It Had to Be You (33 page)

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“To sell.”

The indignation left him. “I know you guys consider this place home. I’m not going to let anyone get kicked out in the street. I told you, if I sell, I’ll make sure they’ll keep you both on, and I meant it.”

“If you sell? Or when?”

There’d better be a when. “I’ve called a few Realtors to come out this week. After we paint.”

“We?”

“We. You’ve seen the books. You know I can’t afford to get a painter out here.”

That was definitely disappointment on her face now, but he only got a quick glimpse before she started walking toward the barn.

Well, what the hell else could he say? He was good for his word. He’d do his damnedest to make sure her life didn’t change, or his brother’s. With one last look at the puppies, he headed back toward the house. His shoulder throbbed, his head was beginning to match. He decided to spend the day doing what he’d gotten good at since he’d fallen through a burning roof and had broken his fall with his shoulder—nothing.

Callie would have dwelled on that kiss—
kisses
—all day if she could have, but she had plenty of things to do to keep her distracted. Feed her new dog for one. The poor thing inhaled her food as if she hadn’t eaten in days.

The serum for the inoculations was indeed missing, a problem made all the more strange because of what had happened to Sierra. Odder still, it didn’t appear as if anyone had broken in, and nothing else was missing, even though the tack room hadn’t been locked and was filled with expensive gear.

Callie would swear she was losing her mind except she’d seen the shipment of serum arrive herself. They searched everywhere: the barn, their storage shed, even around the yard. She had no choice but to accept the fact it was gone.

Before their guests arrived, the sheriff came out and took a report. And through it all, Callie was aware of a humming in her blood that she knew she had Jake to thank for. She’d let him put his hands on her, and at odd moments throughout the day, her face and body went hot at just the thought.

Idiot. When would she remember that he turned her into a blathering, drooling idiot? The next time he had her naked? And would that be before or after he sold the Blue Flame? A hundred times today she’d nearly told him she wanted to buy the ranch and a hundred times she’d held back. The guy had to sell, sooner than later, so what could telling him possibly get her besides pity? Nothing.

She was standing on the porch when Marge came out, hand extended, aspirin in her palm. “Hey, honey, take these.”

Callie didn’t question how or why Marge was keeping track of when she needed aspirin. Marge took pride in doing such things. Callie dutifully took the pills for her aching head and ribs. “Thanks.”

“You okay?

“Always.”

Marge patted her shoulder, then went back inside. Callie took a deep breath and put the morning into perspective. The small-town gossip train would go into effect now. She knew this. In no time, whichever Realtors Jake had called would hear about the missing serum and what had happened to Sierra. Terrible as it sounded, it would put a question mark on the property—a definite disadvantage to selling.

Torn between hope and regret, she was still standing on the front porch when the airport vans arrived with their next guests. Things went fast after that. Checking in the group of Japanese businessmen, seeing them all happy with their accommodations and Amy’s big pot of chili that night for dinner, getting everyone into the spirit of the Wild West was fun but hard work.

Their guests didn’t speak much English, which was a challenge. So was the four-year-old son one of them had brought on the spur of the moment. Keito had run his short little legs all afternoon. The horses and hens had been an unbearable excitement for him, and the puppies had sent him into ecstasy.

At sunset, Eddie lit a bonfire for the guests to sit around, and Amy brought out the makings for s’mores, which was met with such enthusiasm, Callie actually caught the girl
almost
smiling before she walked off toward her cabin. Callie had hoped Amy would stay outside, but her duties would begin early every morning now, and they didn’t include having to socialize with the guests. But still, Callie wished she’d want to. The others always did; it was a huge part of the Blue Flame’s charm.

Stone, obviously feeling better than he had earlier, pulled out his guitar. With the stars out and the chill of the spring night being beaten back by the warm, crackling fire, he and Eddie taught everyone silly campfire songs. The guests all fell for their easy appeal. Marge came out of her cabin and sat next to Tucker, humming along with the songs. Lou came out a few minutes later. Fifty-something, he was a tall, beefy man with a wild shock of gray hair and chocolate eyes that usually twinkled. Tonight, he hunched his broad shoulders and jammed his hands into his pockets as he came close. “Callie.” He nodded his Stetson at her.

“Hey, Lou.” She knew how worried he and Marge were about money ever since he’d been laid off from Roger’s Garage in Three Rocks two weeks ago. That he looked so unhappy tugged at her. “Any luck finding a new job?”

“No, thanks to Roger.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s telling people I stole from him. Tools and money.” He looked at his feet. “There weren’t many other jobs out there to begin with, but now…” Helplessly, he shrugged.

“Why would Roger do that to you?”

“I don’t steal. You know I don’t.”

“Of course I know that.”

“I think his punk nephew Tony did it, so he could have my job.” He kicked the dirt. “Not that Roger’ll ever believe me over him. Tony’s a slimy weasel but he’s a smart slimy weasel.”

“Oh, Lou. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. I know the truth, Marge knows the truth. We’ll be all right.” But he sighed heavily, then walked over to his wife and sat next to her. She hugged him hard and kept singing.

Everyone else had smiles on their faces, too, especially their guests as they sang in heavily accented English, and after a few minutes, some of Callie’s tension eased. They had problems, they all had problems, but in spite of it, she loved having guests to entertain and her makeshift family all together.

After a few songs, she caught sight of a silhouette at the edge of the fire’s glow. A slim, petite shadow with her shoulders hunched against the night’s chill, too far from the warmth of the fire.

Amy had stayed outside after all.

Callie figured she was used to being the outsider, and was just about to wave at the girl, to urge her back into the circle, when Tucker beat her to it, motioning Amy over, squishing into Marge and Lou to make room for her.

Amy shook her head.

Tucker tried again, adding a sweet, charismatic smile that made Callie blink because for a moment he looked so much like his older brother Jake she couldn’t believe it. A woman would have to have ice in her veins not to respond to that smile, but Amy remained where she was.

Callie understood perfectly. With the exception of kissing Jake today, she herself had resisted all wily masculine smiles for a good long time, and with good reason. She’d followed her heart down the wrong path before, and didn’t intend to do it again.

But Amy was too young to have learned such a thing.

“The day redeemed itself nicely,” said an unbearably familiar masculine voice.

Jake. Wearing soft, worn jeans and a dark shirt, he came up next to her. He had a plate in his hands, filled with the largest s’more she’d ever seen—melting marshmallow on melting chocolate, squishing out of the sides of the graham cracker, designed to make one’s mouth water on sight.

So did the smile he wore.

All on a dark, starry night in front of a bonfire, which was almost too much to resist. She kept her gaze on the crowd around the fire. “The day did redeem itself.”

He offered up his dessert but she shook her head.

“Sure?” His eyes were sparkling with good humor, mischief…and much more. “How can you resist?” He lifted the plate to his nose, sniffing appreciatively. “Warm, soft chocolate, toasted marshmallows all gooey in the center, sandwiched between—”

Her stomach growled, and given how his grin widened, he’d heard it. “Fine, damn it, hand it over.” Leaning in, she took a big bite, barely managing not to moan as the chocolate and marshmallow liquefied in her mouth.

“Isn’t that just about the best thing you’ve tasted all day?” he murmured.

No,
he’d
been the best thing she’d tasted all day. She set the s’more down on his plate.

“You have…” He reached out with a finger toward her face.

She slapped his finger away. “I’m not going to fall for that.”

“Okaaaaay, if you want to walk around with…”

“What?”

“Nothing, just a little chocolate—”

She swiped at her mouth with the back of her hand.

But he just laughed softly, and with a shake of his head, lifted his hand again. His finger hovered right near the corner of her mouth. “May I?” he asked softly.

Her tummy fluttered. She ignored it. “Just do it.”

“Tsk-tsk.” The pad of his thumb glided over her lower lip. “So impatient.”

Definitely, but she was far more concerned with why her nipples had suddenly gone so happy. “I’m too tired for this.”

“For what?”

“For…you.” Tired, and off-kilter, too, from him watching her with that smile that suggested a sensual earthiness, and from the knowledge he could drive her crazy with one touch. “I’m outta here.” But the words weren’t out of her mouth before she caught sight of Keito running wild around the campfire. Since his father didn’t seem inclined to stop him, she moved forward and stepped into Keito’s wild path, catching him. “Hey, little guy.”

Laughing, he wriggled free. “I am running,” he said in the English none of his group had mastered. “See me run…”

And off he went again.

She caught him on his next round, wincing at the pain in her bruised ribs as she hoisted him up. “Running around the fire is dangerous, Keito. You could get hurt.”

“No hurt. More run.”

From her back pocket, her cell phone rang. Setting Keito down, she held on to his hand as she reached for her phone. Michael. “Hi,” she said. “I’ve got to call you back—”

“You don’t have everyone off to bed yet?”

“Are you kidding? It’s their first night here. They’re still all around the campfire, singing songs and eating s’mores.” She smiled at Keito, who smiled back.

“Run,” the little boy said, tugging on her hand.

“You’ve got a crew,” Michael reminded her. “A good one. Say good-night and come meet me for a drink. I’m buying.”

This was not an unusual request. Michael routinely coaxed her off the ranch and into Three Rocks for some fun. He said she worked too hard, she never gave herself any time off, whatever he could come up with to get his way. Often, she went, and never regretted it. He was easy to be with, and made her laugh. But she was so tired tonight. “I’m exhausted.”

“Because you give that place too much of yourself. Come give it to me instead. Come on, I’ll spoil you rotten. Dinner, dessert…” He paused, knowing she never could resist the promise of dessert. “And whatever else floats your boat. Just name it.”

“Bed.”

He laughed, his voice a little husky now. “Done.”

“I meant
my
bed. Alone,” she said, laughing, because he was just teasing. He’d never made a real move on her, not once.

“Come on, Cal. That place is sucking the soul right out of you.” Suddenly he was no longer kidding. “You never give yourself a life.”

She’d been planning on telling him what had happened earlier with Sierra and the missing serum, but doing so would only prolong the conversation she suddenly didn’t want to have with him, not now. “This place
is
my life,” she said gently. “And today has been a long day.”

“Yadda, yadda.” But there was a fond smile in his voice again. “Fine. I’m going to try again for tomorrow night.”

“We’re doing a roundup.”

“The weekend then,” he said firmly.

“The weekend,” she promised, and slipped the phone back into her pocket.

Keito was gone. Whipping around she searched the fire. No little boy. And no one seemed to realize he was gone. They were all laughing and toasting themselves, probably planning their adventures for the next week.

Tucker looked up and caught her obvious panic. “What?” he mouthed across the fire.

“Keito,” she mouthed back, and Tucker craned his neck, looking around him. Then pointed behind Callie.

She turned around and came face to face with Jake. She tried to go around him but he blocked her way. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve got to—” She tried to go around him again, but he didn’t move.

With her teeth gritted, she looked at him. “Can I help you?”

“Wow, that’s impressive,” he said. “That tone you use. Cool, icy, yet utterly professional. As if I was a guest here.”

“You are.”

“Really?” He leaned in. “You kiss all your guests the way you kissed me today?”

“Look, I’ve got to—”

“Find Keito?” He turned around and showed her the small four-year-old cuddled on his back, off center a little, clinging to Jake’s left side. “Got him.”

Keito lifted his head from where he’d had it tucked against Jake’s broad back and giggled.

Callie let out a breath and pulled him off Jake. The moment she put Keito down, he took off running again, but Eddie stood up from his perch near the fire and nabbed him, nodding to Callie. He’d take care of him.

Grateful, she let out a breath and combed her fingers through her hair as she turned back to Jake. “Thanks,” she said, and knew by his grin she could have sounded more genuine.

“Bet that cost you,” he said.

“I can’t help it, you have this habit of trying to sweep in to save the day.”

“Trying? Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’d be squished like a grape if I hadn’t hauled you out of that horse pen this morning.”

“Stall,” she corrected. “Horse stall.”

“And me finding Keito just now saved you some trouble.”

“Fine, you’ve saved me twice. Thank you. Thank you.”

“The dog.”