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“It’s brilliant,” he said honestly. He saw Dana’s broad grin from the corner of his eye, but he didn’t care. It was brilliant, and the lady deserved to know. This was the type of thing that stood out—a great idea, innovative concept. This was the kind of thing that put your name on the books. “Have you thought about taking the idea bigger, beyond a single store? This is the only one so far, I take it?”
“Yes, it is,” she said, the coolness returning to her tone, “and no, I don’t want to go bigger.” Then she dismissed the conversation with a pivot toward Dana. “That yellow dress will look gorgeous on you. Did you see the shoes that go with it? They’re a size six. Isn’t that your size?”
“It is,” Dana said, “and I didn’t see the shoes. I’ll want them, too, I’m sure. But I don’t know how much wear I’ll get out of the dress.” She placed a hand on her stomach. “Should be showing in the next month or so, I think.”
Maribeth placed her hands together beneath her chin. “Well, you can wear it up until then, and it’ll be perfect next summer after the baby’s born.”
Dana grinned. “I like the way you think. So, where are those shoes?”
“They’re on top of the clothing rack,” Maribeth said, stepping around Ryan to retrieve the red pumps and then showing them to Dana while still keeping her back to him. “What do you think?”
“I’ll take them,” Dana said. “But my main reason for coming to the store today wasn’t to shop. I got those craft supplies for you from the church and thought I’d drop them off so you’d have them for tomorrow.” She handed the plastic bag of supplies to Maribeth.
“You could’ve waited and given them to me in the morning.” Maribeth continued to look directly at Dana as she spoke, as though Ryan wasn’t even in the store. What was it about this woman and ignoring him?
Ryan continued to scan the store, the layout, the concept. Brilliant, his mind continued to whisper. His skin bristled with excitement, with the endless possibilities. This...was exactly what he needed.
Dana shrugged. “Ryan has only left the ranch to go to rehab, and I thought he’d like to see the square since he hasn’t been here before.” She shifted the dress to her other arm and ran her fingers across the fabric.
“Okay.” Maribeth looked skeptical, and Ryan also thought Dana seemed to be stretching her reasoning to the limit. If he didn’t know better, he’d say she brought him to this specific store to watch her friend give him the cold shoulder again. Or maybe because she’d detected the unwanted attraction that he felt toward Maribeth.
From the gleam in Dana’s eyes, he’d hit the mark.
That attraction could get Ryan in trouble. The situation, the feeling he got when he was around her, the fact that she didn’t seem to care whether he noticed her or not...were all so similar to the way his relationship had started with Nannette.
But Ryan was going to have to control the attraction this time, because he couldn’t ignore a concept that might very well provide his means of putting his own stamp on Brooks International. A consignment store that specialized in making the less fortunate feel and look rich. This was the kind of thing that made a difference and exactly what Ryan had been looking for.
Maribeth and Dana chatted about the upcoming camp activities, and Ryan noticed the dark-haired beauty didn’t even glance his way as she spoke.
“The kids are going to love this,” she said, squaring her shoulders so that she clearly blocked Ryan from the conversation. He couldn’t recall whether he’d ever been so thoroughly ignored.
Dana continued speaking, but lifted a brow and fought a grin. “I think so, too.”
Ryan was used to people hanging on his every word, which was probably why her disregard hit him like a slap in the face. And made him even more determined. He’d had enough. One way or another, the lady was going to pay attention to him. He didn’t pull off running an international business by not knowing how to get people to pay attention. He simply had to say something she couldn’t ignore. Undoubtedly she didn’t like the idea of growing her business, which baffled Ryan. Why wouldn’t anyone want to take what they had and make it better? Bigger? More profitable? He’d find out, but first he had to get her to speak—period. And he’d already established her primary interest, so he capitalized on that knowledge.
“So, Maribeth, whose outfit are you wearing today?” he asked, causing the two women to stop talking and look his way.
Unable to ignore a question directed specifically to her, she turned, lifted an arched brow and asked, “Whose outfit?”
For a moment, he forgot his own question. When she looked at him directly, Ryan found himself lost in the appreciation of eyes that looked like melted chocolate, dark hair pulled up on the sides yet still reaching her waist and a mouth that made him wonder whether her lips were as soft as they appeared.
“Ryan?” Dana prompted.
Thankfully, his brain kicked back into play. “Which celebrity are you wearing today? That is what you do here, isn’t it? Match the items you receive to celebrity ensembles?”
An enthusiasm claimed her exquisite face, the passion for her idea shining through as she answered, “Yes, it is.” She smoothed a hand down the side of her dress. “This one is modeled after an outfit Reese Witherspoon wore on Letterman.”
“I like it,” Dana said.
So her wall of resistance cracked a little when he brought up her business. Good to know. And talking about business also kept his mind focused on his goal, instead of on the attraction that he’d have to control. “I like it, too,” he added, and realized that she became even more appealing when her cheeks blushed bright pink.
Dana stared at the two of them with a triumphant smile, which only reinforced Ryan’s stance to control this bizarre attraction. “I’ll take the outfit,” she finally said, and the two women moved to the cash register so Maribeth could ring up the sale.
Ryan took his time moving toward the checkout area. He wanted to see as many of the ensembles as possible along the way to verify that they were all as interesting and unique as the ones he’d already viewed. They were, and he also noticed that they weren’t merely modeled after the younger starlets. Maribeth also had clothing designed to model Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton and Susan Sarandon. Her store had no age restriction. Ingenious.
Ryan got to the checkout area at the same time that Dana said, “I just wish Ryan would stay here until his rehab is complete. He told me a little while ago that he was thinking about leaving and finishing up his therapy in Chicago.”
Maribeth’s eyes lit up, and she turned her attention to Ryan as he took the last couple of steps to the counter. “Well, I’m sure you’d be more comfortable at your own place,” she said, sliding the dress, shoes and jewelry into a garment bag.
If Ryan didn’t know better, he’d say the woman was inwardly celebrating his departure. But what she didn’t realize was that Ryan thought he’d found a way to make his mark on Brooks International, and it involved her unique idea. More than that, he knew that he couldn’t convince her to partner with Brooks International from Chicago.
“I’ve changed my mind about heading back home. I’m going to stick around for a while and finish up my initial treatments in Claremont.”
“Really?” Dana beamed. “Oh, Ryan, that makes me so happy!”
He grinned, finding it interesting that Maribeth’s pretty mouth fell open into a silent “Oh” with his announcement. And if he’d looked back before exiting with Dana, he was sure he’d have seen an accompanying “No.”
Good thing he liked a challenge.
Chapter Two (#ulink_ada16234-e0b5-50f1-a4a8-b7fd815b6571)
At just past 7:00 a.m., Maribeth turned onto the driveway beneath the wooden sign identifying the Cutter Fish Camp and Dude Ranch. In the spring, when Brother Henry announced the need for volunteers with the church camps held at the ranch over the summer, Maribeth had jumped at the chance to not only help Dana but also work with a group of kids in a Christian environment.
However, she hadn’t counted on Ryan Brooks being part of the equation. And she still had three weeks to go in her commitment to volunteer the entire month of June. Based on what he’d said last night, he’d be here for all three of those weeks plus another one. Four more weeks of therapy, which meant four more weeks of Maribeth being around a guy who reminded her of her worst mistake.
God, are You trying to teach me some lesson here? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve already learned this one. Or are You giving me a temptation I’m supposed to overcome? Is that it? Because if it is, I want You to know that I’m not tempted to make the same mistake again. And it’d suit me just fine if You’d go ahead and give Ryan the desire to go home. He doesn’t tempt me at all.
She rounded the last curve in the driveway and saw the non-temptation tossing slivers from a bale of hay over the fence toward the black stallion. His crutches were propped nearby, and he apparently had his weight settled on his good leg so he could fling the slices of hay farther. The action caused his biceps to flex against the sleeves of his navy T-shirt, and Maribeth was pretty sure she also noticed a couple of indentations in the front of that shirt where a six-pack, or maybe eight-pack, of abs were also in steady motion. His jeans were ripped along the outer seam to allow room for his cast, which only added to the entire rugged image.
So this was what she got for arriving earlier than usual. She’d hardly seen Ryan Brooks here since Monday, because typically he had gone to his therapy session by the time she arrived. But today she’d wanted extra time to get the additional materials ready for her two new campers. And because of her efficiency, she had no choice but to start her day interacting with America’s most eligible bachelor billionaire.
Lovely.
He tossed the last shard of hay across the fence, then shook his head at Onyx, who was holding his nose in the air as if he didn’t want the treat. “Your stubbornness is only making me more determined,” Ryan said, then turned his back on the horse, which put him facing Maribeth.
She was still in the car but her window was down, so she couldn’t ignore him when he asked, “You need help carrying anything?”
Great. He was injured and still attempting to feed a horse and assist Maribeth with her camp supplies. “No, I’m good,” she said. She actually had quite a lot of supplies to carry into the barn, but having him help her tote them would only put him in closer proximity than he already was, and she didn’t need or want to be any closer to the man. Really.
She scooped up the bag of materials Dana had brought her last night, as well as a container filled with trail mix she’d made this morning for the group. Then she looped her other arm through her purse and shifted to open the door, while the gorgeous rich boy leaned against the fence eyeing her slow progress.
The car door opened partially and then started back on her before she got all the way out, slamming her shin. “Ouch!”
He reached for his crutches.
“No, I’ve got it,” she said through gritted teeth.
With a grunt, Ryan let go of the crutches, then leaned against the fence again. “Looks like Onyx isn’t the only stubborn one around here,” he said.
Maribeth wanted to reply with some snappy remark, but the sight of him caused all form of speech to lodge in her throat. His arms were crossed, drawing attention to those muscular biceps and a hard-plated chest. Add to that eyes that appeared even bluer in the morning sunlight and a smile that looked more genuine than confident, and—billionaire or not—he could be the poster guy for every woman’s temptation.
And that included Maribeth.
Okay, God. So I was wrong. He’s tempting. But I can handle it. I’m not going to fall for a guy like him again. But even so, if You don’t mind, make it easier on me and send him home.
With all of her materials balanced in both arms, she kicked the car door closed and started toward the barn the same way she did every morning, except that there was no way to get there without walking near the guy leaning against the fence and grinning.
Did You have to make him so good-looking, Lord?
She took a deep breath, let it out and asked, “Something funny?” Then she silently reprimanded herself for her snarky tone.
“Nooope,” he drawled, and she suspected he was trying hard to sound country. He pulled it off fairly well, but she wouldn’t tell him that. “I’m just enjoying this amazing morning,” he said. “Some sky, isn’t it?” He tilted his head toward the fields, and for the first time today, Maribeth absorbed her surroundings beyond the appealing rich guy.
The green fields had a golden hue as the sun began its ascent and bathed the grass in yellow light. White Charolais cattle gathered in several groups on the nearest hills like earthbound clouds; Fallon, Red and the other docile horses huddled near the barn, apparently waiting for John to bring out a fresh round of sweet feed. A rooster crowed in the distance, chickens clucked, cows mooed and horses neighed, each sound adding to the appeal of the scene, as did the combined smells of hay, worn leather and sweet feed.
But Ryan’s comment about the sky pulled her attention away from the normal sights, sounds and smells of a morning on the farm to the reddish-orange hue claiming dominion above the colors of the land. “Wow,” she whispered.
He nodded. “I’ve never seen a sky that red in Chicago, but that could be because the smog from the city covers it up. Either way, this one is pretty incredible.”
She couldn’t argue with the truth. “Yeah, it is.”
“What’s that saying?” he asked. “Something about red skies at morning?”
Still captivated by the scene, Maribeth quoted, “‘Red skies at night, sailors delight; red skies at morning, sailors take warning.’ It’s actually taken from a verse in the Bible. I believe it’s in Matthew.”
“I wouldn’t know about whether it’s in the Bible,” he said, “but I have heard the saying before.”
His honesty about his lack of Bible knowledge took her by surprise. In this area of the country, “the buckle of the Bible Belt,” as it was called, most everyone was at least familiar with what was or wasn’t in the Good Book. And if you didn’t know that much about it, you sure wouldn’t readily admit it. But Ryan appeared nonchalant about his admission. As if it were no big deal.
Maribeth suddenly thought she knew why God put this man in her path. It wasn’t to tempt her; it was because she was meant to help him. “We have a Bible study here every day of the camp. I’ll probably use that verse in the one we have this afternoon. If the weather does get bad, we’ll have the Bible study in the barn instead of on the trails, so you could come.” A sense of rightness filled her with the invitation. He might have everything money could buy, but he apparently didn’t have God in his life. And she knew what a difference He could make.
Ryan seemed to consider her words but then shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve got several conference calls scheduled for this afternoon and reports to review.”
Maribeth had no doubt the head of the company could adjust his schedule if he wanted, and clearly, Ryan didn’t want to.
“So we’re in for some bad weather?” he asked.
She decided it best not to push the Bible study request. If she was meant to get him thinking about God, she’d do it slowly and patiently. Maybe she could control the temptation of having Ryan Brooks around if she were focused on introducing him to the Lord. “I didn’t watch the weather report,” she admitted, “but if the saying holds true, then yeah, I guess we are. And I’ve never known the sky to be wrong about that. My daddy actually gauges his fishing trips in the Gulf around the sky more than the weather report.”
“Your father goes deep-sea fishing?” he asked.
“It’s a popular thing to do where we live—where they live, I mean,” she corrected.
“Where’s that?” he asked.
“In Destin, Florida, where I grew up. We ate a lot of fresh seafood that he caught on his weekend fishing trips. Daddy works for an office supply company during the week, but he lives for the weekends when he can go fishing. And whenever our friends and family came to town, they usually wanted to go fishing with Dad.”
“My father and I talked about deep-sea fishing together sometime, but we never got around to it.” He opened his mouth as if he were going to say more, but then stopped and took his attention back to that crimson sky. “So you grew up at the beach?”
“We didn’t live on the beach, but we were very close, walking distance,” she said.
“I’ve always heard people who grow up on a coast never leave. And your family is still there?” Those blue eyes returned their focus to Maribeth, and she felt oddly uncomfortable in the way he studied her, as though he were trying to put the pieces of her past into place.
She’d rather her past stay put where it was, but she wasn’t going to ignore his question. “Yes, they’re still in Destin.”
“Are you close to your family?” he continued.
Maribeth glanced toward the log cabin and wished Dana would come on outside to get her out of this conversation. “Yes, I am,” she said, and when he looked as though he doubted it, she added, “I love my parents and my two sisters very much, and I didn’t leave Destin to get away from them, if that’s what you’re implying.”
He lifted his palms. “Hey, I didn’t mean to imply anything. I’m just making conversation.” Then he smiled, and Maribeth tried to relax. He was making typical getting-to-know-you conversation, and she’d had these same questions asked several times when she first moved to Claremont. Yet somehow having Ryan Brooks ask them seemed too personal.
Be polite, she silently told herself. This was Dana’s brother, after all, and he couldn’t help it if he was so very similar to the actual reason she’d left Destin.
“What made you leave the beach for a town like Claremont? Since you own your store, I’m assuming you could’ve started it in Destin, or in any other town. I’d never even heard of Claremont until Dana met John Cutter. How did you find the place?”
She’d also been asked that question quite often when she first relocated to the tiny town, and even though she hadn’t heard it in a while, she recited her trademark answer. “I wanted to experience life in a small town,” she said, forcing a smile, “and I wanted to start a business on my own.”
“Make a name for yourself?” he asked.
Actually, she’d been running away from the name she’d made for herself. Making a new name for herself would be more like it. “Something like that,” she said. Thankfully, she saw Dana walking toward the barn with a travel mug in each hand.
“I know what that’s like,” he said, “wanting to make a name for yourself.”
Maribeth started to ask him what he meant, but then Dana called out, “Hey, Maribeth, I didn’t know you’d be here already. I got a cup of coffee for me and Ryan. Want me to get you one, too?”
“I had a cup before I left the store, but thanks,” Maribeth answered.
“You’ve already been to work this morning?” Ryan asked.
“I live there. That was one of the things so appealing about the place on the square—each store has an apartment on the second floor.” She hadn’t planned on saying more than a couple of words to the guy as she made her way to the barn, but oddly enough, she was finding him easy to talk to.
“Pretty cool, huh?” Dana asked as she reached them. “That Maribeth can simply walk downstairs to be at work?”
“Yes,” he said, “it is.”
Maybe this was God’s way of showing her that she didn’t have to see guys like Ryan Brooks as completely off-limits. He didn’t have to be a temptation that she couldn’t withstand. Maybe they could be friends and she could even help him with his relationship with God somehow. Then she could go her merry way without any form of discomfort from being around someone who so blatantly reminded her of her past mistakes.
“Wow, did y’all notice that sky?” Dana asked, taking a sip of her coffee.
“We were just talking about that,” Ryan said. “And about that old saying that red skies in the morning mean bad weather is coming.”
“Oh, that’s right.” She held up the other mug. “Want your coffee now, or you want to wait until we’re in the car?”
“I’ll wait,” he said.
Dana nodded, still taking in that sky, which seemed to have grown even redder in the time since Maribeth and Ryan had started talking. “I’d forgotten about that red-skies-at-morning thing,” Dana said.
“Apparently it comes from the Bible,” Ryan said, and then he laughed when Dana sputtered on her coffee. “I only know because she just told me.” He tilted his head toward Maribeth.
