by Kate Pearce
“You’re welcome.” He nodded at her dad. “I’ll clear up and make Juan some coffee if you and Blaine want to go through to the farm office and get on with it.”
“Thanks, we will.”
She wanted to kiss him, but didn’t want to do anything in front of Blaine that might get back to the office. He was incapable of keeping a secret, and implying that her focus was not on her work, but at home with a hot rancher, would be an excellent way to impede her forward progress in the law firm.
“I’ll bring you some coffee, and then I’ll get on with the chicken coop.” He turned to Blaine. “Nice meeting you.”
“Same,” Blaine said without raising his eyes from his phone, which made Julia want to rip it out of his hand and throw it at the wall.
Kaiden rolled his eyes at Julia, walked Juan back into the family room, made sure he was settled, and returned to the kitchen just as Julia showed Blaine where the farm office was. She waited until Blaine went through the door and then turned back to Kaiden.
“I owe you.”
“Yeah?” He gave her a slow wink. “I’ll think about how you can repay me.”
She kissed his cheek. “Please do.”
She was still smiling as she went into the office where Blaine was setting up his laptop and shut the door. She’d keep her temper, be polite, answer all his inane questions, and wave him off with great pleasure in a few hours. Hopefully, that would be the last she’d see of him for the next two weeks.
* * *
Kaiden had just knocked the last fence post in and stood back to check that it was level with the others when the kitchen door opened and Blaine stepped out. He lit a cigarette, walked gingerly over to Kaiden, and stared at the chicken coop.
“I bet those eggs will taste good.”
“They will.” Kaiden put his hammer away in his tool belt. “Not sure if they qualify as plant-based though. Where’s Julia?”
“She’s just finishing up some tasks for me.” Blaine exhaled a plume of smoke. “It’s a shame that I had to come all this way. If she hadn’t made so many mistakes in the initial documents, I wouldn’t have had to chase her down. It’s hard to manage people like her who are so sloppy.”
“Julia’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met,” Kaiden said evenly. “I can’t imagine her being anything but one hundred percent on task.”
“And what’s up with her dad? Is what he’s got catching or anything?”
“He has MS.” Kaiden measured the space between the posts. He did some mental math about how much wire fencing he’d need to surround the pen rather than calculating just how quickly he could dig a nice, quiet grave for Blaine.
“So he’s been sick for a long time, which makes me wonder why Julie had to rush to his side right now. It’s almost as if she timed it deliberately to make me look bad,” Blaine said. “She’s so not a team player.”
“Her name is Julia, not Julie, and her dad’s condition has gotten worse recently,” Kaiden said. “He had a bad fall.”
“But you’re still keeping him on?”
“Excuse me?”
“This is your place, right?” Blaine gestured at the ranch house. “You rent it to them?”
Kaiden laughed. “One hundred percent wrong. I live on my father’s ranch about a mile away. The Garcia family have owned this land for almost a hundred years.”
“They own it?” Blaine looked surprised.
“Yeah. Why would you think any differently?” Kaiden met his gaze head-on.
“I assumed they were recent immigrants.” Blaine shrugged. “It’s an easy mistake to make considering.”
Kaiden measured and rejected several answers, which would not have helped Julia’s career. “I don’t see why. Several families in Morgan Valley settled here after the gold rush, and a second wave came in the twenties and thirties between the wars. Most of them are still here.”
“How big is this place?”
Kaiden raised his eyebrows. “What’s it to you?”
“I was just wondering.” Blaine took another look at the pastures sweeping away from the house. “Can you see the boundary fence from here? I bet it reaches right to the edge of that cute little town.”
“You’d have to ask the Garcias about that. I’m only a visitor just like you.”
“It could be a nice place if it got a makeover.”
“It is a nice place, and we’re working on that.” Kaiden headed for his truck. “Excuse me. I’ve got to get some wire.”
By the time he returned, Blaine had gone back inside leaving only the remains of his smoldering cigarette behind. With one eye on the door, Kaiden took some pleasure in grinding the stub under the sole of his boot to make sure it was out. He decided he wouldn’t repeat his conversation with Blaine to Julia because it would only make things worse. She didn’t need him to tell her Blaine was a complete ass; she already knew.
Kaiden unwound the wire, attached the end to the first post, and hammered it into place. Normally, he liked to have someone else to work with because the wire could snap back, but he was so furious he was willing to tackle the job himself. The dismissive way Blaine had talked about Julia and her father had set his dander up. He wanted nothing more than to take the smug smile off the bastard’s face with his fist.
He reminded himself that Julia was quite capable of taking care of herself, and that punching a lawyer was never a good idea. He rarely lost his temper, but when he did it was memorable. So today he’d pour that energy into the chicken coop and ignore the unusual impulse to step out of line.
Weirdly enough, the last time he’d lost his temper had been with Miguel in this very spot. They’d ended up on the ground punching each other’s lights out until Juan had pulled them apart. He’d never forgotten Julia’s stricken expression, and the way she’d rushed to comfort her brother, sending him a scathing look over her shoulder. They hadn’t talked much after that, and Miguel had left town, something Julia probably blamed him for as well.
Kaiden let out a long, slow breath and steadied the coil of wire fencing. If he had any sense he’d listen to the signs pointing out that getting involved with the Garcias was never good for him. But maybe it was too late. He was already knee-deep in their concerns.
“Need a hand?”
He turned from his contemplation of the fence posts to find a man dressed in black with a clerical collar smiling at him.
“Hey.”
“Hi! I’m Father Pascal. I’ve come to see Mr. Garcia.”
“He’s inside.” Kaiden gestured at the wire. “Give me a minute to prop this up and I’ll take you in to him.”
The priest took off his jacket and set it on the back of the truck. “How about I help you finish this up first? It’ll go much faster if I do.”
Kaiden eyed him carefully. “You sure about that, Father? I wasn’t expecting a Sunday miracle.”
“Funny.” Father Pascal chuckled. “I grew up on a farm in County Cork in Ireland. I quite miss the work.”
“Then be my guest.” Kaiden grinned at him. “Which end do you want to take?”
Chapter Eight
Blaine came back into the farm office smelling of smoke and chewing mint-flavored gum, which didn’t make anything better. Julia looked up from the notes she was typing.
“Almost done.”
“About time, too. In future, this is how I want you to prep me for all my presentations, okay?”
Julia looked at him. “Basically, you expect me to write them for you.” She made it a statement rather than a question.
“Yeah, your job is to make me look good, and if you continue to do that, I’ll make sure you continue to have a job.”
God, she loathed him so much right now she was surprised she hadn’t erupted into a ball of fire and taken him out. She couldn’t even change the presentation to showcase his ignorance because the rest of her handpicked team would be in the room with him, and he’d have no hesitation in blaming them for any issues. She hated the fact that she’d
promised them so much, and now Blaine had control of all their futures.
When she left MZB, she would make sure to take her protégés with her even if it took a while.
“So why is this place so run-down, Julie? What do you do with that huge salary we pay you?” Blaine sat opposite her and put his feet up on the desk.
“My father has MS and it’s been hard for him to run the place.”
“So why doesn’t he sell it?”
“Because it’s been in his family for generations, and it’s his home.” Julia stood to gather the final version of Blaine’s presentation from the printer. “I’m currently working on how to adapt the house to suit his ongoing needs, and find someone to manage the ranching side of things.”
“Sounds expensive.”
“Then it’s a good job I saved all that huge salary MZB pays me then, isn’t it?” Julia offered him a bland smile.
“Stupid to pour good money after bad.”
“Not on someone and something you love.” She refused to look away and eventually he dropped his gaze to his phone. “Now, if you have everything you need, perhaps you’d better be getting back to the city before the country roads get too dark for you to drive on.”
He held out his hand. “Give that to me.”
She passed the completed presentation over and sat down again, hating having to wait on him, and yet having no choice. He read it through, pursing his lips as he sounded out some of the big words she knew he’d change to little ones when she wasn’t looking. She’d tried to keep it as simple as possible, but there were depths she wasn’t prepared to sink to.
“Looks good, Jules.” He placed the papers in his folder, zipped it up along with his laptop, and rose to his feet. “I’ll leave you in peace, then.”
“Great.” Julia rose too. “Let me see you out.”
She opened the door out into the hallway just as Kaiden came into the house with another man. The two of them were chuckling, which was a sight to behold.
“Hey!” Kaiden caught sight of her. “Julia, this is Father Pascal. He’s come to see your father.”
“A pleasure.” The young priest shook Julia’s hand. “I was just helping Kaiden here with a bit of yard work. He’s promised me some fresh eggs for my trouble.”
He had a rich, Irish brogue that made Julia want to smile.
“I didn’t make him do it, Julia, he insisted,” Kaiden said.
“It was nice to do something physical for a change.” Father Pascal nodded. “Now, where is Mr. Garcia? I’m sure he’s wondering where I’ve got to.”
“I’ll make some coffee,” Kaiden offered.
“Do you have any tea?” the priest asked. “Sorry to be a bother.”
“I’m sure I’ll find you some,” Kaiden said as he directed the priest toward the family room. “Do you and Blaine want coffee, Julia?”
“Blaine’s just leaving.” She turned around, but there was no sign of her unwanted visitor, and she frowned. “He must have gone to the bathroom.”
“Why don’t you go on through and get acquainted with Father Pascal while I sort out the coffee?” Kaiden suggested. “I’ll keep an eye out for Blaine and make sure he leaves.”
This time, Julia didn’t hesitate to accept Kaiden’s offer. She’d had quite enough of Blaine, and keeping her thoughts to herself, especially in her own home, was becoming increasingly difficult.
“Thank you, I’d appreciate that.”
She went through to the family room, already certain that her dad was going to love Father Pascal, and more than willing to leave Blaine to Kaiden’s tender mercies.
* * *
Kaiden kept an eye on the hallway as he set the coffeepot on the range and rummaged through the cupboards looking for tea, which he knew Julia would have somewhere. There was no sign of Blaine, and, eventually, Kaiden went to look for him. He found him in Juan’s bedroom studying the group of family photographs and loudly cleared his throat, making Blaine jump.
“Julia said you were leaving.”
“Yeah! That’s right. I must have gone the wrong way after I exited from the bathroom.” He pointed at a portrait of the Garcia family. “What happened to the mom and brother?”
“They’re still around.” Kaiden held the door open wide. “Have you got all your stuff? Julia’s busy with her father right now so I offered to wave good-bye to you.”
“You don’t like me, do you?” Blaine stopped in the doorway alongside Kaiden. “I wonder what Julie’s been telling you? I wouldn’t believe anything she says. She’s just a poor loser.”
“Julia has never mentioned your name before today,” Kaiden replied. “Why would she?”
“So, why are you so invested in this family, Kaiden? Are you hoping to take over the place if you get on the right side of Julie’s father?”
“I know this might shock you, Blade, but not everyone thinks like you. In this valley, we look out for our neighbors, and don’t expect anything in return.”
“Yeah, right.” Blaine sneered. “No one is that nice.”
“Maybe not in your world.” Kaiden looked down his nose at Blaine. “But some of us are better than that.”
“Not when it comes down to money and inheritance.” Blaine smiled. “I’m a lawyer, I know what happens. Everyone fights dirty.”
“Not always. My dad left his ranch to my big brother. The other five of us are fine with it.”
“Sure you are.” Blaine started off down the hallway. “Which is why you’re currently sniffing around the Garcias.”
Kaiden stared after him, remembered his manners, and followed Blaine out into the yard.
“I hope you have a safe trip home.” Kaiden stood at the open door of the car as Blaine slid into the leather seat. “Take care, now, Blade.”
Blaine set his laptop carefully on the passenger seat and looked up at Kaiden.
“It’s Blaine, and thanks for nothing, cowboy.”
Kaiden might have offered a one-fingered salute as the car drove away, but he doubted Blaine noticed in all the dust he kicked up by driving too fast.
“Good riddance, asshole,” Kaiden muttered as he went to take one last look at the chicken enclosure. “And, don’t ever come back.”
He was still contemplating his repairs when Father Pascal and Julia came out of the side door and headed straight for him.
“It looks great!” Julia admired the chicken coop. “Thanks so much to both of you.”
“Ah, I did very little of it myself, Julia,” Father Pascal said. “The credit should definitely go to Kaiden.”
“I brought some laying hens, a cockerel, and some feed so if you want to do the honors and welcome them home, Julia?” Kaiden looked at her expectantly. “I’ll fetch the crates.”
“Yes, please.”
She looked as excited as a kid. It made Kaiden want to smile despite the awfulness of Blaine. How she dealt with that guy every day he had no idea. He fetched the chickens, set the wooden box in the center of the enclosure, and bowed elaborately to Julia.
“My lady.”
“Thank you.” She crouched down, opened the latch, and half a dozen young hens came out and instantly started surveying their new territory. “They are awesome!”
“Indeed they are.” Father Pascal was watching through the fencing as Kaiden released the cockerel. “Now, don’t forget my eggs, Kaiden, lad, will you now?”
“You’re right up there on my list,” Julia reassured him. “Thank you for your help.”
“I enjoyed it. Now, I’d best be off.” The priest produced his car keys. “I’ve another parishioner to visit before I go home. Tell your father that I’ll be back in a couple of weeks.”
Julia went to rise, but he waved her back. “No need to stand on ceremony. I can see myself out.”
“Bye, Father.” Kaiden held up a hand. “Thanks for the help.”
He smiled as the priest walked over to his modest car, backed it up, and went off down the driveway with a final wave.
“What a nice guy.”
“Dad certainly liked him.” Julia rose and came to stand beside him. “Jeez, what an afternoon.”
He put a hand on her shoulder and gently rocked her back and forth. “How do you work with that dumbass Blaine every day?”
“Because at the moment I don’t have any choice.” She sighed. “Once my yearly review is done, I can contemplate changing jobs, but I’ll need a good reference, and the only way I can get one is if stupid Blaine gives it to me.”
“He sucks.”
“I agree.” She unconsciously leaned against him, and he put his arm around her. “I could really do with a drink right now.”
“On a Sunday?” Kaiden pretended to be shocked.
“Scandalous, I know.” She rubbed her cheek against the fleece he’d put on to protect himself against the wind. “But, as I said, it’s been a bit of a day.”
“I can’t believe Blaine came all the way out here just to bug you.” Kaiden shook his head.
“He’s terrified of looking bad tomorrow at the meeting. He wants to be a senior partner before he’s forty.”
“He’s not exactly a good example of cream rising to the top,” Kaiden said. “Scum comes to mind. Now, do you want to feed the chickens, and see how your dad is doing? He said something about Dr. Tio’s grandmother coming over to play cards with him this evening.”
“Yes, Maria Rosa comes once a month. I’m not quite sure how they communicate because she speaks Portuguese, and my father’s Spanish is pretty lousy, but somehow they manage.”
Kaiden hesitated and decided to risk it. He was already in over his head. “If you really want that drink, do you want to come down to the Red Dragon with me? We can have dinner as well.”
She looked up at him. “Like go out in public? Together?”
He shrugged. “You owe me, remember?”
She considered him for so long that he almost forgot how to breathe.
“If Dad’s okay with it, I’d like that.” She pointed at him. “But, it’s on me, okay?”
He held up his hands. “I’m not going to argue with you. I’m just a poorly paid carpenter, Miss Hot Shot Lawyer.”
She reached for his hand, which gratified him immensely. “Then, let’s get these chickens fed and go and check in with Dad.”
