Backroads Read online

  I want nothing more than to reach over and grab her hand and tell her it’s going to be okay, but something tells me she wouldn’t want that.

  After a few minutes of silence while she quietly stews, I have an idea. “We can get ice cream when we’re in town. Will that help?” I ask, trying to get her to smile.

  She turns her head and looks at me. “Why would ice cream help?”

  It’s just a question. She says it in a quiet, curious voice.

  “Because in any movie I’ve ever seen, the girls are always downing ice cream during times of stress.”

  That finally gets her to smile. “I think most of that is for the movies. I happen to like ice cream anytime, and for any reason. My thighs can attest to that.”

  My eyes instantly are drawn to her thighs. “Thank god for ice cream, then,” I mutter.

  I cannot believe I missed coming through this town yesterday. Once I got off the interstate, I was zigzagging through country roads to a destination that didn’t exist.

  As we drive into town, I’m reminded of the town I grew up in. Driving down Main Street, I notice most of the buildings seem to be original from when the town was born, all made out of red brick with large glass windows in the front.

  I notice Chase watching me out of the corner of my eye. Something about it gives me a thrill every time I notice.

  “I don’t make it into town much, and usually only up to the lumberyard or wherever Linda sends me. The other guys are in town every day if you ever need anything and can’t make it,” Chase says.

  He’s been pointing out buildings to me, and I haven’t been paying attention.

  “Not sure how often I’ll be needing to come into town myself.” I don’t know how long I’ll actually be here.

  “I’m sure Linda will send you to fetch things. Especially on weekends when she’s busier.”

  I nod, thinking about it. “Oh, I’m sure she will have me running all sorts of errands for her.”

  “That’s supposed to be a great steak house. Charlie and Lee like it. If you ever want to check it out, let me know.” He points to a building at the end of Main.

  I shoot him a quick look. “Is this you asking me out?” Did the cab of the truck just get smaller?

  I swear he blushes when I call him out on it. “I guess it is. We could get something to eat. Get to know each other better.”

  Damn my traitorous heart beating faster, causing my own blush to creep up my chest. “I’ll let you know.” is all I can come up with as an answer.

  The thing is, I don’t trust myself alone with him now, let alone if we went on a date.

  He smiles smugly. “That wasn’t a no.”

  No, it wasn’t a no. I’m not ready to say yes to him.

  “Here’s the lumberyard.”

  There are trucks coming and going and several guys leaned up against a truck talking. This isn’t what I’m used to. Living in a bigger city everyone seems to always be in a rush to get to and from somewhere. Here people take the time to say hello to one another. I also remember how small-town gossip travels fast.

  “Chase, I know this will sound weird... but um, don’t tell people I’m Linda’s niece.” I can see the confusion on his face. “It’s just that... my cousin and I actually look a lot alike. I don’t want them asking me questions.”

  He still looks confused, and I feel ashamed. It’s not that I don’t want people to know I’m related to them, I just don’t want to answer anyone’s questions. The kind I used to get all the time, wondering why I wasn’t as famous as Alexis. What I did for a living. And right now, I don’t have an answer to that.

  Before I can continue, Chase grabs my hand from my knee, surprising me. “I get it. Don’t worry. I know what it’s like not wanting to answer questions to strangers.” He looks at the building for a second. “You can wait in the truck if you want to.”

  He squeezes my hand, and I feel instantly comforted. I don’t know if it’s him or his words. “No, I want to go inside. I just didn’t think about if they would ask questions or not.”

  He gets out and comes around to my side of the truck. He opens the door, and I find him with his hand out to me. The moment we touch, I feel my pulse quicken. He surprises me and helps me down to the ground as if I weigh nothing.

  “Um, thanks.”

  Looking at me with his intense blue eyes, he replies, “Trust me, Princess, I should be the one thanking you.” He shakes his head slightly. “Come on, let’s go get this done with before I say something stupid and you wind up wanting to smack me.” He winks and leads the way.

  My eyes zone in on his ass as I watch him walk away. There is definitely something I want to smack.

  Getting the supplies we need is fast. He’d already called in the lumber order, so all we need to do was load up the supplies. He doesn’t stop to talk to anyone, nor does anyone make a point to talk to him. Instead of getting the step out for me when we get to the truck, he quickly helps me up. It’s so fast I don’t even have time to argue with him.

  Our next stop is the hardware store on Main Street. Linda told me she would call Alison, the store owner, to let her know we were on our way.

  The moment we walk in the door, she looks up from the counter and zeros in on Chase. There’s no missing the way she glances at him and the blatant adjustment of her bra before she comes around the counter to greet us. She’s wearing a maxi skirt that almost covers her flip-flop-clad feet. Chase barely glances her way before heading in the direction of some tools along the back wall.

  I take this as my opportunity to step in front of her. “Hi, I’m Holly. I think Linda called to let you know I was coming.” I give her my brightest, fakest smile. It’s not hard to notice her eyes are still focused on Chase, who is now standing somewhere behind me.

  Reluctantly turning her gaze in my direction, she returns my fake smile. “Holly? Yes, she did call. I was just getting everything ready for you. I didn’t realize Chase would be coming with you.”

  Turning to locate where he is, I find him completely ignoring us. “Oh, he drove me into town. Is that an issue?” Something about her rubs me the wrong way.

  She rolls her eyes. “Hell no. I just wish I would have known. That man is gorgeous. There isn’t a woman in town that hasn’t tried to catch his eye.” She glances at me, taking me in from head to toe as though she is wondering if I’ll be a rival.

  I know I’m still sporting paint on my arms in a few places, and my tank top and jeans aren’t screaming overly sexy. Lord only knows what my ponytailed hair is doing right now. I miss the power I feel wearing my heels and designer clothes.

  She practically ruffles her feathers, standing straighter after taking me in. “So you’re staying at the Brickett Ranch? Working for Linda?”

  “I’ll be at the house for a while, yes.” I don’t want to explain anything further to her. She’s starting to piss me off and still has yet to get our supplies ready.

  “I see.” Did she just flare her nostrils at me?

  “Do you need help with anything? Getting the paint maybe? I’m not quite sure all she has us picking up.” Hint hint, could you please get our stuff so we can leave?

  “No, I can get it. Just give me a second. I have most of it ready in the back.” She turns, and the flapping of her flip-flops slowly disappears the farther away she gets.

  “Are we almost ready to go?” Chase had snuck up behind me, whispering in my ear, so close I can feel my hair vibrate from his breath.

  I clear my throat. “Ah no, not quite. I think someone has a little crush on you. She couldn’t take her eyes off your ass long enough to help me. How come you ran off the moment we walked in?”

  He looks at his feet. “Last time I was in here, she asked me out. I didn’t want her thinking I changed my mind when I told her no.”

  I blink. “Oh.” Well, isn’t Alison a little forward? And why does that piss me off?

  “Okay, I have the paint, some brushes and rollers, plastic covering, and a few ot
her things Beth ordered.”

  I’m getting more irritated the longer I have to listen to her. Watching her eye-fuck Chase isn’t sitting well with me. It isn’t only how she looks at him, but watching her flip her hair over her shoulder and fidget with her skirt annoys me too.

  As if he can feel my irritation, one of his hands slides down my back, resting just above the waistband of my jeans. Alison doesn’t miss the movement of his hand one bit.

  Part of me smugly wants to raise an eyebrow at her and say, “That’s right, he’s a little into me.” The other part of me is wondering what he’s thinking, but I don’t try to remove his hand either.

  Alison finally snaps out of her stunned stupor. “Right. Well, I can help you guys carry it out if you want. Linda already paid for everything over the phone. I have the receipt here if she needs to bring anything back.”

  “I think we can handle everything. Thank you,” I reply before Chase can respond.

  He grabs the four gallons of paint—two in each hand—as well as the other bags of supplies, and we head out to the truck. It only takes us two trips to get everything inside, and despite telling Alison we don’t need any help, she still makes the last trip out to the truck with us. I think it’s more an effort to talk with Chase in a last desperate attempt to ask him out again.

  The look on her face when he opens the door for me and bends to lift me into the truck—priceless. We look at each other, unspoken words passing between us. Anything she may have wanted to ask him stays unsaid.

  On our drive home, I take in Chase’s profile. He catches me looking.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” I look straight forward.

  “Oh, come on, what? You look like you were thinking something.”

  I am thinking something. “Do you have many women asking you out?”

  Nervously stroking his beard, he glances at me. “No, not many.”

  Picking up on his nervousness, I know there is more. I’m embarrassed to admit I want to drill him with more questions. It’s not my place to do so, and yet I want to know if he has ever taken any of them up on their offers.

  My facial expressions must give me away because he adds, “To keep things honest with you, I’ve never gone out with the few that have asked. And there hasn’t been many. Alison... is a just bit more forward.”

  I laugh at his comment. “And what you said to me yesterday isn’t?”

  He pulls up the drive at the Brickett Ranch and waits until he pulls up to the house before turning to me so he is giving me his full attention.

  “You do something to me. I can’t explain it. I want you to trust me. Like me. Want me. Just as badly as I do you.” The way his tongue darts out to wet his lower lip has my eyes focusing on his mouth.

  I swallow the lump that has formed in my throat, speechless. “Oh.”

  A loud thump on the hood of the truck startles both of us.

  “‘Bout time you got back here,” the man calls.

  “Who’s that?” I ask.

  Chase sighs loudly. “Charlie.”

  Watching the man outside of the truck smile at us, Chase gets out with an audible huff. I follow, wanting to meet the guy Alexis was all flustered over.

  My first impression is wow. Charlie is almost as tall as Chase, with that quarterback look about him, lean and full of muscles. It’s his dark eyes that draw you in. I can see where Alexis would get worked up over him.

  “Hey, man, we’ve been waiting for you to get back.” He turns to me. “You must be Holly. I’m Charlie, and that guy is Lee,” he says, nodding behind me.

  I glance behind me to see a bulk of a man walking toward us. Good lord, did Linda have a sign-up recruiting hot men to come work for her? Or do all the men in this area look like Brickett Ranch boys?

  Lee is stocky with sleeves of tattoos crawling up his arms disappearing under his shirt. He looks like he lives in a gym. Well, they all do.

  “Finally we get to meet the girl behind the boots,” Lee says, reaching his hand out toward me.

  “Lee,” Chase warns.

  “I mean, the girl Linda has been talking about,” he says without paying any attention to Chase.

  “And here Chase is keeping you all to himself. Selfish bastard,” Charlie chimes in.

  Both boys are smooth and confident in their flirting, nothing like Chase’s advances. I can tell these guys have no problem approaching women or having them approach them.

  “Guys,” Chase says.

  Charlie and Lee exchange a look with wide eyes before they glance back at me.

  “Has anyone ever told you how much you look like your cousin?” Charlie says, rubbing his five-o’clock shadow. “Do you sing as well?”

  Chase clenches his jaw as he stares him down.

  I laugh. “Oh no, I’m not the singer in the family. I can play the guitar and piano though.”

  “You should play for us sometime,” Lee says with a sly smile, leaning on the truck next to me.

  I don’t know what makes me laugh harder—how flirty they are, or Chase’s reaction that they pretend not to notice.

  “I haven’t played in years,” I say, but before I can continue, Chase breaks up our happy conversation.

  “You could both be useful and help us carry in the paint supplies.” He goes to the back of the truck and shoves cans of paint at them.

  Again they share a look before slapping Chase on the shoulder. “Sure, man, we can help. Holly, wanna lead the way?” Lee says.

  Taking a few bags myself, I lead all three of them through the main room to one of the upstairs rooms. Linda watches from the kitchen door, shaking her head at me. I wink and keep walking.

  “You can leave it all in here, thanks.”

  Lee grabs my hand and kisses the back of it. “You let me know if I can help you with anything else, Holly.”

  Charlie shoves him out of the way to do the same. “I’m the guy you should call if you need any help.” I see him side glance at Chase, who’s turning red. He winks at me before kissing my hand again.

  “That’s enough, you two. There’s other supplies in the back you can unload,” Chase says louder than necessary.

  Both start laughing and head out. “Anything you say, boss.”

  Chase clears his throat. “They’re good guys, but they can lay it on thick.”

  “Hmm, I kind of liked it.” I know I’m teasing him, but I like watching his reaction.

  Flaring his nostrils, he steps toward me, running a hand over his face. “I’m around the house a lot more than them. So if you need anything, you should really let me know.”

  “Oh? Only you?”

  He steps closer, his eyes boring into mine. “Yes. Only me.”

  The way he’s looking at me and the sound of his voice has my body breaking out in goose bumps.

  “Okay.” I barely get out the word my mouth is so dry.

  He looks at me once more before nodding and leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  Thoughts I’m not sure what to do with.

  My first few weeks I work on finding a routine and spend most of my time painting. Linda can’t wait for Beth to come see the progress.

  Chase comes and goes in the mornings, always sharing a cup of coffee with Linda and me before starting his day. He’s growing on me more than I want to admit.

  Today Linda asks me if I would take on the ugly task of cleaning the main dining room where the ceiling reaches the two stories of the large house. We don’t have any guests coming till tomorrow, so she thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to get it done.

  To get to the light fixtures and fans, I have to climb a tall ladder that shakes with every breath I take.

  I’m higher than my comfort zone, but as long as I focus on the work I’m okay. It’s only when I look down that I remember how high up I am, causing vertigo.

  While finishing one of ceiling fans, I make the mistake of glancing down. Chase is standing below me holding the ladder. The look on his face is hard to read. Ba
rely able to make my way down the shaky ladder, I have to ignore him, holding my breath until both feet are on the ground.

  “Are you done with this ladder?” Chase asks through his clenched teeth.

  I look around the room. “No, I have two more fans to clean.”

  “I’ll get them,” he says, grabbing the cleaning supplies from me.

  He quickly gets them done while I hold the ladder.

  When he climbs down the second time I ask, “Why did you do that?”

  “I didn’t like seeing you in such a dangerous position. And I could tell the height made you nervous. It made me nervous.”

  I didn’t expect him to notice that.

  “Plus, your ass was on full view for anyone who walked in the room.”

  “They aren’t that bad.”

  “Did you cut up a pair of your jeans? How short are they?” His eyes lazily wander up my legs.

  I look down too. I did actually cut up a pair of jeans; it’s way too hot for jeans right now.

  “So you took it upon yourself to finish up my cleaning so no one would look at my ass? So concerned about my safety? Right.”

  He glances behind me, and I follow where his eyes are looking. Charlie and Lee stand in the kitchen doorway looking in our direction. I can tell they’ve been there for a while.

  “I don’t like them looking at you.”

  “Oh, but it’s okay for you to look at me?”

  He takes a deep breath before answering. “I want to be the only one looking at you. So if you’re wearing those for me, you better believe I’m looking.”

  I wasn’t wearing them for him. I may have thought of what he would think of me in them, but I wasn’t wearing them for him.

  “Keep looking I guess. But I don’t care who’s looking—it’s hot out and I’m going to be wearing them a lot. If Charlie and Lee want to look too, they can. And anyone else for that matter.” I point to the guys still standing in the doorway watching us.

  Chase steps closer to me so that only I can hear him. “By all means keep wearing them. I’m going to enjoy the view.”

  After grabbing the ladder, he exits the house. The other boys disappear, leaving me to think about what he said.