by Kate Pearce
Kaiden looked up at Wes, who was propping up the doorframe. For a second he’d thought Julia had come back for round three. “What?”
“I heard you two arguing from the street, so I guess she’s not that into you.” Wes cocked his head to one side. “She’s really pretty.”
“And she’s about ten years too old for you.”
“I don’t care about that. I’ve always preferred mature women.” Wes eyed him carefully. “You’re still mad.”
“When do I ever get mad?” Kaiden prevaricated. “Even when you glued your fingers together I got you to Dr. Tio’s without telling you what an idiot you were.”
“You’re definitely mad,” Wes said smugly. “That means you still like her.”
“I’ve always liked her. She’s the sister of my best friend from high school.” Kaiden scrubbed out the crooked line he’d drawn on the plan.
“No, you really like her.” Wes paused. “Maybe you should apologize or something?”
“I’m not taking relationship advice from a teenager,” Kaiden said as he misdrew the line again and gave up. “And, if anyone should be apologizing it should be her.”
“Wow, that’s harsh, dude.” Wes shook his head. “You know that relationships take two people to make them work, right?”
Kaiden glared at him. “Who are you? Dear Abby?”
“I don’t know who that is, but I do read the ‘Am I the Ass?’ boards online, and you’re sure sounding like one right now.”
“I don’t care what kind of an ass I am,” Kaiden said. “And crowdsourcing the answers to your problems on the Internet is why we’re in this mess to start with.” He glared at Wes. “Don’t you have any work to do?”
“No, I’m waiting for you to tell me what to do next,” Wes said with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Oh, right.” Kaiden let out a breath and consulted the schedule. “How about you clean up the floor?”
Wes groaned. “That’s not teaching me anything at all!”
“I’m sure your uncle Ted and Beth will appreciate it.”
“You know what I mean.” Wes rolled his eyes. “Anyone can clean up, but you’re supposed to be teaching me skills, man.”
“I am. A clean workplace is a happy workplace.” Kaiden handed Wes a broom. “Get on with it.”
He checked his cell phone but there was nothing from his family, which was a relief. Danny was due back for the weekend, so Kaiden wouldn’t have to handle two sets of chores for a couple of days. He stared at the back of Wes’s head as his apprentice half-heartedly wielded the broom. Was he really the ass? Julia was obviously under a lot of stress, she’d needed to blow off at someone, and he’d just happened to be standing right there.
But it was more than that. He’d offered her the opportunity to tell him what was going on, and she’d suggested she didn’t trust him enough to do so. Instead, she’d chosen to get annoyed because she didn’t like him. She didn’t damn well like him, and yet here he was, still dancing around trying to get her attention.
The thing was—maybe she had a reason? As a clueless teenage boy he’d tried so hard to conceal that he was attracted to his best friend’s sister, that perhaps he’d gone too far the other way and convinced her that he didn’t like her at all. The more he thought about it, the likelier it seemed. The incident with the Valentine’s poem was a prime example of him screwing things up and giving totally the wrong impression.
Kaiden cleared a space on his workbench and picked up his drawing pad. Maybe it would be better for everyone if he left Julia well alone. He’d finish off his plans for the Garcia remodel, get Juan’s approval, and turn the whole project over to someone else so that he didn’t have to go near Miss Julia Garcia ever again.
Chapter Four
“So come upstairs!” Nancy cleared away empty glasses with an efficiency Julia envied. “My shift is done and we still need to talk.”
Julia had been sitting at the bar for an hour eating the excellent food, chatting to the locals who wandered over to reintroduce themselves to her, and drinking beer. As the evening progressed, the bar had taken on a rosy glow that shouted home to her, and she hadn’t wanted to leave.
“But, my dad . . .”
Nancy waved away her objections. “Juan knows where you are, and that you’re safe with me.”
“Safe.” There was a snort behind Nancy, and Jay, the bar owner, grinned at Julia. “Like, that’s a terrifying thought.”
Nancy poked him in the ribs. “Like you’re scared of me.”
“I am.” Jay held up his hands like a hostage. “Really.”
“Says the retired Navy SEAL who could kill me with one hand tied behind his back,” Nancy scoffed.
Jay turned to Julia. “You will be safe with her as long as she’s on your side, that’s all I’m saying.”
Nancy gave her boss the finger, came out from behind the bar, and smiled at Julia. “You coming?”
“Sure.” Julia slid down from the barstool and took a moment to orient herself. She wasn’t a big drinker and two beers had made her woozy. “Hang on—doesn’t Jay live upstairs with his mom?”
“Not anymore,” Jay said as he wiped down the bar. “I’m married now, and Mom is engaged to Billy Morgan. She spends way too much time up at his ranch these days if you ask me. Nancy’s doing us all a favor living there.”
“What he means is that if anyone breaks in, I’m the one who’ll end up dead.” Nancy winked at her boss as she linked arms with Julia and towed her toward the back of the bar. “Night, Jay. Come on, Julia.”
Julia allowed herself to be maneuvered up the stairs and into the charming apartment above the bar that faced down Main Street. She tried to remember the last time she’d been there. Miguel and Jay had never been close, and she’d only visited briefly with her girlfriends when everyone was going out together.
“This is nice,” Julia said as Nancy stuck her head in the refrigerator, pulled out two more beers, and held them up inquiringly toward Julia. “I think I’ll stick to coffee if there is any, thanks.”
“You always were a lightweight,” Nancy joked as she rinsed the coffeepot. “Way too uptight to drink, smoke, and have a good time.”
“Yeah, that’s me. The perpetual party-pooper.” Julia’s tongue slid over the words and she almost giggled. “Try saying that ten times.”
Nancy sat on the couch and patted the seat beside her. “So, what’s going on? I know you’ve come back to help your dad, but how long are you planning on staying?”
“I’m supposed to have two weeks off, but you wouldn’t know it.” Julia sighed. “In my profession, you’re not supposed to actually take your holidays or your sick days, because it makes you look weak and inefficient.”
“That’s stupid,” Nancy said, shifting on the sofa. “How can you be at your best if you never take a day off for yourself?”
“My big boss and my new boss have been on my back since the moment I arrived. I’m almost ready to tell them to take a hike,” Julia confessed. “Except I can’t do that because I need my salary to pay for the remodel of the ranch house.”
“That sucks.” Nancy got up to tend to the coffee and then handed Julia a mug and assorted creamers in a bowl. “Help yourself.”
“I didn’t realize how bad things had gotten for my dad. It was a shock.” Julia grimaced. “I should have known.”
“Your dad’s old-school. Those cowboys never admit they are sick or too old for anything. Look at Roy over at Morgan Ranch? How old is that guy? A hundred and fifty?”
Despite her woes, Julia couldn’t help but smile in Nancy’s bracing company.
“All I know is that Dad isn’t capable of running the ranch by himself anymore, and he still won’t admit it.” Julia gripped her mug hard. “If I keep working, I can pay for the remodel and some continuing care, but I can’t revitalize the ranch, and that’s what he really wants.”
Nancy tapped the rim of her beer bottle against her chin. “You should talk to Ben Miller.
”
“Why?”
“Because he and his fiancée have set up this charity thing for Morgan Valley, and they are looking for good ideas to fund in the local community.”
“Since when has Ben Miller had any money?” Julia asked.
Nancy’s grin was wicked. “Since he hooked up with Silver Meadows.”
“The Silver Meadows?”
“Yup, the multimillionaire actress and producer who is also a really good person.”
“You’ve met her?” Julia set her mug down on the cluttered coffee table.
“We’ve all met her.” Nancy shrugged. “She even comes in the bar when it’s quiet. I was quite prepared to hate her on sight but she’s as nice as Ben, and they are perfect together.”
Julia shook her head. “Wow. Who’d have thought Ben Miller would get it on with a movie star?”
“I know. If I’d taken a bet on any Miller getting a girl like that it would’ve been Kaiden.”
Julia’s smile slipped. “Kaiden?”
“You know the Miller I mean. Dark hair, gray eyes, dimples, and the kind of corny lines that ladies fall for every time.”
“I suppose you’ve seen his finest work at the bar.” Julia sniffed.
“He’s no man ho if that’s what you’re thinking.” Nancy set her bottle down. “But he’s definitely never been short of a girlfriend. Have you seen him around yet?”
“You could say that.” Julia let out a breath. “He came up to the ranch to quote on the repairs a few days ago, and Dad and I saw him in town at lunchtime.”
“What did he do to put that expression on your face?”
“He . . . tried to be nice to me.”
Nancy blinked at her. “And?”
“I was horrible to him.”
To her surprise, Nancy gave a gurgle of laughter. “I bet that gave him a shock. I don’t think he’s ever met a woman since he was ten who wouldn’t immediately succumb to his charms.”
“I’m going to have to apologize to him at some point,” Julia said gloomily.
“Oh, no, please don’t. I’d love to see him running around trying to fix things for a change.” Nancy tucked her feet up on the couch. “Talk to Ben Miller and ask him whether there’s any way he could help preserve the ranch and keep it working. Ben, of all people, knows how important it is to keep the ranching community here thriving.”
“I’ll definitely sound him out.” Julia nodded. “It can’t hurt.”
It was so nice to have someone to talk to who was on her side, and not her competition. She had friends, who weren’t lawyers in the city, but they had their own work issues to deal with, and she never liked to bother anyone with her problems anyway. She’d been brought up to handle her own stuff without complaining.
“And you should definitely tell your work people to lay off you as well,” Nancy said severely. “If you like, I can pretend to be your secretary, and tell them for you.”
Julia shuddered at the thought. “I think I can handle them. I have no choice.”
“You need a new job or a new boss, girl.” Nancy nudged her in the ribs with her elbow. “Now, would you like some more coffee, or have you changed your mind about that beer?”
* * *
Kaiden cleared his throat and knocked on the front door of the Garcia Ranch. It didn’t take long for Julia to open it and step out of his way. She’d tied her hair back, and wore a black sweater with dark jeans and brightly colored striped socks. He tried to catch her eye as he went past, but she wasn’t having it.
“Thanks for letting me in this time.” He took off his hat. “I’ll go straight through.”
“I’ll make some coffee.”
She turned her back on him and marched toward the kitchen while he headed to the family room where he could hear the TV blaring. He reminded himself that he was only there to see Juan, and that any interaction with Julia should be kept short and professional.
“Hey! Kaiden!” Juan greeted him with a smile and immediately turned down the TV. “How’s your father?”
“Grumpy as ever.” Kaiden took a seat on the couch and took out his phone. “Danny’s back this weekend to help out, and Dad’s still not happy.”
Juan chuckled. “He’s always been a tough nut, your dad.”
“Tell me about it,” Kaiden muttered.
When he’d informed his father that he was going to the Garcias, he’d only just managed to get out of the house without causing a minor riot. Only Danny’s swift intervention to draw his father’s ire had allowed Kaiden to escape. He definitely wasn’t in the mood to be jerked around by anyone else this morning.
“I wrote out some ideas . . .” Kaiden started speaking, and Juan held up his hand.
“Let’s wait for Julia so you don’t have to repeat yourself twice.”
Kaiden couldn’t exactly tell him not to bother, so he made small talk until Julia appeared with the coffee and then waited as she poured it out and sat opposite him next to her father. Keeping his gaze on Juan, Kaiden started speaking again.
“From what I can see, major alterations are needed in the bathrooms, the kitchen, and the entrance and exits to bring them up to code.” He consulted his paperwork and passed a copy over to Juan so that he could follow along. “You’ll need a good bathroom specialist and someone to at least resize some of the kitchen cupboards and sink to make them accessible. I’ve drawn up some basic plans for you to take a look at and amend if need be. I’d also recommend completely new appliances that can be easily used from a wheelchair, but that can get expensive.”
Juan nodded as he turned the page over. Julia was examining the plans intently as her father passed the pages over to her.
“As for the outdoor access, that’s probably the easiest fix because you’re on a relatively flat surface with a straight run to the barn and parking area. We can simply pave those surfaces and lay a new slab,” Kaiden finished up, and glanced over at Juan. “Anything in particular worrying you so far?”
“Only that it looks far more extensive than I imagined. I thought we could just redo the shower to allow me access in a chair, and we’d be done.” Juan looked up at Kaiden.
“Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as that,” Kaiden said gently. “You’ve got to take the current pipe placement and drainage into account before you start bashing down walls. Do you know Mike Betts? He’s a really good plumber. He’ll see you right.”
“I know Mike’s father.” Juan studied the kitchen plan. “It does look nice with some of the countertops lowered, and the sink at chair level. Have you done one like this before?”
Kaiden handed over a photograph. “Yeah, I helped Sam Morgan do the kitchen in her new house on Morgan Ranch. She doesn’t often use a wheelchair, but occasionally she needs one, and these adaptations helped a lot.” Kaiden pointed at the wood. “I made the cabinets myself.”
“You did?” Julia asked.
“Yeah.” Kaiden briefly met her startled gaze. “That’s my job.”
“They’re beautiful.”
“Thanks.” Kaiden reminded himself to keep things short and polite.
“Could you do that here?” Juan asked.
“It depends on the timeframe.” Kaiden refused to commit himself. “I have quite a lot lined up right now with the Morgantown Preservation Society.”
“But such beauty would be worth waiting for,” Juan murmured. “Don’t you think so, Daughter?”
“Sure, Dad, but if Kaiden is too busy then we’ll have to do without, or get someone else just as skilled as he is.”
“I can recommend a couple of guys from out near Bridgeport who do good work,” Kaiden chimed in.
“I’d much rather it was you,” Juan said firmly. “The less strangers in my house, the better.”
“I understand.” Kaiden nodded. He should really ask Juan how long Julia was planning on staying and arrange the work around that, but he couldn’t do it in front of her. He’d much rather do the carpentry himself as he always enjoyed it.
> “I’ll leave you to think about it,” Kaiden concluded. “I included some cost estimates in the back, but they are pretty basic. You can probably expect to pay more for customization.”
“Thank you.” Juan looked up at Julia. “You’ll take a look at those for me, won’t you, my dear, and tell me what we can afford?”
“Of course I will.” Julia patted his shoulder.
Kaiden stood up. “I’d better get on. I rode over so it’s going to take me quite some time to get home.”
He shook Juan’s hand and stepped around Julia with a polite good-bye. He grabbed his hat and coat in the hallway, and was halfway along the path before he heard her shouting his name. This time he didn’t make the mistake of looking back, and carried on into the dilapidated barn where he’d left Domino, his horse.
“Kaiden . . .”
He looked up from checking the girth. “What’s up?”
“I need to apologize to you.” Julia was now blocking his exit from the barn, which was just peachy.
He slid his fingers under the leather making sure he hadn’t pinched the gelding’s skin. “You already did, so we’re good.”
“I doubt that. I was out of line.”
She paused as if waiting for a response he had no intention of giving her and kept right on speaking.
“Thanks for the plans. They really are great.”
“You’re welcome.” He checked the reins, untied them from the hitching post, and started toward her.
“Kaiden . . .”
He had two choices. One, keep going and run her over, or two, stop and deal with her like an adult.
“Look, you apologized. I know you were having a bad day, so we’re done, okay? Finished. End of story.”
“But I hurt your feelings,” Julia said earnestly.
Kaiden snorted. “Have you met my dad? I face him down on a regular basis, so your little temper tantrum barely registered.”
“Temper tantrum?” She settled her hands on her hips. “Really?”
“You even stamped your foot,” Kaiden added, and then remembered he wasn’t supposed to be provoking her.
“I was . . . worried about everything, and you—well, you were just standing there smirking like you always do, knowing it sets me off, and—”
