Chapter 2
Eight-thirty Saturday morning, Jillian perched on a ladder in her soon-to-be flower shop and swept her brush on the wall as she worked on the second coat. They were almost finished. The smell of wet paint hung in the air, and a cool spring breeze came through the front entrance where the door had been propped open.
She loaded sunshine-yellow paint on her brush again and slid it down the wall. She’d been doing a lot of the work herself to save money rather than hiring a professional paint crew.
Leeann had been doing what she could with the painting, fitting it in while working full-time as an X-ray tech, along with writing and preparing for her first book release around Christmas. Time that she normally allotted to making jewelry had been spent helping Jillian instead. She appreciated Leeann’s help more than she could express.
Now, they were cutting it close with last-minute preparations—the store opened next weekend.
All her siblings and their parents had been jumping in to assist in various capacities, something she’d been incredibly grateful for. They’d all been so encouraging and helpful.
“There’s a delivery truck out front.” Leeann’s voice came from behind her. “I think it’s the additional coolers you ordered.”
“Great.” Jillian put the lid on the can, climbed down the ladder, and placed her paintbrush in a container of water by the wall. She wiped paint off her hands with an old rag and tossed it near the can.
Leeann planted her hands on her hips as she took in the walls. “The shop is looking terrific.”
“Thanks to a whole lot of help from you and the rest of the McLeod crew.” Jillian swept by Leeann as she headed for the door. “There’s so much more to do.”
“We’ll make it happen.” Leeann joined Jillian on the sidewalk, where two men unloaded the cases.
Jillian directed the men where to put them in the shop, and soon, a neat row lined one wall. She signed the delivery form, and the men left.
Leeann joined Jillian as she surveyed the cases. “Just think, soon they’ll be filled with beautiful flowers from Maricopa County growers.” She turned to Leeann. “It’s really going to happen.”
Leeann laughed. “We’ve been telling you ever since you got laid off that you would make it happen. And here you are.”
Jillian smiled, and her gaze drifted over her new shop. A helium tank stood behind the counter near packages with a wide variety of balloons. On the left was a display of birthday candles, cake decorations, and boxed chocolates. A greeting card rack took up space to the right. She even had a small section of party supplies that locals would appreciate since they wouldn’t have to make the trip to Phoenix.
The back looked like a craft room explosion with the basket and arrangement supplies. Haylee was an artist who used to own an event-planning business. She would make the baskets for Jillian’s clients. She enjoyed creating them for fun and insisted on doing it at no charge.
Satisfied with how everything was going, she turned back to Leeann. Jillian opened her mouth to speak, but then her eyes widened, and she clapped her hand to her forehead. “I forgot to text CJ.”
“The cute cowboy you told me about last night?” Leeann looked at her with amusement. “The same one I can’t remember, either?”
Jillian frowned. “Is that bad?”
Leeann picked up a fresh paintbrush. “No, but maybe you should check with Carter or Colt, just to be on the safe side.”
“I’ll think about it.” Jillian dug her cell out of her back pocket. “I just don’t like the idea of asking our big brothers if they think I should date a man I’m interested in.”
Leeann went to a ladder up against a spring-green wall catty-corner to the yellow one Jillian had been working on. “Don’t think of it that way. Just ask one of them if they remember him.”
“Maybe.” Jillian’s belly warmed as she found CJ’s information in her phone, and she smiled to herself.
“I see that look on your face,” Leeann called from across the room. “You’ve got it bad.”
Jillian started a message to CJ. Good morning. I’m looking forward to this evening. What time?
She waited a moment, but no response came back as fast as she would have liked it to. She slid the phone into her back pocket, grabbed a fresh paintbrush, and climbed up the ladder.
The memory of CJ’s killer smile made her belly warm as she thought about last night. Her smile faded a little when it occurred to her that he might have changed his mind.
She attacked the painting with more ferocity, causing yellow droplets to fly off and land on her T-shirt. Stop it. She’d always struggled with self-confidence, one reason why she’d stayed too long with Carl. She hadn’t thought anyone else would pay the kind of attention he had to her.
When she found out he’d been seeing someone else, too, her self-confidence had plummeted even more.
But then here came CJ, who seemed genuinely interested in her and thought she was beautiful. Family and friends had told her she was—when she looked in the mirror, she disagreed. But then, she’d always been hyper-critical of herself.
They painted a while, Leeann humming and Jillian lost in her own thoughts.
King Creek’s Spring Fling festival started next Saturday, and she anticipated getting more business with all the people who would be in town.
“I’ve got to go to the restroom.” Leeann now stood at the foot of Jillian’s ladder. She hadn’t even noticed Leeann had stopped painting. “Be right back.”
Jillian focused on her work, and the hair at her nape prickled. She felt like she was being watched.
She looked over her shoulder and dropped her paintbrush. It landed with a loud smack.
CJ stood in the open doorway, his shoulder hitched against the doorframe. He’d crossed his arms in front of his broad chest and wore a sexy grin.
Her mouth grew dry as she swept her gaze over the tall, well-muscled cowboy. “Uh, hi.”
“Hello, beautiful.” He didn’t move.
“Give me a minute.” She put the lid on the paint can and climbed down the ladder. She picked up the paintbrush from where it had left a yellow splat on the concrete floor and put the brush into the can of water. She picked up a rag and wiped her hands with it before tossing it back to the floor.
She sucked in her breath, then let it out slowly before she turned to face him again.
He pushed away from the doorframe and strode toward her. When he reached her, he smiled. “Hope you don’t mind me stopping by while you’re in the middle of working.”
“Not at all.” She slid her hands into her front pockets for something to do with them. “Are you in town for anything in particular?”
“I had to go to the hardware store for supplies for some repairs I have to make.” He jutted his chin in the direction of the store, which was across the street, before meeting her gaze. “I saw the name of your shop and thought I’d answer your text in person.”
“The sign just went up yesterday.” She waved to the new cases, the front counter, and the display stands for greeting cards. “Welcome to my humble establishment.” She shook her head. “There’s so much to do before my grand opening.”
“You’ll do great.” He pushed up his Stetson with one finger, and she got a better look at his gorgeous amber eyes. “I’ll be your first customer.”
She laughed. “That’s what everyone in my family says.”
CJ took in the brunette beauty before him, enjoying the sweet sound of her laughter. Jillian looked so damned cute with yellow paint on her nose and cheek and her hair sticking out every which way from a messy bun. She wore paint-stained Levis and a grass-green T-shirt, also covered in yellow drops and smears.
He’d been glad to get her text. He was looking forward to spending more time with her.
“I talked with my buddy this morning, and he still has the tickets.” He rocked back on his heels. “Is 4:00 p.m. all right to pick you up?”
Her coffee-brown eyes drew him in. “That should give me enough time to get home and get ready.”
“Hello.” A voice from the back caught his attention. A young woman, who looked enough like Jillian that they had to be related, walked toward them.
He touched the brim of his hat. “Good morning, miss.”
She reached them, and Jillian spoke up. “CJ, this is my younger sister, Leeann.” She turned to Leeann. “This is CJ, who I told you about last night.”
CJ held out his hand. “A pleasure.”
She smiled as she took his hand, her grip firm and her intelligent eyes appraising him. “Nice to meet you, CJ.”
She released his hand. “So, is the game working out for this evening?”
“Yep.” He gave a nod. “My friend came through. Jillian’s gonna text me your address, and I’ll be by at four.”
“That will be fun for you both.” She smiled again. “I have to be honest, I’m envious. I love baseball.”
“Like my dad, I played for Arizona State before I went into the service.” He glanced at Jillian. “I guess you could say it’s in my blood.”
“So, we’re all ASU graduates,” Jillian said. “Go, team.”
CJ grinned. “I’d better get running. Got a lot to do on my ranch.” He smiled at Jillian. “I’ll see you later.”
She drew her phone out of her back pocket. “I’ll text you our address now so that I don’t forget.”
“Great.” He touched the brim of his hat. “I’ll catch you ladies later.”
“See you,” Jillian said, and Leeann gave a little wave.
CJ strode out of the shop, and his phone dinged as his boots hit the sidewalk. He pulled it out of the clip on his belt and saw that the text was indeed from Jillian.
He whistled as he headed to his truck, parked in front of the hardware store. The yellow paint job gleamed in the morning light. He had a hell of a lot to do to get his ranch up and running.
Jim Butcher, from Country Entertainment Corporation, had contacted CJ about buying his place to turn into a dude ranch. CJ had met the man through a buddy he’d served with in the Air Force.
Butcher had explained they needed a working operation, which they would transform to bring in people from across the country and the world. The man had flown in last week to examine and survey the property, which Butcher declared perfect for their needs. They were offering one hell of a big paycheck—CJ just had to get the ranch to where it had once been.
It was going to take some elbow grease and time, the best part of a year at least. That sonofabitch foreman, Bill Reynolds, who his mom had hired while she was sick, had supposedly been watching over the ranch for CJ. Instead, the bastard had sold off all the cattle, horses, and equipment and had robbed him blind.
Now he was starting from the ground up. After getting the traveling bug in the service, he’d planned on seeing more of the world, and the payout from the sale would be more than enough to keep him comfortable for the rest of his life.
The sale wasn’t guaranteed, and CJ had considered ranching as a career, not just something to do until he sold it. Who knew how he’d feel about things in a year?
Fortunately, he’d done a good job of saving while he’d been in the service, and his mother had left him a chunk of change the foreman hadn’t had access to. So, one way or another, he’d get the place back in business again.
Once CJ was in his truck and on the road, he started thinking about Jillian again. The way her clothing clung to the soft curves of her body, the tawny highlights in her dark brown hair, how her cheeks turned pink when she grew flustered.
This was a woman worth getting to know well, and that was exactly what he intended to do. He wasn’t a patient man—if he saw something he wanted, he went for it.
Jillian, though—she was worth slowing down and taking time for.
He mentally shook his head. This woman was going to drive him crazy if he didn’t get his mind where it should be, which at this moment was on his ranch. He had all evening to spend with her, and he was looking forward to it.
He focused on the turn onto the road leading to his home—his family’s ranch was eleven miles outside of town, so it was only a fifteen-minute drive from King Creek.
The yard seemed lonely as he drove up to the house. No dog to run up to the car, no cattle in the pens, no horses in the corral. Everything was so damned empty and lonely. The foreman had hightailed it to who knew where after cleaning out the ranch. CJ had hired a PI, but so far, no luck. The bastard was long gone.
He parked in front of the two-story home he’d grown up in. It was in good repair but needed some work. He climbed out of the cab and opened the back door to grab the bag from the hardware store.
For a moment, he paused in the driveway, looking at the quiet emptiness around him. What had once been a thriving operation was completely gone. An overwhelming sense of responsibility weighted his shoulders as he took in the once prosperous ranch.
He gripped the bag and jogged up the steps to the front door—the handle was broken, the main reason he’d gone to the hardware store.
The screen squawked as he pulled it back and stepped in through the open doorway. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior as he headed to the right of the stairs.
The older model refrigerator hummed loudly in the quiet kitchen. He grabbed a mason jar from the cabinet, got the pitcher of sun tea out of the fridge, and poured himself a glass. He leaned back against the counter and drank deeply before setting the jar on the counter.
He needed a dog for company, and a ranch should always have a dog. He’d have to ask around to find one that could work cattle and was good around horses.
Shortly after returning home, he’d meticulously examined the ranch’s state and created a plan. He started by repairing fences and corrals with new tools he’d bought from the hardware store. He was finally satisfied with the security of the ranch”s perimeter.
Next up, livestock.
CJ went down the hall to the office and switched on the light. He seated himself at the desk where his laptop sat, its screen dark. After setting aside his Stetson, he booted up the laptop and reviewed his calendar. Next week, he’d attend a livestock auction and start acquiring cattle.
He pulled out his phone and brought up his contacts. He hadn’t talked with Carter McLeod in a dozen years. Carter had the most successful operation in the area, so he was the man to talk with. Not to mention, he was an old friend.
CJ pressed the number to call Carter. After a few rings, a familiar male voice said, “CJ Jameson, is that you?”
“I’ve been meaning to give you a call before now.” CJ pushed his fingers through his hair. “How the hell have you been?”
Carter laughed. “Life is good and keeping busy. We should get together sometime soon.”
“I’d like that.” CJ leaned back in his chair. “I wanted to talk with you about a few things.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m rebuilding the ranch from scratch.” CJ skimmed over the details to give Carter an idea of what he was dealing with. “I’m going to the auction next week to start buying cattle. Before that, I need to find a couple of good horses. Do you have any you’re selling, or do you know someone who might be?”
“I’ve got a two-year-old appaloosa that would do right by you.” Carter paused. “Hold on a sec.” Carter’s voice sounded muffled as he talked with someone else, and then he returned. “The mare’s name is Faith, and she’s a pistol.”
“She sounds perfect.” CJ smiled. “Do you have time for me to see her this weekend?”
“Tomorrow morning is best,” Carter said. “Are you free in the neighborhood of nine a.m.?”
“I am.” CJ’s chair squeaked as he shifted in it. “Would you know of a place where I could get a good cattle dog?”
“Bear would know, if anyone.”
“That’s right.” CJ nodded. “I heard he’s the local vet.”
“Yep,” Carter said. “He’s the man to talk to. Do you have his number? I can text it to you.”
“I’d appreciate that, and I’ll give him a call.” CJ hesitated. Carter would hear about it sooner or later, so CJ would rather be upfront. “I ran into Jillian at the state tax office yesterday. She had a problem with her license.”
“She’s opening up shop soon,” Carter said.
“I’m taking her to a Diamondbacks game tonight.”
Carter paused. “You’re taking out my little sister?”
“She’s a lovely young woman.” CJ couldn’t help a smile as he thought about her. “Just thought I’d mention it.”
“So long as you remember, she’s got five older brothers.”
CJ laughed. “And two younger sisters, who are likely just as protective.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“I’ll see you and Faith in the morning.” CJ sat upright as he prepared to disconnect the call.
“Have a nice evening,” Carter said. “And take care of my little sister.”
CJ signed off, sat back in the chair again, and blew out his breath. He felt like he was walking on eggshells—he’d known the brothers well back in the day, but that had been over a decade ago, and things change.
His phone dinged. He looked down and saw it was a text from Carter with Bear’s phone number. He texted back a quick, Thanks.
Well, now to call another one of Jillian’s brothers.
His phone call with Bear was shorter. CJ didn’t know Bear well, but he was a good man, like all the McLeod brothers. Bear gave him two numbers for reputable cattle dog breeders, one for Australian shepherds and the other for Border collies.
When he hung up with Bear, he called the Australian shepherd breeder and made an appointment for tomorrow, after he met with Carter and checked out the horse.
For now, he had to replace the front doorknob, then he had a date with Jillian. And he was sure looking forward to it.