by Jill Sanders
She smiled as she closed the gate and kicked the horse into a trot, thinking about Travis’ body. He did have one of those heart-stopping, sexy bodies. She’d never been with someone so damn sexy before. Nor had she ever been with someone she’d felt so connected with. The possibility that he didn’t feel that connection with her stung.
She leaned down and enjoyed the wind in her face as they rushed towards the other side of the field.
Travis was sore and sweaty again. His arms and back hurt from moving furniture around. He’d cleared out most of the old stuff in the guest rooms and had carried it all down to the garage. He’d had to pull his mother’s Mustang out to make room for everything. He thought about having a garage sale to get rid of all the old furniture, but it would have to wait until all the repairs were done inside.
He’d done everything he could over the last week to keep his mind off of Holly. He’d spent most of his time running between the theater and her store. The park had been completed and there was an official grand opening scheduled for a few weeks. He doubted he would attend the event. In his off-hours, he’d locked himself in the house and worked away.
It had taken him a whole day to rip out the old pink tile from the second bathroom. He’d watched video after video on how to repair and tile a tub before he felt confident enough to try it.
He’d made a trip to the Tyler hardware store and gotten everything he needed. When he’d tried to get it all in his little car, he’d wished for his old truck back. He’d ended up putting most of the supplies in the front seat next to him. The hardware planks for the flooring lay across his back seat and the tiles filled up his trunk. He’d hoped the little car would make it back to Fairplay and not conk out on him.
Unloading everything from his car was exhausting since he had to lug it up the spiral staircase and down the long hallway. He’d once loved the layout of the plantation style house with its large rooms, beautiful staircase, and tall ceilings. Now, however, he looked at it all as a lot of work. He had to pull the tall ladder from the garage so he could repaint the tall ceilings. He had to pay extra to have the large bedrooms re-carpeted. The railing on the staircase had to be sanded and restained.
He’d convinced Roger to send the drywall guys over to patch up the walls in the bathroom so he could tile. He’d bought them some beer and had persuaded them to go around the house and patch any other holes they found.
He heated up frozen dinners and fell asleep watching the news in the living room so he wouldn’t think about Holly just a few feet away in the apartment. He’d watched her from the windows a few times, coming and going. Every time he saw her, his desire grew more and more. But he’d gone years keeping himself in line and knew it was just a matter of redirecting his energy. So he busted his butt on the house and went to bed completely exhausted each night.
He knew he couldn’t avoid her much longer; after all, she was living at his place. He’d heard from Roger that her place would be move-in ready in less than a month, at which time he planned to put the house on the market. He knew he couldn’t leave town until the theater was done, which Roger informed him wouldn’t be until next spring.
But he figured he could move back into his apartment after Holly moved out so he could start showing the house. He didn’t think there was much that needed to be done to the apartment, since his folks had just built it for him shortly after he’d graduated high school.
He stopped working on hanging the tile and closed his eyes. What a different life he’d had back then. Not only had he gotten anything he’d asked for, but he’d done anything and everything he’d wanted. Living unrestrained had been his biggest desire. That’s why he’d moved out in the first place.
The one rule his folks had set for him of not smoking in their house had been enough to cause him to pack up and sleep above the garage. Finally, after he’d lived in the empty space for almost a year, his mother had convinced his father to spend a small fortune to turn it into an apartment for him.
How had he not seen that he was heading down a doomed path? Not only had he been drinking too much, but he’d been smoking more and more. He found an old picture book while cleaning out his mother’s sewing room. He’d looked at the images of what he used to be and almost cried. He’d had a growing beer belly and in every picture, he had a cigarette or a beer in his hands. Dependency. He never wanted to feel that dependent on anything ever again.
It took him almost three hours to finish tiling the tub and shower area. When he stood back, he couldn’t help but smile. It was perfect. The new dark stone tile would accent the antique white walls he was planning and the new sink and toilet that he planned on installing tomorrow.
When he heard a noise behind him, he jumped and spun around.
“Sorry.” Holly stood in the doorway. “I saw that the back door was open and I was worried.”
He frowned. “I guess I didn’t shut it after carrying all this in.” He nodded to the tile.
“It looks wonderful.” She stepped into the room. She looked good in tight faded jeans, an old blue shirt, and riding boots.
“Thanks,” he said, trying to get his heart to level off. “Have you been riding?” he asked, nodding to her boots.
“Yes, I was just out at Saddleback. Lauren let me take Tanner out.” She sighed. “There’s nothing like a long ride to clear your head.” She stepped closer to the shower. “How did you do this?” She ran her fingers over the tile.
“Actually, it was pretty easy. I thought I was going to have a hard time with it, but after watching a few videos…” He shrugged his shoulders and realized how sore they were again. His mind flashed to the night she’d given him a back rub and instantly wished for another one.
“Well, you’ve done a lot on the place so far.” She turned and looked at him. “I looked around.” She blushed a little. “You know, making sure that nothing was disturbed.”
He nodded. “I still have a lot to do.”
“If you need any help…” She waited. He didn’t know what to say so he just looked at her. “I saw some paint buckets downstairs.”
“Yeah.” He looked down at his hands and realized they were covered with grout. He dumped them in the bucket of water and scrubbed them clean. “I won’t start painting for a few days yet.”
“I can help. Until the store is ready I have nothing to do except check in there occasionally.”
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t want to bother you.”
She looked down at her hands. “Actually, I’d enjoy it. I’ve been going kind of crazy with nothing to do.”
“If you want to help, I’ll show you what needs to be painted.” He dried his hands on a towel and walked down the hallway.
“I brought the big ladder in.” He nodded to the beast sitting near the stairs. “I want to get rid of the mint green my mother made my dad paint everywhere. Why anyone would paint their walls pink and green is beyond me. I don’t remember the wall colors being a problem when I was a kid, but after moving out on my own, I couldn’t stand being in the house with the walls screaming at me.” He chuckled.
“My mother painted her kitchen bright yellow and orange.” She cringed as he laughed.
“I’ve got enough paint here.” He showed her the four five-gallon buckets. “There are brushes, rollers, and tarps to cover the floors. I’ve got a few more days work in the bathroom upstairs.” He glanced up the stairs and thought about everything that still needed to be done. “The appraiser was going to stop by later this month.
“So, you’re still going to sell the place?” She glanced at him.
“Yeah.” He avoided her eyes. “Once the theater is done, I’ll be heading out.”
She nodded and after a moment she said, “I’ll start first thing in the morning.”
He nodded, not sure what else to say. She started walking out, but he stopped her. “Have you had dinner?”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Yes, I ate with Lauren and her family.”
He nodd
ed and watched her leave, knowing it was for the best. He didn’t know what had caused him to blurt it out, but something had demanded that he stop her from leaving. His body reacted every time he saw her, and he cursed it for its weakness. He knew he needed to control it, and so far the only that had been successful in helping him do so was physical labor. So he started hauling the large boxes of flooring up the stairs, determined to sweat his desire for Holly out so he could get some sleep that night.
·
Chapter Thirteen
Holly didn’t want Travis to know that she was totally excited about painting. In a few weeks she’d be painting her place and be completely overwhelmed by it, but for now, she wanted nothing more than to cover inch by inch of the mint green walls with the soft white.
She’d knocked on the back door just before sunrise, her hair tied up in a purple handkerchief. Her faded jeans and white paint shirt were soft and comfortable along with her old sneakers. She had even brought a soda and snacks for later, since she doubted she’d want to stop working for a while.
When Travis opened the back door, her smile faltered a little. “Are you okay?” She stepped in, worried.
“Yeah,” he stepped back. “Why?”
She chuckled. “Because you’re standing at a funny angle.”
“I am?” He looked down and then back up at her.
“Did you sleep on the couch?” She glanced over and saw his makeshift bed on the old sofa.
“Yeah, I moved everything out upstairs.”
She shook her head. “Your back must be killing you.” She took his shoulders and turned him around. “Possibly the worst thing you could do for your back is sleep on that old thing,” she said as she started moving her hands over his back. She knew which pressure points to push, which muscles to rub. It wasn’t hard to know; after all, his whole left side was a big knot. After a few minutes, she saw his left shoulder lift and his back straighten.
“There.” She rubbed his shoulders one last time. “Now you look less like the hunchback of Notre Dame.”
He laughed and turned. “Thanks, I think.” He rolled his shoulders and neck. She heard a few vertebrae pop back into place. “Wow, I’ve got to learn that trick.” He rolled his shoulders again.
“Now you’re ready to work.” She smiled and picked up her bag from where she’d dropped it by the door. “I’ll just get to work then.” She turned to go.
“Holly?” She stopped in the hallway and turned. “Thanks.”
She smiled. “No problem.”
She spent a few minutes laying out the tarps across the stairs and the hardwood floor in the main entryway. When she moved the large ladder onto it, she stood back and thought about where to start.
The whole entryway to the house was green. There were two large main doors, which she’d never really used since she’d moved into the apartment. She didn’t think the doors had been opened in years. Deciding to start on that wall, she opened the first five-gallon pail of paint and used the large stir sticks to mix the color. She tested it on the wall and decided that it would take two coats to completely cover the green.
By lunchtime she had most of the lower walls covered. Travis had walked by several times, carrying large boxes up the stairs. On multiple occasions, she’d helped him carry something up or had just gotten out of his way.
She’d heard him switch on a radio earlier and had enjoyed the old country that flooded the house. She had even sung along on a few of her favorite songs. She took a break and sat on the bottom stair and ate her peanut butter and jelly sandwich and bag of chips for lunch.
After lunch, she opened the front doors to help air out the paint smell and speed up the drying. She started climbing the tall ladder and hauling a small bucket up with her to start on the top half of the area. She painted in long strips with the roller, and then she would move over to the next section and climb the ladder again. It took longer to paint the top half of the entry this way. It was well after dark before she climbed down the ladder for the last time that day. She stood back and looked at her work.
With the second coat of paint she was going to apply tomorrow, the place would look great. Already it looked more modern and newer.
“Looks great from here,” Travis said from the top of the stairs.
She nodded and smiled up at him. “With a second coat tomorrow, you’ll have a new home.”
He laughed. “At least one that is a lot less green and pink.”
She laughed. “How far did you get upstairs?”
“Come on up and see for yourself.”
She climbed the stairs and followed him into the bathroom.
Not only had he gotten the new vanity, sink, and toilet in, but he’d started painting over the pink walls.
“I think these walls will need three coats,” he said behind her.
“Hmmm.” She nodded. “The pink is a lot darker than the green.” She walked around and tested the sink. “Did you have to watch videos to learn how to do this?”
He shook his head no. “I helped my dad install the ones in my apartment. He paid to have most of it done, but said I had to learn a few things and showed me how to do all the plumbing.”
She smiled. “I always liked your dad. He was the only real father figure I had after my dad died.”
“It’s funny, after talking to everyone in town, I realize how many lives he touched. I never knew.”
“He was the mayor for as long as anyone can remember. He was at every major event.” She leaned against the vanity and crossed her arms over her chest as he stood in the doorway. “I can remember him being at every one of my birthday parties.” She laughed. “He was even the clown one year when my mother couldn’t afford to hire someone to entertain the kids.”
“Really?” He shook his head. “I guess I never really appreciated how much he was involved.”
She nodded and stood up. “I wish you could have been at his funeral and services. The whole town showed up. So many people had wonderful things to say about him.” She wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’m sorry.” She wiped more away and started to walk out of the restroom.
“Holly.” He stopped her by putting his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry about everything.” He shook his head.
“What?” She waited and watched him struggle with words.
“About Vegas, about all your stuff.” He closed his eyes and dropped his hands from her shoulders.
“Travis, you had nothing to do with either event.”
He started to shake his head, and she stopped him by placing her hand on his face. She knew she was splattered with paint but didn’t care. “Travis, there is only so much one person can blame themselves.”
A burst of laughter escaped his lips. “I’m not the only one who blames me.” He took a few steps out of the small room and then turned and looked at her again. “What do you think that was all about?” He threw his hands towards the back wall. “The mess in your apartment. That was a warning. To me!” His voice rose.
She frowned at him. “I don’t understand.”
He ran his hands through his hair and then dropped his arms to his side. “Savannah. She stopped by again the other night. She demanded that I step up and tell the town that I’m the father.” He shook his head and closed his eyes.
Holly laughed. “I had a run in with her yesterday, before I went riding.”
His eyes flew open, and anger burned in them. “Are you okay?” He looked over her.
She laughed. “I know how to handle myself. Remember, I’m the one that broke her nose a few months ago.”
He nodded and she saw him relax a little.
“She said a lot of things.” She shook her head and stepped out into the hallway. “She kept trying to convince me that you were the father. She…” She looked down at her hands and scraped the dry paint off the back of her thumb.
“What?” He stepped towards her and put his fingers under her chin, nudging it up until she looked at him.
“She to
ld me you’d tire of me soon enough.” She shook her head until his fingers dropped from her skin.
“She lied.” Her eyes flew back to his, waiting. “I don’t think I could tire of you.” He closed his eyes and stepped back. “That’s the problem.” When he looked at her again, she searched his eyes. “I can’t do this. I don’t want to.” He turned and took a few steps until she stopped him with a hand on his.
“Travis, there’s nothing you can do to make this go away. Not now.”
He laughed. “I just need to be myself and you’ll see for yourself soon enough.” He jerked his arm free of hers and took off.
She stood in the hallway and watched him go down the stairs and out the front door. She stood there for a few moments before she walked back downstairs and started cleaning up the paint brushes in the laundry room sink. When she’d closed everything up again for the night, she walked back to her apartment and took the hottest shower her skin would tolerate.
Her eyes and nose were red when she looked at herself in the mirror. She combed her long hair and thought about everything he’d said. How would she convince him that he was no longer the troublemaker he used to be? If he didn’t believe it, then she’d just have to show him.
When she finally lay down, she dreamed of Travis holding her. Of how good it would feel to have his hands on her again.
Travis walked to the end of the block and when he still felt bad, he continued to walk farther. Even when the streetlights stopped, he walked and walked.
Why couldn’t Holly—and the whole town of Fairplay, for that matter—let him be? He hadn’t planned on coming back, hadn’t planned on staying.
Something inside of him told him to run from the town and in the last few years, he’d learned to listen to his inner voice. He’d spent years ignoring it and look at where that had gotten him.
