AlmostHome (2 page)

The red light was blinking on the answering machine, so she
hit play.

Holden Petrie’s voice greeted her. “Afternoon Miss
Kilpatrick, I forgot to mention the bird while you were here. I’ve been keeping
him but he’s got a mouth like a sewer and the wife made me get rid of him soon
as she heard you were heading our way. His name’s Scuzz. Jack won him in a
poker game. He doesn’t have the most winning personality but Jack doted on him.
I expect he’ll warm up to you once you’ve fed him a time or two. Er…good luck
with that, Miss Kilpatrick.”

“Great. Just what I need, a dirty-mouthed bird with an
attitude.”

The bird squawked, “Asshole.” When she crossed the room to
his cage, he bobbed his head as she studied him and croaked, “Let me outta
here.”

“Not a chance, feather face.”

“Asshole.” The bird uttered a loud squawk, then reared back
and shot a stream of green poop at her.

“Oh gross, you little varmint!” She stepped back from the
cage, wiping bird poop off her shirt as he took aim again. “Keep that up I’ll
twist your dang head off and feed you to the buzzards. Nasty thing.”

“Turd muncher,” the bird declared, punctuating the words
with much squawking and head bobbing.

She threw up her hands and looked down at Snoop. “Oh lord,
he’s the devil’s spawn.”

“Asshole,” the bird squawked and prepared to launch another
stream of poop at her.

“Stuff it, bird brain.” She sidestepped the poop and glared
at the posturing bird. “Kung Pao Parrot’s sounding pretty good to me right
about now.”

The bird ruffled its feathers and croaked, “Dumbass.”

“At least I don’t have a brain the size of a pea, feather
face.”

“Getting into a war of words with a talking bird,” a deep,
amused male voice spoke from behind her. “Reckon I’ve about seen it all now.”

Haley yelped, slapped a hand over her chest and rounded on
her visitor. “Tarnation! Did somebody drop you on your head as a young’n? Don’t
you know better than to sneak up on a body like that?” She leveled her gaze on
the dog. “And you. What kind of watchdog are you that you let a total stranger
walk up on us?” The dog whined and hung his head. She relented, scratching his
one remaining ear. “And if listening to me have a war of words with a talking
bird is your idea of seeing it all, cowboy, you need to get out of the house
more often.”

Dear god, Wyatt Brody had to be about the prettiest man
she’d ever laid eyes on. Why did men always get the bluest eyes and the longest
lashes? He leaned against the doorjamb, a half-grin tilting that sexy mouth,
looking like he’d eaten a big helping of sin salad for lunch and was more than
willing to share.

”Well you’re definitely a body I wouldn’t mind sneaking up
on, sweet pea.” He pushed off the door and ambled inside, making his way to the
kitchen, peeking into her grocery bags. “I was gonna invite you to dinner but
it looks like you’ve got it taken care of. What say I come back later and we
fire up Jack’s grill? These steaks look pretty good.”

Haley raised an eyebrow, folded her arms over her chest and
allowed herself a good, long look. “I reckon most women probably think you’re
charming, Mr. Brody, but I ain’t one of them. I’ve spent enough of my life
around cowboys to know trouble when it comes a knocking.”

His grin never faltered. “Now that’s a little hasty, honey,
seeing as how you don’t even know—”

“Wait.” She took a step toward him and snapped her fingers.
“You’re the neighbor, the one who found my aunt. You’ve been looking after the
place for Mr. Petrie.”

He swept his hat off his head and set it on the counter.
“Yes ma’am, that’s me. I’m sorry for your loss, though Holden told me you
didn’t know Jack.”

Haley’s throat ached and she blinked back unshed tears.
“That’s right. My daddy never mentioned I had kin.” She crossed the room and
stuck out her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Brody, for…well, everything. Petrie said
you and Aunt Jack were close?”

She didn’t miss the moisture welling in his eyes before he
looked down, studying the tips of his boots.

“Jack was our neighbor since before I was born. I lost my
own ma while I was still in diapers, so Jack just stepped in.” A wistful smile
curved his full mouth. “I always figured she and my pa would hook up, and it
looked like they were headed that way until the cancer took him. Broke Jack’s
heart, seeing him go downhill that way.” He got his emotions in check and
dazzled her with that deadly smile. “He tried to break things off with her,
didn’t want her wasting her time on a man who wouldn’t…but she’d have none of
it. Told him he was full’a shit and kept on doing what she always did. She was
a hell of a woman, your aunt. Couldn’t have loved her more if she’d been
blood.”

Haley nodded. Her insides were feeling a little squishy and
her heart a little tender knowing this man had been given the love from Jack
Kilpatrick that her own daddy had denied her. She didn’t begrudge him, exactly,
but it still ached deep in a heart she’d thought impervious to painful
yearnings. “Wish I’d known her.” She stepped around him and busied herself
putting the groceries away.

He cleared his throat. “So what are your plans for the
place? You gonna sell?”

Haley sighed, closed her eyes for a moment. “I don’t know,
Mr. Brody.”

“Wyatt.”

“Mr. Brody. I haven’t even put my groceries away. My horses
are still in the trailer and I’ve gotta ready stalls for them.” She put away
the last of the food that needed refrigerating and grabbed her hat. “So if
you’ll excuse me, I gotta get to work.”

“Stalls are ready,” Wyatt said, taking his hat off the
table. “Come on, I’ll give you a hand.”

“I don’t need a—” But the look in his eyes said it wouldn’t
make any difference, so she merely nodded toward the door. “After you, Brody.
You’re the one knows his way around the place.”

Brody chuckled. “You always give in so easy, Haley
Kilpatrick? Because I’m a man that likes a challenge.”

Haley snorted and gave him a shove out the door. “Look up
‘challenge’ in the dictionary, cowboy, and you’ll find a picture of me looking
back at you. Answer your question?” His laughter was a sheer joy to the ears.

“Oh darlin’, you just made my day. I do love a sassy woman.”
He turned around, walking backward as he aimed that sinful grin at her. “We’re
gonna be good friends.”

“Says you.” She had to force herself not to smile. Much as
she hated to admit it, he was a charming devil and she found she wasn’t as
immune to that charm as she’d hoped. “God help me, I hope there’s a shovel in
the barn ’cause the manure is surely getting deep around here.”

Chapter Two

Settling into bed that night Haley experienced a twinge of
something she couldn’t quite identify. On the one hand, there was a sense of
disconnect. She’d never had a regular bed, with a comfortable mattress and
fresh smelling sheets. It felt a little surreal to know all of this was hers.
But there was also that sense of belonging. The kind she figured most folks got
when they’d been on a long, hard journey and were almost home. A feeling of
security in knowing that you couldn’t be turned out because this was where you
belonged.

Early morning chores were the same—feeding and water the
stock, taking inventory of the tack to see what needed oiling and repairing,
checking to see that the grain bins were clean and free of any soured feed,
figuring out how much feed and hay she’d need to purchase until she made up her
mind if she was staying or selling.

The temptation to stay was strong. In all her twenty-five
years, Haley had never called one place home. The One-Eyed Jack was a fine
ranch. Never in her life had Haley dreamed she’d come into such wealth. To own
land, to live in a house the first Blue Norther’ wouldn’t blow down. The
dreamer inside her screamed she should stay. The pragmatist said to sell and
get while the getting was good. Buy a ranch in Argentina. Some place no one
would think to look. Before her brother and her father found out. They’d want a
piece of this place. Would demand it. Maybe even try to take it from her. She
heaved a heavy sigh, let the two horses out onto separate grassy paddocks and
set about cleaning stalls. If she stayed, she’d have to fight to keep the
place.

From the enclosure, her stallion, Geronimo, neighed and laid
himself down for a roll in the fresh grass. They were a far cry from the
hardscrabble dirt ranch she’d rented for herself and her brother, Conner. Her
horses deserved a place like this and so did she. She figured it was worth
fighting for, so she finished her chores and pointed the practically new ranch
truck toward town and Petrie’s Ranch Supply to put in her order.

The combined scents of bacon and coffee wafted from across
the way and Haley remembered she hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, so she crossed the
street to Margie’s Diner. The gossip mill, Wyatt had called the place. She
paused at the door, having second thoughts, then gave herself a mental shake
and went inside. The bell over the door jingled and the place went from the low
hum of mutual conversation to dead silence as every head in the place turned to
look at her. The scald of a blush rushed to her cheeks and she would have
bolted for the door but for the heavyset woman bustling toward her.

“Well, hey there, honey, I was wondering when you’d get
‘round to stopping in,” the woman said, giving her a toothy smile. “I’m Margie,
the owner of this place.” Middle-aged, with bouffant hair sprayed stiff with
Aqua Net, Margie looked like one of those people who could find the silver
lining no matter how dark the cloud. Haley liked her immediately. “Don’t pay
them no never mind.” She swept the room with a disapproving glance. “The
novelty will wear off soon enough. Until then, I’ll put you in a back booth.
That way folks will have to be rude and turn clean around to do their gawkin’.”

Haley followed behind the woman like a puppy hemmed in by a
pack of big dogs. Most of the people had the good manners to look down at their
plates in embarrassment. She slid into a booth and set her hat on the seat
beside her.

“You a coffee drinker, honey? I can bring you a cup or a
carafe.”

“I could drink a cup or two,” Haley admitted. “Cream and
sugar?”

“Sure thing, hon.” Haley took the proffered menu but Margie
leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “You look like a hard-working sort. I
recommend the biscuits and sausage gravy.”

“Sounds good. I forgot to eat this morning so I’m pretty
hungry.”

Margie nodded. “Better make it a full order then. I’ll be
right back.”

The entry bell rang again and Haley looked up as Tracie
Owens entered, looking around. When the girl spied her, she smiled and headed
straight for her.

“You mind if I join you? I purely hate eating by myself. I
always feel like folks are looking at me, wondering what’s wrong with me that I
have to eat alone.”

Haley laughed in relief. She’d been feeling much the same.
“Kind of makes ya feel like you got two heads, the way folks look at ya.
Especially when you’re new in town.”

“I hear that. When we moved here from Houston, you would
have thought we came from outer space. We were so city and Junction is so not
city. But it’s a friendly town and people are always willing to lend a hand. I
don’t think I’d ever go back to Houston, not in a million years.”

Margie returned with a tray carrying two cups of coffee and
two orders of biscuits and gravy. “I seen ya come in, Tracie, figured you’d
find your way back here.” She looked at Haley. “Glad to see you making friends
so fast, Miss Kilpatrick.”

“Name’s Haley.” Haley smiled and nodded toward her new
friend. “I met Tracie at Fischer’s yesterday.”

Tracie giggled. “Sure did. Tried to save her from that
scamp, Wyatt Brody, but he was bound and determined to get to know her.”

Both women’s eyes sparkled with mischief as they looked at
Haley but Margie gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. “Wyatt’s good boy. A
little wild when he was a young’n but he grew up fast when his pappy took sick.
He was real fond of your aunt, too.”

Haley nodded. “Yes, he told me she all but raised him.”

Margie raised an eyebrow. “Did he now? Huh. Looks like
Wyatt’s turned into more of a talker than I figured.” At Haley’s questioning
look, she continued, “It’s just that Wyatt’s always kept his private life
private.” The woman boomed a laugh. “Unlike some folks around here, there’s
been durn little to gossip about where Wyatt Brody’s concerned.”

Haley shrugged and dosed her coffee with cream and sugar.
“Gotta say I agree with that policy but he offered it up and I figured it’d be
rude not to listen, seeing as how he’s been taking care of the place since
Auntie Jack passed.”

Margie gave her another shoulder pat. “We were all real
sorry about that. Me and Jack were pretty good friends once upon a time. I was
sorry to see her pass. You need anything you let me know. You girls enjoy your
breakfast, ya hear?”

As soon as Margie bustled away, Tracie leaned forward. “So,
you and Wyatt Brody. Anything there?”

Haley coughed and nearly spewed coffee all over the table.
“For heaven’s sake, Tracie, I just met the man. So, no, there ain’t nothing
there. He’s likable enough, I reckon, but I’ve rodeoed my whole life and seen a
hundred just like him. Ain’t met a single one I’d hitch my wagon to. So you can
just forget that.” She jabbed her fork at Tracie’s plate. “Now eat your food
before your gravy grows skin.”

Tracie made a face, then laughed happily. “Okay, fine, so
you ain’t in the market for a husband. You wanna go out dancing at the Horsin’
Around Saloon this Saturday night?”

Haley laughed aloud. “There’s a bar called Horsin’ Around?”

“Yup. It’s between here and Kerrville. House band’s called
Big Sky and they’re real good.”

Haley worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Probably
shouldn’t. I…I ain’t much for dancing. Never learned how.”

Tracie reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Then
it’s time you learned. I’ll come out to your place around seven on Saturday
night and we’ll get ready together. Even if you don’t dance, you can listen to
the music. It’ll be fun. Trust me.” The bell jangled and Tracie turned to see
who’d arrived. “And talk about fun, look who just walked in the door.”

Haley looked up at the exact moment Wyatt spotted her. He
grinned, shook his head at the waitress and made his way to the back of the
room.

“Well, if it ain’t my new neighbor,” he said, giving her a
nudge. “Scooch over, sweet pea, Bea’s bringing me some coffee and breakfast.”

Haley’s pulse jumped and her brow to puckered in dismay. How
was it that this man could make her feel things she’d never felt with others
like him? She slid over, catching the fresh scent of soap, water and fabric
softener. God, he smelled good. “I was just fixing to leave.”

It was a big fat lie and the smile he turned on her said he
knew it. He put his hand up to his mouth and huffed a breath against his palm.
“Nope, it ain’t my breath that’s causing you to run. What is it, darlin’? You
scared of me?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I ain’t scared of nothing,
cowboy. I just got an order waiting on me over at Petrie’s.”

“It’ll hold.” He took off his hat and handed it across the
table to Tracie. “Set that down on the seat, would you, Trace?”

“Sure.” She took the hat and set it down, then leaned back
against the booth. “So how you doing, sugar?” she asked Wyatt. “You been
pestering poor Haley?”

He gasped and gave her a good-natured grin. “Now, I wouldn’t
do something like that, would I?” He turned to Haley and gave her a shoulder
bump. “Am I pestering you, darlin’?”

Haley uttered a deep sigh and gave him her best
don’t-mess-with-me scowl. “Not ‘til just this minute.”

A sharp bark of laughter escaped him, he shook his head and
slapped a hand on his chest. “Stabbed right in the heart.”

Haley snorted. “Heart’s on the left side, Brody. If there’s
one in there.”

Tracie gave a shout of laughter. “She’s got you there,
Wyatt. This scoundrel durn near broke my heart in high school.”

“I never did,” Wyatt protested. “Hell, I hardly knew you in
high school.”

She looked at Haley. “See what I mean? Didn’t even know I
was alive.”

The teasing went on for another few minutes, until Wyatt’s
food arrived, then Tracie grabbed her bill and slid out of her seat. “I gotta
run, Haley. I’m opening the store this morning. I’ll see you Saturday night
around seven.”

Haley cringed when Wyatt looked up from his plate. “What’s
happening Saturday?”

“Oh, Haley and I are heading over to the Horsin’ Around. I’m
going over to her place so we can get ready together.”

“Is that right?” A look passed between Wyatt and Tracie and
Haley had the feeling she’d just been set up. He nodded. “Well, you girls have
fun.”

Tracie waved and strode off to pay her bill and Wyatt turned
to Haley. “Give any thought to whether or not you’re gonna sell the place?”

“Not sure. I ain’t hardly seen any of it yet.” She forked a
bit of cold biscuits and gravy into her mouth with a grimace.

Wyatt waved his server over. “Could you heat Miss Haley’s
food up, Bea? Or bring her some fresh?” She would have stopped the woman if she
could have but she was hustling back to the kitchen before she could say a
word. “How about I come on over tomorrow morning and give you the tour? I know
the property lines like the back of my hand.”

She gnawed on her bottom lip for a minute, then nodded
without looking at him. “Sure. That’d be a big help. Thanks.”

“Does it make you uncomfortable, me sitting this close?”

Haley shrugged but the heat spreading from her neck to her
cheeks told her she was blushing. Again. Seemed like that was all she ever did
around this man.

He touched her hand gently, then scooted out and took
Tracie’s seat. “It’s all right, darlin’. I don’t mean you no harm.”

She straightened her spine and looked him in the eye. “Never
crossed my mind you did.”

Ah god, there was that heart-stopping grin again. Wyatt
Brody was going to be the death of her, she just knew it.

“Glad to hear it,” he said, then winked at the waitress who
arrived with a fresh plate of biscuits and gravy for her. “Now, let’s eat up. I
expect you got chores to do if you got an order waiting for you across the
street. I know I got a busy day ahead of me. What say I head over to your place
around eleven or so tomorrow, give us both time to finish our morning chores?”

* * * * *

There was no doubt about it—Haley Kilpatrick was the hottest
thing to hit Texas hill country in a long time and that was saying something
because Texas had a reputation for producing beautiful women. She wasn’t
traditionally beautiful, not like the magazines said a woman should be. Her
mouth was a little too wide and there was a scar bisecting her bottom lip. And
her nose looked as though it might have been busted once upon a time and then
there was that adorable sprinkle of freckles across the bridge that he bet
would get darker with the summer sun. But there was a natural quality about her
that transcended the made-up perfection of women who knew they were beautiful.
Unless he missed his guess, Haley didn’t think much about her looks. Her mane
of sun-streaked golden hair was natural and her eyes were the color of a dark
chocolate pie. Her body was slender, honed by hard work, but her breasts were
full and upturned. Or so he imagined. He’d bet she didn’t own much in the way
of makeup either, which suited Wyatt just fine. He preferred his women
fresh-faced and wholesome.

By God, but she was a sassy little thing. Not that she was
particularly small. The woman had some height to her, though he stood a good
head taller. She seemed almost painfully shy but there was no doubt in Wyatt’s
mind she’d go toe-to-toe with any man who thought he could boss her, buttermilk
thick accent and all.

Wyatt laughed as he pulled the front door shut behind him.
He’d met with his foreman early, discussed what needed doing around the Flying
W, and let the man know he’d be unavailable for the rest of the day, barring an
emergency. The delightful Miss Kilpatrick might think she was immune to the
Brody charm but he was determined to show her differently. She had her guard
up, that was for sure. He’d flirted like crazy when they’d first met and again
at the diner but she’d flat out told him she didn’t find him the least bit
charming. He guessed she meant what she said.