Chapter Two
The next morning, I sat on my rickety front porch looking out over the twenty sprawling acres of weeds situated around my run-down farmhouse. The area closest to the house I mowed regularly to deter snakes and other uninvited creatures from hanging out.
Not only did it give my son a safe area to play in, but it also granted our hens—the girls, as I like to call them—a nice place to scratch around in their quest for insects. But sooner or later, I would need to tackle more of the property and get the weeds and underbrush under control. Something I wasn’t looking forward to.
The former chicken farm had stood abandoned for almost twenty years before I’d discovered and acquired it earlier last year at a real estate auction. The ramshackle home and decrepit barn had required so much work that I’d purchased the place for next to nothing, but the home improvement loan I’d tacked on to the mortgage had only covered the larger costs for the home, such as structural damage, new plumbing and electrical work, most of the drywall and insulation, and a new roof.
Every room inside the old house had been gutted completely during demolition and although most of it had been replaced already, I’d run out of money before the job could be completed.
Sure, I could wield a paint brush or crank up the rusty old riding lawn mower that Jake’s uncle Hank had repaired and sold to me for next to nothing. But I didn’t know anything about finishing drywall, cutting trim, building cabinets, refinishing scarred hardwood floors, or restoring old wooden staircases. There was just still so much more to do.
Especially if I was going to turn this place into the kind of home I wanted my son to grow up in, much less make it suitable for paying guests. The idea to turn the big farmhouse into a bed and breakfast had been a great one. That was until I realized that the funds for the improvements would eventually run out. Now my expectations to turn this place into an actual business were as low as my budget.
No matter what I did, there was never enough money to pay someone else to finish each necessary project that I was unable to do myself. It was a huge problem, but one that I’d finally found a solution to. Even if I wasn’t happy about it.
I released a depressed sigh and sniffed the warm mug of coffee in my hand, letting the hazelnut aroma soothe me from the inside out. Before my mind could fully wrap around what today would bring, Jake’s blue Chevy turned onto the driveway, bouncing through the potholes the last rain had caused.
With a quick bark, Romeo jumped up and ran out to greet my guests with his tail wagging. The brown stray mutt had showed up on our porch six months ago and started out as one of those uninvited creatures I didn’t want hanging around. But within days, he had quickly become my son’s best friend and the newest member of our family. Whether I needed another mouth to feed or not.
The truck barely came to a complete stop in front of the farmhouse when Emily barreled out of the passenger seat and stomped onto the wobbly porch while breathing heavily. “You’re not dead?”
Confusion swept over me. “Was I supposed to be?”
“Yes! You didn’t text me last night like you said you would. At first, I figured it was because you were otherwise occupied with the guy from the rodeo. But when I called your cell phone this morning, it went straight to voicemail. You scared the crap out of me. I thought Zeus had killed you!” Emily breathed a sigh of relief and glared at me. “But, since he didn’t, I may have to strangle you myself.”
I started to laugh but stifled it. She was standing there with her arms crossed, waiting for me to explain myself about last night. “Um, I’m sorry if I made you worry about me. I didn’t even think to text you last night because…well, it didn’t go as planned.” I set my mug of coffee down on the wicker table next to me. “I also forgot to charge my phone after I got home. The battery must be dead.”
“Well, better the phone than you.” Jake rounded the front bumper of his truck and climbed the stairs at a much calmer pace than Emily had, but the displeased look on his face told me that he was no happier about the situation than his wife was. “What the hell were you thinking, Bobbie Jo? It’s not safe to take some random stranger home with you.”
My gaze darted back to Emily, and my eyes widened. “You told him?”
She shrugged. “It’s not like you left me much of a choice. I thought I was going to find a crime scene when I got here. Since Jake’s in the FBI, he’s obviously better equipped to deal with dead bodies than I am. Besides, I didn’t want to come by myself in case your killer was still here.”
“God, Emily. What were you thinking? You know he’s got a big mouth.”
“Hey,” Jake said.
“You know what I mean. Now you’re going to run and blab to Cowboy, Ox, and Judd.” I shook my head at Emily. “You know how overprotective they all are. The last thing I need is to be lectured by the peanut gallery.”
“Don’t be upset with her,” Jake said, shaking his head. “You should’ve told me yourself. I could’ve at least run a background check on the guy for you.”
“Oh, I’m sure that would’ve gone over great. So I was supposed to walk over to this guy and say, ‘Hey, handsome. I’d like to take you somewhere a little more private…but first, let me see some identification, and while you’re at it, fill out this form.’” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah right, Jake. I would’ve sounded like a paranoid idiot.”
His eyes narrowed. “Any man who would’ve bailed on a woman for trying to keep herself safe isn’t one I would trust to be alone with you, anyway. And just for the record, I would’ve done it a little more under the radar than that. I could’ve lifted his fingerprints from an empty beer bottle and ran them. I do know how to be discreet. Remember that next time.”
“You don’t have to worry about it. There won’t be a next time. I’m done with men for good. End of story.”
Emily sat down in the chair next to me. “Jeez. Was Zeus that bad in bed?”
“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t have sex with him. Before I got anywhere near him, I had another run-in with Jeremy.”
Emily released a hard breath. “Figures. He could turn any woman off men forever. But that sucks that you didn’t even get to make out with Zeus. He was channeling all that intense sexual energy your way. I bet he would have been an incredible kisser.”
I smirked. “I never said I didn’t kiss him.”
“What? No way.” Emily’s eyes widened. “Why are you holding out on me, then? Tell me what happened.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
“Why not?”
Without saying a word, my eyes shifted to Jake.
He got the message loud and clear. “Okay, okay. I’ll go hang out inside and let you two talk. I’m hungry anyway. What do you have to eat?”
“Uh, there’s some leftover spice cake on the counter. Help yourself.”
“Thanks.” Jake headed for the screen door and let it slap shut behind him as he stepped inside.
“Okay, now talk,” Emily said, leaning in.
I filled Emily in on last night’s events in great detail while she sat there patiently listening to me ramble on. I’d never seen her so still or quiet for any length of time. But when I got to the end of the story, her mouth formed a perfect O. “What do you mean he said good night?”
I held both of my hands palm up. “I know. Weird, right?”
“It doesn’t make any sense. From what you’re telling me, it sounds like he probably could’ve had his way with you right there in the parking lot. Why the hell would he follow you outside, give you a toe-curling kiss, and then not try to take it any further? Is he mental?”
“Well, it wasn’t like I had a chance to ask him. He left before I could.” I leaned back in my chair and sighed. “Maybe that’s a good thing, though. I’m a little out of practice, if you know what I mean.”
Emily giggled. “I don’t think sex is something you can be out of practice on.”
“Maybe not, but five years is a long time to go without it.”
“I still can’t believe you haven’t had someone of the opposite sex in your bed for that long.”
“Well, that’s not entirely true. Technically I had a male in my bed last week. But with him, I had to assure him there weren’t any monsters in his closet and sing him back to sleep.” I grinned at the memory of my son crawling into my bed in the middle of the night. “Austin had a nightmare.”
Emily’s eyes softened. “Poor little guy.”
Jake’s voice, muffled by the cake he was stuffing in his mouth, wafted through the screen door. “Did you tell Austin that Uncle Jake shoots monsters for a living?”
We glanced up to see his silhouette through the screen of the door, and Emily screeched, “Jake! You aren’t supposed to be standing there eavesdropping. We’re having girl talk.”
“Sorry,” he said, chuckling. “But I can hear you all the way in the kitchen. So whether I’m standing here or in there, it doesn’t really matter.”
“Well, go back to the kitchen anyway. We’re still talking. I was just about to ask Bobbie Jo who she was going to ask out now.”
I shook my head. “He doesn’t have to leave for that. It’s an easy answer. No one.”
“What? You can’t give up. There’s no reason to throw in the towel yet.”
I leveled a disbelieving gaze at her. “Did you forget all about my crappy dating history?”
“Hey,” Jake said again, clearly offended.
“Oops. Sorry,” I said with a giggle. I peered at him through the screen door but could barely make out his shadowy face. “If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t including you in that.”
“Better not be.”
“Of course not.” I smiled. “Jake, you will always hold a special place in my heart, but we were never meant to be. I’m glad you found Emily and that she makes you happy. It’s all I ever wanted for you.”
He nodded. “It’s what I want for you, too, ya know? You’re a good woman, Bobbie Jo, and you’ll find the right guy. He’s out there somewhere.”
“Yeah, but where? That’s the question.”
“Maybe you’re looking for the wrong kind of man,” Emily suggested. “You’re clearly drawn to guys with a certain characteristic. Ones who aren’t really all that safe to fall for.”
“Do you two have to keep insulting me?” Jake shouted.
Emily grinned. “Sorry. I was just pointing out that she tends to go for males with an edge to them. First you, and then Jeremy. It’s a pattern with her.”
“You’re right,” I said, nodding. “That is what I used to go for. But the moment I had Austin, I made a conscious decision not to date men who would be gone before the wet spot had even dried on the sheets.”
Jake sucked in a hard breath. “I never did that to you.”
I glanced back at him. “No, you didn’t. Don’t take it personally. I already told you that I wasn’t including you in any of this.”
His upper lip curled. “Well, it’s kind of hard to ignore when you’re sitting here talking shit about your exes and my own wife is comparing me to Jeremy of all people. I’m nothing like that bastard.”
“No, you’re not, Jake. But Emily is right about one thing. Before Austin came along, I always went for guys who were emotionally unavailable. The type of men who got me into bed, looked deep into my eyes, and wondered what the hell my name was.”
He scowled. “Okay, that’s it. I’m going back inside. I don’t want to hear any more of this,” he said, turning tail and marching toward the kitchen of the old farmhouse.
“I’m not talking about you,” I called out after him.
Without looking back, he waved a hand in the air in a yeah, whatever motion and kept moving toward the sunlit kitchen.
I laughed and shook my head. “Who knew he was so sensitive?”
Emily laughed. “I did, but don’t worry, he’ll get over it.”
“Well, I really wasn’t talking about him. Jake treated me very well for the time that we were together. And even when we broke up, we did so on good terms. It’s part of why I think so highly of him. You know that.”
“He knows that, too, Bobbie Jo. And he looks at you the same way. Breakups are never easy, but you two managed to stay best friends afterward. That doesn’t happen often.”
“Jake’s always been a good guy. But you’re right about one thing. He does have that certain dangerous edge that I’m attracted to in guys. But I can’t go for a man like that anymore. After Austin came along, I promised myself that I would find a nice, normal guy to settle down with and those are the only ones I’ve dated ever since. But that hasn’t worked out in my favor, either.”
“Why?” Emily asked. “What is it about these guys that you don’t like?”
I shrugged. “Different things, I guess. For a short time, I dated that nerdy accountant named Elmer. He was very sweet, but he had such severe allergies that his nose was as clogged as a public toilet. It wasn’t the least bit sexy.”
“He must’ve been allergic to love,” Emily said, making me laugh at her stupid joke. “Well, what about that construction guy, Henry? He was cute. What was wrong with him?”
“Yeah, Henry was good-looking, but he was also really immature. The closest we ever came to getting intimate was him honking my boob once like it was a clown horn. He even made this ridiculous hur-hur sound when he did it.”
A male chuckle echoed from inside the house, and Emily and I shook our heads. Of course Jake would think that’s funny. Men. Ugh.
Emily put her hand over mine. “Don’t give up yet. I know you’re wary of being with the wrong guy, but just give it some time. I’m sure the right one will come along soon.”
Her heartfelt advice was sweet, but it was also very unlike her. After all, this was the same girl who was encouraging me to bed a complete stranger only the night before. Either way, though, I’d waited long enough. “No, like I said, I think I’m through with all of it. Dating, men, the whole shebang. Trying to find a decent guy is like being on an emotional roller-coaster that never ends. It’s not worth the mental and physical frustration anymore. So I’m jumping off the ride and finding some stable ground to keep my feet firmly planted on.”
“Bobbie,” Emily said in a tone obviously meant to convey her disappointment.
“No, I’m serious. I’m just going to concentrate on raising my child in a healthy environment while I turn this place into our dream home. Speaking of which, after today, I won’t be in the house alone anymore, which is going to severely hamper my dating life, anyway.”
“You mean because Austin is coming back from his grandma’s house?”
I shook my head. “No. I mean, yes, Austin is coming home today. But that’s not what I was talking about. I haven’t told anyone this yet, but I’m going to have a house guest for the summer.”
“Who?”
“I’m not sure,” I said with a shrug. “I made a deal with the devil.”
Her eyes widened. “Okay, now you’re seriously scaring me. What the hell are you talking about? Who exactly did you make a deal with?”
I laughed. “Okay, well, not the devil exactly. Junior, more specifically.”
That was about as close to the devil as one could get in Liberty, Texas. As the only local Comanche tracker in these parts, Junior somehow knew things that’d never been spoken out loud. Like the man could see into your very soul and understand exactly what your weaknesses were in just one glance.
Then again, he was my boss. It was a lot harder to keep things from him when I worked in his diner as a waitress and talked to him almost daily. The moment Junior realized that I was restoring the farmhouse all by myself in my spare time, he’d offered to come over and finish the repairs himself. But I’d told him I didn’t want his help. Yet leave it to Junior to find a loophole. The evil genius.
Emily breathed out a sigh of relief. “Junior? What kind of deal did you make with him?”
“He called last week and said that his nephew would be coming into town today. He’s visiting for the summer. I didn’t know why Junior was telling me that until he got to the part where his nephew needed a place to stay. He planned to lodge with his uncle, of course, but Junior’s house was right in the middle of all of that flooding that happened last month, and the water still hasn’t gone down. Even when it does recede, the house won’t be livable for a few months until Junior takes care of all the water damage.”
“Yes, I heard about that. Junior’s been staying with Hank and Floss, since it’s not far from his place and he could keep his horses there. But that little cottage he’s sleeping in on their property is way too small for two grown men. When Jake and I stayed there, we were practically on top of each other all the time.”
I grinned. “Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.”
Emily shrugged. “Well, yeah. Being stuck in close quarters with Jake was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. But I have a feeling Junior and his nephew wouldn’t feel the same way. Especially for an entire summer.”
“That’s what Junior said. That’s also why he asked if his nephew could stay here. But I don’t really like the idea of his nephew staying with me and my son. I like my privacy. Besides that, I don’t really want to have to wash some stranger’s underwear.”
Emily leaned back in her chair and laughed. “Why on Earth would you have to wash his underwear? It’s not like you’re a couple or something. He’s just a guest. He can wash his own damn underwear.”
“Well, that’s where the deal I made comes in.”
Her eyes widened. “You agreed to let him stay here and wash his underwear? Bobbie Jo, I hate to tell you this, but you got the shitty end of that deal.”
I shook my head. “No, that wasn’t it. Well, not specifically.” I motioned to the house. “You know I’ve been trying to fix up the farmhouse and turn it into a bed and breakfast. Well, apparently Junior’s nephew has some handyman skills that would come in…well, handy. So it was a fair trade. I agreed to give his nephew free room and board in exchange for him doing odd chores and repairs around the farm. Stuff I don’t really know how to do or can’t do by myself.”
Emily frowned. “Bobbie Jo, if you needed help, why didn’t you say something? Jake and I would’ve been happy to come over and give you a hand. I’ve told you this a thousand times. In fact, all of us have.”
“If I had wanted anyone’s help, I would’ve called. I know my friends are just a handshake away and that you guys would drop what you’re doing to make yourselves available to me. That’s what makes you all such great friends. But when it comes to the bed and breakfast, I just really want to stand on my own two feet. If I’m not doing the work on the farm myself, then I want to at least pay the person who is doing it…even if that payment is in the form of a hot meal and a roof over his head.”
“Okay, so you’re wanting to prove that you’re independent and can handle things yourself. Fine. But just keep in mind that no one is going to think lesser of you if you ask for a little help. We’re here for you. Always.”
I offered her a sincere smile. “I know that.” But I hadn’t asked any of them for help and never would if I had my way about it. Unlike them, Junior had just somehow known that I’d needed it and made me a deal I couldn’t refuse.
I was no match for Junior or his diabolical plan to make sure I got the assistance I so desperately needed. Even though it wasn’t possible to incorporate an actual flood into his plan, it hasn’t stopped him from using it to his full advantage. Because when Junior set his mind to something, nothing stood in his way. Damn that sweet man.
I didn’t want to accept his help. If I couldn’t handle issues in my own life, in my own way, then who was going to teach my son how to problem-solve?
Jeremy? Ha. Not hardly.
No, I needed to be a good role model for my son. Let him see what a strong, capable mother he had. The last thing I wanted was for my child to believe that I needed a man to take care of me. Hell no. I could damn well take care of myself. No matter what, I was determined to prove that I could make it on my own as a single mom, as well as a home and business owner. And I was going to do it my way.
Jake stepped outside as another truck pulled into the driveway. “There’s Junior. What’s he doing here—dropping off your squatter?”
Emily gave him a stern look. “God, Jake. Did you listen to everything we said?”
“Hey, it wasn’t my fault I could hear you. The front door was open and you two talk loud.”
“It’s fine,” I said, waving my hand through the air. Then I gazed out at Junior’s truck as it made its way slowly up the road, the tires dipping into the large potholes in the driveway. There was someone in the passenger seat, but from this distance, the glare from the morning sun wouldn’t allow me to see his face. “I’m sure he’s dropping off his nephew. I just didn’t realize they would be here so early.”
Both doors had opened at the same time, but his nephew must’ve been grabbing his luggage from the back seat because Junior walked over and met us halfway by himself.
As usual, the big, burly man wore black western clothes, all the way down to his long-sleeve shirt, shiny boots, and Stetson hat. A leather sheath attached to his hip held a large buck knife that Junior had handcrafted himself, and his bottom lip poked out, filled with the sweet-smelling wintergreen tobacco that he loved so much.
I smiled at him. “You’re here earlier than I expected.”
“Bobbie Jo.” He tipped his hat. “I have to run into Houston to pick up a horse, so I figured I’d drop off my nephew and let him get settled in while I’m gone. Hope that’s okay.”
“Sure, I don’t see why not.”
The sound of the back passenger door shutting reached our ears, and we all turned toward the noise. A figure moved out from between the two trucks just as Junior said, “Bobbie Jo, this is my nephew, Seth Landry.”
I started forward to shake his hand, but the moment my eyes landed on his face, my feet stalled beneath me. No! It can’t be.
I blinked rapidly, hoping like hell my imagination was playing some cruel trick on me. But when Emily’s raucous laughter sounded behind me, I knew that I wasn’t seeing things. The mystery man who had practically knocked my panties off with one devastating kiss during the previous night’s event also happened to be Junior’s nephew.
And he was staying with me for the entire summer.
Shit.