A Change of Heart (Perfect Indiana#3)

by Barbara Longley

  “She’s right, Ryan,” Paige murmured, glancing at her husband.

  “Shit.” He strode out of the room as quickly as he’d appeared.

  Cory kept her attention focused on her computer screen, afraid to see the expression on Paige’s face. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. He needed to hear that from someone other than me. And believe me, I’ve tried to get through to him. It’s residual baggage. Ted made it pretty clear he resented Ryan’s presence here from the start. Their issues run deep, and when I arrived, it threw a whole new monkey wrench into the mix.”

  “I overstepped.” Cory rubbed her tired eyes with both hands. “How long will Ryan be angry with me, do you think?”

  Paige chuckled. “He’s not mad at you. If I know my husband at all, I’d say he’s angry with himself right about now. You said what needed to be said, and I for one am grateful.”

  Paige’s desk phone rang, and she answered, leaving Cory to her own thoughts—which centered around Ted. He deserved so much better at L&L. If nothing else, she hoped her conversation with Ryan would have an impact, changing things for the better for the man who meant so much to her—the man she’d pushed away. Her heart protested the decision, while her head tried to convince her she’d done the right thing. The battle left her unsettled and edgy.

  Ted worked on entering used vacation days into their system, moving the ruler down the list of employees as he went. Embarrassment about the way he’d left this morning’s meeting still soured his gut. Cory’s smile had been a dead-center hit to his soul. Frustration, anger and overwhelming helplessness at his current situation had swamped him in the wake of that smile. Was he doomed to always fall for women who were unavailable to him?

  This misery was too close to what he’d gone through when he’d lost Paige to Ryan. Dammit, he didn’t want to come out on the short end of the stick again. Not with everyone he saw every day witnessing his defeat yet again. He’d had no choice but to leave.

  Should he have argued with Cory, fought a little harder to keep her by his side? He needed to come up with a way to help her separate the mental association between him and her attacker. If he held her in his arms long enough, maybe she’d have a breakthrough. Maybe not.

  Selfish much?

  Clenching his molars together, he forced himself to concentrate on his work. Once he completed the tedious task, he could head downstairs and work in production. Thank God for that. Working with his hands helped him clear his mind and settle his nerves. It had always been that way for him, which was why he’d been convinced early on that college wasn’t for him.

  He glanced at the two diplomas hanging on his wall, glad once again for Noah’s insistence that he get a degree. With his credentials and experience, he could go anywhere, move on and start something new if need be. Was that what he wanted to do? He propped his elbows on his desk and raked his fingers through his hair.

  “Hey.”

  Stifling a groan, he raised his head and met Ryan’s eyes. “What now?”

  Ryan took the chair in front of his desk. “I don’t drink.”

  “No kidding.” Ted went back to entering data into the program. “You came in here just to give me this news flash?”

  “If I did drink, I’d ask you to go have a few beers with me sometime. But since I don’t, maybe we could go grab a coffee?”

  “Um, how about we head down to my aunt’s diner for lunch today? Like we do almost every day of the week.” What the hell was Malloy up to now?

  “Yeah, I get it. You’re pissed, and I don’t blame you.” Ryan’s palms were on his knees, which were bouncing up and down at a frantic pace. “I owe you an apology, man.”

  “Huh?” Man, not kid? The guy had Ted’s complete attention now.

  “I won’t call you kid anymore. You have my word.”

  “What brought this on?”

  “Cory just read me the riot act, and it—”

  “Say what?” His heart took a leap for his throat. “Cory did what?”

  “She said some things that got me thinking.” Ryan’s knees kept up their frantic bouncing. “I guess I’ve always kind of worried that one of these days Paige would come to her senses and dump me for you, and so I—”

  Ted chuffed out a laugh. “First of all, I got over my infatuation with your wife years ago, and she never had any interest in me in the first place. Second, you two have been married for more than three years now. You’re about to become parents. Really, Ryan?”

  “I know. Lame, huh?” Ryan’s crooked grin was back, and his knees stilled. “We should hang out more.”

  “Sure.” Or not. He gestured to the spreadsheet on his desk. “I’ve got to get this done.”

  “Say, you ever been to the rodeo?”

  “Once or twice when I was a kid. Why?” Resigned, he leaned back in his chair.

  “There’s a big one coming to the Ford Center in Evansville next weekend. It’s PRCA sanctioned with sizable payouts, so it’ll be a good one to see. My uncle raises rodeo bulls, and he and a few of my cousins will be there with their livestock. Why don’t we go as a foursome? Uncle Shawn already sent us four prime tickets in the VIP section. You and Cory can be our guests.”

  If he could finagle time with Cory, maybe he could convince her to see things his way—without the seduction piece, of course. That could wait. He’d even be willing to participate in the therapy with her if it would help. “You or Paige would have to ask her. If I do, Cory will think it’s too much like a date. She’ll say no for sure.”

  “You two aren’t dating?” Ryan’s brow creased. “I thought—”

  “We were heading that way, but I guess being near me stirs up her PTSD symptoms.” He shrugged. “She cut me loose.”

  “Sorry to hear that. It’s not really you; that’s just how PTSD works. You might think you’re getting better for brief periods, but if you don’t get help, the problems escalate. She hasn’t caught on yet, is all. You’re good for her, Ted. She’s just not in a place to see it right now.” Ryan stood up. “I think we should give it a shot anyway. She and my wife get along really well, and I know Paige would like to get to know her better. You in if we can convince her?”

  “Sure, why not? Sounds like fun.” Absolutely. He did his best to appear only marginally interested, while his pulse shot off the charts.

  “Good. I’ll let you know. We also have the get-together at our house coming up. You coming?”

  “I’ve got it down.” He gestured to the calendar hanging on the wall beside his desk. The last weekend in July had Malloys’ housewarming penciled in. “Is Cory coming?”

  “She said she is.”

  “Great. Later.”

  “Later, bro.”

  Ryan left, leaving Ted to think about what had just happened. A pleasurable thrill spread through him. Cory had come to his defense. A good sign. “Wish I could’ve been there to see it.” He swiveled his chair around to look out the window overlooking Main Street, smiling for the first time all morning. Her image limned in starlight sprang to mind. Memories of the kiss they’d shared brought a tender ache to his heart. They were meant for each other. He was sure of it. Convincing her presented a challenge. Was he up to it?

  He swung his desk chair back around, finished his bookwork, and straightened his desk before rising to leave. He took the front stairs, coming out into the storefront. Prototypes and pieces that had slight flaws were piling up. Once the Architectural Digest ad came out, they’d have to have another sample sale. He wove his way through the odd mix of furniture, stopping to get a cup of coffee before entering the production area.

  “Hey, Ted.” Noah spared him a glance before turning back to his work. “I see you’re almost done with the cradle. Are you putting it together today?”

  “Yep.” Inhaling deeply, he took in the scents of freshly cut wood, stain and turpentine permeating the place. The back doors were wide open, and the ceiling fan whirred away above him, sending sawdust eddies scurrying to the far corner
s of the room. Country music poured out of the speakers mounted on two of the walls. Man, he loved this place.

  Smiling again, he reached for his tool belt where it hung from the row of pegs. Surveying the various projects under construction, he made his way to his own workspace. The guys nodded their greetings or gave a slight wave and went back to work.

  “How was the rest of your weekend?” Kyle came over to stand beside him, pushing his safety goggles up to his forehead.

  “Pretty good. I bought an old 1970 pickup truck I’ve had my eye on for a while. It belonged to the farmer whose land abuts ours. I want to rebuild the engine and do some body work, restore it to its former glory.”

  “Another Chevy?”

  “Nope. This one’s a blue-and-white Ford Ranger, an F100.”

  Kyle’s eyes lit up. “My dad is an airline mechanic. He and I used to work on engines together all the time when I was a kid. I miss having grease under my fingernails. Do you want some help?”

  “Sure, that would be great. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to start. I could use a hand to remove the engine block.” He glanced at Kyle. “How’re things going with you and Brenda?”

  “Hard to tell. I wanted to see her again on Saturday after the shindig out at Noah’s on Thursday, but she turned me down. She said she already had plans.” He grinned. “I think I make her nervous. I haven’t managed to get her out alone yet, but I’m working on it.”

  Ted grinned back. “She’s not going to make things easy for you.”

  “I know.” Kyle lowered his goggles and chuckled. “She’s going to make me work for it, that’s for dang sure. It’s all about the chase, bro.” He rubbed his hands together. “And I do love the chase.”

  Kyle put his goggles back on and returned to his space, and Ted studied the finished pieces of the cradle stacked in front of him. Today he’d assemble the pieces, and then the finishing crew would take over. He ran his hand over the headboard, pleased with the way the bird’s-eye maple had turned out. Vise clamps, wood glue, a mallet and the square-headed nails that were L&L’s hallmark were lined up against the wall.

  He reached for the glue, setting it within easy reach, and then lined up the two dovetailed edges where the headboard would connect with the sideboard on one side. Concentrating on the task, he put the glue in each notch and fitted the dovetailed pieces together, using a couple of clamps to keep the pieces tight until the glue dried. Then he repeated the action for the other side. He relished the steadying influence working with his hands provided, losing himself in the craft and forgetting all about the passage of time.

  Once the sides and end pieces were together, he stepped back to take a look. Pleased with the results, he moved the cradle in the middle of his space. Once the glue was dry, he’d start on the stand.

  Ryan, Paige, and Cory spilled into the workroom from the stairs, and Ted looked up at the wall clock. Lunchtime. “Perfect Diner?” he asked.

  Xavier shut off the sound system and started singing in Spanish, like he did every day. John and Ryan put their tools on the bench and removed their tool belts, hanging them back on their pegs.

  Noah flipped the switch on the jigsaw he’d been using. “Sounds good to me.”

  “Me too.” Ryan rubbed his stomach. “Ready?”

  Ted nodded and took off his tool belt. Had Ryan already brought the rodeo up with Cory? They all left the building together, Ted stopping to shut and lock the doors. “Paige, are you planning a sample sale soon? It’s difficult to walk through the storefront, and I’m sure the fire marshal would see it as a hazard.”

  “Some of those samples are slated for the retail store in Evansville. We should be signing the lease in the next week or so. I’m just waiting for the paperwork.”

  “Great.” He managed to work his way to Cory’s side. “Good work on the insurance project.”

  “Thanks. I’ve enjoyed putting it together. I can’t wait until we’re ready to start taking bids.”

  “I owe you a debt of gratitude.” He put his hands in his pockets and walked along beside her.

  “No, you don’t.” She shook her head. “I’m happy to have the project.”

  “I’m talking about Ryan. He and I had an interesting conversation earlier. He said you got him thinking, and he’s not going to call me kid anymore.” He shot her a grateful look.

  “Oh, that.” She shrugged. “He asked me what I thought, so I told him.”

  Now that he wasn’t being dazzled by her smile, he couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under her eyes. Pale and wan, she’d lost the healthy glow that had begun to bloom in her cheeks. “Cory, are you sleeping OK? Is our being apart helping? Because…I miss you,” he whispered.

  She looked up at him then, her eyes haunted and the corners of her mouth drawn down. “No, it’s not helping. I’m having trouble sleeping, and I…I realize it has nothing to do with whether or not we spend time together.” She swallowed a few times. “I miss you too.”

  He kept his hands in his pockets, even though more than anything he wanted to reach for her. “I have an idea.”

  “Why does that not surprise me?” A tiny smile flickered to life for a second, then went out. “You’re the idea man.”

  “How about we back up, start over. No more kissing. No pressure. You and me hanging out as friends whenever we want. Do you think you can handle that?” He sensed some of the tension leaving her, and she sighed loud enough for the crew walking ahead of them to hear.

  “I’d like that.” She glanced at him, her eyes bright. “I’d like that a lot.”

  “Good. I’d like that too.” Yes! She’d admitted she missed him. His world snapped back together like the dovetails he’d just glued together. Should he bring the rodeo up, or leave it to Paige? Baby steps. Ryan had said they’d take care of it, so he’d let them. For now, just knowing the ban on being together had been lifted was enough.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CORY ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW for her short drive into work. The cool air still held the early morning mistiness typical for July, laced with the sweet scent of the hay fields bordering the two-lane highway. She inhaled deeply. Noah was right. Something about living in rural Indiana soothed the soul. Temporarily, at least. Plus, the rushing air helped her stay awake.

  She pulled her truck into the alley. L&L’s doors were still closed. Only one car and Wesley’s truck were parked in back. The rest of the night shift must’ve left already. She’d never arrived this early before, and she didn’t want to walk in yet, didn’t want to face Wesley. He’d home in on the dark circles under her eyes and start asking questions.

  Stretching where she sat, she considered her options. She could head down the street to the diner for a cup of coffee or walk around the block until Ted or Noah arrived. Maybe she could just rest her tired eyes for a few minutes. She rubbed at them, trying to rid herself of the gritty dryness from lack of sleep. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes, dropping her hands into her lap…

  “Wake up, Cory.”

  Someone shook her shoulder. She woke with a start, disoriented and tensed for a fight. It took a few seconds for her to figure out where she was, quickly swiping the drool from the corners of her mouth.

  “How long have you been sitting here?” Paige rested her arms on the window frame of the truck, her expression filled with concern. Ryan stood behind his wife, wearing a similar look.

  Cory checked her watch. Forty-five minutes! “Not long.” Embarrassment scorched through her, and she turned her face away. Grabbing her purse, she climbed out of her truck. She studied the pavement beneath her feet. “The doors weren’t open when I got here. I was just going to rest my eyes for a second. I guess I fell asleep.”

  “I guess you did.” Ryan held the door to L&L open for them. “It’s a good thing this is Perfect, Indiana, and not some big city. Falling asleep in your truck with the windows down and your purse sitting next to you on the seat is probably not the best idea.” He scrutinized her as she passed
him through the door. “Trouble sleeping at night?”

  “Sometimes.” She’d even tried a sleep aid last night. What a waste of money.

  “Been there.” He propped the doors wide to let in the morning air.

  Wesley pushed a broom around the production area, corralling piles of sawdust on the concrete floor. His dog rose from his bed in the corner. His tail wagging, he moseyed over for the ear scratches he had coming. Wesley stopped sweeping. “Morning.”

  “Hey, man.” Kyle slapped him on the shoulder. “How’d everything go last night?”

  “Quiet night. No problems.” Wesley’s gaze swung to her.

  “Are you heading to the diner this morning?” Cory asked, hoping the Malloys wouldn’t mention finding her asleep at the wheel.

  “In a few minutes.” Wesley studied her with inscrutable intensity. “You want to join me?”

  “Not this morning. I ate a big breakfast at home.” She inched her way toward the stairs and averted her gaze. Another lie. She’d eat a big lunch to make up for it. “I’ll take a rain check. Say hi to Jenny and Harlen for me.”

  “Will do.” Wesley crossed the room to pick up the dustpan.

  Paige moved to the kitchen area to start the coffee, and Ryan headed upstairs. Cory followed him. Once she reached her office, she settled herself at her desk and booted up her computer to check her e-mails. She searched for word from the law clinic. Nothing. Working on getting health insurance for L&L employees, herself included, gave her a lifeline—a point in time where the possibility of getting better shimmered like a mirage on the horizon. Maybe she’d even begin a search for a therapist today. There had to be places that specialized in trauma counseling.

  Ted appeared in the doorway. “Hey, I talked to my brother about the insurance group and the hardship fund. He’s going to have one of their interns put together some nonprofit paperwork for us to file, and also a legal document formalizing the coalition. We should have them by the end of the week.”