
Hard Shell Word Factory www.hardshell.com
Copyright ©2004 by Melissa Ford
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LOUISE HART LEANED against the sagging split rail fence and frowned. Even under usual circumstances the sorry sight before her would've depressed her. A small muddy paddock, enclosed by the neglected fence, gave way to a weather beaten structure she guessed was the barn.
She hitched the duffel bag up her shoulder and straightened her back. If only she could get rid of the discomfort treading through her body so easily. She sighed. It was useless, because the weight of the bag wasn't the cause of the stiffness in her spine and the knots in her stomach. It was plain old-fashioned fear.
Fear that she'd made another really bad mistake.
This latest new job couldn't end up like all the others she'd accepted with high hopes and left when things didn't work out the way she'd fantasized. Over the past four years the only career achievement she laid claim to was a too-long resume. The miserable reality in front of her did little to quell the dread weighing on her. In fact, it made matters worse.
A gust of wind blew, carrying with it the fresh scent of late spring lake water. The sign above her squeaked as it swung on its hinges and confirmed what she had to face as the truth. She stood before Hawk's Riding Stable located on Michigan's Mackinaw Island, her new place of employment. The job she'd left home for. The job she'd wanted so badly she'd accepted over the phone.
Louise lifted her chin, yanked open the crooked gate, paused long enough to close it behind her, and moved toward the wide barn doorway. No going back. She'd made herself a promise that no matter what lie ahead she would make the most of this situation. It was a promise she'd made too many times to count, but this time she meant it. Really.
Familiar smells of fresh hay and horse greeted her at the entrance of the barn, lifting her spirits a tiny bit. Impatient hooves thudded against the ground and were accompanied by the easy swish of a tail. Although none of her short careers involved horses, she'd spent every summer during high school working as a riding camp counselor. Her love for horses and riding had never faded.
While her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she pulled in another breath. The comforting smell of the barn should inspire her to get excited about this job adventure. In a quick puff, she blew it out again. She needed more than a head full of memories. She needed to find the mysterious Mr. Parker and get on with her new life. It didn't seem likely that the wealthy new owner would be lingering about in the barn, doing anything as mundane as mucking out stalls, but she no idea where else to look for him.
Louise glanced around, gave up searching for a clean spot to set down her duffel bag and tossed it into a corner. The low timbre of a man's voice growled across her skin before it reached her ears. The gentle rumble rolled through her, making a warm tremor zip down her spine. She paused at the center aisle of the small barn and rubbed her palms down her arms to chase away the odd sensation.
A tall black horse flipped its ears and studied her. The inside of the stable wasn't much better than the exterior, but the animals looked healthy. The laugh, a rolling easy chuckle, came again. She had to find someone who could help her locate her new boss, so she moved toward the sound.
She didn't have to go far to find the man behind the voice. When she did, she drew in a sharp breath and jerked to a stop. Although the office he stood in must have been a converted stall, he seemed to fill up the whole room.
Neatly dressed, he stood by a bare desk with an old phone cradled under his chin. His thick shoulders filled out a deep blue polo shirt while tailored casual pants hugged his long legs. Expensive leather shoes covered his feet. Dressed as he was, she might've guessed he was the owner, but that was impossible. Mr. Parker was her father's age.
The man twisted from his lean hips. His strong jawbone was accentuated with a classically straight nose. He gazed out an opening that was probably once used by a horse to breathe in the fresh northern Michigan air. A detached smile lifted his mouth.
He listened to the person at the other end of the line and laughed again. As before, the potent sound roused a reaction deep within her body. The sensation wasn't expected or welcomed.
She had to move on. Her goal was to make the most of her new job, and that did not include mingling with wealthy island tourists. Mackinaw Island was a favorite midwestern vacation spot, so there were bound to be lots of handsome men around. Guys, like this one, who looked like he had nothing more on his mind than having a good time.
She shifted from the doorway, but didn't get away fast enough. The slight sound of her shoes sliding on the grubby floor caught his attention and he turned. His gaze darted across her face and he grinned. His smile deepened just before he glanced down to take in the rest of her. His slow scrutiny left her strangely light-headed.
She let her own stare trace the outline of his athletic body. A rush of heat flooded her cheeks and the fire under her skin burned even more. What was she doing? Maybe she'd get lucky and he wouldn't notice. This guy didn't need any encouragement. Judging from her own response neither did she.
He made a careful study of her expression and his lazy smile shifted to one of approval.
"I'll get back with you," he said to the person at the other end just before dropping the black receiver into its cradle.
The urge to walk away burned in her feet, but she stayed put. Although tomorrow was her first day, as far as she was concerned, her new position started the second she stepped onto the property. Turning away from her customer would be bad business and plain rude.
Lingering by the desk, he continued to take his time. Finally, she gave in and smiled back. To break the odd tension swirling in the stuffy room, she asked, "Is there something I can do for you?"
Surprise registered in his eyes and he blinked. "I'm sure there is." Even though the flirtatious meaning behind his soft-spoken words was clear, Louise noticed that his expression didn't quite reach his eyes. Tension tightened his handsome features. Behind the casual banter, Louise knew something in his world wasn't right.
Even so, she had to steer this conversation away from the personal turn it had taken. "Are you looking for someone?"
He lifted one thick shoulder. "Maybe."
She sighed. With his rich hazel eyes and sun streaked brown hair, he was handsome all right, and charming in a carefree way, but this conversation had no potential. She had more important things to do than stand around talking nonsense with one of the tourists. She turned to leave.
"Wait."
She swung back around. An awkward silence settled between them. For some reason her gaze was drawn to his long legs and muscular forearms. With effort she pulled it to his face.
"What about you? Are you looking for someone?" He lifted his eyebrows. "Did you want a trail horse for a few hours?"
The knot in her stomach, loosened by the pleasant distraction he presented, tightened again. His question pushed her mentally off balance and she remained speechless.
"We haven't sent any out yet." He stepped forward and gestured to the stalls lining the aisle. "You'd have your pick of the stable. I've got a man who'd have you ready to go in no time."
"No." She shifted her feet. "I'm not looking for a horse to ride."
"A carriage?"
Louise shook her head. "No. I'm looking for Mr. Parker, the owner."
Nothing. Then like a candle being blown out, the tempting gleam went out of his eyes. His hazel gaze held some adverse, nameless emotion aimed at her. She became too aware of her hands hanging loosely by her sides. Out of habit she reached for her duffel bag to pull on, but of course it was where she'd dropped it.
He frowned. "You're Louise Hart."
Tension whispered across her neck while apprehension spread down her back. She nodded.
"I see." With a brisk movement he yanked open the top drawer of the desk and took out a long white envelope. Her name was printed across the front in neat masculine handwriting.
He stared at the envelope and smacked it across one palm, as though he regretted its contents or her. Confusion mingled with her ever growing anxiety, and the changes altering his handsome features made her even more bewildered.
Footsteps sounded behind her, giving her an excuse to turn away. She moved aside just in time to allow a wiry man space to steal past her.
The newcomer ignored her completely. He shoved his dirty hands into the brown, threadbare pants flapping around his legs. "I finished it all up, Mr. Parker. Got it done in no time."
"Please call me Trent, Pete."
"All right sir, if that's the way you want it."
The butterflies in her stomach turned to stones. It didn't take her long to figure out her mistake. But it didn't make sense. He'd sounded so much older on the phone.
She'd made a fool of herself. And how.
The conversation between the two men rattled in her ears. She leaned backwards, as though she could disappear simply by willing it.
The temptation to turn, retrace her steps through the barn and rush back outside flitted through her. But the promise she'd made herself---the one to make the most of this job opportunity---was still fresh and meaningful. She'd stay and smooth things out with Mr. Parker.
Perhaps the change she'd seen in his eyes was due to the embarrassment she'd caused him by not introducing herself right away. She should apologize.
"It's nice to meet you, Ma'am."
A few seconds passed before Louise realized the workman was addressing her.
Both men stood motionless, strangely studying her as though she held the answer to some life-altering question. With the speculating stare of Mr. Parker's eyes weighing on her, Louise smiled to the workman. "Yes, it's nice to meet you, too."
He folded his bony arms across his chest. "Mr. Parker tell you about me?"
Obviously, he worked there and would be one of her employees. After the start she'd gotten with her boss, she needed all the allies she could get. Louise forced her mouth into a friendly smile. "No, but I'm looking forward to getting to know you. From what I can see you take great care of the animals."
A thin smile tightened Pete's lips.
Mr. Parker stepped between them. "You can go get started on the stalls, Pete."
"Yep, same as always." The workman swung his angular body across the grimy office floor and stepped past Louise.
"I'll be busy in the barn if you need me, Miss Hart," he said right before he headed down the aisle.
He ambled away, making his way between the stalls. A tapping sound caught Louise's attention and she turned back to her boss.
"I believe I was about to give you this?" he said, holding out the white envelope.
After accepting it she stared at the writing as though the ink could answer the questions beginning to form in her mind.
"If you'll excuse me?"
Her new boss had picked up the phone again and was nodding toward the doorway, silently asking in a not-so-subtle fashion, that she leave.
"Yes, of course." Louise attempted a professional smile, before she nearly leapt through the doorway.
The aisle she'd come down a few moments ago seemed much shorter as she passed through it on the way out. Unfortunately, backtracking through the barn wouldn't erase what had happened with her new boss.
All morning she'd been planning ways to get off to the perfect start. She'd wanted to give the best possible first impression. Instead of doing that, she'd made a fool of herself and embarrassed and angered her boss in the process.
LOUISE STOPPED BY the doorway of the barn. She had no idea what she was supposed to do next. Mr. Parker hadn't said anything about her job. He'd just handed her an envelope.
Whatever it was it couldn't be good. Maybe it was a letter informing her that the position was no longer hers. The heavy weight of despair settled over her.
With a sigh she loosened the seal and looked inside at the single sheet of white paper.
"You know about horses?"
Still clutching the envelope, Louise turned to find the worker, Pete, coming up with a small manure cart. Holding a rusty pitchfork in one hand, he paused and leaned over the battered thing he'd been pushing.
She had little desire to chitchat now, but she stopped anyway. The contents of the envelope could wait. "It's been awhile, but I used to ride in high school."
"Me, I never rode one."
"Never?"
"Nope." He looked around at the animals surrounding them. "But I do like them. They stand in them stalls all day, never sayin' a thing. Just satisfied to wait it out."
In spite of her hurry to be alone and read the letter, his simple way of looking at things touched her. If she'd thought about it, she would've admired the animals for the same thing. Instead of always chasing a better life, they accepted what came. Maybe she should be more like them.
"Nice talkin' with you, Miss Hart, but I better get to work."
The wobbly wheels of the cart squeaked in protest as he pushed it away from the wide, breezy doorway. The noise matched the comical jerking motion of his legs as he headed off to clean the stalls.
Once she was sure his attention had been directed elsewhere, she pulled the sheet of paper free. Her fingers trembled slightly. The details blurred together, but the message sunk in.
Giddy relief washed over her and she smiled. The young Mr. Parker wasn't her boss. Where her boss was, she had no idea, but the instructions contained by the single page directed her on a new path. One she'd happily follow.
LOUISE SWUNG THE duffel bag over her shoulder and left the barn for the warm May sunshine. Without pausing, or even glancing back, she walked toward the street, under the weathered sign then down the sidewalk to find the place indicated in the letter.
The kindness of her new boss to arrange a room for her was unexpected but very much appreciated. Although it was still early in the season, and the historic sights like Fort Mackinac, the military headquarters that the British and Americans had fought over, had yet to open; she'd imagined herself wandering the island with her feet aching and a tattered classified section clutched in her hand. Now, the chore had been taken care of for her. The older Mr. Parker was more of a gentleman than his rude son.
When she reached the end of the block she consulted the neatly drawn map at the bottom of the letter. According to her best guess, Lovell's Rooming House was only another block or two away. She followed the curve of the street round to the left and waited at the three-way intersection while a pair of overloaded bicycles rushed by.
The men, a few years younger than herself, sped past. Their challenging shouts faded as the suitcases they carried, perched at odd angles and tied on with bright elastic cords, disappeared around a curve.
She hopped down from the curb and crossed the narrow street.
The races of the bicycling bellhops had seemed odd to her as a child, but now she understood it was their way of adding challenge and competition to a job that might otherwise be dull. Toting suitcases from the dock to the hotel only to turn around and collect more to take down the steep hills had to be monotonous. Boredom was something she'd never dealt with well. Maybe if she could be more creative, like the racing bellhops, she wouldn't have found herself in her current situation.
Admittedly, she'd accepted her new job to get away from home and to escape the faded dreams she'd left behind, but working among a crowd of enthusiastic people would make her summer fun. Too bad the good-natured competitive spirit hadn't rubbed off on the young Mr. Parker.
For some reason, the sound of his low laugh and the unwelcome image of his handsome face burst into Louise's mind. She shook her head as if she could get rid of him that easily. It didn't work, so she hurried down the walk. Putting distance between them might do the trick.
Thank goodness that man wasn't her boss. Besides the fact that she'd made a fool of herself by staring at him, his personality left a lot to be desired. The odd combination of nervousness and frustration pulsing through her veins just thinking about him told her everything she needed to know. He was a man to be avoided.
Louise tried to distract herself by studying her surroundings as she walked. Several patches of fading daffodils circled the front of a small art gallery. As she passed, she admired the large watercolor paintings filling the front window. To her, the landscapes of tall pines, old birches and delicate white trilliums carpeting the ground were distinctly northern Michigan.
Her hometown in the southern part of the state was pleasant, too. She loved her family and friends, but she'd been smothered for too long. Being the only child of overprotective parents didn't leave much room for independence. Her mother and father didn't understand her need to prove herself. They never believed her when she told them that what she needed to be fulfilled was an exciting career.
That's what she planned to find on the island. Freedom, independence, and success. That combination, the rewards from a successful career, would lead to complete happiness and fulfillment.
At the end of the sidewalk, where the concrete met the sandy grass that stretched to the shore, sat two buildings. One was a carriage house that had been turned into an elegant hotel; the other smaller building had to be Lovell's Rooming House.
Louise slowed to examine the red-roofed structure. Instead of the dread she experienced when she first laid eyes on Hawk's Riding Stable, the rooming house drew her. The narrow brick walkway beckoned and she pushed her way through the prim whitewashed gate, noting the budding shrubs and small trees that filled the surrounding yard.
She followed the path as it curved around the building and climbed the wide steps to the back porch. A tiny painted sign nailed below a bell instructed her to ring for service. The pretty jingle pealed into the quiet.
She turned from the closed door to admire the shoreline view. To her left she saw the piers where the ferryboats brought the hordes of tourists onto the island and further down she made out the smaller docks where people kept their private boats. The tall sailboats and low fishing boats clung to the docks. To her right the shoreline curved sharply around forming the bottom section of the steep craggy west side of the island.
"Hello, Miss. Can I help you?"
Louise turned to find a tall, gray-haired woman staring at her. The woman brushed away a few stray hairs as she studied Louise the way a small town citizen studies every newcomer, thoroughly and openly.
The plain curiosity didn't bother her. After the treatment she'd gotten at the barn, she rather liked the fresh dose of honesty. Renewed with confidence, she offered her hand and introduced herself.
A spark of surprise and something else flashed in the older woman's faded brown eyes.
Uncertainty niggled at Louise. "I thought you might be expecting me." She dropped one hand and lifted up the letter she held in the other. "Mr. Parker left me this note."
"Yes, of course." The woman paused, then went on more firmly, "I was expecting you."
After another pause, a genuine smile appeared and brought her expression alive. "I'm Sally Lovell. I own this old place and I'm real happy to have you." She pulled the door open wider, backed into the house and gestured for Louise to follow.
The wooden screen door smacked behind them. Louise put down her duffel bag and scanned the huge parlor she'd entered. Inviting couches and tables stacked with magazines filled the room.
"I'll get you a glass of lemonade."
Louise opened her mouth to tell her hostess that wasn't necessary, but Mrs. Lovell had already scurried from the room. A huge floral rug silenced Louise's footsteps as she crossed the room to look out one of the wide picture windows offering a wonderful view of the waters surrounding the island. The wind had picked up and white caps striped the blue waters of Lake Huron. When she'd come across on the first ferry that morning the water had been smooth and calm.
The waters were quickly changeable, just like Mr. Parker. The young, handsome, Mr. Parker. His easy going smile sure had disappeared fast enough after he'd figured out who she was. Had she embarrassed him or was it something else? Maybe he was disgusted his father hired someone so...
Unprofessional. She winced. At least he wasn't the boss. After the way he'd looked her over, she doubted he'd say anything about her to his father. He wouldn't want to explain his own actions.
But why the sudden personality change? More importantly, why did she care? She shouldn't, but something in the contemptuous way his gaze raked over her just before he'd dismissed her grated on her nerves. For all she knew, she'd never see him again.
Oh, but she did want to see him again, if only to set the record straight that she was a hard-working career woman, and not some flake that walked around with her head in the clouds.
Not that what he thought about her mattered.
"Here we are."
Mrs. Lovell strolled into the room carrying a tray. Her hair had been smoothed into place and her eyebrows had lost the tense, pulled together look.
She laid the tray on a long table. "I've brought you a snack as well, dear. I have a feeling your day has been a long one already, even though it isn't even noon." She seated herself in a low-backed rocker and pointed to the couch. "Sit down."
Louise smiled despite the gentle command behind the words and tried not to drop herself onto the couch. "Thank you, Mrs. Lovell. I could use a snack."
She picked up the tall glass of lemonade and took a long drink. It was delicious.
"I make it with real lemons. I never got used to that powdered stuff." Mrs. Lovell pushed the tray across the table. "Take some cookies, dear."
Louise picked up a few round wafers dipped in chocolate. An easy silence settled between them while she ate and her hostess rocked in her chair. Louise cast a glance at her duffel bag. There didn't seem to be any hurry finding her a room, but Mrs. Lovell hadn't sent her away either. With a contented sigh, she eased into the couch and let herself relax.
A short while had passed when she heard heavy footsteps falling across the porch. The jingle of the bell prompted Mrs. Lovell to rise. "Excuse me, dear."
"No need to get up, Sally."
Even before the screen smacked shut Louise knew whose voice was interrupting the only peace she'd had all day. Trent Parker.
"Nonsense, Trent." A note of affection warmed the older woman's voice. "I have to get another glass of lemonade." With that she left the two of them alone.
Not ready to take whatever he had to dish out, Louise straightened. She braced herself against the power his presence seemed to have over her. Judging by the way he sat squarely in the rocker Sally vacated, she was sure he hadn't come to Lovell's Rooming House to welcome her to the island.
TRENT TOOK HIS time meeting Louise's gaze. He wanted to be in control, and he wanted to be sure she saw what he wanted her to see: A man who wasn't impressed with work credentials or a professional attitude.
No doubt she had those attributes in abundance. They had to be the reason his father had hired her. Only the old man wasn't here and that Mr. Parker, the one who valued a strong work ethic above everything else including family, wasn't coming.
Not today or any that followed it.
Trent moved his gaze over the antique furnishings Sally took such pride in. He'd seen it before, that first day on the island when she'd had him over, but to make Louise wait, and to get his thoughts together, he pretended to study it anew.
He told himself he didn't care much about his father's new hire. Who she was, where she'd come from, those things didn't concern him. The only thing that mattered to Trent was systematically eliminating each reminder of his recently deceased father, starting by getting rid of the ridiculous rundown shed he'd called a riding stable.
The first step in this plan was to get rid of the tempting Miss Louise Hart. He'd been expecting the new manager to arrive later in the day and he'd been anticipating a wide-shouldered sturdy-looking farm girl, so her appearance had been a surprise in more ways than one. Her sweet round face, wavy blonde hair, and wide blue eyes had caught his interest, but that was before he knew who she was. He should've sent her on her way home right from the barn, but after her long appraisal, he hadn't felt like it.
Deciding that she'd waited long enough, he turned to her. She raised her shoulders---maybe to keep from looking so small nestled among Sally's oversized cushions. It didn't work. The fat cushions still swallowed her up. She brushed a tiny crumb from her lip then laid her arms over her lap, yet she didn't turn away.
Trent clenched his jaw.
All the way over to Sally's he'd been certain he would tell her outright that the job she'd come for was no longer available. He hadn't planned on getting into the whole story about his father buying that money pit for no good reason then dying suddenly. But for some reason, things didn't seem so simple anymore. Not with her bright eyes watching his every move and bringing to life that interest she'd awakened in him at the barn. The heavy pulsing of his heart made it difficult to think clearly. Unfortunately, gazing at her made him feel more alive than he had in a long time.
So what? That was just a typical male reaction to a pretty face. Nothing he had to pay heed to. He knew what kind of woman his father would've hired to run a business and he didn't want any part of that sort of person.
Trent sighed. He had to come out with it.
Unfortunately, she broke the silence first. "Did you come here for a reason? Other than to stare at me?"
He couldn't deny that he'd been staring, so he didn't. "I came about the job."
"Do you work closely with your father?"
The question jabbed at him. He'd handled more than his share of business transactions, but none of them had been with his father. Mr. Parker never had any use for his only son, especially when his son handled business with a light hand instead of the smashing fist his father preferred. In response to her question he shook his head.
She lifted her fine eyebrows. "In that case I don't see what we have to talk about."
He couldn't help himself. He lowered his voice to a near whisper. "You seemed interested in talking to me at the stable."
The red flush that spread up her neck and stained her cheeks told him what he wanted to know. The attraction went both ways.
She shifted her gaze away from him to the slice of water visible out the window.
"You said you came about the job." Her tone softened the slightest bit. "Please say what you came to, so I can get settled." She peered at him and he saw in her eyes something he never would have expected, a touch of vulnerability. He watched her mouth when she spoke again. "I've had a long morning."
She looked so young, huddled in the cushions and waiting for his response. Strange as it was, he didn't want to tell her she couldn't have the job she'd come for. But he had to.
Why couldn't he get the words past his lips? What did he care if she had to take the next ferry back home? She probably had her pick of jobs. She couldn't need this one. He'd seen young, vulnerable-looking women before and they weren't usually what they seemed. For all he knew Miss Hart had the act perfected.
Unable to keep himself from learning what he could about her, he hedged around a bit. "My father won't be coming to the island." He watched her closely, ready to study her response, knowing her reaction would reveal her character.
She took a moment to consider his statement. "At all?"
"Old Mr. Parker definitely won't be coming. Not at all." He heard the pain in his voice and hated himself for letting out the emotion.
She shifted on the couch and tucked her slender legs underneath her. "Are you taking his place?"
He covered his true feelings by lifting one shoulder nonchalantly. "Lucky me, I own the place now. So I guess I'm taking his place whether I want to or not."
"So I report to you."
"That's right."
She pressed her lips together as if in thought. Her chin jerked up. "Is that what you came to tell me?"
"No." She wanted more, but he was selfishly enjoying this cat and mouse game too much. Maybe he was taking the resentment he carried for his father out on Louise. If so, did he care? He had a lot of experience ignoring things like conflicting emotions.
"Well then, Mr. Parker what is it? Is there a problem?"
Time to see what she's made of. "I'm planning on selling Hawk's to a developer. He says it's a nice corner, big enough for a few cozy shops."
"Your father hired me to run the stable two weeks ago, right after he bought it. When I spoke with him---"
"A week ago my father had a heart attack and died."
The hostility in her gaze vanished and she seemed to take in all of him, as if she was trying to see his pain. But there was no pain to see, only frustration at having to deal with this whole stable mess.
"I'm sorry, Trent. I had no idea."
For a moment he forgot about their oppositional situation and thought only of how his name sounded different when it came from her lips, not harsh and cold the way it usually did coming from a stranger's. Reality came crashing back. That didn't matter. "Of course you didn't know. How could you?"
She leaned forward. "Maybe you'd like to talk about the stable later? His passing must have happened so suddenly, I'm sure you're still..." She paused, leaving the sentence half-spoken. She smoothed her hands over her legs. "I'm sure you don't want to talk business right now."
With one quick motion she rose to her feet. She meant to leave him alone, with his supposed grief, but he didn't want her to go. To keep her from leaving, he stood to block her way.
The sweet scent of pear blossoms filled his nose when he took his next breath. She stepped back, but the couch kept her from getting very far. The closeness of her body made him smile. The reaction didn't make sense, but he didn't care. He simply wasn't finished with her yet, even if he didn't know why.
She tilted her head, maybe to put some distance between them. Maybe to see him better. "What is it Mr. Parker? Are you playing some game with me?"
"Of course not, Miss Hart." Even he knew his reply was a lie. The spirited expression brightening her pleasingly rounded face intrigued him and he took pleasure in her intelligent gaze.
"Excuse me." She reached out and placed her right palm across his arm.
She planned to push him aside, but her hand stayed a split second too long and he took the opportunity to cover her hand with his. His nerves, rubbed raw ever since his father's death, pulled tightly and made it impossible to think straight. The need to be with her pressed hard. "I do want to talk later. I'll pick you up for dinner at six." Inspiration struck. "Dress. We'll go to The Majestic."
He'd do this his way. First he'd have the pleasure of her company, then he'd tell her she didn't have a job. Before she had a chance to reply, he released her hand and stepped back. He passed through Sally's door using his quick exit to prevent her from refusing.
LOUISE DROPPED ONTO the couch. When Sally bustled into the room at the exact moment the door slammed behind Trent, Louise had the distinct impression her hostess had overheard the entire conversation.
Half-melted ice floated in the tall glass Sally held. "Did you two have a nice chat?" she asked.
Instead of answering Sally's question, Louise asked one of her own. "Did you know Mr. Parker had died?"
"Yes, I did." She sighed and leaned against the wall. "That's why I called Trent after you arrived. I'm sorry if that seems underhanded, but honestly, I wasn't sure how to handle your arrangements. Seeing as the older Mr. Parker made them, and Trent doesn't want..." she let the words trail off and stepped back out of the room to put the unneeded glass of lemonade on the kitchen table. "Never mind that. I can see Trent means for you to stay, so let's get you settled shall we?"
Louise balked at the phrase Trent means for you to stay, but the idea of getting settled sounded perfect. She desperately needed a few minutes to herself. In a heartbeat she was on her feet, across the floor, and reaching for her bag.
"So ... did you and Trent have a nice talk?" Sally asked again as she led the way down a narrow hall.
Louise decided to go ahead and answer the question. "He came to tell me something."
"That his father passed on?"
"No, I don't think that was it." It couldn't be that he was selling the stable. He didn't really mean that, did he? The possibility was too awful to consider, so she wouldn't. "Anyway, we're meeting for dinner. I guess we'll talk business then."
She followed Sally as they rounded a curving staircase. "I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time." She noted the lack of surprise in the other woman's voice. "Did he mention where you'll be going?"
Because her hostess already knew the answer, replying would be pointless, but not answering would be rude and she certainly didn't need any more enemies. "The Majestic."
Sally stopped at the upper landing and turned. Her wide-eyed expression and surprised smile unnerved Louise.
Okay, maybe she didn't eavesdrop after all. Something about the appraising look the older woman turned on her made her wonder what she'd gotten herself into.
"You won't be talking business then, dear." She looked doubtfully at the overstuffed bag dangling from Louise's shoulder. "Wear the best thing you brought. Everyone dresses for dinner at The Majestic."
Louise concentrated on not looking as anxious as she felt. "I'll do that."
Sally nodded in approval and moved across the upstairs landing. Lightly colored floral wallpaper surrounded them as they stepped down the hall. The smell of fresh wax from the polished wood floors lingered in the air.
Obviously her hostess was one of those ladies who always thought she knew what was happening with people before they did. But this time she was wrong because apparently the older woman was reading something into her business dinner with Trent that was not there.
"Here you are." Sally stopped and pushed open a door. Louise followed her into a small, tidy room. The roll of the waves called to her through an open window and the scent of fresh air eased her nerves.
"I'll give you some time to yourself. Please don't hesitate to let me know what I can do to make your stay more comfortable." With that, Mrs. Lovell left Louise to do the only thing she wanted to do now---throw herself onto the bed and stare out the window.
The view offered her no answers, but it couldn't possibly produce any more questions.
TRENT MARCHED THROUGH the aisle for the hundredth time and asked himself the same thing he'd been considering ever since he stepped foot on the island a few days ago. Why had his father, a hard charging and competitive businessman, bought an old, rundown stable on a secluded tourist island?
Mr. Parker had never owned a small business. His father wasn't one to slow down, so retirement was out of the question. He'd worked ten-hour days right up until his last and Trent had no doubt that his father had wanted it that way.
Some flies buzzed over Trent's head. He waved them away and resumed his pacing. He knew next to nothing about horses, but from what he could tell the horses were well cared for. He was thankful for that.
The barn was another story. Boards nailed at odd angles barely kept the other half-rotten boards from falling down. The roof leaked. The floor sagged. Maybe if he got some skilled carpenters in he could...
What did his father see in the old place? Did he have plans to tear it down and build a hotel on the property? That didn't seem likely. Even though it was close to town and within easy walking distance to many popular sights, the corner lot wasn't big enough to build a hotel large enough to turn a healthy profit. Turning a profit had to enter into the picture somewhere.
Before talking with Louise, Trent had been sure he wanted to sell the place and get on with his life. Now he was reluctantly reconsidering. It bothered him that his father saw some business potential where he did not.
He paused to watch Pete move along the fence line, dragging the hose behind him as he filled water buckets for the horses in the back area. For a fleeting moment Trent mulled over the idea that his father bought the place with the plan of somehow helping the man who worked there, but that was absurd. Although the rickety old man worked long hours without complaining and lived in the attached apartment so he could keep an eye on the place at night, his father wouldn't have cared. Mr. Parker never put people before business.
That was the one lesson Trent had never learned. He understood his father's desire to see an idea grow from an idea on a piece of paper to a service or product that made millions in the market, but he'd never do what his father did---put everything and everyone in second place behind success and money. Competitive drive was one thing. Obsession was another.
Trent knew so little about his father's activities. How had his father even found out about Hawk's Riding Stable? He certainly hadn't visited it on vacation. Mr. Parker didn't take vacations. The possibility that a friend told him about it was remote. Friendships required time.
Realizing the answers to the questions that plagued him weren't coming, he turned away from the window. Maybe he could find something out by digging through the papers in the office. He headed down the aisle.
As he made his way past the horse stalls an inspiration struck. He could learn more about the stable from the alluring Miss Hart. After all, his father must have told her something about the business to entice her to come manage it. Maybe he'd told her his plans for the future.
Trent dropped into the office chair and started pulling papers from drawers. He'd find out what he could and then plan a strategy for his dinner date tonight.
The evening ahead promised to be good for both business and pleasure.
LOUISE STRETCHED AND rolled over. Somewhere in the back of her mind the song of birds and the gentle lull of lapping water whispered to her. The lonely call of a gull pressed at her. Opening a sleepy eye, she focused through the afternoon sunlight streaming in the lace-bordered window.
She wasn't at home. She was at Lovell's Rooming House on Mackinac Island, where she had evening plans with the handsome, but aggravating Trent Parker.
With a jerk, she twisted to the small clock on the bedside table. To her surprise, she'd slept way past lunch. Luckily she still had more than enough time to get ready for dinner.
Trent probably wanted to discuss the business or find out more about her experience. The thought of spending an entire evening answering his questions made her queasy.
She pushed herself upright and moved to the window to take in the postcard perfect view. Some birds called out as they dove through the air. A few others hopped along the shore. Louise pulled in a deep breath and savored the fresh moisture. She loved the island, but there was no telling how long she'd get to stay. She hadn't wanted to accept it earlier, but she had to face facts.
If Trent did sell to a developer, she'd be out of a job. Again.
This opportunity was more than a summer job to her. It was a chance to prove she could succeed and face challenges. So many times she'd accepted new positions with great expectations. In the past year and a half she'd been the manager of a small dress shop, a baker's assistant, and a preschool teacher's aide.
Since graduating from high school, she'd had so many first days she could barely remember them all. Each new job had seemed like a welcome chance to achieve the dream she believed in. But sooner or later the shine wore off and her disillusions were exposed. Each time she put in her two-week notice, she'd promised herself that the next job would be the one that made all her dreams come true.
Maybe she was chasing rainbows, but she had to keep searching. All she wanted was to be on her own, to be happy. She just needed the right job to start her up the career ladder. With hard work she'd get to the top and earn the things being up there had to offer.
After all, that's why she'd struggled through those business courses in community college. Her career was supposed to bring new excitement and fulfillment. Not disappointment and frustration.
The gulls flew off as a couple strolled along the beach. The woman had her pants rolled up to her knees while the man walked higher up on the shore. The intimate music of their laughter drifted up to Louise and she flushed. Longing tugged at her heart.
It wasn't that she wanted a relationship. She was restless, that's all. She needed something to occupy her time. Something to put her energy into. Something she always looked for when she started a new job.
The couple strolled out of view and she frowned. This time she'd done more than start a new job. She'd packed up and left home, insisting to friends and family that this time she'd stay on no matter what.
Going back home was out of the question. She couldn't face their knowing stares and probing questions. They wouldn't understand that the position no longer existed. They'd just know she'd failed again. Worse than facing them was admitting to herself she'd never make her dreams come true.
No, she couldn't go home. She had to find a way to convince Trent to keep the stable. Even that idea had problems. Seeing him every day and pretending she wasn't attracted to him might be the biggest challenge of her life.
How could someone she'd just met have such an effect on her? She wasn't totally inexperienced with men, but she'd never reacted to a man so quickly. Then again, she'd never met a wealthy businessman before. The guys back home were definitely not in the same league as Trent Parker.
Could she convince him to keep the stable? She couldn't really argue about its current profit making status. During the time she'd been there she hadn't seen one customer. Guessing from the condition of the barn and surrounding yard, no money had been put into Hawk's in quite a while.
Why had Trent's father bought the place?
Another unanswered question followed close behind. Why was Trent on the island if his father had just passed away? Shouldn't he be with his family? He didn't seem to be acting the way she imagined a man would shortly after his father's death. Maybe he was still in shock. After all, Mr. Parker's death had been sudden.
She mulled that over. What did she really know about the business she'd come to manage? With regret she had to admit that accepting the position and dashing away from home may not have been the mature move she'd thought it was. She'd put herself right in the middle of a group of strangers and working at a place she knew nothing about.
Too late now, here I am.
Anxious and still full of questions, Louise pushed herself away from the window. She hefted her duffel bag onto the bed, unzipped it and started lifting her T-shirts off the top.
The doubtful image Mrs. Lovell had cast at the worn bag brought a private smile to Louise's lips. She set the shirts aside and wiggled her fingers around inside the bag. Tucked near the middle of her clothes she found the smooth silk she sought.
She took the dress out and unrolled it, smiling as the midnight blue satin glowed in the afternoon sun. She'd never worn the dress, anywhere, but she'd tried it on enough times to know how great it made her feel. She still remembered the afternoon she'd found it buried in the clearance rack. She'd fallen in love with it then and had to have it.
Never in her daydreams had she thought she'd have an occasion like her dinner with Trent to wear it. Sure, he was annoying, but from what Sally said the place he was taking her to must be beautiful. If she didn't enjoy his company she could at least take pleasure in the elegant surroundings.
Who was she kidding? Certainly not herself. But she did need to focus on business first, his classical good looks would have to take a back seat to more important matters.
She needed a plan. She ran her fingers over the dress and after a moment, an idea took root. For a second she doubted the sensibility of it, but easily shrugged her concerns aside. What choice did she have? She had to have a strategy that would make things go her way. She found the strappy sandals that went with the dress and set them down on the floor by iron footboard. After a little digging she pulled out her travel iron and set it next to the things on the bed. Satisfied that she had everything she needed, Louise hung the dress in the closet, left the rest of her things for later and went out into the hall. She pulled the door closed, and as quietly as she could she tiptoed through the silent house.
A long stroll around town to get to know the island would clear her head and keep her from over-analyzing her plan. Trent Parker really couldn't be that different from the boys back home, and she knew how to handle them.
There was no room for doubt. If she didn't want to go running home with her tail between her legs, making things go her way was really the only chance she had.
TRENT STRAIGHTENED HIS tie for the third time, then he inspected his suit in the large hotel mirror again: no lint and no wrinkles. Try as he might, he couldn't figure out the source of his agitation, why his hands jerked as he smoothed out the flawless material of his black dinner jacket.
In disgust, he turned away from his image. He was acting like some idiot college kid on his way to his first big fraternity dance. That was ridiculous, because he was a long way off from being eighteen and this was hardly a date. It was a quest for information.
After thinking things over that afternoon, he'd decided that if he could discover what his father hoped to accomplish by buying the worthless stable, making the decision to sell would be easier.
Louise was the key.
She knew something and he was going to get it out of her even if he had to force it out. He smiled. Of course he would try charming it out of her first.
That prospect had him hurrying down the narrow hall of the small hotel he'd checked into a few days earlier. He reached the stairs, dodged two kids arguing over a sticky strand of pink taffy, and descended to the lobby.
He'd given up denying that he looked forward to the evening ahead. His physical reaction to her was a side effect of the stress he'd been under, he didn't have any sincere personal interest in Miss Hart, but he did enjoy the challenge she presented.
Trent rounded a young couple lingering by the doorway and slipped out the wide front door. He'd considered staying at the world-famous The Majestic, but in the end decided he didn't need to be surrounded by trappings of wealth. The smaller, less prestigious, Manor House suited him fine. Among the noisy families and love struck honeymooners, he attracted no attention. Whether he stayed on, or sold the stable and left town, nobody cared. He preferred it that way.
He started off toward town, hoping walking the few blocks would give him time to clear his head. Or at least work off some of the extra energy that had his muscles twitching. He strolled beside the small private docks where families tied up their sailboats and then neared the larger pier where the ferries dropped off and picked up the tourists. It was early in the season so the docks weren't crowded, but still he saw weary visitors heading home for the day.
A man leaned on the railing, holding his son in his arms. The child laid his head contentedly on his father's shoulder while he pointed to some birds eating the last pieces of a bag of popcorn.
Trent jerked away his gaze. He had no memories of his father holding him like that. Immediately, he cursed himself for having such a stupid thought. He was a grown man now and what his father had or hadn't done for him didn't matter. Rethinking his childhood was pathetic and he wouldn't waste any more time on it.
There were no emotions for his father lodged in his heart. Trent had learned early on that sentiments were something Mr. Parker had no time or interest in.
The old man was gone and Trent fervently wished his lingering thoughts would go away as well. With the swiftness that came from practice, Trent shoved the pain and confusion that had twisted his emotions for the past few weeks to the back of his mind where they belonged and switched his thoughts to something more promising.
Dinner with Miss Hart was the most promising thing he'd had to look forward to in a long time. Even though the reprieve would be short, he planned to make the most of it. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the company of an attractive woman. As long as he still got what he needed.
Trent made his way along Huron Street, glancing in shop windows, but not paying attention to any of the items for sale. Beaded belts, plastic place mats, and T-shirts blurred past his eyes. The tourist items couldn't compete with the image of Louise. Especially the cute way her face turned pink with frustration when he pressed her a little too hard. How would she look seated across from him in the elegant dining room of one of the world's most beautiful hotels?
She was probably used to dining at restaurants that catered to the professional crowd. With its uncommon combination of huge chandeliers and Victorian details, The Majestic wasn't the kind of place to talk business. She'd be out of her element for sure, and that would definitely work to his advantage.
Trent waved down one of the horse-drawn taxis coming up behind him and the driver easily halted the pair of grays. "Evenin' Sir." He nodded and glanced at Trent's suit. "Dressed to kill and headed to The Majestic?"
"Yes, but I have to pick up someone first." Trent climbed up and seated himself on one of the benches.
The driver smiled, his tobacco-stained teeth making a brown line across his weathered face. "'Course. Where to?"
"Sally's."
The driver swung around and clucked to the horses. "Get up Nancy, Loretta."
One swished her tail as if to tell him she knew her job and moved to plod alongside the other. Soon the driver pulled up to the curb outside the tidy rooming house.
Trent spoke to the driver as he jumped down. "Wait for me, please."
"Yes, Sir."
The old man started whistling as Trent walked toward the porch. Skipping the quaint bell, he pushed open the screen door.
THE SMALL MANTEL clock chimed six as Trent stepped into Sally's parlor. He was nothing if not prompt.
"Hello, Trent." Sally strolled into the room, carrying a fat tabby cat under her arm. The big animal twisted and stretched up her shoulder. "You lazy boy." She stroked the animal's fur and turned to Trent with a wink. "I meant the cat."
He laughed. "Of course."
"I'm sure your young lady will be right down." She watched him. "I checked on her a minute ago."
He shrugged, wanting to let her know that he didn't care one way or the other. Something in her eyes told him she didn't believe him.
"Have a nice evening, Trent." She said over the top of the cat's wide head as she left the room.
Although he'd only known Sally for a few days, it seemed out of character for her to pass up an opportunity to put her nose into someone else's business.
Trent turned at the soft creak from the stairs and locked gazes with a pair of bright blue eyes. Familiar tightness pulled at his chest as his gaze moved from Louise's upswept hair, over the satin dress hugging each feminine curve, and down to the shoes barely clinging to her feet.
Silently he berated himself for not expecting this turn of events. This was one thing he had not considered when developing his plan for the evening. He'd known Louise Hart was pretty, sweet, and appealing. Now, he reluctantly added sexy to the list.
Her gaze caught his and something in it sparked a reaction in him he truly didn't recognize. He knew one thing, though, whatever it was it meant trouble.
Louise hesitated on the lower landing and reached out for the railing. Too late, she realized she hadn't considered everything when developing her scheme to get what she wanted from Mr. Parker.
The heavy weight of Trent's gaze, darkened with interest, roamed over her again. He studied her so intently she knew he registered every detail, down to the stitching on the hem of her dress. Uncertainty crept over her skin, making it tingle. She fought against the urge to tug her dress down to cover more of her thighs.
Trent's jaw muscles tightened. "At least you're ready on time."
His curt comment put her back on familiar ground. She knew how to argue with him. "What did you expect? This is a business dinner after all."
His mouth shifted slightly. One eyebrow lifted. "Is it?"
Louise pressed her lips together and brushed past him to pull open the door. She took his smirk as a challenge and she wasn't about to let him down. If he wanted to play games, she was ready. He'd soon find out she had plans of her own.
Knowing her hostess lingered within earshot, Louise called out good night.
Sally replied, "Don't leave before the band plays. The dancing is wonderful."
Louise turned to see if Trent heard Sally's suggestion.
He stepped forward to take her arm, and his breath whispered across her cheek. "We won't want to miss that." As he leaned over her, his aftershave drifted around her, numbed her mind, and chased away the details of her careful scheme. "Are you allowed to stay up that late, little girl?"
She started to jerk her arm away, but remembered her plan. Instead of showing him what she thought of his attitude, she let him guide her down the porch steps and into the waiting taxi.
THE DRIVER OF the taxi took his time getting an eyeful of them. Louise couldn't help wondering if he noticed the tension swirling between Trent and her. Either that or something was wrong with her dress. She glanced down to be sure she was still covered, or nearly covered anyway, then scurried onto the bench and out of his view.
After Trent slid in next to her, the driver turned his attention to the dappled pair pulling the cab. Under the driver's direction, the sure-footed animals stepped into the street. The taxi bounced along the road.
Trent turned his attention her. The muscle in his jaw flexed again and Louise suspected he was sizing her up.
"How much do you know about the island?" he asked.
She narrowed her eyes. "What's there to know? It's a beautiful tourist location with a lot of fine hotels and too many candy shops selling fudge."
He flashed her a potentially charming grin. "That's not a very businesslike answer, Miss Hart."
Louise swallowed against the urge to tell him what she thought of his stupid question. "Please come right out with it. Is there something specific you'd like to know? Like my qualifications for managing a stable?"
"I don't doubt you're qualified," he replied softly.
Louise found nothing in his expression to help her understand what he meant by that. She shifted away to watch the white fringe dangling from the roof canopy dance to the soft clomping of the horses' hooves.
Soon they were moving past Hawk's. The falling sun was gentler on the old buildings, but even with that advantage the place looked run down. The battered fence railings sagged and the Dutch doors running across the barn looked weary. Somehow, even the dirt yard seemed to be on its last legs.
"What do you know about Hawk's?" Trent asked.
His tone had shifted and the inquiry didn't sound like his usual banter. It was a simple enough question, and one he had a right to have answered, but she held back from telling him the truth. She didn't know anything about the business. Telling him that was out of the question because it would put him closer to figuring out she'd accepted his father's offer out of desperation.
She had to turn the tables on him. "What do you know about it?"
"It's a beat-up set of buildings on a beautiful tourist island that has many wonderful hotels and too many candy shops."
In spite of herself she chuckled. Trent surprised her by laughing, too.
Without the tension in his features, he was even more handsome. A few strands of his sun-streaked hair caught in the breeze and fell across his forehead. He pushed them aside with a sweep for his long fingers. She noticed the tiny lines around his eyes and knew he must spend a lot of time laughing.
Realizing the death of his father had to be the reason for his unpredictable moods, her heart filled with shame. She should've been more thoughtful, more considerate of his grieving. She shouldn't be plotting against a man who'd just lost his father.
Guilt caught in her throat and as quickly as she'd started, she stopped laughing. Trent caught the change in her mood and gave her his full attention. What she saw in his eyes was not grief, but interest. Maybe even more than that. Attraction?
Thankfully, the slowing of the taxi gave her an excuse to look away as the horses strained to pull the carriage up a steep incline. A golf course spread out to their right and an immense lawn stretched out on the left. Tall black street lamps led the way up the hill to the hotel.
The Majestic was one of the most beautiful buildings she'd ever seen. Excitement for the adventure ahead began to build, but she held it in check. After all, she wasn't there to completely let go and enjoy herself. Keeping a clear head would be the only way to get what she wanted. In a word---opportunity.
Louise glanced at Trent to watch his reaction to the building. She saw nothing in his face, but that didn't surprise her. As the son of a wealthy businessman, he was probably used to having dinner at the finest restaurants.
The driver pulled up behind three other carriages. A short man, dressed like a footman, helped a fragile woman down from her taxi and then led her over to the red-carpeted stairs. The silver dress she wore matched her hair and contrasted beautifully with the black suited man taking her arm. To Louise it seemed that everyone and everything around them was stunning.
An elegantly dressed couple sauntered along the verandah above. Would Trent take her there after dinner for a leisurely stroll? She wanted to believe her hopefulness was because that sort of thing served her strategy to keep her job, but she reluctantly accepted that her attraction to the businessman next to her was nearly uncontrollable.
So what? She was a big girl and she'd been attracted to men before. Being attracted to him didn't mean she'd lose sight of her goals. It might actually help if her attention to him seemed sincere. Sure she could handle herself, she turned to him and smiled.
The expression wasn't wasted.
Trent didn't exactly smile back, and the telltale signs of frustration lingered on his tightened mouth as he climbed from the taxi. She chuckled at him, so he offered her a half-hearted scowl as he took her arm and led her up the stairs to the hotel.
AN UNSUAL COMBINATION of yellow, green, white, and red surrounded them in the lobby. Late afternoon sunshine streaked across the rich oils framed with glided gold that hung above green and white seating arrangements. The old-fashioned floral pattern of the carpeting and window treatments would've looked ridiculous anywhere else, but under the high white ceilings and wide chandeliers, it was surprisingly perfect. Impossibly elegant and casual at the same time.
"Quite a place isn't it?" Trent said as he led her to the entrance of the restaurant.
Louise turned and noted that he wasn't giving his attention to their surroundings. His hazel eyes were focused tightly on her.
"You've been here before? With your father?" she asked.
If she hadn't been standing so close, she might not have noticed the shift of his features. His lips tightened and his eyes lost their spark. Louise eased away from the scrutiny her question brought.
Her glaring error in mentioning his father reminded her that the men back home were a lot simpler; she'd better be more careful. If she was going to charm him into keeping the stable open, she'd better pay attention and try harder. She had too much to lose.
Within a few minutes, Trent and Louise sat at an intimate table for two with the low murmur of the conversing diners humming around them. The clink of china and occasional laughter filled the room. Starched napkins, vases filled with fresh flowers, enthralled diners---the dining room had everything.
A waiter arrived to greet them; he had a charming musical Caribbean accent. After handing them padded menus and filling their water glasses, he left.
After several minutes of reading and re-reading the menu, Louise gave up and set it down with a sigh. Who would have guessed there could be so many kinds of fish? Trent glanced over the top of his menu at her. "Would you like me to order for you?"
She waited, expecting some follow-up comment, something about how she should be able handle such a small decision, but he surprised her by simply waiting for her response. "Yes, thank you."
Trent chose Brown Lake Trout for both of them. The waiter smiled at Louise and she asked him a few questions about his homeland. Smiling as she told him that spending the summer in Northern Michigan and then enjoying the long winter months with his family where it was warm sounded like a fantastic life.
"That will be all for now." Trent's voice pulled the waiter's attention away from Louise and he moved off with one last smile in her direction. "Do you make a habit of flirting with the wait staff?" he asked softly, leaning toward her.
She didn't know whether to laugh or get mad. Not that she was flirting, but why would he care if she'd flirted with all the men in the restaurant, anyway? His comment wasn't worth getting annoyed over. "I know it might come as a surprise, but some men actually appreciate friendly women."
He turned his scowl to the tables of diners circling the room.
TRENT WAS DISGUSTED with himself. What was he thinking? Accusing Louise of flirting with another man made him look like a complete insecure idiot. What was it about her that made all his usual tactics, like being forthright and direct, seem out of place? It certainly wasn't the attraction they shared. He'd had chemistry with plenty of other women ... So why did Louise make everything so different?
He sighed against the confusion and turned his attention to his glass of water. He took a long drink, but the cool liquid did nothing to douse the warmth that had him dying to peel off his dinner jacket.
The inane comments he offered while they waited for their food sounded so dull even he wished he'd stop talking. After their fish arrived, he watched her pick at hers, and occasionally she offered him a quick smile as they ate. The taste of the gourmet meal was wasted on him because all he could think about was the way Louise's lips curved each time she raised the fork to her mouth. Instead of watching her, he should've been making good use of his time with her. An evening that should have been punctuated by conversation and compliments leading up to a full disclosure of information was getting more and more tense by the minute. When had he suddenly turned into a tongue-tied idiot?
At the far corner of the room, a trio of musicians clad in matching black jackets started setting up on a tiny platform. They quickly got settled and soon jazzy ballroom music filled the dining room. The man seated at the next table tossed his starched napkin down and winked at his companion. A smile lit her face and they rose together to weave their way through the tables to the parquet dance floor. Trent watched the man wrap his arm around the woman with practiced ease. The couple was about the age his parents would've been if they were alive.
He'd never really known either of them. His father, sure he'd been alive, but he'd never really been there. His mother had died in a car accident when he was very young. The few pictures he had of her didn't mean much because he didn't have any memories to go with them.
The ache that had become too familiar and too frequent since his father's passing threatened to settle around him yet again. He struggled against the unwelcome sensation and anxiously searched for something else to focus on.
Trent moved his gaze purposefully over Louise. Information. Wasn't that what he was after? He'd get what he needed from her then leave the island. He'd make arrangements with a real estate agent to handle the sale of the stable.
He placed his hand over Louise's. "Dance with me."
Without waiting for her response, he stood.
EVEN THOUGH TRENT barely touched her, the heat of his fingers made Louise's hand tingle and every muscle in her body became alive for him. She stared stupidly at him for so long, he moved to her side to help her up.
Within the space of a minute Louise found herself wrapped in his arms and moving around the small dance floor. Trent held her lightly and at a respectable distance, but his touch seemed to be everywhere. Her body swayed willingly for his, as though she'd been made especially for him.
It seemed impossible that she'd only met him that morning. He guided her around the dance floor as though she'd always known him.
"Did you enjoy your dinner?" he asked.
Louise looked up to find his face a breath away. She gazed at the sandy brown flecks in his eyes.
"I suppose this sort of thing is typical for you," he said.
Did he mean the heat melting her limbs? Or the liquid fire settling in her belly?
"What sort of thing?"
"Eating in top notch restaurants." She heard the humor in his voice.
Louise shifted her gaze to the couple lost in each other at the opposite corner of the floor. How happy and in love they were. She and Trent weren't anything like them. Instead of being two people in love they were on a business date and, no matter how easy it was to forget, she had to keep her attention on her task at hand.
Stick to the plan. She looked back to the man holding her. "The fish was wonderful."
"You didn't eat much."
She lifted her lips into her sweetest, most charming smile. "I was distracted."
Trent smirked. "You looked bored."
"I did?" She tried to laugh, but her dry throat tightened. She could hardly admit to her true feelings ... he made her come alive in ways no man ever had. "I doubt any girl would be bored with you," she teased.
"Do you mean that as a compliment?"
"If I do?"
"That would please me."
She continued with their banter. "I do want you to be pleased."
He pulled her a bit closer. "Because I'm your boss?"
Was he serious? With him so close, she didn't dare lift her face to search his expression. He might see the mixture of fear and excitement churning within her.
The soft, sultry music swirled around them while Trent guided her around the floor. After a time he stopped by an open doorway, placed his hand on the small of her back and led her out onto the porch.
He moved her along, passing others out enjoying the unusually warm evening. The setting sun cast a lavender glow to the sky outlining the green silhouette of the trees. How much time had passed? Had she been wrapped in Trent's arms longer than a song or two? It seemed only a moment had passed.
He continued to walk until they came to a secluded corner of the porch. Below, the ground dropped off so sharply that the lush setting seemed to go on forever.
Afraid of her instant reaction to his touch, Louise stepped back when Trent turned to face her. He leaned against one of the massive white pillars and studied her. With the evening sun in her eyes, she couldn't make out his expression. Had he purposefully put her at a disadvantage?
"You know, you never answered my question."
"Oh, really." She shrugged, trying to appear casual. "Which question is that?"
"Do you want to please me because I'm your boss," the rich tone of his voice caressed her skin, "or do you have another reason in mind?"
"Are you sure you want the answer?" Louise barely heard her own soft reply.
He dropped his head close to hers. "Not with words."
TRENT FORGOT ALL his plans for information and wrapped his arm behind Louise to pull her close. Each curve of her body softened into his. He breathed in her sweet scent and pressed his lips to hers.
As she met his lips, her hands slipped under his jacket to slide across his chest in a light caress. His muscles tightened under her touch and heat spread through him. The intensity of the sensation caught him off guard, and he knew the last shreds of his control were slipping away, he ended the kiss and slid his hands to her waist. He held onto her tightly, feeling the firmness of her hipbones beneath the smooth dark satin of her dress. The combination of textures nearly had him kissing her again. But reminding himself where he was, and more importantly who he was with, he stopped himself.
Switching gears, he worked to take any awe out of his gaze. "Thank you, Louise." He hoped she didn't notice the tremor in his voice. He didn't intend to let her know how much she affected him. "I have the answer to one question."
Her body stiffened. She dropped her gaze to her hands still flattened across his chest then jerked them away to push against his arms. "Let go of me, Trent."
Instantly, he released her.
As soon as he put distance between them, Louise folded her arms across her chest. A flash of something flickered in her eyes. Anger? Or was it what he felt, frustration?
She scowled and turned away from him. "What do you want from me, Mr. Parker?"
He kept his voice soft. "I liked it better when you called me Trent."
"We've talked a lot about what you like."
"That wasn't just talk," he spoke gently, not sure if he regretted the kisses or not. "It wasn't just me who liked it."
She shifted toward him again and the spark was back in her blue eyes. "Is this some kind of test you give your new employees? If so, I think I passed."
Trent liked this side of her---the part of her that was ready to fight back. He leaned against the wide pillar and chuckled. "I'd say so."
She lifted an eyebrow at him. "What's next?"
"The other qualifications," he replied, hoping to lighten the tension with humor.
"That kiss is all you're going to get from me."
He almost laughed at her for missing his joke, but if her insides were churning like his, she wouldn't be thinking he was funny at all. "I meant your business qualifications, Miss Hart."
Her expression turned thoughtful and she remained silent for a long time. "Does this mean you're not selling the stable?" she asked.
The question didn't surprise him. Nor did her ability to put aside their intimate exchange so easily. This was all about business to her.
He took a page out of her book and took full advantage of his position. "I'm considering my options."
She dropped her arms and came around beside him. "What's the deciding factor?"
He watched her closely, hoping to catch the smallest indication she knew something significant---possibly something she wanted to keep from him and replied with, "You."
Nothing in her face hinted that she might be holding back information. "There must be a copy of my resume around the stable somewhere."
"I've looked it over thoroughly, I assure you. The only thing it can't tell me is why you want to manage a stable? And especially, why Hawk's?"
She turned her gaze to the horizon. Was she planning her own verbal attack? Trent waited for her to go into a complete explanation of her qualifications, possibly every successful management job she'd had since graduating from high school. It might take him awhile to get her back to the real thing he wanted to know, but he'd do it if it took all night.
She faced him again and the all-business expression he'd been expecting wasn't there. Instead she looked like the cat that ate the canary, or more accurately, the cat that was about to pounce on the canary. She laid her fingertips ever so gently on the sleeve of his jacket and moved closer to him.
"What does it matter why I'm here?" She lifted her other hand to rest it on his shoulder. "Here I am."
The light heat of her palm went straight through to his skin. Within seconds, his whole body rushed with the desire to taste her again. Again, his plan to charm information out of her fell aside and all he thought about was taking hold of the tempting woman standing in front of him.
Without letting himself consider her sudden change of mood, he bent down and kissed her.
She returned his kiss, hesitantly at first, but after a bit of gentle encouragement, she arched into him and he was rewarded with a soft sigh.
Heat replaced the cold tension of the past days and for the first time in days, no months, his world was right and he was whole. It was as though Louise held the missing puzzle piece he'd been searching for. He wanted more---a tighter connection. He murmured to her and she wiggled closer, pushing his pulse up another notch and nearly making him lose control.
Yet somehow his sense reappeared. Louise Hart was anything but a simple woman, and she'd regret her actions later. He didn't want any part of another person's regrets.
He had enough of his own.
Reluctantly Trent pulled away. "I'll get a taxi to take you home."
He almost flinched at the hurt accusation in her eyes, but instead he turned and left without looking back. It was long past time to stop playing games.
After arranging with the bellman for Louise to get back to Sally's, he started for his hotel. He moved as quickly as he could, sucking in long gulps of the evening air. But the air was warm and only served as a reminder of that kiss. To lengthen his walk, Trent switched his path toward one of the quiet, deserted side roads. He needed time to get Louise out of his system and think things through. Unfortunately, his brain hadn't been much help the past few hours. Instead of charming information out of her, he'd ended up doubting his self control and what little information he did have.
LOUISE SWALLOWED HARD. She wanted to believe her reaction to Trent had been part of her plan---some exceptional acting on her part---but she had to accept the truth. Her reaction was genuine. Nothing about the evening had gone as she expected. And everything was much more complicated now that she'd kissed Trent. Her boss. She flushed. If Trent didn't sell the stables, she'd be lucky to keep her job.
Trying to cool her heated skin, she pressed her palms to her forehead but it didn't help. Every inch of her was warm. And so alive. Wonderfully alive. But horribly unsettled.
Maybe if he hadn't broken it off so suddenly she would've gotten her fill of his strong embrace. She leaned on the balcony and watched twin boys race down the steep hill below. Their laughing mother, well rounded with another baby on the way, ambled after them. Their happy shouts punctuated Louise's agonizing confusion.
A sigh of frustration exploded from her. She'd failed completely. She hadn't charmed Trent into listening to her arguments about keeping the stable. Instead, she'd let him know how attracted she was to him---an attraction he could use against her.
She'd reacted to him like a love-struck teenager.
He made her feel like a love-struck teenager.
Louise squeezed her eyes shut. If only she could take it all back and start over. But wasn't that the story of her life? She'd managed to make her bad situation even worse. She didn't even know which she regretted more, messing up her plan to charm Trent or discovering how wonderful having him pull her close and kiss her so thoroughly she couldn't even remember where she was or what she was supposed to be doing.
No man had ever made her feel that way. If kissing someone she was only attracted to left her out of breath and longing for more, what would a lover's kiss be like?
Louise turned to the thick pillar Trent had leaned against.
His arms had held her so tightly that when she leaned into him, her feet had barely touched the planks of the porch. The tender caress of his lips brought new sensations to life. Sensations she delighted in and feared at the same time. Although the experience left her breathless, the effect had been one-sided. Trent had left without so much as a goodbye.
He'd made his lack of interest crystal clear. Maybe, at first, he'd been curious, but it had been short-lived. If he'd wanted more from her he would have stayed.
The realization of how easily he'd pushed her aside forced her to accept the bleakness of her situation. Things were bad, and she wasn't about to give up, but she steadfastly refused to throw in the towel and go home. Regrouping and establishing a new way to go about things was all she needed to get back on track.
She accepted the fact that she was attracted to the sexy and unreachable Trent Parker and he wanted nothing to do with her personally.
That left only one way to reach him---professionally.
Since he was a businessman, that approach ought to work perfectly with him. Maybe she should've tried it from the start.
Louise headed toward the taxi stand. She had one night to come up with another plan. Apparently she didn't have enough appeal for Trent the man. Maybe she could find a way to attract the attention of Mr. Parker, the new business owner. Considering his lack of interest in the stable, that prospect seemed dim, but not impossible.
The bellman waved down one of the fine carriages that belonged to the hotel. The pair of horses stepped to the curb. The driver tipped his hat to her as the bellman opened the small carriage door. She opened her purse to draw out some bills.
"Mr. Parker took care of all the expenses. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Miss."
She tried to offer the men a smile but failed miserably. With a sigh, she dropped herself onto the red tufted seat. The beauty of the evening was wasted on her. Alone and filled with doubts, she gave the driver the name of her rooming house and sat back to try and think.
TRENT DRANK THE last of his black morning coffee and tossed the white Styrofoam cup into the wastebasket. The sound of the empty cup hitting the bottom of the metal can echoed into the early stillness of the stable.
He'd needed that hefty amount of caffeine after the sleepless night he'd spent tossing and turning in his lonely hotel bed. Even in his sleep the delicate scent of pear blossoms seemed to cling to him, reminding him of the willing way Louise had softened in his arms.
Maybe she wouldn't have regretted giving him more than a few kisses.
Maybe he was an idiot for thinking about her.
Somewhere in the barn he heard Pete's low muttering---he was probably talking to the horses as he fed them. That guy sure kept busy caring for the animals and doing whatever needed to be done. Too bad he wasn't a carpenter, Trent mused. The sound of the large front doors being slid open rolled through the barn. The day was getting started, and he'd soon be seeing the source of his frustration and foul mood.
Louise.
Trent kicked the office door shut. Let her knock.
For the first time, wondered if maybe she hadn't had her own agenda last night. He'd turned his share of female heads, but after the way he'd treated Louise, he seriously doubted she'd suddenly found him irresistible. The way she'd touched him ... that kiss...
A wry smile curved his lips and he almost smacked his forehead. What a sucker he was. Of course she had a plan. To her it was all about the job. Undoubtedly, she always put business first, even if that meant pretending that pleasure was for pleasures sake.
But could someone fake a response, a kiss, like that?
A light knock at the door promised to get him some quick answers. "Come in, Louise."
As she pushed open the door, he turned away to pretend interest in the cloudy morning outside.
The faint crunch of her steps on the floor preceded her greeting. "Good morning, Mr. Parker."
Trent stiffened. She'd retreated to that cool formal tone. Was this the same woman who kissed him last night? He turned and let his gaze roam lazily over her blue jeans and simple pink T-shirt. Yes, she was the very same one. The one who could use whatever business skills were necessary to get a job done. "Don't you think, after last night, we're on a first name basis?"
The bland expression ruining her face didn't change. "You're still my boss."
"So I am." He shrugged, not at all sure where she was going. "For the moment."
She stuffed her hands in her pockets and stepped forward. "I have a proposal for you."
Her attempt to look relaxed didn't fool him. She wanted something. He lifted his eyebrows playfully. "Another one?"
A pleasing red flush crept across her cheeks, but she squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Do you want to hear my offer or not?"
"Is it the same one as last night?" He hoped she hadn't heard the huskiness in his voice, because then she'd know she'd gotten to him. And how.
She backed up and glanced fleetingly at the doorway. He shouldn't care about upsetting her, but he did. "Fine, Louise. Tell me your business proposal."
"I'd like you to give me four weeks to turn this place around. Since I haven't looked at the books yet, I can't be sure how bad things are, but we can both tell this place is not doing much business. If you'll give me the time," she continued with confidence, "I'm sure I can convince you to keep the stable."
He wanted to tell her that nothing could convince him to keep the stinking, lousy place. But he didn't. He couldn't.
He'd never been one to give voice to knee jerk reactions---at least business ones---and he wasn't about to start. Even though something about the woman standing a few feet away made his mind spin with confusion, he still had a few shreds of self-control. Besides, the advantage of her offer went two ways.
It would give him enough time to get the answers he wanted about his father and why he'd bought Hawk's. Then he'd sell the old pile of rotting boards and be done with it, his father, and Miss All-business.
He'd get everything he wanted. She'd get her four weeks.
In her ponytail and freshly scrubbed face, Louise looked more like a high school girl than an experienced businesswoman. But he couldn't let her looks fool him. "At the end of the four weeks, when I decide to sell, you'll leave me alone?"
"If."
"When," he corrected with a firmness she couldn't miss.
She shrugged to say she wasn't willing to accept the inevitable.
That wasn't his problem.
"Okay, Miss Hart, you have your four weeks."
She smiled. Not the same heart-melting smile he'd seen last night, but a professional one. Stiff and formal. Appropriate.
ANXIOUS TO GET away from Trent, Louise hurried down the aisle. That had been too easy. She'd been ready with several good arguments about why her plan was the most businesslike way to handle things and she'd carefully thought of answers to all his possible objections, but he'd simply given in. Sure, she'd gotten what she wanted, but the victory didn't feel complete.
If he decided to sell after the four weeks were up, there would be no discussion. He'd made that clear with more than words. The determined expression in his eyes, and the tightness around his mouth, assured her he wouldn't hesitate to get rid of the stable if she didn't succeed at improving the business.
Louise had to push the doubts out of her head. She should be relieved. She should be excited. She'd wanted a good challenge and she'd gotten it. Most importantly, she had a job and the threat of having to go back home was gone. For four weeks, anyway. That was better than returning in defeat before she'd even started.
For now, she had to remain determined and had to keep her mind on business. She reached into her back pocket for the small notebook she'd stuck there. In her usual style, she'd start with some lists. Lists of things that needed fixing, lists of chores, lists of horses and their health, and anything else she could think of. Then, after Trent left, she'd look over the files on the computer and make sure the office was organized.
After that, maybe she'd go online and try to come up with some promotional ideas. For now, she had a place of employment and enough work to keep her busy for every minute of the four weeks.
LONG AFTER THE lunch hour, Trent lingered at the café patio table where he'd eaten. The day had grown gray and dark clouds hung low, blocking out most of the sunlight. Michigan weather was known for is unpredictability, but this gloom didn't look like it was ever going away.
Trent shifted in his chair and pulled his jacket around his shoulders. He was avoiding Louise and her wonderful businesslike examination of the stupid stable. He was also avoiding a telephone call he had to make.
When he'd left his computer systems consulting firm the morning of his father's funeral, he'd told his business manager he'd be back in a week. That week was up, and it didn't look like he'd be returning anytime soon.
Thanks to email and telephones, his company would run smoothly without him on sight for a while. Concern about his absence wasn't what bothered him. What kept him sitting out in the cold was the sympathy he'd hear from his staff when he told them he'd be gone for four weeks. Everyone assumed he'd been deeply affected by his father's passing and he'd never bothered to correct their misplaced concerns.
The bright side, if there was one, was that after the month was up, everyone at the office would've forgotten about poor Trent's deceased father and gotten on with the business of business. He wouldn't have to put up with any more bouquets of flowers or sympathy cards.
The waitress came by and asked if he wanted more coffee. He glanced up, prepared to accept her offer, but the scowl marring her otherwise pretty face had him swallowing his words. He'd obviously been sitting there too long. "No, thanks. I'll just take my bill, please."
After he paid his bill, he hurried down Huron Street toward Hawk's. Because his cell couldn't seem to pick up any satellites while he was on the island, he was going to be tied to landlines for a while. He could use the phone there to make his call. It was closer than the hotel and he really needed to get the task over with.
The office was probably the last place Louise would go. She was sure to be inspecting the sorry-looking stalls, or the broken down tools, or some other worthless part of the business. Maybe after he'd called his office he'd go try out one of the many intriguing tiny pubs along the side streets. Sitting on a stool clutching a cold beer and watching baseball might be the best and most productive way to spend the rest of his afternoon.
THE TRIP TO Hawk's went quickly and Trent soon found himself at the fence surrounding the front yard. He spotted Louise talking with Pete; his reaction was instant. Against his will his hands warmed with the need to touch her and his mouth hungered for a taste of hers.
She stood with her back to him, holding up something that looked like a map. The rise of her arms created an arch in her back and Trent could easily imagine how she would feel pulled against him that way. The swing of her hips, when she turned from Pete to the map then back to Pete, forced a lump into Trent's throat.
The memory of how the delicate curve of her hips felt surfaced despite his efforts to hold it down. He remembered a lot more than that, but rehashing it all wasn't going to accomplish anything. All he wanted was to get to the phone and make that call. After he took care of that, he'd find one of those pubs and order that ice cold drink. Maybe a frosty beer would cool him off.
Trent avoided Louise, who was intent on her conversation, deciding to hop the fence and head in through the side door. He almost made it without being noticed, but chanced a look at Louise right before he slipped into the barn and as a result, he tripped in a hole.
"If you're going to go sneaking around, you should watch where you're going," she said with a chuckle.
"Who said I was sneaking around?" he replied in his own defense.
She glanced pointedly toward the fence he'd hopped.
Frustration made him frown. "Don't you have something important to do?"
"As a matter of fact I do." She stepped closer and smiled despite his grim expression. "And I'd like you to do it with me."
That caught his attention.
Without considering what he might be getting himself into, he headed toward her and Pete. He nodded a greeting at Pete and looked at the map Louise held. Solid and dotted lines of all the biking, hiking, and riding trails zigzagged across the island. "I didn't realizes the trails were so extensive," he commented, genuinely surprised.
A bright flash of excitement lit up her eyes. "Isn't it great?"
At a loss for words, he shrugged. His gut tightened. Something was about to happen he wasn't going to like.
"Pete's going to get a horse for me, so I can explore the island. I'm sure he'll be happy to get one for you too."
Pete didn't wait for a response. "I'll get 'em ready. Be right back."
The old man's back jerked side to side as he shuffled off. Then the meaning of her words sunk in. Louise wanted him to go riding with her.
"Will you be okay with those shoes, or do you have boots to wear?"
Trent looked down at his feet, as if seeing his shoes for the first time. What difference did it make? He looked at her feet. She had on the same tan lace up work boots she'd been wearing that morning.
She lifted one foot up, considering her footwear. "I used to have some show boots, but most of the time I wore these."
Show boots. Of course she knew how to ride, and well. Trent did not like just realizing that fact as a pair of saddled horses was led to them. Pete handed him the reins of a huge white animal. He was supposed to sit on that thing?
Mischief glinted in Louise's eyes. "Guess those shoes will have to do."
She accepted the reins of a dark horse, scratched its neck, grabbed a chunk of mane, and like some cowgirl in a movie, swung into the saddle. The fluid motion made his head spin. If she expected him to do that, she was going to be disappointed. Or very entertained.
The white horse swished its tail impatiently. Everything was happening too fast. Why did they have to explore the island anyway?
She lifted one eyebrow and stared down at him. "You know how to ride, don't you?" He couldn't mistake the challenge in her voice.
Honesty was the only policy for this. "No, I don't."
She reached down to adjust her stirrup, or maybe to hide a smile. "Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."
That didn't sound promising. "You'll go easy on me?"
Her smile never faltered. "Of course."
"Maybe I'm not going with you."
"Yes you are." She straightened in the saddle and moved her horse over so she stared down at him. "You own a riding stable, Trent. You have to ride."
So much for the phone call.
Disgusted for getting himself into the situation, he reached for the white horse's mane, the way he'd seen Louise and tried to swing into the saddle. The movement didn't feel smooth, but after a couple hard hops he managed to get himself into the saddle, and once again eye level with Louise.
"Okay, let's go," he said with confidence he didn't yet feel.
Lucky for Trent his horse followed Louise's as she headed out of the yard. His feet swung and his thighs bounced hard against the saddle. After awhile, maybe he'd get used to the odd movement of the animal below him. The stiff saddle might be another story.
"I'll take care of things here," Pete called after them. "You two take your time."
"Thanks, Pete," replied Trent over his shoulder as he turned his attention to Louise. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. If riding behind her meant having a clear view of her feminine curves, he'd be happy to follow her lead.
They walked the horses along the side of Cadotte Avenue past The Majestic. Several children pointed and waved as they moved past the huge hill covered with families managing to enjoy the afternoon despite the gloomy weather. Once they were well beyond the hotel, a trail came into view. Louise stopped her horse. She lifted herself slightly out of the saddle, set one hand on her horse's back hip, and looked at him over her shoulder. "How're you doing?"
She had a knack for twisting her body into the most innocent, but alluring positions. "What?"
She rolled her eyes and pointed to the huge white animal under him. "How are you doing?"
"Oh, that." He glanced at the big, brown saddle. What could go wrong? "Fine."
"You ready to move a little faster?"
Sticking with his honesty is best policy, Trent asked, "What do I have to do?"
"It's easy." She turned her horse around so she faced him and waited for him to guide his horse up near hers.
"The first thing you have to remember is to relax your hips. Let them move naturally with the horse. If you don't, you'll bounce all over the place. Got that?"
Trent smirked. "Relax my hips."
"To get your horse to move, squeeze with both legs." Louise ignored his leer. "Let's hope he'll canter for you. If he doesn't, he'll probably trot and it'll be bumpy. If he trots, keep squeezing your legs until he moves out. Believe me, a nice canter is a much easier ride. Got it,?"
Trent hadn't heard anything past relax your hips and let them move naturally. He abandoned his honesty policy and lied. "Sure, I got it."
After turning around, she guided her horse to the head of the trail and made a clicking sound. Her brown horse switched its tail and took off. Before Trent had a chance to even try and remember any of what she'd said, his horse sprang to life and raced down the trail.
At first it didn't seem too bad. He clung to the tall thing at the front of the saddle and managed to keep his balance. But his horse was intent on keeping up with Louise's, and Louise seemed bent on racing through the woods at break neck speed. The animal beneath him stretched low as it ran faster. With much effort, he managed to get a clear view of the trail ahead.
The big brown horse in front of him didn't seem to move with the same jarring motion as his white one. He watched Louise's back as she rocked in the saddle, one hand resting across her thigh. Why wasn't she clinging for dear life and being jostled all over the place like he was?
He continued to grip the saddle with both hands while branches whipped past his face. The reins slipped from his hand and drooped over the horse's neck. Trent figured he was probably supposed to use them to guide the animal, but what difference did it make with Louise leading the way? All he had to do was hang on. She would slow down eventually.
Wouldn't she?
Everything blurred past him as he bounced in the saddle. He was sure he and the animal were moving in opposite directions. Each time he went down, the horse rose up. It was a very painful combination.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered Louise's advice about his hips. He loosened his death grip on the saddle and relaxed his legs and hips. For an instant he thought he'd done the right thing, he and the horse seemed to be in sync.
His victory was short-lived. The next thing he knew, he was sliding down the side of the animal. He floundered for the reins and missed the bouncing straps by scant inches.
White fur whizzed past.
He tumbled toward the ground ... face first.
WHEN THE STEADY pounding of Trent's horse faded, Louise slowed her mount and turned to look for him. She spotted his white horse right away, but Trent wasn't on it.
Her stomach knotted with concern. After she dodged a few branches to turn around, she cantered back down the trail.
By the time she reached him, he'd gotten himself upright and was sitting with his legs sprawled out in front of him, glaring at his horse. The animal lingered nearby, looking baffled by his rider's odd behavior.
She leaned down. "You all right?"
Either Trent didn't hear her, or didn't care to answer. Uh oh. She had a guilty feeling it was the latter and she wouldn't blame him if he was mad. She shouldn't have taken off the way she had, but somehow felt he'd had it coming. Sorta.
Trent nodded and muttered. He looked annoyed, but unharmed. She swung her leg over her horse and dropped to the ground. After she looped the reins over a low branch, she kneeled in front of him.
"Are you hurt?"
He smacked some dirt off his pants and looked up with a silly blank expression.
"I was relaxing my hips."
Louise breathed a sigh of relief, and held back a smile. So he had been listening to her instructions after all. "That should've kept you from falling off."
"That's what I thought." He grinned, rising to his feet. His gaze darkened and skimmed across her middle. He stepped closer. "Letting them move naturally and all that."
Instantly, Louise reacted to the subtle change in his eyes and her breath caught in her throat. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry you told me your secret?"
"Secret?"
His mouth slanted into a sexy grin and he set his hands on his sides just below his waist. "About the hips."
She couldn't have imagined the suggestive tone in his voice or that smile. How had his fall turned into an attempted seduction? "It's not a secret."
He chuckled. "Then everybody knows how to do it?"
She shifted away from him, but he was too quick. She found herself standing inches from him, with his hands resting lightly on her waist.
The quick rise and fall of her chest gave everything away. She didn't need a mirror to know that her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were wide. As his gaze moved across her face, he leaned nearer. At such close range she couldn't hide the way he affected her. She needed to get away from the rush of longing that had been ignited within her, but the glimmer of uncertainty she saw in the depths of his eyes kept her still. She never would've expected to find anything but total confidence in his gaze. The contrast of her expectations with what she saw shocked her and she couldn't look away, but she couldn't stand the intensity of their silence "Guess it isn't a good idea, trying to teach your boss how to ride..." She chuckled nervously, "Guess this'll go into my evaluation..."
She waited, held motionless by an emotion she couldn't define, as he studied her. He parted his lips, to kiss her, and still she waited, ready.... But he didn't lower his head. Instead he straightened and loosened his grip. Although no breeze blew, a chill surged through Louise and she shivered from it's cooling touch.
His eyebrows dropped and he frowned. As if he realized he was giving away some piece of himself, he abruptly lowered his hands and stepped back. He reached for the reins of his horse and stumbled to the animal's side. A little more gracefully than the first time, he swung into the saddle and stared down at her.
A sturdy barrier of silence hung in the air. Its wall was so solid it blocked any connection they might have shared. Whatever she'd seen, or thought she saw, in his gaze was gone along with any tenderness that might've lingered with it.
His voice was as impassive as his face. "Let's go."
She regretted, taking advantage of the fact that he didn't know how to ride but couldn't get the words I'm sorry out. Even if she could, she was pretty sure he didn't want to hear them. Louise un-looped the reins and mounted. She pressed her horse along, but kept it at a walk.
Each hoof fall of the horse behind her echoed in the small cloud-darkened forest that filled the center of the island. The fog of tension swelled as they moved along the narrow trail. After awhile they came to a paved road. Louise prodded her horse onto it, then stopped and waited for Trent. Soon, his horse appeared. He nodded at her, but said nothing.
After Louise checked her trail map and made note of their location, she tucked it into her hip pocket. "The airport is north of us. There're some more trails up that way and I think one of them runs along the bluff." She offered a hesitant smile. "The view should be fantastic."
A glimmer of a smile creased Trent's mouth. "Sounds good, but at this pace we'll be gone so long, Pete will send out a search party."
Not sure if he was ready to laugh about his fall yet, Louise asked, "How're you feeling?"
"My pride is still a little bruised."
"Your fall is mostly my fault. I shouldn't have taken off before you were ready."
"No, you were just doing what comes..." He paused and grinned, obviously not holding what would have been an understandable grudge. "Naturally."
Tension eased out of her shoulders. "Let's not start all that again."
"Later, then."
She laughed in spite of her confusion. He was different away from the stable and whatever memories haunted him there. "For now, let's have a review."
Louise repeated all her instructions, except the part about the hips. He'd heard that bit. When she asked him to stand in the saddle to check the length of his stirrups she noticed something wasn't right. She dismounted and asked him to do the same.
"You like watching me make a fool of myself?" he asked as he swung down.
Louise ignored his comment and reached for the cinch and tugged on it to confirm what she suspected. "It's too loose." She pulled the strap away from the horse's belly to show him. "It should be snug enough to hold the saddle in place." With two quick movements she tightened it and checked it again. "That's better."
Trent stepped up alongside Louise. He reached for the saddle and pulled on it the way she had. "Thanks, coach."
Louise shifted, putting some much-needed distance between them. "No thanks necessary," she said as she swung onto her horse. "Would it help to heal your wounded pride if you knew that loose girth could have caused your fall?"
"I'd been wondering about that." Trent avoided her gaze and brushed a hand casually through his hair. Was he hiding concern? Silently, he mounted his horse and got settled.
If he'd been a rider out on a rented horse and that had happened ... insurance, lawyers ... Something like that could mean the end of Hawk's that was for sure. To avoid losing everything, he'd probably have to sell. He wouldn't back out his agreement, would he?
She had to keep him from even considering it. "I'll talk with Pete as soon as we get back. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
Louise glanced at the trail ahead then back to Trent. "Ready to move on?"
He nodded, and nudged his horse with his legs to follow her head again. Although his gaze was fixed on the road ahead, he didn't seem to be watching where they were going. Louise was having a hard time putting Pete's oversight out of her mind and it seemed that Trent was worried about it, too.
Not that she could blame him.
"You don't have confidence in me?" he asked, surprising her out of her concerns. "I promise I listened to everything you said."
It took a couple seconds for Louise to figure out he was talking about his newfound riding ability. "Keep squeezing until he canters," she reminded him "It'll be worth the effort. Trust me."
Glad to have the loose cinch matter closed for the moment, she turned to the trail and urged her horse into a slow canter. As the leaves flashed by she listened to the hoof beats of Trent's horse. When she was sure his mount was moving along at a canter, she savored the sensation of speed as they ran through the woods.
Now it seemed that rather than detracting from the trees around them, the cloudy sky enhanced their beauty. The dark background showed off the bright greens of the early summer foliage. A few birds called from their nests high in the treetops.
Louise glanced back at Trent. He nodded and smiled. Maybe he'd turned into a natural cowboy in a matter of minutes. She clucked to her horse and they pressed on a bit faster.
TRENT'S STOMACH HAD been growling long before they passed through Hawk's gate. Although they'd ridden for hours, Louise was still fresh and energetic. Except for the stray pieces of hair framing her face, she looked as dazzling as when they'd started out.
The ride had been great, but even though he didn't admit it to his tour guide, weariness had settled in a while ago. He wanted a hot meal and had a suspicion he needed a hot shower as well.
Pete came out to greet them and when the wiry man reached for the reins with his left hand Trent spotted a bandage wrapped around his other wrist.
Trent swung his right leg across the horse and slid down. He hit the ground with a jolt and when he tried to walk, his legs wobbled ridiculously beneath him. He glanced at Louise to see if her limbs were also suffering. If they were, she wasn't showing it. She was leading her horse to the wide trough by the side of the barn. Louise was staring at Pete's bandage while the animal drank.
"Pete, what happened?" Trent asked as he led his own mount to the trough
"I'm not real sure," he replied over his shoulder. "I had the doc check me over. He said to take it easy for a couple days. It's strain or sprain or something like that."
Once the horse started drinking, Pete turned around. "Don't you worry though, I'll get my work done. I took some aspirins so it won't bother me none."
Louise stepped around to stand next to Pete. "You're not sure how it happened?"
Pete shook his head. "No, Ma'am."
Trent watched for a reaction from Louise, but nothing showed on her face.
"When did it start hurting?" she asked.
Pete's gaze darted between them. "Late last night, Miss Hart." He nodded again in the same exaggerated fashion. "Don't you worry. Like I told Mr. Parker, I'll be fine. I'll get all my work done."
Louise flashed the nervous man a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you will Pete." She glanced at Trent. "We just want to be sure you're okay. That's all."
Pete's old face twisted to one side. "Thanks for that."
Louise smiled at him again. "Tell you what, Pete. Why don't you let Trent and me take care of these horses? We'll close up for the night."
"You sure about that?" he asked, looking doubtfully at Trent.
Trying to forget about his wobbly legs and empty stomach, Trent nodded. "Sure. I have to learn this stuff anyway."
Louise's face brightened as if he'd just told her she'd won the lottery. Maybe she was reading this small gesture of interest as something more than it was. She probably hoped he was beginning to actually enjoy the place.
Pete said thanks then started to move away but stopped and turned back around. "A man came by looking for you, Trent. Nobody I've ever seen around."
The developer who'd contacted him about buying the stable? "Did he leave a message?"
"Nope. He said he'd come by tomorrow." With that, he shuffled off toward his apartment.
"What do you think about his wrist?" Trent asked, once the old man was out of earshot.
She shrugged. "It would explain why the cinch wasn't tight enough," she said without confidence.
Trent's stomach clenched and growled again. "Let's get these horses put away, so we can eat. My treat, if I get to pick the restaurant."
Louise gestured to her jeans sprinkled with horsehair. "I'm hardly dressed for dinner."
"We'll go somewhere casual."
She smirked.
"I'm sure these people have seen horse hair before."
The pretty sound of her laughter drifted around the yard. "I suppose you're right about that."
"It's a date then?"
"No. It's dinner." She spun away from him and led her horse around to the side of the barn.
Yes. Of course.
He copied her movements when she unhooked the cinch and laid the saddle upright against the barn. He took a halter---as she did---from a hook on the side of the building. Replacing the bridle with it proved to be tricky, but he managed. After they led the animals to the small fenced-in area behind the barn, they put the saddles and bridles away in a storage area she called the tack room.
Once they were back outside, Louise paused by the pen to watch the animals. She turned to him after the horses trotted further away. "They need to walk out that long ride. After dinner we can come back and put them in for the night."
Right then he would've agreed to anything to get them closer to hot food. "Fine. We'll lock up when we get back."
Trent eyed the horses as they moved around the pen. The slant of the early evening sun made their coats glow.
Louise slid over next him. "Beautiful sight, aren't they?"
Her face was flushed the same pink color it had been after he'd kissed her so thoroughly the other night. Strands of her windblown hair caressed her neck. "Yes, very beautiful," he answered, not thinking about the horses at all.
LOUISE FLIPPED OVER her plastic-coated menu for the third time. She studied the cover that featured a pen and ink drawing of a horse drawn taxi. The restaurant was predictably named The Carriage House.
Having an appetite wasn't the problem. She'd worked through lunch and after that ride, she was starving. The man across the table provided part of the distraction that kept her from making up her mind about what to order. It seemed that they were pretending that almost-kiss never happened. The other part was that loose cinch. His fall could've been much worse.
"Nothing looks good?" Trent asked.
"Everything sounds great." She dropped the menu onto the table. "I can't decide."
"Are you so amazed by my trail riding skills that you can't think?" Trent leaned forward and smiled. "Or do you have a thing about ordering from menus?"
One side of her mouth curved up. "Whatever."
The waitress sauntered over. Trent took Louise's menu and handed it with his to the redhead tapping a pencil on a green pad. "Two burgers with fries." Then he glanced at Louise. "Okay?"
She nodded.
After the waitress walked off, Trent faced her. "Tell me your plans for the stable. What're you going to tackle first?"
Talking with Pete.
No, she wanted to stay away from that topic. She'd do better to stay positive and keep Trent from reconsidering the agreement. She made a mental note to look into hiring another person to take some of the workload off of Pete, then said, "I've made a list of repairs that need doing right away. For one thing, the main doors don't close up tight. Besides being unsafe, the night wind blows right in. I understand the horses aren't kept on the island over the winter, but still it needs to be taken care of."
Trent looked out the window. "I wouldn't know what happens here over the winter."
The slight edge in his voice made Louise curious. Maybe he needed to talk. "Did your dad tell you much about the stable?"
"No, he didn't tell me anything."
Louise lowered her voice. "Maybe it was a sudden decision to buy Hawk's."
"I wouldn't know about that either."
That unmistakable strain in his voice. It meant something. "You didn't know about the stable? Didn't he tell you anything about it?"
"I didn't even know about it until my father's lawyer told me I'd inherited it."
That was really odd, but she didn't say anything. Trent obviously had a very different relationship with his parents than she had with hers.
"My father and I weren't very close," he said.
She remembered the first time she saw him and how his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "What about your mother?"
"She died in a car accident when I was little."
The words I'm sorry stuck in Louise's throat. They would only be a feeble attempt to be polite and sound trite in comparison to all that he'd missed out on.
Thankfully, the waitress came by and provided a distraction by placing two huge glasses of ice water on the table. Louise picked hers up and downed almost half of it.
"Trent Parker?"
Trent's grim expression faded as he stood and offered his hand to the gray-haired man standing beside their table. "Have we met?"
"No, I worked with your father on his recent deal." After they'd finished the handshake, the man reached into his pocket of his pressed business casual slacks to pull out a business card. "My name's Michael Robbins."
Trent glanced at the card, and his expression became guarded. "Which deal was that, Mr. Robbins?"
Mr. Robbins didn't notice the edge in Trent's voice. He flashed a smile and tipped his head. "Hawk's, of course."
Trent's smile vanished. "He bought Hawk's from you?"
"No, Trent." The man laughed nervously, but kept trying to grin. "I'm in real estate. I made the deal. It was an excellent one if I do say so myself. 'Course it wasn't easy, but well ... for a man like your father, things get done."
Trent tossed the business card onto the table. "Excellent for who? That place is fit to be torn down."
"Like I told your dad, it's a gold mine, a diamond in the rough." The real estate agent stepped back. "Just needs a little work, that's all."
Trent's expression shifted to one of disgust. "I can't believe he listened to you."
The man took another step backward. "Maybe your dad does business different than you. Different vision, you might say. He was very happy with the deal."
"Maybe my father was a fool, and you took advantage of him."
For the first time, the man looked at Louise. His fake smile faltered. "Enjoy your meal, Miss." With that, he turned and strode through the restaurant.
Glaring at man's back, Trent dropped stiffly into his chair. "What a jerk."
Louise wondered if Trent's emotional pain was clouding his judgment, but she simply nodded.
"He knew my father."
Defeat covered Trent's face, tearing at her heart. "He probably didn't know him, Trent. He only arranged the sale on the stable."
He rubbed his hands across his face. "Why would my father listen to that man? Why did he buy the place?"
She'd wondered the same thing. "I don't know."
Trent looked at the door. "I wonder if that guy knows something about the stable. Something I don't. Maybe I should've taken it easy on him, so I could've asked him some questions."
Louise pointed down. "He gave you his card."
Trent tapped the card he'd thrown onto the table. A tiny sold sign was featured in the top corner of the card. "I guess I could call him, smooth things over and then ask him a few things."
She could think of a couple things herself. Could they have the same questions? "What is it you want to know?" she asked.
He drummed his fingers on the tabletop. "I'm not sure."
"Two burgers?" A new waitress laid the plates on the table. "Janet's taking a break. Let me know if you need anything." The new girl gave Trent a suggestive smile. "Anything at all."
He ignored her obvious offer and waved her off with one hand while he stared at the card in the other. The girl cast Louise a scowl, and left with a swish of her uniform skirt.
Their conversation evaporated and Louise watched Trent between bites. Whatever problems he had with his father still affected him and the more time he spent on the island dealing with the memories of his father, the worse his pain. It didn't seem like the stable was the sole cause of the anguish, but it had something to do with their broken relationship. Something that didn't get resolved before his father's death.
She could try to guess what the source was, but she didn't know Trent well enough to pry into his personal life. If the island continued to remind him of things he wanted to forget, he might change his mind about their four-week deal. A pang of guilt tugged at her stomach. It was selfish of her to worry about her job when Trent was mourning his father.
Deep in thought, Trent stared out the window beside their table. His burger sat untouched. His mood was enough to convince her that she could do nothing to help him. He'd forgotten all about her and watching him brood wasn't going to make things better.
She ate the rest of her sandwich and then stood up. "I'll see you later. I'm going to go take care of the horses and lock up for the night."
He offered her a quick smile.
She left the restaurant more convinced than ever that he was having harder time dealing with his father's death than he wanted to admit. There was some unfinished business between them and with his father gone, it was going to stay unfinished. Unless, of course, he simply let go.
"THANKS FOR AGREEING to meet with me on such short notice." Trent shook Mr. Robbins's hand. After they were both seated in the porch chairs of his hotel, he continued with a smile, "After the way I acted when you came over to introduce yourself, I wouldn't have blamed you if you turned me down."
"I have to admit I wondered why the sudden interest in me, but it was that curiosity that made me agree to come on over."
Suddenly, Trent was nervous and couldn't decide what to ask first. He wasn't even sure what he wanted to know. "Would you like something to drink?"
Mr. Robbins chuckled and crossed his leg. "No. And I don't think you do either. Let's get down to it, shall we. You want to know what your dad paid for the stable, isn't that it? You're thinking about selling it yourself, and you want to know what it's worth. I can understand that."
Trent shook his head. "I am curious about what he paid, but that isn't really what I want to know."
Mr. Robbins raised his eyebrows and remained silent, so Trent continued. "I don't understand why he bought Hawk's."
"Why does any man buy any business? Money, investment, sometimes there's even a personal interest involved. It isn't my job to ask why a man wants to buy something, it's simply my job to make it happen."
His initial dislike for the man was starting to fade. What he said made sense, but still he asked, "Aren't you ever curious?"
"Of course, but I discovered early on in my career if I ask too many questions the client will drop me and move on to a realtor who's less nosy," after a minute, he added, "No clients, no money. Not much of a way to earn a living."
A teenage couple strolled past and even though they were yards away on the street, Trent had to hold his next question because of the huge boom box the boy carried was blaring at full volume.
"So you don't know why my dad bought Hawk's?"
Mr. Robbins shook his head while his gaze stayed on the teenagers a moment longer. "No, I can honestly tell you I have no idea what your father was doing with the stable. So," he turned to flash Trent a smile, "Do you want to sell? Because I know a developer who's interested."
"Keith Klinger?"
Mr. Robbins sat upright. "You know him?"
"I talked to him on the phone and I think he came by Hawk's the other day."
"He's real anxious. Said something about rebuilding from the ground up."
The image of Louise's pretty face flashed in Trent's mind. Four weeks was a long time in the business world. "Yeah. I know."
"You gonna sell?"
Get rid of the place and all the memories of my father? "I'm thinking about it."
"He might change his mind, or find another lot." Mr. Robbins was on the edge of his seat, almost rubbing his palms in glee. "What me to give him a call? Tell him you're thinking about it? I can get something together, a nice deal that will suit you both."
Trent found himself nodding. "Sure."
Mr. Robbins hopped to his feet and grinned. "I'll be in touch. Anything else I can help you with tonight?"
Sure. Do you have a fail proof system for disappointing a pretty girl?
The realtor didn't notice Trent's frown as he made his goodbye and sauntered down the stairs. Once the man was out of sight, Trent slumped in his chair and stared across at the calm waters. Each day on the island seemed to be more complicated that the one before it. How can any of this turn out right?
SUNDAY AFTERNOON TRENT sighed with relief as he hung up the office phone. He'd been lucky enough to catch his office manager at home and after letting her know that he would be gone for possibly up to four weeks and accepting condolences on behalf of everyone in the office, he could finally believe that he had dealt with the last of other people's emotions.
From somewhere in the barn, Louise's voice glided to him as she said hello to each of the horses. He could imagine her, patting each one, and offering it a treat. He wouldn't mind forgetting all about the questions plaguing him and accepting some of her pats as well. With one last glance at the nearly blank ledger in front of him, he jerked his chair back and stood, feeling the effects of their long ride yesterday. His sore muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored the pain and went to find Louise outside the stall of the dark horse she'd been riding the day before.
She turned with a smile already crossing her face. "Shall I tack them up again?"
"Tack them up?" he asked.
"Put on the saddle and bridle."
That was not what he had in mind. "No, thanks."
She chuckled. "Sore?"
He shrugged. "A little."
"I am, too." She turned back to the horse. "I never really thanked you for dinner, so, thanks."
He could get accustomed to her gentle voice. When she looked so delicate and sweet, as she did standing there petting the horse, it was easy for him to forget that she was off limits.
Someone who could hurt him. Someone like his dad.
She faced him, her smile still in place. "You seemed a little distracted after that real estate man came by."
Trent jerked. Maybe she wasn't exactly like Mr. Parker. She seemed to see right through his masked emotions, especially when he most wanted to hide them. He searched her face. Had someone told her that he'd met with Mr. Robbins last night?
She dropped her hands from the horse. "I'm sorry you lost your father, so suddenly. Before you two had a chance to talk."
Her eyes clouded as though she cared, ruling out an underhanded tactic to get information out of him. Confusion spiraled through him. Why should she care about his relationship with his father? He never knew the man and now he never would.
He struggled to tamp down the frustration simmering inside and sought for a way to hold himself together. The gaze of her eyes softened and dropped to his mouth. Her lips parted slightly. In desperation he tried to clear his head, but it didn't work.
The temptation to kiss her took hold and he couldn't shake it. Weary of fighting against his inconsistent emotions, he bent down and pressed his mouth to hers. It started out as an easy, light kiss. But when she gasped with surprise, he moved closer and planted his hands on either side of her shoulders.
Kissing her was perfection. The sweet scent of her breath and the softness of her mouth made him burn. Everything around them disappeared and all he could think about was the eager movement of her lips and the gentle way her hands skimmed across his ribs. When she struggled for a breath, he pulled away to look into her eyes. As soon as their gazes connected, she turned away, murmuring something he couldn't hear.
Before he had a chance to question her, a rattle from the office distracted him. She turned and he stepped back.
An odd scraping sound followed the rattle. His heart picked up speed and his muscles tightened. The loose girth from the day before had him on edge. That and the glaring fact that he knew nothing about the stable or the people connected to it. He glanced at Louise, and she nodded. Assuming that meant she wondered about the noise too, he pointed. She nodded again. As quietly as he could, he crept down the aisle with Louise a half-step behind.
By the time he reached the office door, the only sounds were the ones he'd come to recognize as typical barn noises.
He peered into the office. It was empty. The ledger still lay where he'd left it. Everything looked exactly as before. Even his chair was where he'd left it---right under the open window.
He considered the window more carefully. If he'd known he was going to make it easy for someone to come in that way he wouldn't have pushed the chair against the wall. But ... why would he have suspected anything? Boxes of files he hadn't even looked at covered part of the office floor. What would anyone want with those?
He crossed the room to look outside. No sign of anyone or anything out of the ordinary.
"Could it have been a mouse?"
From the doubt in her voice, he suspected she didn't believe that any more than he did. "A rattling mouse?"
She made a face and shrugged. "Guess not."
Somehow he knew that it was a person and not a creature. "It was somebody. Animals don't make noises like that."
Trent jerked open the desk drawers and shuffled through the contents. Unfortunately there was no way of telling if the things had been gone though. He'd just stuffed the folders, envelopes, and records in there that morning. He should've put them in order, but at the time it didn't seem to matter.
"You think someone was going through the desk?"
Trent tried to read her expression.
"What do you think?" he asked.
She pressed her lips together and looked around. "I think you're right. It had to be a person." Just as he had done, she peered out the window. "Maybe it was some kid messing around. Want me to look into it?"
He studied her fresh, innocent face and wanted to trust her, but he couldn't. He'd trusted his father and look how that turned out. The dull ache that still burned through him even though the man was dead and buried kept reminding him to guard his heart. He couldn't let himself get pulled in by someone who only wanted something from him.
"It's probably nothing," he said, wanting to get away from her and the recurring pain thinking about his father brought on. He should get back to finding out something about his father's deal to buy Hawk's. It was certainly much safer than standing around with Louise.
"I have to go check into some things." Calling goodbye over his shoulder, he hurried down the aisle.
TRENT DISAPPEARED THROUGH the door. What a combination. A knockout kiss then total rejection.
Louise crossed to the door and watched his broad shoulders as he hurried through the barn with long, quick strides---no doubt anxious to get away from her. She sighed. The interruption was for the best. She didn't know what came over her, kissing him like that. Regardless of how much she'd enjoyed that kiss, Trent wasn't really interested in her. He'd made that clear time and again.
Louise heard Pete calling her name. His voice sounded muffled, but she recognized it easily.
She moved to the doorway. "I'm at the office!"
The sound of voices gradually got louder until Louise saw Pete and a young woman striding toward her. When they stopped in the aisle, Louise returned the bright smile the woman offered. It wasn't hard to do, because it was contagious.
Pete waved his wrapped hand. "This here is Gail Winters. She came by looking for work."
Louise took in the young woman's lively face and then she reached out her hand. "Nice to meet you Gail. What kind of work are you looking for?"
Gail returned the handshake with a steady grip. "I grew up around horses. I can do just about anything from cleaning out stalls, to taking groups out for trail rides."
Louise quickly recognized some potential. The young woman appeared strong and capable. Two things that would make her an asset at the stable. "Do you know the trails on the island?"
"Sure," she said with a wave of her hand. "Every last inch of them. My friends and I used to spend the summer riding our bikes all over them."
"Not horses?"
Gail's gaze darted to the office doorway and then back to Louise. "Sure, horses too. Sometimes."
There wasn't much for Louise to think about. Pete's wrist was still injured and with the historic Fort Mackinac opening the next day, the tourist crowds would be arriving in masses. The tourist season would soon be in full swing and she was going to need all the help she could get. However, there was a problem. "I'm the new manager here, so I don't know what I can pay you."
"That's okay. I love working with horses and people." She grinned. "You pay me what you can then after you see this stable can't run without me, we'll talk again."
Louise chuckled. "This would only be a summer job. That okay?"
Gail looked up from brushing some dirt off her pants. "Sure, I'm on break from Northern. School starts again at the end of August."
The sudden appearance of this girl was Louise's first lucky break. Unfortunately, the possibility of Trent selling the stable still loomed in the future. For a split second she considered telling the two of them about it, but decided to wait. Maybe her luck was changing and Trent wouldn't want to get rid of Hawk's. With the right staff, she'd be able show him what a great place it could be.
Louise pointed at Pete and grinned. "Lucky for you Pete's here to do the mucking out. I'll need help at the rental office up front, matching horses to riders and getting them on their way. I guess with the bigger groups we may want to send out a trail guide." She chuckled. "Can you start tomorrow?"
"No problem," she answered with a laugh.
"Great." Having a lighthearted college student around to share the workload would make her days more fun.
Louise spread her arms wide. "Welcome to Hawk's staff."
"Too cool." Gail turned to Pete. "Thanks for your help."
He waved her off. "I didn't do anything but help you find the boss lady."
She laid her hand across Pete's arm. "I really appreciate it. It'll be fun working together."
Louise held back a chuckle. The old man, seemingly holding back a blush, looked down at his arm. "Don't mention it."
"Oh, before I forget," Pete said to Louise as he dug a crumbled yellow sheet of paper of out his pocket, "Here's the doc's note to you. He says I'll be as good as new in less than a week. I take the wrap off the day after tomorrow."
She waited while he flattened the paper, then took it from him. The note confirmed what Pete said. "Thanks, I'll make a copy for Trent."
The workman shuffled off, calling over his shoulder as he went. "I'm off to work."
"This is great," Gail gushed. "Mind if I take some time to look around? That way I'll be able to get right to work tomorrow."
"Sure, go ahead. Come find me if you need anything, otherwise, I'll see you around eight tomorrow."
Gail smiled and nodded. "Eight. Gotcha."
Louise breathed a sigh of relief. The possibility of being understaffed had been resolved even before it became a problem.
She set off to find Trent to give him a copy of the doctor's note and tell him the good news about hiring Gail. Not that she was looking for a reason to be with him---he owned the place so it was reasonable that he be kept up to date on everything.
TRENT TILTED BACK in the porch chair and propped his feet on the long white railing. The view from his hotel porch included the street below and the small docks. The sight was postcard perfect, but he could've been staring at a blank wall for all it mattered.
He tried not to think about Louise, but that proved impossible. If they hadn't been interrupted would there have been a second kiss? Then what?
No doubt she'd forgotten all about it by now. She was probably busy building a web site. Whatever she was doing it had everything to do with making Hawk's a success. Or maybe she was planning her next career move. She wasn't sitting around thinking about him. And he shouldn't be thinking about her. If only she didn't get under his skin ... make him wish for things that would never be...
Annoyed at his childish thoughts, he groaned. Since he couldn't help thinking about her, he concentrated on trying to remember her reaction to the sounds. The idea that anyone had an interest in the stable seemed ridiculous, yet he couldn't shake the notion that someone had been looking for something. Trent jerked his hand through his hair. He could pack his bag, hand the stable over to Michael Robbins, and be done with the whole thing.
But he'd given his word to Louise. And the stable was the last link he had with his father and he wasn't quite ready to cut it loose just yet. Even though leaving would be for the best.
"Trent!"
Louise was easy to spot as she hurried up the wide bricked front walk. Her carefree steps and undemanding smile had become a familiar sight. Stiffening his back didn't do anything to keep his blood from stirring, but at least now he knew to expect it.
He tried to keep his tone casual. "Hey Louise," he called, "Did you run out of broken things to worry about?"
"No, of course not," she replied perching on the edge of the chair next to his. "Here's Pete's doctor's note. It was a sprain, he'll be better in less than a week."
Trent scanned the yellow sheet of paper and then set it aside.
"Also," she went on, "I have some good news."
He studied the curve of her cheek, the shell of her ear, the fullness of her lower lip.
"Don't you want to know what it is?" she asked.
He looked away, pretending to study the carriages and people moving about on the street. "Okay, spill it."
"I hired someone to help out."
"Help with what?" His words came out harsher than he intended.
She scowled. "I hired a girl to help me at the rental desk. She knows about horses and better still she knows all the trails on the island."
"When did you hire her?"
"Just now."
He lifted an eyebrow. "How did you check her references so fast?"
She hesitated. "I didn't, Trent." She swirled her hands. "I can just tell she'll be great."
"You can just tell?"
She nodded confidently. "That's right."
Her endless go-get-em-attitude grated on his nerves. "Did you inform her that the stable may be closing in a matter of weeks?"
Her delighted expression dimmed and he hated himself for being such a jerk. But instead of apologizing, he shifted to watch a couple struggle to mount a tandem bicycle. The sight would've been funny, if he was in the mood to see the humor in anything.
"No, I didn't tell her or Pete about that."
Trent heard the soft frustration in her voice and glanced at her.
In response, she reached out to touch him. He needed to keep his distance from her if he was going to think clearly, but didn't move her hand away.
"Please don't say anything to either of them. I know it may not be the most honest thing to do, but I believe you're going to decide to keep Hawk's."
"You do?"
If she heard the misdirected sarcasm in his voice, she didn't react to it. "Yes, I do. I really want to make the stable a success."
A chattering group of camera toting tourists passed by and gave Trent an excuse to turn away from her pleading expression.
His arm cooled when she lifted her hand.
"Trent?"
He grumbled and turned. Her cautious expression surprised him. Where was her usual confidence? That unflappable optimism?
"It's all right that I hired her, isn't it?"
With his gaze, he traced the outline of her pretty face. The urge to smooth the tight pull of her eyebrows away with his fingertips made him grip the armrests of his chair. Not willing to trust his voice he nodded.
"You won't tell them about our deal?"
He couldn't deny her the chance she wanted. "No, of course not."
She let out a long breath and the cute corners of her mouth lifted again. "Thanks, Trent. You won't regret it."
The sun glinted off her hair as she strode down the sidewalk, hurrying back to work.
He already regretted their four-week agreement. Sticking around dealing with the ghost of his father, a man he never knew ... He wanted to forget about his disappointing past and get on with the present. Most of all he needed to keep away from Louise. Her sincere approach to life was a breath of fresh air, but she had no idea what it was like to carry the weight of disappointment and she had a way of bringing his regrets to the surface.
He tried to convince himself that didn't have anything to worry about. He'd had a lot of practice keeping hold of his emotions. It seemed that Louise was there to help him make good use of those lessons.
LATER THAT NIGHT Louise sat on Sally's porch and watched the ferries. The ones heading to the mainland were full, while the incoming ones were mostly empty. Tomorrow morning that would change. The ferries would be packed Hawk's had to be ready.
Pete assured her that all the tack was cleaned and set to go. She'd checked on the horses and they were all fit. With Gail and her handling the desk and Pete taking care of the tacking, they'd have no problems.
She leaned back, letting the slanted rays of the sun warm her face as she listened to cry of the gulls and the gentle lap of lake water. The rumble of a fishing charter heading in for the night hummed across the water. The music from a radio came to her from the distance. The evening was flawless. Even the air tasted perfect. Wet and pleasantly cool. If only she could stop thinking about Trent.
The loss of his father was taking a toll on him. He needed someone to help him take his mind off that for a while. All she had to offer him was an evening of distraction, but she wasn't willing to do that. He might be able to switch his emotions on and turn off, but she couldn't.
"Things going well at Hawk's?"
Sally offered her one of the steaming mugs she held in her hands. Louise sipped the tea gratefully.
"How did you know I liked tea?"
"Just a hunch." Sally sat down on the step next to Louise and pushed back her gray hair. "How're things at the stable?"
Even with the jumble of events tumbling through her mind, she chose to believe that hiring Gail was the highlight of the day. Maybe even the best thing she'd done so far.
She smiled. "Coming along well I think."
"I'm not surprised." She took a sip of tea. "How're things with Trent?"
Besides a couple of kisses that led to nothing, there were no things with Trent. But of course Sally meant business things, not personal things. Still, the answer was the same. "Not so good. He's not very excited about owning a stable."
"Don't be discouraged, dear. I have a feeling things will change soon enough if you're patient."
No doubt Sally was still reading something into her relationship with Trent that wasn't there. "Thanks for your interest, but please don't worry. Everything is under control."
The other woman tipped her head and gazed intently at Louise. "Maybe that's what I'm worried about."
Louise kept her mouth shut and turned her puzzled expression away. It wouldn't do for Sally to see her frenzied emotions. She'd only ask more questions that had no answers.
"Sometimes you have to let go of the control."
Give up? Louise shook her head. She had plans and goals. Things that mattered.
She'd given up enough times already and look where it had gotten her. Right smack in the middle of a series of dead end jobs offering nothing but frustration and disappointment. No, she had to stay in control here and stay focused on her goal. Otherwise she'd end up with another failure to add to her long list and maybe even a broken heart if she wasn't careful.
Sally patted her shoulder and stood. "You're a good girl, Louise. Everything is going to go the way it should. You wait and see."
Louise smiled. Mom would like this lady. "Thanks, Sally."
The door smacked behind her hostess. Louise swirled her tea and watched the dark liquid spin. There was no doubt about it, she was up to the challenge of making Hawk's into a great business, one that Trent would be proud to own and happy to keep.
The other problem, that of the man himself, she wasn't up for. There had to be a way to have both: a successful summer with the stable and a way to help Trent deal with the loss of his father. She just had to keep her emotions out of it.
Louise drank the last of her tea, set down the cup and slipped down the steps. Instead of heading toward the light brown sands of the beach the way she did most nights, she turned to the right and headed toward town. She needed to be around people, rather than isolated with her thoughts. A long walk would relax her. Maybe then she could get a good night's sleep. If things went as she hoped, tomorrow was going to be a busy day.
TRENT HADN'T PLANNED on going by Hawk's, but somehow he ended up two blocks away from his newly acquired business. His manager had probably spent the day cleaning, fixing, and categorizing. No doubt she had the place shaping up. She was probably on her way to turning the ramshackle mess into a real business.
By island standards it was early yet for the evening---not even nine o'clock. The Sunday streets were quiet. He figured he may as well go over and look at whatever she'd been up to. She had to be gone for the night. Serious business professionals needed their eight hours of sleep. Especially ones who wanted to pry into the personal lives of their bosses. Why did she find it necessary to ask about his father? Couldn't she see that he didn't want to talk about it?
The truth lingered in the back of his mind---he did want to talk about the messed up relationship that never got fixed. He needed someone to talk too, even through opening up was the most frightening thing he'd ever faced. Deep inside, he knew she would be a gentle listener and wouldn't pity him, but would see the anguish for what it really was---pain, plain and simple.
But could he really trust her? Believing in her, and believing that she'd stick around even after she got what she wanted from him was almost as terrifying as facing up to his past.
He crossed the street and cut through one of the tiny backyards near the stable. A group of college kids sitting on a back porch laughed and toasted him with cans. Half-heartedly he waved back. The music from their radio drifted behind him, adding to his loneliness and isolation.
Their laughter faded as he got closer to Hawk's. The evening was clear, so when he spotted a column of dark smoke trailing into the sky, it looked very out of place. The color was too dark and thick to be coming from a barbecue. Smoke like that could only be coming from ... a fire.
He took off with a jump, dashed the last block to Hawk's, leapt over the fence and barreled into the barn. Once inside he paused and tried to see where the fire might be coming from. Still panting from the run, he turned left away from the office toward the hayloft.
A cloud of smoke waited at the end of the aisle. He paused to listen when he heard a sound. To his horror he heard the noise again, a barely audible cough.
He leapt forward and shouted into the smoke. His eyes were beginning to tear and he blinked against the moisture. "Hello! Who's there?"
No one answered, but he heard more coughing. Someone was up in the loft. He shouted again. "Hang on. I'm coming."
Off in the distance the wail of the fire truck and the siren of the ambulance grew louder. Help was on the way, but he couldn't take the chance it would arrive in time. He had to find whoever it was and get them out of there. There was no telling how long they'd been breathing in the poisonous gases of that smoke.
Stepping through the cloud, he hurried along the wall until he found the ladder that led to the loft. The smoke was thicker at the top and soon he was coughing, too. Each hot breath burned his throat. All he saw was the swirling, mean gray air.
He searched the small loft with his arms and tear-filled gaze until he spotted a figure hunched in the corner. Keeping himself low, he crawled over to the person until he could touch the body.
Louise.
She coughed again as she swayed toward his voice. He summoned one last breath and reached for her. He wheezed from the effort, but he had to get her out of here. The firemen arrived below and called out, but he didn't have any breath left to answer.
After swinging Louise over his shoulder, he crawled on his knees to the ladder. The smoke had thickened so much that he could barely see the edge of the loft, but luck was on his side, someone appeared at the top of the ladder and took her from him.
The fireman shouted over the hissing of the hoses. "I got her, pal. You come on down after me."
The pain in his lungs prevented Trent from speaking, but he managed a nod. The man disappeared. Trent swung his leg over the top rung and worked his way down.
By the time he reached the bottom of the ladder, the smoke had already begun to clear. The stink of burnt, wet hay filled the small room. Someone grabbed his arm and pulled him outside into the fresh night air. His throat burned and his lungs felt like they were going to crack, but he pulled in a long breath anyway.
"Louise?" he mumbled to the man holding his arm.
The man pointed across the yard.
Trent sagged with relief when he saw her sitting up, coughing, but alive and breathing on her own.
"Come on buddy," the man guided him across the yard and sat him down beside Louise. He leaned close, "You okay?"
Trent nodded, tried to say thanks, but ended up coughing instead.
The man patted Trent on the shoulder. "No need to say anything. Relax, and the medic will be by to check you out."
Trent slumped against the fence as the man jogged off and disappeared through the barn door.
A medic appeared, took care of Louise and then examined him. He let the man go through his routine, but he barely heard the orders to take it easy and see the doctor tomorrow. All he could think about was Louise.
She'd finally stopped gasping for air. Her face was covered with black smudges and bits of straw stuck out from her hair. He wanted to ask her everything; like what was she doing in the hayloft? How had the fire started? Did she realize how badly she'd scared him when he saw her doubled over? But when he gazed into her eyes and saw fear, he kept his mouth shut.
LOUISE WANTED TRENT to stop staring at her and put his arms around her. Fear churned through her, even though she was safe. What would've happened if he hadn't come by? She was thankful he had, but hated that she'd put him in danger.
Trent's coughing finally stopped. "You okay?" he asked.
Louise reached for his arm. "They already checked me over. I'm fine thanks to you. You saved my life."
He shook his head. "No, Louise. The firemen would've gotten here in time." He turned toward the firemen putting away their equipment. "Let's not talk about it."
One of the men came over, knelt between them, and pulled off his hat. "Not much damage, really."
Trent pointed at the barn. "But there was so much smoke, I figured the whole place was going up."
The fireman shrugged. "The hay that caught fire was wet. That'll make a lot of smoke." He looked from Trent to Louise. "You two okay?"
"I'm fine," she answered with a nod toward Trent. "Thanks to him." Out of the corner of her eye she saw him turn away.
The fireman nodded. "You're a lucky girl, that's for sure." Then he laid a well-aged hand on Trent's shoulder. "You okay, son?"
His face was solemn. "Yes, I think so. Thanks for your help."
When Louise echoed Trent's appreciation, the fireman brushed off the thanks the same way Trent had pushed away her gratitude a minute ago.
"You folks take it easy tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough to take care of the mess. I'll be by in the afternoon to check on things." With that he pushed himself up and headed to his crew.
The men moved swiftly, efficiently packing up their equipment. Within a few minutes they had everything back on their truck and were pulling out of the stable yard. The people who had gathered by the fence to watch the excitement wandered off.
The silence that settled around them seemed strange in the wake of the chaos. Aside from the lingering odor, the only thing that remained as evidence of what happened were the tire tracks criss-crossing the yard.
Trent smacked Louise's leg in an uncharacteristically playful gesture. "You thinking about where the insurance papers might be?"
After a few muddled seconds, Louise chuckled. "No, I wasn't. Really."
He shook his head, to tell her he didn't believe her. "Okay. You were thinking about how long the clean up would take."
She smacked him on the leg. "I wasn't." But now that he brought it up she was curious. "Let's just go have a quick look."
He hauled her to her feet. Once up, he took her hand as though it was the most natural thing in the world and led her across the yard.
TRENT STAYED BESIDE Louise. Most of the smoke had blown off but the stench still lingered. Fear showed in Louise's eyes, in her walk. She was obviously trying to ignore it, but her panicked reaction made her stall by the door.
He moved closer and wrapped his arm around her trembling shoulders. "You're fine now, honey," he encouraged. "I'm here."
The muscles in her back softened and she let him take her into the barn. They stepped down the aisle in silence and stopped when they reached the doorway of the small hayloft at the end.
The stink of burned hay and puffs of smoke remained in the air. Black smudges covered the walls and the feedbags. Trent scanned the room. Where had the fire started? He couldn't make any sense out of the scene before him. He would ask the fire chief for the details tomorrow.
Only a short while ago, the room had been filled with black clouds. Illuminated now by a bare bulb hanging behind him, it looked bleak but hardly life threatening.
"The fireman was right. There isn't much damage. We'll have it cleaned up in no time." He gave Louise's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Tomorrow."
He reached up and pulled a few pieces of straw from her golden hair. A single tear rolled down her cheek. The desire to comfort her took over and he wrapped his other arm around her shoulders.
She sobbed and leaned into him. The pressure of her body as she sagged against him made his muscles tense. Her sweet acceptance of his comfort tugged at his heart. Throwing all his intentions to keep his distance from her, he pulled her closer kissed her.
She clung to him. It was as though, for that moment, he was the most important thing in her world. She wanted him. More than that, she needed him. A current of some nameless emotion surged through him and he felt powerfully alive.
Trent reveled in the sensation. Her acceptance of him was so complete, it went straight through to the darkest parts of his soul. There in the burnt mess surrounding them, he gave a little of his heart to her and she tenderly accepted it.
LOUISE CLUNG TO Trent. The warm caress of his lips eased away what had moments before been unrelenting panic. Never could she remember being more terrified or longing to be held by someone so desperately. The need frightened her almost as much as the fire. The tears she'd been holding back flowed freely down her cheeks.
Trent pulled back to wipe them away with his thumb. "Everything's going to be fine, sweetheart."
She let out a shaky breath. "I know, it's just that, it happened so suddenly and---"
"How did it happen?" He settled his hands on her waist.
With a sigh she curled into him. Of course he wanted to know what happened. His business almost burned down, so he had every right to ask questions. But she really didn't want to talk. "Do we have to talk about it right now?"
"No. Not now." He placed a short kiss on her forehead then stepped back to take her hand. He led her out of the barn, across the yard, and through the gate. She followed along silently, glad to be near him.
Still holding her hand, he guided her down the sidewalk. It didn't take Louise long to realize he was taking her to Sally's. Even though she wasn't ready to be alone, she didn't do anything to stop him. The horrible event had taken all her strength, and it was all she could do to keep her feet moving.
LOUISE AND TRENT reached the pretty white gate that surrounded the rooming house. Much to her relief, he passed Sally's porch. They wandered to the dark shoreline and continued past the tall grass that grew in the sand. After a moment Trent stopped and she recognized the spot as the same one where she'd watched the couple stroll hand in hand only two days ago. She wasn't about to fool herself though. She and Trent were nothing like them. That couple had been in love.
The splendor of quiet lapping the lake water as it rolled onto shore mingling with the night breeze was wasted on them. Just like the beauty of the white and yellow boat lights blinking far out in the lake. The delicate wind carried music to her ears. The soft romantic song made her feel even worse, if that was possible.
Trent had drifted away to stand farther down the shoreline. The moonlight highlighted his tall, lean silhouette and she unwillingly remembered how safe she felt wrapped in his arms. The distance between them felt like miles rather than feet. It was better that way.
Having an affair with her boss was a one-way trip to failure. Especially this boss. He was so confused about his father he'd closed off his emotions. As if that weren't enough, he didn't understand her, didn't support her goals. She wanted, no needed, to make Hawk's a success. That was her ticket to happiness. Not a messed up, short term relationship with Trent.
As though he felt her stare, Trent turned and smiled. Logical thought and good sense evaporated. He took her breath away. The tiny crack in her heart spread wider. The anguish sliced straight through her soul. How could he smile now? At a time like this?
Before she could answer, he pulled her into his comforting arms. She should've held back to protect herself, but she didn't. She stepped willingly into his embrace.
It was amazing to feel protected and safe. She pulled in a long breath and savored the scent of him.
"I'm glad you're all right, Louise. For a few minutes I thought you were going to be, well, sick, or worse..." He gazed over her shoulder at the rippling water. "I was scared to death. I don't want anything to happen to you."
Louise swallowed against the rush of unexpected emotions swirling inside her. "I, you---"
He hushed her with a kiss. This one wasn't reassuring like the one in the barn. It was possessive and demanding.
With the warmth of his body surrounding her, she matched his passion with her own. It made no sense, letting herself go. But then she reasoned, her reaction to him was because of what happened in the barn and how frightened she'd been. Nothing more. Any other woman would've needed reassurance, too. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him as tightly as he held her.
Trent's world narrowed to include only the woman in his arms. Even beneath the smell of smoke and the smudges of soot, Louise was beautiful. Strangely enough, he had the fire to thank for it. It was realizing how terrified he'd been that something might happen to her that made him understand the depth of his emotions. The fire forced him to accept the feelings he'd been burying along with everything else he didn't understand about himself and his life.
He eased her back to gaze into her eyes. She looked as dazed as he felt. Uncertainty clutched his heart and pulled hard. Maybe he was letting his over-stressed mind play tricks on him, but something about her worried expression didn't make sense.
"Tell me what you remember before the fire started," he asked.
She eased away from him and let out a sigh. Disappointment? Or something else?
"There's not that much to tell. I went down to Hawk's to check things over one last time." She grinned at him. "To be ready for tomorrow."
Of course. "I figured that much. How did you get up in the hay loft?"
Wind blew over from the lake. She reached up to push her hair back and chuckled. "I climbed up the ladder, same as you."
He almost rolled his eyes. "I meant why did you go up in the hay loft."
She lifted her eyebrows. "To get a kitten," she whispered sheepishly.
"A kitten?"
She nodded. "I heard the tiny mewing and couldn't leave her up there."
"You risked your life for a cat?"
"It was perched on the edge and looked so scared. I haven't seen a mama cat have you?" She lifted her chin. "I didn't notice the smoke until I got up there."
He ignored her question and groaned.
"I realize now it was a stupid thing to do. As soon as I got up there the little critter ran into a corner. I chased after it, but it got even more scared and leapt down by itself."
He threw his hands up. "Figures. This isn't getting us anywhere. Did you see or hear anything that might help us figure out how the fire started?"
Louise turned her head as if to study him. "You think someone started the fire?" She backed away. "You think someone did it on purpose?"
"It's a possibility we have to accept."
"Who, Trent?" She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. "Why would someone want to do that?"
Trent peered at Louise. The outline of her hair glowed in the pale yellow moonlight. She looked soft and delicate. He fought against the desire to protect her, to keep her safe. Caring was too dangerous. He had to stop fooling himself. Putting emotion into a one-way relationship was too painful an experience to repeat.
When he kept staring at her, she frowned.
"Why would anyone care about Hawk's?" she asked. "It certainly can't be a matter of competition. From what I can tell the other stables on the island are doing great."
Louise wanted to take Trent's arms and wrap them around her again and feel the comfort they offered, but she didn't. He was concerned about the fire, so she'd tell him what she remembered. "When I first got to the barn all the outside lights were off, so I didn't see anything. I went inside and checked on things in the rental office. After I was sure that everything was in order, I checked on the tack.
"Then I went down the main aisle to look over the horses. I don't know why I went into the feed room. I guess I, well, that doesn't matter now." She knew exactly why she'd been wandering around, but she didn't want to tell Trent he was the cause of her restlessness.
When Trent muttered something Louise couldn't understand, she tried not to react. Naturally he was upset about what happened. His whole business could've burned to the ground.
"Anyway, I heard the kitten mewing." She lifted one hand. "You know the rest."
"You didn't hear anything odd while you were in the hay loft?"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I know that's not much help."
"That's okay. We'll find out more tomorrow." He reached for her hand. "Had enough for tonight?"
As soon as he asked, she realized that she had. She nodded, but hesitated. "Sally's probably heard about the fire by now."
"I'm sure," he agreed. "News travels fast among the locals."
Louise looked at her fingers wrapped in his. The touch seemed so natural and right, yet so at odds with everything. Maybe she wasn't ready to go back to Sally's. "She'll have a hundred questions."
Trent chuckled. "I'll take care of her. You need a hot shower and a good night's sleep."
With that he pulled her across the tall grass toward the rooming house.
THE LIGHTS FROM inside glowed into the night and cast a golden haze over the porch. Trent and she climbed up the porch steps and Louise wondered if he'd kiss her again. Louise gazed into his expressive eyes and knew that she wasn't going to be disappointed. He brushed his lips across hers then placed a soft kiss on her neck. The contact was too short.
Without saying anything, he pushed his shoulder against the door and gently pulled her inside. In seconds, the older woman was there, pulling Louise into an embrace.
"Louise, honey, are you all right?"
She smiled weakly. "Yes, Sally, I'm fine. Just a little..." She glanced down at her clothes. "Dirty."
Sally moved Louise away to study her at arm's length. "I can see that. My goodness, you're a mess."
Trent stepped forward. "She's going right up to take a shower and get into bed."
"Yes, of course she is," Sally said.
Louise said goodnight and headed up the stairs. The hushed conversation below followed her all the way to her room.
AFTER LEAVING SALLY'S, Trent went to the stable. Plagued by questions, he was too restless to sleep. Going back to stew in his hotel room was pointless. Maybe he'd be able to get some answers from the burned-out mess waiting for him at Hawk's.
Once he reached the stable, he scanned the exterior. The old buildings loomed quietly in the darkness. Other than the track marks of the fire truck, there was no indication that barely an hour ago the stable had been in chaos.
He leaned on the wall outside the wide doors and listened to the night. When he'd been given the deed to Hawk's he'd had no idea the place would cause of so much grief and confusion. With a shove he pushed himself off, went inside and headed to the feed room without even bothering to flip on the light. A soft sound caught his attention. He paused. That stupid kitten.
He switched on the bare bulb hanging in the center of the small room. The tiny cat studied him from its perch in the hayloft. It mewed again and he climbed the ladder a few rungs and to reach over and scoop the little thing into his hands.
It purred and sniffed at his fingers.
"Do you know how much trouble you caused?"
Back down the ladder, he put the cat on the floor, but it didn't budge. "Go on," he gave it a tiny nudge with his foot. It blinked at him and sat.
As if I don't have enough trouble already. With a resigned sigh, he scooped it up. He grabbed an old towel, shook it out with a few swift jerks, and flipped off the light with his elbow. He'd be back tomorrow to look for something that might give him an idea about how the fire started.
With the ball of fur tucked in the crook of his elbow, he crossed to his office to get an empty box for a bed. A cardboard box lined with a towel wouldn't be as good as a mama cat, but it was the best he could do. He sighed. Then he'd have to see about food and water.
Halfway down the aisle, he heard the sound of voices coming from the office. The noises were so soft he couldn't make them out, but he was fairly sure it was two people. A man and a woman?
He peered through the blackness, but saw nothing. The hair on the back of his neck itched. While his heart thudded in his chest, he strained to listen. The kitten in his arms chose that moment to yowl and leap from his arm. The irritating fur ball scurried through the barn, meowing as it went.
Trent resisted the urge to chase after the cat. Instead he waited, hoping the voices would resume. He stayed in the dark aisle, listening, but heard nothing.
Silently, he moved to the office. Just before he peered inside, he paused, listening for the voices. Still none came.
He swung into the office to find it empty.
Night air scented with early lilacs drifted in through the open window. The desk chair sat under it. Trent slumped against the wall with a groan. Maybe he should nail that window shut.
Someone had set that fire. But who? And why? Was someone trying to scare him off? Trying to force him to sell? Or keep him from selling? For the hundredth time, Trent cursed his father for dumping the mess in his lap as he headed into the night.
LOUISE WOKE UP early on Monday. Her shoulders were stiff, but other than that, she felt fine. Or so she told herself. She took a quick shower to wake up and then tiptoed downstairs. With some luck, she'd get out before being spotted by Sally or one of the other guests.
Describing the fire would take time she didn't want to spend and relating the story would lead to describing her rescue by Trent. Of course she'd never tell anyone what happened after the fireman left, but retelling the beginning would mean reliving the end.
It seemed that she had very few defenses when it came to her handsome boss. If she hadn't been so exhausted last night, she would've stayed awake all night wondering how she was going to manage the impossible and keep things professional between them now.
The truth couldn't be avoided anymore. She'd practically thrown herself at him. Maybe if she explained that she'd been emotionally off balance ... Anybody would've been shook up after what they'd been through. He'd understand. He must have been shook up, too. Why else would he think that someone had started that fire on purpose? It didn't make sense.
Her hopes of quickly slipping out were squashed when she reached the landing and got a whiff of blueberry muffins. Her willpower wasn't that strong. Giving in to the sudden growl in her stomach, she headed to the kitchen and greeted Sally.
The older woman turned from her place at the counter. "You sleep okay, dear?"
"Surprisingly, yes."
Sally nodded as she poured some tea. "It's the island air."
Louise accepted the hot drink her hostess offered and sat down at the solid kitchen table. "You must be right about that, because I feel ready to start work this morning."
Sally popped the muffins out of the tin and placed them in a basket. She set the basket in the center of the table and put a huge slab of butter next to it.
"Eat, Louise. You're going to need some good energy food inside you for what you have planned."
Louise reached for one of the hot muffins, but skipped the butter. If she wasn't careful, she'd gain several pounds eating Sally's delicious food. "How do you know what I have planned for today?"
Sally sat down across from her. "It's a small island, everyone knows everything."
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Sally broke the quiet with a question. "Do you know much about Gail?"
Louise nearly choked. She hadn't said anything to Sally about her new employee. "The girl I hired to help out at Hawk's?"
"Do you know another Gail?"
She shook her head and chuckled. "I guess this is a small place."
"What do you know about her?"
Louise frowned. Trent had hinted at her lack of professionalism regarding her new hire as well. She didn't feel like admitting she knew nothing about the girl. The good feeling she had about her would have to be enough. Besides, Gail's position would be a small one and the stable needed another pair of hands. "I know as much as I need to know."
Sally nodded silently, but her brown eyes held speculation. Louise considered asking Sally if she knew something about Gail, but that would be the same as admitting she didn't know anything about the girl she'd offered a job. So she stood and wrapped her muffin in a napkin. "Thanks for the breakfast, Sally."
Sally frowned. "That's not breakfast, girl. Won't you stay for some eggs?"
"No, but thanks. I really need to get over to Hawk's."
Sally leaned back in her chair. "Working hard is good, but don't forget to live your life while you're at it."
Not sure what Sally meant by that, Louise smiled and said goodbye. Within minutes she was on her way to the stable, not quite ready to explain her unacceptable behavior to Trent, but anxious to start work.
TRENT SAT AT a small table in the hotel dining room with his half-eaten breakfast of scrambled eggs and hash browns in front of him. The small clock hanging above the door assured him that Louise was sure to be at work. Louise. Each minute, it seemed, he was thinking about her.
Kissing her had been a mistake. He'd laid a part of himself out, and he had a sinking feeling that piece was about to get thrown out with the rest of the waste from last night's fire.
During the night, when he hadn't been thinking about her, he'd been reliving what had happened later at Hawk's. He needed to find out who'd been in the stable, and why they were sneaking around. Gut instinct told him that whoever had been in the office was connected to the fire. If only he'd been able to hear what they'd said or at least gotten close enough to recognize their voices. He could kick himself for not busting in while they were talking.
Some early morning delivery wagons rolled past. The horses strained to pull the tall load of boxes and crates. The island was gearing up for another bustling season.
Even though he needed to get to the stable to inspect things in the daylight, he was stalling. The one thing he didn't want to face kept tugging at him.
Could the woman have been Louise? It was possible. She could've returned to Hawk's after he'd left Sally's. The old rooming house had several doors and she could've exited without being noticed.
He didn't want to think that way, yet he couldn't help it. Louise had made it clear that she wanted this job. She seemed to want it with a desperation he didn't understand. What possible reason could she have for wanting to manage a run down mess like Hawk's? Could she be in on something?
More likely he was trying to find an easy reason to push her away, to wedge something between them. Something to give him control over the dangerous affection he felt for her.
Absently Trent took another sip of his cold coffee and rose to drop some money on the table. He trekked down the quiet side streets but barely glimpsed the people he passed. He was sick of being out of his element and plagued by questions, he wanted answers. Action. Anything that would make him feel in control of his life again.
BY THE TIME Trent reached the stable yard, he was clinging to his role as boss. Louise worked for him and he had a right to know where she was last night. He'd simply ask her if she'd gone straight to bed or not.
He marched up to the rental desk where he saw a young woman filling out some sort of paperwork.
The instant smile she offered was probably meant to welcome him, but it didn't work. He hadn't felt welcome at Hawk's ever since he'd stepped foot in it that first day.
Giving him her full attention, she asked, "Would you like to rent a horse?"
He shook his head.
"Is there something else I can help you with?"
Trent turned around to head for the office. "No, thanks," he said stomping off. He'd had that conversation before. Just three days ago.
He tried to imagine Louise swept into something criminal. Louise Hart the woman who defined hard working? The woman who'd spent hours on her hands and knees cleaning his shabby old buildings? Why would she be trying so hard to save a business if she were involved in some scheme. In that split second of reflection, Trent decided that he needed a couple good nights' sleep. She was exactly what she seemed---an honest, hard-working girl.
A girl he cared for a lot more than he should.
He reached the office, but hesitated before he went in. If she hadn't been one of the people he'd heard last night, and he was sure now that she wasn't, who was? Whoever it was, they were playing for keeps. Why else would they be sneaking around? Why else would they start a fire?
Trent's hands clenched at his sides and his throat tightened. What would they do next?
Doubts and questions had become his constant companion ever since his father died. He was sick to death of walking around wondering "what if?" and "why?" But now there was a new possibility, one that he could not ignore. As long as she stayed at Hawk's, Louise was in danger. If she got hurt because of his father's business...
There was only one way to keep her safe.
Trent stepped into the office. Louise sat behind the desk with a white pad of paper in front of her and a pencil twirling in her fingers. She smiled as soon as their gazes connected and he smiled back. Just seeing her made him want to kiss her again.
He sat in the chair beside the old wood desk and glanced behind her. The window was still open. "You okay this morning? How're things going?"
She waved off his concern with a flick of her wrist. "A little stiff, but I'm fine." She looked down and pointed at the blank sheet of paper. "Gail has already sent out about ten riders. I've been sitting here for awhile and still haven't thought of anything that has to be taken care of right away. I guess I'll have to start on a different list."
So she was going to pretend last night never happened. "You're list making?"
She lifted the gaze of her bright eyes. "Of course. That's the first thing I do every morning. That way I get everything done and I don't waste time during the day."
"Of course." Trent reached for the pencil in her hand. When his fingers brushed across hers, the spark of energy he'd come to associate with touching Louise ignited. If she noticed it too, she didn't give any sign. She just handed the pencil to him without comment.
He pulled the pad over to him, wrote across the middle of the empty page, Have lunch with Trent, and passed it back to her. "Twelve o'clock okay?"
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," she said, avoiding him by keeping her gaze on the pad.
Even though he should've expected it, her answer disappointed him. "Why not?" he asked more abruptly than he intended.
She sighed and looked up. The guarded expression in her eyes made him want to ball his fists.
Before answering his question, her gaze darted around the bare walls of the office. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you did for me last night, Trent. You saved my life.
"But I work for you, and after last night ... I don't think it would be a good idea for us to spend a lot of time together."
He didn't respond. She was right, but what he had to tell her would change everything.
She filled in the silence with the last thing he wanted to hear. "I'm here to do a job, remember?"
He pushed himself from the desk and strolled out without saying another word. Whether she liked it or not, he'd be back at noon and they'd have lunch together. It was time to start reversing the mistakes he'd made.
LOUISE STARED AT Trent's note. His handwriting looked exactly like his father's.
She wanted to have lunch with him, but it wasn't a good idea. After the way he'd kissed her the night before, there was no way she could sit across from him for an entire meal and act like they were just friends.
They weren't even friends. They were boss and employee. If she wanted to keep it that way, she better keep her distance from that handsome man. He had a way of making her forget about her plan to make the most of this job opportunity.
If she was going to turn Hawk's around and get things moving in the right direction she had to stay focused on business. Otherwise her four weeks would be up and she'd be out of a job and on her way back home.
Just thinking about that possibility made her queasy.
No, she couldn't take that chance. She had to hang tight to her dream of happiness and success. Otherwise, she'd never be really, truly happy.
On the bright side, Trent seemed to have forgotten about those kisses. He hadn't acted any different. Maybe she wasn't going to have to say anything to him after all. The idea that their intimacy hadn't affected him enough to care was possible. She didn't want to think that, but if that was the case, it was for the best.
Wincing slightly at the pain in her shoulder, Louise pushed the pad aside and stood to stretch. She needed to get out of the stuffy room and see how things were going at the rental office. She grabbed a stack of advertisement flyers she'd made and left.
The sound of cheerful laughter drifted down from the rental desk where Gail was asking some tourists the series of questions that helped her assign riders the most appropriate animal. Luckily, Hawk's had plenty of gentle, slow-moving horses for inexperienced trail riders. Only about four of the two dozen animals needed an experienced rider.
By the time she reached the front desk, Gail was escorting the trio of riders outside to get their mounts. As she watched her new hire chat with the customers, she nodded with satisfaction. Hiring Gail had been the right thing to do; the girl was a natural with people and animals. Louise leaned on the counter and waited for her to return.
It didn't take Gail long to get the riders mounted up and on their way. Within a few minutes she reappeared and hopped up onto the stool behind the counter.
Louise smiled at her. "Looks like you have everything under control."
Gail shrugged. "Sure, it's a snap."
Louise laid the stack of flyers on the counter. "Think you could pass these out at the docks?"
"Um, okay." Gail picked one up to read it. "How long do you think it'll take me?"
"I guess that depends on the crowds. Pass out about half of them, hang some up around town, and then leave the rest at the tourist information building." The girl's usual enthusiasm was no where in sight. "Don't worry about the desk, I'll keep it covered."
After a second, the tension dropped off Gail's face. "Okay. I'll be back as soon as I'm done."
She hopped down, grabbed the stack and strolled out into the sunshine.
Louise moved around to drop herself onto the stool and lean onto the counter. Suddenly, her back ached more than it had when she'd gotten up and her whole body felt like it was filled with lead. Apparently, she hadn't really slept well after all. Just staying upright proved to be an effort.
The gentle sounds of the horses drinking and the smell of sweet fresh hay eventually got to her. She laid her head down, to rest a moment, but soon found herself drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
TRENT WAS MORE than a little surprised to find career woman Louise asleep at the front counter. With her hair heaped around her head and her feet dangling from the stool she looked like a child. Trying to decide whether or not to wake her, he stood beside her for a few moments. If her night had been anything like his, she hadn't gotten much sleep at all. The longer he watched her sleep, the more his hands itched to touch her golden hair and caress her round face. He scowled at his own stupidity.
He had something to tell her and it really couldn't wait. Gently, he shook her shoulder.
She moaned and lifted her head enough to peer up at him. Still half asleep, she grinned. The smile nearly undid him. It certainly made him reconsider what he'd come to tell her.
He stepped back. "Time for lunch."
"Lunch?" She jerked up and looked around. "It can't be that late. I just sent Gail out with some flyers."
Trent lifted his wrist and pointed to his watch. "See, lunch time."
Louise smoothed her hair away from her face. Her cloudy gaze darted around the stable. "I couldn't have slept that long."
"Pete's been here to look after things and you needed the rest. Now you need some food, so let's go."
"What about the rentals? Is Gail back?" Louise slid down from the stool.
"Yes, and I already told her we're leaving." He stepped aside to give her room. "You were right about her."
Louise glanced at him, perhaps checking his sincerity. He did mean it. Her friendly smile and easy manner were perfect for a place like Hawk's.
Unable to keep from touching her, he reached over to wrap his arm around Louise. To his surprise she didn't jerk away, instead she let him guide her down the aisle. But she did edge away when they got outside.
Trent called goodbye to Gail who responded with a wave before turning to watch a man hop around on one foot as he tried to swing into the saddle. Trent held in a grin; getting up on a horse was a lot harder than the movie cowboys made it look.
"I thought I told you I didn't want to have lunch with you," Louise said with a half smile that took the bite out of her words.
"You did." He grinned. "But I wasn't listening."
Clusters of people lined both sides of the sidewalk along Market Street. When they got to Huron Street, which ran right through the center of town, Trent spotted a bunch of school children. The boisterous mass reminded him of a beehive. Interesting to look at, but only from a safe distance.
He leaned down to ask Louise, "Where do you want to eat?"
She pointed at the noisy kids. "We better eat somewhere that doesn't serve pizza or cheeseburgers."
"How about fish?"
"Sounds perfect."
Trent led Louise up the steep incline at Fort Street and turned left at Turkey Hill Road, continuing on toward a small quiet restaurant that he'd found his second day on the island. Those first days seemed ages ago, but he still remembered each detail. He'd wandered around, still in shock from his father's death. If he'd been smart and left right away, he wouldn't be in the mess he was in now, dealing with a business he didn't want and an attraction to a woman who was sure to cause him pain.
Trent stopped outside Soldiers' Fish and Chips. When he pulled the door open for Louise, she looked from the simple interior and back to him. Had he made a mistake by bringing her to such a campy place? Then she smiled and he felt a warm rush of pleasure. After they'd been seated, he handed Louise a plastic menu.
She scanned the menu. "No pizza, we'll be safe here."
He watched her gaze zip across the possibilities. Thinking of the last two times they'd eaten together, he asked, "You ready to commit?"
Her eyebrows shot up and she nearly dropped her menu.
"I meant to a food item on the menu."
She surprised him by laughing. "Oh yes. This time I know exactly what I want. After considering, she added, "Want me to order for both of us?"
"Sure."
The waitress came over and she ordered them both the special---blackened catfish. Trent avoided his task by looking around at the collection of pictures featuring the British soldiers who had at one time occupied the fort.
"Trent? Did you want to discuss ... work?"
No. There were a million other things he wanted to talk about with her, but he said, "Of course."
"We need some more hay. I called Zigler's and they have some we can get this afternoon."
"I'll take care of that," he replied with his mind still on the unpleasant task ahead. He let his gaze drift back to the walls. "A lot of history here on this island," he remarked. Just like he'd been reluctant to talk to her that first day at Sally's, he hesitated now. If he'd sent her away, then he wouldn't be facing the same task now. The severance package he planned to offer her wasn't going to appeal to her work ethic. Even so he had to try to make her understand his point of view.
She had to leave Hawk's. It was for her own good. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he'd convince himself it was good for him too.
AS THE MINUTES ticked past, Trent studied the menu thoroughly even though they'd already ordered. Eventually, he slipped it between the condiments and started gazing around at the historic battle maps and other memorabilia hanging throughout the pub style restaurant. The maps and soldier uniforms weren't that interesting; he was obviously stalling.
That kiss? They'd been in a serious situation and reacted by seeking comfort in each other's arms. There was nothing unusual about that, and there was nothing to be sorry about. But that simple comforting kiss had changed everything for Louise. Now there was no denying the truth. Her feelings for him were deep and true.
That initial attraction she'd felt had grown. He had qualities she reluctantly admired. One of them was the way he stuck to his word. He hadn't said a single thing about closing Hawk's since agreeing to the one-month trial, even after Pete's carelessness and the fire.
Real or not, she couldn't act on her feelings.
The silence stretched on. The waitress set down their salads. Louise picked up her fork, but stopped when she saw Trent staring blankly at the plate as though he'd never seen lettuce.
"What is it Trent?"
His head jerked up and she searched his hazel eyes. His lips tightened and he glanced away. Louise waited. Eventually his gaze moved back to hers. "I'm worried about the fire."
That didn't surprise her. "The fire chief called to say he'd be by this afternoon. An inspector came by to make sure we're safe for business."
"That's not what I meant." He leaned back and folded his arms over his chest.
The heavy weight of despair was settling on her shoulders, but she keep her tone casual. "Well, what is it then?"
"I'm worried about you."
Louise laughed. "Don't be. I promise not to chase any more kittens into smoky lofts."
His eyes darkened at her flip response. He'd been the one who chased after her. "I really appreciate what you did for me," she added in a hurry.
"Something's going on at the stable. I don't know what it is, but I'm sure someone started that fire on purpose."
She shook her head. "Trent, that doesn't make any sense. Why would anyone want to do that?"
He looked as though he was about to say something, but then he shrugged. "Call it a hunch."
Louise believed in hunches, but she didn't want to accept this one. "How does any of it involve me?"
He scowled. "You could have been killed, Louise."
When she didn't say anything, he stared at her, making a sour sensation settle in her stomach. To keep busy she speared the salad with her fork. He reached for her other hand. His touch was light, but the effect was strong. The expression on his face was a mixture of remorse and resignation.
"You're in danger at the stable, Louise," he said as he squeezed her fingers. "I don't want you to work there anymore."
The fork clattered to the plate. Her skin went cold and her stomach turned to stone.
"Please understand," he pleaded, "after last night I realized, well..." He looked away and his tone cooled. "I don't want you there anymore." He let go of her hand. "It's not safe."
"Safe?" she echoed. What a fool she was for believing in him. For thinking he had faith in her. She jerked her hands away from the table to clutch them in her lap. He was using the fire as an excuse to shut down Hawk's. He didn't even respect her enough to tell her the truth, so he'd made up a ridiculous excuse to end their bargain.
She had too much at stake, not the least of which was her pride, and she wasn't going to give up and go looking for the next pot of gold. "I'm a big girl, Trent. You don't have to worry about me."
"If you aren't at the stable I won't have to."
Louise glared at him. "I was hired to do a job I'm capable of doing. I resent you saying I'm helpless."
"I didn't say that."
"Yes, you did."
Trent dragged his hand through his hair. "I don't want anything to happen to you."
She leaned over the table. "You never intended to let me prove myself."
"No, it's not that, I..." he searched her face while she stared back at him, her resentment and anger clearly there for him to see. She was not going to let him intimidate her.
She lifted her eyebrows at his silence.
"This isn't about the stable. It's about you." His message was clear. He thought she was incapable and unskilled. She should've seen it coming. He didn't believe in her. No longer able to bear sitting with him, she pushed her chair back to rise. "Are you going back on the deal we made?"
For a long moment he stared at her and her heart pounded. With his face an unreadable mask, she had no idea what he was thinking. Finally, he shook his head.
That was all she needed to know. "Thank you. I appreciate that."
Before she let anger get the better of her and said something that would make him change his mind, Louise stiffly thanked him for lunch and left the restaurant. The fresh air outside cooled her face but not the emotions churning through her. As if it weren't bad enough that she'd let their stupid kisses and her haywire emotions cloud her judgment, Trent had seen her for the fool she was. She brushed past a crowd of sightseers and headed across Huron Street to the docks.
Fueled by anger and disappointment, she hurried on. There was no way to tell which emotion was the strongest: hurt, anger, disappointment, or any of the other nameless sensations coursing through her. She should've been happy to see the masses descending the ferry ramps, but she barely noticed the potential customers.
She passed the loading ramps and reached the end of the wide cement dock. There she leaned on the railing and tried to take a calming breath, but she gritted her teeth instead. She wasn't ready to calm down.
A ferry chugged by, creating a wake that splashed when it hit the concrete. That was how she felt. Twisted and torn apart.
She'd been stupid enough to think that Trent had accepted her trial period because he had faith in her. She'd let herself believe he wanted to see her turn Hawk's around the way she said she could. Being wrong was nothing new to her. The truth was, he didn't want Hawk's. And he didn't want her.
Why had he agreed to the trial period? Maybe he thought it would be fun watching her fail, but then the fire happened and like a silly girl she'd cried and thrown herself in his arms. He'd decided she really wasn't management material after all.
She didn't care what he thought. If she had the chance to do things over she'd still go after that tiny cat. Unlike him, she had a heart.
She'd showed him that, too. She wanted to regret the kisses, but she didn't. She'd given them willingly and accepted them honestly. But she wouldn't be making that mistake again. There would be no more intimate encounters with Trent Parker. Louise pushed herself from the railing. Just because she'd reacted stupidly to Trent's attention the night before didn't mean she had to waste the whole day feeling sorry for herself. He was going to let her stay on as agreed. She forced a smile onto her face. She would be thankful for that.
The smile dropped. Now what? For the first time since she'd been on the dock, she really saw the people. Dozens and dozens hurried toward the island. Some carried luggage. Others, who were visiting for the day, held a child's hand or a backpack. All of them were potential customers.
Mentally she gave herself a kick. She needed to get back to Hawk's and check with Gail and see how she did with the flyers. Maybe they could think of another quick way to advertise the stable.
Weaving through the crowd, Louise hurried back to Hawk's to bury herself in work and drive forward. After all, that's what she'd come to the island to do.
TRENT PAID THE bill for the uneaten lunches and went outside. Deciding he might as well see what the big deal was, he headed the fort. He wouldn't be likely to run into anyone he knew there, and that was a good thing because anger and frustration simmered through him making him more than just irritable.
Louise had flat out rejected him. She wouldn't even listen to what he had to say. She cared more about her precious job than her own safety. And his concern for her? Completely ignored.
Climbing the steep incline leading to the fort's entry gate released some of his surging exasperation. The eager voices of school children surrounded him, but he paid them little attention as he waited in line behind a chatty group of seniors.
Had he really expected Louise to react any differently?
He paid his entry fee to the Boy Scout at the gate and wandered into the courtyard of the fort. The high stone walls surrounded him, blocking out the view and isolating him from Hawk's and the rest of the island. He almost wished the stable had burned down. Then he'd have had a real reason to send Louise away and get her out of his life.
What a fool he was.
His father taught him that business and pleasure don't mix. Mr. Parker had even taken it even a step further and ruled out personal feelings altogether. He hadn't wanted to believe that Louise was the same kind of person as his father, but her reaction at the restaurant had changed his mind. She was more interested in her own future than in relationships---and he knew the pain brought on by one-sided relationships.
After drifting around, Trent found himself in an officer's quarters. The rickety narrow bed and small dresser looked out of place encased in the solid stone walls. The people who'd lived in the fort and protected the island from invasion had lived a hard, lonely life. He'd never known physical hardship, but thanks to his father he'd known loneliness.
He left the modest room hoping that at least the island soldiers had companionship and family. Family. Hah! What a joke.
The narrow walkways weaving through the fort and circling the fortress walls were jammed with people so Trent left the inside rooms and headed back for the fresh air in the center court. A battle reenactment was taking place in the far courtyard. Clouds of smoke billowed from the muskets. Shouts and cheers from the crowd followed the thunder of gunfire.
The racket started to annoy him, so he headed for the back exit. By going out that way he could wander past the Governor's Residence and up to the old cemetery. Maybe he'd stop at Skull Cave. The last two possibilities suited his mood better than the pretty white building Michigan's governor used occasionally. Just as he was about to slip through the gate, he stopped.
Pete and Gail?
What could they be doing together? Gail had said something about passing out flyers, but she couldn't need Pete for that. The wobbly old man was more likely to scare customers away than to encourage them to come and try Hawk's.
Trent leaned against a split rail fence. Gail's body was taut as she pointed an accusing finger at Pete. They were too far away for him to see their clearly faces, but he knew she wasn't smiling the way she'd been earlier.
Pete nodded and shoved his hands into the pockets of his work pants. What could those two possibly have in common? Louise hadn't said anything about Gail knowing Pete personally, and it sure looked like whatever they were talking about was personal.
Trent made a mental note to speak with them separately about what they'd done that afternoon. It would be easy enough to compare their stories and see if things matched up.
Just as he decided to get going, the two split up and headed off in opposite directions. Gail's stiff shoulders and Pete's defeated slump spoke volumes. Could those two have something to do with the fire? Or was his hopeless situation with Louise making him crazy and paranoid?
Whether those two were involved or not, something was going on at Hawk's. That something was tied to his father's reason for buying the place. Trent shouldn't care why his father bought the place, but he did. He needed to know what his father was up to when he died. If he didn't, the restlessness that plagued him might never go away.
Maybe a surprise visit to Michael Robbins would spark the man into giving him some information about the deal he'd worked out with his father. Maybe he hadn't asked the right questions last time.
More determined than ever to uncover the buried truth, Trent headed west, toward Michael Robbins's office.
MR. ROBBINS'S OFFICE was small but had a pleasant view of the craggy west side of the island. The realtor wasn't there, but assuming he must be nearby because the door had been left open, Trent decided to wait and admire the dozens of pictures of homes for sale and cottages for rent. If the prices listed were any indication of typical prices, Mr. Robbins must've been living very comfortably.
"Well, Trent Parker, you're sure a welcome sight."
Trent didn't let himself be flattered by the other man's enthusiasm. No doubt he looked like a huge dollar sign to the other man. "Good to see you too," he said as he accepted Mr. Robbins's outstretched hand.
"Please sit down," the other man said.
After dropping into the chair next to the coffee table, Trent leaned back and tried to look relaxed.
"I'm glad you came by, I've been getting ready to give you a call. I've got some news you might be interested in."
Trent perked up. "Really?"
Enjoying being the man with the plan, Mr. Robbins leaned back and smiled. "Seems that woman you got running Hawk's is making quite a reputation for herself."
Louise's face flashed in his mind. "That's true, she's something else."
"Apparently, Zigler's noticed ... and ... they're thinking about making you an offer."
"To buy?"
"Of course to buy, what else? Their stable has been doing so well for years, and it seems they're worried about the competition, which," Mr. Robbins leaned forward and grinned, "your girl is dishing out. They're worried, but also seein' an opportunity."
"Yes, of course..." Trent had no idea what he'd been thinking, only that he was shocked anyone would actually want Hawk's. Louise had been doing a great job, but still...
"Now, they're not going to pay what Keith Klinger, that developer---who is still interested by the way---offered, because they'll be keeping it as a stable and all---"
"Zigler's wants to keep it open?"
Mr. Robbins cocked his head. "Yes, that's what I said."
"My staff could keep their jobs?"
"Well ... I'll have to check into that. I'll get in touch with both Zigler and Klinger, keep the lines of communication open, you know. I'll give you a call as soon as I've talked with them both." The realtor made a note on a pad of paper on his desk. "You're worried about your staff?"
Louise could keep her job, and he could wash his hands of the stable. "Of course."
Catching the way Mr. Robbins was leaning back, rubbing his jaw and assessing him, Trent lifted an eyebrow in question. The gazes locked for a long moment until the other man broke the silence. "All right son, now I have to ask. I got the impression that you and your dad weren't well..."
"Close?"
"Well, yes."
Trent shifted his gaze to the window. "No, we weren't close."
"You don't do business like your dad either."
"No. I don't." Looking back to Mr. Robbins, Trent said, "I need to know why my dad bought that stable."
"Wish I could tell you, but like I said, I never ask why." He chuckled. "I only ask how much."
Trent shook his head and smiled weakly at the realtor's joke. He stood to leave, but the other man stopped him.
"Don't suppose it matters now, that I tell you, seein' as your father has passed away, but your dad ... he's actually owned Hawk's for a long time. Recently, right before ... he passed away, he came to me and asked me to figure out how much it was worth."
Long seconds ticked past as Trent sorted out what the other man said. "He owned it for a long time ... and he was just putting it on the market?"
Mr. Robbins shrugged. "We can only assume he was going to sell it. He might've had another reason for wanting to know its value. A lot of men, get older, and start putting their affairs in order, if you know what I mean."
Trent stumbled back. "You think he knew he was going to die?"
Mr. Robbins shot to his feet. "No. Absolutely not. He was driven, he had plans, and he did not act like a man getting ready to die. Only..."
"What?"
"Only like a man trying to get something settled." Mr. Robbins spread his hands wide. "That's all I can tell you. I hope it helped..."
More questions, no answers. Trent nodded, "Thanks for telling me."
"Sure thing. We'll keep in touch?"
"Yes, yes, of course," Trent mumbled over his shoulder as he left the office.
LOUISE WAVED OFF A newlywed couple and returned to the rental office. Gail was just coming in and Louise nodded toward the other woman's empty hands. "You passed out the rest of those flyers already?"
Her new employee smiled and shrugged. "It was easy. I did what you suggested and went to the businesses along Huron Street. A couple of the T-shirt shops agreed to put flyers in the customer's bags."
Good news was exactly what Louise needed after her lunch with Trent. If business picked up, that would keep her hands busy and her mind occupied. And maybe, just maybe, Trent wouldn't close down Hawk's.
"Thanks, Gail. Have you seen Pete? I haven't seen him since I got back from lunch."
The girl pressed her lips together. "Nope, I guess I haven't seen him since then either." She waved her hands in the air. "Maybe he had an appointment or something."
Louise worked to keep a frown off her face. "It seems like he would have mentioned something like that."
"I'll tell him you're looking for him if I see him." Gail went outside to help a family who'd just come into the yard.
Louise didn't need Pete for anything. It just seemed strange that he'd leave the stable attended when he knew they'd be busy all day. Obviously she needed to make up an employee work schedule.
Maybe he'd left a note on her desk. She hopped off the stool and went to her office.
She jogged to the end of the aisle but Pete's whistling stopped her from going into the office. Outside, the wiry old man was helping Trent unload some hay bales from a delivery wagon.
She sighed and went back to the office. Talking to Pete about a schedule in front of Trent would only give him more reason to doubt her abilities. Besides, she didn't want to do anything anywhere near Trent. Keeping away from him was the only answer to not strangling him.
Or kissing him.
She wasn't hiding. Really. She did need to look over her projected expense summary. That ought to keep her occupied for at least an hour. Avoiding Trent was going to be extremely difficult if he insisted on hanging around the stable.
She sank into her stiff chair and reached for the keyboard. After the screen came to life she stared hard at the columns. The numbers looked boring, just the thing to numb her brain and keep her thoughts off Trent.
TRENT TOSSED THE bale onto the stack in the feed room then paused. Pete stood beside him, also checking over the damage. In the daylight it didn't look so bad. There were dark smudges of soot and a burned pile of straw, but the thick wooden walls had only been damaged on the surface. It was almost as if he'd imagined the heat and horrible clouds of smoke.
Pete kicked at the burned hay. "So it was bad last night, huh?"
Despite how things looked now, he'd never forget the panic coursing through him when he saw Louise, almost unconscious and hardly breathing, lying in the hayloft.
Trent simply nodded.
"Fire chief come by yet?"
The workman was plying him for information, so he figured he might as well do the same. "You haven't been here?"
Pete glanced over Trent's shoulder. "No. I had to go out for awhile."
Trent winked, thinking he might catch the old man off guard. "Date with a pretty girl?"
Presumably to study the room some more, the old man turned his back. "No, I had an appointment in town."
"I haven't been around here either. I went to lunch at Soldier's. Ever eat there?"
"Nope, don't get around much," he replied over his shoulder.
"It's right by the fort." Trent pressed the old man. "Which was really packed today ... being the first big day of the season and all."
Pete kept his back turned. "You don't say."
"Ever been to the fort? The history is fascinating. I read about the place, but I lost track of how many times it changed hands between the British and the Americans."
The old man took his time answering. "I'm not one for history and stuff." He spun around with a forced smile. "I got to get back to work, boss."
Trent waved him off. "Sure, Pete. Thanks."
He dipped his chin. "I'll send the chief your way if I see him," he said as he hobbled off.
The old man was lying, which meant he was hiding something. Sucking in a steadying breath, Trent left the burned-out feed room to find Gail. He had a good idea that she would have another story to tell---one that didn't match up to Pete's or include a trip to the fort that afternoon.
As he hurried to the rental office a renewed sense of fear for Louise's safety burned through him. She had no idea her two employees were scheming together. After that fiasco at lunch, he couldn't tell her what he thought---that Pete and Gail were up to no good. She'd probably think he'd made it up just to get rid of her.
He was getting closer to uncovering whatever truth lie hidden in the stable, whatever the old building had to tell him about his father. But he was also putting Louise at risk.
Since she was too stubborn to leave, and he couldn't bear firing her, he had to stay as close to her as possible, watching and protecting her. He wouldn't get any closer than he had to. Only close enough to keep her safe.
LOUISE HELD UP the expense reports and beamed. Those and the hefty pile of bank deposit slips sitting on the edge of her desk were testimony to all her hard work. She'd been at Hawk's for two weeks and already things were turning around. She was even considering hiring another person to help her with the rental desk. Gail was excellent, but she couldn't handle the crowds that mobbed the desk in the afternoons.
If business kept going the way it was, Trent would have no argument against staying open and keeping her on to manage the stable after her trial period was over. She'd not only proven her abilities as a manager, she'd proven Hawk's was worth keeping.
She took pride in the accomplishment and knew that her business success should fulfill her, but for some reason that escaped her, it didn't. Why did happiness still elude her? She'd assumed that when she'd finally found a job where she could really make a difference her whole life would change. Yet restlessness clung to her. Complete happiness remained out of reach.
In all the jobs she'd had, she'd been waiting for the opportunity to prove that she knew how to make a business succeed. At Hawk's she'd found what she'd been searching for, but the sense of fulfillment and the excitement she'd expected was missing.
It didn't make sense. Instead of being happy with work and concentrating on business, she kept thinking about Trent. Each morning when she walked to Hawk's, and each evening when she left, she looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of him; he'd all but disappeared. Occasionally she'd find a work-related note left on the office desk or a message at Sally's, but other than that it was as though he didn't exist.
As much as she didn't want to accept it, she missed him. If he came by to ask how things were going she'd have an excuse to talk with him. Wouldn't he be encouraged when he saw how well his business was doing?
They hadn't talked since that awful lunch at Soldier's---the same day the fire chief came by and told her that the fire had been caused by bad wiring
Whatever she'd thought had happened between them the night of the fire meant nothing to Trent.
She should be glad. She hadn't wanted a summer fling, or worse, a romance with her boss. So why did she miss him so much? Why did she continue to waste time thinking about him? It was foolish. She barely knew him.
She sighed and got up from her desk. Maybe she was just lonely. She headed out of the office to check on things out front. Maybe she needed to make an effort to go out a couple times a week. Gail had some friends on the island and they'd asked her to come to dinner a few times.
Next time she got an invitation, she'd say yes. Going out with some carefree college girls had to be a lot better than sitting on Sally's front porch staring at the beauty of the island and wondering why, when she had everything she wanted, she felt so forlorn and depressed.
She needed to work harder during the day and get out and have a good time at night. Everything would be just fine. Better than fine. It'd be perfect.
TRENT WATCHED THE other diners laugh and enjoy the restaurant luncheon, but his own roast beef sandwich sat untouched on his plate. The food served at his hotel was excellent, but eating held no appeal. He'd been keeping a close eye on Louise, so he knew about the long hard hours she'd been putting in. Business at the stable had picked up and although he hadn't seen the books yet, it was a safe bet that Hawk's was doing better than it had in a long time. As the owner of the business, he owed her a word of thanks and congratulations. That meant talking---in person.
Surely he could keep things professional with her long enough to accomplish that. A quick meal at a decent place to show his appreciation ought to do the trick. But not The Majestic. Stirring up unwanted memories would be counter productive. He should be able to have a business conversation somewhere else with her. After all, they hadn't talked in two weeks. His attraction to her surely had cooled since then.
The lingering memory of her anger and rejection was still with him and he didn't want to be left sitting at an empty table again. He tossed down his napkin and went to the bar. After he got the attention of the college kid behind it, he attempted a smile. "Have a phone I can use?"
The bartender glanced his way, then grabbed a cordless phone and laid it on the counter.
"It's local," Trent offered.
The bartender looked like he hadn't had much sleep lately. "Just leave it there when you're done," he mumbled then wandered off.
Trent dialed the number to Hawk's. Louise's cheerful voice greeted him and his chest tightened. Keeping his emotions in check was going to be a lot harder than he thought. But not impossible.
A long stretch of silence followed his greeting.
"What can I do for you, Trent?" she asked, her friendly tone faltering.
"You've done a lot for me."
She paused. "I'm not sure what you mean."
He smiled at the bristle in her voice. She hadn't forgotten their kisses either. At least he wasn't suffering alone.
"I'm talking about Hawk's, Louise. You're doing a great job."
"Thank you."
He chuckled at her reluctance to talk to him. The irony that her attitude made him stupidly glad that their connection was still there wasn't wasted on him. "Be at the stable tonight around six. I'll come by, we'll talk about how Hawk's is doing." Wanting to avoid giving her false hope, he added. "You can show me the records and what you've got planned for the next two weeks."
Silence hummed across the line. He grimaced, realizing she still thought she had a shot of convincing him not to sell the stable.
"You'll be ready?"
"Yes, Mr. Parker. I'll be ready."
In spite of himself he grinned at the firm tone in her voice. He knew how to break through that icy exterior ... if he wanted to do so.
"See you at six." He hung up. He could keep his emotions in check and enjoy being with her at the same time. Everything would be fine as long as he didn't touch her.
TRENT STOPPED AT THE gate to Hawk's. Louise had turned things around so quickly selling the stable in two weeks seemed a shame, because he was sort of beginning to like the place, but he had no reason to keep it. Mr. Robbins assured him that both deals were coming along well, so if Zigler's backed out he could still sell to Klinger.
Maybe dealing with his father's sudden death had made him shook him up, but he was getting his head together now. The fire was an accident, his suspicions of Gail and Pete unfounded, and Louise hated his guts. Hanging around the island and wasting his time trying to discover something about a man who never cared about him was pointless. He needed to get back to his life. He'd waited to long to accept the truth---the ramshackle place in front of him didn't hold anything for him. He never learned anything about his father while the man was alive and it was stupid for him to think he could learn anything after his death.
Tonight, he'd tell Louise he was leaving.
Trent spotted Gail waving in the last riders for the night. That meant Gail and Pete would soon be leaving for the day and he and Louise would be alone. Leaving the bright evening sunshine behind him, Trent ducked inside the barn.
Even though no major repair work had been done, the place didn't look nearly as shabby as it had the first time he'd seen it. The cobwebs were gone, the aisle was swept clean, and the whole place smelled of freshly cleaned leather, new hay, and horses. It wasn't half-bad. It reminded him of Louise.
Petting a few of the horses as he went along, he worked his way down the aisle to the office. Sitting at the desk, Louise was a pretty sight. "Hungry?" he asked.
She looked up from the papers scattered around her. Her gaze went from his face to the boxes in his hands. "I didn't realize this was a dinner meeting."
A touch of humor lingered in her voice, but he couldn't be sure, so he hesitated to smile.
"You haven't eaten yet have you?"
She shook her head.
"Then it's a dinner meeting." He moved toward the desk. "Let's eat first, then talk."
She tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.
"You look great," he said without thinking.
She glanced away as she smiled and cleared off the desk. With a few quick movements, she had everything in two neat piles. She separated out a file folder and positioned it on the corner of the desk.
It was probably the latest numbers. It didn't matter what the figures were. Business was hopping. Whatever she had to report wouldn't change anything. He'd be leaving the island after dinner. And he'd be selling Hawk's in two weeks.
WITH SHAKING FINGERS Louise finished stacking the papers to the side while Trent unpacked the food. The chicken and mashed potatoes smelled fantastic. Her stomach rumbled and reminded her that she hadn't eaten since the toast she'd had for breakfast at Sally's.
After he finished setting out the dinners, he popped open a can of soda and offered it to her. "Sorry, no glasses."
"This is fine." She shrugged. "It's already more than I expected, really. Thank you."
"No thanks necessary. It's the least I can do, considering all the work you've been putting into this place."
Louise avoided his gaze by looking at the fried drumsticks. She was curious about how he knew she'd been doing anything at all. He certainly hadn't been around, how did he know what she'd been up to? Maybe he asked Gail or Pete. "What have you been doing to keep yourself busy, Trent?"
"Just seeing the island, I guess."
She scooped up a bite of pepper-dusted potato. He acted as though he was engrossed in his meal, but was that really the case?
Given their short, but rocky history together, there could be any number of things on his mind. The kisses they shared, or the nasty scene at the restaurant the day after the fire, for starters.
Judging by the way he avoided her gaze, she figured it was something along the lines of that second option. She was determined not to break under the pressure of the tension, so she smiled and started in on her chicken.
If she ate slowly, she could force him to finish first. Then he'd have to do the talking. As it was, only the sounds of the stable broke the silence. The frustrating man matched her bite for bite, so they finished at the same time.
"You must have some records you want to show me," he said, wiping his fingers with a white paper napkin.
She dropped the chicken bones into the box they'd come out of and accepted a towelette he offered her. With deliberate motions she wiped her hands free of chicken grease. "Of course. That is why you're here." Looking over the figures and future projections was something she could let herself get excited about.
He cleaned up the trash from their meal while she took out the papers detailing Hawk's progress. She handed them over and waited in anxious silence as he studied the results of her hard work. His blank features gave her no insight into his reaction, but it seemed to Louise that the awkward tension from remained.
He laid the pages aside. "It's more than I could've done."
Before she could reply, Gail popped her head through the doorway. "Bye. I'll see you tomorrow bright and early."
Louise leaned sideways to see around Trent's shoulder. "Has Pete gone, too?"
"Yep. He left about fifteen minutes ago." Gail added goodbye to both of them before disappearing into the aisle.
"Thanks, for everything," Louise called after her.
She turned to Trent. His lukewarm comments weren't exactly the praise she'd foolishly been hoping for, but at least he'd acknowledged that she was capable. But that wasn't enough. "You're satisfied with how things are going? Do you have any questions or concerns you'd like me to address?"
He studied her so closely that she shifted in her seat. When he spoke his tone was flat. "You must be as qualified as my father thought you to be."
She bristled. "You say that like being qualified is bad."
"Obviously, it's not."
Her temper rose. "It's not what you were hoping for. What you really wanted was an excuse to sell, isn't that right?"
He frowned and leaned back. "I agreed to your deal and I'm sticking with it, Miss Hart."
Miss Hart. Pressing him too hard could mean disaster, so she retreated to safer ground. "I appreciate that, Trent. I just wanted things to be clear between us, that's all."
He lifted an eyebrow. "Things are clear all right. No need to worry about that."
She tried to soften him with a smile. He chuckled easily and sounded like he had that first day when she'd heard him talking on the phone. "Am I so easy that you think you can manipulate me with a smile?" He was grinning, so he meant the words to tease her.
Somehow, she laughed with him.
But then there was something in his gaze, a subtle change that made her pause. "What is it Trent? Do you have something to tell me?"
His expression sobered. "I do appreciate everything you've accomplished. Like I said, it's much more than I could've accomplished. As you already know, I have absolutely no experience with horses." He pointed down at the papers. "You've done a lot in a short period of time."
Louise was pleased with the compliment. His confidence thrilled her more than he'd ever know, but she didn't make the mistake of reading anything personal into his words. The threat of him selling was always close.
"You don't need me around," he said.
Louise thought about asking him what he meant by that, but hesitated. She had a suspicion she wasn't going to like the answer.
A muted pounding took her attention. The rhythmic sound made the hair on her neck rise. She looked at Trent, but he'd turned toward the doorway, probably straining as she was, to listen.
"We're the only ones here aren't we?" he asked quietly.
"I thought so."
"Maybe it's just the wind." He turned around but remained silent.
A peculiar reaction swept through Louise and she shivered. Trying to ward off the unexplainable chill, she rubbed her arms.
Then she heard a distant scratching. There was no reason why the noise should make her tense, but something wasn't right. She sat stiffly, again straining to hear more.
The noise stopped.
"You wait here, I'll go check it out," Trent whispered.
She nodded, but ignoring his request, she rounded her desk to follow him through the doorway. She paused and listened, struggling to hear anything that might let them know at least where the intruder might be.
The whimper of a horse sounded near the feed room at the end of the aisle. She looked to Trent the same time he turned to her. When he pointed to the chair she'd gotten out of, she shook her head and he frowned. He cast her a stern stare, but turned back around and moved forward. Walking softly, they worked their way down the aisle toward the fire-damaged feed room. They paused again in front of the wide double doors.
Trent turned around and lifted a finger at her, silently asking her to wait a minute. She frowned and shook her head, but stopped when she saw the fierce expression on his face. She relented, and waited while he started toward the feed room again.
Just before he pulled open the door, a low creaking came from above. It was impossible to tell exactly where the sound started because it seemed to spread across the roof. Louise looked up and shifted her feet.
A single board fell from the ceiling and clattered to the ground. She jumped back, but others followed. Soon more boards and pieces of the roof fell from above. Sheets of the metal roofing sliced through the air and clattered to the floor. Louise leapt side to side to get out of the way, but everywhere she landed, more pieces crashed down around her.
The sounds of ripping wood, clanging metal, and wild whinnies of frightened horses pierced the air. A thick wooden beam with nails sticking out from both sides whooshed past her ear then became embedded in the wall.
"Get out of the barn," Trent shouted.
She searched for him, but the air was thick with dust. Huge sheets of the roof hung down, blocking her view. "Are you all right, Trent?"
"Louise, get out!"
A horse beside her kicked at the wall. Its terrified shriek sent chills down Louise's spine.
Dust flew all around and boards swung from the huge hole in the roof. She lifted her arms to protect herself, but then she couldn't see it all. Although she wanted to find Trent, going after him could endanger them both. If she got out she could go for help.
In her effort to move, she tripped over a chuck of steel and stumbled against a wall. Her arm scraped against the rough wood, but she leaned onto it for support anyway. Another piece of the roof gave way sending more boards and shingles raining down.
Louise sagged to the ground beside the wall and waited with her arms above her head. Finally, the deluge of destruction stopped and the only noises were the horses thrashing in their stalls and crying to get out.
She dropped her arms. Where was Trent? Her heart pounded with new fear. Should she go for help? Look for him? What if he was hurt? He hadn't hesitated to help her when she needed it, she couldn't deny him the same. She picked her way across the mess and kicked aside a couple planks.
As she neared the feed room, she called to Trent.
He didn't answer.
Heart in her throat, she entered the room.
BROKEN BOARDS, BITS of the metal roof and odds and ends lie heaped all around Trent. He looked up and his shoulders dropped with relief when Louise peered at him through the doorway. Like him, she was covered with dust, slivers of wood and scratches, but she was all right.
No doubt about it, they were lucky. They could've been seriously hurt. Or worse. Gut instinct told him that had been someone's intent. No one had to come and examine the stable to tell him what he already knew. Someone had done this on purpose.
He stepped over a section of steel and worked his way to Louise, took her hand, and they helped each other outside to the yard.
With huge eyes, Louise stared at the barn. It looked like a giant had stepped on it, leaving a huge gapping hole. A few boards hung perpendicular to the roof, ready to fall at any moment.
"We better call the vet."
Trent nodded at Louise's suggestion. "The phone in the rental office will be safe."
As she dashed off to make the call, he realized she'd been lucky again. And him? He'd been forced to face how much he cared about her, again. The flickers of pain and confusion were there, the same as before, but one thing was different. He wasn't going anywhere now.
A few people who'd stopped to stare at the mess shouted to him, but he didn't answer, only waved to let them know they were okay. He had enough questions of his own to deal with. Who wanted to destroy Hawk's? Or was it him and Louise they were after?
His suspicions about Gail and Pete resurfaced. If they were working together, he had no idea what they were trying to accomplish.
Louise came out the side door by the rental office and jogged to him. "I told the vet what happened. He said he'd be right over."
"Good. I'm glad you thought to call him. I don't think I would've."
She nodded, but didn't reply. As much as he wanted to reassure her, it would be a mistake, so he didn't reach for her as he had the night of the fire. There was no going back. Things had changed between them and he knew she didn't want his comfort.
He folded his arms over his chest. "You can go on to Sally's. I can take care of things here."
The vulnerable expression vanished. "What do you mean by that?"
"Just what I said. I'll go call the police chief and wait for the vet."
"No," she straightened her back and glared at him. "I'm staying. You're paying me to do a job, and I intend on doing it."
"Always business first, right Louise?"
Her face flushed with anger. "When business needs doing, yes."
Arguing with her wouldn't accomplish anything. He left her standing in the yard and went to call the police chief. He wanted a complete investigation this time, even if that meant he had to follow behind the chief, insisting that he go over every inch. He wanted absolute proof that this had been done on purpose.
LOUISE WENT INTO the barn and started to clear the aisle by the door. The mess on the ground wasn't too bad, but several long boards swung ominously above the animals. One by one, she led them out of the horrible mess and into the small paddock.
The vet arrived within minutes. Louise stayed beside him, making notes about the injuries and how to care for them.
"None of these injuries are critical, but some of the animals will need special attention for about a week or so," he concluded when they returned to the front yard. "Your animals are lucky."
She nodded, "We were lucky too."
The man glanced at the roof and nodded. "You'll follow my instructions?"
After she assured him that she would, he said, "I'll be by tomorrow morning, then." He started to walk off, but stopped and turned. "You know what caused this?"
Louise scanned the roof. "I have no idea."
"Old place, it needs some fixing up."
"It sure does now."
"The owner ought to get some insurance money out of the deal. That'll help get the roof fixed better than before ... 'course that depends on the most recent inspection."
As she was saying goodbye to the vet, Louise caught a glimpse of Trent and the police chief. The two of them were talking in low tones, discussing the situation, no doubt. She clenched her jaw. He should have come and gotten her. She had as much to do with running the business as he did.
She marched off in the direction she'd seen them go, but nearly bumped into Pete and Gail when she turned the corner.
"Everyone in town is talking about this, what happened?" Gail asked, waving her arms toward the barn.
"You two okay?" Pete looked Louise up and down.
Louise didn't want to rehash the whole thing, but she couldn't very well just walk off. "We're fine," she reassured Pete. "I've put some of the horses out back. They'll have to stay out there until we can get their stalls fixed."
Gail shook her head and pointed to the roof. "What happened?"
Louise followed the motion with her gaze then looked at Gail's stunned expression. "The roof fell in, but we don't know what caused it."
The other woman gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.
"We're okay," Louise assured her, "The horses are okay. We'll need to do some cleaning up, and get the roof repaired, but we'll work it all out." Even as she offered the assurance to Gail and Pete seeds of doubt settled deep within her.
Pete stepped forward. "How long you think we'll be closed up?"
The worry turned to panic. "Closed up?"
"Yeah, we gotta close up for awhile to get the repairs done, don't we?"
"I'm not sure." They couldn't afford a single day of closure. Pete smiled, probably trying to encourage her. "Let me know so I can make a sign or something."
"What about me, Louise? Do you still want me to come in tomorrow morning?"
"Of course. The sooner we get started, the sooner we'll be able to open up again."
Gail glanced at Pete then at Louise. "Okay, I'll be here ready to help."
"Thanks, Gail. See you in the morning." She waved her off and turned to Pete who was leaning on the side of the barn. "We'll see you tomorrow, too."
He nodded. "Yep. Same as always."
After they left, Louise went to find Trent and the police chief, but this time with a lot less enthusiasm. Pete was right. They had to close the stables. They couldn't risk the safety of the customers with injured mounts and a hazardous mess. How long would it take to fix the barn? A week, maybe two?
Trent had all the incentive he needed to close Hawk's for good. Why go to the trouble of fixing the damage when he could cut his losses and close right away? Louise fought against the overwhelming despair that clutched her. Everything she'd been through, everything she'd worked for---all for nothing. The success and happiness she'd been so close to reaching had slipped out of reach. Again.
With a heavy heart she picked up her pace. She might not be around Hawk's much longer, but until she was let go she intended to do the job she was being paid for.
THE POLICE CHIEF shielded his eyes from the late afternoon sun and stared up at the roof. "You didn't have the place inspected when you got it?"
"I think Mr. Robbins, the realtor, might have an inspection on file."
"Did your father have it inspected?"
"Probably." Anxious to get on with something helpful, Trent frowned. "I don't know."
The policeman turned. "You don't know? Don't you have any records?"
Trent needed to have another talk with Michael Robbins. The sooner the better. "Mind if I go make a phone call?"
"Sure, Mr. Parker. It'll be awhile before I finish up here. The deputy is coming to take some pictures. Keep everyone out of the barn and away from the area."
"I'll take care of it," he muttered as he hurried to the phone.
NINE DAYS LATER Trent trudged across the back fence of the paddock. The workers had left a huge pile of debris in the far corner. It wasn't a safety hazard, only an eyesore. The trash removal guy had said he'd be by on Sunday, but that was three days ago.
He rested against the top rail and examined the newly repaired roof the insurance company had insisted he install right away. The brand new sheets of silver metal brightened up the building and made it look almost respectable. Zigler will be thrilled.
While he hadn't officially agreed to sell to Zigler instead of Klinger, he knew that as soon as Zigler put the employment clause in writing, he'd be ready to sign. For Trent, the past ten days had been a series of one disappointment after another. He'd looked into the inspection records, sure that those would reveal something more, but Michael Robbins produced them quickly enough and they didn't indicate anything other than the barn was run down and needed a new roof. Not exactly mind-blowing stuff.
The police chief, and everyone else, concluded that the roof falling in was another ill-timed event. Just one of those things that happens when an old building succumbs to the effects of the harsh northern winters. Bad luck, like the fire.
Whatever was going on at the stable, it was more than he could handle. Three weeks ago he'd been convinced the stable held some answer for him, some insight about his father. The childishness of hoping that a heap of wood and metal could fill in the painful gaps left by years of being ignored had become painfully obvious.
He'd been wasting his time believing that learning anything about his father mattered. The man never wanted anything to do with him, so why should he care?
And Louise? She'd been a disappointment, too. After the roof fell in, he'd hardly said two words to her. For days they'd worked side-by-side cleaning up the mess and caring for the horses, but she let him know in no uncertain terms that her only interest in Hawk's was business.
He'd convinced himself that he was happy to oblige.
He was a man of his word if nothing else, so once he was sure Lousie, Gail and Pete would be able to keep on working, even past the four week trial period, he'd leave all the ghosts and questions behind, on the tiny isolated island where they belonged. Dwelling on what might've been did nothing but prolong his grief, and he'd had enough of sorrow and confusion.
A brown horse nudged his shoulder. Thanks to Louise, he knew it was looking for a treat.
"Sorry girl." He scratched her cheek and gazed into her huge brown eyes. "I don't have anything for you." The one surprise of the whole thing was that he enjoyed the horses. He'd miss being around them.
That day Louise had taken him riding seemed so long ago, it could have been a different lifetime. In a way it was. It was back before he still hadn't completely learned to keep his feelings hidden deep, where they couldn't be cracked. He should've learned that lesson from his father, but it took Louise to teach him in such a way that he'd never forget it.
He gave the mare a pat and pushed away from the fence. There was no point in sticking around Hawk's today. Then he'd ask Louise out to dinner one last time to explain how things were going to be. In a matter of days, the whole sorry episode would be over for him.
THURSDAY MORNING LOUISE waved off a cluster of teenagers. The shouts and laughter of the girls cheered her up a little. The island was gearing up for a big weekend, the Lilac Festival. The next few days would be busy ones, with special activities in front of the fort and all around the island. The parade through town on Sunday would be the grand finale.
It was the first day they'd been open since the roof accident. She was glad to be busy helping people mount up, instead of hauling trash or digging through rubble for bridles and other things they wanted to keep out of the hands of the trash hauler.
The last ugly reminder, that awful pile of boards, still sat out back. She could call the trash man again, and beg him to come take the mess away, but what would be the point? She'd probably get his phone machine like she had the other three times she'd tried to call him. She thought about giving Pete a hard time---after all he'd recommended the man---but in the end it didn't matter. She probably wouldn't have to worry about Hawk's in a few days anyway. That pile of rubble would be someone else's problem.
Most of the time she hung onto the hopelessly slim chance that Trent had changed his mind about selling the stable. At least he hadn't closed it right away. That had to mean something. The repaired roof was a good sign. Louise could only guess that Trent was planning to get rid of Hawk's because he hadn't said anything about keeping the place.
He'd been avoiding her. She wished she could stop thinking of him. But she couldn't.
When the young riders trotted out of view, Louise turned from the road to look around the yard. Everything in sight reminded her of Trent. Even the bend of the trees.
Regardless of how much she tried to deny it, they'd shared something special.
It wasn't enough though. There was too much between them. The barn, the problems, his attitude, and her dreams. He was her boss. It all added up to a big fat zero. Louise knew that a romance between them was never meant to be. No matter how hard she wished otherwise.
She turned to go check on the one horse they still had out back and ran smack into the man she'd been trying so hard to forget. Frustration welled up in her when her body reacted to his closeness as though it didn't know that her head was trying to pretend he didn't exist.
He didn't move. "I was coming to find you."
She tried to pull away, but he reached out and took her arms and said, "We need to talk for a few minutes."
When she found herself noticing that the bright gold flecks in his eyes shone in the sunlight, she tried to pull away again. "Can you let go of me?"
"I like it this way. I can be sure I have your attention."
"You always have my attention Trent," she said revealing much more than she meant to.
He smiled and Louise's legs sagged.
"Do I?"
Too worn out to pretend nothing had ever happened between them, she simply stared at him. "Are we back to games?"
The smile dropped a touch. "No games."
"Okay." She fought for the business tone that always held him back. "What did you want to talk about?"
This time it didn't work. "Have dinner with me tomorrow night."
Somehow he always made her forget her resolve. She couldn't hold back her pleasure. Weary of denying her true feelings, she smiled and angled her head toward the barn. "Last time we ate dinner together the roof fell in."
He chuckled at her teasing. "That's why we have to go out."
Her arms warmed where his hands covered them. Trying to keep hold of herself, Louise looked over his shoulder. Keeping her gaze focused on his face would only reminded her of what could never be. Any possibility that they'd ever become more than friends was gone. She should be glad for that. How many times had she scolded herself for daydreaming about Trent and wasting time on fantasies of happily ever after?
He squeezed her arms. "Please, Louise. You're the only thing I've found on this island that makes any sense."
She glanced at him, and found she couldn't turn away from the vulnerability in his eyes. "I didn't know you were looking for something."
His jaw tightened. "I'm not. Not anymore anyway."
"What is it Trent? Something to do with your father?"
"Forget about that." It was his turn to glance away. "Have dinner with me."
With him standing so close, it was impossible to think of a good reason to say no. She could tell he needed the comfort of another person, like she had after the fire. He couldn't be the man she wanted, but for one night she could be the friend he needed.
Like the day he'd asked her to go to The Majestic, he took her silence for agreement. "I'll pick you up at Sally's around seven. Casual dress, we'll go someplace that has tables outside by the dock."
Her arms felt bare after he let go. The desperate expression on his face stayed with her even after he rounded the corner. But still, just like that first day, she couldn't help wondering what it was that was tormenting him. Obviously, it had everything to do with his father, but what? What was he trying so hard to forget?
Because he wasn't ready to face whatever it was she'd never be the one to help him find those answers, but she'd given up denying the deep feeling she had for him. It was pointless to think she could turn away from him when he needed her. But she would only go so far. She could deal with a wounded heart, but a shattered one might never mend.
The gentle clip clop of horse hooves came from the other sound of the barn. The wind carried the laughter and shouts of the returning riders. Thankful to have something to keep her busy, Louise pasted on a smile and hurried to help them.
"YOU LOOK NICE, dear. You and Trent having dinner?"
Sally said from her chair where she sat talking with a couple who'd just arrived that afternoon.
"Would you like to join us while you wait for him? The Rousseaux's are here for the festival. I'm sure their daughter would love to hear about the stable."
"Please bring her over tomorrow and I'll be glad to show her around," Louise said to the couple and then she turned to Sally. "Thanks, but I think I'll wait outside and enjoy the evening."
"Have a nice time, dear," Sally called.
Louise bid them all good night.
The evening was very warm and the sun still hung high in the sky. Louise loved the longer days of summer and even though her situation was bleak she strolled down Sally's path with a light step.
Her time on the island had taught her a few things. One of them was that there was no point in looking for trouble. Trouble had a way of finding you. Now she understood that it's how you react to conflicts that counted---not so much how things turn out. In the past she'd always run from difficult situations, but not this time. She'd stuck around and battled her way through.
The past four weeks had been the most challenging and the most rewarding of her life. She'd never regret her days at Hawk's.
Louise stopped short at the end of Sally's walk when she spotted her handsome boss leaning on the gate. "You're early," she said, wishing she weren't so glad to see him.
"So are you," he observed. "Anxious to get it over with?"
He couldn't really think she was dreading this dinner. She caught a glimmer of the uncertain expression she'd seen when he asked her out. Her instant reaction was to touch him, but she forced her hands to stay by her sides. She shook her head instead.
He swung open the gate and they started down the street. "You don't mind walking do you?"
She waved at the trees and flowers. "It's too nice for a taxi."
"I thought so, too."
They strolled along in companionable silence. Huron Street was much busier than it had been earlier in the day. The temperature had dropped and clusters of people blocked the streets and filled the sidewalks. People jostled them as they worked their way through the crowd toward the docks. Each time she bumped into Trent he glanced down and her resolve to think of him as a friend in need thinned.
"Do you think we'll be able to get a table?" she asked when they stopped in front of a small dockside cafe.
"I've taken care of it."
Trent waved at the hostess and the woman smiled. The inviting expression didn't extend to Louise, and an unwelcome pang of jealousy worked through her. She had no right to feel possessive of Trent. Whatever they shared was in the past, and that was where it had to stay.
Once they were seated he reached for the menus and offered her one.
"It's your turn, you pick," she said pushing it back to him.
"So it's like that, huh?" His eyes narrowed playfully. "Is this a set up?"
"What do you mean?" she asked feigning innocence.
He smirked. "Are you trying to learn something about me by what I choose for you?"
"Would I do something sneaky like that? I thought I already knew you."
"Who's playing games now, Louise?"
She laughed at him. He amazed her by laughing back.
The waiter chose that moment to come by for their order. Trent tucked the menus back between the ketchup and mustard bottles. "One surf and turf and one seaside sampler," he said without hesitation.
Louise didn't miss the lifted eyebrow of the waiter.
Trent chuckled as he walked away.
Louise applauded his quick thinking. "Okay, you win."
"I'm glad you acknowledge that. I'll make the rest of the evening easy on you."
Louise took a sip of her water to avoid his stare. "Is this a business dinner, Trent?"
"Do you want it to be?"
Her whole body responded to the husky rasp in his voice.
The lighthearted atmosphere vanished and turned into one with an undercurrent of sizzling electricity. The flirtatious gleam in his eyes made her heart stall and resume beating with intensity she recognized. Louise struggled against the heady memories of his tender kisses.
He'd opened the door for an evening of romance, but Louise wasn't willing to walk through. Since she had to assume that he'd be closing the stable and leaving the island, it was clear she would only be a one-night diversion to him.
She couldn't do that. Not when she wanted so much more from Trent Parker.
Only one answer would keep her heart from aching any more. "Let's keep it business."
He lifted his chin. "If that's the way you want it."
"Yes, Trent. That's the way I want it." Once the lie passed her lips, she tried to convince herself she'd said the right thing. When the light faded from his eyes she could barely stand holding the truth inside.
"I guess we might as talk about Hawk's then."
"Yes, I guess we should." Louise swallowed against the heartache tightening her throat as she summoned the strength to get the worst of the evening over with. "You're selling Hawk's aren't you?"
When he nodded, she pressed her lips together and pretended to admire the beautiful sailing boats coasting past.
"I'm selling to Zigler's. They want to annex the stable, add it to theirs. I've asked that you, Pete and Gail be guaranteed employment for the rest for the season. As soon as it's in writing, we'll finish the deal."
Why wasn't she thrilled to know she'd get to keep her job? Instead of thanking him as she should've, she asked, "But you'll be leaving?"
"That's right."
WHEN TRENT ESCORTED Louise to Sally's, he didn't lean down to kiss her. He simply said goodnight and left. Her heart ached as she watched his back fade into the evening crowd. She shouldn't complain though. She'd gotten what she asked for. Something she'd been telling herself she wanted for years.
A business dinner discussing her many achievements. A solid job.
But the meal had left her feeling anything but excited and enthusiastic about her career and her life. The satisfaction and contentment she expected were painfully absent.
It left her feeling lonely and restless, as though something was missing. For the first time ever, she wondered about her goals. About how she'd been drifting through life, always looking for something better.
Maybe happiness wasn't all tied up in freedom and accomplishment. Maybe she'd be happy if she had someone with which to share it. No matter what she was doing.
Louise went to the beach and stood where Trent had kissed her. She still felt the tender caress of his lips. She still smelled the scent of smoke mixed with a touch of his aftershave.
Tears gathered in her eyes and she let them fall. No one would see her cry because she was completely alone.
After the last teardrop fell, she went inside and slipped into bed.
SUNDAY NIGHT THE music from the street below intruded on Louise, even inside the rooming house. Since it was the last day of the Lilac Festival things should've been winding down, but the people outside didn't seem to think so.
She paced around Sally's empty front parlor remembering what Trent had said about looking for something. What could he possible be looking for at Hawk's? And was he still searching for it?
All the guests were out enjoying the summer evening. Even Sally had gone to watch the big festival parade. Louise didn't feel like enjoying the entertainment much less watching it, but staying cooped up was making her crazy.
That left only one thing. Work.
A couple boxes of documents that had been forwarded by Trent's father's attorney had arrived at Hawk's late yesterday afternoon. She'd glanced through them. They appeared to be old records from Hawk's early days. She hadn't felt like sorting through them then, but now they represented at least two hours of work.
She left Sally a note and headed out the door. The unusually warm weather was still here, so she tried to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine. The sweet scent of lilacs filled the air.
Her parents would appreciate the photographs she'd taken of the lilac trees that had been planted on the hill below the fort. The trunks of the hundred-year-old trees were gnarled and twisted from strong winter winds, but each year they produced huge clusters of beautiful flowers.
Maybe she'd bring her mom and dad to the island next year for the festival.
Hawk's was deserted. Louise had assumed nobody would be by to rent a horse, so she'd given both Gail and Pete the evening off to go to the parade. She stopped to pet the tall bay that had become her favorite. Pete's words about the horses and how he liked the way they were content to stand around just waiting in their stalls whispered through her mind.
How simple that would be. If she stopped agonizing over her future, maybe she could relax and enjoy the festival with everyone else. But she couldn't. She went in through the wide doors near the feed room. Then she worked her way up the aisle by petting each animal. As she moved down the aisle she realized noise was coming from the office. There was something peculiar about the sound, like someone was digging through the drawers in a hurry.
Louise's heart picked up speed. All the stress from the past four weeks had her on edge, she figured. Why else would she react like her life was in danger?
She frowned at her reaction, but crept closer to the open office door. Soft voices drifted to her. She paused and her shoulders dropped with relief when she realized it was only Pete whispering.
"If you'd done a better job of things, we'd be done by now." Anger was evident in his tone.
A bolt of shock coiled deep inside Louise's stomach when Gail's voice followed. "I didn't mess up half as bad as you. You couldn't even do the fire right."
"I did all right with the roof mess."
Louise's shock turned into fury rimmed with horror. Her heart stuttered in her chest. It was crazy to be frightened by two people she knew so well, but she was.
Gail's next reply was too soft for Louise to hear.
"What do you care?" Pete hissed. "You got the money I gave you. Me, I got nothing."
"I'm done with you, old man."
The nasty threat in Gail's voice sounded so different from her usually cheerful tone, Louise could hardly believe her ears. A shiver ran down her back and she shuddered. She bumped a pitchfork propped against the wall and it clattered to the ground.
The sound of a chair falling to the floor followed and reminded Louise of the night she and Trent had surprised someone in the office. Adrenaline flowed through her body and her senses were on overdrive.
The soft whisper of someone breathing reached her ears.
Louise froze against the wood wall as though she could disappear, but Pete spotted her as soon as he stepped out into the aisle.
"You shouldn't be snooping around here."
Louise faked courage she didn't possess and stood up straight as she looked right at Pete. "I work here, Pete."
"Not for long you don't." The snarl in his tone matched the scowl on his face.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Your boyfriend's going to sell the place. Didn't you know?"
"Yes, but we get to keep our jobs."
"That's a lie. He's just like his father, ready to run away at the first sign of trouble."
Louise forgot her fear. "You knew Mr. Parker?"
"Sure. He and I had a sweetheart deal here. This place was supposed to be mine. The only hitch was that he went and died on me before making it official."
A dozen questions formed in Louise's mind, but she couldn't figure out which one to ask. When she remained silent, Pete bent toward her. His bony face was shadowed so she couldn't see his expression, but she heard the threat in his voice.
"You better pack your things and get going, Missy. Things could get ugly here."
"Worse than they have been?"
"So I didn't get things right them other times. I'm bound to get it right sooner or later."
Despite everything she'd heard, Louise couldn't believe it. Her fear warred with curiosity. "What's in it for you?"
"Revenge." He leaned so close Louise saw the pain flash in his eyes. "Revenge for what that old man did to my sister. The woman he claimed to love." His lip curled. "But I've had enough of the whole mess. You won't be seeing any more of me."
So ... the stable did hold some information about Trent's parents.
Pete turned to walk away, but Louise grabbed his arm. "What did Mr. Parker do, Pete? Tell me."
"He killed her."
"Killed her?" she echoed.
He yanked away his arm and shuffled off into the darkness. Too stunned to chase after him or call the police, Louise stood for a long time, while his accusation sunk in. Trent's father was a murderer?
She turned to go, but stopped when she saw a stapled packet of papers on the ground where Pete had stood.
A glance at them was all she needed to know they were what Trent was looking for. With the information they held, he'd be able to leave the island for good and get on with his life. She tucked them into her back pocket.
As she jogged to Sally's, things came together slowly. By the time she reached the gate it all made sense. She knew what she had to do.
TRENT HUNG UP the phone and dropped onto his stiff hotel bed. With the early morning call to the police chief taken care of, he looked at the documents spread across his bed and read them again for what must have been the hundredth time. The pieces fit into place, but he fought against the image they presented.
He picked up the handwritten note from Louise, which had been delivered with the papers about an hour ago. It detailed her run in with Pete and the conversation she'd overheard between him and Gail. So he had been right about those two plotting together.
Trent fingered the torn and aged pages: the autopsy report from his mother's accident and the letters written by his father to Pete. The handwriting in the letters was his father's, but the words didn't sound anything like the remote emotionless man who'd paid his boarding school tuition.
The man who wrote the letters had loved the woman who died, and had blamed himself for the accident that caused her death. He read over the autopsy once again then rubbed his red-rimmed eyes and fought against the blurriness of his vision.
The report said the car crash had been an accident. Yet from the papers in front of him, Trent knew his father had carried the guilt of what had happened. Finally, he'd found the connection between Hawk's and his father.
His father felt responsible for the death of his wife, Pete's sister. Pete had taken advantage of the other man's unbearable burden and used that guilt to get what he wanted. Trent would probably never know the whole story, like how long Pete had been twisting the emotions of the widower who never recovered from the loss of his wife. But Pete knew enough to understand what Trent's father had been going through.
If only Trent had known.
Unable to focus after the long sleepless night, Trent gave up, piled the papers on the table beside his bed and went to look out his window. The morning air blew in, caressing his face. He pulled in a breath of the sweet air.
The street below was quiet because it was still early. A delivery cart rolled by. The white horse pulling it swished its tail while the driver called over its back.
He turned away from the scene below. There was no point in stalling. It was time for him to pack up and leave the island. His stay there had brought him nothing but pain and heartache.
He should be satisfied. He'd gotten his answers. He knew why his father had bought the stable. To keep Pete quiet. Of course Pete didn't really have anything to tell, but Trent knew his father was desperate to silence his demons and his brother-in-law was only too happy to take advantage of another man's pain.
Trent started pulling things off the dresser and from the drawers. He shoved his clothes into the suitcases he'd brought with him. That first day seemed so long ago.
He'd pay his bill and be out within the hour. He'd leave the island and all its horrible truths behind. He'd leave Louise behind as well. His gut twisted and he fought against the tightness there.
In time, he'd forget about her. He grabbed the small travel clock on his bedside table and brushed against the papers lying there. They scattered to the floor. When he bent down to pick them up he resisted wadding them up in his fists. If only he could go back to that first day on the island.
He should've sold Hawk's and left that night. Trent threw the papers into his briefcase. They represented the wasted lives of everyone listed on them.
Pete's life wasted on hate and the desire for revenge.
His father's wasted life. Trent understood now that his father had loved his mother, but after she died, he'd pushed everyone away, including his own son. The man wasted his life hiding from emotions because he was afraid of pain.
Trent's life had been wasted hoping his father would love him. But not anymore. Soon he'd cut the last tie.
He didn't want to go back to the stable, but he had to. He had to be sure there were no loose ends there so when he sold the place, he'd know that it would be out of his life forever.
AS HE HEADED toward Hawk's, Trent barely noticed the locals dressed for work or the early morning sightseers toting cameras and maps.
Soon he stood under the familiar squeaking sign. The barn door was shut tight. The closed sign wasn't a surprise.
Louise had mentioned in her letter that she'd be taking the day off to go to the mainland. Considering everything Pete and Gail dished out she probably needed some time to herself. Away from him.
Even though he'd expected to find the place deserted, the sight depressed him. A single horse poked his head out to watch him walk past. Trent called to the big animal and its ear pricked up. Its huge brown eyes asked where're you going?
After standing outside for a few minutes, Trent set off for the barn. He slipped inside and paused to listen. In his mind he could hear the light echo of Louise's laughter. He strained to hear the imaginary sound, but it faded.
He went down the aisle toward the office. He stopped at the threshold and remembered Louise staring at him that first day. Instant chemistry. And they both knew it, even then..
He smiled. She'd been attracted to him, too.
Familiar warmth crept over him. If only she weren't so much like his father. If only she didn't always put her goals first. Things could've been different.
Trent crossed the dirt floor and stopped by the window. It seemed like he'd known Louise a lot longer than four weeks. Would he be able to stop thinking about her in a month? He doubted it.
There was no getting around it. It was going to take him a long time to get over her.
Trent jerked away from the window and shoved his hands in his pockets. Somehow she'd figured out what he'd been looking for. His fingers curled around the note she'd sent with the papers. She'd never given up on helping him. Even when he pushed her away, she still reached out, gently encouraging him to open up and trust.
Trent turned when he heard footsteps coming toward him.
"I thought I'd find you here." The police chief slipped off his hat and glanced around. "Mind if I take a closer look?"
Trent shook his head. "Go ahead. I don't know that it'll help."
The other man moved off, but spoke over his shoulder. "Sounds like your girlfriend got quite a scare."
Girlfriend? Trent didn't bother correcting him.
The policeman glanced back and smiled. "She must care about you a lot to risk talking with that workman after what he tried to do here. Most women I know would have run off the first chance they got."
"She's a stubborn one, that's for sure."
The older man chuckled. "I'm surprised she isn't here opening up."
Trent spun on his heels and took in everything around him. The rental forms sat on the counter and waited for customers. Some of the horses had their heads out as if they were expecting someone to take them out for the day. Everything was too quiet.
The silence was broken by the tiny mew of that irritating kitten. The trouble-making fur ball scampered down the aisle and reminded Trent of how he'd felt each time he thought of Louise getting hurt. Each time he'd touched her, his body had insisted they belonged together.
The kitten raced past him and then turned back. It turned its golden gaze to him and rubbed against his leg. He surprised himself by not shoving it away.
Trent's reality shifted and he realized it was all wrong. Completely wrong. But he could make it right. It wasn't too late. His gaze darted around the barn then to the policeman. "Do you know what time the first ferry leaves?"
The chief glanced up from the papers he was reading to check his watch. "Let's see. It's Monday. So, 'bout five minutes I think."
"I've got to go," Trent shouted as he took off.
TRENT RACED THROUGH the yard and around the curve to Huron Street. As his feet pounded across the pavement he kept thinking about Louise and what she'd done for him.
The way she kept reaching out to him but he'd been too stupid to notice. Like a fool, he'd reacted like his father and hid from his emotions. Even though she'd showed him how much she cared, he'd still refused to take the risk that he might get hurt. Even after her sacrifice he'd been selfish and thoughtless.
He wouldn't waste the rest of his life. He'd take a risk. The most exciting risk of his entire life.
Trent jerked to a stop when he reached the dock. His breath came quickly, causing a few people to turn a speculative stare at him, but he searched past them for the woman he loved.
He tensed when he saw the first crowd of the day loading the ferry. Maybe she'd already gotten on. He pushed through the people as he looked for her. Just as he neared the edge of the pier, he spotted her golden hair. She stood behind a cluster of kids and in front of a sleepy college student. He reached her in five long strides.
He took her arm and pulled her away from the plank. When their gazes connected, he saw the pain in her eyes and hated himself for causing it.
The right words didn't come, so he did the only thing that made sense. He grabbed her and pressed his mouth to hers.
Louise returned Trent's kiss. It was only after he pulled away that she realized what she'd done. She searched his eyes for some explanation.
After he struggled to catch his breath, he said, "I want to stay, Louise."
She wanted to ask him why, but she couldn't get the words out. Had he changed his mind about selling and he wanted to keep Hawk's for himself? Did he want her to be his summer girlfriend? She wanted one thing from him. Forever. Anything else would never be enough.
"What you did for me ... I realize what a jerk I've been. I'm sorry for pushing you away. I was afraid."
Because she'd come to know and understand Trent and because she'd been thinking about what his father had done, she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear him say it. She had to know if he had finally faced up to his past. "Afraid of what?"
"Getting hurt."
Louise looked deep into his eyes. "Everyone is afraid of that, Trent. But you have to take a chance."
"I know, it's just that after my father---"
She cut him off with a shake of her head. "I'm not your father, Trent. I won't push you away."
"I know." He smiled. "I'm not my father, either. I won't make the same mistake he did."
"I'm glad." Hope blossomed in her heart, but she held back until he said the words that took her breath away and gave life to a new dream.
"Marry me, Louise." She pressed her lips together and pretended to consider his wonderful offer. "There is one condition."
"Anything."
"No trial period."
He grinned. "This isn't for four weeks, my love. This is forever."
Melissa Ford lives in rural Michigan with her husband, two sons, and three goats. During the day she assists students with their academic writing at the local community college; her evenings are spent driving her kids around, avoiding housework by playing Scrabble, and of course, working on her next book. Author of both adult and young adult fiction, she enjoys all kinds of stories---as long as they have a happy ending.
Visit www.hardshell.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.

