Jill Lynn - Her Texas Cowboy

She let herself out through the office door, and a few seconds later he heard her car start. Hunter grabbed the extralarge gray tote filled with float-building supplies and strode toward the open end of the barn where the flatbed trailer waited.

Rachel stood just inside the large sliding doors. She looked fighting mad. Gorgeous—no surprise there—but not happy. He changed course, walking in her direction.

Was she just here early for the first night with the youth? Or had she found out he’d been at the house? Based on her expression, he’d say the latter. Hunter had hoped helping make the place livable for her would work in his favor, but he was starting to doubt his plan.

Rachel wore a green sleeveless shirt with pressed flowered shorts. Coupled with sandals that daintily looped around her ankles, she looked perfectly put together, yet she still had that edge. The one that said, I don’t belong in this Podunk town. I’m meant for more and don’t you forget it.

Though he read her message loud and clear, it didn’t stop him from appreciating the sight. He’d thought jeans, a T-shirt and boots might do him in the other day, but as it turned out, it didn’t matter what she wore.

Caused a bit of trouble, that. He wasn’t supposed to be noticing how she looked—though, really, it would be impossible for him not to. He was supposed to be renewing their friendship. And he wasn’t off to a great start by the look of it.

He set the large tote on the ground by their feet. “Hey, you’re here early.”

“I need to talk to you before the kids arrive.”

“About the float?” He could only hope.

“No.”

Ah. So she’d found the stuff.

“I assume it was you who started working on the house?”

He didn’t have anything to hide. “I did.”

“I wasn’t even serious about it. It was just a passing thought. Why would you do something like that?” Her breath hissed out. “It doesn’t even make sense. I’m only going to be here for a month or two.”

“What’s Cash planning to do with the house?”

“I don’t know. I asked Olivia what happened with it. She said the last renter trashed it, and Cash hasn’t had time to deal with it since.”

“So after you live there for the summer, he can rent it out again. If none of his ranch hands want to lease it, one of ours might. We’re not talking about remodeling the place. Just cleaning it up and making it livable so you can stay there while you’re home.”

Silence reigned. Rachel opened her mouth, then closed it. Finally, she lifted one freckled shoulder. “I guess that makes sense.” Just that movement made his mouth go dry. Pesky attraction. At least he’d had a lot of practice shoving it down and ignoring it over the years.

“But why are you helping me?” Her forehead crinkled. “Why would you do that? I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, but you and I aren’t on the best of terms. It makes no sense. Unless...” She might as well spit it out since he didn’t have any idea what she was trying to say. “Hunter...” Her voice lowered as though someone was hiding around the corner and might overhear them. “You’re not trying to restart anything between us, are you?”

What? She thought he was...oh, man. He hadn’t even considered that working on the house would make it look like he wanted something more with Rachel. Partly because the idea hadn’t even crossed his mind. But, of course, she couldn’t read his thoughts.

“We can’t.” Her lips pressed together. “I can’t.”

He agreed with her. He couldn’t, either. “I’m not trying to start anything between us. I was just sick of—” he raised his hands “—fighting. Not being able to be around each other. Figured it was time to move on. I knew you could use a hand, and this is what friends do.”

“So you’re not...”

“Nope.”

“Oh, good.” Distress dropped from her frame, her sigh audible. And a little bit offensive. Did she have to be so relieved about it?

Whatever. It didn’t matter. Hunter wasn’t on the hunt for a wife, anyway. What had happened with his mom and then Rachel had tainted that idea for him. He just wanted a quiet life on the ranch. No drama. No women who didn’t want to be there. If he found someone, that would be great, but he wasn’t going to do backflips to make it happen. He could be content on his own.

“I’m not trying to pursue anything more than friendship with you, so you can relax. I wouldn’t do that to you.” Or to himself. “I would never ask you to stay again, Rach. I know you don’t belong here.” Silence swirled between them, the past rearing up with ugly memories. “Promise. You can trust me.”

Her pained glance told him she wasn’t so sure about that.

“Will it put you at ease if I’m not the only one working on the house? Because Brennon called and said he and Val want to pitch in. They’re planning to come out Saturday.”

“What?” Exasperation laced the word. “When did you talk to them?”

“Just a bit ago. Why?”

Sounded like she muttered traitor . “What is up with all of you? I didn’t even ask for help. This is crazy.”

“Are you really surprised? Don’t you remember what it’s like living in a small town? This is how it is. When someone needs something, everyone pitches in. That’s the deal. You’ll just have to adjust to the idea.”

“And what if I don’t want to?”

Hunter knew the answer to this question. His life had taught him this truth numerous times. “You can’t always get what you want.”

Chapter Four

Somewhere along the way, her plan had backfired. Go over there and tell Hunter to back off. Rachel pictured herself doing that “go to the mattresses” punching move like Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail , fists jabbing into thin air. And then failing miserably—also just like the character in the movie.

Of course she wasn’t going to let her friends work on the house without pulling her own weight, which meant she’d be spending even more time with Hunter. Rachel had definitely lost the battle to avoid him while home. He’d said he didn’t want anything more than friendship with her—and she believed him—but she still didn’t relish being in his presence. Even the friendship he wanted felt too far out of reach for them. Their bridge had washed out years before, and it was too late to rebuild.

Get used to having people intrude in your life , he’d told her.

Well, she didn’t plan to. Rachel wasn’t about to let her guard down and have him and a whole town rushing in.

Was. Not.

Liv had agreed that Rachel staying at the house was a great idea. Which meant now she just needed to broach the subject with her brother.

They’d just finished dinner, and Grayson had run off to play.

Olivia collected Ryder from his high chair. “I’m going to change his diaper.” She shot Rachel a look, as if to say, do it, already , then headed up the stairs.

Fine. “Cash, what are you planning to do with the little ranch house?”

Her brother finished a long swig of milk. “Not sure. T.J. took off about three months ago. He quit without notice and made a mess of the place. I haven’t had the time or energy to deal with it.” His back pressed into his chair. “I might just let it sit there. Not a real fan of being a landlord, anyway.”

“What if someone got it back in functioning order for you? And then lived there for a little bit and then you could rent it out again?”

His forehead creased. And why wouldn’t it? She was talking in circles.

“I want to live there while I’m home. It will give you guys your house back—”

“This is your house, too, you know.”

“Technically it’s yours.” When they’d settled things with their parents’ will, Cash had bought out her portion of the house. She hadn’t wanted it.

“This will always be your home. You are always welcome.”

The strangest prick of emotion touched her eyes. “Okay.” She heard him. But no matter how many times he said it, she would always feel like a leaf scraping along the pavement in a gust of wind. Rachel didn’t really belong anywhere.

When she moved to Houston, maybe she’d settle in. Put down roots.

“If I can stay at the house, I’ll be close by. My friends are going to help me get it cleaned up and functioning, and then when I leave, you can rent it out again. If you want to. Hunter even mentioned that one of his ranch hands might want to rent it if you’d rather not deal with knowing the tenant personally.”

“I don’t know.” Cash pushed his plate forward and propped his arms on the table. “I just don’t know how safe that would be for you.”

She laughed.

He scowled.

“Oh, you were serious? I thought you were kidding around, because it’s in the middle of two ranches where I know both families. The only visitors would be crickets and frogs.” And hopefully not mice.

Her brother did remember she’d been living on her own for the last six years, right? In a city much bigger than this one. A bit of that old friction radiated between them. Rachel had been excellent at pushing Cash’s buttons in high school. Admittedly, she’d enjoyed every minute far more than she should have. But she really didn’t want to fight with him now. She wasn’t that girl anymore. Or, at least, she made a serious effort not to be.

Liv came back downstairs with Ryder on her hip and paused at the edge of the table, glancing between Cash and Rachel. “It’s weird how Rachel rarely comes home to visit. Here she has all of this tension waiting right here for her and she doesn’t even take advantage.”

Rachel couldn’t help it. She laughed, earning another frown from her brother.

Ryder bounced in Olivia’s arms and Rachel reached for him. He came right to her, and she lifted him in the air, earning a flash of baby teeth, a sloppy grin and a bit of drool. When she settled him on her lap, he grabbed the R pendant she wore on a simple gold necklace and gave it a firm tug. Thankfully the chain withstood his efforts.

Grayson might be her favorite nephew for adventuring, but Ryder was the best at snuggles. His hair was a few shades lighter than Gray’s. Almost had an auburn shade to it. No one knew where that had come from. His cheeks were squishable, and the boy was as solid as a summer day was long. Liv talked about percentiles and other momish mumbo-jumbo, but Rachel just knew her nephew was built like a one-year-old linebacker.

Oliva dropped into the chair next to Cash. “Rachel and I talked about the house earlier today, and I think it’s not such a crazy idea. In fact, I think it’s a good one. How many times have we said we need to get it cleaned up, even if we don’t decide to rent it out again? You don’t have the time. Rachel and her friends will have it done in a few days. We could even use it as a guesthouse if you don’t want to rent it. My parents could stay there when they visit. And Rachel would have a place to crash when she comes back to see us.”

Every time Rachel thought she couldn’t love Olivia more, she was proven wrong.

“Rachel staying there makes perfect sense,” Liv continued. “I’m surprised we didn’t think of it earlier.”

Cash looked part contemplative, part concerned. “I don’t know why she’d want to live in that hunk of a house, anyway. It’s as big as a cracker. And old.” And Rachel didn’t know why her brother was talking about her as if she wasn’t in the room.

“And quiet. And quaint.” Liv sat up straighter in her chair. “Maybe I want to move out there.”