To each her own. Steph started to go order to give Ava a little more time, but Ava sat up straight, then tapped on her phone as if turning off an alarm. She looked around and saw Steph. “Hey, there. Right on time.”
“You want something?” Steph asked.
Ava lifted her monster cup and shook her head. “I’m good.”
After ordering her jet fuel, Steph watched the door while she waited to get her drink. Sophia wasn’t that familiar with Austin, so she hoped the woman hadn’t had trouble finding the place.
It was an illustration of how incompatible her worlds were. Sweetgrass was not an easy stroll from Austin. The trip took two hours—and that was if city traffic wasn’t snarled as was usually the case.
She was the one who’d insisted on including someone from Sweetgrass, though. Laken had been taken to the town’s bosom—first because Michael was roundly adored by the townspeople but eventually on her own account—and the town would want to be part of any celebration for the couple.
So Sophia had eagerly accepted when Steph had contacted her.
When Sophia entered, however, she brought a surprise with her: Scarlett had accompanied her. Scarlett was Michael’s half-brother Ian’s wife and a renowned chef who’d made her home in the tiny burg—something Steph still didn’t quite understand.
Both of them smiled widely at Steph, dispensing hugs to her and, when she joined them, Ava, too. Sweetgrass people were big huggers. She was trying to get used to it.
“Well, this is a surprise,” she told Scarlett. “I didn’t think you were allowed to leave town.”
Scarlett laughed. “Having two restaurants to run sure keeps me from traveling.” Then she winked. “But I have a stealth mission besides the shower.” Her eyes went wide. “Or was Laken teasing me about her favorite lingerie shop not being far away?”
Everyone grinned.
“Absolutely not,” Ava said. “As a matter of fact, Tom would enjoy it if I paid a visit. Anyone else want to join us when we’re done here?”
Steph would have expected Ellie to blush if she’d been present, but she was running late. Instead it was Sophia whose gaze dropped while her cheeks went fire-engine red.
Interesting.
Just then, however, Scarlett broke in and rescued her. “Sophia will have to come with me, of course, since we’re in the same car.”
Well, well. Michael’s mother Sophia was living with Ian’s father Gordon, her ex-husband, and speculation ran rampant in Sweetgrass about whether they’d marry again, but both Gordon and Sophia were maddeningly discreet.
You go, Sophia, she thought, and stepped in to help with Sophia’s embarrassment. “So if you’re both here, who’s keeping Georgia?” Steph knew that Sophia pulled a lot of grandmother duty—with greatest pleasure.
“Gordon has her today,” Sophia offered. “Though I’m fairly certain she’ll be on a horse with her daddy at least part of the time. She’s already horse-mad, and she’s barely two.”
“Oh, goodness,” Ava said. “My daughter Siobhan went through a horse insanity period as a pre-teen. An expensive habit, that’s for sure.”
“Having a daddy with his own herd gives Georgia a leg up. But Ian’s promised me she’ll start with a pony when she’s ready to ride on her own.”
Sophia smiled. “However, she’s already got her own filly, which Ian let her name herself.”
A peal of laughter from Scarlett. “Registering a filly named Blue Daddy after Ian and his dog just about did Ian in. He said he’ll never hear the end of it.”
The love, the outrageous happiness Steph heard in every word was hard to bear—yet comforting, too. Even if you weren’t a person to believe in happy endings for oneself, seeing evidence of them was still reassuring.
It was also why she couldn’t stay in Sweetgrass Springs.
Yet seeing these two here in her new environment made her a little homesick, even if Sweetgrass wasn’t her home. Nowhere was.
At last Ellie rushed in, and introductions were exchanged. Sophia and Scarlett ordered and promised to bring Ellie her drink, so Ellie followed Steph and Ava to a newly-vacated larger round table.
“Not like you to be late,” Steph greeted Ellie.
“I need a wife,” Ellie replied.
“Don’t we all?” Ava asked.
“Why are you frowning at me?” Ellie asked Steph. “I’m not that late.”
“I have a bone to pick with you, lady.”
“With me?” Ellie’s eyebrows rose.
“Yes, you. That man has been to my house three times this week. He’s fixed my faucet, my windows, and changed the lock on my door. He’s driving me insane.”
“What man?” Ava asked.
“Gavin,” Ellie offered, grinning. “Has to be.”
“Gavin?”
“Gavin O’Neill, remember? The big, gorgeous carpenter who works with Wyatt? Don’t listen to a word Steph says. He’s fabulous. Remember the beautiful doors on that last house Wyatt finished?”
Ava nodded. “Those doors were works of art, not mere wood. So why is this artisan playing handyman at Steph’s loft?”
Steph made a rude noise.
“Are you talking about Gavin O’Neill?” Scarlett asked as she and Sophia sat down. “I haven’t met him yet, but I understand he does a lot more than building houses. Do you suppose he’d make Laken a rocking chair?”
“I’m sure he would,” Ellie answered. Then smirked. “Especially if Steph asked him.”
“What?” Steph goggled.
Ellie simply smiled. “They met at Thanksgiving at my house, and Gavin’s smitten. So is she.”
“Smitten? Our Steph?” Ava asked.
“Ellie’s lost her freaking mind.” Steph glared at Ellie. “I am not smitten. The man’s insufferable.”
“But how is he in bed?” Ava asked. “You could certainly do worse than a strapping carpenter with good hands.”
Steph fell quiet. Her reputation with men was well-known.
Ava stared. “Oh, my. I’m sorry. I would never have guessed…”
No one said a word in the awkward silence.
“Oh, all right,” she snapped. “I don’t know how he is in bed—are you satisfied now? The man kisses like a wet dream, but he hasn’t done more than kiss me. Worse than that, he’s told me he won’t take things any further until I agree to reserve myself for only him.” She snorted. “As if. I can’t stand the sight of him.”
Sophia and Scarlett exchanged glances.
“What?” Steph demanded.
“Nothing,” Scarlett hastened to answer.
“Spike,” Steph said darkly. “That town is a hotbed of gossip.”
Scarlett grinned widely. “Speaking of which, did you hear about Michael and Laken?”
“Spill,” Ava demanded. “What’s she done now?”
“It couldn’t be too bad. Bridger last saw them with Laken tossed over Michael’s shoulder as he did the caveman thing.”
“Oh.” Ava patted her heart. “I love that stuff. It’s my world.”
Everyone laughed, and Steph felt better, having the spotlight off her. “So has Laken quit waffling?”
“Apparently. The wedding got moved up to the community Christmas celebration.”
Steph blinked. “That’s only three weeks away!”
Scarlett shrugged. “Apparently Jeanette cornered Laken and talked sense into her, and now she’s making the gown, Brenda is working on flowers, Spike has a cake in the works and Bridger is barbecuing. Nana and I are working on the rest of the food, but everybody in town is chipping in.”
“So what do we do about the shower?” Ava asked. “I had thought we’d combine the two, wedding and baby, but maybe we should delay the baby shower until after the first of the year.”
“We could combine a bachelorette party with her wedding shower,” Ellie suggested.
“Works for me,” Ava replied. “What about the rest of you?”
Heads nodded. After sketching out a few plans and
exchanging contact information, they had Laken’s future well in hand.
“Now…back to Gavin,” Ellie began.
Steph groaned. “No.”
Ellie refused to be cowed. “Even at that first meeting, there were sparks flying between you. But I don’t want him upsetting you.”
“Upsetting me?” Steph snorted. “He’s driving me crazy, is what. He’s relentless and so blasted cheerful. And he’s sexy,” she growled. “I could just murder him.”
Her friends exchanged glances.
“Steph, do you want me to have Wyatt talk to him?” Ellie asked.
“No, I do not.” Steph regained control of herself. “The man I can’t handle hasn’t been born. He’s just—different. Not good different, annoying different. I don’t know why I’ve become his home improvement project, but he’s got to run out of things to fix soon and then I’ll ditch him.”
Ellie stiffened. “Don’t you hurt him, Steph. He’s a wonderful man.”
“How could I hurt someone who has the hide of a buffalo and the sensitivity of a rock?”
“Your eyes are sparkling, girlfriend.” Ava’s own eyes were eagle-sharp on her. “You’re certainly not bored now, are you?” Then she glanced over at Ellie. Ellie grinned back, lifting one eyebrow.
“Just stop it, you two. This isn’t funny.” Steph tossed her head. “I’m not flustered. I’m furious.”
Ava didn’t try to hold back her own laughter.
Steph narrowed her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Ava choked. “Swallowed wrong.” She quickly averted her face, turning the laugh into a cough.
Ellie carefully blanked her own face, but amusement lingered.
Scarlett spoke then. “I can testify from personal experience that the things a person fights hardest are often what she wants the most.”
“That’s right. You had to be surprised into marrying Ian, didn’t you?” asked Ellie.
Scarlett laughed, unoffended. “I was so scared I couldn’t do right by that man.” She glanced at Sophia. “Much like Laken has been spooked.”
Ava nodded. “If she hadn’t wound up pregnant…”
“My son would have won out in the end,” Sophia assured them. “Both of my boys have a way of getting what they want.”
“Translation: they have heads hard as rocks,” Scarlett said. But she was smiling. “Thank heavens. I bless the day that stubborn man set his sights on me. Now that Jeanette’s come-to-Jesus chat with our Laken worked, she’ll be grateful, too.”
“She’s mostly afraid she can’t be what he needs,” Steph said.
“She’s lucky Michael is so steady,” Scarlett replied. “He’s one in a million. Kinda like his brother.” She winked at Sophia, who smiled back.
“Gavin seems really…steady,” Ellie offered, eyes twinkling.
“Bite me,” Steph retorted. “Gavin is annoying. Bossy. Overbearing.”
“And seriously hot,” Scarlett supplied. “I got a glimpse when he made it to the café yesterday before he went home.”
Everyone laughed but Steph.
Gavin was driving her crazy, absolutely determined to hold out until she made the promise she would never, ever make. Narrowing your options to one man was the first step on the road to delusion.
Some people weren’t made for monogamy.
Steph was one of them.
“Don’t we want to go ahead and plan the baby shower while we’re here?” she asked, desperate for a change of topic.
Jeers and laughter were her answer.
Gavin missed a cut on the trim board. “Blast it.”
“What’s up?” Wyatt appeared beside him.
“I wasted this piece, and we’re short enough on what we stripped and restored.” He knew his tone was irritable but couldn’t seem to help it. “Never mind. I’ll figure out something.”
Wyatt didn’t move on, however. “You okay?”
“Dandy.” Gavin eyed another piece he might be able to toenail together with this one… He shook his head brusquely. It wasn’t like him to make such a mistake.
“You sure?”
“I said I’m—” Gavin exhaled in a gust. “It’s nothing, really. At least, nothing you can fix.”
Wyatt observed him, then began to smile. “Ten bucks the problem’s initials are SH.”
Gavin raked one hand through his hair. “Go ahead. Say you warned me.”
“No need to rub it in. What’s she doing?”
“You don’t have enough time, I promise. And it’s my own damn fault.” But he settled back against the wall. “I’m a patient man,” he began.
Wyatt chuckled. “The woman would try a saint.”
Gavin’s humor began to return. “This fish is going to take a very long line and a steady hand.”
“You actually want to keep her? Steph?”
“Of course not. But she’s fragile.”
“Steph? The man-eater?”
“Don’t call her that.” Gavin’s ire rose. “You don’t understand her. There’s a damaged child inside that shrewish woman.” The more he observed her, the more he believed that. She was more scared than anything, and he wished he knew why.
“Shrew is a good description.”
“Wyatt,” Gavin said as cautiously as he could manage, “You haven’t looked beneath the surface. A tender heart resides there. I’m probably a fool for wanting to be kind to that heart, but I do.”
“Another one of your strays? I’ve seen your menagerie, watched how you slip food to the homeless guys and minister to my crew.” Wyatt captured his gaze. “She’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
“She won’t.” Gavin shrugged. “And anyway, I didn’t say I wanted to keep her, but she can’t continue as she is. She’s not happy. If she would only—” He broke off. “Maybe you’re right that it’s a fool’s errand, but she gets to me. I am what I am, and I don’t know how to turn my back on suffering. This one is like a wild cat who spits and fights out of fear. It takes time and patience to gentle them. Stephanie will need more than most.”
“And in the end? Where is this headed?” Wyatt inquired. “You know Steph is violently opposed to the very idea of marriage.”
Gavin recoiled. “I’m not looking to marry her—I’m not crazy. I want peace in my life, a woman with whom to live in contentment. You’d never have a day of it with Stephanie. It’s just…” Gavin stared off into the distance. “I can’t leave her this way. She needs to know there are men who can be trusted. That she can allow herself to be soft. She’ll never be happy otherwise.”
“Well.” Wyatt shook his head. “You sure don’t lack ambition.” He clapped Gavin on the shoulder. “I admire you. I think.” He grinned. “Or perhaps I should have you committed. Not sure which.”
“Me either. Might keep the straitjacket handy. A little more time with her, and I may be ripe for it.”
On the other hand, he thought as he watched Wyatt leave, it might be time for a new tactic.
A slow smile spread over his features as an idea struck him.
No guts, no glory, he’d been raised to believe.
On Saturday morning, Steph woke early, anticipating Gavin’s arrival. Though she told herself he deserved her bed-head and no shower, she found herself dressed and ready, coffee dripping into the pot by eight o’clock.
An hour later, still no Gavin.
“He said he wanted to take a look at that squeaky closet door,” she muttered. She contemplated going back to bed, but she wasn’t sleepy.
She spent another hour picking up and straightening the loft, though her cleaning service would be in on Monday.
At ten-thirty, she broke. Punched in the cell number she’d told him she didn’t want.
His phone rang and rang. At last he picked up. “Gavin O’Neill.” His voice was distracted.
“Where are you?”
“Hmm—what?” Then his voice changed. “Why, hey, sugar. You’re awake?”
She almost hung up on him. “You said you wanted to lo
ok at my closet door. How was I supposed to sleep, knowing you’d be barging in at the crack of dawn?”
“I was busy.”
Busy with what? she wanted to ask but didn’t. Her heart squeezed a little, and anger stirred when she realized she’d already become accustomed to him being around nearly every day.
“I might be able to drop by later,” he offered.
“No need. The door doesn’t bother me.” So there. “Anyway, I have a full day.” Though, she realized, not one item on her list held much appeal.
Which terrified her. “So, just…have a good day.” She started to hang up.
“I was thinking,” he said in a casual tone, “That perhaps you might like to see my place.”
“Your place?” she echoed.
“Yeah. I’m finishing a project. Since you have such a way with tools, maybe you’d like to lend a hand.”
She could hear the smile in his voice and, curse him, that charmed her. “It’s not nice to mock other people.”
At last, that warm chuckle she’d come to depend on. “Oh, I wasn’t mocking, darlin’. You do have a certain…manner with a tool in your hand.”
Normally, Steph would assume a man saying that was talking dirty, but this was Gavin, and she could never quite be sure of anything where he was concerned. “So I could be, like, your apprentice?”
“Um…sure. There’s all kinds of things I’d be delighted to teach you.” There was an unmistakable grin in his voice.
“You are talking dirty to me, in that roundabout redneck way of yours, aren’t you?”
“Me?” His voice was all innocence. “My sainted mama would faint to hear such a thing.” The mischief in his tone grew even more pronounced. “Maybe you should come over and take my measure in person.”
“You make me crazy, you know that?” She couldn’t hold back her own laughter. This man—this impossibly aggravating, ornery, stubborn man—could make her, Steph Hargrove, giggle like the innocent girl she’d never been.
“Is that a complaint?”
“What do you think?” She found herself grinning into the phone. “All right, all right, give me the address. Maybe I’ll drop by later,” she said, deliberately using his casual words.
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