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It was a beautiful morning and Ryan’s headache had abated and he felt much better. Polly took one look at him and declared his health improved. She didn’t have breakfast with them, but went home claiming a sudden burst of writing ideas. Ryan suspected she was embarrassed by their close contact the night before and scurried home like a scared rabbit. Both the memory and her hasty leaving made him smile.
At the construction site, he wore his hard hat and joked with the men like nothing unusual had happened. But he watched closely each and every one of them. He did not see any suspicious behavior. He checked the second construction site and was pleased by the progress there.
His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. A message from Olivia about an addendum to the contract that required his presence immediately.
He returned at the model home, left Mike in charge, and told Gideon to drive. In fifteen minutes, they were in front of the law offices still having the sign Bowman & Bowman. It needed updating as one Bowman was retired and the second, Taryn, was married and was called now Lockhart. Would she take Olivia as business partner? – Ryan wondered.
Edna, the middle-aged receptionist was talking on the phone and he made a kissing noise in her direction. She smiled and waved him toward Olivia’s office.
“Good morning, Olivia,” Ryan said taking a seat in the chair in front of her desk. “What was so important in the addendum that you called me here?”
“Your partner has added a phrase that is ambiguous. I understood from you that you’ll split the expenses equally. He mentioned that he comes in this deal with the land and whatever was built before you came in. The rest is your responsibility.”
“Yes, it is in a way. He doesn’t have more cash, except what he has already spent. I guess what I said was that appraising the land and the cost of his initial investment should be equal in value with whatever expenses I’ll make to continue building. The rest will be deducted from the price we’ll get when we sell the houses and this money will be split accordingly. Does this make sense?”
“Oh my. She’s a Goddess, dude,” he heard Gideon whispering in awe from the doorway.
Ryan turned and saw the young man looking mesmerized at Olivia. “Gideon, I thought you’d wait for me in the truck.”
“Cleo wanted her daddy,” the young man answered and placed the little dog on his lap.
Olivia pursed her lips. “Dogs are not allowed here,” she said pointing at Cleo.
“Grr,” the dog protested and looked up at Ryan.
He stroked her fur to calm her down and straightened her pink bow. “Cleo is not any dog. She’s a very well behaved animal who understands most of what I tell her.” Satisfied that Ryan had defended her, the fluffy ball of fur curled up in his arms and was quiet.
“What about him?” Olivia asked looking at Gideon who had the same look of dumb adoration.
“Gideon is not a dog,” Ryan said the obvious. Was Olivia upset by the young man’s innocent attention?
“No, ma’am,” Gideon confirmed. “I’m Gideon Pratt from Alaska.” He sighed. “And you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. Much better than the other one,” he added.
Olivia arched her eyebrow, unimpressed by the compliment. As a good lawyer with attention to details, she zeroed in on the last word. “What other one?”
Ryan made a face at Gideon hoping he’d stop talking, but the younger man was on a roll. “Miss Polly. Although she’s very nice and writes great books.”
“You’ve met my sister?” Olivia asked surprised.
“Of course. She gave me three of her books, when we visited her last.” If Ryan thought Gideon would stop here, he was wrong. Gideon was set to spill all the beans. “And wasn’t it nice of her to sleep at our house yesterday to make sure Boss didn’t have a concussion.”
Such incendiary words were bound to make Olivia explode. “If he didn’t have a concussion, then I’ll give him one now. Polly slept with you?” she asked Ryan in a shrill voice.
Olivia was a force to reckon with when she was angry and Ryan’s first reaction was to deny. Then he decided not to. Her family treated Polly like she was a push-over, unable to live on her own. “Gideon talked too much. The truth is, it’s none of your business what Polly does and the nature of our relationship is not your concern. She is an adult. She deserves to be treated as such. With respect.”
Could Gideon keep his mouth shut at least this once? No, not this time. “Nah, Miss Polly slept on the couch. Besides, Boss was conked out due to the hit on the head and was not able to do much.”
Enough was enough. “Gideon, take Cleo and wait for me in the truck.” This time, his firm tone penetrated the foggy brain of the smitten young man. Sighing again, he picked up the dog and turned to go. “Could I come back another time?” he asked from the doorway.
“Go,” Ryan ordered.
“Is he a delinquent?” Olivia asked when the entrance door was heard closing behind him.
“Who? Gideon? No. What gave you this idea?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. He gives the impression of a bumbling fool who gets in trouble often.”
“In fact, he’s just the opposite. He was raised by his grandmother in the Alaskan wilderness. He’s a young man, who survived on his own since he was born.”
“Interesting. He doesn’t look like someone who survived in the wilderness,” Olivia said.
“Well, the first impression is not always the correct one.” Ryan stood up. “I have to go.”
“I’ll rewrite this part of the contract and send it to you to sign it.” She looked at him with her icy grey eyes. “And don’t you dare hurt my sister.”
How strange that the same grey eyes were always icy when he looked at Olivia, while Polly’s were warm and kind. “Don’t pretend you care, Olivia. It doesn’t fit you.”
He left her office not before hearing a heavy object hitting the doorframe with a thud before falling to the floor. “Temper, temper.”
Edna, the receptionist smiled at him. “A fresh coffee to go for you.” And she gave him a disposable cup filled with the warm, dark liquid.
They were on the way to the construction site when Gideon, who was driving, interrupted Ryan’s thoughts about a modification on the blueprints at the second house. “Do you love her? Of course you do, how could you not?” he asked and gave his own answer.
“Huh? Polly? Sure, I care very much for her, how could I not? She is my friend and a very warm and good person.”
“Not Polly. I’m talking about Olivia,” Gideon answered impatiently.
Nothing could have surprised Ryan more. “Olivia? Are you daft? She’s a competent lawyer, but as a lover she’d transform me into an icicle. No, thank you.” He shuddered and realized it was the truth. He was no more attracted by the ice-queen than he was by a stone statue.
“But she is so beautiful,” Gideon said looking straight ahead.
“Beauty is as beauty does,” Ryan commented with this old saying. “But I can understand how a young man with stars in his eyes can be infatuated with a more mature beautiful woman. In fact, when I was twenty, I ran away with such a woman. Probably, like you, I believed myself to be in love.” Did he? Now he was not so sure. It had all fit together. Rejected by his father, having no place at the ranch, he’d wanted to explore the world. Amanda Lee had come at that moment and he’d been naïve and idiotic to believe that she loved him.
“Was she beautiful?”
“On the surface, yes, she was. Although even that was painted.”
“And what happened?” Gideon asked curious.
“When we arrived in Las Vegas, she left me for a rich man. Just as I deserved. And probably I was not so much in love, because soon afterwards, I thanked my lucky stars that I was rid of her. I had a narrow escape. And so did Mitch. I wonder if he’s willing to admit this now?”
“Mitch? You mean Mr. Calhoun? What’s he got to do with this entire story?”
“Amanda Lee was his fiancée.”
The truck stopped in front of the development and not too soon or Gideon would have jumped the curb in his surprise. “Didn’t Mr. Calhoun come after you with his shotgun?”
Ryan laughed. “No. He was smart and didn’t come. He preferred to be the wounded war hero, doubly betrayed by his fiancée and his brother.”
“Well, he was all that. Man, you’re in a pickle.” Gideon commented.
It was hard for Ryan to loose some of the high regard Gideon had for him. But this was the truth, his armor was badly tarnished and the kid deserved the truth. He pretended not to care. He waved his hand. “It’s been twelve years since, and my brother is happy with his family. All’s well that ends well.”
“What about you, dude? Are you happy?”
No one had ever asked if Ryan was happy and this surprised him. “Of course I am. I’m a successful builder and I have Cleo. What else could I wish for?” He jumped from the truck. “Go back to help Waylon. Hopefully you two will finish the flooring today.”
Gideon hesitated. “Sure. I’m going. But you won’t mind if I hang around Miss Olivia?”
Ryan rolled his eyes exasperated. “Gideon, haven’t you learned anything from what I told you about my own mistakes?”
“Olivia is not like this Amanda person,” Gideon argued, a mutinous look in his eyes.
“I don’t know how Olivia is and this is not the issue. Stop being attracted by beauty. It’s not relevant.”
Slowly Gideon smiled giving a glimpse into the handsome man he was going to be as he matured. “It is pleasing to the eyes and it doesn’t hurt to enjoy looking at a beautiful face over the breakfast table every day.” He placed his hard hat on his head and walked in the model home to finish the flooring.