2. Avery
Chapter 2
Avery
The smell of coffee greeted me in the morning, accompanied by the faint rustling of someone moving around in the kitchen. I glanced at the clock—7am. Dad would have been awake for hours by now. Birdie was probably in the middle of breakfast.
I groaned and dragged myself out of bed, stifling a yawn. After years of living at college, I’d almost forgotten what it was like to work ranch hours in Colorado, with my butt in the saddle before the crack of dawn.
Tugging my bathrobe on, I shuffled into the kitchen. I’d barely stepped into the room when Birdie pressed a hot cup of coffee into my hands.
“You’re an angel,” I said, taking a sip. Sweet, with a hint of milk and nutmeg, topped in a layer of frothy foam. Not that bitter black coffee my father insisted on drinking. “If I knew you could make coffee like this, I would have proposed to you myself.”
“I’m glad to hear someone appreciates my taste in coffee,” Birdie replied. “I’m convinced your father has killed every single one of his taste buds. He was very smug about the fact that you overslept, by the way. I’m sure he’ll be rubbing your nose in it all day.”
I swore under my breath and took a seat at the table. With a master’s degree in agricultural business under my belt, I was more than ready to get my boots on the ground and dig into the finer details of operating High Plains. Sleeping in was not the best way to convey that message.
I knew I didn’t need to prove myself—I’d already done that a dozen times over. The problem was my dad’s stubborn streak a mile wide. It was hard enough to admit that he was in his fifties, and he couldn’t do the same amount of work that he used to do when he was younger. It would be even harder for him to admit that I was growing up.
Birdie patted my hand.
“Don’t mind Grady. He’s happy to have you home. And it will take everyone some time to adjust as you settle into more management duties. Everything will work out. You’ll see. Now, get some food. Eggs and bacon are on the stove, still warm. The cook won’t be back until lunch, so make sure to eat your fill.”
As I retrieved a plate from the cupboard, I glanced at the window overlooking the barn and bunkhouse. Dad and Bowen stood by the corral, deep in conversation. At first, I felt a territorial prickle at being left out of their discussion. I was part of the ranch, after all. I needed to know what was going on.
Then my gaze swept over Bowen, with his dark mustache, jawline shadowed with stubble, broad shoulders, and soft spoken demeanor. In all the years I’d known him, I’d only heard him raise his voice once or twice. Ever since I was a little girl, I idolized him and the way he always seemed to be there. A steady, solid presence, reliable and unwavering no matter what turmoil was going on in the rest of my life. Something about Bowen’s presence had a soothing effect on me that I’d never experienced with another man before.
“What are you staring at?”
I flinched at the sound of Birdie’s voice. Caught in the act.
“Nothing.”
Hurrying to the stove, I started piling food on my plate. Birdie wasn’t dissuaded that easily. She rose from the table and headed for the window. My stomach clenched. I wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, I reasoned. Bowen and my father would be discussing the ranch. It was natural for me to be curious about their conversation.
Birdie was sharp though. If anyone could sniff out a hint of my interest in Bowen, it would be her. And I wasn’t ready for that news to reach my father’s ears.
The phone rang before Birdie reached the window. When she changed directions to answer the phone, I released a breath of relief. I didn’t pay attention to the conversation until I heard my name.
“Yes, Avery is right here.” Birdie held the phone out to me. “It’s for you. He said he’s a friend from college.”
That’s odd, I thought. I never gave any of my college friends the number to my home. Setting my plate aside, I took the phone from Birdie.
“This is Avery.”
“Hey, baby.”
A cold prickle crept up my neck at the voice. I clenched my teeth, fighting to keep my expression neutral. I gestured at Birdie to indicate I would take the call somewhere else. She nodded her understanding and waved me off.
When I was down the hall a safe distance away from the kitchen, I finally spoke.
“What the fuck do you want, Isaac?”
He clucked his tongue with a chuckle that made my skin crawl.
“You blocked my number. I don’t appreciate being shut out.”
“I told you I’m not interested. End of story. Now leave me alone, or I’ll file a restraining order.”
Isaac had the nerve to laugh.
“Oh, baby, you wouldn’t do that. This little game of cat and mouse we have between us is fun for you. Keep playing hard to get. I don’t mind.”
I sighed and rubbed my forehead. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I had hoped that when I graduated college and left California behind, it would be enough to deter Isaac’s obsession with me. I should have known it wouldn’t be that simple.
“Why don’t we get together sometime?” Isaac pressed. “You can show me around town, and we can grab a bite to eat—”
“When hell freezes over,” I cut in. “I mean it, Isaac. Fuck off.”
“No need to get snappish.” His syrup-sweet tone had taken on a bitter edge. “I’ve always been friendly to you, tried to make you feel welcome. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be alone, Avery.”
I gripped the phone so tight that it creaked. During my freshman year at college, I ran into Isaac Farley at a party. Even though he had never physically threatened me with violence, something about him gave me an unsettled, slippery feeling. Despite his relentless efforts to ask me out on a date, I repeatedly turned him down. Anyone else would have taken the hint that I wasn’t interested.
Isaac simply tried harder.
At one point, I did go to the police, but I didn’t have any hard evidence to prove that I needed protection. Just because he gave me the creeps didn’t warrant concern from the police. I hated that he’d managed to dig up my home phone number. I hated that he’d spoken to Birdie. Hell, I wouldn’t put it past him to show up and invite himself to dinner one night.
I had to put a stop to this, once and for all.
“I’m not alone. I have family, friends—”
“You need a man in your life,” Isaac said. “Someone who can take care of you. A man who will look after you and keep you safe.”
Now I was really uncomfortable. I considered hanging up, but Isaac would simply call again until I answered. I’d blocked his number once already, and it hadn’t deterred him in the slightest. The tip of my tongue burned with the temptation to tell him off. I could handle myself. After growing up on a ranch surrounded by men, I wasn’t some wilting wallflower.
But there was only one way that would make Isaac lose interest in me. I had to convince him that I was already taken.
“I’m actually seeing someone.”
He hummed, skeptical.
“Yeah, right. Everyone knows you flirted your way around campus, but you were never serious about it.”
Shit. If I was going to bluff, I had to be rock solid.
“Oh, trust me, this guy is different. He’s the strong, silent type, and he treats me like a princess. My family loves him, which is a miracle since it’s damn near impossible to please my dad. And he has this classic cowboy look to him—like he stepped out of an old Western movie, you know? I can’t wait to have his kids someday.”
A beat of silence settled over the phone. I sucked in a breath when I realized I’d been describing Bowen the whole time. That colored my fib with more truth than I cared to admit.
At last, Isaac spoke in a quiet, low voice.
“I hope you’re not lying, Avery. Other girls do that all the time—claiming they have a boyfriend who doesn’t exist, just to throw me off their scent. That’s not a nice thing to do. Dishonesty is such an ugly trait.”
Before I could reply, a door opened and voices echoed in the kitchen.
“Morning, Birdie. Is Miss Avery awake yet?”
Bowen. My heart soared with relief when I heard him.
“She’s on the phone,” Birdie replied. “A friend from college called to say hello. Would you like me to get her for you?”
Bowen hesitated.
“No, I wouldn’t want to interrupt. It can wait.”
On the other end of the line, Isaac spoke.
“That’s him, isn’t it?”
Well, yes and no. Even though I wasn’t technically involved with Bowen romantically, I wanted to be. I fantasized about him often enough, dreaming of the day when he would finally notice me and make his move.
But I could hear the jealousy in Isaac’s tone. This is exactly what he dreaded—giving my attention to another man who wasn’t him. All I needed to do now was to step back and let his own insecurities be his downfall.
“Goodbye, Isaac,” I said. “And if you call this number again, I really will file a restraining order against you.”
As soon as the call was over, the knot of tension between my shoulders began to ease. I’d never mentioned any of this to my father. I didn’t want him to worry. Besides, Isaac was a pest, that’s all. If I was going to handle the ranch on my own one day, I would have to deal with men ten times more difficult than him.
Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I pasted on a bright smile and stepped into the kitchen. Bowen stood at the side entrance, with his hat in his hands. He looked stiff and uncomfortable, out of place in the boss’s house, as if a lowly cowboy like him didn’t deserve to cross the McCall threshold.
I was so relieved to see him that I could have flung my arms around his neck and kissed him if I thought I would get away with it. He would probably quit on the spot so he didn’t compromise my virtue.
“Were you calling for me?” I asked. “I thought I heard someone say my name.”
Bowen nodded and gestured toward the barn with his hat.
“Your father and I are getting ready for the auction next week. We’re pulling the herd in from the north pasture to look them over before selling. I suggested you might like to be there.”
“Yes, I would. Give me two minutes to get dressed. I’ll meet you at the barn.”
Eager to focus on work and put that damn phone call out of my mind, I threw on some clothes and tugged on my boots. When I emerged from the house, Bowen was on the porch.
“You didn’t have to wait for me,” I said. “Just because I went away to college doesn’t mean I don’t know my way around here anymore.”
Bowen gave a small, soft smile of amusement that crinkled the corners of his eyes. My stomach squeezed and my heart pitched like a ship tossed by a storm.
On more than one occasion, I caught myself dreaming about having kids with Bowen, aching to call him my husband. I wanted to burrow into his arms every morning before the sun was up, before the day began, enveloped by his heat, his strength, and the steady beat of his heart. I wanted to end each day stuffed with his cock, no matter how sore and tired I was from the ranch. I wanted his lips to worship every inch of my naked body for hours until I shattered and he looked at me like I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life.
Bowen’s solemn, whiskey-brown eyes settled on me.
“Is everything okay?”
He couldn’t possibly know about Isaac. I hadn’t told anyone anything.
“Sure,” I replied with a shrug, hoping I appeared nonchalant. “Why do you ask?”
“Birdie said you were on the phone with a friend from college.”
Not exactly the truth, since Isaac wasn’t a friend, but it was close enough, so I made it work.
“Yeah, we were just catching up.”
Bowen didn’t respond right away as he settled his hat on his head, tugging at the brim out of habit.
“Then why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
Damn it. My breath caught in my throat. Of course Bowen would be the one to notice if something was off. That’s why he was the foreman—observant, studious, dedicated, and hard-working. If I lied my way out of this, he’d see right through it in a heartbeat, but that didn’t stop me from trying.
“Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet, I guess.”
I stepped off the porch, headed for the barn. But Bowen remained rooted to the spot, watching me go. When I realized he wasn’t following me, I turned around and cocked my head.
“Are you going to stand there all day when there’s work to be done?”
A muscle flexed in Bowen’s jaw. He cut a handsome figure standing there, dressed all in black, with the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to reveal his forearms tanned brown after years spent in the sun.
Finally, Bowen approached with measured steps. He hooked a finger under my chin and gazed down at me.
“Those paper-thin lies might work on your father, Avery,” he said in a low, soft voice. “But I’m not him. If you need help sorting out whatever trouble you’ve managed to get yourself into, you know where to find me.”
Then he walked away without a backward glance, and I was left stunned that he could read me so easily.