeezed himself into. "Okay... what's up?"

  She motioned for him to join her and smiled sweetly as he huffed, stood, and walked over to stand beside her. She turned and looked out at the water again, the sun setting fast. "Tell me what's going on with you and Lisa."

  He shrugged. "She's hot and she likes me. What else is there to tell?"

  "Um, she's my best friend and if you hurt her I'm likely to stab you in your sleep and feed you to the large fish in that lake."

  "That's the ocean and those would be sharks."

  Kari laughed despite herself. She turned a little, resting her elbow on the railing and looking at her brother. "I'm serious. She means a lot to me and you guys getting close and then you leaving isn't going to be good for her already jacked up stance on men."

  He nodded. "I understand. I'll just take her to dinner and explain that I am interested too, but now isn't the time."

  "Really?" Kari asked, shock washing over her. "Wait... I don't want to be the reason you guys don't get together, but I don't want to be the one here left to pick up the pieces should things not work out."

  "I don't think this is as much about you as you're making it seem. She likes me and I like her. We're not kids, sis. We're adults and if things go farther with us than they should then we'll fix it or not. It's really our decision. I'll try to talk some sense into her and, I guess, myself tonight at dinner, but if she's not willing to listen, I'm not trying that hard."

  Kari reached over and wiped a black mark from his cheek. "Okay. You're right. It has nothing to do with me. I just don't want one or both of you getting your heart crushed. It's not fun and putting me in the middle of both of you just sounds like trouble in the making."

  "Just because Frank's a dick doesn't mean I am, Kari. Lisa and I might find that we have something between us that would call for the next steps. I'm still young, but commitment isn't a fear of mine. It is for your friend though." He looked over his shoulder as if he expected to find her coming out the door.

  "I know, I'm just a little concerned."

  "Well, don't be. Now, tell me about the new job. Meet any small town celebrities?" He lifted his brow and chuckled.

  "Yes, I actually did." She reached over and pushed at him softly. "He's the fire chief and teacher of the year."

  "Bald and two hundred years old?"

  She laughed and rolled her eyes. "We're talking about a biker vampire now?"

  Marc clapped his hands and hollered. "No, but that would be awesome."

  Kari turned her attention back to the beautiful scene before her. "No he wasn't a biker or a vampire, but I'd love to ride him and I'd be more
than happy to let him bite me."

  "Awwww fuck," Marc grumbled, walking away from the ledge as Kari laughed so hard her sides hurt. Nothing grossed her brother out more than her talking about her sex life. The only thing that might outdo it was their mom talking about her sex life - or lack thereof.

  "Sorry. I had to."

  "No, you really didn't." Marc moved back beside her, his body facing the house as he hopped up on the ledge and let his feet swing in the air.

  "No, he was my age I guess and he was honestly one of the most handsome men I've ever seen." She shrugged and exhaled a long breath. "He's way out of my league, and from what I could tell by the pictures, he's taken."

  Marc reached over and tugged at a few strands of her hair. "No one's out of your league, silly. Did you ask him if he was taken? Maybe it was his sister in the picture."

  Kari's face contorted as she responded. "Ewww... I hope not. This girl was wrapped around him like he set her blood on fire. Let's hope they aren't family."

  Marc shuddered. "Yeah, I just entered a whole new level of disturbed."

  She swatted at him again. "Anyway, I'm not interested in finding someone new. This stuff with Frank just went down a few weeks ago. I figure I need six months to a year to redefine myself and really get over the nagging sensation that I'm just not worth someone's efforts."

  Marc pushed at her shoulder. "I think you should be careful."

  She looked up at him, warmth filling her chest at how much she cared for her little brother. If happiness could be anyone's, she'd want it to be his. "How so?"

  "I think that sometimes we let the pain or tragedy in our lives live on far too long. It not only hurts us in the moment, but continues to steal our joy or douse our dreams in flames for years to come. You need to realize that everything that happened with Frank was all about him being a dick. It has nothing to do with you not being enough or good or beautiful. If you keep thinking those things, then you miss the next great love perhaps."