She got the sense he was stalling, considering something important.
“You said there were two things on your mind,” she reminded him.
Joe shrugged and let out an impatient sigh.
“Nothing. It was nothing. I’ll see you later,” he replied, and quickly showed himself out.
Alice filled her afternoon with plenty of hard work, staying out of the way of the construction site. She did catch a glimpse of Billy here and there but he was busy himself, only having time to wave at her from a distance.
She didn’t mind. After her conversation with Joe, she was feeling conflicted. Maybe Joe was right. Maybe she needed to stay focused and keep things professional with him. In a few weeks, things were going to become even more complicated, and a romantic fling didn’t fit into the picture.
Chapter 14
Billy
Alice was in the barn cleaning stalls when Billy came up behind her. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her playfully on the neck. She relaxed into him for a moment, but then quickly stiffened up. Billy turned her around and took the shovel from her hand leaning in to kiss her, but Alice turned her cheek and dropped her head down. Billy ducked down, trying to make eye contact with her.
“What is it, Alice? Don’t worry, I made sure we were alone. Nobody here but you and me and some nosy horses,” he said with a cheeky grin.
Alice looked at him, offering a thin smile. Billy stepped back a little, respecting her space, but his expression held confusion.
“I’m sorry, Billy. I guess my head is just a little muddled right now. I have a lot to finish up before supper and it is already getting so late,” she offered weakly.
Billy brushed her bangs back with his fingertips, looking carefully into her eyes. She smiled awkwardly and broke eye contact, as if trying to hide her true feelings. He smiled back at her gently.
“Not even time for a little kiss?” he asked playfully.
Alice shrugged and laughed nervously, stepping a little further away from him.
“Honestly, Billy, I should really get back to work,” she said softly, holding her hand out for the shovel.
Billy shook his head and smiled at her playfully, trying to wear her down.
“No, ma’am. Not until I get a kiss.”
Alice smiled despite herself, and finally leaned in. Billy placed his free hand in the small of her back and tried to pull her closer, but she quickly pulled away, ending the kiss as fast as it began.
“Shovel,” she said with mock sternness.
Billy was confused by the sudden chill, a vast contrast from the passion she shared with him the night before. He wondered what had changed overnight and sifted through his memories to recall something he might have done or said to upset her. Satisfied that they parted on good terms, he decided to press her for answers.
“Did I do something to upset you, Alice?” he asked cautiously.
Alice sighed and shook her head slowly. She looked unsettled. Billy suddenly felt uneasy.
“No, it isn’t you, Billy. I just have a lot on my mind. I’m sorry,” she admitted.
“Alice, I’m confused. I feel like every time we move forward a little, you pull yourself back. I thought we really connected yesterday,” he said, choosing his words carefully and offering them cautiously.
He didn’t want to spook her, but at this point, they couldn’t afford to go backward.
“I think we just need to cool things off a little, that’s all. I don’t want us to get distracted or do anything to slow down the progress of the project,” she said, her feelings guarded.
Billy’s gut told him there was something more.
“That won’t happen, Alice. We are both mature adults. I think we can enjoy each other’s company and still be professional, don’t you?” he said, offering her an encouraging look.
Alice sighed again, as though struggling for words. Billy reached out and took her hand, grateful that she allowed it. She bit her lip and then quickly stopped, as though remembering the effect that it had on him. He chuckled softly and squeezed her fingertips.
“I’m just not sure, Billy. I’m not feeling confident that we can. It is getting harder and harder to be discreet, and my feelings are becoming less and less professional,” she admitted, gently prying her hand away. “We can still enjoy each other as friends. Just without the benefits.”
Despite the fact that playing her was part of the plan, deep down Billy took great pleasure in the fact that she just admitted her feelings for him. At least his ego did. In his heart he felt a brief pang of guilt, which he quickly pushed down. If he were being honest, his desire for her had a hold on him as well and he wasn’t sure it would let him go that easily.
“Hm, I’m not sure I can promise to keep my hands off you, woman,” he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Alice raised her brows and grinned at him, shaking her head.
“You’re going to have to try,” she answered, her voice playful yet stern. “At least for the time being.”
Billy sighed thoughtfully, afraid that she meant what she said. He would just have to rethink his strategy and give her a little space. He could break her down again, with a little patience.
“Does this have anything to do with last night? With Joe waiting for you at the house?” he asked cautiously.
Alice let out a little sigh and shrugged.
“Maybe a little, but it is not as simple as that,” she said, struggling with her words.
She was about to offer more but stopped herself, looking behind him.
Billy turned around to see Joe leading a mare into the barn. Billy was certain it was Jewel, although he was still getting to know one from the other. He turned back to Alice and smiled, knowing their conversation was over for now.
“Why don’t you let me finish up in here. Go and get yourself some dinner,” he said sweetly.
Alice looked grateful, but declined nevertheless.
“No, no, Billy. You have had a busy day,” she said, reaching for the broom.
Billy held it just out of her reach.
“Go. I got this,” he said with finality. “I can come by later and we can finish talking.”
Alice shook her head.
“I don’t think that is a good idea,” she said with a kind smile.
Joe walked the horse past them and nodded.
“Is Jewel’s stall ready?” he asked, avoiding eye contact with Billy.
Alice assured him it was and then turned back to Billy as Joe led Jewel down the aisle.
“Thanks for understanding,” she said warmly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Billy watched her walk out of the barn, shamelessly focusing on her swaying hips. He picked up the shovel and went to work.
Only a few minutes passed when Joe approached him and tapped him on the shoulder. Billy turned around and met his stare. They regarded one another for a moment longer than typically comfortable before Joe finally spoke.
“What you are doing here for Alice, it’s a nice thing,” he grumbled under his breath.
Billy nodded, assuming he meant with the arena. He was a little surprised by the sentiment.
“I know she has been wanting this for a long time,” he continued.
Billy offered no response, waiting for the but.
“But when it is all done, you’ll need to be on your way,” Joe said flatly.
Billy raised his brows, surprised by his bluntness.
“Or what?” Billy retorted, controlling his tone.
He wasn’t one to back down from a threat, but at the same time, he wasn’t about to jeopardize his position, especially considering that he and Alice just took a small step back.
“Or nothing,” Joe said, spitting into the dirt. “You just need to keep moving.”
Joe turned and walked out of the barn, followed by Billy’s incredulous look. He shook his head in disbelief.
“What was that?” he whispered under his breath, even though he knew exactly what that w
as.
Joe was acting like a man afraid of losing something. Or someone.
* * *
Several weeks had gone by and construction was progressing along well. Too well in fact. Billy had instructed his crew to slow down a little and take their time. No one questioned his motives. They were happy to do what they were told.
Billy wanted to stall completion of the arena as long as he could, draining Alice’s coffers as much as possible. He would be asking her for another installment very soon, and the next one would most certainly take her over budget, especially with the added labor costs from his crew.
Things with Alice were just as she promised. Although they still flirted mercilessly with one another, and maintained a playful friendship, Alice kept refusing his romantic gestures. If he were being honest, the chase lit him up.
He loved seeing her blush when he moved a little too close to her, or the way she would giggle and roll her eyes playfully at his naughty proposals and suggestions.
She wanted him too, but she was holding back, and he meant to wear her down. He was enjoying this game of cat and mouse.
She had not invited him to the house since the night she made the second installment, the same night they enjoyed their skinny dip at the pond, the night Joe interfered. Billy knew that an invitation to the house was key, that not only would she be opening her home to him, but her heart too.
But why should that matter to him?
The truth was, he had built enough trust with her at this point to see the plan through to the end. He didn’t need to make her fall in love with him. She was clearly onboard with everything. No, he was the one seeking her out, instigating the flirtation, wanting her approval. His day wasn’t complete without some sort of connection with her.
She had pushed him away and he meant to win her back. But why? To what end? The end result would be the same whether she wanted him or not. He would be leaving without her. None of it made any sense, and yet he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He wanted her in his arms once more, wanted to be inside her again.
Billy tried to help Alice as much as his schedule would allow. He liked doing little things for her, knowing it relieved some of her stress. The contradiction of his intentions was ridiculous, and he knew it, but seeing that smile, the one she seemed to reserve just for him, was the great payoff. Her smiles kept him grounded.
It was a Saturday morning, most of the crew had gone home for the weekend. It was pretty quiet. Billy hadn’t seen Alice since just after lunch the day before. She didn’t come down to the paddock or to the barn after dinner either, which had become routine in recent weeks. They seemed to always seek each other out, and they would work side by side, the chemistry between them palpable, but sadly kept in check.
Last night, after he had finished in the barn, he noticed a grey Toyota Corolla in the driveway by the house, right next to Alice’s truck. This morning it was still there. He couldn’t help wondering who her company was and hoped it wasn’t a man. He wasn’t, typically, a jealous guy, but he couldn’t ignore the irritation he felt.
Billy had planned to work on some fencing that had fallen over near the pond. He made his way down the embankment and walked around the water, stopping just in front of the section that needed securing. He would have to dig the posts back in and then secure the boards and wire. The work would take him a few hours, and gratefully keep his mind occupied.
He was less than an hour into the job, fully immersed in digging the new hole for the second post, when he heard an odd noise. It sounded like a child laughing. He turned around, wiping the sweat off his brow, and looked in the direction of the sound. He was about twelve yards away, but he could clearly see a young girl crouching on the dock, her hand reaching out. She was maybe five or six years old and looked dangerously close to falling in.
Billy looked around, wondering if the child’s parents were nearby. He didn’t see anyone else around. He had a nagging feeling about her playing so close to the water and started making his way over to keep an eye on things. It looked as though she was trying to coax the ducks over, when suddenly she lost her balance and toppled into the water.
Billy unclipped his tool belt and ran as fast as he could to where she fell, wading in toward her. She came up once, flapping her arms around, and then went back under.
The water wasn’t deep for him, rising to just above his waist, but it was just over her head. Billy was quick to reach her and picked her up out of the water. Her blonde bangs were plastered over her eyes, and Billy brushed them away, wiping the water off her small face. She let out a loud cry and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
“It’s ok,” Billy said, patting her back, happy he was in the right place at the right time.
The little girl wept, her small body shivering, more from fright than from cold.
“I... I...I’m sor... sor... sorry,” she stammered in his ear.
Billy rocked her for a moment, not sure what to do next. Finally, the little girl stopped sobbing, much to Billy’s relief.
“You’re ok now. You’re ok. What’s your name?” he asked her gently.
She looked at him nervously, pouting out her bottom lip.
“Amy,” she said quietly, lilting her voice on the second syllable, the way little girls do.
Billy nodded and walked her over to the dock, placing her down. Just then, he saw Alice running down the slope, a look of surprise, or shock, on her face. Billy wasn’t sure which.
“Amy!” Alice called out, walking to the end of the dock.
Amy shifted herself from the edge of the dock and stood up, turning toward Alice.
“I needed to come see the ducks. They missed me,” Amy explained quietly, keeping her eyes down.
Alice crouched down and placed her hands on Amy’s shoulders.
“Honey, Lisa told you to stay in the yard, she said that she would be out in a minute to take you to the pond. What happened?” she asked softly.
Amy shrugged her shoulders.
“She was reaching out for the ducks and lost her balance, I think,” Billy explained, climbing out of the water.
Alice looked him up and down, trying to process the situation.
Billy was starting to put it all together himself. The gray Toyota was obviously Lisa’s car. She had mentioned a Lisa to him when they first met. Her cousin, if he remembered correctly. This little girl was probably Lisa’s daughter, although he didn’t recall Alice mentioning her.
“And you jumped in to save her?” Alice asked calmly, looking up at him.
Billy nodded.
“Yes, I was right over there, fixing the fence,” he said, gesturing across the pond with a nod.
Alice smiled at him, her eyes filled with deep gratitude. She turned back to Amy and pulled her into an embrace.
“I’m sorry, I should have waited for Lisa. I’m sorry, Mommy.”
Billy watched the two of them cuddling on the dock, feeling the air being sucked out of his lungs.
Mommy? This was her daughter? How did he not know this information beforehand? And why the hell didn’t Alice tell him about her?
He sighed deeply, causing Alice to look up at him. She nodded slowly, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking.
“Come on, Sweetie, let’s go back to the house and dry off,” Alice said, standing up and holding out her hand to Amy.
Amy took her Mom’s hand and followed her off the dock. Suddenly she stopped and turned to Billy, reaching out her own hand.
“Are you coming?” she asked him, with the innocence of a five-year-old child, oblivious to everything but the kindness extended by the stranger, who was now her friend.
Billy smiled at her with all the warmth he could muster, given his state of shock. He looked up to meet Alice’s eyes. She was smiling.
“Yeah, come back to the house, Billy. I’ll get you a towel too,” Alice said quietly.
Billy walked toward them, swallowing his surprise, and took Amy’s small hand into his own. Th
ey walked back together with Amy between them, singing a song.
Chapter 15
Alice
Alice led her daughter and Billy into the house through the side door that led into the kitchen. Lisa was in the laundry room and popped her head around the corner when she heard Alice walk in.
“Did you find her?” Lisa asked, her mouth dropping open when she saw them. “Amy, why are you wet?”
She looked past Alice and Amy, her eyes landing on Billy. She smiled curiously at him.
“What’s going on?”
“I fell in the water,” Amy said, matter-of-factly. “The man helped me,” she said pointing at Billy.
Lisa grabbed a few towels from a clean pile of clothes and brought them over, handing one to Billy and wrapping the other one around Amy.
“And who is this man?” Lisa asked flirtatiously, holding her hand out for Billy to shake.
“Billy Turner,” he said, taking her hand.
Lisa smiled sweetly and looked knowingly at Alice.
“Ah, Billy. Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Alice gave Lisa a look through her tight smile that said, ‘Thank you, that is quite enough.’
“So, tell me how you ended up in the water, young lady? Didn’t Auntie tell you to wait for me?” Lisa addressed Amy, gently scolding her.
Amy pouted again, looking up at her, tears welling in her eyes.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I promise,” Amy said sincerely.
Billy reached down and patted her gently on the top of her damp head. He hated seeing females cry, but especially the little ones.
“I think little Amy might have just had the devil scared out of her. I doubt she will want to go for another dunk anytime soon, will you, Amy?” Billy said warmly.
Amy shook her head, looking up at him with her big blue eyes. Billy grinned lightly, charmed by her.
“I think Amy needs a bath,” Alice said, in that tone reserved just for mothers.
“I can help her,” Lisa said, reaching her hand out to Amy.
Alice shook her head.
“No, I’ll do it.” Alice offered, placing an arm around her daughter’s shoulders.
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