Cyndi could tell the man wasn’t quite sure what to do. Shamus’s company probably did a lot of business with him. He didn’t want to risk alienating a partner in B & O Construction, yet at the same time, he obviously didn’t want her in his store.
“That’s okay, Shamus.” She laid her hand on his arm, not surprised to feel the tension in his muscles. “We can go somewhere else.” She kept her voice low and calm.
“No, it’s not okay.” He glanced at her, but returned his stare to the proprietor.
The older man was starting to sweat, beads of perspiration dotting his forehead. He glared at Cyndi before looking back at Shamus. “Stay if you want.” Turning, he stalked back to his front counter.
“Such a gracious welcome,” she murmured as she watched him retreat.
“Barton’s not so bad. Not usually.” Shamus tucked her beneath his arm, his face stormy.
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. It’s what I expected.”
“It’s not right.” She could tell that Shamus was truly upset by this. “Barton McGinty moved here after you left, but I know he had dealings with your father over at the bank.”
“That explains a lot.” She sighed. “It’s only going to get worse, you know.” She took a step away from him, ignoring his scowl. “If you want to get out, now is the time to walk away. He’s watching and it would be a very public venue for us to have a fight and falling out. It would be all over town before the supper dishes were cleared away tonight.”
His large hand clasped her shoulder and pulled her back beneath the shelter of his arm. “I’m not walking away. The sooner you get that through your head the better. It’s just going to take people time to get used to seeing you in town again. Once people get to know you, they’ll change. You’re not your father, nor are you the same woman who left here fourteen years ago.”
Sighing, she gave in. She was no match for Shamus and he seemed bound and determined to be with her. A part of her actually liked the fact that a man like Shamus not only wanted to be with her, but would also defy an entire town to do so. Another part of her knew that this would only stir a pot that was close to bubbling over.
“Let’s look at paint chips.” The quicker they could pick out paint, the sooner they could get out of here.
It didn’t take long for Cyndi to put the man watching them from the front counter mostly out of her mind. The array of paint chips held her attention. There were so many choices, but she quickly narrowed them down to certain color palettes.
The downstairs would be first, so she concentrated on finding colors for those rooms. The formal living room would go a pale lemon and the front parlor a robin’s egg-blue. The library was also going in a shade of yellow, or perhaps green, to brighten up the dark area. In the dining area, she definitely wanted green, but she couldn’t decide which shade. She was leaning toward a light sage color, but wasn’t sure.
Shamus took the paint chips from her hand. “Why don’t we get five or six samples of the yellow and green? That way we can do some test patches on the walls. Maybe you’ll like some of the colors for the bedrooms upstairs.”
“Good idea.” She hung back as Shamus strode to the counter and ordered their sample cans of paint.
Cyndi strolled off to check out a lighting display while Shamus dealt with Barton. She figured the man would be less hostile with her not around. Standing back, she peered up at the lights hanging from the ceiling. She wanted new light fixtures for some of the rooms, but she wasn’t sure that the ones here were exactly what she was looking for.
She glanced over at the counter only to find Barton glaring at her. Her stomach sank, but she ignored the sickening feeling as she strode toward Shamus. “I’m going to wait outside.”
“You sure?” Shamus’ eyes narrowed as he frowned.
“Yes. I could use the fresh air.” Plus, she could stand to be away from such open hostility.
“I won’t be long.” She could tell he wanted to say something else, but left it at that. She was grateful. The last thing she wanted was an even bigger scene.
“Take your time.” Clutching her purse tight to her stomach, she left the store and stepped outside. The sky was overcast, but it wasn’t too windy. Cyndi sucked in a breath of clean, cool air and let it out slowly.
“You’ve got some nerve coming back here.”
Cyndi whirled around at the venom in the voice behind her. An older woman in about her mid-sixties was glaring at Cyndi, pure hate glowing from her eyes. She was dressed simply in a blue-checkered blouse and black pants. Her hair was twisted in a bun and her face was heavily lined. But it was the despair in her eyes that struck Cyndi the most.
“Do I know you?”
“No. But I know you. I know all the trouble you caused years ago, striding around town like you owned the place. I know that your father foreclosed on the farm that had been in my family for five generations. The house is empty now, has been for six months.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry,” the older woman spat.
“I had nothing to do with you losing your farm.” She’d never had anything to do with her father’s business dealings.
“You’re a James. That’s all that matters.” The woman’s hands were fisted at her sides and she was shaking.
Cyndi knew then that she not only had her own reputation to live down in this town but her father’s as well.
“From what I hear, you’re already causing problems.”
Cyndi had heard enough. “I’m sorry, but I need to go now.”
The older woman smiled cruelly. “Not here a week yet and you’ve already causing trouble in a company that employs a lot of folks around here.”
Totally bewildered, Cyndi stared at the older woman. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her stomach began to roil, and she knew that she didn’t want to hear what this woman was going to tell her.
“My son was at Jessie’s Diner this morning and overheard Shamus O’Rourke and his brother-in-law having words this morning. Seems that Burke Black don’t want to do business with you, but young Shamus does. Now Shamus is on vacation. Vacation,” she spat. “Probably gone for good. Bet that makes you happy.”
Cyndi thought she might be sick then and there. It was only sheer effort that kept her from losing the contents of her stomach. “You’ll excuse me.” She turned quickly, leaving the woman standing in front of the hardware store. She could feel the other woman’s eyes on her as she all but ran for the truck.
What had she done? Her presence here had caused more of a split between Shamus and his family than she thought. Now she knew what had been on his mind earlier. She’d thought it might be serious, but she’d had no idea just how much. Bypassing his truck, she decided to walk home.
She had to make the break from Shamus now, before this got any worse. There was still time for him to mend the breach with his family.
She heard her name being called, but ignored it as she stumbled down the road, practically blind as tears filled her eyes. She swiped them away and kept on walking.
A heavy hand descended on her shoulder, spinning her around. Not knowing who it was she jerked back, ready for another attack, whether verbal or physical.
Shamus held up his hands and took a step back. “What’s wrong? What happened back there? What did Sadie Hargrove say to you?”
Cyndi was past all caution and control. “What’s wrong? I’ll tell you what’s wrong.” She took a step toward him and poked him in the chest with her index finger. “I’m not welcome in this town because of who I am. Not only that, I find out from a complete stranger that my father foreclosed on their family farm. And, by the way, I also managed to drive you away from B & O Construction this morning.” She was panting heavily now. Her head was pounding, her stomach sick. Grief and anger filled her, making her heart ache. “You have to stay away from me.”
She whirled around to leave, but he caught her with both hands. “You’re not to
blame for the actions of others. Your father had plenty of enemies in this town. That’s got nothing to do with you.”
“That’s got everything to do with me. No matter what my name is or what I’ve done with my life, in this town I’m a James.” His fingers tightened around her shoulders, but she wouldn’t turn and face him. Stubbornly, she looked out over the street. If she looked at Shamus, she’d never be able to walk away. And she had to. For his sake.
“You’re more than just a name, Cyndi. You’re a beautiful, stubborn, kind woman. This town doesn’t know you at all.”
“And you do,” she snapped.
“Yeah.” He buried his face in her hair and inhaled. She could feel his lips lightly caress her.
“I do know you. The real you. A woman who lived through a horrific past and came out stronger and wiser. A woman who has a dream and isn’t afraid to tackle it even though it won’t be easy.”
She gave a bitter laugh. “Not so strong. I was just thinking it would be best for everyone if I packed up and left.”
His arms slid around her waist and he pulled her back against his chest. “Not best for everyone. Not for me.” The low, intimate tone of his voice tugged at her heart, but she hardened it.
“Not for you,” she retorted sarcastically. “Look what my being here has done to you.” Her voice almost broke. She felt such pain for him.
He swayed with her in his arms, rocking her gently from side to side. “That’s not your fault. Burke and I had a disagreement, and I took some vacation time so we could both cool off, and I could help you with your renovations. That’s it. You didn’t do anything. I offered to do the renovations at your place. It was my decision.”
She could hear the hurt in his voice. “I’m so sorry, Shamus.” She clasped her hands over his, squeezing gently. “But the disagreement with Burke was over me.”
“Maybe it was, but it was about more than just you,” he insisted. “My family needs to let go of the past and learn to trust my judgment when it comes to my personal life.” He loosened his hold and turned her in his arms.
She didn’t resist. The need to comfort him overrode all else. She laid her palms flat on his chest as she looked up at him. “I’m so sorry.”
He gave one hard shake of his head. “Not your fault. The fact is Burke won’t let go of the past. They can think whatever they want about you, because they don’t really know you. They know me, or at least I thought they did. They should trust my decisions, and me, but they don’t. That’s what this is all about.”
He drew her tight against his chest and she rested her cheek against his heart. It pounded slow and heavy, soothing her battered soul. “I want to help. I don’t want to make things worse.”
“Then don’t walk away from me.” She jerked slightly in his arms. “Don’t deny it,” he continued. “I know you, Cyndi. You’d walk away in a second if you thought it was for my good. But it’s not. You’ve become very important to me in a very short time.”
“More important than your family?” She needed to make him see, make him understand the consequences of his actions.
“It doesn’t have to be a case of more or less. You’re all important to me. But my family has to have some faith in me or our relationship is built on nothing but air. They’ll come around in time. I know they will.”
His pain was palpable and Cyndi didn’t know what to do to make things better. All of a sudden, she realized they were standing on the side of the road, giving more fodder for the gossipers of this town.
“Let’s go home. We can talk there.” She shifted in his arms, taking his hand in hers and walking back toward the truck. Shamus followed her, ignoring the few folks who’d stopped and were blatantly staring at them.
When they reached the truck, Shamus held her door for her before going around and climbing in on the driver’s side. “I got the paint samples.” He pointed to a small box on the seat as he turned the key in the ignition, put the truck in gear, and pulled away from the store.
The paint didn’t matter any more. She was too upset to even get remotely excited about the renovations. Maybe she should just sell the place and go back to Vermont. She had more than enough money to live on even if she never worked another day in her life. She didn’t want to leave. She wanted, no needed, to put her past behind her. But she’d leave in a heartbeat, if it would help Shamus mend the breach with his family.
That realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Shamus’s well-being had become more important to her than facing down the demons of her past.
Shamus made a sharp turn and it interrupted her musings. “This isn’t the way home.” She glanced around. He was driving down Peach Street.
“It’s the way to my home.” He pulled into a driveway in front of a neat, red house with white shutters. Shutting off the ignition, he turned to her. “Come inside with me.”
—
Shamus kept an eye on Cyndi as she climbed out of the vehicle and started up the walkway.
He half expected her to bolt again like she had back at the hardware store. Closing his eyes for a moment, he huffed out a breath.
He hadn’t expected her to find out about what had happened between him and Burke so quickly. It shouldn’t have surprised him though, for it seemed there was no end of folks who wanted to make Cyndi’s life miserable. It was ironic when you thought about it. Cyndi wasn’t intentionally hurting anyone. She was just trying to settle here and build a life.
He wasn’t quite sure why he’d brought her here, except that he wanted to see her in his house, to know what she thought of it.
“It’s pretty.” She eyed the shutters and the front porch that extended the length of the house.
Both were painted a crisp white.
“Thanks. I put in the porch and shutters about five years ago.” He unlocked the front door and held it open. “This is the house I grew up in. I bought it from my family years ago and renovated it.”
“I was here once, a long time ago.” Her voice was soft as if she was lost in her memories.
Shamus remembered his conversation with Dani. Cyndi had come to see his sister to apologize just before she left town all those years ago.
He breathed a sigh of relief when she stepped inside. The foyer was nowhere near as large as the one in her house, but it was cheerful and inviting. An old, oak bench sat just inside, a place to sit and put on your boots. Brass hooks stood in a row on the opposite wall, waiting to take coats.
Cyndi toed off her shoes without saying a word and headed toward the living room.
Actually, it was now the living room and dining room area combined. He’d taken down a wall when he’d renovated. Shamus had replaced the brick fireplace with one done in river stones.
Brown, leather furniture filled the room and a maple cabinet stood on one wall, housing the entertainment equipment.
“It’s beautiful.” She reached out and stroked the sofa. “Might have known you’d have leather.”
He laughed and relaxed slightly. “And why is that?”
“You’re a bachelor, aren’t you?”
“Maybe not for much longer.” He could have bitten his tongue when she tensed again.
Where the hell had that thought come from? He shook his head. He had to stop getting ahead of himself.
But a sense of rightness descended upon him. Cyndi was the right woman for him. It didn’t matter that he was nine years younger than she was. All the better for him to keep up with her. It didn’t matter that there was bad blood and a history between her and his family. He could outwait them. Once they realized he was serious about her, they’d have to take the time to get to know her. Once they did, he was sure they’d love her.
If they didn’t…well, he didn’t want to go down that road. Not until he had to. But there was no way he was walking away from Cyndi. His sister had Burke, and his brother had Shannon.
Shamus wanted what they had—a loving family of his own.
He knew in his heart that he’d never fee
l the same way about another woman as he felt about the one currently exploring his home. He knew himself well enough to know she was the one for him. He’d never been in love before, never been the type to fall in and out of love, as he’d dated over the years. There had always been something missing and he’d known it—that is until he’d met a woman in a broken-down car on the side of a road.
Right now, his biggest challenge was to keep her from walking away from what they could have together because she felt it was the best thing for him.
The best thing for him was Cyndi.
He watched as she disappeared into the kitchen, following her when he heard her exclamation of delight. She was kneeling on the bench seat of the kitchen table staring out the huge, glass window when he entered the room.
“This is amazing.” She swiveled her head around when she heard his footsteps.
“Thanks. I knocked out a wall and extended this section of the house.” He’d installed windows on the far end, making a cozy eating area in the kitchen that looked out over the yard and the woods behind it. The windows ran along the three sides, dominating the area and giving a perfect view from wherever a person sat.
She ran her fingers lightly over the window frame. “You do wonderful work.”
“Come on, I want to show you the upstairs.” It took a few more minutes to get her out of the kitchen, as Cyndi had to examine the maple cabinets and the stainless steel appliances. Finally, they headed up the stairs.
“How long did it take you to do all this?”
Shamus shrugged. “A little over two years. I worked on it during the evenings and on weekends. I didn’t tear the entire place up at once, but did it a room at a time.”
“It’s amazing. You’re amazing.”
He could hear the wonder in her voice and it filled him with pride. He didn’t have as much money as she did, but he was a hard worker and proud of his skills.
“Oh my.” She’d halted in front of a door, staring inside. “I want my new bathroom to look like this.”
Shamus laughed as he urged her inside. The room was his favorite to relax in after a hard day’s work. Windows ringed the extra-large bathtub, giving him a view of the back garden.
The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke Page 17
