It was a treat to be in one place, to have a girlfriend right in town to see chick flicks with, to call about a lousy date story—not that she had time for dates, but Jenna had plenty. Sure, Jenna was always dragging her away from work to listen to live music or walk the hike-and-bike trail, but she had to admit it was fun. And in fact it had been on a walk with Jenna that she’d first spotted this former eyesore.
Having a girlfriend wasn’t too much to ask, was it?
Her pride was hurt, that was all. Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. She and Jenna could still be friends, she just had to make it clear that Hotel Serenity would be just fine without Cade’s art. Leave your brother out of this, she would tell Jenna. I don’t think his work is right for my hotel, she would say. I have a different plan now. She would never reveal that she knew just how much Cade resented Jenna making free with what were, after all, his photographs. And how much he resented Sophie for taking her charity. Well, he wouldn’t have to worry about that. She would be in no one’s debt, not even a friend’s.
Besides, Cade was a wanderer. As soon as he was well enough, he’d be on his way. She and Jenna could still be friends in spite of her brother.
In the meantime, she’d reclaim her new dog, dodge Cade and focus on getting the hotel open, on showing everyone in the hotel business that she was a force to be reckoned with, that she could make it on her own. That no scandal would break her.
Nor would losing out on Cade’s photographs. She hadn’t planned on having them and wouldn’t lose sleep over the loss. Moving forward was all that mattered.
As she loaded yet more vines into her wheelbarrow, she paused to use the tail of her shirt to wipe sweat off her face. After she dumped these, she’d go inside and perform a little first aid on her arm, then call the vet’s office to get an update. Too soon for the surgery to be over, maybe, but she wanted to know how the dog had passed the night.
Poor guy. He needed a name.
Well, it wasn’t like she didn’t have plenty of time to think of one while performing mindless manual labor.
“I’LL JUST BE A LITTLE late to the office,” Jenna said as she drove. “But I have to find out why Sophie didn’t come to the party last night. She texted to say something had come up, but not what it was. I hope she didn’t work all night. I mean, she’s worried sick about getting the hotel ready to open, but we agreed she needed that break. She’s been working really long hours.”
When Jenna remained silent for a full minute—amazing—Cade tipped up the bill of his ball cap. “And you’re bringing me along…why?”
“So you can meet her and see which of your photos will fit.”
“Jen, I don’t know…”
She huffed. “Look, Mr. Cranky, you said you were bored back home. And my friend needs help—not that you’re allowed to say that, remember?” Her knee bounced as they waited for the stoplight to turn. “Where did you disappear to last night, anyway?”
“Went for a walk.”
“I’m sorry.” She heaved a sigh. “I know you don’t like large gatherings. I didn’t really think so many would show up.” She glared at him. “But what if Sophie had made it? You’d have missed her.”
He could explain everything that had happened, but what was the point? Next thing he knew, after stopping at this Sophie person’s place, Jenna would be detouring to check on the dog and making arrangements for him to come live with her.
By end of day, she’d probably have everything neatly tied up in a bow, but that wasn’t what he wanted. He would deal with the situation himself.
Queenie didn’t really want that dog, did she? She probably lived in a condo, and the poor guy would be trapped inside all day and half the night. A lousy fate for an animal that had already seen more than his share of hard times.
So what do you plan to do about it? Take a dog on your next shoot?
He wouldn’t have a next shoot, though, would he, if he couldn’t even pick up a camera? Go back to West Texas and ranch? Swing a hammer for Jenna?
Cade sat up straight and stared out the passenger window, seeing only the black hole where his constant curiosity had lived for so long. He couldn’t live like this, so…okay, scared. Bone-deep scared in a way no cliff had ever been able to make him feel.
“Here we are,” Jenna said.
With relief he dragged his attention to an amazing old house painted a soft yellow with dark green shutters. “This is a hotel?”
“Not yet, but it will be. It was originally a mansion that was turned into a boarding house long ago. It had been empty for fifteen years when Sophie spotted it.” Jenna smiled. “It’s going to be unique—the quaintness of a bed-and-breakfast with full, five-star hotel service. She has a refuge in mind, a place where even the most famous guests can stay and not be bothered, luxury and the feeling of home all in one. I’m not doing her vision justice, but she’ll describe it better. Come with me.”
Cade followed his sister slowly, taking in everything around him. The grounds were badly overgrown with weeds and vines, but parts of the front had already been cleaned up to reveal mature bushes and trees, and flowers spilled from the wide covered porch like frothy skirts. The trees were enormous, and for a second, he thought he caught a glimpse of water behind the house.
“Amazing, right? That’s why we have to help her.”
“We?”
“Sophie is very closemouthed about her past, but from what I can tell, she’s got no one. And something bad happened on her job—she won’t say what exactly, but I know it had to be bad for her to leave when she was on target for a big promotion. She’s very independent, and she hates asking anyone for help or a favor.” Jenna halted. “She’s put everything she has into this place, and it’s set to open in a month, with rooms already booked. This isn’t just a business, it’s very personal to her, and her reputation is on the line. If she can’t open on time, well…she’ll lose everything. I can tell she’s really worried. And working way too hard.”
Maybe there was more to this Sophie than he’d assumed. “But what do my photos have to do with anything?”
Jenna rolled her eyes. “You may be merely an irritating older brother to me, but you’re as famous as Zane in your field, only it’s your photos that get plastered on the covers of magazines, not your face. Having Cade MacAllister originals hanging on her walls would be a big drawing card for this unique refuge Sophie is trying to create.”
“Originals? Jen, I told you…”
Jenna flushed. “Why not take new ones? What else have you got to do while you’re here?”
“She put you up to this?”
“No!” Jenna hissed. “I thought of it, okay? And she’d be thrilled with third-rate rejects from you if that’s all you would sell to her, but the more I think about it, why shouldn’t you create new work so she’d have something truly unique?”
Because I lost my eye at the bottom of an Andean mountain beside the broken body of my friend. Because I can’t even touch a camera without having a panic attack. “Jenna…”
But his sister had moved forward already to greet someone. “Hey, Sophie!” she hailed.
Ahead, a figure clad in threadbare blue jeans and a ratty T-shirt had pulled up the shirttail to wipe her face, leaving a sweet glimpse of smooth, taut belly that snagged Cade’s full attention.
“Jenna,” she said, smiling widely. “What are you…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze traveled to him.
He couldn’t quite make out her face beneath the bill of the ball cap she wore with a ponytail sticking through the opening in the back, but he could see that she’d gone very still.
She whirled and grabbed the overloaded wheelbarrow. “Let me just empty this.” She began striding away too quickly and her load tilted, about to topple.
Cade loped ahead and bent
to restack it. “Here, let me help.”
“I’m fine,” she said, her head turned away, her shoulders stiff.
She was tall but slender. “This load is too much for you. Where do you want it?” he asked as they resettled all the vegetation inside the wheelbarrow.
Her head remained ducked down, and her voice went cold. “I don’t need your help.”
Something in that tone grabbed his attention. His brows snapped together.
She started to pick up the handles, and he caught a glimpse of her profile at the same instant her hair color registered. He gripped her shoulder and turned her to him.
“Let go of me.” The ice was unmistakable. She tensed to push the load again, but he wouldn’t release her.
“Well, well. Hello, Queenie.”
Her head whipped around, and wary green eyes locked on his. “Let me go,” she whispered fiercely. “Do not make a scene in front of Jenna. Better yet, just go away.” She shrugged him off and quickly put distance between them.
Cade stood there, staring after her.
“What was that about?” Jenna asked as she approached.
“Nothing.”
“Didn’t look like nothing. What did you say to her?” Jenna demanded.
Which time? he wanted to ask as he recalled their conversations the night before. My sister’s trying to guilt me into helping her latest charity case and plans to empty my wallet along the way.
He removed his cap and raked fingers through his shaggy hair, staring in the direction Sophie had disappeared. Then he looked at the sister who was glaring at him. He sighed. “It’s a long story.”
“I’m going after her,” Jenna insisted.
“No,” he said. “I will.”
“You? Why?”
“Go on to work, Jen. This is mine to fix.”
“But…”
He turned her gently toward her car. “You’ll be late.”
“You don’t have a car here.”
“Walking is part of my physical therapy. It’s not that far. I’ll see you later.”
“Cade, what on earth…?”
“Go to work. Please.”
Jenna’s hands rested on her hips. “You’d better not upset her, and I expect a full accounting when I get home.”
“Scram, little sister. I’ve got this. Trust me.”
“How can I? You have no people skills. Cade, she’s a good person and her life has been really hard.”
“Kid gloves, I promise.”
“If not, I’m taking a skillet to your thick head.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Beat it.” He squeezed her hand and smiled. “Seriously, trust me.”
“This better not be a mistake.” But reluctantly she complied.
Cade watched her leave, then turned to attempt to melt the ice queen.
PLEASE. NOT NOW. NOT HIM. Sophie rounded the corner too fast, and the loaded wheelbarrow bobbled again. She’d been working on her argument to Jenna about why she’d changed her mind about buying Cade’s photographs, but she needed more time. She could not work with this man, even if he didn’t hold her in contempt as one of Jenna’s unfortunates.
She was no one to pity. So maybe she’d gotten her hopes up a little about the stunning images of his she’d seen and the extra cachet having them in her rooms would have given her, but no way was it worth it now. She should have known. It had been too good to be true. Nothing in life ever came without working for it.
She yanked another handful of vines and tossed them on the holding pile for her compost. She wanted to make this place as self-sustaining as possible, and with all the pruning and weeding she was doing, she’d have materials galore to compost. The compost would then fertilize the flower beds and shrubs. She even had her eye on an area near the carriage house that she could turn into an herb garden. She’d make old-fashioned tussie-mussies and potpourri to perfume the quarters....
“I’ve got this,” a deep voice said from behind her. Cade elbowed her out of the way and finished emptying the wheelbarrow.
She shoved right in and used her hip to bump him aside and wrest back the handles. “I can do it myself, and I thought I told you to go away.”
“You need help. Jenna says—”
She whirled on him. “Jenna says what? That I’m in trouble? That I’m pathetic? Did you two laugh over me? Did you tell her you wouldn’t even consider letting her empty your pockets for her charity case?”
“Don’t drag my sister into this.”
She shoved him in the chest. “Get off my property.”
“Slow down, Queenie.”
“Don’t call me that!”
But his attention had gone to her arm. He grabbed it. “You’re hurt. And there’s dirt in this cut. What do you think you’re doing?”
Next thing she knew, he was towing her across the lawn.
In the side yard, she heard workers arriving. “Let go of me or I’ll…”
Strong fingers maintained their grip, and soon she found herself in the kitchen. He turned on the water in the sink then dragged her forearm under it. “Wash that out. I’ll be back.” He halted. “Where’s your first-aid kit?”
“I’m not telling. You can’t make me.” Wow, she thought, falling silent. How junior high is that?
He threw up his hands. “You know, I don’t like people much…”
“No kidding.”
His eyes narrowed. “But I’m usually slow to anger.” He approached her again. “You get all snotty and frigid with me, though, and it just pushes my buttons.”
“Frigid? Snotty?” She wanted to hit him.
Then he smiled. Smiled. All the way into those thick-lashed, dark blue eyes. Up close in daylight, he was even more gorgeous than he’d been last night. Which completely infuriated her. “What are you grinning at?”
“Steamed looks better on you than frigid, Queenie.”
She refused to react to that name again. “I have work to do.” She pushed away from the sink.
He caught her arm. “Look, I can tell you’re swamped. Do you really have time to be arguing with me over what you know is sensible?”
He was right. And she was too tired to fight. “The kit is over there.” She nodded toward the cabinet to the right of the sink.
He followed her directions then proceeded to dry the wound and put antibiotic ointment on it. He covered it with a waterproof gauze pad and tape, sealing the ends to keep dirt out. “You need a long-sleeved shirt. Your skin will burn.”
“It’s too hot. Sunblock works just as well.”
“Are you always so argumentative?”
“I’m easy to get along with. The problem is you.”
He shrugged. “I don’t have to talk much in my line of work.”
“You could use some practice.”
“So my family tells me.” That smile again, no less killer hot. “How’s our dog?”
Her gaze flew to his. “My dog.”
“I think we should call him Rusty. Or Skeeter.”
She rolled her eyes. “Please.”
“You got a better idea?”
“He’s my dog. His name is an important decision. I’m still thinking.”
“We’ll see.” At last he stepped away, and she could breathe. “So…you going to show me around?”
She stared. “Why?”
“So I can figure out what kind of shots you could use.”
She stiffened. “I don’t want anything from you.”
One tawny eyebrow cocked. “Oh, really?”
“Really,” she said, and tried not to mourn the loss. “I am no one’s charity case. Your pockets will stay nice and full.” She gave him her back. “Besides, I
don’t have time for a tour. I hear my guys coming in, and I have a lot of work to do. Today’s not a good day. You should go.”
With one hand on her jumpy stomach and the other in a fist, she rapidly made her way out of the room.
It was a full hour before she realized that he hadn’t left. Instead he’d somehow acquired a pair of work gloves and was busy cleaning out underbrush.
With his shirt off.
Revealing acres of golden skin.
And all kinds of muscles.
Sophie closed her eyes for a second and prayed for patience. Also for convenient blindness. Dear heaven, was there no justice?
She snapped off her lurid thoughts at the stem, then fisted her hands and stalked in Cade’s direction.
CHAPTER FIVE
“WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU think you’re doing?”
Cade was hot, tired and more than a little worried he couldn’t push his body much longer without embarrassing himself, but for the first time in months he felt content and useful. But that didn’t mean Queenie was going to order him around. “What does it look like I’m doing?” He removed his cap and the T-shirt he’d wrapped over his head and left to trail down his back as he’d learned to do years before on his first desert sojourn. “This place must have been a real dump when you first saw it.” He glanced past her to the house. “She’s coming back to life, though,” he murmured. “Wonder who built her?”
Sophie’s gaze followed his. “A lumberyard owner. The woodwork inside and out is amazing. Not that you could see it at first—there were vines obscuring the entire front porch and growing up to the second story.”
“But you have the eye, don’t you?”
She looked at him. “The eye?”
The one I used to have, he thought. He shrugged. “I always knew the shot that would tell the story.” In his mind, he could still picture the images that had made his career, even if he could no longer grasp the feeling that used to sweep over him as he peered through the viewfinder. “Rarely was it the dominant feature of a given landscape or the moments when everyone else had shutters clicking at a lion standing majestically. Those were the expected shots, the clichés. Those were never the ones I wanted to take. You’ve done the same thing here, taking a property that others would have believed ready for the bulldozer and making it into something magnificent.”
A Texas Chance Page 5
