Proposal at the Lazy S Ranch

by Patricia Thayer

Ana smiled and leaned back in her chair. “Of course there’s always body heat. That seemed to work for you last night.”

  Don’t blush, Josie told herself. It didn’t work as she felt her cheeks heat up. “We didn’t have much of a choice.”

  “I can’t help but be curious about what happened between you two last night.”

  “Nothing,” Josie denied and stood up. “I was stupid enough to get lost yesterday, and Garrett rode after me. He knew where the cabin was, thank God. We stayed there until you came by this morning. End of story.”

  Ana stood up, too. “Hey, I know you’re having a rough time with Garrett being here, but I’m grateful he was there when you got lost. As for the rest of what happened at the cabin, it’s none of my business,” her sister said, then grinned. “And if sharing a bottle of wine helped make the night more bearable, more power to you.”

  There was no way she was ready to admit anything to Ana, nor did she want to analyze what happened between her and Garrett.

  Time to get off this subject. “Since you’ll be home tomorrow, maybe we can look at wedding dresses on the internet. It’s only about six weeks until the big day.”

  Ana got all dreamy-eyed. “We’re not planning anything too elaborate with the financial problems and all.” She smiled. “Besides, I already found this incredible dress. It’s at a consignment shop in Dillon. It’s slim fitted and done all in creamy satin, covered with antique lace. The owner, Carrie Norcott, promised to hold it for me a few weeks.”

  A consignment shop? “This is your big day, Ana. It’s my job to make it special, and on a budget. We can afford to get you a new dress.”

  “I know. Vance said the same thing, but wait until you see this one. It came out of an estate sale from Billings. It looks like something out of the 1930s and it’s perfect for me. Besides, we don’t have time to order a new dress and get it here in time.”

  Josie knew she wouldn’t win this. “If it’s what you want then that’s one more thing off our list. Since we have the location locked down, the rest will be aisle runners, seating and decor.”

  Ana frowned. “Now with this early storm, I’m worried that the lodge won’t be finished in time.”

  Josie hoped that Garrett wouldn’t let them down, either. “All we need completed is the main room, one bathroom and the kitchen. We can do that. And as for decorations, it will be Christmastime. How do you feel about a Winter Wonderland theme? We place several pine trees on either side of the big picture window and add some poinsettias for color. An archway where that good-looking guy of yours can stand in his Western-cut tux. He’ll have a perfect view of his bride coming down the aisle.”

  “Oh, Josie, it’s perfect.” Ana’s eyes filled as she nodded, then pulled her sister into a big hug. “Thank you for coming home. You’ll never know how much it means to me.”

  Josie pulled away, fighting her own tears. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

  Ana grew serious. “Then would you consider being my maid of honor?”

  Josie felt tears welling in her eyes. “Oh, Ana. I’d love to.” She hugged her sister.

  Josie pulled back, wiping away tears, when she saw Vance and Garrett; both were bundled up in their coats. It was obvious they’d been outside.

  “Oh, Vance. Josie was talking about the wedding. She’s going to be my maid of honor.” She went to her future husband. “And it’s going to be a Christmas theme.”

  He kissed her. “Just tell me it’s going to be this Christmas and I’m a happy man.”

  Ana laughed, and Josie turned her attention to Garrett. Once their eyes locked, she felt the pull. She couldn’t help but think about being stranded in the cabin with the man’s arms wrapped around her.

  Josie heard her name. “What?”

  “I wondered if you’d like some hot chocolate?” her sister asked.

  “Sure, but I need to get some work done.”

  “I’ll bring it to you here.” She started out and stopped. “Oh, and Vance asked Garrett to be his best man.” The couple walked out, but Garrett stayed.

  Great. The last thing she wanted or needed was more time with this man. “Do you need something?”

  “You don’t want to talk about our duties as maid of honor and best man?”

  She glared at him.

  “Okay, how about we talk about the lodge. I was thinking when this weather clears we should get back to work on it. If the electrical is roughed in, then we can get the heat on and begin to drywall the inside.”

  She frowned. “I thought when the electrical was finished, your job was done and we take over.”

  Garrett shrugged. “I don’t mind helping out so the wedding will come off on schedule. I’d hate to have them move the ceremony to the courthouse.”

  Josie shook her head. “I won’t let that happen, but there isn’t much extra money right now for the work.”

  Garrett walked toward her, and she had to fight to stand her ground. “I didn’t say I would charge. I’ll be doing the work myself, not my men.”

  “You?”

  “Hey, I can still hang Sheetrock, even tape and mud the seams. And my carpenter skills are pretty good, too.” She watched his delicious mouth twitch at the corners. “I still have a tool belt.”

  Oh, God. She didn’t need to picture Garrett in a tool belt. “What about the time? Surely you have other jobs to do.”

  “With this weather there isn’t much work right now, just a few small residential jobs that Jerry can handle. What do you say, Josie? You want to be my helper?”

  No! She didn’t need to spend any more time with this man, but the sooner the job got done the better. First the wedding, then the lodge could open for paying customers. Then she could go back to California and forget all about Garrett Temple. “Apprentice. I like that title better.”

  * * *

  About midnight, Colt sat by the fire in the family room and watched the flames dance, holding a glass of whiskey in his hand. He was probably breaking all the rules drinking alcohol, but right now he didn’t give a damn. Sometimes a man needed a stiff drink. He was tired of his solitary bedroom and more dreams about Lucia.

  The house was quiet even though there were three guests. Ana and Vance had gone off to the foreman’s house across the compound to spend the night. They’d given up their bedroom upstairs to Garrett and Brody. Nolan had been assigned to his youngest daughter, Marissa’s, bedroom. He smiled, hoping his neighbor liked pink.

  Josie had gone upstairs to her room hours ago. He had no doubt that had been to keep the distance between her and Garrett. The two had spent most of the day trying to stay out of each other’s way. But there were sparks flying everywhere.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  Colt looked up and saw Nolan standing in the doorway. He still wore his jeans and the shirt he had on earlier, but the boots had been replaced with a pair of moccasins.

  “Not at all. Come in and pour yourself a drink.”

  That got a smile from the sixtysomething neighbor. “Don’t mind if I do.” Nolan walked to the bar, took down a glass from the shelf and poured a splash of bourbon. He made his way to the other overstuffed chair across from Colt.

  Nolan’s dark gaze met his. “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked.

  “Seems that’s all I do these days,” Colt murmured. “I hate it.” He smacked the cane beside his chair. “Can’t wait until I lose this, too.”

  “Hey, you might be losing one, but I’ll probably be taking up one soon with this dang arthritis.” He ran a hand over his thinning gray hair. “But I can’t say I’m unhappy that my son and grandson moved back home. He’s doing a great job of running the operation.” He smiled. “I have to say that my grandson really lights up that old house.”

  Colt knew his neighbor had been lonely since his wife, Peggy, died. Colt was ashamed he hadn’t stayed in touch with his neighbor. “I love having Ana back, and now Josie’s home.” But soon Ana would marry Vance and Josie would go back to L.A.

  Nol
an took a drink and nodded. “I’ve sure enjoyed spending time with that sweet Josie of yours. I’ve noticed that Garrett liked it, too.” He sighed. “I wish I could have helped those two out years ago. Maybe if I’d stepped in, things would have turned out different.”

  Colt sighed. “Did any of us listen to common sense when we were young? We had all the answers. Maybe they’ll find a way to get together this time around.”

  Nolan nodded. “Got any more ideas?”

  “Well, since this storm is expected to move out tomorrow, you can’t use that excuse any longer to stay here.”

  “We might not have to,” Nolan said. “Garrett told me that Josie is going to work with him on the lodge.”

  “Well, dang. That’s not going to help much with the crew around.”

  Nolan shook his head. “No, the men won’t be there. They have another job. They both decided this was going to be a wedding gift for Vance and Ana. They want to make sure the lodge is finished in time for the wedding.”

  Colt nodded. “That’s a lot of time together. If your boy doesn’t take advantage, there’s no hope.”

  * * *

  Garrett lay on the bed until he heard Brody’s soft snores. The kid had been hyped up most of the day. Of course, he’d gotten a lot of attention. He’d even let his son go out to bottle-feed the calf.

  Garrett stood and slipped on his jeans and shirt, but didn’t bother with the buttons. He grabbed his shaving kit that his dad had brought over to the Slaters earlier and went down the hall to the bathroom. He quickly went through his nightly routine. Once he’d brushed his teeth, he put everything back, but left the small leather bag on the counter next to Josie’s things.

  He paused a moment to inhale the scent of her shampoo and soap that were so her. He wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight. He stepped out into the hall and nearly ran into a petite body—Josie. He reached for her as she gasped.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know anyone was in here,” she whispered.

  “I just finished up.” He watched as her tongue began to lick her lips. The memories of last night flooded his head. Josie in his arms, his mouth covering hers, hearing her soft moans.

  “It’s all yours,” he finally managed to say, but he didn’t move. He glanced down at her flannel pajamas and thought how sexy she looked.

  As if she could read his mind, she said, “They keep me warm.”

  “Last night, I kept you warm.”

  She frowned, but he saw the blush. “That was an emergency.”

  “So is this.” He gripped her arms and walked her backward into her bedroom, then his mouth covered hers.

  It was heaven. Oh, God, he couldn’t get enough of her as he drew her close, loving the feeling of her lush body sinking into his. Last night he’d been a fool to turn her away. He broke off the kiss, only to trail kisses down her jaw.

  “Garrett...”

  He pulled back, hearing her plea, but desire overtook him. His mouth returned to hers; he angled her face and deepened the kiss.

  “I’d wanted to do this all day,” he breathed against her lips in between teasing nibbles.

  Then reality quickly intervened with the sound of someone out in the hall. He broke off the kiss and pulled her close.

  They waited in the dark bedroom until the bathroom door opened and closed. He looked down at her, still feeling her heavy breathing. Then she pulled away and hugged herself. He suddenly realized what might have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted. Not wise.

  This wasn’t the time to continue this. “I should get back to my room. Good night, Josie.”

  He left her, knowing there wasn’t any future in starting up something with Josie or any woman right now, especially a woman who had a home and career in California. Over a thousand miles away.

  So now he had to figure a way to keep his distance for another few weeks. He should be able to do that. So why had he asked her to work with him? Was he crazy? He groaned. Yeah, he was crazy about Josie Slater.

  * * *

  It took two days for the ranch to get back to operating as usual. The storm had taken its toll with downed fences and lost cattle. Not too bad, considering the intensity of the blizzard’s destruction, Josie thought as she pulled up to the construction site.

  She’d spent the past forty-eight hours trying not to second-guess her decision to help Garrett with the inside of the lodge. She thought back to the other night and the breathtaking, toe-curling kiss. What frightened her more was what might have happened if Brody hadn’t gotten up. Would things have gone further than just a kiss? No! She couldn’t let the man back into her life. There was no future with Garrett Temple.

  Josie parked Colt’s four-wheel-drive pickup next to Garrett’s truck. She stepped out onto the still-frozen ground, wrapped her scarf around her neck and made her way down the plowed path to the lodge. She smiled at the two-story rough-log structure with the green metal roof. The chimney stacks were covered in river rock and the wraparound porch also had rough-log railings, adding to the rustic look.

  “You do good work, Garrett Temple.”

  She walked up the steps to the double doors with the cut-glass insert that read River’s End Lodge. That one extravagance was well worth it. She ran her fingers over the etched letters.

  She felt her excitement build as she opened the door and stepped inside. It was hard to take it all in. So many things drew her attention as she glanced around the nearly finished main room. The dark-stain hammered hardwood floors, partly covered for protection in the traffic areas were well-done. She moved on to the huge river rock fireplace. The raised hearth had room for a dozen people to sit down and warm themselves.

  She walked past the staircase, arching up toward the second-floor landing, a wrought-iron railing with the Lazy S brand symbol twisted in the design. Okay, another splurge. Her gaze continued to move around the room, seeing special touches that made this place more cozy and comfortable. It could almost be someone’s home. At the wall of windows, she looked at the river and the mountain range. Amazing view. Okay, she was definitely going to push this place for weddings.

  She heard a noise upstairs, then a loud curse. Garrett. Hurrying to the steps, she made her way to the second floor and went on to search room to room. She started to call out his name when she spotted him and froze.

  His back was to her and what a sight. A tool belt was strapped low on his waist and he wore faded jeans that hugged his slim hips and long legs. Her gaze moved to his dark T-shirt emphasizing his wide shoulders and muscular arms.

  He was balancing a sheet of wallboard and trying to reach for a tool. Then he glanced at her. “Well, are you going to stand there or help me? Hand me that screw gun.”

  Josie shot across the large bedroom and reached for the electrical tool he’d pointed at. Once he had it in his hand, he said, “Here, hold this up.” He nodded to the large sheet of wallboard. Once she pressed against it, he began to work on adding screws into the edges. “There, that does it.” He looked at her. “So you finally decided to come to work.”

  “You said I could come when I had time. I need to check in with my office, and there’s a few hours’ difference between here and Los Angeles. If you wanted me here at 7:00 a.m., you should have told me.”

  Garrett hated that he’d snapped at Josie. He’d almost called her and told her not to come at all. After the other night and that kiss, he didn’t need to spend any more time with her. He should have gotten one of his men. No matter what it cost.

  “Sorry. I’m an early riser and just take it for granted everyone else is.”

  “I am, too. But I’m trying to run my business long-distance. There’s a big wedding I’m coordinating a few weeks from now. My assistant is doing a great job, but she still has to run everything by me.”

  He walked over to the drywall compound and seam tape. “Sounds like your business is doing very well.”

  She shrugged. “I do well enough, but long-distance is hard, especially since I’m not able to do
bids on jobs.”

  He nodded, loving the look of her in her jeans and sweatshirt. He liked her better in her pj’s. Don’t go there, he warned. “Okay, you ready to go to work?”

  “Sure, what can I do?”

  He handed her a long, narrow pan partly filled with a white compound and a putty knife. “We need to fill all these screw holes.”

  She glanced around the room. He knew that she was silently counting the thousands of screw heads. “Okay. I’m not sure how good I’ll be.”

  “You’ll be great.”

  He gave her a quick lesson, put her in front of one wall, and he went to the other end.

  It wasn’t long before they met in the middle. He was surprised at the progress they’d made. But it was only one room.

  “Garrett,” she began. “Not to complain, but how many rooms do we have to do?”

  “Actually, all the rooms have been drywalled.”

  She turned to him, and he could see spots of compound on her cheek. “Wait, I thought you said that wasn’t in our contract with GT Construction.”

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t that much more in cost. Besides it was going to be a lot more work for us. It was easier to have one of my men do the hanging.”

  “Then I want to pay for half,” she argued.

  “Josie, that’s not necessary.”

  She glared at him. “You can’t take all the cost. I want to pay, too.”

  “Why are you being so stubborn about this?”

  Her eyes widened. “Because you asked me to help with this project and we agreed to work together.” She paused. “If I were a man, you’d gladly take my money.”

  “If you were a man, I wouldn’t be thinking what I’m thinking right now.”

  Josie worked hard to keep her composure. She couldn’t let Garrett know how his words affected her, but she didn’t want to deal with this all the time. She put down her mudding pan, grabbed her coat off the sawhorse and headed for the door. She never got there because Garrett grabbed her by the arm and turned her around.

  “You want me to apologize for kissing you the other night? Why, Josie? You didn’t stop me then.” His gaze was heated. “Are you going to stop me now?” He leaned toward her and his mouth closed over hers.