Chapter 3
3
A iden hovered over the coffee pot until it boiled. Amusement rose as Jake and Declan also filled mugs as if their lives depended on it.
They settled at the trestle table and drank in silence.
Aiden wasn’t sure why his brothers looked like the walking dead. Him? He’d slept like crap. Far too many dirty images had raced through his head to allow for sweet dreams. Plus something more…
It was the oddest thing. Naturally he’d dreamed about Petra and sweaty hot sex, but there’d also been other images. Like the two of them walking hand and hand, and one of being curled up together in front of a fire. Sweet and homey mental pictures that were as distracting as the sex thoughts.
Petra was going to be trouble, he knew it to his core.
It wasn’t until they were on their second cups that Aiden felt human again.
“It’s a good day to get started on what comes next.” Jake opened his notebook and tapped the page. “Can I simply hand over your lists of what needs to be done, or are we going to sit and argue about them first?”
Declan shrugged. “I’ve got my own shit to accomplish. I can get to whatever’s on your list at some point, I suppose.”
“We all have a ton to do,” Aiden pointed out. “But let’s lean into our strengths, remember? From this point forward, Jake organizes the overall schedule, and we dictate in our areas of expertise.”
Their older brother eased back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, coffee mug resting on the table in front of him. “I’ve got no argument with that, and you know it. Hell, the renovations would have stalled a dozen times if I hadn’t had the checklists and contracts, in triplicate” —he glared momentarily at Jake— “to shove in the contractors faces to light their asses on fire. But there are animals I promised to go pick up over the next couple of days. Make sure that’s worked into the schedule.”
Jake nodded. “I’ve got that in there. We need to finish prepping the dorm rooms, the retreat space, and the room for our on-site therapist. I’ve broken down the remaining tasks into what we can take over now that we’re all here and what we still might like to hire out. We’ve got at least a couple of months of work before the big spaces are livable. Oh—and we need to keep looking for a housekeeper.”
“The living quarters for us, as well,” Aiden tossed out. “I know it’s lower on the priority list, but let’s make sure we keep that moving as well.”
Declan raised a brow. “The pretty brunette from last night?”
“Shut up. That conversation is over, move on.”
His brothers exchanged knowing looks.
Jake leaned forward on his elbows. “No, this is interesting. And alarming— Remember. No making waves in Heart Falls. We need to get High Water firmly established so everyone local knows they can trust us.”
“Or better yet, forgets we’re here,” Declan added.
Christ . “I’m not about to haul the woman off against her will so she’s crying bloody murder or anything. I just said let’s not forget we’d all like privacy sooner than later.” Aiden sipped his coffee, pleased that he’d managed to say it without any indication that his interest might be more than casual.
After the dreams he’d had last night? He knew when to follow his hunches, and something was telling him Petra was potentially more than a one-night-stand repeat.
“Privacy would be good,” Declan agreed. He snagged one of the papers from under Jake’s hand and tapped on the blueprint drawings for the barn. “Another thing. Now that I’ve thought about it more, I want to suggest a couple of changes to this. We need a bigger place for the guys to hang out together that isn’t the barn.”
Aiden gestured around at the fire and the giant table where they currently sat. “We’ll have this space for meals and family gatherings.”
“Which is great, but I agree with Declan,” Jake said. “It’s important to use this space as much as possible, but they’ll need somewhere else where they don’t have to mind their manners as much, since the ladies will be in here.”
Jake tugged more design blueprints from the pile, and for the next half-hour they made suggestions and altered plans. The sharing felt right and was a big reason why Aiden knew this was going to work.
They might be very different, but all three of them had the same vision and the work ethic to make it happen.
The rest of the morning was taken up with a million different tasks. Everything from dealing with furniture deliveries to setting up a small office space so Aiden could go online and put in more orders.
Dixie greeted him eagerly every time he headed outside to touch base with his brothers. “Good girl. You like it here?” he asked her, ruffling the top of her head.
She sat on her rump, tail wagging furiously, a wide doggie grin on her face that clearly stated her approval.
He took off just before twelve to run into town and grab lunch.
Walking in the door of the Buns and Roses café was like walking into heaven. The sweet scent of cinnamon buns and rich chocolate hung on the air, and the size of the meals on the tables he passed walking up to the counter gave him a pleasant buzz of anticipation.
When he hit the counter and looked into the big brown eyes of Petra’s friend Tansy, Aiden grinned widely. “We meet again.”
Tansy blinked then flashed him a smile. “Hey, cowboy. So you’re not just a good dancer and a good kisser, you’re also very smart because you know exactly where to go for the best food in town.”
The dark-skinned woman with long black hair pulled into a neat braid working the coffee machine glanced over her shoulder and examined him closely. “Tansy. How would you know he’s a good kisser, and why haven’t I heard more about this?”
Aiden kept his position instead of checking to see if everyone else in the shop was staring at them, although he imagined they were. Small town and all.
Tansy waved a hand. “Aiden, this is my twin sister Rose. Rose, this is the gentleman Petra told us all about. In detail.”
Well, damn. Aiden kept his grin in place, but he was fairly certain he was also blushing. “Hello, Rose.”
“Hello, Aiden. Welcome to Heart Falls.” Rose stepped forward, wiping her hands on her apron before offering him a handshake. “Sorry. Lunchtime rush. We’ll find a way to grill you later.”
So be it. “I look forward to it. In the meantime, I need food to go.”
Tansy took his order then gestured him to the side. “Wait there. I need to keep the line moving, but I’m not done with you yet.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He laughed at the expressive eye roll she offered. Then he stepped to the side as commanded, standing against the wall and out of the way while he took the time to examine the people and the café.
The shop had done a good job of making the place cozy and a touch on the eclectic side. It did not look like a typical small-town diner. The walls between the coffee shop and the next-door flower and knickknack store had been mostly taken down, and there were tables available throughout the floor space. Bright bouquets and interesting local handicrafts were displayed everywhere.
The constant low buzz of voices said it all. People were comfortable here. Aiden approved.
With a couple of other people working behind the counter, it didn’t take long for his order to be up. Tansy brought it to him, snagging him by the arm and hauling him toward the front door. “You’re with me.”
Aiden went willingly, amused that the Heart Falls ladies seemed comfortable dragging him around. Not that he was displeased with the concept, but it did make him wonder.
Just outside the door, Tansy whirled on him and pressed the bag into his hands. “You didn’t order enough food for the three of you, since I assume this is for your brothers as well. I tossed in some extra roast beef sandwiches and a half-dozen muffins.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded decisively then narrowed her gaze. “What are you doing with Petra?”
“Well according to what you told your twin sister—and you will have to explain how that’s possible sometime—what I’m doing with Petra is kissing her. And doing a good job of it.”
Tansy’s gaze remained intimidating but her lips twitched as she fought a smile. “You’re a sly one.”
“I’m private,” he corrected. “I’m all for Petra sharing whatever she wants to share with her girls, but if you want details, you need to ask her.”
He got a kick out of it when Tansy’s glare morphed into a pout. “Dammit, I hoped you’d say that, and I wish you hadn’t. Petra didn’t spill the beans last night other than mentioning she was happy you were here and that’s all she wanted to say about it for now.”
“I’m certain that if you put your mind to it you’ll be able to encourage her to share more. You strike me as the resourceful type.”
Tansy took a deep breath then grinned. “Dammit, I like you. Why do you have to be all charming and stuff?”
Aiden shrugged. “Just lucky, I guess.”
She patted him on the chest then tilted her head toward the door. “I need to go before my sister puts out an APB. But rest assured I will work on Petra and learn everything I need to know. But so far, I don’t plan to warn her away from you.”
“I always enjoy having a good wingman at my side,” Aiden said. He lifted the bag in the air. “Thanks for this. Next time I’ll pay it forward and buy the guy behind me in line his lunch.”
Tansy waved goodbye and pushed through the door, but she had a thoughtful expression on her face.
He meant every word about Petra deciding what she shared with her friends. Everyone needed someone to talk to, and he was thankful he once again had his brothers. Not everyone was so lucky.
Aiden demolished his portion of the food en route home, stopping just long enough to stick the lunch bag in the fridge. Then he took off with the list Jake had given him which included a massive stock up grocery run in the nearest big community.
Hours later, once the trip was done and he’d found storage places for everything, he got started on steaks and fries with a salad for dinner. All of them could cook to some extent, but it wasn’t his favourite thing.
Still, he liked to eat, which meant cooking was required.
He had the barbecue fired up and the fries in the oven when a message came through on his phone.
Petra: Hey. You asked me out for next Friday and I never responded. Up for a picnic supper? I know a great place we can ride to. Or if you want to drive, we can do that.
Aiden: Hey, darling. A ride to a picnic spot sounds amazing. Need me to bring over my horse? Five o’clock? Six?
Petra: Nope to bringing your horse. My brother co-owns a dude ranch, so we have horses. If you can make it for five, that gives us more time before we lose the light. I’ll pack the meal if you bring the drinks.
Aiden: Five is perfect. I’ll bring dessert as well. I make a mean Jell-O.
Petra: I don’t know if I should be terrified or not.
Aiden: Lol. Looking forward to seeing you. Sweet dreams until then. Or not so sweet…
Petra: I’m not ready to start sexting with you, sir. Not that it wouldn’t be fun, but I’m sitting in the living room with my family and getting squirmy and bothered right now is not in the plan.
Aiden: Okay. Getting you squirmy and bothered is on hold until a better time. Have a great evening. We’ll chat soon.
She responded with a thumbs-up to his final message, but it was enough.
Aiden whistled as he returned to his cooking, and thoughts of exactly how he’d get Petra to the point she was squirming under him were a happy distraction.
Petra spent a wonderful day with her brother and sister-in-law. They wandered all over Red Boot ranch, checked all the animals and the venues for both weddings and the dude ranch.
She hung her arms over the railing and stared at the teeny white colt standing under foot with his mama. She took a quick picture and posted it to the Sorenson family chat group their father had set up years ago.
Petra: Photo proof that I’m here at Red Boot ranch. This place is amazing, and spending time with Julia is so much fun. Oh, and Zach. He’s okay too. I guess.
“It really is beautiful here,” she said to Zach as she tucked her phone away. She glanced over as he leaned lazily on the fence beside her. She smiled to discover his gaze was fixed on Julia where she stood across the yard chatting with some of the hands. “I’m very happy for you, big brother. Not only about your new home, but the people and your wife. Julia is perfect for you.”
Her brother grinned, gaze remaining on Julia. “She is pretty perfect, and I’m very happy.” He turned his attention to Petra. “I’d be happier if you’d let me go beat the shit out of your ex, but since I know you’re far too good of a person to allow that, let’s focus on making you at home here in Heart Falls.”
Ugh. “Are we going to have that conversation already?”
Zach shrugged. “I don’t like that he made you cry.”
Petra twisted and leaned her elbows on the rail behind her, staring toward the Rocky Mountains in the distance. Patches were bright yellow where larch trees were reacting to the dropping fall temperatures. Snow would be coming soon, but right now everything was on the cusp between warm and cold.
It was a good place and a good time to make a fresh start, she decided.
She met her brother’s gaze. “Curtis wasn’t who I thought he was. Which is mostly on him for being a jerk but partly on me for not seeing it sooner. It’s up to me to move on, and that’s going to be far easier to do here in Heart Falls than back in Manitoba, where everywhere I go, someone will want to know the details of why we broke up.”
“Some people here in Heart Falls knew you were seeing someone,” Zach pointed out, cringing a little. “Maybe more than a few? I’m sorry, but I like to talk about good things.”
“And for a while it was a good thing,” Petra assured him. “I get it. It’ll still be easier to say we broke up when they don’t know him.”
Anger flashed in Zach’s eyes again. “I know you don’t want his knees broken or anything, but I’m more than willing to find a way to hit him in the pocketbook. I have the resources,” her brother assured her.
Petra kept her expression blank. What Zach didn’t know was she had some skills in that area as well. The temptation to use her recently honed hacking skills to hijack her ex’s finances was a hard battle, but so far she had won.
Telling Zach about her illegal side gig was out of the question. Instead, she offered him her full attention. “With your contacts, you could probably go in and mess with his investments from now to eternity. If I ever feel particularly vindictive, I’ll let you know.”
Zach extended his hand. “Deal.”
She used his hand to pull him into a tight hug. “Thanks for finding me a job.”
He ruffled her hair, pointing a hand toward their office building. “As if you needed my help. You could walk into any place in any town and get a job dealing with their tech, but I’m glad you’re going to do it for us. My partner is glad you’re going to do it for us.”
Zach’s partner, Finn Marlette, hated computers, which always struck Petra as funny in this day and age.
She briefly wondered what Aiden’s job was and where he sat on the technology scale.
Like every other time her thoughts had drifted toward Aiden that day, she found herself smiling. They had an evening picnic date planned for two nights from now. She still wasn’t sure if she was comfortable bringing him back afterwards to the small cottage she’d been loaned at Red Boot ranch. It seemed too soon, even though everything in her was craving the mindless physical release of some truly spectacular sex.
If she were being honest, it was probably too soon for her big brother to deal with. The last thing she needed was Zach going overprotective, both for her and Aiden’s sakes.
The question was still on her mind when she got together with Tansy and Sydney the following night.
Tansy had hot wings in the air fryer, Sydney had made a salad, and Petra’s contribution had been to stop at the grocery store and buy three liters of ice cream plus chocolate and marshmallow sauce.
She didn’t tell her friends that she was so distracted she’d gone back to her truck twice to grab her shopping bags.
Sydney took the treats from her with an appreciative nod. “All four food groups are represented. We’re set.”
Tansy considered. “Vegetables, protein, dairy…?”
“Oh please, nothing so proper as that.” Sydney gestured around them. “Wings. Salad, a.k.a. the illusion of something healthy. Plus ice cream, and of course this.”
She pulled out a bottle of tequila.
Hell, no. Petra raised her hands in protest. “The last time we drank tequila, I felt it for a full week.”
“Just a welcome-to-town shot,” Sydney promised. She cracked the bottle and poured them small glasses, handing them around. She lifted hers in the air. “To Petra, who can take names and kick ass but also knows when it’s time to run.”
Petra considered then realized it was probably the wisest toast she’d heard in her life. “You should’ve said that when I was a little tipsy, because I would’ve offered homage to you from now till eternity.”
Sydney raised her glass in the air and they clinked them together. “To Petra.”
“To Petra,” Tansy repeated.
“To friends,” Petra insisted.
The burn of the liquid down her throat was a reminder of what it felt like to be alive. A little bit of pain mixed with the sweet.
Her happiness was up to her. Her choices, her decisions. While the last six months had been tough, and she wouldn’t have wished it on anyone else, she was here now, stronger because of it.
Ready to make a difference.
“Before we do anything else, we have gifts.” Tansy pulled a bag from beside the couch and passed it to Petra. “Welcome-to-town gifts. Small ones from me and Sydney.”
“To prove we planned ahead,” Sydney added with a glare at Tansy.
Tansy snickered.
Petra discovered a hard object wrapped in tissue. “Candles? I love candles.”
“We know this,” Tansy fluttered her fingers to hurry up. “Unwrap. This century.”
Tempting as it was to tease her friend and remove the paper slowly, Petra didn’t have the patience. She tore it off and held candle one aloft and read out loud. “ I’d Shank A Bitch For You.” She snickered even as she peered at the much smaller writing underneath. “ Right In The Kidneys . Thanks, Sydney. It’s a sweet sentiment, and totally you.”
“You’re welcome.” The petite woman grinned. “Anytime, anywhere.”
“Read mine,” Tansy demanded.
This one also made Petra grin. “ BESTIE: the one who will tell you that you are full of shit but support any and all stupid choices you make when called upon to do so .” She hugged Tansy. “You guys are the best.”
“We’re glad you’re here,” Tansy said, a hint of seriousness in her expression. “And now, let’s eat.”
They dove in hard on the wings and treats, conversation flowing rather than liquor. It had been over a year since they’d truly gotten to catch up, and all of them had big news to share.
“I could have the door of the clinic open from five in the morning to past midnight, and there’d always be somebody in the waiting room,” Sydney told them. “Of course, I’m not doing that,” she said quickly when Petra began to ask a question. “I run the clinic four days a week, based on my priorities. Then I make a lot of house calls.”
Tansy jerked her thumb at Sydney as she explained to Petra. “She’s visiting all the seniors who either can’t get out or refuse to get checked. They call her Captain Jeremiah because when she shows up, nobody dares countermand her orders.”
“Oh, please,” Sydney said dryly. “It’s General Jeremiah, thank you very much.”
“Good for you,” Petra said. “You’re probably still working more hours than a regular nine to five.”
“I don’t think there’s a doctor alive who works a regular nine to five,” Sydney offered. “Trust me, I’m getting enough sleep, especially compared to my interning days. This is why I wanted to be in Heart Falls. If I’d wanted tons of billable hours, I’d have gone to the big city.”
“You’d think sometimes we were in the big city the way people moan about a lack of access,” Tansy complained. “Buns and Roses is also what we want it to be. Coffee, breakfast, lunch. I’m not staying open for dinner where people book tables then don’t show up.”
It was a different business than Petra had ever worked in. “They really think they’re in charge?”
“The customer is always right.” Tansy said perkily before sticking out her tongue. “Bah, humbug. I believe in customer service, and I believe in serving a good product, but if it’s not on the menu, don’t ask for it. I get that people have allergies, and I absolutely make sure I have menu choices available for them, but I’m not listening to somebody who sneakily tells me how to make their omelet, including how many shakes of salt, and the pan temperature, and which spatula to flip it with.”
“They don’t,” Petra goggled at the idea.
“Oh, they do. Or at least attempt to. Then I seem to mysteriously run out of ingredients.” Tansy’s grin was pure evil.
“Chefs are supposed to be temperamental and a little diva-ish,” Sydney leaned back in her chair and rested her hands on her stomach. “Oh my God, that was delish. If you did decide to open a place that served dinner, you could cook whatever the hell you wanted and people would buy it up in a minute.”
“No set menu,” Petra added. “Cook what you want and they will come.”
Tansy was uncharacteristically silent for a moment. She leaned forward and spoke quietly. “I’ve been giving some thought to what I could do. I mean, for different work.”
Both Sydney and Petra sat up like a shot. “Close down Buns and Roses?” Petra asked.
Tansy made a rude noise. “No, not that. We’ve got it running well with enough staff that it’s pretty routine. But sometimes I do get a wild idea of wanting to cook something different. Plus, truthfully, living here over the shop is boring since Rose moved out.”
“You want a new roommate?” Petra asked. “Because I don’t have to live at the ranch. I could come stay with you.”
Tansy smiled. “I would adore you as a roommate, but I think it’s more than that. This was where Rose and I found our independence. Now that she’s engaged and living with her sexy Irishman, I feel as if I’m supposed to do the next thing as well. Which might involve not being in the apartment. Move on, move forward.”
A sentiment which Petra could absolutely agree with. She nodded slowly and laid her hand over Tansy’s. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I’m the last person to say you’re wrong. I moved provinces at thirty-three to get a fresh start.”
The two of them nodded back, solemn expressions on their faces.
Sydney wrinkled her nose. “I know you don’t want to spend a lot of time rehashing what happened with your ex, but if you ever need a sounding board, we’re here for you.”
Because while Petra had told them she’d broken things off with Curtis, she was still too embarrassed to share the details. “I know, and I love you for it. But for now, what we all need to relish is that we are in charge. Of where we work, and how much we work, and who we work with. That’s a good thing,” Petra insisted.
“Amen,” Tansy said as she lifted her ice cream spoon in the air.
Sydney nodded. “We’re also in charge of something else. Specifically, where we play, how much we play, and who we play with.” Her gaze fixed on Petra. “So. Aiden?”
A laugh burst free, because these two had, over the past years, subtly snuck into her very soul. They were trustworthy and they were honest and they were women Petra connected with to the tips of her toes. Which made it easy to share the truth. “Aiden is a delicious distraction I’m looking forward to. But there’s no rush. Sometimes anticipation makes everything that much sweeter.”
Conversation turned, swirled into laughter and teasing and good solid female friendship. When Petra made her way home later that night, it was with a heart full of happiness and the lingering memory of Aiden’s smile and looking forward to being in his arms in a couple nights.
Anticipation was a wonderful thing.