by Taylor Hart
“Sorry about that.” Ryan scoffed.
Sean sat on the other side of him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Welcome home.”
Ryan wiped at another round of tears that fell down his cheeks and grinned.
Beau swiped at his eyes. “Bout time.”
Ryan nodded. “Now we just need Kent back.”
Sean let out a sigh. “God’s working on it. I think he’ll come back.”
Beau shook his head. “Heck, after today I think I can believe in anything.”
For the first time in a long time … Ryan might believe, too.
Chapter 33
Charlotte didn’t know why it felt so good to clean the windows. The big windows that let the world into her small corner. They were always dirty. They always needed cleaning, but today it felt good.
A nervous stir of something went through her. She didn’t know what anything meant after yesterday with Ryan. He’d been so broken. Although she hadn’t known what to say to him, she did know one thing, it’d felt good to be with him. It felt good to have him talk to her.
She smiled to herself and thought about how her father would be proud of her. For not letting the divorce get the better of her. For finding happiness in doing the “mundane” things of life. It was a lecture he’d given her many times on the ranch. ‘The most joy comes from the little things in life, Charlotte.’ She could hear him say it as if he were standing next to her. Today she had joy.
He would like the fact that Ryan would be helping Sam on his homework after school and then going riding with him. Sam was so happy. It had been the thing that had gotten him up and ready for school so fast today. She got to the door and focused on the window. She pushed the door shut, but, of course, the door didn’t click.
This was what Ryan had been talking about the other day—the broken door. How it would let intruders in. She didn’t realize someone was staring at her through the glass until she came face to face with him, causing her to jump.
Ryan stood there with a grin on his face. His black hair was combed in that messy model way, but he didn’t look as “nice” as he had been looking. Strike that. Fancy would be the word she was looking for. He didn’t look fancy at all. In fact, she assumed he was wearing Beau’s clothes. The brown work boots were scuffed. Yep, they were Beau’s. She just knew it. The brothers were built a lot alike, and they were roughly the same height. They couldn’t be Sean’s because Sean was taller than them both by about three inches. Her eyes fell to the accessory in his hand—her father’s toolbox.
She pushed the door open. “Why do you have my dad’s tool box?”
Ryan looked down at the tools and then swiftly brushed past her and into the store. “Because you have a lot of stuff that needs to be fixed, and your mother told me I could borrow it.”
The pounding of her heart only increased with his close proximity.
Ryan didn’t wait for her to tell him what needed to be fixed. He simply put the tool box down and opened it. He extracted a screwdriver and moved for the front door.
Even though she knew the door needed to be fixed, the fact was that it was her door. She should be the one to say it needed to be fixed. She scooted back and blocked his path.
They were close. Very close. Like the other night when they’d been dancing.
He didn’t smell like that fresh rain smell though. No. Today he smelled like bacon and the outdoors and man kind of smells. It took her back to high school. “I don’t think so.”
Ryan took a long breath, the kind of breath that meant he was smelling her, too. He smiled and opened his eyes. “Char.” He paused. “I just want to fix what’s broken, and I think a simple thank you would be sufficient.”
She put her back against the door. “My door is just fine, Ryan Frances Hardman. Now you just move on back.” She pushed him on the chest. Not a hard push. In fact, she held her hand there for a slight second longer than she needed to before slipping it back.
Ryan looked down at where her hand had been. He reached down and picked up her hand. His felt warm and rough and sure.
At least, he seemed sure. His eyes had taken on that intense look he could trade mark. He put it back on his chest.
If she thought her heart rate had sped up before, this was like the Indie 500. “R-ryan.” Every part of her felt on edge and light-headed.
Ryan took a small step into her and kept her hand against his chest. “I just want you to know that I’m here. And I’m going to see this thing through. You can count on that.”
A million thoughts flitted into her mind. “For how long?”
“Until it’s done.”
His eyes were so the same and so different. She’d always known them and she could sense the walls when they wanted to shut her out. She didn’t want to ask, but she had to know. “And then you’re leaving?”
He took another long breath. “My work is in L.A. That’s where my company is and I can’t let Alan down. He’s put everything into that company.”
She nodded and gently pulled back her hand. “That makes sense. You have a life there.”
He reached for her hand. “Yes, I have a life there, that’s right. That’s what I’ve been telling my brothers since yesterday. This place isn’t my life anymore.” He squeezed her hand gently. “But I want to make things right.”
“You’ve been talking to your brothers?” This made her happy. “You stayed with them last night?” She nodded to the clothes. “I could spot Beau’s clothes anywhere.”
He looked at his clothes. “Yeah, Beau always knows how to ruin a good pair of clothes with a lot of work. I told him I would help him do some things today, and he told me I better not put on my city slicker clothes or I was banned from the ranch altogether.”
Charlotte felt herself relax. She couldn’t believe that her hand was still inside of his and they were talking like it didn’t matter, like it was just an every day, ordinary thing. “I think it’s great you’re helping them get things done.”
He peered deeper into her eyes. “Do you?
“I’m happy for you.” She tugged her hand back.
Ryan wouldn’t release it. “This is normal, Char. Holding your hand sometimes is just normal between us. It always has been. Okay?”
She didn’t know how she felt about that. “We haven’t been normal for a long time.”
He grinned. “Maybe it’s time to try it.”
She swallowed. “I don’t know if I can do that.”
His eyes were unrelenting. “No matter what else we’ve gone through, we started as friends. That’s all I want right now.”
“Right now?”
He grinned. “At this moment, I just want to be a guy, that’s a friend, who helps you fix some things. Okay?”
His good-humored determination made her want to laugh and she quit resisting. “I guess a girl should take a fixer anytime she gets offered one.”
He studied her face. “You really helped me yesterday. I needed that.”
Her heart fluttered. “I needed that, too.”
He pulled her into a hug. “I’ll be back because it’s my ranch, too.” His voice was soft.
“What?”
Ryan moved around her and knelt in front of the door handle. “I’m a third owner in the ranch. They never took my name off of the property.”
A mix between an ache and butterfly wings thumped through her. “So you really will be back.”
He paused and looked up at her. “I reckon I will, Charlotte Talon.” He’d slipped into an impersonation of Rhett Butler from the movie Gone With the Wind that she’d made him watch in high school. He’d hated it. “If I can’t, I just wouldn’t give a darn.”
She laughed. “That was terrible.”
He frowned. “Whatever, I sound just like him.”
The rest of the morning Charlotte organized a new inventory of books that had just come in and showed Ryan different projects that demanded attention or complete fixing. Even her faucet in the kitchen sink was not left un
scathed. He tore it apart and began replacing the disposal that had never worked.
Charlotte vacillated between feeling relieved and happy that things were getting fixed and disconcerted and nervous that Ryan was the one doing it. Ryan—the first boy she’d ever loved. Ryan—the man who left her and joined the military. Ryan—the . . . the . . .
The front door dinged and Star breezed through. A light wake of cherry blossom circled her. “Well, look who the cat drug in.”
Ryan pulled his head back from underneath the kitchen sink. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
Star did a dramatic rendition of eyelash blinking for him. She had hers done every other Friday, and she truly appreciated a good compliment about the hours of work she put into herself when she got one. Her a-line bobbed as she skipped, literally skipped, over to him. “Thank you. My, Charlotte has you doing a whole bunch of manly work around here.” An eyebrow lifted at Charlotte.
Ryan gave her a smothering look and went back under the sink.
Charlotte rolled her eyes and knew her cheeks were flushed red. “He offered.”
Star put an arm around Charlotte and nodded to Ryan. “I think I need to get the low down from my best friend.”
Ryan laughed, stood, and wiped his hands.
Star used an elbow to attack his shoulder.
He immediately took her into a head lock. “Don’t go sucker punching me, little Star Haven, or I’ll have to show you how it’s done.”
Star tried to get free. “Let me go!”
“Star!” Charlotte threw her hands into the air and laughed.
Ryan chuckled and pulled away. “Oh, it’s fine, Char. She can’t hurt this.” He flexed one arm.
Star cackled. “Here, let me see your shoulder. I think I may have hit you hard enough to leave a bruise.”
“Whatever.” Ryan let her pull up his sleeve and investigate.
Char was mystified that even after seven years it felt like they could all be together and nothing had changed.
The door dinged open and Angela busted through. She was in one of her whirlwind moods. She would quickly grab a pastry—if there was a fresh one—and maybe, depending on how strong the coffee smelled, grab a cup before even looking around once. “Hey, your mom hasn’t been here with the pastries, has she?”
“Hey.” Charlotte called back.
Angela stopped and turned to them. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Ryan. Her hair was twirled up today with a hot pink scarf. Her brown eyes were cat-like, looking between all of them. “What is going on here?”
Charlotte laughed again. It felt good to laugh. She waved. “Hurry, come here, can I have your hand? I have to see your hand.”
Ryan and Star collapsed into laughter at the accurate imitation.
Angela stuck out her chin and put out her hand. “Of course, you can always have my hand.” She eyed Ryan. “What are you doing here?”
Star jumped in with glee. “I did leave a mark. Right here.”
Ryan twisted away to look at it. “Where?”
The door dinged and Beau and Sean walked into the middle of the conversation.
Beau pulled off his hat and his tow-headed, straight hair stuck up all over. “Well, look at the party we’ve been missing.”
Angela continued as she kept her hand in Charlotte’s, “I have no problem, unlike you scaredy cats, handing over a hand when someone wants to look at it.”
Beau and Sean strode to the back of the store.
Sean pointed to Star rubbing Ryan’s shoulder. “Hmm, I’m trying to think of a quote about the brother that gets all the women?”
Beau grunted. “I can already tell you I don’t want to hear it.”
Star’s face went into a pout. “Oh, poor baby, you will have a bruise tomorrow.” She gently rubbed his shoulder. “Sorry, I don’t know my own strength.”
Ryan grinned at his brothers. “If you let them beat you up, they have to be nice to you.”
Beau watched Star rub Ryan’s shoulder. “What kinda crap is this?”
Star immediately glared at Beau. “You don’t say crap inside a local establishment where you want to look professional.”
Beau scoffed. “You’re not looking professional with your hands all over my brother.”
Star straightened and smoothed her button-down blouse into place. “You want professional, Beau Hardman?”
He lifted both hands. “I think I am owed professional.” He pointed to Sean. “I mean, we do have an officer of the law in here.”
Sean lifted his eyebrows and grinned, obviously amused by Beau’s antics. “It’s true, I demand proper respect at all times, and, let me tell you,” he said and pointed at them, “this looks like a total grab fest.” He stood to his full height. “I’m not on duty right now, but I may have to call it in.” He tugged at the scarf in Angela’s hair.
Angela jerked back. “You did not just touch the scarf.”
Star grinned. “Did you hear that? We’re getting called in.”
Angela joined in. “For being grabby.”
Charlotte laughed. “For a grab fest.”
All three of the girls burst out laughing.
Star cracked her knuckles. “Let’s show them what a grab fest is. On three.”
In practiced-like sync, Ryan, Beau, and Sean all backed toward the front of the store.
Charlotte joined her friends as they tried to circle the men.
Star stuck a finger into the air. “One, two . . .”
The boys obviously wanted to be caught because they decided to split into different directions around the store instead of going out the front door.
Charlotte made a beeline for Ryan. Star rushed at Beau. Angel went into ninja mode on Sean.
“Three!” Star yelled and a war-like yell ripped out of her mouth.
Charlotte and Angela joined in.
Instantly, all of the girls were punching or jumping on the men.
Charlotte jumped on Ryan’s back.
Ryan took off. He clamped his arms under her thighs. “I think we need a game of chicken.”
Star went to her full height. “We are grown women. We do not play chicken.”
Beau rolled his eyes. “Hop on, Star. Let’s whoop their butts.”
All pretenses crumbled, and Star put her hands onto Beau’s shoulders and hoisted herself up. “It’s on.”
Sean turned to Angela and shook his head remorsefully. “What do you say? You think we can take ‘em?”
Angela slacked her ninja pose. She whirled on the others and cackled, a very bad witch impersonation. “They don’t know that they are dealing with the witch of Hidden Falls.” She jumped onto his back.
Ryan headed for the back of the shop. “C’mon, we better take this outside.”
Charlotte knew how crazy this was. She was on Ryan’s back, like in high school. Worse. Probably like junior high. But, man, it felt good. She looked at Star on Beau’s back—her nice clothes and his dirty ones. Angela looked comical on Sean’s back. Angela was the smallest of the three ladies, and Sean was the tallest and biggest of the brothers. Charlotte couldn’t stop the crazy giggle that erupted out of her.
Ryan halted and turned his head to the side. “Did I just hear a giggle come out of you, Charlotte Montgomery Talon?”
Charlotte met Star and Angela’s eyes and giggled again.
Ryan snorted and pushed the door open. “You see, brothers, these women folk here don’t realize that chicken fighting is serious business.”
Beau rammed into Ryan’s shoulder with his shoulder. “Yeah, because losers take winners to dinner.”
Sean moved between them and pushed both of them in the shoulders. “And the two big brothers are now going to be humiliated by the little brother.”
Star and Angela were also giggling, and all of them giggled more when they looked at each other.
It was ridiculous. Simply ridiculous.
And awesome, fun, and magical.
Charlotte grabbed onto Ryan tighter. If sh
e were to be completely honest, he felt great to grab onto. Strong. Lean. Every part of him was tight.
The boys circled each other.
Star put up a hand. “Wait, this isn’t going to work.”
Beau jerked his head up. “Why?”
She smacked him on the head. “We can’t all fight each other.”
Beau’s eyes widened. “Star Haven, if you do that again, I’m going to put you on the ground.”
Star laughed and smacked him again.
Beau shook her by jumping up and down. “Woman!”
She grinned and held to him tighter. “You’re not one of your broncs.”
“Okay, we’ll do a race.” Angela called out. “When I throw my scarf that will be the sign to run.”
Beau repositioned Star on his back to get a tighter grip beneath her. “Uh, not gonna happen.”
“Why?” Angela protested.
“Because Sean will get the upper hand because he’ll see the scarf first.”
Charlotte collapsed into more giggles. All of the brothers looked stern, competition ready, like a chicken race really meant something.
Just then Charlotte’s mother pulled up in her black SUV. She always brought the fresh pastries over just before lunchtime. She got out of the car and gave them all an incredulous look. “What is this?”
“Hey, Mom.” Charlotte lifted her hands and shrugged. “We’re having a chicken race.” She dissolved into giggles with Angela and Star. Even the boys were grinning and trying not to laugh.
Beau nodded to her mother. “Sara, I’m glad you’re here. We can’t decide on how to start the thing off. Could you be the judge?”
Her mother evaluated Charlotte for a second. She cocked her head to the side as if to ask if this was okay.
Charlotte nodded. “C’mon, Mom, we need a beautiful woman to be the judge.”
Her mother immediately struck a pose, putting one hip out and bobbing her hand beneath her hair. She wore a deep red, autumn-colored dress. It made her white skin and black hair stand out. She grinned and put on her model voice. “Well, then it’s a good thing I arrived in time.”
