The Second Chance Bride (Country Brides & Cowboy Boots) Page 9

  “But I bet they will after this invitation,” Steve replied.

  Amy agreed. “Let me think about it.”

  “We don’t have to do any of this, you know,” Alex said. “It might be best to just leave the whole lot of them alone.”

  Amy gave that idea some thought. “I have to admit, I’m disappointed in our neighbors. I was hoping for a more congenial situation. Still, I feel the need to try to work this out. They’re boarding our horses now, and it would be rude to quit going. Plus, when we finally get the ranch and inn up and running, I want all of us to know each other well enough to be able to talk with each other instead of the county if there are any disagreements.”

  “Well, I think it’s best if I don’t go for the next couple of weeks, regardless of what you guys decide,” Alex said.

  “That just might be the solution,” Amy agreed. “If you’re not there, maybe everybody will just settle down.”

  Alex was hoping Ben would agree to avoid the following week’s dinner, but his friend said nothing.

  Once at the house, everyone went their separate ways. Inside his own room, Alex wished for some air and space. Pulling a blanket from the laundry, he quietly made his way downstairs and out the door, where he walked the field behind the house and spread the blanket. Settling on his back, he found a comfortable spot and placed his hands behind his head as he looked at the stars twinkling back at him. As his eyes began to adjust to the darkness, more stars began to reveal themselves.

  They reminded him of Savannah and how all those years ago, she revealed herself one small light at a time. Even now, in that quiet moment before dinner started, he was a witness to the soft inner glow of this woman. He wanted to enfold her into the warmth of that glow and share it with her. Looking at the expanse of the night sky, it was hard to remember they were not together—as if their separation was going against nature. Well, his nature, anyway. Her family saw things very differently, and Savannah allowed them to color her decisions. That barrier was fixed. Charles’s disdain and Kelly’s haughtiness made it close to impossible for him to break through as they circled the wagons around Savannah.

  For years after she refused his proposal and he left Mission Canyon, he simply willed himself not to think of her. He moved to Texas and began work for Mrs. Dennison. He loved the pecan orchards, in part because they required long days with a steep learning curve. But even then, Savannah inhabited a quiet space in his soul due to the irony of his work with trees. Part of his desire to bring back the pecan orchard was to honor her.

  Alex sat up. Angst filled his heart. Ben was certainly attracted to Savannah. The two of them sure were cozy with their quiet conversation and walk to the pond.

  He’d tried to untangle himself from Chantelle and the girls in order to hurry to the pond so he could insert himself into their little twosome. But Chantelle followed, trailed by Shelby and Marissa. It didn’t take long for things to go from bad to worse.

  Frustration shot through Alex, and he stood to shake the blanket. He was too eager in making his decision to forego Friday night dinners at the Thomases. He would miss Savannah’s quiet smile and sweet face. Just this evening, there was a moment when he truly believed he broke through to her. When her eyes met his, he was sure she still held pieces of their love. His heart rested in the belief that he no longer carried his feelings alone, but that their love was alive within a mutual sharing. Now, that brief but glorious hope was lost as visions of Chantelle’s face splattered in mud came to Alex.

  Once again, his anger flared. All of the girls behaved worse than a pack of cranky children. It was a circus without a ringmaster.

  Alex took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Maybe that wasn’t fair. According to Steve, the girls’ parents made it clear this wasn’t how the twins normally behaved.

  Letting out a long sigh, Alex folded the blanket over his arm and began making his way to the house. Something had to change. In spite of the moment he shared with Savannah, she still spent most of her evening with Ben.

  Jealousy surged through him. He was becoming too invested in Savannah, and maybe even in the other girls. He needed to withdraw. It was the right thing to do. It was never his intention to come between long-time friends, much less sisters, and he didn’t want to be held responsible for the fallout that could be worse than a twisted ankle.

  Chapter 16

  The following week, Savannah sat on the rocky slab of the river bank with her feet dangling in the water.

  Her father was displeased with her decision to forego their usual Friday night dinner plans, but Marissa was downright irritated. Her sister was counting on Savannah to distract Shelby and Chantelle for a few minutes so she could have some private time with Alex.

  The idea chafed at Savannah, and she made it clear Marissa would just have to manage the twins on her own. “You’ve known them since birth, Marissa,” Savannah said. “It’s not like they’re some great mystery.”

  Marissa stormed off in a huff as Savannah got in her car and drove away.

  Now, she dangled her feet in the clear water of Mission River as the sun threw reflective beams across her legs. The joy of being outside on a beautiful late June day thrilled her.

  Elle sat on the same warm slab of rock with her legs folded underneath her.

  “Why don’t you kick off your sandals and dip your feet in the river?” Savannah asked.

  Elle shook her head.

  Savannah gave her a curious look.

  Elle moved closer to Savannah. “Do you remember Aaron Richards?”

  Savannah blinked. “I don’t--.”

  “His dad owns the Rocking R Ranch. Remember? He’s only the richest guy in the Mission.”

  “Ohh…that Aaron Richards. Sure, I guess I remember him. I didn’t really know him very well. He was kind of lanky, right? Had fuzzy hair and freckles?”

  “Well, not anymore, and he’s coming this way.”

  Savannah gave her a startled look.

  Elle giggled. “Haven’t you noticed? He’s only been staring at you for the past fifteen minutes.”

  “Or, maybe he’s staring at you.”

  “Nope.”

  A long shadow was cast across Savannah. She looked up and squinted to see a nicely built young man dressed in khaki shorts and a deep blue t-shirt.

  “Mind if I join you? I think you’ve got the best spot on the shore.”

  “Sure.” Savannah scooted closer to Elle.

  Aaron gave her a long look before settling next to her.

  Elle stood. “I’m going to go get something to drink,” she said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Savannah wasn’t sure if she should be irritated with Elle or grateful. She turned her attention toward Aaron. His fuzzy hair had been tamed into a generous mop of brown curls, and his brown eyes sported long dark lashes. A well-trimmed beard covered some of his freckles and the remainder rested under a nice summer tan.

  “I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Aaron Richards. We went to high school together.”

  Savannah nodded. “I do remember you.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t. I mean, we didn’t exactly hang out together back then.”

  “You had your friends, and I had mine, I guess.”

  Aaron laughed. “It’s amazing how little all of that means now that we’re out of school.”

  “True enough,” Savannah said.

  “So, what have you been up to since high school?” Aaron asked.

  Savannah shrugged. “Went to college and became an accountant, so I could manage the books at the ranch.”

  Aaron turned to face Savannah. “You take care of the numbers for Foss Ranch?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I didn’t ever picture you as an accountant.”

  Savannah sighed. “Neither did I, but it’s what the business needed, so I did it.”

  “Ahhh.”

  “And what about you, Mr. Richards?”

  “You’re seriousl
y not going to call me that, are you?”

  Savannah grinned.

  Aaron shrugged. “I’ve done some traveling.”

  “Where to?”

  “Mostly the West Coast. Although, I’ve been throughout the whole country. Las Vegas most recently.”

  “What’s in Vegas?”

  “A job. Well, an old job. I freelanced.”

  “As what?”

  “As an IT consultant. I got a degree in computer science.”

  “How do you freelance at IT?”

  He shrugged. “Some jobs last a few months. Others might be a week. It all depends on what’s needed. Vegas had a low cost of living, so I was able to work as much or as little as I wanted. Sometimes the casinos would bring in freelancers, if their own IT guys were struggling with a problem. It was nice for a while.”

  “And what brought you back home?”

  “It’s time I settled down,” Aaron said as he made himself comfortable next to Savannah. “The folks aren’t getting any younger, and I need to help out. Just like you, Miss Accountant.” Aaron grinned, then turned serious. “I’ve always understood the work. I don’t know about you, but I was feeding cows as soon as I was old enough to stand. But it’s time to really delve into the business of the ranch.”

  A kinship began to bud inside of Savannah. “Was it hard to give up your life in Vegas?”

  Aaron shook his head. Then, he looked down. “Well, yeah. It was a little. My parents didn’t ask me to come home. But I just knew it was time. I could tell by our phone conversations that it was getting harder for them to manage everything.”

  “My dad hired a foreman.”

  Aaron sat up. “Yeah. I heard about that. Is it worth it?”

  “Every penny. He hired Luis about six years ago. My dad couldn’t think himself out of a paper bag after my mom died, and it hasn’t gotten much better.”

  “I’m sorry about your mom,” Aaron said. “I heard about that, too. But it sounds as if you’ve got the business side of things well handled.”

  Savannah nodded but didn’t say more. She missed Alex and his gentle prodding for her to tell more of her story.

  “Let’s join the others, shall we?” Aaron stood and offered Savannah his hand. She reached up, and he gently brought her to her feet while his fingers remained entwined with hers before Savannah moved away. They walked together toward the pavilion, where everyone was gathered.

  As they neared the group, Savannah expected Aaron to ease away from her. Instead, he stayed nearby as she found Elle, who was talking with Jerome, another classmate. The four of them found a seat together, pulled out their tableware, and went through the buffet.

  As the afternoon wore into the evening, Savannah reacquainted herself with friends she had not seen since high school. Her mood lifted with each hug and new conversation.

  As they mingled with classmates, Aaron remained close. They greeted their old friends together. Many of Savannah’s female acquaintances threw envious glances her way.

  Elle sidled up to Savannah. “It looks as if you’ve captured Aaron’s attention,” she said.

  Savannah grinned. “And you and Jerome seem to be pairing up, as well.”

  “Touché,” Elle said.

  The two girls gave each other a conspiring grin.

  Savannah was happy to be in Aaron’s company. They had ranching in common, and Aaron understood what it meant to sacrifice one’s own desires for the family and the business. It was a hard choice, and the idea of sharing it with someone eased Savannah.

  As dusk fell, Savannah left Aaron’s side to find Elle. “This has been so fun, but I think I’m ready to head home.”

  Elle nodded. “I’ve got to work tomorrow, so I’m leaving, too. I’ve got a pair of kayakers who want to be on the river at dawn.”

  Savannah turned to find Aaron nearby. “It’s been so nice to catch up with you,” she said. “I’m glad we’ve been able to chat.”

  “Are you leaving?” Aaron asked. “Things are just getting started.”

  The music was hitting full swing, and some couples were beginning to dance.

  “It’s been a full day, and I’m beat.” Savannah gathered her dirty dishes.

  “Of course. Let me walk you to your car.” Gently, he took Savannah’s free hand and placed it through the crook of his arm.

  Savannah was about to protest when Elle gave her a quick wink. “I’ll talk with you soon.” Elle moved away, toward the parking lot.

  Savannah walked with Aaron.

  As the twosome began crossing the grass, Aaron said, “You know, these gatherings happen once a month.”

  “No. I wasn’t aware of that.”

  “Well, in the summer anyway. I don’t know what will happen in the winter.”

  As they reached Savannah’s car, Aaron continued, “Still, I would hope I wouldn’t have to wait a month to see you again. Could I possibly convince you to have dinner with me sometime this coming week?”

  A spark of delight came to Savannah at the thought of being chosen by Aaron. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

  Aaron smiled, and it pleased Savannah to make him happy.

  “How about if I text you in a day or two, and we can figure out a time to meet? How does that sound?”

  “Great,” Savannah replied.

  “Do you think you’ll be able to give up calling me Mr. Richards by then?”

  “Only if you’ll give up Miss Accountant.”

  Aaron grinned. “You’ve just made yourself a deal.” He opened her car door.

  Savannah folded herself inside her car, fully expecting Aaron to return to the party, but instead, he made his way to his own car—a silver Audi. Turning the ignition to her own vehicle, Savannah hurriedly pulled out of the lot. She didn’t want to appear as if she were interested in whether or not Aaron was staying. But within a couple of minutes, she saw the Audi pull up behind her before turning toward the opposite side of town.

  Rolling down the window and opening the sun-roof of her own car, Savannah allowed the evening air to spill into the vehicle. It pulled at her hair and brushed against her skin as her thoughts wandered over the evening. She was tired of analyzing herself and others. Maybe it was time to just enjoy the moment with a young man who asked her to dinner. Savannah smiled. Taking her own advice was the best idea she’d had in a long time. Already, she’d connected with many old friends and very possibly made a new one. Aaron Richards. Maybe the possibilities ran deeper than friendship.

  Chapter 17

  Alex peeled the last of the wallpaper from the bathroom wall while Steve held the ladder. Amy watched from the doorway.

  Wiping his brow, Alex felt his way down the ladder while Steve moved out of the way.

  “These walls will have to be lightly sanded before they can be painted, but the worst is over.”

  “Will applying wallpaper be as hard as removing it?” Amy asked.

  Both men looked at her.

  Steve was the first to answer. “Yes. Depending on the pattern, hanging wallpaper can be really tough, especially with all of these angles and high ceilings.”

  Amy stepped into the bathroom and looked up at the eleven-foot ceiling. “But I was hoping for fresh wallpaper. I want this place to be stand apart from your usual run-of-the-mill inn, and wallpaper can add that special touch.”

  Alex shook his head. “Wallpaper is always coming in and going out of style. It would require constant changing. Not only that, it doesn’t always wear well in steamy bathrooms.”

  His sister gave him a doubtful look. “That’s not necessarily the case for Victorians.”

  Steve jumped in. “Maybe not, but you’d want to keep it fresh. And I’d add that all of that upkeep costs money. Paint gives you more bang for your buck. You can choose any color. You can change it with the latest trends, or if you want, you can choose something classic. Plus, it requires less labor.”

  Amy shook her head. “But I want something that’s different than what guests have in their own
homes, and most guests won’t have Victorian wallpaper in their bathrooms.”

  “There’s a reason for that,” Steve replied. “Men don’t like Victorian wallpaper, and some of your guests will be men. This is a working ranch, Amy.”

  Amy left the room with a harrumph. “I’m changing for tonight’s dinner at the Thomases’. I’ll see you downstairs.”

  The two men let the silence linger for a moment as Amy’s footfalls sounded down the hall.

  “She’ll come around,” Steve predicted.

  Alex gave Steve a doubting look. “She can be pretty determined.”

  “Yeah, but our argument makes the most sense, and she’ll see that after a while.”

  Several minutes later, Alex was downstairs with Amy and Steve. Soon, they were joined by Ben. They all walked to the back porch, where Amy and Steve took their truck and Ben drove Alex’s truck, in case he felt the need to leave early. Alex waved from the back porch as they drove away, kicking up a little summer dust.

  All week long, Alex worked alongside Ben, wondering if his friend was thinking about Savannah. Just one word from Ben about Savannah, and Alex was determined to attend tonight’s dinner in spite of his earlier declaration to stay away. But Ben never mentioned her. In some ways, this eased Alex’s mind. Maybe the evening didn’t mean anything for Ben, and he just enjoyed Savannah’s company in the moment. Or maybe, he was keeping his thoughts to himself and looking forward to the chance to get to know her better.

  Standing on the back porch, worry filled Alex as he replayed the vision of Savannah walking to the pond with her arm looped through Ben’s. Ben did most of the talking. Somehow, Savannah opened Ben and eased his hurting heart, just as she eased Shelby’s throbbing ankle.

  Loneliness crept into Alex’s own heart. He missed the days when her warmth and comfort was a part of his life, and he yearned for her sweet and gentle company.

  Alex turned back to the house. Once in the kitchen, he pulled himself a glass from the cabinet and opened the faucet for a long drink of water. Had he made the right decision to stay home? He could call Ben to come and get him.