Читать книгу Fool's Gold Collection Volume 3: Almost Summer / Summer Days / Summer Nights / All Summer Long - Сьюзен Мэллери - Страница 23

CHAPTER FIVE

“YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE to do this,” Heidi protested as they walked into the barn.

“I know my way around a horse.”

“You’re a guy who probably wears a five-thousand-dollar suit.”

“You’re forgetting, I grew up here. Besides, I want to check out my mother’s land.”

He walked toward the corral where Mason and Kermit were lounging in the sun. Rafe gave a piercing whistle that had both horses turning toward him.

Heidi told herself not to be impressed. Except the horses moved toward him, as if drawn by a force she couldn’t see. Rafe stepped into the corral.

“Where do you want them?”

“In the barn.”

He guided the horses easily. She let him lead the way, her gaze lingering on the butt Charlie had mentioned. She had to admit it was nice. Athletic rather than flat. Okay, sure, Rafe was a good-looking guy, but a coral snake was beautiful and still deadly.

Once inside, they set to work. Rafe might have a job in San Francisco in a high-rise, yet he hadn’t forgotten how to saddle a horse. After using a brush to clean off Mason’s back, he set the pad in place with practiced ease. She worked on Kermit, the smaller of the two horses, huffing only a little as she gently set the saddle on Kermit’s back.

Bridles were next. Both Mason and Kermit were calm horses, taking the bit without trying to spit it out. From the corner of her eye, she saw Rafe making one last check to make sure everything was fastened securely, but not too tight, and that there weren’t any wrinkles or spots that would rub. They led the horses outside.

There was a mounting block on the far side of the barn. As both Mason and Kermit were good-size horses, she turned in that direction, but Rafe stopped her.

“I’ll give you a hand up.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know I don’t.”

He draped Mason’s reins over a post, then walked toward her. He waited until she’d taken the reins in her left hand and grabbed the saddle. Then he laced his fingers together.

She stepped onto his hand. Despite the fact that they weren’t touching anywhere, the act felt oddly intimate. She told herself he was just being polite. That his mother had trained him well. Still, she felt flustered as he counted to three, then lifted her toward the saddle.

She swung her leg over Kermit and settled lightly into place.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He continued to look at her. “You’re a little touchy.”

“You’ve threatened me and my home more than once. I think being cautious shows wisdom.”

“I’m protecting what’s mine.”

“So am I.” Which meant what? That they had something in common? “This would be a lot easier if we could get along.”

His mouth curved into a slow, sexy smile. “I don’t do easy.”

“I’m not surprised.”

He chuckled, then walked over to Mason. Rafe settled in the saddle, and they moved away from the barn.

“You have a route you usually take?” he asked.

She adjusted her hat, trying not to notice that, for a guy who drove a Mercedes, Rafe looked pretty comfortable on his horse.

“Uh-huh. It’s a big circle that takes us over most of the land.”

“Good.”

Right. Because he wanted to claim what he considered his. “You’re not going to start peeing on trees to mark everything, are you?”

He laughed. “Maybe when we know each other better.”

He was joking. Unfortunately, his words made her remember her friends’ suggestion from the previous evening. That seducing Rafe was the answer to her problems.

She glanced at him, taking in the straight back and broad shoulders. Was he the kind of lover who took his time and made sure everyone enjoyed the event, or was he selfish in bed? She’d known both kinds of guys, more of the latter than the former.

Not that it mattered, she reminded herself. Sleeping with Rafe would be stupid.

“Is the fence line like this everywhere?” he asked, pointing to the broken or missing posts, the downed line.

“Some of it is in better shape, but only for small sections. What was it like when you lived here before?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Things were in better shape. Old man Castle might have paid his employees shit, but he cared about the ranch.”

She heard a trace of bitterness in his voice, and knew he had cause to resent what his family had gone through. But she still had trouble reconciling the vision of a hungry little boy with the successful man riding next to her.

“He kept a lot of cattle,” she said, watching the dark, moving shapes in the distance. “They’re everywhere and very wild.”

Rafe glanced at her. “Wild?”

“You know. Feral.”

He laughed again. “Been attacked by a few feral cows, have you?”

“No, but I stay clear of them. They make trouble with the goats. I swear, they come in the night and show Athena how to break out.”

“You’re giving them way more credit than they deserve.”

“I don’t think so.” While he was in such a good mood, even if it was at her expense, she risked a potentially dangerous question. “What does your mom want to do with the ranch?”

“I have no idea. I’d say restore it to its former glory, but it never had much of any. She has an emotional connection to this place. She wants to make it…better. She’s talking about fence lines and fixing up the barn.”

“Does she want to run cattle?”

“I don’t think so.”

“You could ask.”

“Then I’d know, and with my mother, that’s not always a good thing.”

“Not knowing is the reason you’re here now. How come you signed the contract?”

He shook his head. “A few years ago, one of my mom’s friends died unexpectedly. Her affairs weren’t in order and that made a mess for her kids. My mother decided that wasn’t going to happen and made sure she was fully prepared for her eventual passing.”

“That’s both considerate and a little creepy. She’s not that old.”

“I know, but once she gets her mind set on something, she can’t be budged.”

“Oh, so you inherited that from her.” Heidi winced, wishing she could remember to think before she spoke.

“Are you saying I’m stubborn?”

“Pretty much.”

The sun was high in the sky. The temperature was in the mid-sixties and there were no clouds to be seen. Some of the trees were budding, others had pale pink and creamy-white flowers all along the branches. She could hear birds, and if she ignored the wild cattle off in the distance, the moment would be about perfect.

“Part of her plan to get things in order involved me,” Rafe said after a few minutes. “I have to cosign every financial transaction she makes. She uses an online bill-pay, so I’m not involved in those, but every other check or document with a signature comes to me first. It adds up.”

“So, that’s how come you didn’t read the contract to buy the ranch.”

“Yeah. It’s my own fault.”

“Glen’s not a bad man.”

“No one said he is.”

“You implied it.”

“He did steal two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”

“But it was for a good reason. To help a friend.”

Rafe stared at her. She met his dark gaze and sighed.

“Your point is, stealing is stealing and trying to justify it doesn’t change the act itself. He was wrong.”

“Something like that,” Rafe admitted. “Glen may not be evil, but he’s not big on consequences.”

Heidi wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Rafe was right about her grandfather. Glen skated through life using his charm to get him out of most of the world’s unpleasantness.

“I don’t suppose it would help to say I’m sure he’s sorry.”

“No.”

They rode in silence for a few minutes. She tried to work up a good indignation or some old-fashioned annoyance, but couldn’t. Sure, Rafe threatened her and her home, and she would do anything she could to stop him from tossing her out, but there was a part of her that understood.

Glen had defrauded an innocent woman, and there was no way to make that okay.

“He took me in,” she said, keeping her gaze on the beautiful, untamed land around them. They were riding east, with the mountains in front of them. Snow was still visible. The snow line would move higher throughout the summer, but it would never completely disappear. The Sierras were too high for that.

“He told us that, but it’s not going to change my mind about him.”

She sighed. “I’m pointing out that he’s not a bad man. And why I’m not furious with him. I’m frustrated, but I know he’s basically a good person. My parents died when I was three. I don’t remember much about them. I’d only met Glen a couple of times, so he was a stranger to me. But he didn’t even hesitate to become my caretaker.”

“What did he do?”

“He was a carny. Working for a carnival. It comes through here every year, which is how I knew about Fool’s Gold.”

“I don’t know much about carnival life,” he admitted.

“It’s a unique world. Transient and insular at the same time. We’re always in a new place, so we find a sense of home with the people we work with.”

“How did you go to school?”

“There were a few kids around, so different adults took on various subjects. Glen taught math.”

“That had to have been interesting.”

“He was actually pretty good. My friend Melinda aced the SATs and got into a great college.” Heidi hadn’t been interested in getting a degree, but she and Melinda had still stayed close. If only she’d gone to college with her, maybe everything would have been different.

She told herself not to think about that now. That she couldn’t afford to be distracted around Rafe. Not if she wanted to hold her own.

She turned her attention to the man. He rode easily, looking as if he spent daily time in the saddle.

“You weren’t kidding about having grown up on a ranch,” she admitted.

He patted Mason’s neck. “It’s coming back to me. Maybe being here won’t be so bad, this time around.”

“Or you could, you know, leave.”

His dark gaze settled on her face. “Not likely.”

“You can’t blame a girl for trying.”

“I can but I won’t.” He straightened. “It’s unfortunate we both want the same thing.”

She nodded. “Home and a place to belong.”

“I was thinking more of the land.”

“One means the other. At least to me. That’s all I wanted. Somewhere to settle, a place for Glen and me. And the goats.”

“You’re not going to get rich raising goats.”

“I never needed to be rich. Until now.”

* * *

AFTER LUNCH, RAFE WENT into town. While he’d been out riding with Heidi, his mother had thoughtfully put together a list of projects she would like to see him take care of over the next few weeks. When he’d pointed out he still had a business to run, she’d actually patted him on the head and said he would figure out a way to get both done.

He loved his mother. He really did. But there were days, and this was one of them, when he would cheerfully walk away from his entire family and never have anything to do with them again.

He parked by the lumber supply yard, but instead of going inside the small office, he headed for the center of town. Stiff muscles protested the walking. As his ride with Heidi had only been an hour at best, he was going to have to step up his workouts when he got back to San Francisco. Weight training and miles on a treadmill didn’t prepare a man for life on a ranch, and according to his mother, he was going to be here for a while.

Despite how much he didn’t want to be anywhere near Fool’s Gold, he’d found himself enjoying being on a horse again. Riding in the sunlight, surveying relatively untamed land, had been kind of nice. Either the pleasure was primal, or he’d been watching too many Westerns.

He ducked into a Starbucks and bought a drip coffee and a scone. As he stepped outside, he had the thought that he should have brought Heidi along with him. She would have—

He paused in midgulp of the hot coffee, then nearly choked. Brought Heidi? Into town? What? So he could make friends with her? She wasn’t a friend, she was trouble. All sweet and pretty, with those damn, big green eyes. Yesterday he’d nearly bought into her innocent act. Sure, maybe she hadn’t known what Glen was doing, but he still couldn’t trust her. Or her goats.

He ate the scone and tossed the paper bag into a nearby trash can. He wasn’t going to think about Heidi. Not how good she’d looked on the horse, or how she’d smelled like vanilla and flowers when he’d given her a hand up to the saddle. Not the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled, or how he’d been aware of her body moving with each step of the horse. Nope, not him. Not the least bit aware. She was someone in his way—nothing more.

He turned to walk back to the lumber supply yard when an older woman came toward him. She was well dressed, wearing a dark blue suit and pearls. Her white hair was carefully styled in that poufy bubble old ladies seemed to like.

When she smiled at him, he came to a stop.

“Rafe Stryker.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m Mayor Marsha Tilson.”

The combination of her name and the steady gaze of her blue eyes triggered a memory. Rafe frowned. “You’re the lady who gave me the bike.” She was also part of the group that had regularly delivered food and clothing to his mother, but as a kid, the bike had been more significant.

Her smile widened. “Yes. I’m delighted you remember.”

“You were kind to us. Thank you.”

The words were tough to get out. Even after all this time, he didn’t like to recall the past—when he’d gone hungry and his mother had cried all the time.

“You were an impressive little boy,” the mayor told him. “So determined to take care of your family. So proud. You made sure your brothers and sister didn’t have to worry.”

He cleared his throat, not sure how to respond to her statements. “I did what had to be done.”

“You were nine or ten. Far too young to be shouldering life’s responsibilities. Now, I understand, you’re a successful businessman.”

He nodded.

“Fool’s Gold needs men like you.”

“I’m not here to stay. I’m helping out my mother.”

The mayor’s eyes twinkled. “Maybe we can change your mind. We have a very progressive business climate here. In fact, there’s a new casino and hotel going in right outside of town. The Lucky Lady.”

That caught his attention. “I hadn’t heard.”

“You should take a look at what they’re doing. The developer is Janack Construction.”

“I’ve heard of them,” Rafe admitted. Janack was multinational. They took on massive projects, like suspension bridges in developing countries and high-rises in China. If they were building something here, it was significant.

“I appreciate the information,” he told her.

“You could fit right in here, Rafe.”

Unlikely, but rather than say that, he wished her a good day and hurried to the lumber store.

He stepped around the side of the building and pulled out his phone. He dialed a familiar number.

“Jefferson,” his friend Dante barked.

“Having a bad day?”

“Rafe.” Dante chuckled. “No. I was expecting another lawyer to be calling me. You know, it’s all about attitude. What’s going on? Convince your mother to come back to life in the big city?”

“Like that’s going to happen.”

“She’s a determined woman.”

“Tell me about it. And while you’re at it, tell me what you know about a hotel casino project called the Lucky Lady.”

He waited while Dante typed on his computer. There was a second of silence, followed by a low whistle. “Impressive.” He read off the statistics, how many rooms, number of acres, the approximate cost of the project. “Janack Construction has this sewn up. We can’t get in on it.”

“We don’t have to.” He thought about his mother’s

ranch and the thousands of acres with nothing on them. “Maybe my time here isn’t a complete waste. That hotel and casino is going to need employees. There can’t be enough housing in Fool’s Gold, which means a potential opportunity for us.”

“I’ll put somebody on the preliminaries,” Dante told him. “Find out zoning restrictions, if anyone else has been getting permits, that sort of thing. You know.…” Dante paused. “You could use this to help with the judge.”

“How?”

“Your mom wants you to fix up the ranch. I say go for it. Putting money into the house and the land might give you a stronger case. Even if the judge rules against you, you can appeal. With that casino and hotel going in, you’ve got even more reason you want to win.”

Potentially several million in profit, Rafe thought. Money always worked for him.

“If you get involved in the community, you’ll look good to the judge,” Rafe added.

“I’m not getting involved.”

“It wouldn’t kill you.”

“It might,” Rafe said. “We have to win this case, Dante. I’m not going to be defeated by a woman who raises goats.”

“She’s pretty enough.”

“I’m unmoved.”

“Maybe I’m moved enough for both of us.”

Rafe laughed. “She’s not your type.”

Dante preferred his women well dressed, sophisticated and easy. Heidi might have a string of excellent qualities, but none of them matched Dante’s interests.

“Keeping her for yourself?” his friend asked. “Should I be worried?”

“That I’m going to fall for goat girl and go soft?”

“Okay. When you put it like that… I’ll get you a report on the potential for your mom’s land by the end of the day.”

“Thanks.”

Rafe hung up and went inside the lumber store. He was approached by an old guy wearing an apron and a name tag that said Frank.

“How can I help you?” the man asked.

“I need about ten miles of fence line and to repair an old barn.” He pulled out of his shirt pocket a list of supplies he’d made and handed it over. Since learning about the Lucky Lady, he was more enthused about his mother’s projects. “You know anybody looking for a few days’ work?”

Frank scanned the list, then gave a low whistle. “You’re serious. Okay, then, let’s get your supplies ordered. As for guys to help, the best place to get them is through Ethan Hendrix. He owns the biggest home construction firm in town. Also the most reliable and experienced. Hendrix Construction. I have a card up front.”

Rafe followed the man, ducking around a teenager with two-by-fours on his shoulder. Interesting that Ethan Hendrix had been recommended. Rafe remembered the name and the kid who’d gone with it. Rafe and Ethan had been friends, along with another kid. Josh Golden. He knew that the latter, the former professional cyclist and Tour de France winner had settled in Fool’s Gold, but he hadn’t realized that Ethan was still here.

Frank took him out into the lumber yard and pointed out the various options for the fencing. Rafe made his decision, then picked lumber for the barn. Frank showed him the small selection of roofing material they kept on hand, and made sure they had plenty of what Rafe needed. Just as they were wrapping up their conversation, two massive construction trucks backed into the yard, sending men scattering.

“Those guys mean business,” Rafe said once he and Frank were inside. Big trucks meant big projects. “Are they here for the casino and hotel construction?”

“You’ve heard about that?”

“Yes.”

Frank grinned. “Lucky for us, the contractor believes in buying local. They’re employing lots of people, too. You looking for a job?”

Rafe shook his head. “No. Just curious.”

He paid for the lumber and other supplies and arranged for them to be delivered in two days. When he returned to his car, he pulled out his cell and made a quick check of his email. There was a note from Nina Blanchard. He scanned it, then dialed her number.

He was put through immediately.

“Rafe,” Nina purred.

Purred was not a word that would come to his mind under most circumstances, but there was no other way to think of the smooth tone of her voice.

“Nina.”

“You’re being elusive. Can you guess it’s not my favorite characteristic in a client? All your rather formidable assistant would say was that you were out of town.”

“She’s right. I’m in Fool’s Gold. Do you know it?”

“I’ve been a few times. They have charming festivals.”

“So I’ve been told. I’m here on a family matter, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back in San Francisco. We’ll have to table our plans until then.”

“Don’t be silly. If you can’t come to the ladies, then they’ll come to you.”

He glanced at the lumber yard. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not? You’ll be in neutral territory. If they won’t make the drive, they’re not worth the trouble, right? You’ve hired me to find you the perfect wife. I take that responsibility very seriously.”

“Fine. If one of the candidates wants to come here, I’ll meet her.”

“Thank you. Now, let me get you some names and we’ll take it from there.”

“Sure.”

He hung up, knowing he should probably be more enthused than he was about the whole idea of getting married. Honestly, if he didn’t want kids, he wouldn’t bother with a permanent relationship. But he couldn’t seem to shake the traditional idea of a mother and a father when it came to children. He’d watched his mother struggle after his dad had died.

He had a feeling that his idea of perfect and Nina’s might not be the same. He’d done his best to explain he wasn’t looking for love. He’d tried that once and it had blown up in his face. This time, he was going to be realistic. Find someone he could be friends with, someone he would enjoy sleeping with, and with whom he could imagine raising children. Nothing else was

required. Love was a myth, and he was too old to

believe in fairy tales.

* * *

HEIDI RELEASED ATHENA back into the goat corral, then stripped off her gloves. Three very fat, very sassy cats gazed at her expectantly.

“Where did you come from?” she asked, even as she poured fresh, still-warm goat milk into an old pie pan and set it on the wooden floor of the goat house.

The first of the cats had shown up about a month after the goats had arrived. Heidi had been milking, minding her own business, only to be startled by a very demanding meow. Foolishly she’d given the black-and-white cat a taste of goat milk. From then on, the cat had shown up exactly at milking time, every day. Eventually it had been joined by a tabby and an all-gray cat with a pushed-in kind of face.

The cats waited until she put the pie dish on the floor, then began lapping the milk.

Their coats were in great shape and they were obviously well fed. They must live around here, but where? And how had they learned to tell time? She only milked once a day, and the cats always arrived a few minutes early, then waited patiently until she was finished.

She supposed she could simply stop giving them milk. After all, she wasn’t much of a cat person. But there was something compelling about the way they stared at her, as if their feline minds should have the ability to direct her actions.

Still chuckling at the thought of cat mind-control, she carried the fresh milk toward the house. She was halfway across the yard when she realized that an SUV and a Mercedes were in the yard. Vehicles she recognized. Rafe and May had dropped by early.

It had been two days since their last visit—when she’d gone riding with Rafe and had found herself oddly attracted to the one person who was out to get her. Chemistry, she thought as she walked into the house. It could make a fool of you every time.

“Good morning,” she said, setting the clean metal buckets on the counter.

May sat at the table with Glen, a box of pastries between them. Rafe leaned against the counter. While his mother was all smiles and hellos, Rafe regarded her with an unreadable expression.

“Oh, you were milking. I’d like to see that,” May said. “Do you think I could learn how to do it?”

“Sure. It’s not that hard. The main rule is to keep everything clean and sanitary. A challenge when it comes to goats.”

“You sell raw milk?” Rafe asked, his tone very similar to the one a person would use to ask if the entrée contained poop.

“Every day.”

“So many people see the benefits of organic goat’s milk,” May said with an enthusiastic smile. “Oh, Rafe, this is going to be so fun.”

This? This, as in…

Rafe turned to Heidi. “My mother has decided she would prefer to stay here, rather than at the hotel. If it’s all right with you, of course.”

The latter was added simply to be polite. Heidi got that. May’s decision to “work things out” was the only reason Glen wasn’t currently in jail. Until the judge ruled, it made sense to play nice. But May living here and—

Heidi felt her mouth drop open. Rafe raised an eyebrow and nodded imperceptibly.

“Yes, I’ll be joining her.”

Because he wasn’t leaving until the case was settled, and a guy like that wouldn’t let his mother come live on the ranch by herself.

This couldn’t be happening. Both of them at the house? May wasn’t a problem, but Rafe?

She wanted to say the place wasn’t big enough, but there were six bedrooms and a bathroom on each floor. Something May and Rafe would know, having lived here before.

“You know we haven’t had the chance to remodel anything,” Heidi said weakly. “The bathrooms are pretty ancient, and the beds are worn and not very comfortable.”

“It will be perfect,” May assured her.

Heidi glanced at her grandfather, but Glen was busy stirring his coffee. She had a bad feeling that the issue had been discussed while she was out with the goats and Glen had agreed without any protest.

“I hope you don’t mind,” May continued, “but Rafe and I have taken the liberty of picking out our rooms. I’m going to stay downstairs.”

Heidi glared at her grandfather. Glen was downstairs. No doubt he was pleased by the arrangement, but if he thought sleeping with May was a good idea, he was beyond wrong. Heidi was going to have to figure out a way to talk some sense into him.

“Which makes us roommates,” Rafe murmured. “All right. Housemates.”

Heidi swung her gaze to his and wanted to stomp her foot at the amusement she saw lurking in his brown irises. Oh, sure. He thought this was funny.

“You know there’s only one bathroom upstairs,” she said.

“I can share.”

“Fine. Of course, you’re welcome to stay here.” She would get through this, figure out a way to pay back the money owed and get on with her life. In a year or two, what was happening right now would be little more than a funny story to share with her friends.

“Let’s get your things out of the car,” Glen said, rising to his feet.

Heidi let him go without saying anything. She would corner her grandfather later and remind him why he had to act like a perfect gentleman around May. No seduction allowed.

She walked to the pantry and picked up several sterilized glass one-quart milk bottles. Rafe walked with her, grabbing four and following her back to the kitchen.

“I went upstairs,” he told her.

“I’m not even surprised. Did you happen to go through my underwear drawer while you were there?”

“No. Did you want me to?”

She ignored that, and him. After setting a stainless steel funnel into the first bottle, she raised the bucket and began to pour.

“You’re in my old room.”

It was a testament to her upper-body strength that the flow from the bucket barely wavered.

“Do you want it back?”

“No, you keep it. I took the one next door.” He walked toward the back door, then paused. “I hope you don’t snore.”

* * *

GLEN DID A GREAT JOB of avoiding his granddaughter, but Heidi tracked him down shortly before dinner. It took her standing outside the bathroom while he showered and shaved. She listened to the familiar old songs he hummed as he worked. They reminded her of when she was a little girl and had been frightened of the thunderstorms that rolled across the plains states. Glen had always held her tight during the storms, humming music popular a generation before she was born.

She enjoyed the memories, but refused to let them sway her. They were in a lot of trouble, and Glen had the power to make their situation much worse.

He opened the bathroom door, saw her and paused.

“Heidi!” His voice was falsely cheerful. “What can I do you for?”

She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward his bedroom. When they were safely inside, she closed the door behind him and planted her hands on her hips.

“Stay away from May.”

His eyes widened in exaggerated innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do, Glen. I’ve seen how you look at her. I’ve watched the flirting. You like her, which is great, but this time the answer is no.”

His back stiffened. “You’re my granddaughter. That’s not for you to say.”

“It is for me to say,” she told him. “If you hurt May, we’ll lose everything for sure.”

“I would never hurt her.”

Heidi sighed. “Yes, you would. You know how you are, Glen. Getting women has never been the problem. It’s keeping them that you’re not so crazy about. You walk away and the woman is crushed. If you do that to May, she’ll take the ranch.”

Her grandfather nodded slowly. “You’re right. I’ll be careful.”

She studied him, not sure if he was saying what she wanted to hear, or if he meant what he was saying. “You promise?”

He kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess, Heidi. I won’t do anything to make it worse.”