Ready, Set, I Do!
Cindy Kirk
MEET THE NEIGHBOURSLand developer Winn Ferris lives to work. When he’s not making deals, he’s dreaming about them. But that all changes when he discovers an eight-year-old son he didn’t know he had! Desperate for help, he turns to the woman he’s known for years, the girl next door.Out-of-work speech therapist Hailey Randall can’t wait to have a family of her own. When Winn needs help taking care of his little boy, she immediately steps up. But falling for the father and the son was not part of the deal…
Winn planted a kiss atop Cam’s head, his eyes filled with such tenderness it made Hailey want to weep.
She wished all those who called Winn a cold fish could see him now. Gentle, kind and so full of love for a little boy who wasn’t even his flesh and blood.
“Good night, sport.” Winn pulled up the covers.
When the child’s breathing grew even and regular, Winn gently tugged the toy soldier from Cam’s hand. He placed the infantryman on top of the nightstand.
Hailey didn’t speak until they were back in the living room.
“You’re a good father.” She could have said more, could have told him there was nothing so sexy as a man who was kind to children. But she felt strangely off-balance.
It was almost as if she and Winn had turned a corner she hadn’t known they’d been approaching. Avoiding his gaze, Hailey lifted her bag then slung it over her shoulder.
“There’s no reason for you to rush off.”
Something in his voice wrapped itself around her spine and caused an inward shudder. The air suddenly hummed with electricity, and Hailey couldn’t move. Not if that step took her away from him.
Hoping she wasn’t making a huge mistake, she whirled and shot Winn a flirty smile. “Entice me to stay.”
* * *
RX For Love: Just following doctor’s orders …
Dear Reader (#udc49060e-8b38-58e1-9e00-3780dec537ad),
When I first introduced Winston Ferris in One Night with the Doctor, I wasn’t planning on giving Winn his own book. After all, he was much too arrogant and brash. But his reaction to Hailey Randall in that book (and hers to him) told me there must be something redeeming about Winn. Once I discovered his history and his devotion to Cam, I fell in love with him!
I’d already fallen in love with Hailey and her family during her brother Tripp’s book (A Jackson Hole Homecoming). By the way, that’s also the first book where the Crazy Coyote Margarita makes an appearance. But I have a feeling it won’t be the last time we see that drink!
I love going back to Jackson Hole and reconnecting with old characters and meeting new ones. I hope you feel the same way.
Warmest regards,
Cindy Kirk
Ready, Set, I Do!
Cindy Kirk
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
CINDY KIRK has loved to read for as long as she can remember. In first grade she received an award for reading one hundred books. As she grew up, summers were her favorite time of year. Nothing beat going to the library, then coming home and curling up in front of the window air conditioner with a good book. Often the novels she read would spur ideas, and she’d make up her own story (always with a happy ending). When she’d go to bed at night, instead of counting sheep she’d make up more stories in her head. Since selling her first story to Mills & Boon in 1999, Cindy has been forced to juggle her love of reading with her passion for creating stories of her own … but she doesn’t mind. Writing for the Mills & Boon
Cherish™ series is a dream come true. She only hopes you have as much fun reading her books as she has writing them!
Cindy invites you to visit her website, www.cindykirk.com (http://www.cindykirk.com).
To my fabulous editor, Patience Bloom.
By the time this book comes out, we’ll have worked together for fifteen years. All I can think is, how did I get so lucky? Here’s to fifteen more!
Contents
Cover (#ufafd9fe0-6e19-5964-8886-61a1269d6690)
Introduction (#ua408a5b4-3d69-59a5-bbac-3d27dca94e5b)
Dear Reader (#uf60c0c3a-1708-52e6-bd91-2965f9d6c507)
Title Page (#u793e63ad-4b46-50dd-a3d5-85eab973e2db)
About the Author (#u05ad1527-bc17-5179-b707-57f90182a137)
Dedication (#uaac50707-2886-5542-a729-cdab6464738f)
Chapter One (#ulink_26d8d92d-e473-558e-b60f-db09113cf9c3)
Chapter Two (#ulink_307c398c-9462-52ea-b405-32b83a117d56)
Chapter Three (#ulink_7dedbac5-ef37-5104-ab63-ad946a45b11b)
Chapter Four (#ulink_eb7a8381-6733-50e2-a7e9-b9232d4496b4)
Chapter Five (#ulink_f410c1d7-a165-51e8-9451-20ffb19c8cdf)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ulink_8069fd7a-d49e-5702-8eff-02922c5acd89)
Hailey Randall sat alone at a table for two in the Hill of Beans coffee shop and brooded about what an idiot she’d been. Discovering her boyfriend had been using her had tumbled her usual sunny mood into stormy, overcast and dark. Hailey pressed her lips together and savagely broke off a piece of scone.
“You’re going to have to tone down that dazzling smile.”
Hailey glanced up and saw Cassidy Kaye, owner of Jackson Hole’s popular Clippety Do Dah Salon, stagger back with one hand shielding her eyes. “It’s—it’s blinding me.”
“Har, har.” Even as she spoke, Hailey’s lips twitched. “Shouldn’t you be hacking off somebody’s hair?”
“Your effusive welcome warms my heart. Why, yes, I’d love to join you.” Cassidy, dressed in skintight leopard-print leggings and a frilly purple shirt, dropped into the empty seat at the table. Today her bright gold hair was tipped in fuchsia.
“Have a seat,” Hailey said, even though her friend was already sitting, stretching one long leg over the other, a diamond ankle chain winking in the light.
“My ten o’clock canceled. Told me she came down with the stomach flu during the night.” The hairstylist shuddered. “Gave me all the gory details.”
“Details,” Hailey said pointedly, “you will keep to yourself.”
Cassidy grinned as she reached over and took a piece of Hailey’s cinnamon-chip scone. “I’m thrilled she didn’t come in. I can’t afford to get sick. Not with Daffy and me doing hair and makeup for the Finster wedding this weekend.”
Hailey lifted the latte to her lips. Cass was great with hair, but Hailey had a hard time seeing Daffodil, her waiflike assistant who moved like a closemouthed ghost, doing makeup. “Does Daff even wear makeup?”
“She doesn’t need beauty enhancements,” Cassidy said matter-of-factly then snagged another piece of scone. She lifted it to her mouth as her eyes narrowed on Hailey’s cup. “What kind of latte is that?”
“Cinnamon dulce.”
Cassidy gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “Cinnamon latte. Cinnamon-chip scone. You’ve got to shake things up a bit, kiddo. Be bold. Not quite so...predictable.”
Though Hailey couldn’t exactly see how ordering two favorite items qualified as predictable, she simply smiled. “Trust me. I have my moments.”
Cassidy nodded approvingly. “Like giving Josh the boot.”
Hailey’s smile vanished. She should have realized word would have gotten around by now.
“All I have to say is, about damn time.” Cassidy punctuated the announcement with a decisive nod.
Hailey had the feeling that would be most of her friends’ response. The few she’d already told about the split had seen Josh for what he was long before she had, which only made her feel even more foolish.
Until two days ago, Hailey had believed Joshua Gratzke had fallen for her and fallen hard. When she bumped into Josh—a former high school classmate—several months ago at the market, he’d made his interest clear. Though they’d never dated way back when, she’d always thought he was cute.
Those days at Jackson Hole High had been almost ten years ago. His face was leaner now, his dark hair shorter, but his smile seemed even more charming. He told her he’d returned to Jackson Hole after law school to consider his options.
With her only working PRN—as needed—at the hospital as a speech therapist, they’d had plenty of time to get reacquainted.
Plenty of time for him to take advantage.
“I didn’t see it, Cass.” She met the hairstylist’s vivid blue eyes. “I foolishly believed he’d fallen head over heels. The fact that he wanted to hang out with my fam was a point in his favor. Sure, we spent extra time with Tripp. He’s my brother and we’re close. I never thought Josh was angling for a job in Tripp’s office.”
It still boggled Hailey’s mind that her big brother, the one who used to give her noogies, was now the mayor of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Cassidy’s eyes darkened, as if reliving old memories. “People disappoint us. Even those we think we know well.”
“I should have seen the signs,” Hailey murmured, almost to herself. “I must have had blinders on.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself. Josh was smooth.” Cassidy reached over and squeezed Hailey’s hand. “He almost fooled me.”
“Almost being the key word.”
“Trust me when I say I’ve had much more experience with slimy men than you.” Cassidy’s lips lifted in a wry smile. “My internal radar is primed to spot ’em at a hundred paces.”
“I won’t make the same mistake again.” Her appetite gone, Hailey shoved the plate containing the scone in front of Cassidy. She refused to waste one more second on Josh. “Tell me all about Susan Finster’s wedding.”
“She, or rather her mommy-dearest, insisted on the works.” Cassidy leaned back in her chair. “Made it clear if I couldn’t do all, she’d take her business elsewhere.”
“If you end up needing help, let me know.” Hailey forced a casual tone, not wanting to put her friend on the spot but determined to make her interest clear. “I used to work as a cosmetics consultant in college and really enjoyed it.”
Cassidy dropped the scone to the plate, leaned forward. The gaze that pinned Hailey had a predatory gleam. “Seriously?”
“Everyone said I had the knack.”
“No, I mean, are you serious about helping?”
“Totally.” Hailey found herself pleased by Cassidy’s reaction. “I’d love to help.”
“I cannot friggin’ believe it.” Cassidy bopped herself in the head with the heel of one hand. “I’ve been beating my brains out for weeks trying to think of someone and here, you’ve been right under my nose.”
“Glad to know I’m not the only one who misses the obvious.”
Hailey’s dry tone brought a smile to Cassidy’s lips. The hairstylist straightened in her seat and leaned forward. “I want us to work together, Hailey.”
“Talk about ordering a cake before you know if the flavor suits you.” Hailey kept her tone light even as her heart started to rev. “You don’t know if I have talent.”
“One look at you tells me you’re great with makeup.” Cassidy waved away Hailey’s concern using a hand tipped with royal-blue nails. Those who didn’t know her well often dismissed the salon owner as the crazy artistic type. But ten minutes with her was all it took to know this was a savvy businesswoman, determined to grow her already thriving business. “I’ve had clients come in with suggestions you’ve given them about their hair and you’ve been spot on, especially with color.”
Hailey flushed with pleasure. It was true her friends often asked her opinion on what they should do with their hair. “You really want me to work for you?”
“No, not really.” Cassidy studied her thoughtfully. Tapped a long fingernail against her bright pink lips.
“With me,” Cassidy clarified. “A partnership.”
Blood coursed through Hailey’s veins. She saw herself working with clients, offering advice and instruction on makeup and hairstyling changes that would enhance a woman’s natural beauty. She wanted to seize this opportunity and run with it. But she made herself slow down. Josh had taught her that if something seemed too good to be true, it was best to take a step back. “Why a partnership?”
“You need to think of this venture as yours. I want you to use your social connections to help this new business fly.”
The chill that swept through Hailey cut deep, all the way to the bone. “I thought you wanted my expertise, but all—”
“Don’t get on your high horse.” Cassidy gave a dismissive wave. “This is a new venture. I’ll be bringing my years in business, my license and my connections to the table. You’d be providing a keen eye, your experience with cosmetics and your connections.”
Hailey tamped down her anger and focused on the facts. After a couple of seconds, she let out a breath and nodded. “I guess that makes sense.”
“Certainly does.” Cassidy pushed back her chair. She stood there for a moment, a curvaceous woman who commanded attention. “We can discuss particulars when you’ve decided you’re interested.”
“Don’t you mean if I decide I’m interested?”
“We’re both champing at the bit to get this thing rolling.” Cassidy grinned. “It’s just I already know it. You have to think it through before you realize I’ve dropped a sweet deal right in your lap.”
The bell over the door jingled and Winston Ferris strolled into the shop, cell phone to his ear. Hailey’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of her good-looking neighbor.
Tall, with an athletic build, Winn had the confident demeanor of a person used to giving orders. His dark hair was cut stylishly short and though his handsome face would draw any woman’s attention, it was his steely hazel eyes that defined him.
“I need to get back to the salon.” Cassidy gestured with her head toward Winn. “I’ll leave you to canoodle with your new boyfriend.”
Hailey pulled her brows together. “Winn is my neighbor not my boyfriend.”
Cassidy merely gave a wink and strolled away, a broad smile on her pouty pink lips.
* * *
“It’s a setback, nothing more.” Winn absolutely refused to let his emotions show on his face as he listened to his boss’s rant. He prided himself on his self-control, even if it wasn’t always easy. He gave a short nod of acknowledgment to Cassidy Kaye as the business owner strolled past him on her way out the door, a flamboyant leopard with pink hair and a hot body.
His boss finally ran out of air and abruptly disconnected. Winn pocketed the phone. It was never easy telling a man accustomed to getting his way that the golf-course development they’d spent months trying to get approved had hit another snag. The final vote on the project was delayed. Again.
Forget the coffee, Winn thought. A stiff shot of whiskey would better suit his mood.
But when he saw Cole Lassiter standing behind the counter, Winn changed his mind. Cole was a driving force in Jackson Hole and walking out of his shop once he’d been seen wouldn’t be a smart move. Winn was all about smart moves.
“Cole.” Winn offered a smile to the man behind the Hill of Beans coffee-shop empire. “What’s the head honcho doing working the counter?”
“Learning the challenges my people face,” Cole said easily. “I work each position periodically. Since this store is in the town where I live, it’s easy to do here.”
Anyone seeing Cole, with his shaggy dark hair and green apron over casual shirt and jeans, would never peg him for a successful entrepreneur. Unless they looked in his eyes and saw the sharp gleam of intelligence and a hint of a take-no-prisoners brawler beneath the civilized facade.
“Makes sense.” Winn lifted the briefcase. “I thought I’d grab a cup of caffeine and look over some reports.”
“Just coffee then?”
“Black and strong.”
“Coming right up.” Cole turned toward the stainless-steel machine.
Winn used the moment to glance around the shop. To his way of thinking, networking was a 24/7 thing. Unfortunately, with ten o’clock being right between the morning crowd and lunch rush, the place was fairly quiet.
His gaze had almost made it around the dining area when it locked on the petite blue-eyed blonde dressed casually in jeans and a hot-pink hoodie. The sight of her made him smile.
Hailey Randall. His next-door neighbor. Alone.
Winn had been hoping to speak with her for days. Though he told himself—again—that her personal life was none of his concern, once he got his coffee, he headed straight across the dining area to her table.
She looked up from her phone as he approached, her welcoming smile bringing an unexpected shot of light to his day.
“May I join you?” he asked politely.
She gestured to the empty chair. “Please do.”
“I didn’t expect to see you here this morning.”
“Ditto,” she said with an impish grin, relaxing against the back of her chair. “I haven’t seen you around lately. Were you out of town again?”
Winn took a sip of his coffee before answering, and was impressed by the rich, robust flavor. No wonder Hill of Beans was so successful.
“I was helping put up hay at my dad’s ranch.” Winn took another long drink and felt some of his tension ease.
“That’s hard work.” A doubtful look crossed Hailey’s pretty face. “You don’t seem like the physical-labor type to me.”
“I don’t know whether I should be insulted or flattered.” Winn chuckled. “The truth is, I enjoy getting hot and sweaty as much as the next guy.”
There’d been no intent to be suggestive, but for a second there was...something in the air. A spark, an awareness that he’d experienced before but had ignored. After all, Hailey was not only seven years younger than he, she was his neighbor. More important, he considered her a friend. One of the few he had in Jackson Hole.
That was why he had to be honest with her. Though he realized Hailey and Josh had only been dating steadily a couple of months, the guy was another Vanessa.
He’d tried to tell himself her jerk of a boyfriend was none of his business and to just let it go. Then he would think of Vanessa, a woman he’d dated for almost a year. A woman he thought he might love. A woman he trusted, who’d slept with another man when they were supposedly in a monogamous relationship.
Winn wished someone had told him the score. Hard as it would have been to hear, it would have saved him a lot of grief.
“I have something to tell you.”
“If you’re going to say you’re quitting the business world to be a rodeo clown, give me a sec to order a double shot of espresso,” she said with a teasing smile. “After the putting-up-hay revelation, I can’t take another shock. Not without a hefty dose of caffeine.”
Winn laughed and shook his head. From day one, Hailey had enchanted him. How could anyone not be charmed by this woman, with her winning smile and sunny personality? That was why he’d put off the task he now faced. The last thing he wanted was to bring her pain. “It’s not about me. It’s about Josh.”
The man’s name tasted foul on his tongue.
Her smile wavered, just a little. When she picked up her cup and took a sip, her hand trembled, as well. “What about him?”
“He’s not the man you think he is—”
“Oh, Winn.” Her laugh sounded brittle, like a fragile egg ready to shatter into a million pieces. “I think I know him pretty well by now.”
It only figured she wasn’t going to make this easy. He’d start with the basics and save the best—or rather the worst—for the finale.
“The man can’t be trusted, Hailey. He’s out for himself.”
To his surprise, Hailey looked slightly amused. “Is the pot calling the kettle black?”
Winn blinked. “What?”
“You and your father are masters at looking out for number one.” There wasn’t an ounce of censure in Hailey’s matter-of-fact tone. “It only figures you’d recognize those characteristics in Josh.”
What was he supposed to say to that? Did she even expect a response?
“You’re aware of Josh’s duplicity?” Winn spoke slowly, cautiously, feeling like a soldier making his way through a minefield.
“I am.” Though her tone gave nothing away, her eyes took on a sheen.
Winn’s gut clenched. Josh was a rotten little weasel for putting that look in her eyes. “How did you find out?”
Her strangled laugh told him she was close to letting those tears fall. “You mean, how did I finally wise up to the fact he was using me to get close to my brother?”
Now Winn was thoroughly confused. “I was talking about the woman he’s been dating in Idaho Falls.”
Hailey dropped her cup to the table with a clatter. But when she spoke, her voice was deadly calm. “What woman?”
“An attorney named Kelly. That’s all I know.” He paused as her earlier words sank in. “He was using you to get close to Tripp? Why?”
Before answering, she scrubbed her hands across her face. When she met his gaze, her eyes were dry.
“Apparently, Josh has political aspirations. Tripp is considering hiring a mayoral assistant.” She lifted the latte to her lips but only held it there. “What better way to get a leg up on the competition than to become personally acquainted with the man himself through his beloved little sister?”
Winn heard the pain beneath the sarcasm. Though he might admire Josh’s ability to think outside the box in pursuit of a goal, he decried his ethics. “How did you find out?”
“A friend of a friend.” Hailey raised one shoulder in a slight shrug. “He’d done some bragging. It got back to me.”
“He’s a fool.”
“I was the fool.” Hailey’s chuckle held no humor. “Up to now, I consoled myself with the fact that he liked me, at least a little. Now it appears I was truly only a means to an end. Tell me how you found out about the attorney.”
Winn hated the sadness that darkened her eyes. “She doesn’t matter.”
“I want to know.” Hailey reached across the table, clamped her fingers around his wrist. “Tell me.”
He looked into those baby blues and his heart wrenched. What he told her would only add to her pain and he was sorry for it.
“Last week I had a lunch meeting in Idaho Falls,” he began.
With a metro population well over a hundred thousand, Winn hadn’t expected to run into anyone he knew. Then, across the dining room at a trendy eatery on A Street, he’d spotted Josh with a pretty brunette.
He assumed it was strictly business between the two...until he saw them kiss. It wasn’t a little peck, either. Winn’s associate had noticed him staring and mentioned Kelly was an attorney at his wife’s legal firm. The guy with her was her boyfriend, Josh.
By the time Winn finished, Hailey’s face had gone stony.
She pressed her lips together. “A cheat as well as an opportunist.”
Winn took a sip of coffee and nodded.
“I don’t appreciate being played for a fool.”
“Who does?” Winn understood the sense of shock, betrayal and embarrassment. Even after almost eight years, the fact that he’d been played so completely still stuck in his craw.
“Thanks for telling me. I appreciate it.” Hailey’s lips lifted in a tremulous smile. “Some wouldn’t have said a word.”
“The way I see it, if you can’t trust your friends to have your back, what good are they?” Winn said casually.
But when he met her gaze, he had to fight back the sudden urge to take her in his arms, to kiss her until the sadness had vanished from her eyes and the sunny smile was back on her lips.
Friends, he thought with a rueful smile. Yeah, right.
Chapter Two (#ulink_5214621a-7baf-5aa5-949b-e0f7305cc11b)
After the discussion with his boss and subsequent conversation with Hailey, the last person Winn wanted to see was his father. But he promised his dad he’d stop by the ranch at noon. And that, he thought sourly, gave credence to the saying that bad things came in threes.
Winn turned off the highway onto a long lane with white fences on each side. He mentally put his Mercedes on autopilot and considered how much to divulge about his recent setback. While he might now be playing gentleman rancher, Jim Ferris was a businessman to the core. In his father’s eyes, if a man failed at anything it was his own damn fault. That was exactly how he’d view the project delay.
Though the golf-course development remained a political hot potato because of the environmentally sensitive guidelines it butted up against, the delay was on Winn’s back. He should have found palms to grease or, failing that, pushed harder. As his father was fond of saying, only a fool takes no for an answer.
Winn pulled his car to a stop in front of the sprawling ranch home and decided he’d answer his father’s questions honestly but not bring up the matter first. Barely noticing the beds of flowers in full bloom flanking the walkway, Winn stepped to the front door and knocked.
He’d been told many times there was no need for such formality, but walking unannounced into a home that wasn’t his didn’t feel right.
After a few moments, Elena Hernandez, his father’s housekeeper, opened the door with a welcoming smile. Though she was close to his dad’s age, the jet-black hair pulled back in a twist didn’t show the slightest hint of gray. Today, she wore dark tailored pants and a crisp white shirt.
Winn wondered if the outfit was her idea or his father’s. Regardless, she must not have an issue with the new uniform. From what Winn observed, Elena had a way of getting her way without the old man realizing it. That talent alone made Winn admire and respect her.
“It’s nice to see you, Mr. Ferris.”
“Good morning—ah—afternoon, Elena.” Winn glanced around the entryway with its beamed ceilings and travertine, stucco walls.
Normally by this time his father would be bellowing how he was late, even if Winn was early. But the house stood quiet, with only the soft swish from a ceiling fan and a faint, sultry salsa beat that appeared to be coming from the kitchen.
Winn lifted a brow and Elena flushed. “Mr. Ferris did not mention he was expecting visitors.”
“This place needs a little music.”
Relief washed over Elena’s face.
“Is he in his office?”
“I’m afraid your father isn’t here.”
The meeting time had only been set last night. Winn pulled his brows together. “Where is he?”
“In Idaho Falls, I believe. A business meeting.”
Winn fought a stab of temper. The old man could have at least called or texted the change in plans.
“The meeting was last-minute,” Elena confided. “A red-hot deal.”
Winn couldn’t help it. The wry amusement in her eyes when she drawled the words made him laugh.
“May I offer you lunch?”
“No, I—”
“I made chicken escabeche.”
The look in Elena’s eyes told him she’d filed the fact that the cold Mediterranean salad was one of his favorites from the time he’d lived at the ranch.
When Winn had first arrived in Jackson Hole, he’d planned to stay only a few weeks. Living at the ranch seemed to make sense. It hadn’t taken Winn long to realize he and his dad did better with lots of distance between them.
“Mr. Ferris?” Elena waited with a smile on her lips.
“I’m definitely staying for lunch.”
Elena started out of the room then paused in the doorway.” Would you prefer to eat in the dining room or on the terrace?”
“The terrace.” Winn pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’d like a glass of iced tea, too, please.”
“Yes, sir. Right away.”
Winn made his way to the flagstone terrace shaded by tall, leafy trees. He chose one of the comfortable chairs positioned strategically around a counter-high fire pit.
While he waited for his lunch, Winn made quick calls to city hall and let several high-placed officials know just how unhappy he was with the latest round of delays.
He turned at the sound of the French doors opening. Elena stepped out with a cut-crystal glass filled with ice and what he hoped was unsweetened tea.
“Lots of ice, just as you like.” The housekeeper placed the glass on the side table next to his chair. “Your lunch will be right out.”
“No rush.” Winn lifted the hand holding the phone. “I have calls to return.”
“You and your father.” Elena clucked her tongue. “Always working.”
“What else is there?” he said automatically.
Elena opened her mouth then closed it and only smiled.
It was obvious she didn’t understand the drive he and his father shared. But then, not many did. Elena probably thought his emphasis should be on home and family rather than business. But that road could be a rocky one.
He thought of the look in Hailey’s eyes when he told her he’d seen Josh with another woman. And the unmistakable pain on her face when she relayed how the creep had been using her to get close to Tripp.
He thought of Vanessa, a woman he once thought he might love. She was a kindergarten teacher with a girl-next-door persona and zest for life. In some ways, she reminded him of Hailey. But just as Hailey had discovered that Josh couldn’t be trusted, he’d learned the bubbly Vanessa was a liar and a cheat.
Winn raked his hand through his hair, forcing air past the sudden tightness in his chest. He hated that Josh’s cheating on Hailey had caused him to think about Vanessa and her fiancé. He preferred to keep thoughts of that time in the back of his mind, locked tight in a rarely opened file cabinet.
Winn heard the doorbell chime and straightened. It appeared he wasn’t the only visitor his father stood up today.
“Come in, Miss Hailey.” Elena’s voice radiated welcome. The women spoke in lowered tones for several seconds. Other than the initial greeting, he’s in the barn were the only words Winn made out.
Curious as to who was the mysterious “he” Hailey had come to see, Winn pulled to his feet.
He reached the foyer and found Elena trying to convince the pretty blonde, still wearing the hot-pink hoodie, to stay for lunch.
“Thanks for the offer,” Hailey told the housekeeper, “but my parents are expecting me and—”
Hailey’s eyes widened when she saw him. “Winn. I didn’t realize you were here.”
He smiled quizzically. “My car is parked out front. Didn’t you see it?”
“I saw a sedan in the driveway. I thought it was your father’s.”
Winn winced. He loved the S550, but was going to have to see about exchanging it for a sportier model. Driving an old man’s car didn’t fit the image he wanted to project. After putting a new vehicle on his mental list for tomorrow, Winn refocused on Hailey.
“Reconsider Elena’s offer and join me for lunch,” he said with an easy smile, leaning against the doorjamb. “Did she mention we’re having chicken escabeche? I bet she could also scare up a glass of sangria for you.”
“I don’t think—”
“Don’t tell me you’re full,” Winn said. “The scone you had this morning can’t be enough to hold you.”
Winn ignored the gleam of speculation in Elena’s eyes. He could explain he and Hailey had shared coffee at Hill of Beans, but that was their business. Taking Hailey’s arm, Winn made an executive decision. He turned to Elena. “Miss Randall will join me for lunch on the terrace.”
“Yes, sir.” Elena hurried off, ignoring Hailey’s faint murmur of protest.
Two bright swaths of pink colored Hailey’s cheeks. “I didn’t come over expecting to be fed.”
“You made Elena happy.” Winn kept his tone conversational as he took her arm and ushered her through the house to the terrace. “Now, tell me about this man hidden in the barn.”
“Man?” Hailey stopped dead in her tracks, a frown furrowing her pretty brow. “What man?”
“Elena told you he was in the barn.”
Hailey dropped into a chair. The peel of laughter that burst from her lips both puzzled and delighted him. Try as he might to fight it, the gregariousness of the woman seated across the table had always appealed to him.
“The he is a dog.”
Winn blinked.
“Barks. Four legs.” Hailey’s tone was serious, though she appeared to be struggling not to laugh again.
Elena appeared with a glass of sangria and a tray of tapas, including mixed olives and cheese. The housekeeper’s smile appeared to widen at the ease between him and Hailey. Elena slipped back into the house to finish the salad preparation with a light step.
“The dog is a stray.” Hailey took a sip of sangria. Pleasure sparked in her blue eyes. “This is good. Try it.”
She thrust out the sangria. Winn obligingly drank and wondered what it’d be like if, instead of the glass, his lips closed over hers? Would her mouth taste as sweet as the sangria?
Winn shoved the thought aside and handed the fruity drink back with an easy smile. “Very nice.”
When she placed her lips on the glass, Winn experienced a hard punch of lust. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt this, but she was his neighbor and just coming off a difficult breakup. He leaned back in his chair and forced a composure he didn’t feel. “Tell me about the animal you came to see.”
He listened as she explained the border collie mix had strayed onto his father’s property. No one had reported the dog missing. Apparently it had been hanging around for several weeks. The ranch hands hadn’t let him starve.
“The shelter said, based on the information given, he’d probably been dumped.”
“You came all the way out here just to catch a look at some stray?”
“His name is Bandit.” Hailey spoke almost primly. “It was engraved on a tag hooked to his collar.”
“Makes sense.” Winn lifted his glass of tea and frowned slightly. “I guess.”
“When the dog was found, your father told Bobby to take him immediately to the shelter, but Bobby—and some of the other guys—wanted to try to find him a new home. The shelter was full and there was a chance he’d be put down. From what I gather, he’s a smart, sweet boy, young though, more puppy than—”
Winn held up a hand, like a schoolboy waiting for the teacher to call on him.
Hailey smiled. “Yes, Winn.”
“Who’s Bobby?”
“One of your father’s ranch hands.” Her tone implied it was something he should have known. “Bobby and I went to high school together.”
“So a friend from high school—who now works for my father—called you.”
“Actually, I ran into Bobby downtown. He told me about Bandit.”
“The border collie.”
“A+, Winn.” She unexpectedly grinned. “You’re paying attention.”
“One major piece of the puzzle doesn’t fit. Why would someone put a dog’s name on a tag but not their contact information?”
Hailey lifted her shoulders in a little shrug. “Why would someone dump a dog?”
“I’m surprised your friend didn’t take him.” Winn grimaced. He wasn’t into wasting time. So why was he having a conversation about a stray?
“Bobby’s place doesn’t allow pets.” Hailey paused to savor another sip of sangria. “I’ve been thinking about getting a dog, so I said I’d take a look. If I like what I see, I’ll take him home.”
Yep, he really was wasting time discussing a dog. Winn opened his mouth, determined to change the subject, when Hailey lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“Bobby told me I could take him home, too.” She chuckled. “A two-for-one deal.”
An uncomfortable tightness gripped his gut, but Winn reminded himself it wasn’t any of his business who she dated...or took home to her bed. “Are you taking him up on the offer?”
She rolled her eyes, waved a dismissive hand. “Bobby has a girlfriend. Besides, after that fiasco with Josh, I’m not feeling particularly charitable toward old high-school classmates.”
“A+ for you,” Winn said, and made her laugh just as Elena appeared with their salads.
“Thanks.” Hailey offered the woman an extrawarm smile. “This looks delicious.”
“Yes,” Winn added. “Much appreciated.”
“The woman is a saint,” Hailey confided once Elena was out of earshot. “I don’t know how she stands—”
She stopped, as if suddenly realizing she was speaking to the son of the man she was about to disparage.
“Don’t stop on my account.” Winn offered a humorless chuckle. “I’d be the first to acknowledge my father is a difficult and complex man.”
That was all he’d say on the matter. As tired as he was of the dog talk, he wanted to discuss his father even less.
Hailey took another big gulp of sangria. “I love dogs, don’t you?”
On second thought, perhaps discussing his father wasn’t such a bad idea. “I haven’t had much contact with animals.”
Hailey set down her glass, tilted her head. “Surely you had a dog growing up?”
“You’ve met my father. You know how particular he is about his home, his possessions. Does he appear to be the type of man who’d tolerate a slobbering, hair-shedding, shoe-chewing creature in his home?”
Hailey put a finger to her lips, drawing his attention to her full sensual mouth. “You’re right. Definitely not a dog person.”
“From what I’ve observed, a pet of any kind is a big responsibility.” Winn placed the linen napkin on his lap with a preciseness that was as much a part of him as his hundred-dollar haircut. “Are you certain you have time for an animal?”
“Absolutely. With Josh out of the picture, my social life is officially nonexistent.” Hailey gave a humorless laugh. “I have a great deal of free time. And I get lonely. Don’t you?”
“Not really.” As a child he’d often been alone, felt alone even when he’d been in a group, but that had been long ago. Now he simply valued his privacy and liked being able to keep everything in its place. With sudden horror, he realized he was very much like his father in that regard.
“After we finish eating, you can come and check out Bandit with me.”
Winn started to shake his head, until she took his hand in a friendly, companionable gesture.
“Please, Winn. If I take him home, Bandit will be your neighbor.” She squeezed his hand. “I really want your opinion.”
Her flesh was warm against his skin and Winn had to resist the urge to curve his fingers around hers.
“I’ll give you whatever you want.” His tone came out husky with a suggestive undertone.
Their eyes met and held for a long moment.
The sudden twitch of her lips broke the mood. She expelled a little giggle. “For now, I’ll settle for your opinion...though I’ll reserve the right to ask for more.”
Before he could respond, Elena returned briefly with another glass of sangria and a refill of tea.
Hailey smiled warmly at Elena, raving about the salad.
Winn listened with half an ear. He couldn’t help wondering what Hailey’s version of “more” would involve. Not that it mattered. All Winn knew was if he did get involved with someone in Jackson Hole, it wouldn’t be with a woman who reminded him of his greatest mistake.
* * *
Hailey crouched and petted the black-and-white dog that thumped his fluffy tail on the ground while licking her outstretched hand. She glanced up at Winn. “Isn’t he the cutest thing ever?”
It was just the two of them in the barn. When Bobby recognized him as Jim’s son, he handed Hailey the leash and hurried off.
Winn continued to keep his distance. Though he had no personal experience with dogs, he’d heard they liked leather. His shiny Ferragamo loafers were not meant for the inside of a dog’s mouth. Not only that, he could practically see the hair falling from the animal as Hailey rubbed his back.
Winn took another step away. The last thing Winn needed was to show up for his afternoon meeting with dog hair all over his suit. “He appears to be molting.”
Hailey laughed, a pleasant sound reminding him of the soft ringing of bells. “The days are getting warmer. His thick coat kept him comfy all winter. Now he’s shedding some of his hair for the summer months.”
Didn’t she realize if she took the animal home, he’d be dropping that hair all over her condo? Winn shuddered at the thought. Not in my home, he thought. Not in a million years.
“Do you want to come home with me, Bandito?” Hailey crooned and the dog let out a little whine. “Will you come home with me and be my boy?”
At those words, the molting bundle of fur and slobber leaped up and emitted a series of sharp staccato barks.
Hailey looked up at Winn and grinned. “I knew it. Bandit and me, we’re a perfect match.”
She looked so pretty and so pleased with herself that Winn was tempted to step closer and pull her into his arms. Instead, he shifted his attention to the dog. “You’re going to take him?”
“Absolutely.” She clipped the leash on the dog’s collar and straightened. “I’d best get him out of here before your father returns.”
“Isn’t he the one who wanted the dog gone?” Winn’s confusion resurfaced. “I think he’d be ecstatic you’re taking him.”
“The dog was supposed to be gone long ago. Bobby thought he had a home for him, but the person backed out. The only option was the pound and Bobby couldn’t bring himself to take Bandit there.”
Winn thought of his father. Of the man’s exacting standards. His zero tolerance for disobedience.
“You’re right. My father would be upset the dog is still here. When he gives orders, he expects them to be followed.”
He was helping Hailey load the dog crate into her SUV when his phone rang. He slipped it from his pocket and checked the readout. It was an Atlanta area code but a number he didn’t recognize. “Do you mind if I take this?”
Hailey glanced up from where she stood soothing Bandit in the transportation crate. “Not at all. I need to get going any—”
“Don’t leave,” he said, then answered the call. “Winn Ferris.”
“Mr. Ferris. This is Charles Keating with Keating, Exeter and York. We’re a law firm in Atlanta and we’re handling Ms. Vanessa Abbott’s estate. You have—”
As Winn listened to the attorney talk, bile rose inside his throat and an icy chill enveloped him. He forced himself to breathe.
When Mr. Keating paused, Winn cleared his throat and located his voice. He asked questions and received answers but it all seemed surreal. The call ended with Winn promising to take the first flight to Georgia.
“Winn. Is something wrong?”
Even Hailey’s warm touch on his arm couldn’t begin to reach the chill.
“I have to leave for Atlanta right away.” He met her worried gaze. “I need to pick up my son.”
Chapter Three (#ulink_3533dad9-ba79-5817-a7d8-05d10df234f1)
Fried chicken on the stove and garlic-cheese biscuits rising in the oven filled the large country kitchen with delicious aromas. For as long as Hailey could remember, cooking had been one of her mother’s passions. And the woman was a master.
Kathy Randall motioned for her daughter to add more milk to the potatoes she was whipping. In her late fifties with dark blond hair cut in a stylish bob, blue eyes and a perpetual twinkle in her eyes, Hailey’s mother loved life and it showed. “Are you telling me Winn Ferris has a son?”
“So he said.” Hailey frowned and resumed chopping broccoli for the salad. Though there was no reason Winn had to tell all, she fought back a twinge of irritation. “It’s kind of a big secret to keep.”
“Does he have a wife to go with the son?” There was a hint of disapproval in Kathy’s voice. No doubt she was recalling the various single women the business executive had dated since arriving in Jackson Hole.
“The boy’s mother, the woman who died in the boating accident, was Winn’s former girlfriend. The guy who died with her was her fiancé. Apparently they were planning to be married next month.”
“How sad.” Kathy gave a sigh of empathy. “Was the child with them when the boat exploded?”
“No. He was playing at a neighbor’s.”
“Lucky for the boy. If you can call any child who loses his mother lucky.” Kathy shifted her gaze to Hailey. “Dying before you and Tripp were grown was my worst fear. I knew your father would do his best, but I believed you needed me.”
“I did need you.” Hailey gave her mom a quick hug. “I still do. Who else will teach me how to cook?”
Her mother laughed. “I think of all those years I tried. You simply weren’t interested.”
“It’s moved into the priority range now,” Hailey told her mom, completely serious. “Unless I want to survive on takeout or soup and sandwiches every night, I have to learn.”
“Well, I’m happy to further your educa—”
The backdoor slid open and her father stepped inside, the border collie at his side. “Is it time to eat?”
Frank Randall was a tall man with a rangy body and thick salt-and-pepper hair. Naturally thin, he’d regained the weight he’d lost last year during his successful battle with melanoma.
“Just about,” his wife said. “Hailey was telling me that Winn Ferris—”
Hailey’s phone rang as her mother was explaining the situation to her father. She glanced down. “It’s Winn.”
Her father inclined his head. “Why is he calling you?”
“I’m about to find out.” Hailey walked from the kitchen into the great room, where the warm earth-toned walls complemented the soaring beamed ceilings in muted white. “Hi, Winn. How are you?”
“Fine.” His voice was low and tightly controlled. “We’re in Denver now and should land in Jackson at about eight. Cam refuses to eat, but I need to get something into him. Do you remember the chicken noodle soup you made last week?”
“Of course.” The soup had been her first foray into making homemade noodles. In a neighborly gesture, she’d taken some to Winn as well as Mrs. Samuelson, who lived on the other side of her.
“Do you have any left?”
Winn’s question broke through Hailey’s thoughts. While she’d eaten or given away the last of it, she knew her mother had some in her freezer. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“Thanks, Hailey.”
The hint of weariness in Winn’s voice tugged at her. Though she didn’t know all the particulars, she figured his stress level was sky-high.
“It’ll be okay, Winn,” she said in a low soothing tone. “It will all be okay.”
* * *
After enjoying a meal with her family, Hailey returned home with a half gallon of her mother’s chicken noodle soup and a loaf of homemade oatmeal bread. Winn would never know that this was her mother’s soup instead of her own. Although he might think it was even better the second time around.
While the airport wasn’t far from their condos, if his plane landed at eight, it would be a while before Winn got home. Hailey used the time to take Bandit for a walk, then began brushing him, while keeping her ear cocked for the sound of Winn’s car.
It was almost nine when she heard his garage door slide up. Rather than jumping to her feet and rushing to the door, Hailey waited, knowing Winn would call once he and the boy were settled.
He’d told her Cameron was eight. A lot of her brother’s friends—her friends as well, she reminded herself—had children close to that age. When Hailey had practiced full-time as a speech pathologist in Denver, she’d worked with many children. She liked kids, got along with them, hoped to have a couple of them herself one day.
Idly, she wondered what Winn was like as a father. He’d always been so focused on his business interests that it was hard to imagine him devoting time to anyone or anything else.
Of course, Winn had dropped what he was doing to get his son and bring him to Jackson Hole. Her hand stroked the top of Bandit’s head and the dog emitted what sounded like a moan of pleasure.
Taking care of a pet had been more work than she’d imagined. If she was Winn and facing the total care of a little boy, she’d be freaking. Other than asking for her help with dinner, Winn had sounded composed and as self-assured as ever on the phone. Yet, something told her he’d sound that way even if he was on the deck of the Titanic as it was sinking. From what she’d observed, Winn kept his feelings close.
Tired of sitting, she put the brush aside and rose. Moving to the refrigerator, she peered inside for something to eat. She’d finally decided on a carton of yogurt when her phone buzzed. Hailey smiled as Winn’s name flashed on the screen. “You two ready to chow?”
“We are. Or at least I am.” Winn hesitated. “Hailey, about Cam—”
Though he couldn’t see her, she found herself cocking her head. “What about him?”
“He...” Winn paused. “Nothing. We’ll be here whenever it works for you to come over.”
The call ended and Hailey stood staring at the phone, her brows knitted. Something was definitely up. She shoved the yogurt back into the refrigerator and hurriedly grabbed the container of soup and the loaf of bread instead. With curiosity fueling her steps, Hailey headed next door.
* * *
Winn tried not to stare at the little boy sitting silently on the sofa, hands folded in his lap. Cam still had the same shock of brown hair and hazel eyes that tended toward green, the same skinny frame and big feet. But that was where the resemblance to the son he’d known and loved ended.
This child was pale, with freckles that stood out like shiny pennies across the bridge of his nose. There was no laughter in his eyes, no mischievous glint, just...emptiness and sorrow.
The boy had just lost someone dear to him, Winn reminded himself. Regardless of her actions toward him, Vanessa had been a kind and loving mother. When she’d cast Winn from her life, his one consolation was that Cam would never lack for love. He hadn’t known Brandon, other than to despise the man’s deliberate attempts to keep him away from Cam.
The boy might have been Brandon’s child by blood, but Winn had raised him for the first six years of his life. Now, Brandon and Vanessa were dead. And Winn was Cam’s legal guardian.
It was only natural the boy would seem different. Of course, he’d be standoffish and silent. Not only had he lost his parents, he’d been snatched by a man he thought had deserted him and relocated far from the only home he’d known.
“My neighbor, Hailey, is bringing over soup.” Winn tried for cheery but couldn’t quite pull it off. “It’s good stuff. You’ve got to be hungry. You barely ate today.”
On their way to the airport, Winn had stopped at a place that specialized in chicken fingers. He remembered the popular chain as being one of Cam’s favorites. The boy had taken only a few bites, then stared out the window.
Although Winn had talked so much that he was sick of the sound of his own voice, Cam had barely uttered five words. All single responses in a barely audible tone.
What had Vanessa done to him? What had that jerk Brandon done to him? Winn tried to contain his rising anger at whatever had brought this change in the boy. While he realized some of what Cam was showing was grief, there was more going on here. He would get to the bottom of it, eventually.
Relief flooded him at the knock on the door.
“That’ll be my neighbor.” He opened the door and realized she hadn’t come alone. The border collie stood beside her, brown eyes staring at him, as if daring Winn to keep him out.
“Bandit wanted to meet Cam.” Hailey handed Winn the soup container and breezed past him into the large living room. She wore jeans and a Western-cut shirt in shocking blue. “I hope you don’t mind.”
The words of protest that had formed on Winn’s lips died at the look of surprised pleasure in Cameron’s eyes. “Ah, not at all.”
“Hi, Cameron.” Hailey crossed the room to sit beside the boy on the sofa. She extended her hand. “I’m Hailey Randall. I live next door. Welcome to Jackson Hole.”
For a long moment the hand hovered there. Until the boy took it.
“Can you tell Miss Hailey you’re pleased to meet her?” Winn gently urged.
“P-p-p-pleased to m-m-meet you,” Cam stuttered.
Hailey’s smile never wavered. “I brought you homemade chicken noodle soup. I realize it’s late for dinner, but I wasn’t in the mood to eat earlier. I’m sure hungry now.”
Cam glanced down at his bright neon-green-and-purple sneakers.
“If your dad has a large bowl,” Hailey continued without missing a beat, “we could heat the soup in the microwave. I’d love for you to try it and tell me if it’s any good.”
The boy didn’t comment but gestured with his head toward Bandit, who sat at Hailey’s feet. “Who—who is she?”
If Hailey noticed the boy’s stuttering—and it would have been impossible not to—it didn’t show.
“Bandit. He’s a boy,” Hailey confided with an easy smile. “Which means I’m outnumbered three to one.”
To illustrate her point, she gestured with one hand toward Winn, then Cam and finally on Bandit.
The boy’s quick flash of a smile loosened the tightness that had held Winn’s chest in a stranglehold since he’d received the call from the attorney.
“Perhaps after we eat,” Hailey moved to the cupboards, “we can take Bandit for a short walk. Unless you’re too tired.”
Cam gestured toward the dog. “C-can we g-go now?”
“I’d really like to eat first,” Hailey said, her hands busy. “But you can hold Bandit’s leash when we do go, if you’d like.”
The boy gave a jerky nod of agreement.
Winn moved to the cupboards and took out bowls and glasses. Hailey put the soup in the microwave while Winn sliced the bread and Cam placed silverware on the table.
At the table, Cameron said nothing. He shoveled in food and kept his eyes on Bandit. Winn wasn’t sure if the boy ate because he was hungry or because he wanted to take the dog for a walk.
Once they finished and cleared the dishes, Hailey clipped a leash on Bandit’s collar then handed it to Cam. “How about you walk him around inside first? That way you can get a feel for it.”
Cam’s eyes were wide and serious.
Hailey smiled. “Perhaps you could start by showing him your room.”
The boy nodded and the two disappeared down the hallway.
“Thank you.” Winn kept his voice low.
Hailey cocked her head. “A few minutes in the microwave is no big deal.”
“Thank you for the soup and bread.” He gestured toward the hall. “And for being nice to him.”
“Normally, I like to be mean to children and small animals, but I thought I’d make an exception tonight.”
Winn couldn’t help chuckling. But he quickly sobered. “He’s not the same boy I left behind in Atlanta two years ago.”
“Surely that’s not the last time you saw him.”
A muscle in Winn’s jaw jumped. “Actually it is. He never stuttered before. Do you think—”
He cut off when he heard the sound of the boy and dog coming down the hall. “I’d like to speak to you about something,” he told Hailey. “After Cam’s asleep.”
Hailey wasn’t sure what Winn wanted to discuss. But she had the feeling his struggles to get his project approved were going to seem like a walk in the park compared to the challenges of being a full-time father of a grieving boy.
* * *
Two hours later, Hailey relaxed against Winn’s leather sofa, a glass of wine in one hand and the dog snoozing at her feet. The short walk had taken nearly an hour, with the three walking mostly in silence.
Winn had tried to draw the boy out but had quit attempting to make conversation when his efforts only seemed to agitate Cam.
They’d made it all the way to a downtown park that was lit up brighter than Times Square because of the ball game in progress. Cam hadn’t wanted to watch the game or play on any of the equipment. But when Bandit picked up a stick and dropped it at Cam’s feet, the boy had smiled and thrown it. Not once but several times.
Hailey had watched Cam smile each time the dog raced back to him, and her heart had filled with emotion.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Hailey.” Winn’s expression was grave. “I have to work, but I can’t just dump him somewhere with people I don’t know or trust.”
“What about your father?”
“Not an option.”
His tone was so firm, Hailey let that possibility drop.
“You could take some time off,” she suggested.
“This isn’t a good time for me to do that.” Winn dismissed the suggestion. “Besides, Cam will need to make friends.”
“There are summer camps. Enrichment programs.” Hailey chewed on her lip. “But the child just lost his mother. And this is a new place. I can’t imagine tossing him into a group setting right away.”
Winn twirled the stem of his wineglass between his fingers. “You mentioned the other day you were in the market for a job.”
Hailey almost got whiplash from the change in topic. “You know someone who’s looking for a speech therapist?”
“Me. You could also watch Cam for me. Just until he gets his footing and feels comfortable here.”
“I help my dad with the ranch books,” she told him. “I sometimes get called to the hospital if one of their regular speech therapists is ill. And I recently agreed to help Cassidy with weddings and special events. Workwise, I’m heating up.”
“You could take him with you to your dad’s. Cam would probably see it as a kind of adventure. I don’t think he’s ever spent time on a ranch.” Winn’s voice turned persuasive. “If you got called in to work at the hospital, I’d take that day off. Caring for him wouldn’t be a long-term thing, only until Cam gets comfortable and I can make other arrangements.”
“I appreciate your confidence, Winn. But—” She shook her head. It sounded like babysitting to Hailey and she’d had her fill of that when she’d been in high school.
“I’d make it worth your while.” Winn paused, considered. “I’d pay you—”
The amount he named had her jaw dropping. “Are you kidding me?”
“So you’ll do it?”
She was tempted to say yes, but each time she acted in haste, it had never turned out well. “What hours would I work?”
“Negotiable,” he said. “Monday through Friday during the day. Perhaps some nights and weekend hours if I had business functions to attend.”
She could certainly use the money. Still, Hailey hesitated.
Winn surprised her by reaching out and taking her hand. The simple touch sent tingles up her arm.
“I have no intention of taking advantage, Hailey.” His direct gaze fixed on hers. “Cameron is my son. I take my responsibilities seriously. I won’t dump him on you. If it doesn’t work, you can walk away any time. I’ll be no worse off than I am now.”
She had questions, lots of questions. Like why he’d been out of the boy’s life for the past two years. But now wasn’t the time, and it was difficult to think since his thumb had begun to stroke her palm. Almost impossible to form a logical thought—or question—when she was inhaling the intoxicating scent of his cologne.
This was her neighbor, she reminded herself. This was Winn, the man who’d dated many of her friends. Heck, he’d even taken out her sister-in-law before Anna and her brother had gotten involved.
“I’ll toss in two free round-trip airline tickets to a destination of your choice,” he told her, as if sensing her wavering.
It wasn’t the money or airline tickets that tempted Hailey to say yes. It was the sound of muffled crying from down the hall, from a little boy in Avenger pj’s who’d just lost his mother.
“I’ll think about it,” she promised Winn, “and give you my answer tomorrow.”
Chapter Four (#ulink_e90eaba6-d85b-50ee-9005-ea1aef4e5ca7)
“Are you really going to work for Winn Ferris?” Anna Randall’s voice rose.
Hailey looked around to see if anyone had overheard her sister-in-law. Although the streets of downtown Jackson were always filled with tourists, there were also local people who knew Anna was married to Hailey’s brother, the mayor. Since Tripp had been elected last year, both Hailey and her sister-in-law were usually circumspect in their conversations. She must have really shocked Anna.
“I haven’t decided.” Hailey lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “Though I’m leaning toward saying yes.”
Anna opened her mouth as if to say more when a ringing sounded from the depths of her eel-skin leather clutch. She raised one finger and eased out the phone. “I need to take this.”
While Anna, a nurse-midwife, spoke with a labor-and-delivery nurse, they continued down the sidewalk. Despite her busy schedule, her sister-in-law always made time for Hailey. Every Tuesday they had a standing lunch date. The plans were sacrosanct and could only be broken for an emergency or a baby. From this side of the conversation, Hailey could tell Jackson Hole was about to welcome a new resident.
Anna strode down the concrete in her heels while Hailey hurried to keep pace in well-worn sneakers. The jeans and light sweater she’d pulled on that morning were in sharp contrast to Anna’s studied elegance. Unlike Hailey, who was happiest being casual, her sister-in-law loved to dress up.
Despite her advancing pregnancy, Anna wore three-inch heels with a maternity dress in a color block of black, white and yellow. Her sister-in-law’s chestnut hair tumbled to her shoulders and, as usual, her makeup was expertly applied. Hailey found her lips lifting in a rueful smile. If Cassidy wanted someone with elegance and styling acumen, she should hire Anna.
And Winn, wouldn’t he do better having a mother type look after his son? Not that Hailey could imagine Winn knowing any “motherly” woman.
She’d spent a sleepless night tossing and turning, thinking of the little boy next door crying for his mother.
Anna dropped the phone back into her pocket. “Baby on the way. Luckily we’re headed in the right direction.”
Hailey glanced around, noting they’d left the quaint downtown area behind. Though not far from the center of town, the hospital was located in a predominantly residential area. Hailey calculated the distance and concluded they were only blocks from the small hospital that served Jackson Hole.
“I’ll walk the rest of the way with you,” she told Anna, when her sister-in-law wondered aloud why Hailey didn’t turn toward her car. “I need to pick up my check.”
The money for four days of work at the hospital last month wouldn’t be much. Still, being able to provide speech therapy for both inpatients and outpatients kept her skills sharp and her foot in the door. Though she hoped a full-time position would open up, Hailey would have a good reference if she needed to eventually relocate.
“Tell me why you’re considering watching the boy,” Anna asked, bringing them back to their original conversation.
They continued to walk while Hailey explained Winn’s dilemma in detail, as well as Cam’s speech-therapy needs. “He needs someone to fill in until he can come up with a permanent solution. The money he offered was compelling.”
When she mentioned the amount, Anna’s eyes widened. Then she grinned. “Winn reminds me of his father. Both are convinced money can buy anyone or anything.”
Though she knew Anna held no animosity toward the man she’d once dated casually, Hailey stiffened. “Winn understands I’d be putting my life on hold for the next few weeks to help him out. He wants to be fair.”
Anna gave a little tinkle of a laugh. “I’d say that amount is more than fair.”
“I’d like to help him.” Though Hailey hadn’t yet made her decision, she was leaning toward accepting the offer. “Besides, Cam is a sweet boy.”
“If you do agree, don’t let Winn suck you into being a 24/7 caregiver for the boy,” Anna warned. “Ultimately the child is his responsibility, not yours.”
“I know how to set boundaries,” Hailey assured Anna. But when she thought of the small boy with the sad eyes and the man with the worried brow, she wasn’t so sure.
* * *
Could the day get any worse?
Winn raked a hand through his hair. He should have convinced Hailey to start immediately rather than giving her time to think. He’d slept fitfully the night before. Memories of Vanessa and her quick smile clouded his thoughts and last night’s dreams. Like Cam, he had difficulty accepting the fact that such a vibrant woman was gone.
Though Winn wasn’t sure he’d loved Vanessa as much as he should have, she’d been Cameron’s mother. Winn remembered how bereft he’d been when his own mother had died. He’d been twelve, older than Cam, but still a boy.
He was determined to give Cam the time and space he needed to grieve in his own way. Cam hadn’t cried. Not at the funeral or on the way back to Jackson Hole. But last night Winn had stood outside the boy’s bedroom and listened to the kid sobbing. He’d felt powerless and impotent. It wasn’t a familiar feeling nor one he liked.
He’d considered going into the room to comfort the child but decided against the gesture. When Winn’s mother died, the only tears he’d shed had been in the shower where no one could hear.
Today he and Cam would start a new life. Unfortunately, Winn wasn’t sure how to begin. It had been two years since Vanessa had allowed him to see Cameron. The child he’d picked up in Atlanta was far different than the boy he’d once known.
Hot anger rose and threatened to boil over, but Winn firmly reminded himself the past couldn’t be changed. And he bore some of the responsibility. He should have pushed harder.
Thankfully, sometime before dawn, Cam had fallen into an exhausted slumber. Despite his own lack of sleep, Winn had risen at six-thirty as usual. This gave him time to get dressed and make some calls before rousting Cam. One of those calls was to his father.
“Why do you have him?” His father sounded genuinely perplexed. “The child isn’t—”
“In every way that matters, Cam is my son,” Winn interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.
Jim Ferris must not have heard, because he bulldozed onward. “You haven’t seen the kid in two years.”
“Not for lack of trying.” Winn clipped the words.
His father expelled an audible sigh. “I have connections at several top-notch boys’ schools on the East Coast. He’d get a good education at any of them.”
“I’m not sending a grieving little boy to strangers twenty-five hundred miles away,” Winn protested, though he wasn’t surprised by the suggestion. He remembered being shipped off shortly before he’d turned thirteen.
“You’re a busy man,” his father pointed out. “How are you going to tend to important business and watch a child?”
Winn briefly explained about Hailey and the temporary deal he’d offered.
“Smart move.” His father’s voice rang with approval.
“I believe so,” Winn said. “Hailey is a warm person, which is what Cam needs right now. Plus—”
“I don’t give a horse’s backside if she’s nice or not,” Jim interrupted. “She’s the mayor’s sister. The closer you are to her, the closer you are to him. Take my advice. Don’t try too hard to find a replacement. See if you can string this along until after the vote on the development.”
Winn’s grip tightened on his phone. The remark was classic Jim Ferris. His father was a wheeler-dealer who never missed an opportunity to manipulate a situation. But this advice had a stench. It reminded Winn of Josh and the way the weasel had used Hailey.
“I won’t use Hailey to get closer to Tripp.”
“You’re a fool if you don’t.” His father’s derision came through loud and clear. “And I didn’t raise a fool.”
“I—I heard a dog barking.”
The plaintive voice had Winn turning. His heart tripped at the sight of a skinny boy in pajamas with his brown hair sticking up, standing barefoot in the hall.
“We’ll talk later.” Winn cut off the call and slipped the phone into the pocket of his black trousers. He rose to his feet, oddly unsteady. “Morning, champ. How’d you sleep?”
It was a stupid question. One the child didn’t answer. Instead, Cam rubbed his eyes and glanced around the room. “Where’s Bandit?”
Winn stepped cautiously toward the boy. “Next door.”
He’d spotted Hailey leaving the complex on foot earlier...without the animal in tow.
“C-can we get him?”
There was something in the boy’s eyes that Winn didn’t like. A fearfulness, as if he expected to be slapped down for simply asking a question. During the six years he and Vanessa had informally shared custody of Cam, he’d never seen her strike out at the boy or raise her voice. But Brandon...
Winn’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. If that man had hurt Cam...
He deliberately loosened his fists. If Brandon had mistreated Cam, there was nothing to be done about it now. The man was dead. His son was safe.
Winn placed a light hand on the boy’s shoulder and relief flooded him when the child didn’t pull away. “We’ll eat first. By the time we finish, Hailey may be home and we can see if Bandit can...come over.”
The thought of allowing that molting ball of slobber and fur back into his place made Winn cringe. But the dog and boy had formed a connection. When Bandit licked Cam’s face last night, Winn had even seen a ghost of a smile on his son’s lips.
“Okay.” Cam stood there, as if unsure what to do next.
“Get some clothes on.” Winn assumed boys of eight could be trusted to pick out proper attire. At six, Cam had been able to pull on his own clothes but had sometimes needed direction. “Jeans and a T-shirt should be adequate. We’ll be spending most of the day here.”
The boy nodded, took a few steps then turned back to Winn. “I—I shouldn’t be with you.”
Winn tilted his head. “Why not?”
“My dad said I d-d-don’t belong with you.”
Just hearing the boy call Brandon “his dad” had anger rising inside Winn. He tamped it down. The past couldn’t be undone. Because of Vanessa’s duplicity, Cam had suffered. Winn would not add to the pain in those hazel eyes. “I’m your family now. I’m not going anywhere.”
The boy only stared, a blank look on his face.
“I’m going to make chocolate-chip pancakes.” Winn remembered they were a favorite of Cam’s when he was younger. “You get dressed and I’ll throw together some breakfast.”
By the time Cam returned, dressed in a long-sleeved striped T-shirt and jeans, Winn had completed a couple of calls about a development in South Carolina that he was overseeing. He’d been distracted and made way too many pancakes.
When Cam had been a part of his life, Winn had done a little cooking, but since moving to Jackson Hole, business had been his priority. Everything else had taken a backseat.
Winn placed the plates on the table and sat down, prepared to get reacquainted with his son. As he unsuccessfully attempted to engage the boy in conversation, he realized his life had changed dramatically and he wasn’t sure he was ready.
* * *
Hailey heard Bandit barking on her way up the steps to her second-floor condo and increased her pace. Although her rental agreement allowed pets, she knew the landlord wouldn’t hesitate to act if her pet disturbed the other tenants.
She reached her door, hurriedly grabbing the key from her bag and fumbling with the lock. The barking escalated. “Bandit, shush.”
“Hailey.”
She heard Winn’s voice but merely held up a hand and focused on opening the door. Dorianna Samuelson, on the other side of her, should be home from her yoga class any second. Even though the woman was a friend of Hailey’s mother, she’d be the first to complain about the barking. Dorianna saw keeping the complex well ordered and quiet as her personal mission.
The dog gave a whimper of pleasure when he saw Hailey but followed her command to sit instead of jump, which had obviously been his impulse.
She grabbed the leash from the side table and clipped it on, before stepping back outside the door.
He looked business casual in black trousers, a gray shirt and shiny wing tips. Winn’s lips curved in a slow smile that caused a fluttering in her belly.
Completely understandable, she told herself. A handsome man. A lazy smile. She’d have to be dead not to react.
The blood sliding through her veins like warm honey assured Hailey she was very much alive.
“Hey there, neighbor.” She offered him a smile of her own. “Hope the barking didn’t disturb you too much.”
“It did.” His eyes held an impish gleam. “But I know a way you can make it up to me.”
The banter wasn’t new, nor was the hint of electricity accompanying it. What surprised Hailey was her reaction, stronger than before. Keeping her hand firmly on the leash while the dog quivered at her side, she batted lashes at Winn. “What do you have in mind?”
Before Winn could respond, Cam stepped forward. His face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning when he saw the dog. A low whine formed in Bandit’s throat.
Hailey loosened the retractable leash and said in a low tone, “Go to him.”
The dog raced across the short distance and Cam’s thin arms encircled him. The boy buried his face in the silky fur. Winn’s eyes met Hailey’s.
“That,” he said, “was what you could do.”
He gazed down at the boy with such affection in his eyes that Hailey felt tears sting the back of her lids. She quickly blinked them away.
Though she hadn’t yet made up her mind about his offer, it was obvious Winn needed a friend to help him traverse this difficult time.
“I was thinking of heading out to my parents’ ranch,” she said in an offhand tone. “It’s a nice day to ride horses, maybe have a picnic. You and Cam are welcome to join me.”
Cam lifted his head at the mention of horses, but his hand remained firmly on the dog’s back. “W-would Bandit come, too?”
Hailey nodded.
Winn glanced down at his tailored pants and shirt. “I’m not dressed for riding.”
“Hmm.” Hailey brought a finger to her lips. “You could change. Perhaps into something less stodgy.”
Winn’s dark brows winged up.
“Oops, I meant to say something more comfortable.”
That brought a chuckle from Winn. “Give me a few minutes to make a couple of calls and get out of these ‘stodgy’ clothes.”
Hailey’s lips twitched before she turned her attention to the boy. “Cam, would you like to keep Bandit company while I toss together a picnic lunch?”
Cam’s head jerked up and he glanced at his father.
“Up to you,” Winn said.
“Okay.”
The boy followed her into her condo and glanced around. She wondered if he noticed the difference between her overstuffed sofa with its colorful pillows and eclectic wall art and his father’s perfectly decorated interior.
She doubted it. Cam was so focused on Bandit he barely gave anything around him a second glance. But when she pulled out French bread then started to cube some cheese, the boy moved to the counter to watch.
“I—I already ate,” he stammered.
Though his eyes didn’t meet hers, Hailey saw it as a positive that the boy had initiated the conversation. “Riding horses always makes me hungry. I bet it makes you hungry, too.”
Cam shrugged. After a couple of seconds, he took a tentative step forward.
“You smell good,” he told her. “M-my mommy, sh-she smelled good, t-too.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Hailey caught sight of Winn, who’d just entered her condo. He paused at Cam’s words.
“You must miss her,” Hailey murmured.
“Sh-she m-might be coming to get me.” Cam looked up then and Hailey saw confusion and hope in his childish eyes. “P-people say she’s dead. B-but what if she’s looking for me? She m-might go to my house, but I—I won’t be there. Sh-she w-w-won’t know where I am.”
It was a lot of words, filled with emotion and struggle. Hailey didn’t interrupt and her heart ached at the underlying pain.
She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat and considered her response. Though undoubtedly this was something Winn should handle, the boy had shared his fears with her. It seemed wrong to ignore the question or redirect him to his dad.
“Your mother was a wonderful person who loved you very much.” Hailey gentled her tone and met his gaze. “But she won’t be coming back. Not because she wouldn’t want to be with you, but she can’t.”
Tears spilled from those big sad hazel eyes and slipped down his cheeks. Answering ones welled in hers.
She placed a light hand on the small bony shoulder. “But your dad is here and—”
“M-my daddy is dead.” Cam jerked away, clenching his small hands into fists at his sides.
“He isn’t dead, honey,” Hailey said gently, not bothering to hide her confusion. “Your dad is right behind you.”
Cam turned. His jaw jutted up when his gaze settled on Winn. He shook his head. “That’s not my dad.”
Hailey saw Winn tense.
“Of course he is,” Hailey protested.
“He’s not,” the boy doggedly insisted. “Mommy told me.”
Chapter Five (#ulink_5692a182-e577-578f-aefa-a761b0a80c8f)
Hailey’s smile froze on her lips.
“Cameron. We’ll discuss that later.” Almost unrecognizable in worn jeans and a chambray shirt, Winn crossed the room and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “For now, I’d like you to take Bandit into the living room. I saw a brush on the coffee table. I bet Miss Hailey would like it if you’d brush him for her.”
“That’d be wonderful.” Confused, Hailey forced some enthusiasm into her voice. “Turn on the television if you’d like. Cartoons should be on one of the channels.”
Cameron’s gaze shifted from Hailey to his father and then to the dog. “C’mon, Bandit.”
Sending the boy from the room didn’t make sense to her. Why didn’t Winn simply reassure Cam he was very much alive?
Once the sound of cartoon laughter and music filled the air, Hailey turned to Winn. She gestured with her head toward the living room. “What did he mean that his mother said you weren’t his dad?”
“Do you have coffee?” Winn raked a hand through his hair, the gesture disturbing the expensive cut.
Hailey hesitated then moved to the counter and pulled out a tray of coffee pods. “What would you like?”
“Regular. Black.”
She brewed a cup for him and then one for herself. After placing the mugs on the table, she took a seat opposite him and fixed her gaze on his face. “What’s going on, Winn?”
“I didn’t want to pull you into this right now, but since Cam brought it up and you may be watching him, you should know.” Winn kept his voice low, though the sound from the other room made it impossible for Cam to hear even if he’d been speaking normally.
Winn took a sip of coffee and leaned back in the chair, but relaxed wasn’t a word she’d use to describe him. Despite his bland expression, she could feel his restrained energy simmering in the air.
“I met Cam’s mother at a party. She was a kindergarten teacher and a breath of fresh air compared to the type of women I normally dated.” Winn relayed the information as if giving a business report to a board of directors. “We began dating, grew closer and became intimate. She mentioned Brandon only as a guy she’d once dated. As I’d had a couple semiserious relationships myself, I didn’t think much of it.”
Hailey sipped her coffee more for something to do than out of thirst.
Winn’s gaze darkened. “We’d been together almost a year when things started heading south. I admit I’d let a project I was working on consume me, but she didn’t even try to understand. Nothing I did pleased her. We argued constantly. After a big fight, she moved out. I called her a couple of times, but she didn’t return my calls.”
“When was this?” Hailey asked quietly.
“Almost nine years ago.” He wrapped his hands around the ceramic mug. “Seven months later I learned from a friend Vanessa was pregnant and ready to deliver. I didn’t doubt the baby was mine because we’d been together at the time he was conceived and Vanessa wasn’t the kind to cheat.”
The conversation was getting pretty doggone personal. She wondered if she should change the subject. Instead, she found herself asking, “What happened then?”
“I went to her. Confronted her. Demanded to know why she hadn’t informed me she was pregnant.” The hard opacity of his eyes was at odds with his matter-of-fact tone.
Though Hailey completely understood Winn’s position, she shivered. She imagined he could be a formidable foe. “What did she say?”
Winn’s jaw set in a rigid line. “Vanessa made it clear she didn’t want to get back together, told me any feelings she had for me were gone.”
“That didn’t really answer your question,” Hailey observed.
He shrugged. “I told her we’d made a baby and had to do what was best for him. I was in the delivery room when Cameron was born. We worked out an informal custody arrangement and child support. For six years we made a potentially difficult situation work with very little drama.”
“Did you start dating each other again?” Hailey ventured.
“No.” He expelled a heavy breath. “She was right. Whatever we had was over. Still, because of the baby, I was willing to try to see if we could get those feelings back. Vanessa wasn’t interested. I even suggested we marry, but she nixed that, although my name was on the birth certificate and she put me in her will as guardian for Cam.”
“Was that necessary? I mean, why did you need to be in the will? You were his dad.” Something wasn’t adding up.
“At the time I didn’t think it was necessary, but since we weren’t married, she insisted.”
The water was still murky, but Hailey began to get a slightly clearer picture. She wasn’t surprised when Winn rose and began to pace.
While he strode across the room, Hailey attempted to put the pieces he’d given her together. “You said things worked well for six years. Then what happened?”
A muscle in his jaw jumped. He spat the name. “Brandon.”
“The man who died in the accident with her?”
“He was also the same guy she’d dated before me.” Winn’s lip curled. “Turns out he wasn’t as much of an ex as I thought.”
Placing his hands on the counter, Winn leaned forward, his gaze focused out the window.
A sick feeling took up residence in the pit of Hailey’s stomach.
“Apparently, around the time we were going through that rough patch, Vanessa had slept with him.”
Though Winn did a stellar job of hiding it, there was pain underlying the words. Hailey’s heart wrenched. But from the set look on his face, she knew Winn wouldn’t appreciate her sympathy. She forced a nonchalant tone.
“Why did it take six years for him to show up?”
“He was engaged when he slept with Vanessa.” His lips lifted in a sardonic smile. “His marriage lasted about seven years. He was still married when he ran into Vanessa having lunch with a friend in Buckhead. They began dating even before he’d separated from his wife.”
Winn’s voice was heavy with condemnation. Obviously he didn’t condone extramarital affairs. For a second, Hailey wondered why she was so surprised. Then realized it was because Winn Ferris was a man who seemed to go after what he wanted, damn the consequences. This was a new side to him.
“S-so that bothered you?” To her horror, Hailey found herself stammering.
Winn didn’t appear to notice.
“She dated a lot of men during those six years and so did I. Did I think it was wise for her to date a married guy? No. But it wasn’t my business.” Winn dropped into the chair. “I guess Brandon saw the birthmark on the back of Cam’s neck and insisted they do a paternity test. I didn’t know anything about it until they had the results.”
The look on his face said it all.
“It showed Brandon was Cam’s father,” Hailey whispered.
“Biological father.” Winn’s voice snapped sharp as a whip. “I was his dad, the only one he’d ever known. That didn’t seem to matter. Not to Brandon. And not enough to Vanessa for her to stand up for what was best for her son. Brandon wanted me out of Cam’s life. Vanessa went along with his wishes.”
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