Chapter Twelve
Rachel lay down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. It had been an emotionally and physically tiring day. She was proud that she’d set up the GPR system and helped her family. For the first time she’d felt like she’d added some value rather than just endlessly taking. Watching the drilling and installing the equipment had kept her hands and mind busy.
But now it was almost time for dinner, and she’d showered and warmed up, and all she could think about was Cauy Lymond telling her to keep her nose out of his business. Maybe he really was emotionally unavailable. Or maybe he just didn’t want to let her in.
Why did she constantly go after guys who weren’t really into her? Did she really believe she could solve everyone’s problems and make them love her? She’d have to ask Jenna about that.
Her cell phone buzzed, and with a groan she reached over to pick it up from the nightstand.
I’m planning on getting the dog. Let me know if you want to come and I’ll pick you up.
Rachel stared at the message for at least five minutes. It would be far better for her sanity if she didn’t respond, but she did feel some responsibility for the dog.
“Argh!” She rolled onto her back and put her hands over her face. “Life sucks!” She reluctantly texted back.
I’m just about to have dinner. Either come and join us (Ruth will love it), or pick me up in an hour.
Thanks, I’ll be there in 10.
Cauy might send her all kinds of mixed signals, but his love of Ruth’s cooking was a given. Rachel got up, groaning as her muscles protested, and made her way downstairs.
“Ruth, are you okay if Cauy joins us?” she asked her grandma, who was working with Billy to get the meal out on the table. “Because I kind of already invited him.”
“That will be lovely. The more the merrier.” Ruth beamed at her. “Billy said he was very helpful and knowledgeable today.”
“Yes, he was,” Rachel said. “Thanks for letting Cauy come. We have to go and pick up the dog from Jenna.”
“The one you found at the feed store?” Ruth asked as she handed Rachel the silverware to put on the table.
“Yup. She’s female and pregnant.”
“Oh my.” Ruth shook her head. “Where are you going to keep her, in your room, or in the barn?”
“I’m not keeping her. Cauy said he’d take her.”
Both Billy and Ruth stopped what they were doing and stared at Rachel.
“That was nice of him, dear,” Ruth said slowly. “But you’re welcome to bring her here if you want.”
“But I’ll be gone a lot, and it didn’t seem fair to load all that responsibility on you,” Rachel pointed out.
“So you loaded it on Cauy instead.” Billy grinned. “He’s obviously quite taken with you if he agreed to that.”
“Taken with whom?” BB walked into the kitchen and stole a roll from the table.
“Cauy Lymond with Rachel,” Ruth said as she swatted BB with the tea towel.
“Seeing as she obviously likes kissing him I can’t say I’m surprised.” BB blew his grandma a kiss. “What’s he done?”
“Agreed to take on that dog Rachel found.”
“Oh yeah? Jenna was telling me about that. She said I should admit Cauy wasn’t a bad guy seeing as he’d insisted on paying the whole bill.” BB took his seat and sniffed appreciatively. “I’m going to miss your cooking when I move out, Ruth.”
“You’re only going to be a quarter of a mile down the road so you can come back anytime,” Ruth said. “And when are you going to move out? Jenna says the house is ready.”
“Trying to get rid of me?” BB winked at Ruth and lowered his voice. “I’m planning something around Christmas for Jenna, but don’t tell her. If I succeed I’ll be moving out before Maria goes back to school in the New Year.”
“And if you don’t?”
“I will. There isn’t another option on the table.” BB’s smile was so confident Rachel had to admire him. “Maria agrees with me. Now all we have to do is convince Jenna and make me the happiest guy in the universe.”
Rachel helped Billy place the roast beef, mashed potatoes, beans, and gravy on the table and took her place. True to his word, Cauy arrived on time along with a gaggle of Morgans and was seated across the table in January’s seat. As usual, the conversation was loud, brisk, and a mixture of ranch business and personal stuff that sometimes had Rachel looking fourteen different ways at once. She still wasn’t used to being part of a big noisy family.
Cauy ate his way steadily through two plates of food and answered every question thrown at him politely and succinctly. No one would ever accuse him of being chatty, but he wasn’t rude. Even BB relaxed and stopped treating him like a threat. Rachel reminded herself that she’d only be at the ranch for another month or so before she got a new job, but she liked Cauy’s smile, the way he used his hands, and the quiet, steadfast strength that emanated from him.
“Rachel?”
She blinked as he addressed her directly for the first time. “What?”
“I told Jenna we’d be there by seven. She said that was fine as she’s finishing up some paperwork.”
“Okay.”
“Then you’d better eat your dessert fast and get a wiggle on.” Ruth placed a huge apple crisp and a jug of cream in the center of the table. “I’ll pack you up some food for Jenna as it looks as if she’ll be missing her dinner.”
* * *
Rachel got into Cauy’s truck and put on her seat belt, placing the box of food Ruth had prepared for Jenna firmly between her booted feet.
Cauy didn’t speak as he drove down to the vet’s and turned into the empty parking lot. There were lights on in the main house so they headed in there.
Jenna was sitting in the back office, head down, writing when Rachel knocked and went in.
“Hey! You made it!” She came around to hug Rachel and eyed the box. “Don’t tell me that’s my dinner? Ruth is the best person ever!”
“Yes, it’s all for you.” Rachel grinned as she handed the box over. “It started off as a snack, and ended up as a three-course meal with extra sides so I hope you’re hungry.”
“Always.” Jenna inhaled the scent of beef. “I’ve been out on call all day, and I barely had a chance to eat a thing.” She turned to greet Cauy. “Hey. How are you?”
“I’m good, thanks.” Cauy tipped his hat to Jenna.
“Let me go and fetch the dog.” Jenna put on her white coat. “I’ve typed up a whole load of instructions for her, Rach, but if you have any worries or issues, just call me, okay?”
“Cauy’s taking the dog to his house,” Rachel said.
“Oh! Okay! That’s awesome.” Jenna smiled at Cauy. “Same instructions to you. Call me anytime.”
Rachel followed Jenna out into the lean-to and closed the door firmly behind her.
“Jenna, have you got a sec?”
“Yes, what’s up?” Jenna paused beside one of the big cages on the floor.
“It’s Cauy. Do you think I should try and make him talk to me more?” Rachel asked.
“Make him?” Jenna snorted. “He’s a man. Good luck with that.”
“Then should I even try and ask him if he’s interested in me or not?”
“You’re not sure? From what I’ve seen and what you told me I would definitely say he’s interested.” Jenna checked the clipboard hanging on the front of the cage and detached a whole pile of papers. “The thing is, what are you trying to achieve here?”
“I just want to know where I stand.”
“Fair enough.” Jenna studied her. “And what if he books it?”
“Then at least I’d know, and I’d stop hoping. I think that’s the worst feeling in the word, not knowing.”
“Okay, so what are you looking for? Love, sex, marriage, all three?”
“I haven’t thought of it like that.” Rachel frowned.
“Then maybe you should,” Jenna said. “Go in with a clear expectation of what you want and take it from there.”
“If I have the nerve to actually do it,” Rachel said gloomily.
“What have you got to lose?” Jenna sounded way too cheerful for Rachel’s liking.
“Visiting rights to the dog?”
“At least you’ll know,” Jenna said.
“True.” Rachel nodded. “I’ll play it by ear.”
“And remember, honesty is the best policy.” Jenna unlocked the cage and the dog sat up expectantly. “Come on, my beauty. Time to go to your forever home.”
* * *
The dog sat on Rachel’s lap as Cauy drove them back to his house, her ears half-cocked, and her big wet nose snuffling everything in sight. It was good he wasn’t a car nut because his window was now covered in dog drool. Rachel didn’t seem to mind the occasional lick that was lavished on her either.
She’d fallen silent after they’d left Jenna’s and had remained so, which was slightly unnerving. Maybe she’d given up trying to talk to him. He certainly deserved it. They arrived at the house and he killed the engine.
“You can bring her into the kitchen.”
“Okay.”
He opened the passenger door for her and then flicked on the lights in the mudroom and kitchen so Rachel could see where she was going. She kicked off her boots, came past him, and stopped dead.
“Wow, did you get the dog bed and crate for her already?”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want her coming home to a hard floor.” He shut the door. “The crate was already here so I just cleaned it up, but the rest of the stuff I got in town the other day.”
Rachel put the dog down in the cozy bed and stroked her head. “Look, you’ve got your own water and food bowls, your own blankie and toys!” She turned to smile at Cauy. “You’ve forgotten one thing, though.”
He pointed at a cupboard by the sink. “I have food, bones, and meds in there, and her leash is hanging in the mudroom.”
“Not those things.” She rolled her eyes. “Something way more fundamental.”
“Like what?”
“What are you going to call her?”
“I’m not good with names.” Cauy took off his coat, hung it over the back of the chair, and did the same with Rachel’s. “I still call my horses Horse One and Horse Two.”
“You can’t call her Dog,” Rachel objected. “Ry’s already taken that one, and I’d get confused.”
“Maybe you should pick something,” Cauy suggested.
“She’s your dog,” Rachel said.
“But you found her.” He smiled at her. She looked freaking adorable sitting there cuddling the dog, her blond hair shining in the light. “Help me out, here, please.”
Rachel turned her attention to the dog and studied her intensely. “How about Hope or Grace—seeing as we found her and gave her a new life of opportunities?”
Cauy came over, crouched in front of the dog, and patted her head. “I like Grace.”
And he sure needed some in his life . . . and had already been given more than he deserved.
Up close, Rachel’s eyes were very blue and way too easy to just fall into.... Cauy recoiled as the dog jumped up and licked his jaw, sending Rachel down on her remarkably fine ass.
“Ouch!” She grabbed the dog again and laughed. “Just trample all over me to get to him, Grace, why don’t you?”
“Fine by me,” Cauy said. “I don’t usually cause a stampede.”
“Can I ask you something?”
Cauy nodded.
“Do you like me?”
“Yeah, of course I do.” He gestured over at the chair. “Lady, I had you half-naked about a week ago.”
“That was different. That was just sex.” Rachel’s cheeks heated, and she flapped a hand in front of her face.
He sat on the floor keeping the dog between them, his hand buried in her fur. “As in do I want to have a relationship with you?”
“Exactly.”
He sighed. “Do you want the long answer or the short version?”
“Whatever works for you.”
Cauy tried to gather his thoughts. “I didn’t come back here to start a new relationship. I came to save the ranch, and this place sure needs a lot of help.”
“So you’re saying you don’t have time for a relationship?”
“I suppose I am, and”—he hesitated—“I’m not great boyfriend material.”
“Why do you say that? You’re kind, and I find you very attractive or else I wouldn’t be sitting here right now making a fool out of myself.”
“You’re no fool. I’m the one who screwed up a marriage.” Cauy paused. “I suppose you could say I’m still gun-shy.”
“Okay, so this isn’t a good time for you. I get that.” She fidgeted with the dog’s collar. “It’s not great for me, either. I need to get a job, and I’ll only be here for another month.”
Cauy chose his words with care. “Maybe we should admit the timing sucks and stay friends?”
“Maybe we should.”
She held his gaze as he leaned in like an idiot; his gaze fixed on her lips, and he kissed her. She opened her mouth to him, and he delved inside, his tongue tangling with hers, and it was spectacular like the Fourth of July fireworks. She was the first to pull back.
“That was your good-bye kiss?”
Cauy shrugged. “I like kissing you.”
“But you don’t want a relationship right now, and neither do I.” Rachel patted the dog as if her life depended on it, aware that her and Cauy’s fingers sometimes met and intertwined in the dog’s fur. She was reluctant to mention it in case he pulled his hand away.
“Exactly.”
“Okay, we stay friends, you save the ranch, and I’ll go off and find a new job.” Rachel paused. “Then maybe one day when we’re both older and wiser we’ll get around to dating.”
His fingers stilled in Grace’s fur right over hers, and his thumb caressed her palm sending shivers of pure lust up and down her spine.
“Yeah, that’s a great idea.”
She waited. He didn’t say any more, but his hand remained firmly in hers until she reluctantly eased her fingers free. She could do this. She was a mature, confident woman with thousands of choices ahead of her. If she and Cauy could realize it wasn’t a good time to have a relationship why couldn’t other people? It would save a lot of heartache if people were honest with each other.
She scrambled to her feet and went to wash her hands. “Do you want to show me how Jackson’s room looks now?”
Cauy remained sitting on the floor with the dog. “You’re quick to tell me when I’m avoiding a subject, but you’re pretty good at it yourself, Rachel.”
She turned to look at him. “I’m not avoiding anything. I told you how I see things, and so far you haven’t disagreed, so I assumed we were moving on.”
“You think it’s that simple? That we can just turn off ‘that’”—he brushed his mouth with his fingers—“and be friends?”
“You don’t think you can handle it?” Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and hoped he didn’t notice her very perky nipples. “Wow, and you’re older than me, and much more experienced.”
“Meaning I’ve learned that wanting someone like this”—he slowly let out a breath—“doesn’t happen very often.”
She was torn between delight at his admission and fear about what he was going to say next.
He looked her right in the eye. “It scares the crap out of me.”
“Oh,” Rachel said faintly. “Good. I think.”
“All I know is that I want you, and for many reasons I can’t have you.” He moved the now sleeping dog off his lap and placed her in her crate with the door open before slowly standing to face Rachel.
She shrank back against the sink, but he kept his distance.
“It’s okay. I’m a grown man, not a stupid teenage boy who doesn’t keep his promises.”
“I already knew that.” Rachel sighed. At least she had her answer. “It’s sad though, isn’t it? That we can’t get it together.”
“Yeah.” He shoved a hand through his hair. She couldn’t help but notice he was as aroused as she was. “Now, do you want to see what I’ve done in Jackson’s room or not?”