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“What is his real name?”
“Do you honestly want to know? Or would you rather think of him as Stormy?”
“Good point. Will it confuse him if I call him that?”
Megan laughed. “As long as you agree to be his mama, I think he’ll let you do anything you want.”
* * *
Drew was happy for his brother and Kimberly. He really was. But a man had a finite amount of patience for wedding details—unless of course, it was his own woman bubbling over with joy. With one ear he listened to Jed make suggestions to his newly-minted fiancée about ways to use the elegance of Willowbrook Farms for a romantic occasion. Even keeping things simple, the timetable would be a challenge.
Drew chimed in when appropriate, but in truth, all he could think about was Beth. Wet and willing in his shower. Naked and naughty in his bed. Limber and luscious in any number of heart-pounding scenarios. The previous night was etched in his memory. Probably forever. He knew they were attracted to each other. What he hadn’t expected was the feelings that went beyond the physical.
The raw need and urgent passion Beth stirred in his gut alarmed him. It had been a long time since a sexual encounter turned him inside out. He’d felt invincible.
But when he woke up this morning, Beth was gone. He told himself there was no need to jump to conclusions. Maybe she was bashful about rehashing their experience in the cold light of day...or perhaps embarrassed that someone might see her come out of his room.
Or maybe it hadn’t been good for her.
He refused to believe that. Beth had been like sunshine in his arms...passionate, teasing, warming him in every way possible. When he showered this morning, his body had reminded him painfully of last night’s excess. His sex hardened as he remembered the feel of her hands on his body.
Instead of hunting her down in her room, he’d done the gentlemanly thing and waited for her in the kitchen. Then all his plans had gone awry when Jed and Kimberly showed up. Drew had not had a single opportunity to talk privately with Beth. In fact, she’d barely made eye contact with him.
And now she was gone for the day. He could drop by the shelter again, but he had no real excuse for doing so. He’d never lacked confidence when it came to women. But he’d rather not have witnesses to a post-coital confrontation that might not turn out the way he hoped.
He glanced at his watch and stood up. “You two lovebirds stay as long as you want. But I promised to help at the courthouse today. They’re trying to recover as many documents as possible before it rains again. I may try to speak to Colby Richardson, too. Offer my sympathies. He’s come back to town to bury his brother, Craig, and to be supportive of Craig’s widow, Paige. That and dealing with the ranch will be a lot for one man to handle.”
Jed nodded. “Yeah, it will. I’m supposed to work a shift later. I’ll see you down there.”
Drew hugged Kimberly, stunned to realize that the thought of being an uncle was pretty damned exciting. “Welcome to the family.”
* * *
As Drew neared the turn to Green Acres, he pondered Beth’s attitude toward Audie. Forget about my brother. Surely she didn’t really mean that. He turned his truck onto Beth’s road, calling himself all kinds of a fool. But try as he might, he couldn’t ignore the fact that Audie needed a job and Drew could help. Surely that would ease some of Beth’s emotional burden. She didn’t need to be worrying about her brother in addition to everything else she was juggling.
The house looked much the same. Fortunately, the moderate temperatures had continued, so no one was in any danger of freezing to death, even if the shed wasn’t heated. Audie sat on a tree stump smoking. He didn’t move when Drew put the vehicle in park and got out.
Drew lifted a hand. “Thought I’d stop by and check on you.”
Audie’s nodded. “Where’s sis?”
“Helping out at the animal shelter. I’m sure she’ll see you later.”
“Wouldn’t count on it.” Audie paused to flick a mosquito off his knee. “Can I help you with something?”
“Actually, I might be able to help you. One of my stable hands quit last week, so I have a job available. It’s not glamorous work. The pay is decent but not great. But since you’re staying here, you could save up a deposit for another place in town.”
“Does Beth know you’re here?”
A warning flag went up. “No. This is between us.”
“She won’t like it. She doesn’t believe I’ve really changed.”
“Changed how?”
“I’ve been a drunk most of my life. But I finally started going to AA, and now I’ve been sober for six months. My history is why I’ve had trouble getting a job.”
“How bad is it?”
Audie shrugged. “I’ve had a few run-ins with the law. Nothing major. I had to clean up my act when the baby came along.”
“We run a tight ship at Willowbrook. You would be answering to my manager. I’m doing this for your sister, but I expect a lot from my men.”
“I hear what you’re saying.”
“In that case, do you want the job?”
Audie took off a stained baseball cap and scratched his head. “I don’t much like gettin’ up early.”
Drew winced inwardly. He was beginning to see why Beth had issues with Audie. “The job is 7:30 to 4:00 with half an hour for lunch and two fifteen minute breaks. No smoking anywhere on the property.”
“Okay. I guess I can live with that. I appreciate you taking a chance on me.”
“Let me be straight with you, Audie. I could have a dozen guys lining up for the chance to work at Willowbrook. My stable hands are the best in the business. You’ll learn a lot from them. The only reason I’m offering you this job is because I care about your sister.”
Audie nodded. “I bet you do.”
Drew inhaled sharply. With two hands, he took Audie by the collar and lifted him to his toes— wishing he could put his hands around his neck.
Audie went the color of skim milk when Drew got in his face and snarled, “You will not disrespect your sister. Are we clear?” When the man nodded, Drew released him, chest heaving.
Beth’s skinny sibling got to his feet, grabbed up his dust-covered ball cap, and had the audacity to ask for more. “I’ll need a way to get to work. Can’t leave the wife and kid without a car.”
This time Drew had to count to ten. “One of my guys passes here every morning. I’ll see if he’s willing to pick you up. Now do you want the job or not?”
“Yeah. I appreciate it. I really do. But Beth may get her feathers ruffled. She’s not big on taking help.”
“Are you the only family she has? I know your parents are gone. But no aunts and uncles? Cousins?”
“Wouldn’t know on my dad’s side. Mama was an only child. Me and Beth aren’t bosom buddies. She’s a little uppity. Thinks she’s better than me.”
“I warned you.”
Audie took two steps backward. “I gotta check on things.”
“You’ll be ready in the morning?”
“Yup.”
“Don’t waste this opportunity.”
“I won’t, Mr. Farrell. You won’t be sorry.”
Ten (#ubd761d02-7e5e-5a2a-a1a0-d8accbb20aca)
Drew brooded about the unsettling encounter with Beth’s brother all the way into town. No wonder Beth had warned him off. Audie’s reinvention of himself might or might not be the real deal. Only time would tell. But Drew was determined to insert himself between Beth and the stress of looking after her brother. She didn’t need to worry about Audie and his family if Drew was around to help. It was the least Drew could do.
In Royal, reality hit once again. Sifting through the wreckage of Town Hall was a distraction, but not a welcome one. Knowing people had lost their lives on this very spot was sobering. A pall of tragedy lay over the site. Though at least two dozen volunteers worked side by side in an attempt to recover valuable records, there was no joking, no camaraderie. Faces were grim. Eyes were shadowed with grief.
Lord knew how anything would ever get back to normal.
In the midst of the backbreaking work, once again Drew realized how lucky he and Beth had been. Imagining her snatched from his side by a killer tornado made him queasy. And it could have happened. So easily....
Today, the skies above were innocent and blue, nothing at all like what he remembered from the day of the storm. He had a feeling that many in Royal would experience post-traumatic stress in the weeks and months to come. Thankfully, the calendar said they were on the tail end of tornado season, but next spring would be another story. Every thunderstorm promised to be nerve-wracking, especially for the children who didn’t really understand these things.
Pausing to take a swig of water, he noticed a piece of paper flapping in the breeze, anchored by a chunk of concrete block. He squatted to pick it up and saw that it was a fragment of a marriage license. Neither of the names was familiar to him. But for a moment, he was struck by how many people would be affected by this mess at Town Hall. Were any of the computer records recoverable?
After his long, difficult shift wrapped up, he acknowledged he wasn’t going to have any peace of mind until he had it out with Beth. He was hot and tired and second-guessing himself about getting involved with Audie. Sooner or later he would have to confess to Beth what he had done. His job offer had been motivated by a desire to help Beth, perhaps even to earn her gratitude. But he was coming to realize that she didn’t always see things the way Drew did. He would postpone that hurdle for as long as possible.
Cell service was pretty good now. He thought about calling or texting, but instead, he drove over to the shelter, arriving just as Beth walked out the front door. She didn’t notice him at first. Her head was bent as she talked softly to a little bundle of caramel-colored fur.
Drew closed the distance between them. “I remember that little fellow. What’s his name?”
Beth halted abruptly, seeming startled but pleased to see him. “I call him Stormy. It turns out his owners abandoned him the other day. I may adopt him as soon as my house is finished.”
“Lucky dog.” He toyed with the puppy’s ear. “We need to talk about last night.”
Beth’s cheeks turned pink. “Lower your voice, for Pete’s sake. And if you mean the sex—” She stopped abruptly.
He smoothed her hair behind her ear. She hadn’t worn it up this time. The long gold waves danced in the breeze. “What about the sex?”
Her head ducked as she focused all her interest on the dog. “It was good.”
“Good? That’s it? Not much of an affirmation.”
“What do you want from me, Drew?” She shot him a sideways glance that told him she wasn’t accustomed to discussing her sex life so matter-of-factly.
Come to think of it, neither was he. But he wanted to be sure that last night was not a one-time thing. “I’ve thought about you all day,” he murmured, thankful that Megan was not in earshot. “I was disappointed to wake up and find you gone.”
“I wasn’t thinking very clearly. I didn’t want to make a mistake.”
“And did you?”
At last she raised her chin. Squaring her shoulders, she met his gaze full on, her smile small but genuine. “I’ll let you know.”
He shook his head with a rueful grin, glancing at his watch. “You’re a hard woman, Beth Andrews.” Her stubbornness worried him on another count. Drew planned to tell her he had hired Audie. And to explain that his intention in doing so was to make life easier for Beth...because he cared about her.
But her pride and her aversion to taking help might be Drew’s downfall. This thing between the two of them was fragile. Before confessing, he had to be sure she wanted him enough to overlook the fact that he had gone behind her back.
“I came by with a proposition,” he said. “How would you feel about a quick trip to Dallas?”
“Don’t we have plenty to do here?”
“Of course we do. But Jed is supposed to be present at a meeting tomorrow morning at his headquarters. He doesn’t want to leave Kimberly right now, so I said I would take his place since I sit on his board. If you come along, we can spend the night, have a nice dinner, take a break from all of this.”
“I don’t have anything to wear.”
“I thought you might say that. Kimberly works at a clothing store in town.”
“A very high-end establishment,” Beth said wryly. “Not my price range at all.”
“She’s already picked out several outfits with her discount. You can return any you don’t like.”
“Has anyone ever told you how bossy you are?”
“It might have come up.” He kissed her cheek. “C’mon, Beth. Say yes.”
“Isn’t it a little late to be booking a flight?”
“I have a helicopter.”
* * *
Well, of course you do. Beth gaped, although why she was surprised, she didn’t know. Drew was an incredibly wealthy man. “I see.” She wrinkled her nose, deciding how honest she was willing to be. “After the tornado, I’m not sure I’m up for riding in anything that whirls in the sky.”
Drew chuckled. “My pilot is one of the best. You have nothing to worry about.”
Except being wined and dined and treated like a queen and falling in love with the king. That kind of stuff could go to a girl’s head. “Okay. But I’ve never flown before, so if I freak out, it’s all your fault.”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled her ear. “I’ll take care of you, Beth. I swear.”
He was warm and tall, and his hard, muscled arms folded her close. Instinctively, she leaned into him, her back against his chest. Her heart began to jump and race. Stormy wriggled in her arms, ready to get down and play. Beth swallowed hard. “I should see if Megan needs anything else.”
Drew nipped her earlobe. “Come home with me, now. Kimberly promised to have the dresses at the ranch by dinnertime. She and Jed are going to eat with us. After that, I’m planning on an early night.”
Beth peeked over her shoulder, their lips almost touching. “Because you’re exhausted from working all day?”
Drew’s eyes flashed with barely concealed hunger. His jaw, covered in dark stubble, was carved in granite. Clearly, he hadn’t shaved that morning. “I could be comatose,” he said gruffly, “and I would still want you in my bed. But don’t count on getting much sleep. You can nap at the hotel tomorrow while I go to the meeting.”
An odd lethargy stole through Beth’s muscles, making her limbs weak. He smelled of sweat and warm male. Not a combination she’d ever found erotic before now. But then again, Drew Farrell was one of a kind.
“Let me tell Megan I’m leaving,” she whispered, ruefully aware that his sexuality drew her despite her determination to establish boundaries. She didn’t even want to resist. Not anymore.
Drew waited in his truck with the engine running while she said her goodbyes and tucked Stormy back into his cage. The puppy settled onto his soft, warm blanket and rested his chin on his paws, regarding her with mournful eyes.
“Don’t give me that look,” she said, laughing at the small animal’s innate ability to make her feel guilty. “You’re going to live with me. But not yet.”
With one quick word to Megan, who was struggling to coax a large Labrador into eating unfamiliar food, Beth grabbed her purse and her water bottle and ran outside. Drew’s impatience was palpable.
