Mistaken Gifts (4 page)

She stepped into the room and walked smack into a man who put his hands up just in time to grab Eva’s arms and keep her from running full force into his solid chest.
 

"Apologize to me?" the man asked. His eyes twinkled with humor.

"No," she said. Eva took a step back and adjusted her portfolio while she took a good look at the man. He was lean, not nearly as bulky as Jeff, but handsome with a full head of sleek blond hair. Everything about him was well-groomed and he just screamed successful businessman. Eva smiled in a flirting reflex. "But it seems I do have to extend an apology to you as well. Are you okay?"

He brushed off her concern. "I’m fine. I shouldn’t have been standing in front of the door. And between you and me, I really shouldn’t even be in here, but I couldn’t help it. I had to see what type of decorations Andi was doing for the wedding."

Eva squared her shoulders and tipped her head. "You know Andi?"

"Of course. Well, to be fair, I’ve only met her a few times, but I’m tight with Colin." He smiled a grin that exposed a perfectly straight and white smile and extended his hand. "I’m Troy. And I have a feeling that you must be Eva. She told me all about you."
 

"Oh, you’re Troy." She took his hand and then without bothering to hide it, she looked him up and down. Eva had to admit, Andi was right when she said he was cute, in a Ken doll kind of way with his perfectly trimmed blond hair and blue eyes. Nothing like Jeff’s rugged good looks, but cute. Eva couldn’t stop the comparison from playing in her head.

"Do I meet your approval?" Troy asked. "Andi warned me about you." His smile reached his eyes and despite her annoyance with the male species in general, Eva found herself playing along with his teasing.
 

"I suppose you’ll do."
 

"I’ll do? I didn’t realize it was an audition."
 

"Isn’t it always?" Eva said, and returned his playful smile. There was something about Troy that was a lot of fun. Besides, after her run-in with Jeff, it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun with a man instead of sparring with him. "And knowing my best friend, I’m sure she mentioned my lack of a date for their big day."

"She may have mentioned it." He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall.
 

"And?"

"I don’t think I’m the right guy for the job."
 

Normally, Eva would be offended, but Troy delivered the words with a lightness that somehow softened the blow, and she could tell there was more behind it.
 

"Why is that?"
 

"Because I’m gay."

The second the words registered, Eva burst into laughter. "I knew it," she said.
 

"You did not. You were checking me out."

Eva wiped tears of laughter from the edges of her eyes. "Okay, I’ll admit, I didn’t know. But with my luck lately, if you were straight, you would have found a way to irritate me the second you opened your mouth. So I knew something had to be different."

"That I didn’t irritate you off? Well, then that’s a difference I’m glad to have."
 

"Me too," Eva said. "But I do have to disagree with you. I think you’d make the perfect date for the wedding." The thought of having to deal with an actual date was more than she could handle. Jeff’s face flashed in her mind. But before she could think about what that meant, she said, "Do you think you could handle it?"

He assessed her for a moment. "You know what? I think I could."
 

"Perfect," Eva said. And he was. "There’s just one more thing," she added. "Why would Andi want to set me up with you if you’re gay?"

"I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know. Well, she’s never asked, and like I said, I’ve only had the pleasure of meeting her a few times, so I’d have to assume she doesn’t know."

She dropped her portfolio on a nearby table. "Do you think we could keep that between the two of us?" If Andi thought she was with Troy, she would leave her alone about getting a date and then maybe she’d be able to have a little peace, at least for a few days.
 

Troy shrugged. "I don’t see why not."

Eva nodded and with the matter of her date out of the way, her attention immediately shifted towards the decorations and what she still had to do. Which, by the looks of the room, was almost everything. The staff had removed the holiday decorations, but they hadn’t begun any of the preparations for the wedding reception yet, which meant not only would she have to finalize the details of the ceremony, dinner, and party, but she’d also have to oversee the decorating. If only she had someone to handle it for her. With a sigh, she spun around and faced Troy again, her mouth working into a smirk as an idea came to her.

"So," she said slowly, "if you don’t know Andi all that well yet, I suppose she didn’t have the opportunity to warn you about my knack for putting people to work when I find them hanging around."

~ ~

With Troy in charge of hanging white fabric on the walls of the ballroom and stringing twinkle lights throughout the room, Eva headed into the kitchen to take care of what was likely to be the easiest thing on her to-do list. Bruno, the head chef at the Lodge, was one of the best around and she knew whatever he decided on, it would be amazing and Bruno would likely outdo himself.
 

She hadn’t had time to consult with Andi on her food choices, but knowing her the way she did, it wouldn’t be too hard to nail down a menu. After all, Andi had put her in charge. There was no point bothering her with minor details.

Eva found Bruno chopping a pile of vegetables and tossing them into a pot. "Hey, Bruno. Have a minute to talk wedding food?"
 

Bruno glanced up, a smile spreading across his face from under his bushy moustache. "Eva. It’s so good to see you." He wiped his hands quickly on a towel and wrapped his arms around her. It was a little like hugging a pole—Bruno was all bones—but the hug was familiar and it was always nice to see an old friend.
 

"Bruno, haven’t I told you what they say about never trusting a skinny chef?" she teased him and leaned up against a prep counter as he got back to work.
 

"They can say whatever they want, my dear. You and I both know that what comes out of this kitchen is the finest food in the Rockies."
 

"That’s the truth," she agreed. "I don’t want to interrupt, but do you have a few minutes to get the menu planned?"

"Sure," he said. "If you don’t mind me working while we chat." He picked up his knife again and started slicing through a carrot.
 

Eva snatched a carrot from the cutting board. "What about beef?" Eva asked before taking a bite. "Andi and Colin both like steak. Maybe a tenderloin or something?"

"Can’t do it," Bruno said without looking up.

"What? Why not? Beef is always a crowd pleaser."

"That’s what I thought, too," he said. He tossed the vegetables into the pot. "But Andi said no beef."

Eva almost choked on her carrot. "When did you talk to Andi?"
 

"Yesterday. She sent back the steak I cooked for her last night. Medium rare, just the way she likes."
 

"She sent back her steak? Andi never sends back food."
 

"Well, no one ever sends back my food." He looked affronted and Eva could imagine his anger at having his food rejected. "So naturally, I went to speak to the customer."

"Naturally," Eva said.
 

"It was Andi. She apologized but said it tasted ‘off.’" Bruno slammed his knife onto the cutting board. "Off. Can you believe it? As if I would serve any food that was less than one hundred percent perfect." He wiped his brow with the towel and tossed it into a nearby laundry bin. "I’m sorry," he said and straightened his apron. "I’m just not used to complaints. And the steak wasn’t off. I tested it to be sure. It was fabulous. The best cut in the house."
 

"I’m sure it was, Bruno," Eva assured him. "She probably just wasn’t in the mood for steak last night."

"Or any night," he said. "She told me there was to be no beef served at the wedding. None. Can you believe it?"
 

Eva closed up her portfolio and snatched another carrot. She couldn't believe it. Andi had never been a picky eater, and more than that, she would never send food back to the kitchen. Especially Bruno's food. Something had to be wrong.
 

"I'll check it out, Bruno. I'm sure there was a mistake. That doesn't sound like Andi at all. I wouldn't worry about it."

"How can I not? I cannot have food sent back. It will ruin me." He threw his hands up in the air. If anyone ever thought chefs weren't prone to the dramatic, they'd never met Bruno before. "I can't have it, Eva. If she hates my cooking, maybe someone else should prepare the food for the wedding."
 

Leaving her things on the counter, she grabbed his arms and forced him to look her in the eye. "You're being silly," she said. "And you know it. Just relax and I'll take care of Andi and the food. Let's give her some choices. Maybe a nice chicken dish? And a salmon. Can you come up with those?"

He nodded and for a second Eva was afraid he would cry.

"Good," she said. Eva scooped up her portfolio, making a note to check on Bruno tomorrow after she spoke with Andi and could figure out what the hell was going on. "I'll see you soon and we'll make the final choices. I'm sure Andi was just having an off day."
 

She turned to leave, but before she did, she said, "Oh, and Bruno?" He looked up and met her eye. "I've never had a steak cooked as perfectly as yours."
 

When he burst into a broad smile, she winked and left him to his chopping.
 

There was only one girl who could turn Jeff's bad day into a good one. She had the purest blond hair he'd ever seen, features that looked like they belonged on a doll and a voice that made his heart sing. And the second he set foot in the cottage, she ran at him full blast.
 

He caught her in his arms and swung Ella around, making her squeal. The little girl had captured his heart when she came to live with her father—and his best friend—Bo over a year ago. A silent, withdrawn little girl, the only way to make her smile had been to take her for a ride on his horses, and it was that instant connection that had bonded the two together.
 

After that, once Ella had settled into life at the Lodge, and Bo had settled down with Morgan, Ella became something like a little sister or a niece to Jeff. It didn't matter which; he loved her more than anything and she was one of the strong pulls keeping him at the Lodge.

"Hey squirt," he said, putting her down on the rug. "Have you been good for your mom today?"

Ella rolled her eyes. "I'm always good," she said. "You know that."

"It's true," he said. "But maybe one day you'll surprise us all. Although I hope not." He took her hand and let her lead him through the small front room of the converted caretaker’s cabin, and into the kitchen.
 

"What don't you hope for?" Morgan asked as the pair entered the kitchen. She put down the jug of milk in her hand and gave Jeff an easy hug.

"I was just telling Ella that I hope she never grows up."

"That's not what you said." Ella slapped him on the arm and giggled when he winked at her.
 

"Why don't you go and play for a bit before dinner?" Morgan suggested to Ella. "Either that or I'm sure I can find something for you—"

She didn't even need to finish the thought before Ella disappeared into her bedroom and Morgan turned to Jeff. "I was just making myself a cup of tea. Do you want one?"
 

"Sounds great," he said and settled into a kitchen chair. "Is Bo around?"

"Sorry," she said and turned back to the counter, grabbing two cups and a package of teabags. "He had a meeting with the general manager this afternoon. Something about some of the new treks he wants to offer this season. He must be running late. But I expect him back any minute."

Jeff fiddled with the placemat, rolling the fabric between his fingers. "No problem," he said. "I can always catch him later." Jeff watched as she poured steaming water into the mugs and brought them to the table.
 

"At least this way I get to hear all about your brush with fame before he does," she said. "I want to know everything about your trip. Were the actresses total divas? Did you get your own trailer? What was it like? I want details."
 

He couldn't help but laugh at her eagerness. "I never pegged you for the star-struck type, Morgan. You really want to know everything?"

"Oh, come on, Jeff. You know I love it up here but sometimes a girl needs to be reminded of the world outside of the Lodge. And Hollywood? Right in our backyard? Come on, you know I want to know."

"Well, it was pretty exciting," he said. "Especially the time when…" Jeff added a splash of milk to his tea and stirred as slowly as he could before he continued, knowing it would make her crazy.

"What?" She leaned forward, anxious to hear him spill his secrets of the stars.

"The time when they needed two horses on set instead of one," he finished.
 

"Jeffery Michaels, that is not funny." He looked up, right as she lobbed a tea towel in his direction.
 

"Honestly, Morgan. It was fun and different, but there really weren't any major brushes with fame. I mean, it was a television pilot, not a Hollywood blockbuster." When her face fell, he added, "Although they're saying the male lead, a Gage Mitchell, could be the next Brad Pitt. Maybe I could get an autograph for you next time."

Jeff caught the slip the second it was out of his mouth. He hadn't meant to say anything yet about the possibility that there would be a next time for him. But if the show got picked up, which was looking likely, Jeff knew it was only a matter of time before Marianne Marshall would be knocking on his door to be the on-set horse wrangler. She'd given him a week to look over the contract, but Marianne wasn't the type of woman to sit back and wait. Not even for a week.
 
She'd need an answer in the next few days, and he still didn't know what it would be.