Saturday morning Remi was up at 6:00 a.m. She showered and dressed in a black-and-white jogging suit. It was a newer one she liked and she wanted to look nice today. Glancing at the clothes in the closet she had brought with her, she stopped. She could wear jeans, but she felt more comfortable in the jogging pants. They hid all her imperfections.
“Breakfast,” Gran called from the kitchen.
“You’re all dressed,” Gran said as she took a seat at the table.
“Yes. I’m going to pick up the cane as soon as Mr. Wiznowski’s opens and then I’m going to see Paxton.”
As she dug into her pancakes, Gran sat in a chair and watched her. “Sweetie, slow down. You’re not ready for an involvement with a man like Paxton Rebel. And remember Annie? I can’t see Handsome wanting to get involved with a woman and a baby. Sorry, but that’s the truth.”
Remi laid her fork and knife in the plate. “I never forget about Annie. I’m going back to Houston in a few days, so you can stop worrying.” She told herself so many times there was no future for her and Paxton, yet she still lingered here in Horseshoe when she should be back home.
“And like magic you’ll forget all these feelings you have for him? I’m not so old that I don’t remember what it was like being young.”
Remi chewed on her lower lip. “Why are you torturing me?”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She leaned over and smiled at her grandmother. “I’m living and feeling again. Aren’t you happy about that?”
Gran got to her feet. “Aw, there’s no talking to you. I’ve got work to do outside.”
“Wait. How do I get to Rebel Ranch?”
“You turn right at the end of our road and then it will be the first turn on the left—Rebel Road. You can’t miss it. It’s a big ranch.”
Remi hurried to her bedroom and brushed her hair and put on lipstick. She hadn’t bothered with makeup for months, so she didn’t today, either. That would be too obvious.
Before Mr. Wiznowski could open the double doors to his shop, Remi was there. The cane was beautiful. He’d done a wonderful job. After paying him and thanking him profusely, she hurried home. It was still too early to show up at Rebel Ranch.
Gran wasn’t in the house so Remi poured a cup of coffee and watched the clock. At eight thirty she got up and put her cup in the sink. Sadie trailed after her as she made her way to the back door. Stepping outside, she came to a complete stop. Paxton was coming through the gate. He was here!
All she could do was stare. In tight jeans, a white shirt and a gold belt buckle, Paxton was every girl’s dream. His good looks made her heart stop. She was deeply attracted to him and that surprised her. She usually liked guys in suits. But now they seemed effeminate compared to Paxton.
He tipped his hat. “Good morning.”
Staring at him, she lost her voice. Clean-shaven and with his carved facial bones, he was masculine and handsome, as Gran called him. He didn’t need facial hair to be sexy. Sexy was written all over him.
Sadie grunted as she tried to get out of the door Remi was holding, forcing Remi to step farther outside. She held the cane behind her, not wanting him to see it just yet. “I was on my way to see you.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior the other day. I didn’t mean to take my anger out on you. You’ve been so nice to me and I felt bad about what I said. I didn’t mean it. You’ve helped me more than anyone and I’m grateful for that.”
“Ah, Remi. You don’t need to apologize. I’ve interfered in your life too much and I promise not to do it again. You were right.”
“But your interfering helped me to open my eyes and see life the way it really is.” She took a deep breath. “I may not get Annie, so I’m preparing myself for the worst, just like you said. It isn’t easy, though.”
She didn’t want to get bogged down in feelings that would trigger tears. “Oh, and I was coming to show you this.” She held out the cane.
“You bought a cane. I’m impressed.”
“No. The bottom part is the stick that you made and I had Mr. Wiznowski put a top on it and the rubber thingy on the bottom.”
He ran his hand over it. “Why didn’t he file down the ridges?”
“I wanted to leave it the way you made it and it also gives me a better grip to get up.”
“You saved the stick?” He seemed confused by her actions.
“Yes. You made me realize I needed one. My vanity kept me from seeing that.”
“What about the guys who will be looking at you?”
“I care more about my health and you showed me how stupid it was for me to keep believing that I was well. I’m not, and I have a long way to go.”
“Then...”
“What?”
He pointed to her outfit. “Why do you hide your body in frumpy clothes? You’re a beautiful woman. You don’t need to hide a thing.”
“I...” She wasn’t sure how to respond so she didn’t. She’d been tempted to wear jeans and now she wondered why she didn’t. Everyone knew she’d been in an accident and she wasn’t the same anymore. Paxton had a way of making her see things more clearly.
He held up a hand. “Forget I said that. I’m sticking my nose in again where it doesn’t belong.”
“No, you’re right. I guess I’m hoping that one day I’ll take off my clothes at night and my leg will be the way it was before the accident. You know that dreamworld I live in.”
“Remi.” A longing filled his voice and she felt it all the way to her heart.
They stared at each other for several seconds. Finally, Paxton said, “I’m on my way to a rodeo and I don’t know what I’m doing here. I just couldn’t leave things the way they were between us. I wanted to say I’m sorry. Now—” he looked directly into her eyes “—there’s something happening between us. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t seem to stay away from you.”
He took her breath away and she had trouble finding words again. She didn’t expect him to be so honest. “I feel the same way about you and it scares me. My life is in Houston and your life is on the rodeo circuit. I have a lot of healing to do and then there’s Annie. I keep asking myself why I’m so attracted to you.”
“Yeah. There’s that.” He stepped closer to her and brushed her hair behind her ear with a hand that was so gentle she caught her breath. A tangy masculine scent stirred her senses even more.
“Will...will there be girls at this rodeo?”
“Lots of girls,” he whispered, his eyes on her lips.
“Oh.”
A loud banging interrupted them. Paxton’s eyes left hers and she felt bereaved. “Where’s your grandmother?”
“She said she had something to do.”
The banging continued.
“I better check,” he said, and went down the steps to the side of the house. Remi followed more slowly.
Her grandmother had a big ladder and she was trying to place it against the house, but she wasn’t having any luck.
“What are you doing?” Paxton asked.
“I have to fix this roof. It’s supposed to rain tonight.” She pointed to the ground where a big piece of plastic lay. “I’m gonna put that over the holes and tack it down so my ceiling won’t get wet.”
Paxton took the ladder from her. “You’re not climbing this ladder. Didn’t you call Rusty?”
“Yeah. He wanted two hundred and fifty dollars to fix my roof. I can’t afford that.”
Paxton sighed. “Did that include the inside?”
“Yes, and he said I needed to paint the living room. I told him I wasn’t and to get out of my house.”
Paxton dropped the ladder on the side of the house. “Okay, Miss Bertie, this is what we’re going to do. I’m going home to change my clothes and then I’m going to buy the shingles and tar paper and whatever I need to do this job. I’m going to charge everything to you and you’re going to pay for it.”
“Now listen here. I told you I don’t like men telling me what to do.”
“I’m telling you.” Paxton’s voice was strong, and even Gran could see he wasn’t going to bend on this.
“Paxton, no,” Remi said. “I’ll call this Rusty guy and you can go on to the rodeo. I’m sure he’ll come back and fix it if I pay him.”
Paxton looked at her. “He doesn’t work on weekends. It’s okay. I’ll do it.”
“But you have plans.”
He winked at her. “Now I have other plans.” He walked past her with a glint in his eyes and she felt giddy. He turned back. “Don’t let your grandmother use that ladder.”
Remi glared at her grandmother. “How could you, Gran? You could have broken your neck on the roof. And when did that guy come by? I never saw him.”
“He came while you were at the blacksmith shop. I’m not paying that much money to fix this roof.”
Remi shook her head. “I think I’ll call Mom and let her talk to you.” Remi knew that was a sore subject. Her mother was always trying to get Gran to move to Houston with them.
Gran shook her finger in Remi’s face. “Don’t you dare. I’m going to the house to fix lunch. If Handsome is going to be here, I have to have a good meal.”
There was no use talking to Gran. She lived by her own rules and she was never going to break them. Paxton had made her back down and that was something to see. Now he was staying. He was staying! A slow smile spread across her face.
Could it be because of her?
* * *
PAXTON DROVE TO the bunkhouse and changed into old jeans and a T-shirt. Slamming a foot into worn boots, he wondered what he was doing. He should be halfway to Houston by now instead of dealing with a crazy old lady. But then there was Remi. She’d made a cane from that stick and he couldn’t get that out of his head. It was symbolic in some way, but he couldn’t figure it out just yet.
He’d wanted a change in his life and he’d got more than he’d bargained for. But he was going to be the man his dad had wanted him to be and he knew that meant not letting a little old lady climb a ladder to put plastic on her roof. Maybe he had some of those do-gooder genes, after all.
Sitting on the bed, he pulled out his phone and called Cole.
“Hey,” Cole responded. “What time are you getting here?”
“Sorry, buddy, but I can’t make the rodeo.”
“Why not? We had this planned for weeks. Oh, you got family stuff going on, huh?” Cole said before Paxton could answer.
“Kind of.”
“Okay. I’ll see you on Friday, then. I’ll be at your place about eight in the morning.”
“Don’t be late.” They were going to a rodeo in Glen Rose, Texas. After that, it would be rodeo time for the next few months.
Over an hour later he was back at Miss Bertie’s with all the supplies. He carried the paint, brushes, rollers and pans in first. The smell of Miss Bertie’s kitchen was heavenly. She was cooking something delicious and if he had to guess he’d say peach cobbler. Remi wasn’t in the kitchen and Miss Bertie followed him into the living room.
“What’s all that? What did it cost?” She was yapping faster than a chirping bird.
He set the supplies on the floor. “It’s paint and rollers to paint this room after I put putty in the holes and spackle it.”
“I told you I’m not painting this room.” Her old green eyes dared him to defy her.
“Then you can watch me.” He stood up straight, his hands on his hips.
“Remi was right. You’re sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong. This is my house and I don’t want to paint it.”
“Gran!”
Remi stood in the doorway in jeans and a green knit top. She’d changed her clothes. For him. She looked gorgeous, but he couldn’t say that because she would think it was phony. The green of her top brought out the green of her eyes, and he was spellbound.
Gran turned to her. “Look at you. My old Remi’s back.”
“Why don’t you want to paint this room?” Remi asked, not letting her grandmother sidetrack her. “It hasn’t been painted in years. A new coat of paint would do wonders for it.”
“Well?” Paxton looked at the old woman for an answer.
She ran her hands down her apron. “I don’t want to paint it because I’d have to take down the Elvis poster. It’s vintage and it’s been there so long I’m afraid it’ll fall to pieces if I move it.”
Good heavens! What was it with Elvis?
“Do you have some small paintbrushes?” he asked.
“I did a craft thing at the senior citizen center a few years ago. I think I have some brushes in my bedroom. I’ll go look.”
Paxton focused on Remi. “Well, well, well, don’t you look great?”
She looked down at her jeans. “I thought my injured leg would be noticeable in these, but it isn’t. It’s completely straight.”
Paxton kept staring at her. “Yes, it is. You even have hips.”
She tilted her head, her eyes sparkling. “Are you flirting with me again?”
“Whatever works,” he said with a smile in his voice.
Miss Bertie came back, preventing further conversation. She held several small paintbrushes in her hands. “Will these work?”
He took one from her. “Yes. I’ll use this very carefully to paint around the Elvis poster and promise not to get any on it. Will that suit you?”
She nodded. “But what are you going to charge me for doing all this?”
“I don’t know. We’ll discuss it later.”
“We’ll discuss it now,” Miss Bertie shot back.
Paxton thought for a minute. He didn’t want a dime, but he didn’t know how to convince Miss Bertie of that. “Is that peach cobbler cooking in the oven?”
“It sure is.”
“It’s my favorite dessert, so if you’ll cook me one every now and then, we’ll be even.”
She held out her hand. “Deal.”
He shook it and was amazed at her strength. After that he moved all of the furniture to the center of the room. Remi took all the Elvis memorabilia off the walls, and then she removed all the family photos and laid them on the sofa. Paxton stopped mixing spackle to stare at a young Remi. Her hair was long, very long. He saw her from a baby to a teenager to an adult and her hair had always been long. Obviously, it had been cut while she was ill and in the hospital. The photos showed just how beautiful she was, but in his gut he knew she didn’t think she was, even before the accident.
After he fixed the holes, Miss Bertie shouted, “It’s time for lunch.”
She’d prepared chicken fried steak and all the trimmings. Afterward, he refused peach cobbler and said he would eat it later when he was through. Miss Bertie didn’t object.
Before going outside to work on the roof, he painted around the Elvis poster very carefully and wondered how an old lady could be so obsessed with the man. Then it hit him. His mother might be, too, but he never saw any Elvis memorabilia around the house.
He left the ladies painting and backed his truck to the side of Miss Bertie’s house. Then he climbed the ladder and tore off the damaged roof. He was almost finished when Remi came out with a glass of iced tea. The temperature was mild, but a cold front with rain was expected, and Paxton wanted to finish the roof before that happened.
“Would you like something to drink?” She had a handkerchief tied around her head and one of her grandmother’s baggy shirts to cover her blouse, but she was still beautiful to him.
He went down the ladder and sat on a rung, taking the tea glass from her hand. “Thanks.” He nodded toward her attire. “How’s the painting going?”
“We’re almost finished. And we’re following orders and waiting for you to do the ceiling.”
“I have a few more shingles to nail on and then I’ll be in.”
She looked at him and he got lost in the green of her eyes. “Thank you for doing this.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.”
“Sometimes your words have a double meaning.”
With a finger he wiped paint from her cheek. “Yes, ma’am.”
She turned around and walked toward the house, using the cane, with Sadie.
He thought once again about what he was doing here, but it made him feel good inside. It made him feel good about himself. Other than that, he couldn’t explain it. He was tired of trying to figure it out. He was just going to go with the moment and let his heart work out the rest.
* * *
THEY HAD A busy afternoon. Remi helped Paxton pick up the scrap from the roof that had missed the back of his truck. Then he hauled it off to Gran’s brush pile. After the walls were dry, Paxton moved all the furniture back in place, and the Elvis poster was intact and hadn’t been moved.
Remi looked around the room. “It’s so nice, isn’t it, Gran? Gives it a fresh look.”
“Yeah, yeah. Who wants peach cobbler?”
Remi and Paxton took theirs outside to the front porch and sat in the swing. Paxton propped his legs on the porch railing and devoured the peach cobbler. “You really like it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She slapped his arm. “Stop calling me that.”
“Yes—” He laughed. “Sorry, it’s just ingrained in all of us. We were taught to say ‘yes, ma’am’ and ‘no, sir’ at an early age. My parents were big on respect.”
Thunder rumbled across the sky, and Sadie barked. Paxton looked out at the darkening sky. “I got that roof on just in time.” As the last word left his mouth, rain peppered the grass and the porch. He took her plate. “I’ll take these inside. Don’t move.”
She settled back in the swing, rocking back and forth, as the rain continued to fall. It was soothing. Paxton came back with an afghan and handed it to her.
“It’s getting chilly out here.” He nodded toward the house. “Your grandmother is asleep in her chair.”
“She’s had a long day.”
He looped the afghan over her shoulders. It was the end of February and the cold front was moving through. Paxton sat beside her again, his long legs stretched out in front of him.
“Are you tired?” she asked.
“Nah. I’m used to work.” It was unusual to find a man who thrived in everything he did. She might be wearing rose-colored glasses, too.
They were silent for a while as they listened to the rain. “I’m sorry you missed the rodeo.”
“Haven’t you heard the saying ‘there’s always another rodeo’?”
“Were you going to ride?”
“No. We decided to only ride in the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo this year. My friends and I were just checking out the competition. It was just a fun weekend.”
Lightning zigzagged across the sky and Remi jumped. Paxton put his arm around her. “Are you afraid of lightning?”
“A little.” She snuggled into his side, feeling comfortable. He wrapped the afghan around them as the temperature continued to drop. They sat there watching the rain as the daylight slowly ebbed into darkness. She should turn on the porch light, but she was too comfortable to move.
She played with a button on his shirt. “You like blondes?”
“Most of the time.”
“I’m not blond.”
“I noticed.”
“So why are we sitting here like lovers?”
His hand stroked the back of her neck. “I don’t know. When I looked into your eyes on the beach in Port Aransas, I felt a connection like I’ve never felt before. Your eyes were sad, lonely and afraid, and somehow I identified with that.”
“Why? You’re none of those things.”
“I come from a big family and there’s always someone around, but when I was growing up I felt left out of things. Falcon and Quincy were buddies and always together. Egan was a loner and stayed to himself. Elias was much the same, but Elias is very outspoken where Egan is reserved. Jude and Phoenix were born in the same year so they were close. I was in the middle and at times I felt lonely. I can’t explain it, but I did. Then I lost my dad and my whole world unraveled.”
She patted his chest. “I’m so sorry about that.”
“Why? You had nothing to do with it.”
“But I can feel your pain when you talk about him.”
“Yeah... Remi, I don’t know why we’re attracted to each other, but I want you to know up front that I’m not the staying kind. Love ’em and leave ’em, that’s me.”
“Why do you want me to think that you’re bad?”
“Maybe it’s better that way.”
She tilted her head back. “Kiss me.”
He kissed her forehead, a touch of warmth radiated through her. But it wasn’t what she wanted. “My grandmother kisses me that way.”
“Remi...”
Boldly, she touched her lips to his. They were cool and unresponsive, but she felt the warmth simmering in him. Suddenly, his lips took hers and the heat ignited every sense in her body. She was being kissed by a man who knew how to kiss. And had kissed many women. That didn’t bother her. She was the woman he was kissing now.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and lost herself in the sweet sensation of feeling like a woman again. Totally in control, he kissed her deeply, their tongues doing a dance that totally enraptured her. She just wanted it to go on. But they had to come up for air.
He rested his forehead against hers. “Let’s don’t ask questions. Let’s just enjoy what we’re feeling. Okay?”
“Okay,” she murmured, and rested her head on his shoulder as the night wrapped around them. The rain continued to pepper the house and it lulled them into a feeling of contentment. Just the two of them. Without problems. Without families. Without commitments.
If only they could stay this way. The real world was waiting beyond the darkness, but she had this moment with him and it was enough for now.