COWBOY FOR SALE--A Second-Chances Spicy Romance (13 page)

Two days and one night. That's all he had to get through. Then he would be able to separate himself from Lacey. Forever. And things would be normal again.

Chapter Eight

Jared stamped his feet on the porch just outside his back door.

“I'm coming. Geez!” Why did the phone always ring the minute he was occupied with the animals? It never failed. Even so, he refused to carry a cell phone around if he didn’t absolutely have to, usually only when Jamie was off with his sister or at a birthday party or something. Satisfied the majority of the dirt was off his boots, he flung open the door and grabbed the wall phone. “Hello!”

“Jared, did I call at a bad time?” His sister's voice had a sugary sweet sound.

“Hey, Jo. Sorry, I was outside.”

“You want me to call back later?”

He exhaled loudly, gathering his patience. “What's up?”

“I was thinking that since Jamie's going with you two to the cabin this weekend that we all might get together before Saturday.”

“And do what?”

“Well, eat or something. I just think you—and Jamie—might have a better time if all of you got to know each other better and—”

“Jo, just get to the point.” He loved his sister dearly, and even though she was known for bulldozing, she was conversely a master at beating around the bush sometimes. He'd learned to preserve his sanity by getting her to cut to the chase.

“Okay. I thought we could barbecue at your house. That way, you—and Jamie—would feel more comfortable and maybe things wouldn't be as awkward. And I'm sure Lacey would feel better about it, too.”

Jared knew his sister too well. “You already asked her, didn't you?”

Silence answered his question.

“I've already bought the steaks, and some sweet corn from that produce stand you like,” Jo said.

“You're impossible. And what night are we having this little get-together, may I ask?”

“Well, tonight, actually. How's six o'clock sound?”

“Jo—”

“I figured I better not give you a chance to say no, that's all.”

Jared ran his fingers through his hair. So much for the animals, he thought. He mentally made a quick list of chores: clean the grill, sweep the porch and patio, a quick shower for both him and Jamie…

“Lacey's bringing a salad. You have any wine to chill?”

“I'm hanging up the phone now, big sister.”

“See ya,” she said, much too cheerfully.

Jared's irritation quickly transformed into an abrupt case of the jitters. He pushed his fist into his stomach, trying grind the butterflies into submission.

“Who cares what she thinks of our place?”

His glance around the kitchen caused him to add the additional job of mopping the floor to his growing list.

Walking out the back door, he stood at the top step. “Jamie, come in the house, now. We're having company and I need your help.”

He watched as his daughter appeared at the barn door, a kitten under each arm.

“Comin', Daddy. Let me put the kitties back and I'll be right there.” Her high-pitched, honeyed voice tranquilized him.

Still, in four hours Lacey would be there. In their house. In their home.

***

A couple hours of straightening the house, another to clean themselves, and they were finished with some time to spare. Jared paced the front porch, staring at the driveway for the first sign of a car while Jamie put the finishing touches on her room. When he'd caught her pushing all her toys under the bed, he'd insisted she utilize her toy box. She was a good kid, easy to like. He wondered if Lacey liked her.

“Daddy, I'm done, come see,” he heard her call out.

“Be right there, Sugar Plum.” On his way through the kitchen he grabbed a bottle of white-zinfandel and put it in the refrigerator. Maybe a little wine was a good idea.

***

Lacey checked the freeway traffic in her rear view mirror, then changed lanes so she wouldn't lose sight of Jo's dark blue SUV.

Jared's sister was a convincing woman. After a few minutes of logical persuasion, Lacey had agreed it probably was a good idea to have a casual dinner with Jared and Jamie before spending the weekend with them. As they’d chatted it had become more and more obvious that Jo’s gentle persistence was rooted in her concern for her brother and young niece.

Once she’d decided that, she had given in.

She flipped the mirror open on her visor to expose the mirror for a quick peek. Her face was purposely devoid of makeup except for a little lipstick. No reason to dress up, she'd convinced herself. She wore faded jeans and a denim shirt. Just a friendly meal to release some pressure in a potentially tense situation, she reminded herself.

Not my type. Not my type
. Her new mantra matched the thumping beat of the ridges in the road.

As Jo cut back into the slow lane, her turn signal continued to blink. Lacey followed her off the next exit. After a few hundred yards they drove onto a rutted, washboard road. Two signs flashed by: “Not a Through Street” and “You Are Entering the Cleveland National Forest.”

“What we are entering is the Boonies,” she murmured. Her foot sought the brake pedal as the quality of the road steadily diminished.

Flicking off the air conditioning, she lowered her window. Soon the pungent aroma of sage displaced the filtered air in her car. Lacey breathed deeply and filled her lungs with the fragrance and propped her elbow on the window's edge, dangling her fingers outside. She had forgotten how different the air was in the mountains. Each lungful encouraged her to relax a little more.

Focusing her attention on Jo's car as it crept along several yards ahead of her, Lacey then noticed the turn signal was blinking. She followed her onto a road that had a steadily increasing upward grade and, as they climbed, Lacey noted the change in the terrain. More boulders, less trees, more short, squatty shrubs.

As she followed the SUV around a sharp curve, the drab green and gray of the underbrush was replaced by startling patches of vibrant color. Wildflowers bordered the final stretch of what she supposed was a driveway—vibrant yellow sunflowers, orange poppies, pink and white daisies, and an occasional grouping of lavender.

Her gaze went to the end of the driveway where an odd-looking round, geodesic-dome house stood. Next to it was an obviously much older, weathered red barn that had spacious fenced pens on either side of it. Several creatures were lined up along the fence, watching her, their eyes looking curious and somehow intelligent, their faces sweet. She realized they were the alpacas Jared had mentioned during the short interview the night of the auction.

Jared stood on the front porch, arms crossed, feet apart. His hand lifted in a stiff wave, she watched him climbed down the steps.

“I can do this, I can do this,” Lacey chanted softly.

As both cars came to a stop, Jared had already walked halfway to the parking area.

“Can you manage?” he asked Lacey as he reached her, nodding at the Tupperware in her arms.

“I'm fine, thanks.”

“Jo, will you do the nickel tour and I'll start the steaks?”

“Sure thing. Where's Jamaica?”

“Probably deciding what Barbie and Ken need to wear to this little shindig.”

“C'mon Lacey, you'll love the house. Did you know Jared built it? He sent for one of those dome house kits—cute, isn't it?”

While Jared busied himself with the grill, Lacey followed Jo around the porch to the back door.

“Here's the kitchen. We can put your salad in the fridge.” Before she put it away she peeked under the cover. “Looks luscious. Jared's a good cook, by the way.”

Lacey returned her smile. Her banter was beginning to sound like a sales job. Perhaps she was wrong about Jared's sister. Perhaps her good-natured meddling was more serious than she’d first thought.

“Auntie Jo!” The musical sound of Jamie's voice broke the silence. “Come see my room. It's clean! Daddy made me—”

“Jamaica, come say hello to Lacey. You remember her from the salon at the mall, right?”

Jamie nodded, slipping her tiny hand in Lacey's. At the innocent welcoming touch, Lacey felt a little of her tension loosen. She allowed the little girl to lead her to her room, only half-listening to Jo description of rooms they passed on the way.

Jamie's room was frilly, girlish. A brass trundle bed was filled with white eyelet pillows, and matching curtains draped the window. The walls were pale pink instead of the light-colored wood walls that filled most of the house. The room definitely had an woman's touch. Her mother’s , maybe. Or Jo’s?

“Come see my c'llections.” Jamie pulled her to the window, pointing at the array of rocks, twigs and feathers that filled every space of the wide window sill.

“It's a very nice collection,” she said.

Jo joined them at the window. “Jamie's mom did the room. I don't think she ever admitted she’d actually produced a bit of a tomboy,” she whispered.

Lacey stole another glance around the room. It was actually a mixture of frilly things and practical things. The large wooden toy box looked homemade and a sturdy braided rug covered most of the floor. Framed ballerinas and castles decorated the walls, as well as paintings of ponies and kittens and a mountain scene.

“You like kids?” Jo asked.

“Sure…I guess.” She wondered where Jo was going with that question.

“Jamie's great. We spend a lot of time together, don't we sweetie? Why don't you go ask your dad how much longer before we eat, okay?”

“Okay,” Jamie said, then skipped out of the room leaving them alone.

“Look,” Jo started, “I'm not really here to push you two together.” She laughed. “Well, to be perfectly honest, I sort of am—I just thought you might…like each other. You sure made a positive impression on Jamaica.”

Lacey folded her arms across her chest while she watched Jo fluff a bed pillow, maybe thinking what to say next.

“And Jared's been…alone for a while now and, well, I just thought it might be interesting to see what happened.”

“Look, Jo, to tell you the truth, I'm not looking for a relationship, so I figure we should just get through this as pleasantly as possible and be done with it.” Lacey listened to the tone in her own voice, hoping she didn't sound ungrateful or bitchy. Still, she felt getting things out in the open was best for everyone.

Jo's eyes widened slightly, and she offered a tiny smile. “Hey, whatever, right? You can't blame a sister for trying.”

“No harm done at all,” Lacey replied, touching Jo's arm. “It should be a great weekend. I'm looking forward to it, actually.”

Jo's face broke into what seemed like a relieved grin.

“And I never thanked you properly for your donation to the charity,” Lacey continued. “It was a generous bid.”

“Happy to do it—anything to shake up my little brother's life. It was worth it just to see the look on his face.”

Jamie bounded into the room. “Daddy says the grub's on.” Her tiny hand stifled a very pleased giggle at her father's crude phrase. “He says to bring the salad and the wine. Follow me.”

Jo and Lacey obediently followed Jamie into the kitchen, stopping to quickly gather the rest of the things they needed for their supper.

“We're eating in the brand new gazebo,” Jamie directed. “Daddy just finished making it.”

***

In the gazebo a wooden table was set for four, complete with a flowered tablecloth and brightly colored plastic picnic-ware Jared had found in one of the kitchen cupboards. He placed sizzling T-bones on three plates, then a hamburger on a bun on Jamie’s plate.

“It looks wonderful, Jared. Thanks for doing all this,” Lacey said as she placed the salad bowl next to the platter of sweet corn in the middle of the table.

“Ditto,” said Jo.

“Lacey, why don't you sit by Jamie,” Jared said, pointing to one of the chairs. “Jo, you're by me.”

Joann wrinkled her nose at him.

It was obvious that Joann had planned to have him set next to Lacey.
No such luck,
sister.
He flashed her a victor's grin.

Jared watched Lacey help Jamie get settled as they each sat down, then said, “Dig in, everyone, before the bugs hear we're having dinner.”

Jamie giggled and took an enormous bite out of her burger, chewing with great exaggeration, her eyes opened wide.

“Take it easy, Sugar Plum—I was just kidding.” Jared laughed, then glanced at Lacey who had already cut into her steak and was chewing a healthy bit, apparently comfortable eating outside. Quite the contrast, he thought, knowing that his ex-wife would have insisted he mosquito-net the entire gazebo before she would have ever consented to eating outdoors.

Lacey helped herself to an ear of corn, closing her eyes as she bit into it. “I think this is the freshest corn I've had all season. Just picked?” she asked.