Chapter Four

Julia sat in the front seat of her rental SUV, parked in the driveway of the house on Tall Pines. She was a few minutes early for the property showing and was catching up on emails while she waited for Chase to arrive. She had taken the entire month off from work, something she hadn’t done since she’d started at the real estate office. She wanted to enjoy her time here, and she’d had a feeling that when her vacation was over she’d need a few days to get Shadow Creek out of her mind before returning to work.

She quickly re-read the text from Marlene saying she was making headway with the offer on the chocolate shop. Satisfied with that, she sent a quick text to Gwen and Lily. Then she checked to see if there was any word from Chase. He’d confirmed by text last night that he’d meet her here. He was on call, so he’d mentioned he might be a few minutes late.

She turned up the heat in the car as a gust of wind shook the vehicle slightly and peered out the front dash at the house. She could see why Chase wanted it. It was a traditional log-style ranch house, common in the area, but there was something about the way it was set on the property. The previous owners had obviously gone to great lengths to preserve the towering, old, ponderosa pines and had built the house in what looked like a natural clearing. It was deep-set, far from the road, the mountains as the backdrop. There was a large front porch, and she could practically see Chase standing out there, watching Maggie build a snowman. No, he’d probably be right alongside his little girl, helping. The property was stunning, rugged, and larger-than-life. Much like the man himself.

Chase and Michael and Jack had been best friends. Out of the three of them, Michael had been the different one. He’d followed in his father’s footsteps and had become a lawyer. He had been smart, charismatic, a true gentleman. Well, that last part was debateable, considering what she’d found out in the year following his death. Chase and Jack had been the most similar, both of them with an edge, a gruffness that she knew only covered up a heart of gold. Jack…she hadn’t seen him since she’d left town. He’d run; just like her, except he not only left his family, he’d walked away from his fiancée.

Chase had stuck around, helped all the Baileys get through the worst days of their lives. He had dragged her out of the hole she’d been living in—enough that she could stand on her own two feet again and start over. But she’d missed him, in a way that surprised her. There had been so many nights she’d yearned for the feel of him, the scent of him, the sound of his voice, the strength of his body. She had gotten used to the silence. She had become stronger than she ever thought possible, but was she ever alone.

She blinked back tears and the sound of tires crunching the gravel and snow-covered long drive pulled her out of her thoughts. A quick glance in the rear-view mirror confirmed the object of her thoughts had arrived. She met Chase outside and was jolted by his smile. His stride was long and powerful, and he turned down the radio on his black vest as he joined her by her car. His hair was windblown and slightly disheveled, but his blue eyes were alert. He was…beautiful. Good grief, this wasn’t what she was supposed to be thinking about.

“Hey there, Julia.”

She pretended he was just any other client, but that was kind of stupid, because this man knew more about her than anyone else on the planet right now. She forced a normal smile. “Hey, how’s your day going?”

“Another day of excitement in Shadow Creek. Was picking up some coffee on my way to the station this morning, and a senior drove his car through the window of the coffee shop, so that’s always a fun way to start the day.”

Julia gasped and covered her mouth. “What? That’s horrible.”

He grinned and shrugged. “It happens a lot more than you’d think. He put the car in drive instead of reverse and then, wham,” he said, making a sliding motion with his hand.

“Was anyone hurt?”

“No. A bit of bruised male pride for the driver, but that’s about it.”

She shook her head. She had often wondered how he did what he did. She was also very aware of how he seemed to take everything in stride. Nothing shook Chase.

They walked side by side, and she noticed he blocked a nice portion of the wind. There was about a foot of snow on the ground and she was happy she was wearing her tall boots. “You know, the fact that there’s not even one set of footsteps out here tells me maybe there haven’t been too many showings on this property.”

“Good observation. We’ve had snow on the ground for two weeks.”

“Huh,” she said as she deftly punched the code into the lock box. “When I asked Marlene about activity on this place she said it was non-stop.” She shot him a look and he gave a short laugh.

“Ready?” she said as the lock released, looking up at him.

He gave her that grin that probably stopped much of the female traffic in Shadow Creek and then nodded. She swung open the wood door but he made her go through it first. They stood in silence in the front entry, looking around. The wooden, wide-plank floors were dusty, but from where they were standing seemed to be in decent shape.

“Not as bad as I was expecting,” Chase said, walking further into the house. The electricity was off, but enough light came through the windows that they could easily make out the details. The sound of his boots against the wood floor was the only thing that could be heard other than the occasional rattling of windows from the wind. When they entered the kitchen, Julia gasped.

“Chase, this is beautiful,” she said. The kitchen, though dated, had a big island in the center, a U-shaped cooking area that was large, the sink situated over a massive picture window. It was open to a huge family room that boasted high, peaked ceilings with wooden beams and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace.

She glanced over at Chase who was leaning against the counter, arms crossed, watching her. She reprimanded herself for noting how good he looked, rugged, masculine lines on display as he stood there. “You like it?”

“Uh, yeah? Don’t you? Look at the windows, and that view!” The mountains stood majestically in the distance, white-capped and proud. “You don’t even need a TV, that view is so beautiful.”

“Yeah. I guess Maggie would have a problem with the lack of television, though,” he said, one corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

She smiled. “That’s true. Don’t let her know I even suggested that. But seriously, look at the beams, the fireplace. I wouldn’t change anything.”

“What would you do to the kitchen?”

She walked over to it, her heeled boots echoing on the wood floor in the vacant home. She furrowed her brow as she took in the proportions. “I’d do dark cabinets with a slightly distressed finish, you know, masculine. Maybe a large stainless steel built-in refrigerator.”

“What about a woman? What would a woman want in here?”

She quickly tore her gaze from his intense one. A woman. Of course he was probably dating someone. He should have brought her. Though, that would have been awkward. Well, it shouldn’t be awkward, but a part of her didn’t want to meet whoever he was with. He did tell her the other day he wasn’t into the whole dating scene—for Maggie’s sake. But maybe that meant, he wouldn’t just date anyone and that he’d actually found the right woman.

She didn’t know what to make of the disappointment she felt at the thought of him with someone really special. And what about Maggie? She deserved a nice woman in her life. That little girl had been through so much. Or maybe he wasn’t dating anyone at all and was looking into the future to when he would be dating someone…and getting married again. Ugh.

She needed to get her sudden possessive line of thinking toward Chase in line. She cleared her throat and walked to stand in the center of the current U-shape cooking area. “I guess I could see a large, white, farmhouse sink right here, under the window.”

He stood there, hands in his pockets, eyes not leaving hers and she had to unbutton her coat, feeling hot. What was wrong with her? Things had never been like this between them. She had never been so aware of his presence, his energy. She turned away from him and gestured with her hands. “I’d place a large, cream colored, distressed island in the middle, the same spot as this one. Maybe with some corbels underneath—nothing too ornate, just to add some custom details, and of course room for seating. That would lighten things up and make it a little more feminine.”

He ran his hand over his jaw, not looking impressed. “What’s this distressed stuff you’re talking about?”

“Oh! It’s where the cabinet maker will sand off a little of the paint finish in spots that would normally get wear and tear or make a few subtle dents.”

He was silent for a moment. “So I’d be paying for someone to ruin a new piece of wood?”

She laughed. “Sort of, but it looks really great.”

He gave her a look that suggested otherwise. Then he flicked his chin in the direction of the great room. “What would you do in there?”

She swung around and made her way into what was so far the most gorgeous room. “Not much, Chase. This room with the fireplace and massive windows is almost perfect. I love the beams. I’d give it a fresh coat of paint—something neutral. A large area rug to anchor the furniture. You don’t need window coverings because there’s tons of privacy.”

“I like more privacy. What would you suggest?”

He was standing beside her now, hands shoved in his pockets. She tried to ignore how good it felt to be here, just the two of them. There was something that felt so right about him, standing beside him, talking to him. She forced her attention back to his question when he looked down at her. “I guess blinds that can give you privacy and then roll up completely so that the view is unobstructed.”

“How about furniture?”

She was about to laugh and tease him that she wasn’t an interior decorator, but she caught a hint of vulnerability in a face that rarely showed anything but strength. There was also a gleam in his blue depths that made this personal. “Well, you have enough room for a large sectional and maybe a nice square ottoman coffee table,” she said, gesturing to the space in front of the fireplace.

He nodded. “Can I buy this online?”

She turned fully to him, crossing her arms. “You online shop?”

He grinned. “I hate shopping. I’d rather shoot myself with my own gun than go shopping. One-clicking appeals to me.”

She laughed as they walked toward the bedrooms. “Try Pottery Barn.” She stopped abruptly and almost poked him in the chest with her index finger to make a point then stopped short. Somehow it didn’t feel like she should touch him, maybe because a part of her wanted to touch him. “Just wait for the sale. Don’t buy full price. Seriously.”

He gave her a salute and grin that almost made her toes curl. What was wrong with her? Maybe she had missed him even more than she’d realized.

She had met Chase the same day she’d met Michael. Her family had moved to Shadow Creek when she’d started her second to last year of high school. She still remembered exactly what Chase had looked like that day. It was slightly disconcerting that she remembered even more about the way he’d looked, exactly what he was wearing, and the expression on his face. He didn’t have a scar back then; that had happened his first year on the force. Chase had always been larger than life to her, slightly intimidating. He’d had an edge to him. Michael had been the safe, responsible choice. It was ironic it was only she and Chase still standing, both having been burned by their partners. But no matter what Michael had done, he’d given her the most beautiful baby boy to love, and for that she would never regret marrying him.

“You all right?” He approached her and she swallowed repeatedly, her heartbeat accelerating in a way that it shouldn’t. It was this house, that was it. It was quiet, intimate and she was here helping him decide on a place for his little family, like she was someone that fit into his day-to-day life. She didn’t. Not anymore. He seemed to swallow up the hallway, and for a second she had a flash of being held in his arms and she remembered the warmth, the safety she’d felt against his hard chest. She remembered his clean, crisp scent as she sat in his arms, crying.

“Jules?” he repeated, saying her name in that way that made her wish…things she hadn’t in many years. Her days of marriage and kids were over, the scars left behind too deep to ever make her want to risk it all again.

“Yep. Totally fine,” she said, shooting him what she hoped was a casual smile and then sidestepped him and stood at the threshold of the master bedroom.

“This is nice,” he said, standing beside her, his arm brushing against hers. Even though they both still had their jackets on, she felt the touch sear through her. She kept her eyes trained on the features of the room.

“It’s beautiful. Vaulted ceilings again. That’s so gorgeous, and I love that the view is the back of the house so you can wake up and see the mountains every day,” she said, trying to act like a real estate professional as she crossed the room. She was also trying not to think of him in bed. Waking up, by himself or with someone else…which of course was none of her business.

“Would you change anything in here?”

She spun around slowly taking in the room fully. “If you wanted to add a bit of luxury, maybe add a fireplace. Gas.”

He made a face. “Wood burning.”

“Not practical. Besides, if it were…I mean, if you had a…” Stop and shut up or speak as if what you’re saying is no big deal. She’d try to shut up and see if it worked. She picked at imaginary lint on the front of her coat. She really needed to get out more and learn how to be around hot men so she didn’t make a fool of herself.

“What’s that?” Clearly, by the way he was looking at her, not finishing her thoughts was not an option.

She tapped her finger against her chin and looked at the spot on the wall, behind his shoulder, hoping it would look like she was staring at him directly. “I was saying that if um, there were a woman in here, maybe she wouldn’t want to be bothered starting a fire and it would just be easier to flick a switch.”

He didn’t say anything for a second and she had to look, and then swallowed hard. There was that expression on his face that made her wonder…of course he’d never had feelings for her. “What would you want?”

Her mouth dropped open slightly and she felt a heat swim up through her clothes. She adjusted the wool scarf around her neck, fighting the urge to rip it off because it suddenly felt as though it were choking her. She was an idiot. Her mouth was parched and she felt as though she were standing in the middle of the desert, dehydrated and overheated.

“I mean, since you’re a woman.”

Oh, see? No feelings for her. She was overreacting. He was just being a practical guy. She cleared her throat after she attempted speaking and ended up squawking. “I’d want gas. Besides, you already have a wood burning fireplace in the other room. I’d get a realistic one for sure. You can still get a rustic wood mantle. I’d get an open fire pit, definitely don’t cover it up with glass or anything like that.”

He gave a slow nod. “I’ll consider it, but I don’t like it,” he said with a small half-grin.

“Well, someone else might thank me,” she said, looking at the mountains in the distance instead of him. She was an idiot. She didn’t want to think about some random woman thanking her for the romantic night she spent in Chase’s new house, with his new gas fireplace—

“There’s no one, Jules.”

She didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to think of him as alone or lonely, but she didn’t want to think of him with anyone else. Then again, what did that mean since she wasn’t planning on staying here? She never wanted a family again. Chase was a family man. So, basically it was a lose-lose situation.

“We should go see the other two bedrooms,” she said, pointing to the hallway. Time to get out of here and focus, meditate or something. She needed to stop thinking of him in any other way than a friend. Chase had been Michael’s best friend and as much as she hated to even think about it, he might have known about Michael’s…extracurricular activities. She also couldn’t contemplate being a mother again, and Maggie needed a mother, a whole one, not this damaged, guarded version of a mother that she’d be able to offer. She had created a new life for herself, away from Shadow Creek, and she was fully intending on returning to it after the holidays.

The rest of the house tour seemed much less eventful after that, and almost as if a distance came between them. She was fine with that, because she needed to get her feelings under control. She hadn’t expected any of this. They stood at the entry, Chase’s hand on the doorknob. “I want to do this. I want this house for me and Maggie, and I want to be in here by Christmas. I want this Christmas to really be ours.”

She took a deep breath, her heart squeezing as his love for his little girl was obvious in every word, every effort he made. “Okay. Then let’s get the papers signed and I’ll present the offer to Marlene this afternoon. Why don’t we set this offer on the kitchen counter, talk numbers, and get some signatures?” she said, pulling out her portfolio with listing papers. “You and Maggie deserve this place. I’ll call you tonight as soon as I have word. I won’t give them a long time to decide.”

“I’m in good hands,” he said, his voice holding something delicious in it. She fumbled with the papers and they slid out onto the counter. She gathered them into a stack and straightened them out on the counter a few times, trying to regain her composure. She kept focused on the task at hand, remembering the reasons she’d just listed to herself why letting Chase close would be a mistake.

“Thanks. Are you still intent on keeping this a secret from Maggie?”

He nodded. “Yup. As soon as you tell me this place is ours, I’ll drive her over here.”

She smiled as she put the papers in order. “I think she’s going to flip.”

“I hope so.”

“I’m sure…okay, here we go. Looks like I’m going to be presenting two offers to Marlene this afternoon.”

“Oh yeah?”

She nodded, pointing at the spots he needed to sign. “Yup. Gwen and Lily want the old apothecary.”

He didn’t look up as he scrawled his name across the appropriate line. His hands were tanned, large, and his signature was bold and confident…and why was she even noticing this kind of thing? How many men had she given real estate offers to sign? “Good for them. You think you can get it for them?”

She took the signed copy and handed him another one. “Again, another case of Marlene pretending it’s a high demand listing. No one has been through there in months. I’ll see what I can get her to agree to. Anything will help them with the start-up expenses.”

“I’m happy for Lily.”

“Because of Jack you mean?”

He gave a short nod.

“Me too.” She looked down at the stack of papers in her hand. “We both ran.”

His hand covered hers and she tried not to jump at his warm touch. She stared down at his hand on hers. The feel of him sent a swirl of energy through her body. “You did what you had to do, babe.”

Her eyes flew to his, her voice caught somewhere deep inside, and in a spot saved for dreams and desires she didn’t dare think about during the day, but he was making it impossible to remember that long list of reasons she couldn’t be with him. Babe. He’d never called her that, and yet it sounded perfectly natural coming from his mouth. She pulled her hand from his. “Thanks, but it’s still up there with my biggest regrets.”

His gaze was intense, his blue eyes focused on hers in a way that made her think he could know her better than anyone. “We all have regrets. Impossible to get through life without them. Can’t go back and change that, but going forward you can prevent yourself from doing them again.”

“So you’re the county psychologist as well as sheriff?” She tried to lighten the mood and was rewarded by his deep, rich laughter.

He leaned against the counter, his face close to hers. Blue eyes, the color she always associated with the clear blue Montana sky, held hers so she couldn’t look away. “Only for you. I hate talking to people.”

This time she laughed. “That’s not true.”

He shrugged. “People tell you things you wished you never heard.”

“Really? Like what?”

“Dustin Delaney’s wife is cheating on him with Lorraine from the food market.”

Her smile faltered at the mention of cheating. His smile fell a few seconds later. Did he know? Chase had been her rock, the good guy who’d been there for her. Though he’d technically been Michael’s best friend, after the accident they’d become close. The thought that he knew the truth about Michael gutted her.

She tore her gaze from his and began filling in some of the blanks on the top of the offer page. “Okay then. Let’s do this.” She was going to do everything she could to get this place for Chase and Maggie, and she was not going to wonder about if he knew what his best friend had been up to, because that might be the last thing she could deal with right now.