Читать книгу New Year, New Man: A Kiss on Crimson Ranch / The Dance Off / The Right Mr. Wrong - Элли Блейк, Ally Blake - Страница 15

Chapter Nine

Josh finished wiping down the last ATV and leaned back against the machine’s front tire. Massaging his fingers against his leg, he thought about how happy everyone had looked coming back from last night’s sunset ride.

The weather had been perfect for the past three days and his friends had taken full advantage, spending as much time as possible hiking, biking and fishing on the mountain. Yesterday afternoon, they’d ridden the four-wheelers up to the old mining town on the other side of the peak. He’d even convinced Claire to come along.

Things were exactly the way he’d pictured them for the summer. Except for watching Noah and Manny continue to flirt with Sara while Bryson made cow eyes at his daughter. That wasn’t part of the plan.

Neither was the way his knee throbbed after several days of constant action.

The door to the equipment barn squeaked. “Josh, are you in here?”

Josh straightened as Dave shuffled into the barn. “I’m just cleaning things up a bit.”

“That ride was killer today. The views from the top are definitely worth the price of admission.”

“Yep.” Josh rubbed the towel across the seat of one ATV. “Brandy seemed happy.”

Dave snorted. “She’s happy anytime I let her drive. That woman has the heaviest lead foot in history.”

“I’m glad it’s working out with the two of you.”

“Me, too.” His friend studied him. “Sara’s pretty great.”

“It’s business, Dave. Nothing more.”

“You don’t look at her like it’s business.”

Josh flipped the towel onto the workbench and turned. “She’s going to sell the house at the end of the summer and head back to L.A. If I can’t get the bank to finance me, there’s a decent chance all my work will have been for nothing.”

“Really?” Dave whistled under his breath. “She seems happy here. Not a Hollywood type. Have you thought about asking her to stay?”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re crazy about her.”

“That’ll pass.”

“How long have I known you, Josh? More than ten years, right? We started the circuit the same season. I remember how bad things got with Jen, how hard you tried to make it work.”

“Not hard enough.”

“Sara isn’t your ex-wife.”

“Thanks for the insight. But I’m making a life for Claire. One that will keep her safe and out of trouble.”

Dave’s eyes widened a fraction. “This is about your sister,” he whispered.

“Don’t go there.”

Dave ignored the warning in Josh’s voice. “You’d been gone three years when Beth died. The car accident was stupid and tragic but not your fault.”

“I should have been there for her,” Josh argued, shaking his head. “I knew how bad things were between my parents, what kind of hell that house was to live in every day. I could take out my anger in the ring, but she didn’t have that option. If I’d been around to help, maybe she wouldn’t have been drinking that night. Maybe she’d have been strong enough to not get in that car.”

“Not your fault,” Dave repeated.

“It doesn’t matter.” Josh opened the barn door, letting bright light flood the sawdust floor. He stepped into the warmth and took a deep breath. “I have a chance to make things right for Claire. I’m not going to blow it.”

“Part of Claire being happy is you being happy. Sara does that. Everyone can see it except you. Your daughter is a teenager. She needs a woman in her life who isn’t as messed up as her mother. You don’t have to do it alone.”

Josh let his eyes drift closed. He’d done things alone for so long he wasn’t sure if he knew another way. He saw how much Claire was drawn to Sara. More often than not he’d find her curled in the overstuffed chair in the office while Sara was on the computer.

At first he hadn’t wanted his daughter to have anything to do with Hollywood Barbie. As time went on, he could see Sara’s influence on Claire’s behavior in good ways. Claire seemed less sullen and moody. Hell, she’d even smiled at him a couple of times—a big improvement over the start of the summer. He’d felt the change, hard as it was to admit, in himself, as well. Something about Sara gave a lift to his heart. Her unflagging energy and upbeat spirit drew him out of the fog that had become a constant in his life since the accident.

Could it be something more? She said she was leaving at the end of the summer, but he knew she was happy on the ranch. She also said she didn’t do casual relationships. If he offered her something more, he might have a chance of changing her mind about the future.

Sara and Claire were leaving this morning to go shopping in Denver. He checked his watch and pulled off his work gloves, tossing them to Dave.

“Can you guys handle a day on your own?”

Dave nodded. “The plan was fishing, and Noah can get us to the best water.”

“Then do me a favor and close up the barn. I’ve got someplace I need to be.”

* * *

Sara stepped out of her cabin at the sound of a horn honking. Not more unannounced guests, she thought, then stopped at the sight of Josh’s enormous black truck idling in front of her.

Claire opened the door and scrambled into the backseat. “Dad’s coming with us,” she called over her shoulder. “He’s got his credit card. Woo-hoo!”

“Don’t get too crazy,” Josh told his daughter, then patted the seat next to him. “Are you ready?” he called to Sara.

To spend three hours next to him in the front seat? No way, no how.

“Sure.” She walked toward the truck. “What made you decide to spend your afternoon shopping?”

He looked at her through aviator glasses so dark she couldn’t see his eyes. “I have a couple of parts to pick up from a mechanic in north Denver. Thought we could stop by on the way to Cherry Creek.”

Sara’s stomach gave a lurch at the mention of the upscale shopping area. She was bound to be recognized, which had seemed bad enough with Claire, but to add Josh to the mix was almost too much. She had no control over the things complete strangers were willing to say to her, most of them embarrassing.

She hesitated, then hoisted herself into the truck. She could handle whatever came her way, she told herself. This summer was about taking back her power, and dealing with public attention was part of that.

She glanced in the backseat, where Claire had already popped in a pair of earbuds. She gave Sara a thumbs-up and returned to mouthing the lyrics of the song from her iPod.

Buckling her seat belt, Sara turned to Josh. “I think we’re set.”

He continued to watch her, then lowered his glasses to the tip of his nose. “You’re not wearing makeup again.”

He’d noticed. Damn. Sara had put her hair in a long braid and applied just a touch of mascara and gloss, hoping to blend in more with the other shoppers and avoid recognition. She forced a casual smile. “I am, just not as much. Thought I’d give my skin a rest. A little detox for the pores, you know. I think...”

Josh’s hand on her wrist stopped her nervous babble. “You look beautiful,” he said softly, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles.

“Oh” was all she could manage. She looked down at his fingers the way she might eye a rattlesnake on the trail. Without thinking, she snatched her hand away and dug through her purse for her own sunglasses.

He gave a deep chuckle and switched the truck into gear. “Is country music okay?”

“Fine.” Anything to fill the charged silence.

He swung onto the road and turned on the radio, drumming his fingers on the console in time with a song.

Sara kept her gaze focused on the scenery rolling by and soon lost herself in the beauty of the mountains. Driving in from California, she’d been so consumed with what she’d find that she’d given little thought to the jagged peaks that framed the interstate. Now she had time to take in the mountains that had been carved out to create this road through them. She thought about the hours of work it must have taken—the blood, sweat and tears of the men who built it. Her own life felt even more insignificant in comparison.

“It’s humbling, isn’t it?” Josh asked, as if reading her thoughts.

Sara blinked several times. “How did you know that’s what I was thinking about?”

He pointed toward the front window. “It’s hard not to, driving through here. The majesty of this place takes my breath away every time.”

Sara nodded. “That’s exactly right. It makes me feel so small. But in a good way. Like nature is protecting us with its very mass. The things that make me feel little in my life don’t seem to matter when I’m faced with this type of beauty.”

“I feel the same way,” Josh answered, his voice so soft she barely heard him.

Sara felt the warmth of his glance and squirmed a bit in the seat. What happened to his anger from before? Anger was clear-cut, no questions. Not like the feelings his kindness produced in her.

“Are the guys having a good time?” she asked, hoping for an easier subject.

He smiled. “The best. Everything you planned is perfect.”

A little zing tripped along her spine. “The questionnaire helps narrow down their interests. Your friends were easy. Anything loud, with lots of adrenaline.”

“When does the next group come in?”

“This weekend, only one day between them and your crew. It’s the family reunion. Age range from toddlers to the patriarch in his seventies.”

“The old man who wants to catch a trout with his great-grandson as part of his bucket list?” Josh laughed. “No pressure on me.”

“You have a gift for leading the groups, Josh. Everything will be fine.”

“I hope it’s enough to make it work.”

She sighed. “Me, too,” she answered, unsure if she was talking about the ranch or her life.

They talked easily the rest of the drive, about his life on the tour and the places he’d seen in his travels. The way he described them, those seconds in the ring reminded her of the way she felt the moment a director called, “Action,” the spotlight on her with adrenaline pumping. While a scene wasn’t life-or-death high stakes the way a ride on a thousand-pound animal could be, it had the same emotional letdown when it was over.

Talking to Josh made her remember how much she’d loved the actual acting part of her job if she could leave behind the baggage that crowded her life.

By the time they got to the shopping area, Sara felt relaxed. Claire’s excitement about the boutiques that lined the streets was contagious to the point that she’d almost forgotten her trepidation about a public outing.

Josh dropped them along the block that looked the most interesting to Claire and went to park. Sara followed Claire into a store and to a rack of colorful sundresses near the front.

“I love this,” Claire said on an excited breath, holding up a low-cut V-neck sundress with a deep back.

Sara stifled a laugh at what Josh would think of that choice. She thumbed through the dresses and pulled out two with a more modest neckline. “I think one of these would be perfect.”

Claire hesitated, then put the first dress back. “The blue one is pretty.”

Sara’s sigh of relief was interrupted by a voice behind her. “Let me know if I can be of any help,” a saleslady purred. “We’re having a great summer sale on all dresses in the store.”

Sara turned and met the woman’s critical gaze with a bright smile. “Thanks. Are the dressing rooms in the back?”

To her surprise, the woman returned her smile. “Yes. Can I take those dresses for you?”

“The blue one,” Sara answered, and released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Okay. That went well. One stranger down, dozens of others to go. She hated feeling so nervous and out of sorts, especially when Josh was along to watch her squirm.

Claire’s squealing caught her attention.

“This one,” the young girl said on a rapturous breath. Sara’s grin broadened at the soft pink fabric draped across Claire’s arm.

“It’s beautiful,” she agreed.

“What’s beautiful?” Josh asked at her shoulder.

“Dad, look at this dress. I love, love, love it.”

“Try it on then. Let’s see how it fits.”

Claire practically ran toward the dressing room. “Be right back,” she called over her shoulder.

“I don’t get women and shopping.”

Sara turned to Josh, who looked more than uncomfortable standing between racks of feminine clothes. He adjusted the bill of his baseball cap lower on his face.

Sara studied the color that crept up his neck. “Are you blushing?” she asked, and followed his gaze. “At a mannequin wearing a bra and panties?”

“I don’t blush,” he argued, adjusting his cap again. “And I like to see a real woman wearing a bra and panties.” His gaze raked her. “I’d like to see you in a bra and panties.” He paused, then added softly, “Or out of them.”

She swayed forward a fraction as her southern hemisphere revved to life. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one else had heard him, she pointed a finger at him. “You can’t say that here. Your daughter’s in the dressing room.”

“I know where she is, and I can say whatever I want.” His big shoulders shrugged. “I’ve got to think of something interesting to keep me going today. You need a distraction, too. You’re wound like a top.”

“I am not.” She followed his gaze and quickly let go of the wad of fabric bunched in her hand, placing the dress back on its hanger and smoothing her hand over it. “What happened to your attitude from the other night?”

A Cheshire grin spread across his face. “I got a better one.”

“I’m not sure this is any better. We agreed nothing will happen between us.”

“You agreed.” He took a step toward her, his hand brushing her bare arm. “I might buy you something to model later for me.”

Sara coughed and sputtered at his brazen words. “I don’t need you to buy me anything, and I’m not anyone’s model.”

Josh winked. “That’s more like it. I like you all full of spunk.”

“Okay, I’m ready,” Claire called from the back of the store.

Sara narrowed her eyes as Josh walked toward the dressing rooms but couldn’t quite stop herself from smiling.

He did that to her.

Their easy banter felt strangely right, and her whole body tingled at the message in his eyes when he looked at her. His attitude might be joking but his energy was intensely serious.

As she followed the sound of Claire’s voice, the saleslady grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a bathing suit display. “Just a minute,” she whispered, her head bobbing over the shelves to make sure they couldn’t be heard. “I need to ask you something.”

Here it comes, Sara thought, tension curling tight in her chest once again.

“Is that Josh Travers?” the woman asked, her eyes bright with expectation. “Are you with the Josh Travers?”

Sara blinked and looked over her shoulder. He had to have put the woman up to this. “The Josh Travers?”

The saleslady nodded. “He’s the retired PBR champ, right?”

Sara racked her brain. “Professional Bull Riders,” she said, almost to herself. “Yep, that’s him.”

“I knew it.” The woman patted her chest. “He’s even hotter in person than on TV.”

Sara felt her jaw drop. “Are you for real?”

“Ever since they put the tour on cable, my husband’s been addicted. He grew up down in Calhan, so even though we’re in the big city he’s a cowboy at heart. He likes me to watch, too—makes him feel like I get him.”

She leaned closer and squeezed Sara’s arm. “Let me tell you, it’s no chore sitting on the couch watching those gorgeous boys do their thing. Josh Travers was the best of the best. It does my heart good to see him getting around, looking so happy and in love.”

Sara’s mouth dropped farther. “In love? Oh, no. We work together. We’re here with his daughter.”

“Whatever you say,” the saleswoman said with a knowing smile. “You look like a nice girl.”

“Sara, where are you?” Claire’s voice came from the back of the store.

“Let’s see how that young lady did with her choices.” The saleswoman pulled a stunned Sara toward the dressing room. All that worry and someone recognized her as Josh’s girlfriend?

Unbelievable.

The rest of the afternoon was just as surreal. Sara noticed several people staring and a few pointing at her as they meandered up the tree-lined streets. Each time it happened, Josh gave her hand a gentle squeeze, told a bad joke or generally teased her to distraction.

Claire did her best to put a generous dent into Josh’s credit balance, growing happier with each store they entered. Sara felt the same way but for a different reason. Away from the looming tension about the fate of the ranch, she and Josh relaxed into an easy camaraderie that made hope bubble in Sara. She hadn’t felt the sensation in years: the possibility of a normal life.

She floated along on that feeling until they stopped for dinner at a quaint bistro at the edge of the shopping district.

The young man at the host desk informed them that without a reservation, the wait for a table would be over an hour. Claire gave a sigh of disappointment, as the cozy restaurant had been her first choice.

As Sara turned to scan the street for nearby options, a gray-haired woman approached her from the sidewalk. “Are you Serena Wellens? The one who used to be a movie star?”

Sara sucked in a breath, unused to hearing her failure phrased quite that way. She forced a smile. “I guess you could say I used to be Serena Wellens. And yes, I was an actress. I go by Sara now.”

She waited for the criticism to come—as it always did. It was human nature, Sara thought. People loved to sit in judgment of others’ lives. The explosion of the internet and media outlets made it easy to feel like you had insight into someone else’s business, no matter how untrue so much of what was published could be.

Josh’s warm hand pressed against the small of her back, reminding her to take a calming breath. “Is everything okay here?” he asked.

Claire came to stand beside her, grabbing hold of Sara’s hand. “Let’s find another place,” she said, and gave Sara a small tug.

Sara glanced at Claire and leaned against Josh ever so slightly. He and Claire have my back, she thought. They literally have my back. One thing about being in L.A. that she’d hated was the feeling of being alone against the world, as though she had no one but herself to depend on. She’d never been her own best defense. April had been there, but in the past few years had gone through so many of her own troubles, Sara hadn’t wanted to be a burden with her own insignificant worries.

Still she stood transfixed by the stranger in front of her, like a deer in headlights. “We should go,” she whispered.

“Wait.” The woman took a step forward and Josh moved even closer. “I have to thank you first. My daughter, she’s in college now, but when she was younger her father and I got divorced. It was messy and she was caught in the cross fire.”

“I’m sorry,” Sara responded automatically.

“Jessica, that’s my daughter, closed off emotionally. She’d barely even look at me. But she loved your show. So every week we’d watch together. It was the only time she’d let me sit next to her. We’d talk during commercials. I swear Just the Two of Us saved our relationship.” The woman dabbed at her eyes. “I’m sure that sounds stupid to you but it’s the truth.”

Sara reached out and took the woman’s hand. “It doesn’t sound stupid. I’m flattered that you told me.”

“So thank you. We’ve been following Amanda’s career since the show ended. Not hard since she’s everywhere these days.”

“She’s had an amazing career,” Sara agreed woodenly.

“When are you going to make your comeback? You were a much better actress than she was on the show. I’m sure that hasn’t changed.”

“My life has gone in a different direction.”

The woman let out a bark of laughter. “I read the tabloids but I don’t believe half of it. It’ll happen when you’re ready. You have a natural gift. Always have.”

Emotions clogged Sara’s throat. “Thank you again,” she whispered.

The maître d’ from the restaurant peeked around Josh. “Ms. Wellens?” he asked. “The manager has found a table for you.”

“I’ll let you get on with your evening,” the woman said, and with a last squeeze of Sara’s arm, scuttled down the sidewalk.

Sara met Josh’s questioning gaze. “That was different, even for me,” she said, trying to make her tone casual.

He gave her a knowing nod. “Looks like Serena got us a table.”

“She’s good for something, at least.”