Chapter 17
17
I n the middle of a girls’ lunch out at Buns and Roses, Petra was utterly stunned to discover it had been a month and a half since she’d moved into High Water.
“How on earth?” she mumbled, staring down at the calendar in front of her.
Tansy raised a brow. “What’s up, P?”
Petra sat back in her chair at the table. “How is it almost the end of October already?”
The other two ladies at the table, Sydney and Julia, both frowned.
Julia leaned forward. “Well, there’s this big yellow thing that rises in the sky called the sun. And every time it disappears?—”
“Ha-ha, very funny,” Petra complained, still staring at her Day-Timer in disbelief.
From her right, Sydney laid a hand on Petra’s wrist. “Is there a particular reason you’re glaring at that calendar with considerable concern?”
When three faces stared intently at her, Petra finally clued in.
Shit . She shook her head vigorously. “Oh, no. No, no, no, there’s nothing calendar based that I’m worried about. Other than it’s been a month and a half already.”
Understanding dawned on Tansy’s face. “Since you moved into High Water.”
“Since Jinx arrived and I moved into High Water.” And since she started sleeping with Aiden, but she didn’t announce that part, although it was equally shocking.
Equally satisfying, if she was being honest, at least with herself.
Her sister-in-law raised a brow. “Is there some timeline we’re not aware of that’s causing you distress? Are they planning on kicking you out at some point?”
“Or did you hope to be out by some point?” Sydney asked quietly.
“None of the above.” Petra scooped up a large chunk of her pecan pie and shoved it in her mouth so she’d have some time to think.
She didn’t want to leave—the time watching Jinx bloom had become a miracle in itself. Add on how much fun she was having helping now that they’d begun adding paint and trim to the artists’ rooms, and Petra’s days were filled with a lot of enjoyment.
Her nights were filled with just as much fun, courtesy of that shared bed with a certain enthusiastic and creative lover.
Why was time passing so shocking?
“You do need to swallow at some point,” Sydney said dryly.
“Not necessarily,” Tansy offered. “Spitting is a valid option.”
Julia snorted so hard tea came out her nose. “Tansy Fields, you’re terrible.”
“What did I say?” Tansy blinked innocently.
Petra wiped her mouth with a napkin, grinning easily at her bevy of friends. “I love you guys.”
Tansy waved it off. “We know that. Now spill the dirt. What’s so important about a month and a half?”
She tried, but nothing came to mind other than a cold pit sat in the middle of her stomach, and Petra wasn’t sure why. She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
They all eyed her with concern before easing back in their chairs.
“Okay, fine,” Julia offered firmly. “I get it. Sometimes things won’t pop to mind when you’re trying to figure it out. But as soon as it does, tell us.”
“Of course,” Petra promised.
“In the meantime,” Julia sipped her tea then stared up at the ceiling. “Let’s talk about twelve weeks.”
Petra glanced at her calendar again, trying to decide what?—
“Are you serious?” Tansy said, more squeal than anything. “Are you serious ?”
Sydney and Petra exchanged another glance. “Do you think they have Duolingo go for Tansyland? It would be handy to become more fluent,” Sydney complained.
Except a second later it hit, and Petra gaped at her sister-in-law. “You’re pregnant?”
Julia grinned.
The good news triggered a round of hugs while curious gazes danced over them. There were a few whispers behind hands and more than a few smiles directed toward their table as they settled back down.
“Your secret is out,” Tansy warned. “Lunchtime at Buns and Roses isn’t exactly the most secure moment to share tidbits of information you want to keep quiet.”
Julia just grinned. “I thought Zach was going to explode having to keep his mouth shut until now. I told him I was going to update you guys today, and he’s been on the phone ever since, bragging his head off. I’m surprised no one forwarded any of you a message and beat me to the punch.”
“They’re probably there, but we’re polite and don’t check our phones while we’re visiting.” Sure enough, when Petra checked her phone she had messages from all three of the Skye brothers and Jinx. “Jinx says to tell you congratulations.”
Julia leaned forward slightly. “Tell her thanks. We want to have you guys out again soon. How’s she doing?”
“Amazing. She’s blooming.”
It wasn’t Petra’s place to share all the details, but she was very grateful for some of the changes that had happened over the past couple of weeks.
Jinx had decided to start meeting with Kevin. There’d been signs of lots of tears after the first session, and while of course Kevin wouldn’t say much because of confidentiality, he had, with Jinx’s permission, shared some positive news.
“She was right to leave when she did before the worst happened. She’s got a good head on her shoulders, and she’s very clear that the situation wasn’t her fault.” For some reason Kevin had looked at Aiden right then and dipped his chin before finishing. “It’s still going to take time, and there will be moments when she might have upsetting flashbacks, but she’s doing all the right things. Now we need to give her time.”
Petra realized she’d been staring into space, lost in remembering. She smiled at her friends and focused on the good news she could share. “Jinx hasn’t had a panic attack in ages. She and Sasha are setting up a children’s Halloween party at Silver Stone ranch in the afternoon next Sunday. Sasha’s little brother Tyler gets scared easily, and Jinx decided she was too old to go Halloweening anyway, but a non-scary event would be fun to help with.”
“Sasha already arranged for me to make Halloween cake pops for the event,” Tansy shared.
Conversation changed to Halloween costumes and favourite spooky dishes. Petra ate the delicious food and drank her tea and soaked in the company of three wonderful women who had her back. But she was still wondering what it was that lingered at the back of her mind and bothered her so much.
She was still thinking about it as she drove into the parking space outside High Water ranch house. She automatically glanced over to check and see whose vehicles were there. Jake’s was missing, but the other three guys must be around. Although Declan’s truck didn’t mean he was necessarily anywhere in one of the buildings. The man took off on horseback every chance he got. Even though the weather had begun to turn and the air held a chill that warned of coming snow, Petra was pretty certain he’d be somewhere out on the land.
Kevin and Jake were putting up trim in the artists’ studio. With a nail gun in Kevin’s hand, and Jake at the cut saw, they moved smoothly and efficiently around each other, the bang of the brad-nailer echoing off the walls.
Petra waved but didn’t bother to interrupt them. She slipped downstairs, walking past the rooms that would end up as spaces for the men who needed somewhere to stay en route to their better lives. She paused in each doorway, calculating how much still needed to be done, but everywhere signs of progress continued. Not tomorrow, not next week, but soon enough. It had all happened so quickly.
That uneasy sensation returned, and she let her feet carry her around the corner as she desperately tried to untangle the mystery.
The mini suites for the three brothers were also coming together. One of them looked ready to move into, except for the missing plumbing hardware in the bathroom.
The second and third were stalled at an earlier stage.
Somewhere to her left, a sharp metallic clang rang loudly. Following the sound, she discovered Aiden cursing at a pipe in what would be the bathhouse.
When he thumped the fitting a second time with the wrench head, she laughed. “Is this a new way to use a wrench?”
He jerked to a stop an instant before smacking the pipe again. “You never saw that.”
Oh, but she had. Petra glanced around the windowless room and decided she knew a good way to forget whatever it was that was bothering her. She backed up to the door and locked it behind her. “What will you give me to keep me from telling?”
Aiden’s grin widened. “What do you want me to give?”
She paced toward him, draping her fingers over his shoulder as she circled slowly. “I’ve noticed you’re getting bossier.” She plucked the wrench from his hand and laid it carefully on the folding worktable.
He twisted to face her. “You like me bossy.”
“Sometimes,” she agreed. She traced a finger down the placket of his shirt, pausing at the top of his jeans. “Okay, usually.”
He laughed, the sound turning into a hiss of pleasure as she pressed her hand over the front of his jeans and rubbed. “I don’t know where you’re going with this, but I approve so far.”
She unsnapped the button on his jeans and lowered his zipper, face inches away from his to admire his pupils dilating, anticipation rising. “You have this bad habit of not letting me touch you.”
“You have the softest skin,” he complained. “It’s distracting, and then one thing leads to another.”
She guided her hand under the waistband of his briefs and wrapped her hand around his cock. Aiden sucked for air, and his hips rocked forward slightly. Other than that, though, he stayed put. Waiting.
Watching.
Petra kissed him, hand moving slowly over his erection. Rubbing her thumb over the top, she gathered moisture to tease the sweet spot she’d discovered he loved. She tightened her grip and pulsed before returning to small strokes that made him gasp.
All the while she kissed him. Tangled their tongues, nipped his chin and his neck. Licked a heated line back up to take his mouth again.
But she was no longer in control.
She might have had her hand wrapped around him, giving him pleasure, but the kiss was no longer hers. They were falling into each other, moving together, trying for more.
Desperate for more, and Petra’s head buzzed with the pleasure of it. Both the giving and the taking. Both were as right and as necessary as air.
“ Petra ,” he warned.
“Let me,” she whispered. “Let me,” she repeated, speeding up and pulsing harder until he shook. Staring into her eyes, pleasure making his lips fall open, wet from her kisses.
His hips jerked, and moisture washed over her fingers. Aiden clutched her shoulders and held on tight. They stood there, him quivering in her arms, satisfaction rolling over her in a heated wash.
He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. Gentle, controlled.
“I liked that,” he said softly, amusement rising in his tone. “Although I do have to complain about the mess.”
“Time to stop banging on that pipe and fix it, then,” she teased. She went up on her toes and kissed his cheek, pulling her hand free. When she would’ve stepped away, he curled his arms around her and brought them together, holding her as if he needed the assistance to stay vertical.
Petra didn’t mind. She laid her head against his chest and listened to the pounding beat under her ear.
Whatever was bothering her, this wasn’t it.
Small flakes of snow continued to fall, and Aiden sat on the porch swing, staring in admiration.
Winter had arrived with a vengeance the last day of October, and now two weeks later, everything was covered with a pristine layer of white. Clear paths in the snow had developed from where Sasha and Jinx had linked the neighbouring ranches. Trails led to the barn and artists’ studio, trails to the fire pit where they continued to meet most evenings, although Petra had suggested they might want to move inside on a regular basis.
Even the air felt different. The sounds of nature were more hushed, the quieter noises of wintertime without the buzzing and chirping of little insects. The occasional birdsong rang, and excited barking when the dogs spotted something to chase. The cows in the field to the north of them carried their own brand of music.
Aiden didn’t mind this time of year. There was something to be said for changing and doing the next thing.
He rocked again. One of those next things was going to happen today, and while he waited for their visitors to arrive, he pondered how to keep things rolling in the other elusive area of his agenda.
He and Petra felt right together, and he could honestly say they were friends. She had his back—his and his brothers’—and the amount of dedication she’d put toward High Water humbled him.
They were narrowing in on the next stage, getting closer to opening their doors to other people who needed them. Petra had kept her focus firmly on Jinx, making sure that the girl not only got her feet under her but bloomed.
And every night when he pulled Petra into his arms, it felt that much more right. Was it even possible that she still assumed this was temporary?
A question he didn’t want to ask.
Floorboards creaked, and Petra finally joined him. She was bundled up in her puffy coat with a long scarf and thick toque.
“Are they here yet?” she teased, landing on the seat beside him.
“Remind me never to go on a road trip with you.” Aiden linked their hands together, laughing when she tucked them both under her puffy coat. “Are you really that cold?”
“I think my blood got thinner over the summer.”
He tickled her side lightly. “You’re from a place very close to what they affectionately call Winter-peg. It’s barely below freezing right now. What are you going to do when it’s officially winter?”
She trapped his fingers and held them tightly to her belly. “Keep the fire inside the house going hot enough we’ll be down to shirt sleeves and shorts.”
He snorted. “Thank you for the heads-up. I’ll immediately order some ridiculous board shorts to annoy my brothers.”
In the distance, a large SUV slowly took the turn off the highway. “There they are,” Petra told him happily. “I’m so excited we’re at this milestone.”
They got to their feet. Aiden wrapped his arm around her waist, pacing slowly toward the parking area to meet their guests. “Where’s Jinx?”
“Already in the studio. She and Sasha had some kind of surprise they wanted to set up.”
The idea should’ve made him nervous, considering the elegant looking man exiting the car with Rose Fields and Tansy was someone they needed to impress.
But Jinx had an idea, and he was going to support her no matter what.
“Good if I make the introductions?” Petra asked quietly.
“Of course, but I doubt you’ll get a word in edgewise considering this is Tansy’s eventual brother-in-law.”
Which meant they were laughing when they arrived.
Tansy examined them with one brow raised. “Why do I have a sneaky suspicion you were talking about me?”
Petra snickered. “Because you have an overinflated sense of self?”
The tall gentleman’s lips twitched. “I see you know my future sister-in-law very well.”
An enormous sigh escaped Tansy. “I am so misunderstood. Well, not really,” she added immediately before performing a grand presentation arm sweep. “Aiden Skye, this is my imminent brother-in-law, Chance Gabrielle. You know my sister, Rose. Chance, this is Aiden. Co-owner of High Water ranch and Petra’s eye candy of choice.”
Aiden held out a hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“And you. There’s been a lot of speculation about what you’re doing here. When you called and offered a tour, I felt as if I’d won the lottery.”
Another vehicle pulled in behind the SUV, and a dark-haired girl with tight curls popped out, waving her arm in the air. Sunlight glinted off the metal hook of her prothesis. “Don’t start without me.”
“Our youngest sister, Fern,” Tansy added. “What’re you doing here, short stuff?”
“I invited her,” Chance said. “I hope you don’t mind, but Fern is working with me at the art studio, and she’s very involved in all of the educational activities we’ve coordinated around Heart Falls.”
“Not a problem,” Aiden insisted. He offered his hand to Fern as well as she joined the group. “Fern.”
She had a firm grip and a sparkle in her eyes. “Good to finally meet you. I think I spotted you and Petra on the dance floor one night at Rough Cut, but that’s not a place that encourages deep conversations or lasting friendships.”
Aiden’s mind shot back to meeting Petra there, but he focused on the task at hand. “If we’re all here, let’s give you that tour.”
He led the way the short distance to the entrance staircase to the upper level. The staircase wrapped around the outside of the building, where a cleverly constructed angled roof protected the stairs from the snow and rain. An ample landing on the second floor gave a chance for the first step into the upper rooms to hit with full impact.
Even though Aiden had been looking at the view every day for the past couple of months, it was a sight to behold. With the walls painted a sunny yellow and sunlight reflecting off the polished pine boards underfoot, the entire place glowed. With the recessed lighting overhead, that same wall colour turned into a beautiful candlelight glow in the evening, without shadows but no longer eye-blinkingly bright. A cozy place where people could talk and visit.
Small private rooms lined the sides. The back of the main room, with its long counter, multiple sinks, and small kitchen, was accessible to the entire studio yet somehow unobtrusive.
Near the southern bank of windows, they’d set up a series of easels, each one catching the light perfectly. In the opposite corner they’d arranged a set of comfy couches, with places to relax and share at the end of the day or sit and read a book.
From the overhead speakers, a soft lilting flute sounded, a timeless melody played a little slower than usual, but the music mixed with the presentation of the space so perfectly Aiden wanted to applaud Petra for having come up with the idea. How she had managed to organize it, he had no idea.
“Oh, wow.” Fern wandered past, staring around her in awe.
“This is astonishing.” Chance turned to Aiden. “Room for how many to stay on-site?”
“Five individuals, with a possible eight if there are three couples willing to share a bed. We didn’t think more than that worked for the kind of atmosphere we’re trying to establish.”
“Oh, no. That’s exactly right.” Chance stepped away, ending up next to Fern, the two of them speaking quietly at a rapid pace.
Rose slipped her arm into Petra’s. “Now that I see what’s been keeping you so busy, I highly approve,” she said.
“Oh, I wasn’t involved too much with this,” Petra insisted.
Rose met Aiden’s gaze directly. “I wasn’t talking about the artists’ studio.”
A soft snicker escaped Tansy. “That’s my girl. Come on, I want to peek in all the rooms.”
“Of course you do,” Rose said, long-suffering in her tone as she winked at Petra. “I’ve been meaning to extend an invitation to you and Aiden to come for dinner. Tuesday this coming week?”
“I think it works, but I’ll get back to you,” Petra promised.
The girls stepped away, and Petra eased back beside Aiden, her shoulder bumping his. “So far so good.”
“Exactly the reaction I was hoping for,” Aiden admitted. Chance and Fern paced the length of the studio, still talking earnestly, but if their expressions were anything to go by, they would have the man’s help in establishing the artists’ part of High Water.
“I like the touch of the music,” Petra whispered softly. “Well done.”
Aiden frowned. “It wasn’t me. I thought you did that.”
They both twisted on the spot, looking for answers. Petra pointed to the one room with the door firmly shut. They casually paced over, cracking the door open.
Inside, Sasha hurriedly pressed a finger to her lips, calling for silence.
Next to her, staring intently at her sheet music, Jinx played the flute. It wasn’t a simple tune, and it was well enough done that Aiden wanted to shout encouragement. Instead, he let his grin offer his approval.
When she reached the end of the song, carefully lowering the flute from her lips, Aiden broke into full applause, and Petra joined him.
Jinx dipped her chin regally before the biggest smile he’d ever seen burst free. “Was it okay? Sasha set up this app so we could play the music without being around, and she said I sounded good, but I wasn’t sure?—”
“You killed it,” Sasha assured her, wrapping her arms around Jinx’s shoulders and squeezing tight.
“You did,” Petra agreed. “And I want to hear more, but first, would you like to come and meet Chance and Fern?”
“They’re nice,” Sasha assured Jinx quietly. “Mr. Gabrielle has done some guest lessons at the school, and he is not boring like our regular art teacher.”
A soft chuckle sounded from behind Aiden’s back. “I endeavour to always earn such high praise.” Chance stood in the doorway, his arm wrapped around Rose’s waist. “And here we have the source of the lovely music. Thank you so much for the serenade. It was well done and well selected. If I remember correctly that piece was from the unfinished symphony. And while the studio is nearly done, it still needs a few things to be finished.”
“You recognize the music?” Jinx rose and transferred the flute to her left hand so she could extend her right. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Gabrielle.”
“Nice to meet you too,” he said. “This is Fern Fields, younger sister to Tansy and Rose, whom you already know.”
Fern wiggled her fingers. “Are you an artist as well as a musician?”
“She’ll say no,” Sasha answered before Jinx could, “but Kelli says you can’t say that until you’ve given it a good try.”
Jinx’s lips twitched. “Obviously after she’s said that, I can’t possibly say no.”
“Wise choice,” Fern agreed. She glanced around the studio again. “I like the place.”
“Me too.” Chance dipped his chin at Aiden. “I have a small workspace at the top of my art gallery, but it’s not sufficient for the classes I’d like to offer. I’d like to sit down and come up with some plans that will work well for all of us.”
“That’s good to hear.” Aiden’s brothers were going to be so relieved. Forward motion in this area meant they were one step closer to opening their doors fully, secret or not. “Now all we need to do is officially break in the studio.”
“You should host a party,” Tansy suggested. “I know this great caterer and possibly some awesome people to invite.”
“It’s a great idea,” Petra said, still more focused on Jinx than anything else. “It’s too late for Thanksgiving or Halloween, and too early for Christmas. What kind of party are you going to hold so we can hire you as a caterer?”
“That’s easy.” Tansy met Aiden’s gaze and waggled her brows. “It’s Petra’s birthday next Friday?—”
“ Tansy ,” Petra complained.
“Oh, I like this idea,” Aiden said, hopping on the train with full enthusiasm. A test run wasn’t a bad idea, and if anything did go wrong, Petra wasn’t going to complain.
Plus, the idea of doing something special for her made him happy.
Petra glared daggers at her friend. “You’re terrible about that cone of secrecy business.”
“Birthdays don’t really fall under the cone of secrecy, though, do they?” Tansy shook her head. “I think not.”
Aiden twisted toward Petra. He caught her hands in his and tugged to get her attention. “We won’t do it if you absolutely hate the idea,” he said softly. “But a bit of a party after all the work we put in isn’t a bad idea.”
She sighed. An enormous, dramatic thing, flopping her hands into the air. “Okay, fine. You may all celebrate my natal day. But there will be no presents, and I get to pick what type of cake Tansy makes me.”
“Deal.” Aiden shook her hand firmly then turned to the rest of them who waited eagerly in the main room. Jinx’s eyes sparkled with happiness, Sasha standing close by her side. “It’s official. You’re all invited back next Friday for Petra’s birthday party, and the official soft opening of the High Water artists’ studio.”