Shane (Remington Ranch Book 2) (13 page)

Chance stared at him, but didn’t say anything. His eyes shone with what Shane couldn’t quite believe were tears. He stood abruptly. “When did you get so smart? Anyway, I’ve got the grill going out back. Want me to throw on a burger for you?”

“Please. I’m just going to jump in the shower. I’ll be right out.”

A little while later the two of them sat out back. The burgers and the beers were gone. Chance held up his bottle. “Want another?”

“Yeah. Let’s take it inside, shall we?”

They settled in the living room. “It’s weird with Mason gone,” Chance said.

“It’s been even weirder for me with both of you gone.”

“I’m surprised you even noticed,” said Chance with a laugh. “In fact, what are you doing here tonight? I thought you’d be out at Chico or up in town with some chick or other.”

Shane made a face.

“What does that look mean?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t been going out as much.”

“How come?”

“Cassidy.”

Chance shook his head. “Is she still giving you the cold shoulder? When are you going to do something about it?”

Shane laughed. “No. As a matter of fact, I thought I was getting somewhere with her.”

Chance raised an eyebrow.

“Well, yeah. I got
there
.”

“And let me guess, it isn’t enough?”

Shane nodded. “You know me. Once I’ve slept with ‘em it’s on to the next.”

Chance shook his head. “Not with Cassidy. That was obvious from the get-go. She’s got your head turned right around and I can see why.”

“Why?” It was the question Shane kept asking himself. Why did he want more from her? He didn’t even know
what
he wanted. But he wanted more than to just sleep with her and move on.

“She’s hot, she’s funny, she’s talented, she’s confident. She’s got it going on and she knows it.
And
the kicker for
you
is that she’s not falling at your feet like most women do.”

“Do you think that’s it?” Shane wondered himself. Was it simply that she was the only woman he was really interested in who’d ever knocked him back repeatedly?

Chance shook his head. “I don’t. Sorry. It’d be easy if she were just a challenge. It’s more than that though. She’s gotten to you in a big way. That much was obvious at your mom’s birthday party.”

Shane cringed a little remembering what a fool he’d made of himself the first few times he’d tried to hit on Cassidy. She’d put him down in no uncertain terms. “But what am I supposed to do about it?
I
don’t know what it means to want anything more than a good time with a woman, and
she
insists that there’s nothing more than that in the cards for us anyway.” After today he wasn’t sure she’d even be open to that.

Chance’s brows drew together in a puzzled look. “What’s her reasoning for that? She doesn’t strike me as a chick who just wants a booty call when it suits her.”

Shane hated the thought of being her booty call! “I don’t know. She’s got this weird hang-up that big guys have big egos and that she’s too much of a challenge. She reckons at some point she’ll piss me off by being too strong and we’ll end up hating each other.”

“She’s definitely smart, then.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Chance laughed. “It wasn’t aimed at you. You’re the exception, not the rule. You’re just a big puppy dog. But haven’t you noticed that big guys do tend to be that way? They’re the life of the party while they’re the center of attention, but when they’re challenged—especially if they’re outsmarted by a woman—they get mean. They blame other people for their own shortcomings.”

Shane shook his head. “Seems as though everyone has something to teach me about how people work. Cassidy, Carter, now you. I like to think everyone is just straight forward, what you see is what you get.”

Chance laughed. “That’s because it’s how you are. You’re as straightforward as they come. But not everyone else is. Once you learn that the hard way, you tend to look out for it down the line. Sounds like that’s what Cassidy’s got going on.”

Shane sighed. “So where does that leave me? What am I supposed to do?”

“Whatever you want to do. As I see it, you have two choices. You can either give up and move on, or you can put the effort in to prove her wrong. Show her who you really are and…” he trailed off.

“And what?”

Chance shrugged. “And hope that she’s not right. Hope that when she does piss you off that it isn’t so much of a blow to your ego that you blame her.”

Shane considered that. “I just don’t see how that could be. I really don’t.”

“You’ll never know till you get there.” He laughed. “I’d say your first challenge is going to be getting to the stage where you have the opportunity to find out. Last I saw she was pretty damn good at slapping you down. You’re going to have to up your game.”

“I know. I know. Anyways. Enough of all this. Do you want a watch a movie?”

Chance smiled. “That was my plan for the evening before you showed up.”

Chapter Thirteen

Cassidy checked her watch and then looked a Gina. “You’re sure you don’t mind holding down the fort?”

“Not at all. I was planning on spending the afternoon here anyway. If anyone comes in I can take care of them. Don’t worry about it. Get going.”

Cassidy grabbed her purse. “Thanks. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“You don’t need to rush. I’ve told you, I’ll close up if you want.”

“No, I’ll just take Summer to my place and then come back in.”

Gina shrugged. “If you want, but you don’t need to. I’m perfectly capable of closing up the gallery. I thought it’d be nice for you to spend the afternoon with Summer.”

Cassidy thought about it. It would. They had a lot of catching up to do.

Gina laughed. “Just get going or you’re going to be late. Call me if you decide to stay home.”

“Thanks. See you later.”

As she waited at the stoplight to turn onto I-90, she noticed a big, red Tundra waiting to come the other way. Was it…? Yep. Shane blew her a kiss as the light changed and he passed her. She had to laugh. He didn’t give up. She took the on ramp and pointed the Beetle toward Bozeman and the airport. That was the first time she’d seen Shane since she’d left the ranch on Sunday. He’d left her a voicemail on Monday to say he’d come pick his truck up after work. She texted him back to tell him she wouldn’t be around but would leave the keys in the glovebox. She’d sat on the floor in the hallway and watched on the screen as a big black pickup came up the driveway. Shane had got out and spoken to the driver—it might have been Chance. The black truck had left and Shane had wandered around looking up at the house before getting in the Tundra and driving away. She’d felt like a fool after he’d gone. Why hadn’t she just invited him in? She sighed. Because she didn’t need another man-mess, that was why. And the time she’d spent with him this weekend had made her realize that she and Shane could make a bigger mess than any she’d known before. She could fall for him way too easily and end up getting hurt.

She put her foot down, urging the Beetle to make it to the top of the big hill. She’d do better to leave well enough alone. She needed to put Shane out of her mind. She had Summer arriving, she and Gina had a lot of work to do at the gallery, and she had Carter hard at work getting her property into shape. She didn’t have time to get entangled with Shane anyway. She needed to stop thinking about what she’d do if they were out together with the others—as she knew they would be. She needed to stop scheming up ways she could get him to come home with her. She needed to stop thinking about him at all, and go back to the way they’d been before. That had been fun in its own way—Shane giving her all his come ons, her giving him all her put downs. She needed to be satisfied with that.

She did manage to put him out of her mind as she drove over the pass toward Bozeman. That took all her attention. She loved her Beetle, but it wasn’t the best vehicle to have out here. She kept thinking about getting an SUV of some kind, but she didn’t know what. She was clueless about cars. Hell, she’d bought the Beetle because it had a flower vase in the dash and daisy rims on the wheels! They didn’t bring her much comfort when the wind was blowing as hard as it was today though. They hadn’t done much for her through the winter either when she’d really needed four-wheel drive. She felt a little better as she got closer to Bozeman. She and her car felt less out of place in Boze Angeles as the locals called it. She took the exit for the airport. She could not wait to see Summer. Everything had come together perfectly. Carter had managed to get hold of Beau. He was going to meet them at the house tomorrow, and, as long as it suited Summer, she’d sign a month-to-month lease. Summer hadn’t been able to find a flight with less than three changes, so Autumn had fixed her up with a jet charter. She should be landing at two o’clock. Checking her watch, Cassidy realized that she would only just make it.

She parked up, smiling at how different the Bozeman airport was. She loved it. It was so small and civilized. The parking lot was right outside the terminal building. All she needed to do was find a spot and walk fifty yards and she was inside the big lodge-like building. She knew Summer wouldn’t be coming down the escalators from the commercial gates, but she wasn’t sure where she would be. She walked over to the information desk.

“Can I help you ma’am?” asked the old gentleman sitting there.

“Can you tell me where a passenger from a private jet charter would come through?”

The man smiled. “That’d be general aviation. Just down the road.”

Oh no! “You mean I’m in the wrong building?” Crap! She didn’t want to leave Summer stranded by herself open to the possibility of being recognized and having to talk!

The man patted her hand. “It’s only down the road a little ways. It won’t take you but five minutes.” He pointed through the window. “You see the gray building? It’s right in there.”

“Thank you.” Cassidy scrambled for her phone in her purse as she headed for the doors. She dialed Summer.

“Hello?”

“Summer, it’s me. I’m so sorry, sweetie. I’ll be there in five minutes; I came to the wrong building.”

“That’s okay. No rush. I’ll be right here waiting.”

Cassidy frowned. “You sound far too relaxed. You normally panic if you’re left to fend for yourself in public. What’s going on?”

Summer’s laugh sounded flirty. “I told you, I’m okay. Take your time.”

“Are you with a guy?” Cassidy could hear the nagging mom tone in her own voice, but she couldn’t help it. She was way too protective of Summer.

“Yes, mom. I’m going to hang up to rest my voice. I’ll see you when you get here, but don’t worry I’m in good hands.”

Cassidy stared at her phone. She’d hung up! The little minx! She smiled and headed for the car. It seemed as though Summer was open to having some fun, then. Well good. Cassidy had just the guy in mind for her—and it wasn’t some asshole hitting on her at the airport.

A few minutes later she pulled up outside the Jet Center and went marching inside. She spotted Summer sitting on one of the big couches—with a pilot! She let out a little laugh. The guy was gorgeous! And the uniform helped of course. He was flirting with Summer and she was going right along with it, in her own sweet way. Cassidy stood for a moment and watched. She didn’t want to be a party pooper and Summer
had
told her to take her time. She was wondering whether to go back out and wait in the car for a while when Summer spotted her. She stood up and flew toward Cassidy, wrapping her in a hug.

“Chica! I’ve missed you!”

Cassidy hugged her back gently. She felt so small and frail, like a little bird. Cassidy was almost afraid to crush her. “I’ve missed you, too. It’s been way too long. But we’re going to make up for it now.”

Summer smiled. “We are. We’re going to have all kinds of fun over the next few months.” She shot a look back at the pilot who was standing by the couches. “
He
seems like a lot of fun. Come on let me introduce you.”

Cassidy scowled. She wanted to get Summer out of here and she did not want this guy latching on to her. Summer was already back at his side though. “Cassidy, meet Carl. Carl flew me here today. Carl, this is my dear friend, Cassidy.”

Carl extended a hand and Cassidy shook it briefly. She could see what Summer saw in him as he smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cassidy.” He turned and beckoned to another uniformed guy who was just coming in from the ramp. “Let me introduce you to my co-pilot Justin.”

Cassidy eyed him. He was hot! He came over to join them. Once the introductions were complete, Carl looked at Summer. “Are you sure you can’t join us for dinner?”

“Sorry,” said Cassidy, before Summer had chance to speak. “We need to get going. We have a long drive back.”

Summer nodded. Cassidy guessed she’d worn her voice out and was happy to let her do the talking for both of them. “It was very kind of you to wait until I got here. Nice to meet you. Bye.” She turned, hoping Summer would follow. After a few steps she turned back to see not Summer, but Justin following her.

He grinned and held up Summer’s bags. “I thought I’d help you load up while they say good-bye.”

Cassidy rolled her eyes. Carl had his hands on Summer’s shoulders looking down into her smiling face. She huffed. It was up to Summer, she supposed. “Okay. Thanks.”

Once he’d loaded the bags into the back of the Beetle, Justin smiled. It was all white teeth and twinkling eyes. He could have stepped out of a commercial! “Are you sure I can’t persuade you to have dinner with us?”

“Absolutely positive,” she replied.

“I know you want to get your friend settled in, but we’ve got a couple of days’ turnaround. We’ll be here for the next few nights, if you want to change your mind.” He held her gaze, his eyes were bright blue. He really was hot! Why was she turning him down so quickly? 

She smiled back. “Thanks, but the next few days are going to be crazy getting Summer settled in.”

He nodded. “Maybe next time then? We’re usually out here a couple of times a month. If you give me your number I could call you.”

Cassidy started to shake her head, then thought better of it. Why shouldn’t she? She could hardly make a man-mess with a guy who was only in town a couple of days a month. She handed him her card with a smile. “Call me, leave a message. I’m not promising I’ll call you back though.”

“Thanks. I’ll take my chances.” His smile was gorgeous. He was hot, uniformed, and would only be looking to get together every now and again. What was her problem? The answer to that stunned her—he wasn’t Shane.
That
was her problem!

She turned as Summer emerged from the building with Carl at her side. He walked her to the car and looked genuinely sad to see her go. Cassidy checked herself. She shouldn’t be dismissing him so quickly. He might be something special for Summer? Maybe they were in the middle of that brief moment of fate when they met
the one?
She hurried around to the driver’s side and got in. And maybe
she
was going nuts!
She,
Cassidy Lane, did not believe in any of that horseshit! Or at least she never used to, said a snide little voice in the back of her head. If she still didn’t believe in it, why wasn’t she speeding away? She scowled to herself. She was erring on the side of caution—for her friend’s sake, that was all. She didn’t want to be the one responsible for killing off a once-in-a-lifetime love before it had chance to get started. And yes, she was still thinking about Summer. Not Shane. Not Shane at all!

Just over an hour later they pulled up in front of Cassidy’s house. Summer climbed out of the Beetle and looked around her with a huge smile on her face.

“Oh my God, Cass! It’s beautiful”. She waved her arms out across the river on one side and toward the mountains on the other. “I can see why they call it Paradise Valley. You’ve found your very own slice of paradise.” She looked up at the house. “And this! This is the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen.” She ran back to the car and started pulling her bags out of the back.

Cassidy took the bigger cases and left Summer the smaller bags. “You know I’m never modest. This place really is paradise. And I can’t wait to show you the house.”

She showed Summer to her room and then gave her the grand tour, smiling the whole time at her friend’s enthusiastic response. When they were done, they settled out on the deck with a glass of wine.

“It’s awesome!” said Summer. “I want to say you are sooo lucky. But I know with you it’s never luck. It’s always by design. So, well done. You’ve outdone yourself this time. I…I…” Her voice was a barely a whisper. She shook her head with an apologetic smile.

“You’ve done too much talking,” said Cassidy. “Autumn would kill me if she could hear you right now.”

Summer smiled and nodded. She reached into her huge purse and pulled out a legal pad and pen. She scribbled on it for a few moments and then held it up.

Autumn would bust both our butts! But she’s not here :0) I’d better be good. So tell me about you. How are you? How’s the gallery? Tell me about your new friends…Any new men? :0)

Cassidy smiled. “I’m doing great. I love living here, and I think I might finally have found home.”

Summer beamed and nodded enthusiastically. She scribbled on the pad and held it up.

It’s love at first sight for me with this valley. If the house is as good as the pictures you sent I might want to buy it not just rent it!

Cassidy squealed. “Oh, Summer! That would be amazing! I love this place. And I’d love it even more if I had you here as a neighbor! Okay, let me tell you more. New friends….oh shit! I’d better call her! Gina is looking after the gallery for me while I came to pick you up.”

She dialed Gina’s number.

“Hi. Did you pick her up okay?”

“I did, and I’m really sorry, but would you mind if I don’t come back?”

Gina laughed. “I already told you the answer to that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, G. You’re the best.”

“I know. See ya.”

Cassidy hung up and smiled at Summer. “Gina really is the best. You’re going to love her.”

“What’s her story?” croaked Summer. She gave Cassidy a shamefaced grin and covered her mouth.