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There. She’d asked. Feeling like she’d just dropped a fifty-pound cement block, Blair sighed with relief. She wasn’t good at asking for favors. But her back was to the wall, and besides, it did seem almost fortuitous that he’d walked in at the exact moment she’d needed an attractive man.
“Excuse me?” Ethan asked.
Blair explained what had happened with Kyle. When she finished, she mentally crossed her fingers. Ethan’s face gave no clue as to what he was thinking. She tried to encourage him. “It was like you were destined to arrive at that moment.”
“Hate to break it to you, Blair, but destiny had nothing to do with this—Justin did. He sent me over tonight.”
Blair could tell from Ethan’s tone that he intended to say no. There had to be something she could say to change his mind. Heck, there was a pretty good chance this was why Justin had sent Ethan over in the first place. More than likely, Kyle had gotten his stitches at the same hospital where Justin was staying. The same hospital where everyone fawned over her brother like he was a rock star. Justin had his own personal grapevine around that hospital.
Ethan cleared his throat. “Look, about this Prince Charming thing, it’s just not something I’m cut out for.”
His rueful tone made it clear he was talking about a lot more than the play. She wanted to ask him why he thought that, but it seemed rude to pry. Instead, she decided it was best to let the matter go for the moment.
“I understand. We’re desperate, so I had to ask,” she said, forcing herself not to sound disappointed. She would figure out another solution somehow.
He nodded toward the open truck door, and Blair climbed in. Despite living in a small town surrounded by ranches, she hadn’t ridden in a truck since high school. One of her boyfriends had driven an old truck, but Ethan’s truck was nothing like that old basic model. Ethan’s truck was large and luxurious.
When he climbed in the driver’s side, Blair pointed at all the gadgets and controls on the dash. “This is one fancy truck.”
He shrugged. “I guess. I work on ranches, so a truck is a necessity.”
He started the engine and then headed toward the hospital. The drive took a while since the hospital was close to Amarillo and quite a distance from Falling Star.
As they drove, Blair tried to think of something to say to break the awkward silence that had settled around them. Sitting this close to Ethan, she tried to ignore the rapid beat of her heart. She’d like to think her reaction was simply nerves, but she knew it was more. For some reason, Ethan Wilson made her feel unsure and flustered.
“It’s nice of you to visit Justin,” she finally said after a few minutes.
“Yeah. He’s a great guy. I thought I could stop by, check up on him, and give him guff about crashing a car,” he said. “But it turns out he’s a hero.”
Confused, Blair asked, “Why?”
Ethan glanced briefly at her, then said, “He saved a squirrel’s life.”
A laugh burst out of Blair. She hadn’t expected that response from him. “Yes, I’m sure the squirrel appreciates it.”
“I brake for squirrels, too. Of course, I don’t follow it up by crashing into a tree, but hey, we’re all different.”
Blair laughed again. She liked Ethan. He seemed like a good guy. And truthfully, she felt bad for him. He was trying to be nice by agreeing to pick her up and bring her to the hospital. She was sure the last thing he’d expected was to be asked to be in a children’s play.
No wonder he’d said no. If she remembered correctly, Justin had told her that Ethan never stayed anywhere long. He was a horse trainer who worked with difficult horses. As she understood it, he went from job to job, never staying in one place for more than a few weeks.
Personally, she’d hate that. She couldn’t understand how someone could live without roots. When she’d gone to college and then worked for a while in Fort Worth, she’d spent most of her time wanting to come back to Falling Star. She loved it here, always had.
“So are you working near Falling Star?” she asked.
“Yes and no. I’m working in Texas for the next couple of months, but not near Falling Star. There’s a ranch south of Lubbock that has a problem horse who’s been through a lot and is having some serious issues,” Ethan said.
Blair immediately felt bad for the horse. “Poor thing.”
“Yeah, he was treated badly for a long time. His current owner got him when he bought some nearby land. No one wanted the horse, but Ed, the owner, has real affection for animals, and thankfully, also has the money to hire me.”
Although his words made it sound like he only cared that he was getting paid, Blair could tell from his tone that he also had a real affection for animals.
“I’m glad the horse will get help,” she said as they pulled into the hospital parking lot.
“Me, too,” Ethan said. “I know I sound like a real sap saying this, but I hate to see an animal suffer.”
Blair shook her head. “You don’t sound like a sap. You sound like a person who cares about animals.”
“Hence my interest in checking on your brother,” he joked.
Another laugh burst out of Blair. She liked Ethan. He might not be willing to help with the play, but she got the feeling that having him around would be fun.
**
AFTER PARKING, ETHAN planned on opening the truck door for Blair, but with a quick thank you, she hopped out of his truck and headed across the parking lot before he had a chance to move. Ethan locked the truck, then jogged to catch up with her. He considered saying something to her, but not a blasted thing came to mind.
So he settled for walking next to her. They walked into the hospital, across the lobby to the elevator, rode upstairs, then headed down the hall.
“You’re a rat,” Blair said as she walked into Justin’s room.
Ethan trailed after her, keeping a safe distance away from the faint scent of her perfume. The ride over here had been sweet torment. Having her so close had really tested his self-control.
“Why am I a rat?” Justin had a telltale grin on his face. If Ethan had any doubts about his friend’s part in this plot, that grin erased them.
“You know why.” Blair dropped into the worn plastic chair next to the bed. “You sent poor Ethan over to pick me up knowing full well I’d ask him to be in the play.”
Justin chuckled. Despite the discomfort Ethan knew Justin was experiencing, his friend was smiling like he’d just won the lottery. “Well, maybe I did suspect you could use Ethan’s help. I heard about Kyle and the baseball.”
Ethan wanted to be angry with Justin, but he couldn’t. The man was in bad shape, and if this little joke brightened his day, then Ethan could take it.
“Real cute, Justin,” Ethan said, sitting in the other chair at the foot of the bed.
“One of my friends was visiting, and she told me about Kyle, so I knew Blair would need a new Prince Charming. You’ll have fun—”
“Whoa—hold on. I told her no.”
Justin’s smile faded. “Why’d you say no? It’ll be easy, and you said earlier you were going to stick around for a couple of weeks. What’s the problem?”
With each passing moment, Ethan felt more and more like a fish about to be caught in a net. He could sense danger coming, but he wasn’t sure which way to go to avoid it.
“I’m not an actor,” Ethan said, hoping that reason would work, and they’d let it go.
But Justin wasn’t through. “You don’t have to be. Neither am I, but I said I’d help. This is a children’s play. The audience will be parents and kids. They don’t expect perfection.”
Ethan looked at Blair, who sat expressionless. Even though he knew this play was important to her, he also knew she had a soft spot. If he reasoned with her, he sensed she’d understand.
“Blair, look. I’m not the Prince Charming type.” He could see the sympathy in her pale-hazel eyes. Good. He could use that. “I’m sorry.”
Unfortunately, he realized quickly that his pity ploy hadn’t worked. Rather than letting him off the hook, Blair said, “You don’t have to slay a dragon or anything. All you have to do is dance with Cinderella during the ball scene and then kiss her at the end of the play. It’s actually one of the smaller parts.”
“She could really use your help,” Justin added. “It’s for the children. Plus, I’d take it as a personal favor.”
Ethan silently groaned. That was dirty pool. Justin knew Ethan couldn’t say no. Justin had done countless favors for him over the years, and he’d be a real jerk to say no.
He had to try one more time. “Look, I don’t think—”
“Come on, Ethan. It’s no big deal. All you have to do is stand around and look pretty,” Justin said.
Although Ethan admired his friend’s loyalty to his sister, he would’ve appreciated it more if it hadn’t been at his expense. And on second thought, the man was not a hero. Justin might have saved the squirrel, but he was throwing Ethan under the bus.
He saw no way out. He owed Justin. The man had always been there for him.
With a groan, he said, “Okay, fine. I’ll help. But I’m warning you; I’m going to be terrible. Like seriously bad.”
Blair didn’t seem to be a bit discouraged. She rewarded him with a brilliant smile that acted like a punch to his already wobbly equilibrium. “Thank you, Ethan. This means so much to all of us. I promise I’ll make it as painless as possible.”
“Yeah. Sure.” A new thought occurred to him. “I won’t have to wear tights, will I?”
Blair laughed, and the sweet sound ran over him like warm honey. What had he gotten himself into?
“No. No tights. You wear a regal blue suit,” she said. “The color is beautiful. It exactly matches your eyes.”
At her compliment, he looked at her. She also seemed surprised by what she’d said, but she didn’t look away.
So she felt the connection between them, too. Not good. He might have had a chance at fighting this attraction if the pull had been one-sided. But now that he knew she also felt it, staying away from her would be nearly impossible.
Distance. What he needed was distance. He was already tangled up in this play. The last thing he needed was to get involved with a woman, especially one that was his best friend’s sister.
He’d just make certain he only saw Blair when they were doing the play and there were lots of other people around. That shouldn’t be hard.
A nurse appeared in the doorway. “I need to check Mr. Collins’ vitals.”
Leaving suited Ethan just fine. It was past time for him to get out of here. Once he got to Justin’s house, maybe things wouldn’t look so bad.
He stood and turned to Blair. “I thought I’d drop you off at your place on my way to Justin’s house.”
A mumble from Justin caught Ethan’s attention. His friend’s expression made the sick feeling in Ethan’s stomach return.
Now what.
“About my house,” Justin said slowly. “I know I said you could stay there while you’re in town, but . . .”
“No big deal. If it’s a problem, I’ll just go to a hotel. I’m only in town for a couple of weeks.”
Blair stepped forward. “There aren’t any hotels or motels around Falling Star. You’d have to drive forever to find one.”
Confused, Ethan looked from Blair to Justin and then back to Blair. What was going on here?
“So what’s the problem?” With a grin, he added, “I promise I’m housebroken, and I won’t steal the silver.”
Blair smiled at his teasing, and once again, he realized just how pretty she was . . . and just how much trouble he was in. If he wanted to avoid a complication, then the less he saw of Blair Collins, the better off he’d be.
“I trust you. Ethan, and I’m sure Justin does, too,” she said. “The problem is that Justin doesn’t have a house.”
“An apartment?” he asked hopefully.
From the bed, Justin chuckled, but he didn’t say anything.
“Yes, he has an apartment,” Blair said. “Well, sort of.”
Sort of? Suddenly, Ethan knew what Blair was going to say before the words left her mouth.
“He’s been staying with me in the garage apartment at my house. I guess you’ll have to stay there, too.” She gave him another sweet smile. “I hope you don’t mind being neighbors.”
**
“YOU’LL HAVE TO FORGIVE the house. I just bought it, and it needs some work,” Blair said, glad her voice didn’t reflect how jittery the ride from the hospital had left her. Without looking at Ethan, she led the way up the front steps to her house.
“Were you looking for a fixer-upper?” Ethan asked, following her to the door.
Blair glanced at him. “Not really, but I didn’t have a lot of money, and I fell in love with this place. You can’t see because it’s too dark, but the house has this wonderful gingerbread trim.”
“Kind of a Hansel and Gretel thing, huh?” Ethan moved forward until he stood next to her. “You seem to be living in one big fairy tale,” he added with a chuckle.
Well, at least he still had a sense of humor. Considering how she and Justin had practically coerced him into acting in the play, she was pleasantly surprised.
“I’m not sure you can equate my life to a fairy tale. To be honest, it’s starting to take on a real Stephen King feel,” she said, then turned to face him. “Um, along those lines, when we get inside, ignore the crying. We aren’t letting Clementine out of her room right now.”
Ethan stopped and looked at her. “No offense, but I’m not moving from this spot until you explain that comment.”
Blair laughed. “Sorry. I know it sounds ominous. Clementine is my friend’s cat. Ella has been staying with me on and off while she decides if she wants to move back to Falling Star. Right now, she’s in Dallas, but she’ll be back tomorrow.”
“To deal with her crying cat?”
“Yes.”
Blair opened the front door and led the way inside. At the sound of the door opening, Clementine launched into a loud chorus of cries. Blair didn’t react. Instead, she turned on a couple of table lamps, then faced Ethan. He seemed out of place in her cozy living room with her Queen Anne furniture. The man seemed too large, with his imposing height and broad shoulders.
“Why does the cat cry like that?” he asked. “Is something wrong?”
Blair shook her head. “I think she may be lonely, or maybe when she hears us, she just wants out of the bedroom. She has food, water, and a litterbox in the bedroom with her, but she may miss us. I’m not sure, but after I’ve shown you to your room, I’ll let her out of the guest bedroom so she can be around people.”
“Maybe she needs another cat for company,” he said.
“Maybe. I’ll have to ask Ella.”
“I know you don’t want to leave the television on all day, but have you tried a radio? She might enjoy it,” Ethan said, studying the living room.
“I guess I could try it,” Blair said. “All I know is she keeps trying to go outside. And every time she sneaks out, she immediately climbs on the roof and starts to cry. She cries nonstop, usually until half the neighborhood has come out to see what’s going on. Then once she has an audience, she jumps down. She’s done it twice now, and I’m not letting her do it again. She needs to know she’s an indoor cat.”
Ethan’s gaze met hers. “I promise. I’ll protect both of you. I won’t let her outside.”
“That’s a real Prince Charming thing to say,” she teased.
He chuckled, the sound deep and attractive. As he wandered around the room, his restlessness reminded her of a caged lion. He studied the room as he walked, stopping now and then, until apparently aware of her scrutiny, he turned to face her. “Man, that cry really does smack of Stephen King. Tell me I’m not going to wake up in the middle of the night and find you in my room holding an ax.”
She laughed. “No, I’m not the ax type.”
He flashed her a crooked grin that was very appealing. “I didn’t think so, but hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask.”
“I guess not.” Moving through the living room, she headed to the side door. Ethan probably was anxious to see where he’d be staying.
“I straightened up Justin’s apartment yesterday, so it’s in good shape,” she said as she headed outside. The warm Texas air brushed her face as she led the way across the backyard to her garage. The apartment upstairs was perfect for visitors, and it was one of the first things she’d renovated when she’d moved into the house.
“Nice night,” Ethan said as he walked next to her, but abruptly, he stopped and took a deep breath.
Blair stopped, unsure what he was doing.
“Sorry,” he said, his expression unreadable in the dark night. “But I love the feel of a new place. The smell of the air. The hum of the noise. Every place is unique.”
Blair wasn’t sure what noise he was hearing, but the night air did smell nice. It smelled like recently cut grass, the air still warm for autumn.
“One of the things I like most about my job is I get to see so many places. Even the night sky seems different wherever I go.”
As a small-town girl, Blair didn’t really understand. She associated new places with loneliness. But he was right about the night. “Here, you can see lots of stars. When I was in Fort Worth, I could only see a fraction of what I can see here.”
He looked at the sky. “It’s a great view.”
“Is that why you move around the country training horses? So you can visit new places?” she asked when they started walking again.
“It’s part of the reason.”
“Part?”
He was silent for a long time before he said, “I grew up on a ranch. Spent most of my youth stuck in one place doing the same thing day in and day out. Hated it. I’m not the type to stay put. I like seeing new places. Doing new things. Meeting new people.”
“Sounds like you picked the perfect job,” Blair said. She climbed the stairs leading up to the apartment, unlocked the door, and turned on the overhead light.
The apartment was one large open area. She’d used furniture to divide the area into a compact living room and dining room. The kitchen was tucked away in the far corner. After moving in, Justin had bought a new coffeemaker and a microwave.
“This is nice.” Ethan tossed a black duffel bag on the couch.
“Thanks. Justin helped.” She gave Ethan a quick tour, showing him where the bedroom and bathroom were.
“Justin looks like he’s settling in,” Ethan said.
“He is. He plans on staying here until he finds his own place.”
“I didn’t realize he wanted to live permanently in Falling Star,” Ethan said. “I didn’t think he would want to live here again.”
“Me neither. He’d always said he hated Falling Star, but people are full of surprises.” Blair glanced at Ethan, which proved to be a big mistake. Their gazes met and held. She couldn’t help wondering about him. Why did he avoid ties? Avoid staying in one place? Why had working a ranch made him want to never put down roots? She had so many questions, none of which she could ask.
With effort, Blair fought to keep her thoughts on track. She felt such a deep pull toward this man. Eventually, she looked away and cleared her throat. “There’s plenty of room in the closet for your things. And most of the drawers are empty— Justin’s only using the top two.”
Ethan nodded toward the duffel bag. “This is all I need right now. The rest is in my truck.”
“Oh, right, you can only carry so much when you’re traveling. What do you do with the rest of your stuff? Do you send for your belongings after you get where you’re going if you’re going to stay for a long time?”
She wasn’t trying to pry, just making conversation, but her question seemed to baffle him.
“No. Everything I own fits in my truck,” he said. “I know it probably strikes people as odd, but I don’t own a lot of things.”
“Oh,” was all she could think to say.
As more awkward seconds ticked by, Blair was finding it hard not to ask all the questions she had. Slowly, she edged toward the door. “How about something for dinner? Rehearsing always makes me hungry.”
Ethan had been looking at a couple of pictures on the wall, but he turned to face her just as she neared the door. A smile tugged on the corner of his mouth, and she could tell he knew she was fleeing.
“Sounds good,” he said.
As he followed her down the steps, curiosity got the better of her. “Where do you live when you’re working?”
“Hotels and motels mostly,” he said. “Sometimes my clients provide me with a furnished place to stay on their ranches. The ranch I’m going to be working at later this month has offered me a room where I can bunk.”
She had to fight the impulse to ask him how he could stand the way he lived. But Ethan’s life wasn’t any of her business. Some people enjoyed moving. “Do you like what you do?”
“Yeah. It’s a terrific challenge, and I love horses.”
Blair smiled. This she could understand. Plus, Ethan was a lot like her brother. Justin could never walk away from anything challenging. “Justin says you’re very good at it, too.”
“I enjoy it.”
Because of her attraction to Ethan, or maybe in spite of it, curiosity ate at Blair. She wanted to know more about him. Justin had told her only a few things about his friend, and she sensed Ethan had more than a few secrets in his past.
But it wasn’t her place to snoop.
No matter how much she desperately wanted to.