Sweet but Sexy Boxed Set (25 page)

Chapter Eleven

Nate was startled awake by his cell phone vibrating against his hip and the sound of his alarm slowly growing louder.

Five o
’clock in the morning.

Crap.

As he moved, Hailey stirred in his arms. He tightened his hold and kissed her forehead. “I have to go to work.”

She burrowed herself tighter to him.
“Can’t you stay a little longer?”

Sleep hadn
’t been immediate for them, but they’d laid close in the darkness and whispered softly to each other between brief moments of slumber. He couldn’t deny how nice it had felt to have the company, and more than once she’d thanked him for staying.

“
I can’t,” he replied.

She sat up, wrapping the afghan tighter around her shoulders when he slipped out from under her.
“Can I see you later?”

He leaned over her, sliding a hand under her chin and leaning in to kiss her sweet, soft lips.
“Why don’t you come by the diner after a bit and I’ll make you breakfast?”

She nodded before laying back down on the couch.
“I will. After I go to the hospital and check on my dad.”

He smoothed the cover over her, kissed her cheek again, and then headed for the back door.

Nate was almost out of the room when her groggy voice hit his ear again.

“
I’ll call my uncle too. See if we can take Lori over to see the pony sometime.”

“
Sounds good,” he said, but her offer twisted his stomach in knots as he walked out into the cutting winter air and toward his truck.

The harsh reality of dawn had him questioning the logic of his actions. It was one thing for him to risk his own heart, but involving Lori meant putting her emotions at risk too.

He lifted his foot off the brake and scrubbed his cheek with his hand as he continued backing out of the drive. A balance would have to be maintained between Lori and Hailey, until he knew for sure what was happening between the two of them.

He
’d talk to Hailey and make sure they were careful around his daughter.

When he pulled into the alley behind the diner, he cursed. Both waitresses, his aunt, and his grill cook were waiting by the back door. He hated being unpunctual but knowing there would be questions about his tardiness bothered him more.

“You’re late.” The fry cook was a regular Sherlock Holmes.

“
Nope. Can’t be. I’m the boss.” He punctuated the sentence with a wide grin.

“
You look like you had a rough night?” Shirley, his most loyal waitress, commented.

“
I didn’t get much sleep.”

“
Lori?”

He gave a half-nod but didn
’t say a word. It wasn’t really a lie. She’d had a nightmare before he left the house to answer Hailey’s plea.

He turned away and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to wipe away a pang of guilt as he unlocked the door. What if she
’d had another bad dream after he’d left?

When they were all in the storeroom, Nate pulled the heavy door closed. He was about to get started on the morning routine, but his path was blocked by his Aunt.

“I’m happy for you,” she said.

Anna always accused the woman of having an uncanny sixth sense, but there was no way she could know that he
’d spent the night with Hailey. “For?”

“
You’ve been doing it all alone for too long—what? It’s been almost six months since you went out with Nancy Perkins. It’s about time you put yourself back in the love game.”

“
What makes you think—?”

Wanda reached up and lifted the collar of his shirt. A swatch of pink lipstick resided on the light blue fabric.
“You’re wearing the same clothes you were yesterday.”

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the door.
“Do you think the others noticed?”

“
Who cares if they did?”

“
I care. The last thing I need is more rumors flying around town about me.”

“
If people have nothing better to worry about than what you did last night—”

“
You know they don’t. And I didn’t do anything but sit with a friend who needed the company.”

He knew all too well what it was like to be fodder for the rumor mill. This news would be burning up the gossip chains in no time flat, didn
’t matter if the tales were true or false.

“
It’s okay to fall in love again. That’s a good thing.”

Wasn
’t she listening?
“But it’s not that.”

She gave him one of those smiles. Just like the ones she
’d given him when he was no older than Lori and had been caught lying about stealing cookies from the jar.

A look that said she didn
’t believe him in the slightest, but she was going to let it pass. “Well, you don’t pay me to sit here and gab. You pay me to make biscuits and the soup of the day.”

Alone in the storeroom, Nate looked down at the collar of his shirt again. Cursing as he pulled it off, he remembered a box of t-shirts bearing the restaurant
’s name on the top of the far shelf. He’d had them made for the staff to wear on the float in last summer’s Cheeseburger Festival parade.

Short sleeve didn
’t fit the winter weather, but it was better than advertising he and Hailey when he didn’t even understand fully what that meant.

He retrieved one and slipped it on before embarking on his usual routine.

Nate unlocked the cash register and turned on the coffee makers and the lights in the dining room before opening the blinds. He then stepped out to the sidewalk in front of the diner—for privacy—and called his sister’s number.

“
Have you been at the hospital all night?” Through her grogginess he could still hear concern.

“
Yeah…mostly.” Not the exact truth, but he didn’t have time or energy to explain the details right now. “How’s Lori?”

“
Sleeping.”

“
Any more nightmares?”

“
No. She’s going to be up before long and you know she’s going to want to go to the barn.”

Nate rubbed his temples. For a few moments he
’d forgotten that his sister had lost her job. If Hailey was staying in town, that threw a wrench in his initial plan to help his sister grow her own riding program. “Bring her up here for breakfast so I can talk to her. I’ll tell her what’s going on.”

“
Will do.”

The moment the clock ticked to six, a steady stream of regular customers began spilling into the restaurant. Even though he was exhausted, Nate welcomed the business and the distraction. That was until Jake Lambert strolled in, taking his usual seat at the end of the counter.

Jake hadn’t said too much to Nate at the hospital with Hailey the night before, but he knew her brother had to have questions. Too bad Nate really didn’t have any answers.

He flipped over a cup and began filling it with coffee.

Jake dropped the still folded newspaper next to his plate. “How’s it going this morning?”

“
Same as usual.” Maybe the biggest lie he’d ever told. “How’s your father doing?”

“
He was still sleeping when I called the hospital, but they said the surgery went well. They said you and Hailey stayed until he came out.”

“
She didn’t want to leave until she knew the surgery was over.”

“
Then you took her home?”

Nate did not want the conversation to go in this direction. He pointed over his shoulder toward the kitchen.
“You want the same as usual?”

Jake leaned across the counter, lowering his voice.
“Did she tell you she’s planning to stay for a few weeks? To help Dad with his rehab?”

“
Yes. She did mention that.” Writing Jake’s usual order on a ticket, Nate kept his gaze down. He didn’t want Jake to be able to read anything from his expression. He wasn’t ready to say aloud they’d decided to try dating again.

“
I feel so bad. I can’t ask her to move out of the house so you can move in.”

So
that’s
what Jake was worried about: the lease. “I understand why she wants to stay.”

“
I do too, but I know how anxious you are to get you and Lori into your own place. Can you wait about six weeks? If you have to look for something else, I understand.”

Another farm could potentially help his sister.
“Do you know of another place with at least a few acres of property?”

Jake looked away and Nate could tell he was searching the recesses of his mind.
“I can’t think off the top of my head, but I’ll keep my ears open. Honestly, though, I really want you to move into our old place. I know you’d take good care of it.”

“
Your place has everything I’m looking for too. I’ll probably just wait this out and see what happens with Hailey. See if she decides to stay.”

Jake fiddled with the edge of the newspaper.
“My honest opinion? When we get Dad fully situated into Pioneer, she’ll probably move back to the city. She’s put a lot time and energy into becoming a lawyer, I don’t see her giving up on that now.”

“
Who says she can only work in New York? People around here need lawyers too.” Wait a minute. Why was he arguing that she might stay? His head knew Jake was right. It had told Nate repeatedly this little fling with Hailey was for the moment, to exorcise the ghosts of their past.

Jake set his attention fully on Nate.
“I know. And you make a point. I think she’s struggling to get through losing Mom and now all of this with Dad. She feels a little lost. Kelly and I do too. But they say time heals the pain, and I think once she deals with her hurt, things will fall back into place for her.”

Was Nate a fool for hoping to get the six weeks she
’d promised him? “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

Right after Nate delivered Jake his usual breakfast, the bell on the front door rang out. Lori and Anna came into the diner. He only had to look into his daughter
’s big brown eyes to see her innocence.

Guilt bubbled up. She trusted him to be there when she needed him. Last night, he
’d let her down. The last thing he should be doing is putting her secure family at risk.

An overreaction? Maybe.

He was long overdue for some happiness—or as Hailey had described it, some company—but what had Lori done to deserve a distracted father?

He rounded the corner of the counter and smiled when she ran to him. He patted on the red, leather-covered bar stool next to Jake and she climbed up.
“What do you want to eat this morning?” Nate asked.

Lori
’s eyes flitted around the dining room, before she looked up. She signed
pancakes
to him.

He kissed her forehead.
“Pancakes it is.”

Anna patted her niece
’s shoulder. “Why don’t we sit in the booth over there, sweetie? Go on and wait for me.”

Nate leaned through the window into the kitchen,
“Two orders of pancakes.” When he turned back, Anna was in his face.

“
She’s already asking about going to the barn. She’s going to be devastated.”

“
I’ll explain. Let me get her breakfast then we’ll talk.” Nate picked up a carton of milk out of the cooler and the coffee pot from the burner. “It’ll be okay, Anna. We’ll figure something out. I already have a plan.” A scheme that had more than one obstacle to overcome.

Nate crossed to the table where his daughter sat. She took the carton of milk from his hand and opened it, sticking in a straw.
“Can…Aunt Anna…take me to… the barn?”

He leaned in, kissing her forehead,
“I don’t think you’re going to be able to go today, baby.”

The bright smile faded. She turned her full attention to the table and her milk.

“When your breakfast is ready, I’m going to sit with you and explain.”

Chapter Twelve

Hailey heard her name being called…by her cousin? She turned, shocked to see Rhonda standing in the doorway.

“
What are you doing here?” Hailey left the chair next to her father’s bed and went to Rhonda with open arms.

“
Jake called me first thing this morning and told me about Uncle Bill’s fall. I came here as soon as I got into town. I figured it’s where I’d find you.”

Now she felt bad. It hadn
’t even occurred to her to call any of the extended family.

Rhonda stepped out of the hug and crossed to her father
’s bedside, she took him in with a look reserved for a concerned parent.

“
This is all my fault,” Hailey said.

Rhonda sat in the chair Hailey had just vacated.
“I’m sure that’s not true.”

“
I didn’t believe everyone who told me he was sicker than I thought. Then I left him alone. That’s when he fell.”

“
Where could you possibly go late at night in this town? It’s not like you’re going to find a twenty-four hour deli.”

“
I went to see Nate Jenkins.”

Rhonda focused her gaze, and twisted in the chair so she was facing Hailey.
“I saw this coming the other night. Do you really think it’s wise to go messing with that fire?”

“
It’s not like that.” Though in a way it was. She detailed the events of the previous day. How she had blown up in the diner when she found out about Jake wanting to lease the house to Nate. How she later toured Pioneer and then went to apologize.

“
And that’s all you talked about? Your house?” Rhonda asked.

“
We talked about our past too,”

“
Honey, is a couple of dates really a past?” Her words rode a ragged exhale.

Hailey wrung her hands as she walked to the opposite side of her father
’s bed. “We’ve always had a lot of chemistry.”

“
Yeah…sometimes with chemistry you get big ol’ explosions too. Did your talk at least give you closure?”

“
It opened the possibility of a future.”

“
How’s that going to work when you live in New York?”

“
I’m thinking about moving back here to take care of Dad.”

Rhonda searched her eyes.
“Why?”

Hailey knew she could see clear through to her soul.
“Dad needs me, and I need to be here, like I wasn’t for Mom.”

“
Isn’t everyone going to get suspicious when you don’t have to go back to work?”

“
I told Jake the truth.”

Rhonda
’s breath hitched. When the shock settled in, she exhaled slowly, shaking her head. “I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but you will get another job.”

“
I became a lawyer to help people. People like Mrs. Otero who deserved justice, even if it didn’t have a huge payout that lined the partners’ pockets.”

“
That law firm is a business. They have to turn a profit.” Rhonda’s defense had been the exact same words her boss had used when he ordered her to get rid of the wrongful death case.

“
Everyone deserves justice, even if they can’t afford the price tag. That’s the foundation of our legal system.”

“
Look, I’m not trying to be cold. Maybe that client did deserve your help, but—as someone who runs her own business—I also know the importance of the bottom line. You can’t continue to operate in the red.”

“
You think my partners would end up in the red if I took on one case like my clients?”

“
Just one? No. But where do you draw a line?”

Hailey crossed her arms, and let Rhonda
’s words sink in. She made a lot of sense, but that didn’t mean Hailey had been wrong to stand her ground. “You’re oversimplifying the situation.”

“
Am I?”

“
Yes.”

“
So, what are you going to do? Come back here and play house with Nate?”

When Rhonda put it that way, it sounded like she was running away from real-life. Just like Nate had accused her of always doing. That wasn
’t accurate, though. Or was it? “The last time I was really happy, was when I was with him.”

“
You were with Nate for one night, a long time ago.”

“
Now is the perfect opportunity to try and see if maybe there’s more there. We’re just going to see where it goes. No long term plans.”

“
Until you get a job offer.”

She shrugged.
“I feel like I’ve applied to every law firm in the state of New York and had every door slammed in my face.”

“
You know that’s an exaggeration.”

She shrugged her shoulders and sat at her father
’s bedside. She smoothed out the blanket that was covering him. “I’m still waiting to hear from a handful of places.”

“
And if one of them calls and wants you to start right away? What would you do?”

“
It would complicate things.” It surprised her that her first instinct, when pushed, was to go back to New York. Was that just because it was habit?

“
Would it? Really?”

“
Yes.” When forced to think about it, she knew the truth. “If I had a job waiting for me in New York, things wouldn’t be so cut and dried.”

“
Don’t play games with him. That’s not fair.”

“
I’m not. If I had a job offer, it wouldn’t change how I feel about it him. I’m just saying it would complicate things.”