“Shh.” A smiling Reyna placed a finger to her lips as she ushered Kara into the newly remodeled parsonage the following Wednesday afternoon. “It’s nap time.”
“I’m here to drop off something for Trey,” Kara whispered, inhaling the “new house” scent as she maneuvered a festively wrapped copy paper box through the door.
“The bedding?” Reyna silently clapped her hands. “He told me what you were doing. It’s a surprise, so I’ll hide it in my bedroom.”
Reyna took the box from her arms. “Be back in a minute.”
When she returned, she again placed a finger to her lips and motioned for Kara to follow. What was up? They all but tippy-toed through the house, then at a wide arched doorway Reyna stepped back and motioned her forward.
There in the middle of the family room, under a quilt-draped card table, lay a sleeping Missy and Mary—and Trey. All three snuggled up together, their heads pillowed on a folded blanket.
Whoever would have thought to find the rough-and-tumble cowboy so vulnerable? The lion beside the lambs. “How precious.”
“I just got back from running errands and found them like this,” Reyna whispered. “I think they were pretending to camp while they watched The Little Mermaid. Fell asleep.”
They stood gazing down at the scene for a few moments longer, then Kara followed Reyna back to the living room.
“You should take a picture of them like that.”
“Already did. It will make Trey a great Christmas present.”
“He’ll love it.” Kara reached for the screen door latch and let herself out onto the front porch.
“Trey said you’re heading back to Chicago.”
“As soon as I can.”
“I’d hoped you’d stay even after you get your mom back on her feet. You’d be a good distraction for Trey.” Reyna stepped out on the porch and closed the door behind her. “You know, from this so-called investigation of his.”
“I’m afraid nothing or no one can distract him from that.”
“Well, he’s getting discouraged. Maybe it’s a bargain between him and God or something, this proving his innocence obsession. Who knows what’s going on in that man’s head. But he’s having second thoughts about staying in Canyon Springs after Duffy’s is up and running.”
“Surely he won’t let that stop him. He’s said so often how much he wants to be close to his nieces.”
“They love having him here, too. But somehow he thinks if he stays but isn’t vindicated, it will negatively affect them.”
Like her dad leaving town under a cloud did her? Goodness knows she’d hammered that into Trey’s head. No wonder he was second-guessing his decision to stick around. Was there no end to how she could mess up this man’s life?
“Do you think you could talk to him, Kara? Convince him he’s not thinking straight? I think he’d listen to you.”
“He won’t, Reyna.” And she needed to keep out of this. Just because Canyon Springs wasn’t her dream, that didn’t mean it couldn’t be Trey’s. Although she still doubted it would work out for him in the long run.
“Maybe I shouldn’t say anything, but—” the pretty brunette glanced back at the door “—I have to admit I was thrilled when Mary started talking to him about kissing in connection to ponytails—and you.”
Kara’s eyes widened and a warm sensation pulsed through her neck as last week’s kiss flashed through her mind.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. But I was kind of hoping—I mean, I know for a fact he hasn’t been involved seriously with a woman in years. Not since Tanya.”
“Tanya?” Her heart contracted with a jealousy she denied at once.
“Oops. I’d better shut up before I get myself in hot water. He’ll kill me for talking behind his back. He’s such a great guy and I want him to be happy. Right here in Canyon Springs.”
“Then you’d better look for a lady love for him elsewhere, Reyna, because as soon as my cousin Brielle gets here to watch over the Warehouse and I can take Mom down to her sister’s place in Prescott, I’m out of here.”
It sounded so hard-hearted. Selfish. She knew that’s what Reyna—and others—would think. That she was abandoning her responsibilities. Her Mom. Just like her dad had done. But what choice did she have? No place in Canyon Springs would pay her nearly as much as Garson Design did. She needed to get those bills paid off. Save the Warehouse.
And keep her heart out of harm’s way.
“Hey, there, gal!” Jason Kenton stepped through the store’s door during the noon hour the next day, carrying a large clasped envelope. “Where’s my brother gotten himself off to?”
Kara looked up from where she’d been stocking shelves near the front counter. “I haven’t seen him in days. He’s not upstairs?”
“His place is locked up tight.” Jason set the envelope on the counter. “Found this on the top shelf of his closet when I did a walk-through of the cabin this morning. Looks like business papers. Didn’t want to leave it on the landing where just anyone could find it—do you mind hanging on to it until he shows up?”
“Be happy to. So, are you glad to be back in town again? Not having to haul water anymore?” That was a disadvantage to living outside the city limits in many high country Arizona locations. Having to transport hundreds of gallons of water in huge poly tanks secured in the beds of pickups or trailers.
“Definitely won’t miss that, but sure did appreciate the Phoenix resident who offered his summer cabin to us. So what’s your timetable for getting your mom situated at her sister’s?”
Reyna must have filled him in, and she braced herself for a sermon on honoring your parents. “I’ll take her to Prescott on Monday, then catch a flight to Chicago the next day.”
“I’ll get over to see her before she leaves then,” he said, heading toward the door.
“Great. She’ll love that.”
That was one thing she did like about a small town. The concern and personal attention when illness or injury struck. She’d gotten calls from at least half a dozen friends of Mom, wanting to know what they could do to help.
Shortly after five she was closing up when she heard the creak of the floor upstairs and remembered Trey’s envelope. She grabbed it, locked up and headed to his place. Still seemed strange to have him living up there now, even though he’d been working out of the office for almost a month.
The door off the landing stood partially open and she could hear Trey’s voice. Sounded like he was on the phone. She peeked in and saw him standing by the window, his back to her. No need to bother him, she’d just leave her delivery on the desk and slip out.
“Good point,” he said, as she pushed the door open wider. “I’m thinking we should set up a conference call next week, get the rest of the investors’ take on it.”
She tiptoed across the room behind him. Sounded as if he had one of the guys who’d financed the equine center on the line. One of his bosses.
“No, no, I’ll handle it. Get it all set up.”
She placed the envelope on his desk, then turned to go.
“Well, I appreciate that,” he continued. “Sure, sure. Talk to you later, Dix.”
With a sharp intake of breath, she halted.
Dix?
Everybody called her father “Dix.” Dix’s Woodland Warehouse was even named after him. But there could be lots of people, cowboy-type people, named “Dix.” Right? He could even be talking to a “Dixie” for all she knew.
At that moment Trey turned from the window, pocketing his phone as he started across the floor. Then he saw her standing by his desk and stopped dead in his tracks. She’d always heard of blood draining from someone’s face, but now she’d seen it with her own eyes. And recognized the truth.
“You know my dad.”
He took a deep breath. “Oh, man.”
“My dad—he’s one of the investors, isn’t he?”
Trey ran a hand through his hair. Then nodded, an unhappy man if there ever was one. “I’m sorry, Kara. I—”
“How long have you known him?” Her mind raced to all the times she’d dissed her dad in Trey’s presence. She’d made it more than clear how she felt about that man. How could he have kept his connection to him a secret from her? Betrayed her like this?
“Quite a while.”
“As in days? Months? Years?”
Trey cleared his throat, his forlorn gaze never leaving hers. “I met him on the rodeo circuit when I was starting out. He sort of took me under his wing—”
A little cry escaped her lips. His confession sickened her.
“I wanted to tell you right out of the chute, Kara. When you first came back. But I’d promised Dix I wouldn’t tell anyone in town he was partnering in the business.”
She shook her head in disbelief.
“He was afraid with what went on here before that if his name was associated with our project there would be resistance from the community. That it might be harder for us to get it off the ground.”
“So you couldn’t tell me?”
“Dix said you might—”
“Rat him out? Throttle you?”
He stretched out his hand in appeal. “He’s trying to make it up to the town, to the investors of that earlier debacle. Make things right.”
“Like that’s possible?” She took a step back. “I don’t want to hear any more of this.”
“Believe me, I understand—”
“Obviously you don’t or you wouldn’t have deceived me. No wonder you’ve been at me to kiss and make up with him—he’s been badgering me for years to let him back into my life. Now you’re on his payroll, paid to do his bidding.”
“Kara, that’s not—”
“You may like to think of yourself as a man of integrity. A man of honesty. You may not tolerate anyone lying to you— Marilu, Mary—but you’re lying to yourself, you know that? How could you betray me like this?”
Tension hung almost tangibly in the silence.
“You should talk,” he said at last, his words devoid of emotion. “You know all about deception yourself.”
Her heart all but stopped. Had he found out about Lindi and the fire? About her part in it? “What—what do you mean?”
“You know what I’m talking about.” He took a few steps in her direction. “Your dad hurt you and now you think you can hurt him by not forgiving him. But you’re deceiving yourself. Hurting yourself even more than you are him.”
“You don’t know anything about it, Trey. What he put me and my mother through. The shame I had to live with because of him.”
“Maybe not. But I can see how your attempts to keep him at a distance reflect in all you do. I mean look at your career choice—your pursuit of the dream in Chicago.”
“What’s that have to do with anything?”
“You’ve chosen a career far from Canyon Springs so you don’t have to be reminded of your dad. A career where you can control the outcome, paint things any color you want, gloss over anything you don’t want to look at. Make it all pretty.” He shook his head and took another step toward her. “And you think that by denying that God has anything to do with the details of your life that you can shut Him out, too.”
“You have no right—”
“Friends have rights, Kara.”
“Friends? Is that what we are? You could have fooled me at the Warehouse a week ago. Or was that part of a standard comfort-and-care package you hand out to women like me? Like Tanya.”
Something flickered through his eyes and she knew she’d struck home. Her gaze faltered as he took a step closer. Too close.
“What is it you want from me, Trey?”
“I want—” He stared at her, warring emotions sparking in his eyes, fighting their way to the surface as he searched for words.
She placed her hands on her hips and took a step to close the remaining distance between them. “Spit it out, Cowboy.”
“I want—” He took a breath, his gaze locked on hers. “I want you to stay in Canyon Springs, Kara. Stay here. Call this home. Not Chicago.”
Her mouth went dry. She hadn’t expected that. Not anything like that. What was he saying? That he cared for her more than as a friend?
“Why?” she whispered.
He paused, indecision in his eyes. Then without warning he gently captured her face in his hands. “This is why.”
Before she could react, he closed his eyes and leaned in. Lips parting, poised a mere breath away from her own as if waiting for permission.
Without hesitation, her lips met his. The barest whisper of a touch. With a breathless sigh, she gave in to the kiss she was more than ready to share.
He wanted her to stay. With him.
Time stood still as she relaxed into the kiss. Saw in her mind’s eye every one of her Chicago dreams drift out the window. But she didn’t care. Nothing else mattered but this moment right now. Twelve years in the making, coming home to Trey seemed so right. So inevitable. Her heart soared with hope. Possibilities. New dreams she didn’t even know she had. A home. A family.
Maybe God did have a few good surprises in store for her after all?
When at long last the kiss ended and Trey drew back, she looked shyly into his face, expecting to see the same revelation in his own eyes. The same dreams. The same giddy sense of wonder.
The same love.
The hands that had so gently cupped her face now moved to her waist, but he didn’t meet her gaze.
With an uncertain smile, she reached up to touch his cheek. Felt the stubble along his strong jaw. “Wow, Cowboy. That’s a mighty persuasive argument.”
She wet her lips. Closed her eyes and tilted her head to brush her mouth softly against his once more. But he didn’t respond.
“Trey?”
He finally looked at her. Eyes filled with pain. Regret.
She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m not sure I can.”
“So what was this to you?” Her words came softly, but with an edge. “Another feel-good moment? Or a way to take back control? To shut me up about my dad?”
He glanced away again and she pried his warm fingers from her waist. Stepped back.
“We’ve kissed three times in our life, Cowboy—twice in the last week. And every single time you stomp on the brake and shift into reverse. That Tanya woman must have really done a number on you.”
Then the truth dawned. “Or couldn’t you make a commitment to her either?”
“Kara—” He reached out his hand.
She backed away, her eyes boring into his. “Thanks for the invitation to make this town my home. But you know, Trey, I think it’s best I do leave Canyon Springs. Staying here wouldn’t do either of us any favors. And for a split second you almost made me forget something very important. I have a dream—and Canyon Springs isn’t it.”