A Ranch Between Them, page 19
Nick dragged his feet back in and leaned his elbows on the table. “I’m not trying to push you. I’m just telling you that in case you might still have an...interest...I won’t punch you in the face.”
“Would you have back in the day?”
Nick shook his head. “But you ran a little too fast for Katie. I wouldn’t have been happy if you hooked up.”
“I was afraid that I’d make her suffer like my mom had suffered because of my dad.” Because of the stupid things he kept doing. Racing his truck too fast, spending his money too easily. Riding broncs instead of going to school.
“And now?”
Brady studied the table for a second. “Still a concern, but for a different reason.”
“Katie’s tough. And she’s older. For the record, if you guys try and fail, it won’t affect our friendship.”
Brady didn’t fully buy that. How could it not affect their friendship? And the thought of trying and failing...no. He couldn’t handle it.
“One last thing,” Nick said, suddenly serious. “Life is short. If you want to present a perfect life and a perfect—I don’t know...you?—to Katie, you may never get the chance.”
What could he say to that? His friend knew firsthand how quickly life could change. He’d lost his wife. Brady reached for his beer. “I’ve got things to deal with before I start pursuing interests. I’m in a pretty rotten state economically.”
Nick merely raised his eyebrows in a speaking way.
Life is short. Yeah. I got that.
He glanced over at Katie, who was laughing at something her friend had just said, and felt a sharp stab of jealousy. The big question was, what was he going to do about it?
And a bigger question was, what was he going to do about Mellie Taylor, who’d come back into the bar without her beau and was now heading directly toward him?
He looked at Nick, who gave his head a slight shake, then focused back on Mellie, who was approaching like a cat on the prowl. And he, it seemed, was her prey.
* * *
KATIE HADN’T SEEN Mellie Taylor return to the pub, but when she glanced toward her table, she was shocked to see Mellie sitting in her chair.
Katie tamped down her territorial instincts and forced her attention back to Drew and his uncle, who seemed interested in her business, and who also had contacts with lending institutions. Katie talked for a few more minutes and promised to contact him if she hit a wall in her search for a business loan, then wished everyone a happy holiday. Drew offered her a drink, but she smiled and asked for a rain check. She had business to attend to back at her table.
As she approached her table, she heard Brady say, “Nick is too much of a gentleman to mention this, but I think your family needs to practice being better neighbors to Gloria and Rosalie.”
Mellie’s back snapped straight. Nick rolled his eyes—he always had been the most tactful of the three of them when in the heat of battle, never saying anything he might have to unsay later—but Brady showed no sign of backing down. He leaned on the table, looking Mellie in the face. “You guys are gaining a reputation for acting like jerks. Do you really want that kind of reputation when you’re in the hospitality industry?”
Mellie opened her mouth. Closed it again. Glared first at Brady, then Nick.
“He has a point,” Nick said matter-of-factly. “Social media can be a bitch.”
“My family has not done one thing that they didn’t have a legal right to do,” Mellie said with a sputter.
“True. But really? Depriving an old lady of her very cute pet goat? Stealing her antique fence? That doesn’t play well at all.”
“Don’t you threaten me.”
Brady lifted his hands. “I’m not threatening. I’m pointing out the pitfalls of acting in a less than neighborly way when you’re building a business.” Nick gave another nod and Mellie pushed her chair back, practically running over Katie’s foot.
“Hi, Mellie,” Katie said in pleasant tone.
Mellie let out a low breath and edged her way past Katie without a word.
“I don’t know if you just did a good thing or a bad thing,” Nick said conversationally as he watched Mellie’s pale pink cashmere sweater and the back side of her distressed jeans disappear around the room divider.
“A good thing.” Katie jerked her head toward the exit. “I’d like a word, Brady.”
Brady scraped his chair back, a mystified look on his face that Katie ignored as she led the way out the rear entrance. The door had barely closed behind them when she slid her hands up around Brady’s neck and pulled his lips down to hers.
“What’s that for?” he asked against her mouth.
“That’s a thank-you for defending my family,” she murmured before giving him another kiss. “And that is an acknowledgment of the truth.”
“What truth?”
She gave him a look. “I think you know what truth.” His hands were on her waist and his forehead was resting on hers. They were so close that their breath mingled and neither made the slightest effort to move back.
“Yeah,” he said in a low voice, his fingers tightening on her waist. “I know what truth.”
“I was jealous tonight, and I’m never jealous.”
“Guess that makes two of us.”
“Glad I’m not alone in that.” Her expression grew more serious as she met his gaze. “I know you’re concerned about the mistakes you’ve made, and where you are in life, but, Brady, I don’t care. I’m not negating the challenges you face, but they aren’t deal breakers. The important thing is that you are facing those challenges dead-on and you have a plan for the future.”
He let out a breath and Katie’s stomach tightened as she waited for his response.
“You’re telling me to stop fixating on the past.”
“You think?” Katie asked softly.
“Yeah,” he said. “I think.”
“Going to do better in the future?” she asked in a mock-stern voice.
He fought the smile, but it broke through as he brought his hands up to frame her face. “I’ll work on it.” He dropped a kiss onto her lips, sealing the deal. “Funny thing. After I kissed you that first time and you told me not to think too hard, all I’ve been doing is thinking too hard. It hasn’t solved a thing.”
“What’s that tell you?”
“That maybe I’ve been looking at this all wrong.”
Her arms tightened around his neck as she kissed him. “Bingo.”
* * *
“WE ARE NOT using a hot dog as a nose.” Katie set her hands on her hips as she gave Brady an are-you-for-real look.
“If you don’t have carrots, and I don’t have carrots, I don’t know what else to use for a snowman nose.”
And it was a fine snowman. The first one he’d built in over a decade and he discovered that snowman making was a lot of fun when bourbon-laced hot chocolate was involved.
Nick was due back in two days with his little girls and Katie wanted to greet them with a snowman since her nieces had never seen snow, so she’d bribed him with alcohol and here he was adding finishing touches to beakless Frosty. Not that he needed a bribe. He’d taken his promise to let go of the past seriously, doing his best to enjoy every second he had with Katie.
He looked around the snow-covered yard, seeking inspiration. They’d used smooth cobbles they’d found below the rain gutter spouts for buttons, eyes and mouth. Katie had found an old stocking hat for the head and Brady had donated a battered wild rag for the neck. All the snowman was missing was the nose—without it, due to the shape of his head, he closely resembled the character that couldn’t be named in the Harry Potter stories, and that, they both agreed, might traumatize little girls.
“A screwdriver?” Brady suggested.
“You aren’t helping.”
Lizzie Belle and Wendell scampered around the yard kicking up snow. The little goats were the reason there were no carrots on the ranch.
“Celery?”
Katie glanced up. “You have celery?”
“It might be a little bit limp.”
“No.”
He reached out and pulled her closer, leaning down to kiss her nose. The past week had been borderline perfect—so perfect that he was waiting for something to happen that wasn’t so perfect. The judge had approved the will and the land sale was moving forward. He would have six months of payments in the bank after the down payment was made, which would give him time to nail down another job.
For the first time in a long time, Brady was feeling confident about the future he was impatient to start building. Katie was a good motivator in that regard. They had pored over the want ads online and in the local paper and he was in the process of applying for jobs that wouldn’t pay enough, but would see him through if he watched his pennies. Eventually he’d sell his property, reinvest...grow something. There would be tight times, but the payoff would be worth it.
“Want me to go to town and get carrots?” he asked Katie.
“Actually, I might go. I have to get more wrapping paper and Grandma said UPS dropped some packages for me off at her house.”
“You want me to go with you?”
“Nope.” She touched his face with her mittened hand. “I’m also going gift shopping.”
“Ah.”
“And I think I tore you away from your chores, which I’m sure you’re anxious to get back to.”
“Well, it’s no fun building a snowman alone.”
“Which is why I tore you away from your chores.” Katie turned toward the snowman and ran a hand over its head. “I just hope the snow doesn’t freeze before I get back.”
It was supposed to get colder before it got warmer, so that was a danger.
“I’ll get out the drill if that happens.”
Katie laughed and he reached for her, wrapping her in his arms before kissing her soundly. Katie kissed him back, then set her hands on his shoulders. “I should get going if I’m going to have time to do everything I planned to do tomorrow.”
Twenty minutes later, he waved to Katie as she drove away, then crossed the driveway to the shop where he was tearing into the baler. Nick was a talented carpenter, but Brady was a better mechanic. If he was going to stay until he was able to move on to his own place, he was going to have every piece of machinery on the place running smoothly before he left.
He’d just removed the shroud from the machine when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glad to see that it was the Larson Stock Company and not Katie dealing with another flat tire. Brady had phoned Chet Jacobs and asked him to transfer the down payment three days ago and Stan was in the process of setting up the title company appointment to sign all the documents. Hopefully he had a date and time.
“Hey.” Brady set down the wrench.
“I thought you were wiring the money,” Stan said.
“I did.”
“It hasn’t arrived.”
Brady’s gut tightened. “I’ll contact my guy. See what the deal is.”
“Probably just some electronic glitch.”
“It has to be.” Which meant that he shouldn’t have this terrible ominous feeling. Just a glitch. “I’ll get back to you, Stan.”
“If we get the down payment today, Abe Jr. will certify his loan and it’s smooth sailing from there.”
Brady hung up and took a moment to center himself, just as he’d done before every one of his bronc rides, then pushed his agent’s speed dial number. His stomach got tighter with each unanswered ring.
Just a glitch.
He ended the call when it went to voice mail and punched the number again. It was a Wednesday. Chet should be in the office. The guy was a workaholic.
After the third call, Brady tried the cell number and was told that the number was no longer in service.
He tried again and a chill went through him as the robotic voice repeated itself. He ended the call and sat on a hay bale, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose.
Don’t panic.
He sucked in a breath and dialed a rodeo buddy who’d used the same agent. In less than thirty seconds, he discovered that he wasn’t the only guy looking for Chet Jacobs, agent/accountant. Brady set his phone aside and leaned his head back against the haystack, clenching his teeth against the panic swelling inside of him.
What now?
And how could he have been so stupid as to think things could go smoothly?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WHITE DIESEL EXHAUST rose from the tailpipe of Brady’s truck as it idled next to Ed’s house. Katie smiled, thinking, Yes, as she drove over the cattle guard. He’d gotten the call he’d been waiting for. The loan had gone through and he was on his way to Gavin to sign the papers, which meant that a celebration was in order. Tonight she’d cook for him. A steak, and maybe a bottle of prosecco.
The happy thought evaporated as Brady slammed out of the house and stalked down the driveway toward his truck. He stopped dead when he caught sight of her truck and her stomach tightened.
Something was wrong.
Katie pulled up next to his idling rig instead of into her usual parking spot, and got out of her truck without bothering to turn off the ignition. She was barely conscious of closing the door behind her as she headed toward him.
“What happened?”
She couldn’t imagine what put that shell-shocked expression on his face.
“Brady?” she prompted when, instead of answering, he looked past her at his truck.
He pulled in a breath then and met her gaze, his expression a mix of determination and defeat. “I’m going to take off for a while. The cattle should be okay, what with the warm front coming in, and Nick will be home—”
It was all she could do not to take him by the front of his coat and shake him.
“Why are you taking off for a while? Where are you going?”
“I have to go to Missoula. I think my agent has taken off with my money.”
Katie’s heart almost stopped. “The down payment?”
He gave a grim nod. “He was supposed to wire the money to the Larson Stock Company. It never showed up. He’s not answering his phone. His cell number is out of service.”
“I’ll go with you.” She’d call her grandmother, call Nick, then pack a quick bag.
“I need to do this alone.”
Katie blinked at him, stunned. “No,” she said adamantly. “If the guy did take your money, we’ll tackle this together.”
He gave her a disbelieving look. “If he stole my funds, then I’m sunk. No savings. No way to fund a land purchase. I’m worse than square one. I’m in square zero.”
“And we’ll find a way to deal with that.”
“I need to deal with it.”
Katie’s heart sank. Brady the solo act. Back again.
She pressed her lips together to keep from saying things that were only going to strengthen his stubborn resolve. But...she had to say something. “Don’t shut me out, Brady.”
“I need to get to the bottom of this,” he said as if she hadn’t spoken. “And I need to figure out my next move if it’s as bad as I think it is.”
“Alone.”
His gaze snapped toward her. “Yes. Alone. I’m losing time, Katie.” He seemed to realize how harshly he’d spoken, because his expression softened an iota, but he made no move to pull her close. Kiss her. “I’ll be in touch.”
“In touch.” For a moment, she simply stared at him, then she took a step back. “You do that.” A tiny spark of anger kept her from saying more. She’d thought they’d made such headway and she’d been flat-out wrong.
“Katie...” Now he did reach out for her, but all she did was shake her head. Two could play this stubborn game, and damned if she was going to try to make him feel that she was accepting of this when she wasn’t.
“Like you said, we’ll talk when you get back.”
It seemed impossible, but his expression shuttered even more than before. The classic Brady response to pain. He hurt. But she couldn’t help him if he wouldn’t let her in.
“Go. Do whatever you have to do.” And then, because she had no idea what to do that didn’t involve shaking him or begging or exploding, she turned and stalked toward her truck, yanked the door open and turned off the ignition.
By that time Brady was in his truck. She heard the door slam as she headed for the house, but she waited until she heard his truck bump over the snowy cattle guard before turning to watch him go.
Once he was out of sight, she tipped her head up and closed her eyes. And for the first time since she’d pulled Brady out from under the four-wheeler, she felt as if she wasn’t going to be able to break through his defenses.
Oh, she’d chipped away at the exterior, but the core seemed to be made of titanium.
* * *
ROSALIE SHIVERED AT the bit of slush that splashed into her boot as she tossed a shovelful of snow blocking the driveway to one side.
“Do you think this was an accident?” Gloria panted a little as she scraped away at her half of the driveway. “Or did Vincent Taylor have something to do with it?”
It did seem suspicious that Vince’s driveways were not blocked, but theirs was.
“Maybe it was too much trouble for the driver to continue to pick up his blade,” Rosalie said.
Gloria stopped scraping, setting a bright purple mitten on top of her shovel. “Do you believe that?”
“No. I’m trying to keep steam from coming out of my ears.”
Gloria laughed. “Maybe it would help melt the snow.”
Both women stopped digging as a car slowed, then Rosalie straightened as Vince Taylor’s big pickup rolled to a stop. Carl had always said that you could tell how secure a man was by what he did to his pickup truck. Carl had driven a bare-bones model. Vince’s had a four-inch lift and a chromed differential.
