Between the Reins (Gold Valley Romance Book 4)

by Liz Isaacson

  “Have a good weekend, Owen.” The boy started toward the barn’s exit.

  “You too, Stanley.” Owen fixed his gaze back on Natalie. “So, whaddya say? You gonna come eat pizza with us?”

  A grin burst onto her face, though her insides felt a bit wobbly. “Oh, all right. But I have to get home early. I have a lot of baking to do.”

  “Baking?” Owen latched his hand onto Marie’s as they walked.

  “Yeah, I’m prepping for my pie class at the church. Remember I told you about that?”

  “Maybe you need some taste-testers,” he suggested.

  She laughed into the sky, and it felt good. “You always were a sucker for sweets.”

  “I’m just tryin’ to help a pretty lady out.”

  Her feet froze to the ground, but Owen and Marie kept moving. “C’mon,” he called back to her like he hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary. But that hum had started in her core again, and she knew if she went to Owen’s for dinner tonight, there would be no going back.

  6

  Natalie sat in her car on the street outside Owen’s house. His truck had been in the driveway when she’d arrived fifteen minutes ago. She couldn’t get herself to go inside, though she desperately wanted to.

  Because she also wasn’t sure she should. Her old feelings for Owen had faded over time. Softened. Buried themselves deep. But they hadn’t disappeared. Every minute she spent with him, she liked him a little bit more. Every thought she had of being with him again brought excitement mixed with terror.

  Her phone rang and she fumbled for it on the passenger seat next to her. Of course it was Owen. The man was as relentless as he was handsome. She let the phone ring and ring. When it fell silent, she put the call volume on vibrate and left the phone in her console. She stepped from the car and smoothed down her sweater.

  She’d been warring with herself all day. Warring about what she should do when it came to Owen. Leap in with wild abandon? Or take it one step at a time, carefully, cautiously easing into a relationship with him?

  The fact that she was even considering a relationship with a man was hard for her to stomach. She valued her freedom above all else, and the man had a child now. They wouldn’t be jetting off to exotic destinations or living a country music star lifestyle, as she’d once dreamed. No, everything had changed—she’d changed—and she wasn’t sure her future included a husband or a family.

  She knocked on the front door, and immediate bootsteps sounded against the wood floor on the other side. Owen flung open the door and stared at her. “Thought you weren’t comin’.”

  “I came.” She reached for the screen door handle. She had no excuse for her tardiness, so she didn’t offer one. “I hope you saved me something to eat.”

  “You ordered three pizzas.” He stepped back to let her in. “And cheese bread. So yeah, there’s plenty to eat.”

  She gave him a sultry smile. “I remember you eating a whole pie yourself, Mister.”

  “I’m not saying I didn’t.” He followed her into the dining room, where he had all three pizzas on the table, along with a stack of paper plates. “I’m just saying there’s still plenty to eat.”

  “Where’s Marie?”

  “In the tub.” He sat at the table, the grease stains on his plate saying he’d already eaten too. “You’re late.” He glanced up at her and gestured for her to sit down.

  She obeyed and pulled a plate off the top of the stack. “I don’t know what to do about you.” She reached for a gooey piece of Hawaiian pizza. “So yeah, I was late, because I was sitting in my car on the curb, trying to figure things out.” She gave him a glare, glad when he looked confused. “Happy now?”

  “No,” he barked.

  “That makes two of us,” she grumbled before she bit into her pizza, more confused than ever.

  He exhaled like she was being difficult on purpose. “I—”

  She glanced at him while she chewed, this perplexed side of Owen new. “You what?”

  “I don’t know what to do about you either.” He twisted and reached behind him to the kitchen counter. When he faced her again, he placed a folder in front of him. “I had Doctor Richards help me draw up this agreement. It lays out what you’ll get paid, the hours, the expectations.” He cleared his throat. “All of that. You should read over it and see if you have any questions.” He slid the folder toward her, but it went two inches before knocking into a pizza box.

  She collected it, her face burning from her outburst. And his. Was this what their relationship would be like from now on? Each of them dancing around the other, frustrated and confused?

  “Did you get the soda?” she asked after she swallowed her last bite.

  “Right here.” He stood, his chair scraping on the floor, and got the two-liter bottle. “You want ice?”

  “Yes, please.”

  He muttered something that sounded dangerously like, “Of course she does,” as he moved fully into the kitchen and opened the freezer.

  Natalie ignored him. She wasn’t the one who’d left town without warning. She flipped open the folder and started at the top of the first page. She’d work four hours in the morning, and three each afternoon. One hour in the morning would be dedicated to housework; one in the evening to cooking. He’d provide all cleaning supplies and groceries.

  She’d be done by six o’clock each evening—plenty of time to do the pie classes at the church. And she had from nine-thirty to three o’clock open each day.

  He set a glass of fizzing soda on the table in front of her, and she reached for it. When she saw the pay, she nearly knocked the glass over. She choked as she said, “Three thousand dollars a month?” She half-stood as she searched for his eyes.

  He leaned against the kitchen sink, his arms folded across his impressive chest, his head tilted toward the floor. She couldn’t read his face, and he didn’t speak, and her heart spun spun spun.

  “Owen, that’s way too much.”

  “You don’t like to get up early.”

  “So what?” She leaned into her palm on top of the paperwork. “That’s like, twenty dollars an hour to babysit.”

  “I know how much it is. Marie is important to me. Who takes care of her is important to me.”

  She wished he’d say, You, Natalie, are important to me.

  He didn’t.

  “You can’t be making that much at Silver Creek.”

  “You have no idea what I make at Silver Creek.”

  No, she didn’t. But three thousand dollars a month just for his nanny? That didn’t include his mortgage, his truck, gas, groceries, nothing else.

  “I have to take her to the dance studio on Mondays and Tuesdays.”

  “I have every other Monday off. Otherwise, that’s fine.”

  “Dinner will be late on those days.”

  He straightened, his presence filling the house, nearly knocking her over. “Do you not want the job? The money?”

  “Of course I want it,” she said. “I just—it’s too much.”

  “What do you think is fair?”

  “She’s an eight-year-old girl. She can do a lot for herself.”

  “I don’t want her to do anything for herself.” He took a step forward. “She’s…struggling. I want everything to be as easy as possible for her.”

  “Two thousand,” she said. She could pay the rent on her house, pay what she owed on her car, and have enough to live on with that. “Not another penny more.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t believe you—”

  “Three thousand is too much.” She picked up the folder and slapped it closed, stalking toward him. “Two thousand, or I’m not taking the job.” She smacked the folder against his chest, standing toe-to-toe with him. She could see his dark eyes now, as close as she stood. Smell his subtle cologne too, and it nearly undid her frustration. He glared; she gave his attitude right back.

  In the end, she softened first, sighing and letting her hand holding the folder drop to her side.
“Two thousand dollars a month.”

  “Fine.”

  Down the hall, the tub started gurgling, signaling that Marie was finished with her bath. Natalie should stay to see her so Marie didn’t think she hadn’t come at all. “Fine,” she echoed. Without thinking, and before she could talk herself out of it, she stretched up on her toes and ducked her face under the brim of Owen’s hat. She swept her lips across his cheek and fell back as sparks erupted in her face.

  “Thank you, Owen.” She ducked her head so her hair would fall as a curtain between them, then scampered down the hall with the whispered excuse that she should see if Marie needed any help.

  But instead of knocking on the girl’s bedroom door, she hid around the corner and pressed her back into wall as she tried to even her ragged breathing. She couldn’t believe she’d just kissed Owen Carr. A smile spread across her face and a giggle escaped her lips.

  You missed.

  The words rebounded from one side of Owen’s skull to the other. You missed. What he’d wanted to say to her as she practically ran down the hall away from him.

  You missed. My mouth is over here.

  He sat on the couch now, the TV dark, and his fantasies spiraling completely out of control. He licked his lips, the desire to kiss Natalie—not on the cheek—almost overwhelming.

  Finally, Marie joined him in the living room, a tablet in her hand. “Look, Uncle Owen. Natalie braided my hair.”

  Owen took in the intricate design in her hair. “It’s real pretty, Marie.”

  “She said we could do a puzzle tomorrow.” She sat on the couch next to him and turned on the tablet.

  Irritation sang through him even though he’d suggested Natalie come spend some time with Marie tomorrow. “Sweetheart,” he said. “I have the day off, remember?”

  Marie looked up at him. “She can still come do a puzzle with me.”

  “Actually, I was thinking about going hiking. Maybe up to the waterfalls and then up to that picnic spot you like.” He smiled, hoping she’d choose hiking over a puzzle. He loved spending time outside, and as the weather worsened, so did Owen’s mood.

  Marie scooted back into the couch and focused on her game. “Maybe she can come with us.”

  “No,” Owen said at the same time Natalie did. She avoided Owen’s eyes as she moved to Marie’s side.

  “I have to go, okay? I’ll see you next week.”

  Marie threw her arms around Natalie’s neck and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek. Owen watched the exchange, his heart squeezing at the adoration in Natalie’s eyes, at the way she squeezed them closed as she squeezed Marie in return. In fact, his heart nearly melted right out of his chest, causing him to leap away from the couch and step toward the door.

  Unfortunately—or fortunately, he wasn’t sure—Natalie joined him a moment later. She glanced back to where Marie sat, absorbed in her device, and then to him. “See you Tuesday.”

  “Look,” he said, reaching back to rub his neck. “I did say I wanted you to spend some more time with Marie. You can come with us tomorrow, if you want.”

  She considered him with a blank expression. “Where are you going?”

  “I, uh, showed Marie that place you and I used to hike to. Past the clearing, up toward the rocks. There’s a pool there in the spring, and she liked that.” He could remember plenty of things he liked about that particular spot, only one of which was the way he’d kissed Natalie against those rocks.

  She inched closer and the tether that had always existed between them electrified. “You took another girl to our special place?” A grin accompanied the words.

  “She’s nothing like you,” he said, his voice turning husky. His fingers itched to reach out and pull her closer. He fisted them instead. “So much younger. A little cuter.”

  Natalie scoffed. “She’s cuter than me?”

  “You’re not cute.” His hand darted out against his will, sweeping along Natalie’s hip and drawing her closer to him. “You’re gorgeous.”

  “Owen,” she said, falling back. “I still don’t know what to do about you.”

  “I need to make things right between us,” he said. “I know that, and I want to. I just don’t know how.” He’d never felt so frustrated before, not even when he’d lost his record contract because of something someone else had done.

  And then Natalie’s fingers slipped between his and tightened. “You don’t owe me anything.”

  “Sure, I do,” he said. “I’ve already apologized, but—” He couldn’t even bring himself to mention that he owed her so much more, and that the explanation he needed to give her didn’t actually exist. At least he didn’t know where to find it.

  She glanced back to Marie, dropped his hand, and returned to the girl. “Marie, I’m gonna talk to your uncle outside for a second, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Natalie swept back into his personal space, reclaimed his hand, and towed him out the front door with her. He liked this in-charge version of Natalie, always had. He loved the feel of her hand in his. He enjoyed the scent of her skin, her hair, as he followed her to the front steps.

  She sat and hugged her knees to her chest. “I’ll admit that I’d like some answers.”

  Of course she would. And Owen wanted to give them to her. “You deserve them.” He hung his head. “It’s why I wanted to pay you three thousand dollars a month.”

  She sucked in a breath. “I don’t need your money. I just need—” She cut off the words, and he was really interested in hearing the end of that sentence.

  He tucked his hand through her elbow. “Will you come tomorrow, Nat? We’re not leaving until ’bout ten.”

  She sighed and leaned her head on his bicep the way she had so many times before. “I’ll come, but only because Marie wants me to. And because I love hiking. And because when I ask you a question tomorrow, you’ll answer it honestly.” She tilted her head back to look at him. “Deal?”

  Though his throat felt like he’d swallowed sawdust, he nodded. “Deal.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, causing that sizzling sensation to zip along his skin.

  She stood and had taken a few steps toward her car when she said, “You missed, you know.”

  “Missed?” he called after her, willing the darkness not to swallow her quite yet.

  “Yeah.” She stopped and twisted back toward him. “My mouth is a lot lower than that.” The porch light glinted in her eyes and she laughed as she bounded across the lawn and got into her car.

  He shook his head, warmth filling all the icy places inside his body. He’d been cold for so long and hadn’t even realized it. Until now. Until Natalie. Until she came along and reminded him what it was like to live, to actually feel something but regret. He felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and not just because he had someone he could trust to take care of Marie. But because he had the possibility to make things right between the girl he’d loved once.

  And could love again, he thought as he switched on the TV and Marie curled into his side.

  7

  Owen woke at five a.m. like he usually did, despite not having to go to Silver Creek that morning. No matter how late he stayed up, his eyes popped open at five.

  And he’d been up late last night, because after he’d thought he could fall in love with Natalie again, he’d realized how foolish and irresponsible he was being. He wasn’t interested in repeating his mistakes with her. Didn’t want to put his heart through that meat grinder again.

  And Marie? Marie didn’t need a new mother. No one—not even Natalie—could replace Tasha.

  No, Owen just needed help with Marie. He didn’t need a girlfriend, and Marie didn’t need a new mom.

  He heaved himself out of bed and into the shower. When he got out, he thought the air felt a bit chillier than normal. He checked the thermostat, bumped it up a little to get the furnace to come on, got dressed, and noticed that the furnace was blowing cold air.

  Dread settled into hi
s stomach. He hadn’t had time to service the furnace yet, and it wasn’t what he wanted to spend his Saturday morning doing. But Marie wasn’t up yet, and he really didn’t have anything else to do—unless sipping coffee and reading the Internet headlines counted.

  He let Tar Baby out into the backyard and started a pot of coffee before hauling the ladder in from the shed. He plugged in the space heater and put it down the hall near the bedrooms so Marie wouldn’t be too cold, then he climbed into his old attic and got to work.

  An hour later, he’d replaced the filter and looked up how to change the flame sensor. He sat in the living room, directly under the vent blowing hot air into his house, feeling more accomplished than he had in a long time.

  With a new plan in place to keep his distance from Natalie, he got his cup of coffee, queued up his laptop, and chuckled when Tar Baby curled into a ball on Owen’s feet. He managed to live for an hour without the reminder that his sister had died and left him to take care of Marie. An hour where he didn’t fret constantly about his high school sweetheart. An hour where his five years in Nashville didn’t plague him.

  All too soon, Marie woke and Owen’s day started. He packed lunches and warm weather gear, all while teaching Marie what she should take with her when she went into the Montana wilderness. By nine-thirty, he had everything in the back of his truck, including the dog. Natalie hadn’t signed the paperwork the previous evening, so he’d tossed it onto the seat, intending to get over to her place to get her signature and deliver the money he owed her for groceries.

  Sometimes it really benefitted him to know everyone in town. Bryan, the grocer, had looked up her receipt, and he simply called the power company to find out her address. He pulled in front of the little white house twenty minutes before ten and decided to give her a few minutes.

  He pulled out his phone and said, “Well, we’re a little early. Should we call Grandma?”

  Marie’s face lit up. “Yes!”

  He chuckled as he dialed his mother, knowing she’d probably been up at dawn to finish harvesting her garden. She answered after only one ring, and he said, “Hello, Ma. Got a pretty little lady who wants to talk to you.” He passed the phone to Marie and leaned back against the seat with his eyes closed.