Summer Days

by Susan Mallery

  The sound of large construction equipment echoed off the trees and the side of the mountain. From where he stood, at the west end of the site, he would guess about eighty or ninety acres had been cleared. The main building was massive—right now just poured foundation and steel beams—but he could see what it would be. Several stories, with a view of the mountains.

  When he’d heard about the casino, he’d had Dante pull information and had studied it on his computer. Still, the renderings hadn’t prepared him for the sheer size of the project.

  “Impressive, don’t you think?” She pointed to the far end. “That’s one of the parking lots. There will be a multilevel structure on the other side. The big building is the casino and resort. I’m not sure how many hotel rooms they’re talking about. At least a couple hundred, maybe more.”

  She kept talking, explaining the layout and how the design had kept old-growth trees to line a walking path. That there would be a spa and several restaurants.

  A pretty blonde woman with short hair and a ready smile joined them.

  “You and your bad goats,” she said with a laugh. “What’s up with Athena?”

  “I know.” Heidi gave her a quick hug. “She’d ride a motorcycle if she could get a license. Nevada, this is Rafe Stryker. Rafe, Nevada Janack.”

  He shook hands with the woman, then glanced at the signs on the sides of the construction trailers. “Any relation?”

  “I married into the family. Tucker’s around here somewhere. Come on. I’ll introduce you.”

  Rafe went willingly. He wanted to know a lot more about the project. He and Dante hadn’t talked about what was going on here since Rafe had first discovered the casino. Now that he saw the scope of the project, he was reminded of the possibilities.

  * * *

  RAFE HELD THE PHONE to his ear with his left hand and made notes with his right. “I need to see everything you’ve pulled on the casino project. Not just the plans, which you sent me.”

  He waited while Dante typed in his computer. “Got it,” his friend said.

  “The guy in charge, Tucker Janack, says there will be over three hundred hotel rooms. There’s a casino, spa, golf course. There’s also going to be an outlet mall, but another company is developing that.”

  “Too small for Janack?” Dante asked.

  “Probably. Depending on time of year, staffing and events. They could have upward of five hundred employees there. No way Fool’s Gold has that kind of labor force just sitting around. Which means bringing people in. Lots of people.”

  “They’re going to have to live somewhere.”

  “Exactly.” Rafe pressed a few keys on his computer. “You have it?”

  “Right in front of me.”

  Rafe stared at the outline of the Castle Ranch. Done to scale, it showed the main house, the barn and the fence line. The main road was to the south, and several smaller roads provided natural boundaries.

  Assuming a standard lot size of five thousand square feet, a modest three-bedroom house with attached garage, keeping a few acres around the ranch buildings for his mother and her animals, there was more than enough room for a hundred homes. With plenty left over for future development.

  “You doing the math?” Rafe asked.

  “It’s a sweet, sweet number. Considering how cheap the land is, I’m a happy guy. You’re talking serious profit levels.”

  “Tell me about it. We wouldn’t have to do anything fancy. We’ll add the most popular upgrades. Some landscaping.”

  “With employees coming to work for the casino, they’ll be desperate to buy. That means motivated buyers.”

  Rafe wrote frantically. “We can arrange our own financing. Give people a break for going with our lender and make more money on the mortgage. We’ll have to get the town to agree.”

  “I’ve done some preliminary research. The town is business-friendly. The mayor has a reputation for being easy to work with. No crazy zoning requirements. As long as we’re building up to their standards and not playing fast and loose with the rules, they’ll make it go smoothly for us.”

  “Good.” Rafe wasn’t interested in building crap, he just didn’t want to waste profit when he didn’t have to. “To think this all started because my mother wanted to buy back this damned old ranch. Now this could be one of our biggest projects of the year.”

  “As long as the judge rules in our favor.”

  “She will. Heidi won’t be able to come up with the money.”

  “Plus, we can show that our plan helps the community,” Dante added. “Your goat girl is going to find herself out on the street.”

  Dante chuckled, but Rafe didn’t join in. While he still wanted to win, he found it difficult to imagine the Castle Ranch without Heidi and her goats. Where would she go?

  He told himself it wasn’t his problem, but wasn’t sure he believed the words. Not anymore.

  “We could give her a couple of acres. For the goats.”

  Dante laughed. “Good one, Rafe. Like you’ve ever given anyone anything.”

  His partner was still laughing when he hung up. Rafe set down his phone and stared out the window. Profit over anything—he’d long believed that. Money was the only way out, the only way up. He’d been poor, and it sucked.

  In high school, his English teacher had made them all read Gone with the Wind and then watch the movie. In class, his friends had laughed when Scarlett O’Hara had held up the wizened turnips, declaring that, as God was her witness, she would never be hungry again. He hadn’t found the words funny. He’d lived them.

  He’d taken the charity baskets the town had given, vowing that when he grew up, he would be the richest man he knew. That no one would ever take advantage of him. That he would always win.

  Dante was right. Giving away a few acres for Heidi and her goats made no sense. When the judge ruled and he got the ranch, she would be out, and he would have it all.

  * * *

  HEIDI WAITED ANXIOUSLY while Cameron McKenzie listened to Persephone’s heartbeat. He’d already examined the goat, checking her legs and hooves, feeling her pregnant tummy. He removed the stethoscope from his ears.

  “She’s fine.”

  Heidi released the breath she’d been holding. “You’re sure? I can’t believe how far she walked today. All the way to the construction site and back.”

  “Goats walk. They like it. She’s a healthy girl.” Cameron stood and petted the goat. Persephone nuzzled his hand.

  “Now, if only we could figure out how to keep Athena contained,” May said from her place by the door of the goat house.

  “She’s a smart girl,” Cameron said, packing up his bag. “You’re going to need a more secure lock on the gate.”

  “This is my third attempt to find a lock she can’t open,” Heidi said. “It’s tough having a goat who’s smarter than me.”

  “We should put Rafe onto the problem,” May told Heidi. “He’s good at that sort of thing.”

  Heidi wasn’t sure there was anything Rafe wasn’t good at, which made him dangerous. She couldn’t seem to stop thinking about him, wondering what he was doing and when she would see him next. When he smiled, she felt all gooey inside. The man was trouble, and she already had enough problems.

  The three of them walked out of the goat house. Cameron looked past the barn, to the corral where the three llamas grazed.

  “You’re doing wonders for my large-animal practice,” he told May. “I’ve handled a few alpacas, not so many llamas. I’ll read up on them.”

  “There are sheep, too,” May told him.

  “Sheep are easy,” he said. “Any others on the way?”

  May smiled. “I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”

  Uh-oh. “Does Rafe know?” Heidi asked.

  “Of course not
. He would tell me I’m being silly. You’ll have to wait and see, like everyone else.”

  Heidi held up both her hands. “I’m okay with that.” She glanced toward the house, where Rafe was on his cell phone, pacing back and forth on the porch, obviously in an intense conversation with someone.

  “I look forward to whatever else you bring to the ranch,” Cameron said. “Nice to meet you, May.”

  “You, as well.”

  They shook hands. Cameron turned to Heidi. “You okay now?”

  “Yes. Thanks for coming. I guess I’m an overly concerned goat parent.”

  “I like that in my clients. You know how to get in touch with me.”

  He walked to his truck and climbed in.

  “What a nice young man,” May said, as Cameron started the engine, then waved before turning his truck around and driving away. “Very handsome.”

  Heidi thought about Cameron’s dark hair and green eyes. “I guess. I don’t think of him that way.”

  “Is he married?”

  “Yes. Cameron got married a couple of months ago. But it wouldn’t matter if he was single. He’s not my type.”

  “No chemistry?”

  “None.”

  “I see.” May glanced toward the porch. “It’s hard to predict which way the heart will fall.”

  Heidi opened her mouth, then closed it. Talk about a minefield. She was going to stay safely out of that conversation, she thought. If she was smart, she would also stay away from Rafe, but she didn’t seem to be very bright when it came to him.

  Fine—she would risk her feelings, but she would stay out of his bed. Because to cross that line would be to gamble with everything she had.

  * * *

  THE FOOL’S GOLD SPRING Festival always fell on Mother’s

  Day weekend. Many a father had taken advantage of that fact, bringing his wife to the event and letting her choose her own gift. Sunday morning, the food vendors served brunch fare, and the jewelry designers did an especially brisk business.

  The weekend celebration started on Friday evening with a chili cook-off. The winners (and losers) sold their entries all weekend long. Saturday morning, there was a parade featuring kids on bikes and pulled in wagons, all decorated with flowers and ribbons. Family dogs accompanied the children, the furry family members also festively dressed.

  Rafe winced as a Great Dane in a dress strolled by.

  “That’s just wrong,” he muttered. “What happened to dog dignity?”

  Heidi laughed. “She looks adorable.”

  “She’s humiliated.”

  Heidi looked at the dog’s happy face and wagging tail. “I think she’s channeling her inner diva. Maybe next year I’ll dress up Athena and bring her to be in the parade.”

  “She’ll eat the dress.”

  “Maybe. But she’ll be pretty until then.”

  The streets were crowded with locals and tourists. Even though it was still a couple of hours before noon, the smell of barbecue filled the air. Heidi sniffed the scent.

  “You did say something about lunch, right?” she asked.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll feed you.”

  After she’d come in from milking, she’d found Rafe sitting at the kitchen table. Weekends had a different rhythm at the ranch. The hired construction guys had the two days off. While Rafe often went out and continued the construction projects on his own, the pace always seemed slower.

  After she’d stored the fresh milk in the mudroom refrigerator, he’d surprised her by asking her if she wanted to go to the festival with him. She’d known that saying yes was risky, but she had been unable to resist. So here they were, blending in with the other people watching the parade.

  When the last of the kids on bikes had gone by, Rafe suggested they tour the booths.

  “You sure you feel all right?” Heidi asked.

  “I can play tourist.”

  “I’ll believe that when you buy a Fool’s Gold refrigerator magnet.”

  “Mom would love that.”

  “May enjoys most things.”

  He chuckled. “I’m ignoring the implication that I don’t.”

  “I didn’t say that. I’m sure you have your moments.”

  They walked toward the booths. The crowd grew around them, with kids running between them. When they reached the corner, Rafe grabbed her hand and drew her close.

  “I need to make sure you don’t get lost.”

  He was being nice, she told herself. Friendly. Nothing more. But the feel of his hand linked with hers was more than friendly. It felt…right. The strength of his fingers, the calluses. His hand was bigger than hers, and if she allowed herself a moment of girly foolishness, she would admit that being with him made her want to flutter her lashes and sigh.

  She reminded herself that he wasn’t for her. He would never be for her. He wanted someone sophisticated. A woman who fit in anywhere and looked good doing it. Someone who always knew what to say. Heidi’s

  idea of high fashion was to wear her hair loose. While she technically knew how to wear makeup, she would rather just slap on some sunscreen and call it a day. Her clothing choices were driven by the fact that she started her day milking goats.

  “Tell me where you met your wife,” she said, blurting out the instruction abruptly.

  Rafe glanced at her. “At work. My first job after college. She was an intern with a guy my boss wanted to do business with.”

  “Not exactly romantic.”

  He grinned. “It wasn’t. The two principals couldn’t agree on contract terms. Ansley and I escaped to the coffee room. I’d just made my first deal. It was small—I didn’t have much extra money, but it had gone through, and I saw the potential.”

  They were by the park. Heidi pulled them toward one of the benches and sat down. Rafe settled next to her.

  “Let me guess. Ansley was a tall, cool blonde with family money and a pedigree.”

  He angled toward Heidi on the bench. “You’re partly right. She did have a pedigree, but she was a brunette. Smart. Her family had started out rich, but the money had been lost a couple of generations ago. She was ambitious. We had that in common. I asked her out and she said yes.”

  “Then you fell madly in love?”

  “Then I got to know her. There wasn’t any ‘madly.’ More of a certainty. That we could make a life together. We shared the same values, we both wanted children and to make our mark on the world.” He stared past her. “We got married. Everything seemed fine until she told me she didn’t love me and that it was over.”

  He shrugged. “I realized I didn’t mind losing her.”

  The only romantic love Heidi had seen got bigger with time. Passion exploded and rational thought wasn’t possible. Love consumed, and she knew she didn’t want that. Didn’t want to be ruled by emotions people couldn’t control.

  He returned his attention to her. “What about you? Any townies steal your heart?”

  “No. I avoid townies.”

  “You’re with me and you claim I’m one of them.”

  “You’re not interested in me.”

  One eyebrow rose, but he didn’t respond to her statement. “So, who’s the guy who got away? He must be with the carnival. Unless it’s Lars. And if it is him, I think you have a shot.”

  She swatted his arm. “Leave Lars alone. He’s very nice. And there wasn’t anyone. I’ve had boyfriends, but no one serious. A couple of times, I thought the relationship was going somewhere, but it didn’t.”

  To be honest, she’d never felt that sick-to-her-stomach, intense longing Melinda had talked about. Or the desperate-to-be-with-him-even-though-he’s-bad-for-me feeling Nevada had admitted to last summer. Before Tucker had come to his senses and realized he was completely in love with her. The scary tru
th was the closest she’d felt to any sort of out-of-control emotion was when she thought about Rafe. And that was still an easily managed out-of-control.

  “Maybe there’s something wrong with me,” she admitted.

  “Maybe love is a myth,” Rafe told her.

  “You don’t believe that. Look at your mom and how long she’s loved your dad. It’s been over twenty years, and she’s never loved anyone else.”

  “Okay, I’ll accept her feelings were genuine. Name three other people who have that.”

  “I can name a lot more than that. The Hendrix triplets all fell in love and got married last year. You mentioned you know their brother Ethan. He’s wild about his wife. Their mother was happily married for years. After being a widow for a long time, she’s back together with her first love, and they’d spent over thirty years apart. Love is real.”

  Maybe it wasn’t just for suckers, she thought wistfully. Although she was still a little afraid of “falling” for anyone.

  “Don’t be sad, goat girl,” he told her, then leaned in and kissed her.

  She was aware of people walking just a few yards away. Of the sound of a band tuning up over by the main square, and happy squeals of children. The sun was warm on her arms, the scent of flowers and grass mingled with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and barbecue. But all that faded into the background as Rafe moved his mouth against hers.

  Wanting to prolong the moment as much as possible, she put her fingers on his shoulder. He was all hard muscle under his cotton shirt. Masculine to her feminine. His palm cupped her arm, drawing her closer, then he stroked his tongue against her lower lip.

  She parted her lips immediately. Even before he moved inside, her body began to melt. Liquid longing poured through her, causing her breasts to swell and her thighs to press tightly together.

  She wanted to wrap both her arms around him and lose herself in the moment. She wanted more than his tongue brushing against hers. She wanted him naked, taking, pleasing, doing all the things a man like him would do to a woman. When it came to Rafe, she might not be willing to risk her heart, but apparently she was ready to put her body on the line.

  But they were sitting in a park in Fool’s Gold, and a little French kissing was all that they could get away with. So she kissed him back, getting lost in the desire that filled her, telling herself it was enough and almost believing it.