Mateo & Nicole (Palmers of Copper Creek #1)

Chapter 1

1

Nicole (Nikki) Reynolds

N ikki wrung her hands as she stood before the larger-than-life house. She shouldn’t be here. What had she been thinking, coming to Copper Creek? If anyone knew that she’d practically stalked Mateo to find out where he lived, they’d probably out her and send her packing.

The fact of the matter was that she’d moved to Colorado Springs five years ago, shortly after Paxton was born. She hadn’t known what had happened to the hottest guy in high school after her then best friend had left him at the altar, but now she did.

Mateo Palmer had moved from Montana all the way down to Colorado—probably to escape the memories of his past. He’d done well for himself. Apparently, he’d managed to do well enough that all his siblings wanted to follow him. And they all lived here .

Was it so bad that Nikki followed Mateo on social media and discovered he’d be looking to hire a few people as his ranch expanded? She didn’t think so. Cooking was a passion of hers, and if he was looking, it felt like fate.

A lump formed in her throat as she attempted to come up with what she might say to him. She needed a new job.

Desperately.

Her divorce had landed her with practically nothing. No place to stay, no job to provide for herself and her son. The worst part was that she’d come here on a whim. She’d driven all the way down from Colorado Springs on a wish and a prayer that Mateo wouldn’t hold her past friendships against her.

Stomach roiling with her own sour memories, Nikki took a step toward the house. She’d come all this way. That was a lot of gas money. She had to at least try to convince him to hire her; otherwise, this trip was for nothing.

Her hand trembled as she lifted her fist to knock on the front door. She squeezed her eyes shut as she shifted her weight from one foot to the next, pleading with herself to stay still. What was the worst thing that could happen?

Mateo could glare at her and scream at her to leave his property, that’s what. They might have been friends before, but now? She wasn’t sure. It had been nearly a decade since they’d last seen each other. And she’d been friends with the woman who had cheated on him and left him at the altar on their wedding day.

She spun around to leave just as the door opened. One of Mateo’s younger siblings stood there. She was young. Maybe early twenties? Her large, nearly violet eyes filled her pretty face, framed by black, luscious hair. She was breathtakingly beautiful, much like her brother. “Hello?” she asked.

“I’m sorry. This was a mistake,” she mumbled. There were cars parked in and around the property. They might have guests. She hadn’t been sure, but the moment this young woman opened the door, she could hear the laughter and chatter in the background.

Geez! She should have just sent Mateo a message through their social media.

“It’s fine,” the woman said with a smile. “Who did you need to see?”

Nikki shifted again, hating just how much she didn’t belong. Where each and every Palmer looked like Latino or Latina royalty, here she was short with too many curves and dull brown eyes that matched her hair.

Growing up, she hadn’t cared what others thought about her appearance. Caroline was the only one who mentioned it. But then, her friend had always been the long-legged, blonde beauty that was fit to grace the covers of magazines. To Caroline, a woman’s worth was closely related to her appearance.

It was just one of many reasons why they hadn’t spoken in over six years.

The woman still stared at Nikki, curiosity shining in her eyes. She tilted her head, studying Nikki as if she recognized her but couldn’t place her. That was to be expected. The woman was several years younger than Mateo.

Before Nikki could make an excuse and dart away, the woman pulled the door open. “Everyone is out back. I’m sure you could find who you’re looking for.”

Everyone? There was definitely a party going on. But if there were several people here, maybe Nikki could ask Mateo her favor without an audience. People were bound to be distracted.

She chewed on her lips and glanced over to her car—her only means of escape. It was now or never. She had to do this for Paxton. It wasn’t about herself anymore. It hadn’t been for five years.

Nikki nodded. “Thank you.”

The woman ushered Nikki into the house and through to the back, where the double doors were propped open. There were a few people visiting in the kitchen, plucking at chips and popping them in their mouths. Nikki recognized another member of Mateo’s family simply by the way he looked as though he’d stepped down from the heavens. He flashed her a smile and a spark of recognition entered his features.

She’d always been bad with names, but this sibling was older. She wanted to say his name was Rowan or Roman. Something like that. He shifted his attention to the woman leading the way. “Izzie. You want me to get Mateo?”

Izzie glanced over her shoulder at him with confusion. “Why?”

Before he could say more, Nikki stepped closer. “I can go if he’s not available. It looks like you’re having a party?—”

Izzie’s focus snapped to her, and she waved a hand. “It’s just a barbecue. It was too nice of a day not to enjoy it.” She popped her hip out and seemed to study Nikki closer. “You need to see Matt? He’s probably helping with the puppies.”

Nikki nodded, her throat dry. She knew that’s what they specialized in here. Mateo’s social media focused more on the ranch than his personal life. She didn’t even know if he had a girlfriend, but she knew that they were expecting a litter of puppies any day now.

Izzie’s smile broadened. She glanced over at her brother once more. “I’ll get him.”

Her brother’s focus didn’t stray from Nikki even as she moved from the house and out onto the porch. There were more people than she’d expected. At least two dozen, if not more. If this was a small get-together, she didn’t want to know what a big party was.

Hovering on the back porch, she took in the couples chatting as they milled around or were seated at the card tables set out on the lawn. The smell of burgers filled the air, along with the mild scent of spring. Her eyes scanned the yard until they landed on Mateo, and she froze.

He stood speaking to a couple who were seated on a picnic blanket a little ways away from the crowd of people nearby. He held a bundle in his hands as he spoke.

That smile of his could light up the world if the stars had gone out. He looked like he’d been carved out of marble and brought to life. Nikki looked away, hating how her crush was so easily rekindled. No one had compared to him when they were in high school. Back then, he’d been muscular as he worked alongside his parents at a ranch in Montana. He’d been a football star, too.

Every girl in school fawned after him, and most of the guys were jealous of the attention he got. But it wasn’t just his looks that drew people in. The man had a certain charisma that couldn’t be shaken. Even after Caroline had left him at the altar, he’d picked himself up and moved on.

“Nicole? Nicole Reynolds, is that you?”

She jumped, stifling a squawk that wanted to burst from her throat at his arrival. Before she had a chance to get her wits about her, he pulled her in for a hug. Nikki blinked, stammering as she attempted to pull back from him.

Mateo didn’t seem to notice as he stepped away and laughed. “What are you doing in Copper Creek?”

Her heart leaped into her throat. There was no sign of animosity in his stare. He wasn’t judging her for being friends with the woman who had broken his heart. Maybe her request would actually pan out. She offered him a shy smile and folded her arms. “I… er… I wanted to…” She shut her eyes tight and forced herself to show some degree of confidence. Straightening her shoulders, she stared up at him and lifted her chin, seeing as he was a full head taller than she was. “I need a job.”

His brows lifted, his smile fading but only a little. “A job…” he drawled.

She nodded. “I noticed you were looking for a cook.”

Just like that, his smile returned. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the porch. He eyed her up and down, making her feel more vulnerable than if she’d been standing there stark naked. “I didn’t know you knew how to cook.”

Fighting the urge to run out of there screaming, she swallowed hard and nodded. “I went to culinary school. For about a year, I was working in a bakery in Colorado Springs. But four years ago, I left that job.”

“And for the last four years?” he asked.

Why did everything he said seem to sound so sensual? She was losing her ability to think straight.

Nikki cleared her throat, choking back what she was going to admit. She wasn’t sure if he’d give her the job knowing she had a kid. The position offered room and board. Not a fully furnished apartment. “My husband— ex -husband— didn’t want me working.” It was true. Dennis didn’t like the idea of her working when she had a kid—even though the kid wasn’t his. He’d said he was a provider and provide he did.

Thinking back on it, she wondered if it was just one more way for him to control her.

Shoving that thought aside, she forced a smile she prayed made her look more confident. “I’m ready to get back to work.”

His eyes surveyed her, drilling, probing as if he might be able to read her thoughts. What was he thinking? Was he curious about Caroline? This little interaction must be like the worst kind of blast from the past. His lips quirked upward, and he raked a hand through his hair. “So, in the last ten years, you went to culinary school, got married, and now you’re… here.”

She motioned around them. “And in the last ten years, you’ve made a name for yourself as a renowned sheepdog breeder.”

He cocked his head to the side and chuckled. “It’s nice to see you again, Nicole.”

“Nikki,” she reminded. Nicole was what Caroline insisted on calling her. Nikki was what she was always called by her other friends in school and she thought it suited her better than Nicole.

“Nikki,” he said, his voice smooth as silk.

Her heart thrummed at the sound of her name on his tongue.

“You’re familiar with the requirements of the job?”

She nodded.

“And you think you can meet them.”

“I know I can,” she said steadier than anything she had said up to this point. “You won’t regret hiring me. I guarantee it.”

He chuckled. “Is that so?”

Once again, she nodded. “I’m a hard worker. I’ll make sure everything is in order every single day. I’ll offer variety and quality, and I know how to budget when it comes to supplies?—”

“Okay, okay.” He laughed. “You’ve got the job.”

Her eyes rounded. “Really?”

Mateo lifted a shoulder. “Sure. What are friends for?”

She beamed. “Right. What are friends for?”

His gaze locked with hers for a long, breath-stealing moment. All those fluttery feelings she’d had for him when they were teenagers came rushing back to the surface before she had a chance to stamp them out and suffocate them.

“It really is good to see you, Nikki,” Mateo said with a huge smile. He moved closer to her and brushed his hand down her upper arm. For a split second, she expected him to pull her into another hug, but he didn’t. He merely let his gaze linger before saying, “Come back on Monday. We’ll give you the grand tour after we get you moved in.” He brushed past her, and her skin felt like it was on fire from where his skin had touched hers.

The lump in her throat nearly choked her as she spun to watch him head down the steps and back to the people who were here for their impromptu barbeque.

She’d done it. She’d gotten a job!

Nikki stifled a squeal as she hurried back through the house. She didn’t bother to speak to anyone on her way out, least they see how excited she was.