Chapter 19
DANI
I hummed as I loaded the last dishes into the dishwasher at the end of my shift. Tonight’s celebration was amazing despite being hastily put together.
It was great seeing Vanessa and her family. My parents stopped by for a while, though it would have been easier on Dad to stay home. Various friends popped in throughout the evening, so Neil must have gotten the word out.
And I got to meet my lawyer, Shayla, in person. That was a surprise. She was ridiculously beautiful, brilliant, and friendly, so I expected Jake to ask for her number or leave with her at the end of the night.
When she left without any sign of encouragement from Jake, though, I was surprised. Maybe they exchanged numbers earlier.
Jake helped us close down. Finally, the curiosity was too much. With a smile on my face, I asked.
“What did you think of Shayla?”
“Who?”
Annoyed, I huffed at him.
“My lawyer and new friend. The gorgeous woman who was all over you at the bar.”
“Oh, her. She’s alright. Why? Did you want to find a new lawyer?”
“Jake.” I leveled a serious look at him. “She was pretty obvious about her interest in you. She talked to you before I even realized who she was.”
He shrugged.
“I told you, I’m not interested in dating. Or anything else,” he added hastily. “Women aren’t a priority right now.”
“How long are you going to hold a torch for your ex?”
Jake scoffed.
“I was over her the minute I found her in bed with someone else.”
My eyebrows shot to my hairline.
“I thought you were still in love with her.”
His expression turned contemplative.
“This probably makes me an asshole, but I’m not sure I ever was. I didn’t realize it until then.”
After we made our goodbyes to Neil, Jake and I got in our respective vehicles, and I followed him back to the house. I sang along to the radio, my good mood restored now that Jake admitted he wasn’t interested in my sexy-as-sin lawyer. Maybe I shouldn’t be so happy about that, but I was.
When we got home, Jake waited for me by the front door. There was something apprehensive in his expression.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
He grunted his agreement, and I bit back a smile.
He talked more around me than he did most people, but he needed recovery time after being out in a crowd.
I loved being part of a noisy, talkative group, but I was also good on my own.
When we were kids, though, Jake preferred one-on-one conversation or solitude.
It was nice to know some things never changed.
All thoughts flew from my head as I stepped through the doorway. Most of the lights were turned down, but the dining area was lit up like a Christmas tree. As if I were drawn by a magnet, my feet carried me forward.
Tears filled my eyes. I found Jake’s hand and squeezed it, too choked up for words. He squeezed it back before he stepped away.
“It’s a create-and-recharge space. For you, obviously.”
With a nervous smile, he directed me to my reading chair, which was draped with a soft, inviting blanket. All my books were in the bookcase next to it, and there was a small accent table perfect for a cup of tea.
I took that in with a glance. As much as I loved it, my eyes lingered on the gorgeous wood drafting table with a tilting easel.
I’d always wanted one, but they were expensive.
The paints Vanessa bought me last year that I never opened sat on the low shelf attached to the legs, and a blank canvas was positioned on the easel.
When I had my emotions under control, I looked again at Jake. His body was riddled with tension as he gauged my reaction.
“This is the nicest thing anybody’s ever done for me,” I sobbed.
I threw my arms around him, crying into his shirt. He stood frozen before he hugged me back. Jake held me until I composed myself.
“I’m sorry,” I sniffled, “I love it.”
He sagged with relief.
“You said you hadn’t painted in years, but you commented about how great the light was in here. It had to happen.”
“You must have spent a fortune. I already owe you so much.”
His face creased in a frown.
“Fuck that shit. You don’t owe me anything, and it didn’t cost very much.”
He laughed.
“I had the idea, but your mom made it happen. She took me to an estate sale. It was fun to wander around but terrifying how she haggled them down to nothing. They didn’t have easels, but I thought the drafting table could work.
If not, you can use it for your laptop when you’re working on designs. You need a place to work.”
He cleared his throat as he pointed at the various things in my new space.
“The stool came from your mom. It was from her sewing room. Vanessa brought over some fresh canvas earlier tonight, and she helped set up the space.”
He opened the armoire along the far wall. It was painted a pale color to blend in with the walls. With so much else, I hardly noticed it, but now I was riveted.
“I removed the bottom shelves and added wooden dowels so you could stack smaller canvases upright in here. Vanessa also got the box of art supplies from your room and put everything in here. I swear, I didn’t go through your things.”
“Do you like it?” he asked gruffly.
“I love it,” I said. “Truly, it’s amazing.”
Tension eased from his shoulders, and I almost laughed. If I hadn’t already been head-over-heels for him, this would have done it. He could wave it away, but I’d never forget how much effort he’d put into making me feel welcome and supported. Maybe Vanessa was right.
“It might take me a while to get back in touch with that side of me, but this is such an inviting space. I’m more inspired than I’ve been in years.”
“Yeah?” his eyes lit up.
“I wanted to ask you something.” I forced myself to sound casual though my heart tried to jump out of my chest. “Would you go to the Desert Rose Arts Fest with me? There are a lot of fun activities, and it’s busy but not too crowded. Vanessa and I usually go together.”
“But she’s got her own show this year.”
“Exactly.”
“Sure, I’ll go with you.” He paused. “I don’t have to know anything about art, do I?”
“Not at all.”
“It’s in two weeks, right?”
“Yes. Sorry I waited so long to ask. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go this year.”
“Why wouldn’t you? It sounds perfect for you.”
Shame suffused me, and I stared at the floor.
“Beau thought it was a waste of time.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, um, I hope you like the space,” he said awkwardly.
“Thank you, Jake. This means everything. I love it.”
He smiled at me, his real smile that made my knees wobbly. I had to call Vanessa. Damn Beau for making me so insecure.
As if he heard me, I got a notification from an unknown number. Beau.
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” I gushed.
Vanessa’s laugh carried clearly over the phone.
“Your art space and reading nook, or that man’s ass?”
“Vanessa! You’re married.”
“And I’m madly in love with my husband, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate art in all its forms. Your grumpy roommate is a work of art.”
“I saw him in nothing but a towel earlier.”
Vanessa gasped.
“What? Why am I only hearing about this now?”
“You have no room to talk, Miss I-Knew-about-the-Secret-Room-and-Said-Nothing.”
“Of course I didn’t tell you. You deserve to have someone spoil you. If I’d told you about it, it would have ruined the surprise.”
“‘Nessa, I’m so confused. On the one hand, Jake did this amazing thing for me. He gave me back part of my soul. I wanted to do something artistic with that space, but I held myself back. And he made it happen. Poof.”
“But?”
“But when I hugged him this morning when I was still high on the thrill of getting the museum job call, he couldn’t get away from me fast enough. He literally ran out of the room as soon as my back was turned.”
“He doesn’t know you’re interested in him. From everything you’ve said, he’ll be the perfect gentleman if it kills him. He’s in to you. Even Anthony commented on the sparks between you two.”
“He promised several times that I’d never have to worry about him coming on to me,” I said slowly. “That I’ll always be safe with him.”
I frowned as the deeper implication of his words hit. When he made that promise, I was dealing with Beau’s anger and the creepy potential roommate. Jake would never take advantage of anyone, so I didn’t examine his words deeper.
“You have to make the first move,” Vanessa said. “If you wait for him to express interest, you’re gonna be gray and cobwebby.”
“You’re right,” I said slowly. “I have to show him I’m interested.”
“That’s not enough. He’s convinced you’re not into him, so the usual signals won’t work. You have to be direct.”
I gulped. If I wanted to take a chance at something real, I had to put my heart on the line.
“Are you still there?” Vanessa asked.
“Yeah, thinking.”
“I’ve got some ideas about how to make it happen. You don’t want to end up like Rosa and Sam.”
I laughed. Vanessa was obsessed with the legend of Rosa Delgado and her ill-fated love with Sam Thornfield. Everyone in Sierra Rose Ridge knew the tragic story of the Mexican beauty who’d captured the heart of the engineer in charge of the town’s silver mining operation.
“This is nothing like the legend of Rosa and Sam,” I protested. “My dad would never try to marry me off to some rich asshole, especially if I was already in love.”
“I know, but Beau is interfering with true love by keeping you away from your heart’s desire for his own selfish goals.
The Dani I met when you first came back to town would never let some guy intimidate her.
If that Dani was in to someone, she’d march up to him and stick her tongue down his throat. ”
I snickered at the image she painted.
“Speaking of Beau.”
She groaned. “What now?”
“He messaged me tonight.”
She was outraged.
“I thought you blocked him.”
“I did. It was a private number. He wants to meet me.”
“Don’t do it. That guy is nothing but trouble.”
“He probably got the summons today.”
“Then tell him to talk to your lawyer or show up in court.”
“Shayla said he’d try to settle out of court.”
“Let him talk to her then.”
“You’re right.”
“Of course, I am. He’s like Wade in the legend, ruining everything for his own selfishness.”
“Let’s hope not since Wade killed Sam, which drove Rosa to throw herself off the Ridge during Sam’s funeral rather than marry his murderer.”
“Stay away from the Red Rock Ridge anyway.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Careful, or I won’t share my brilliant idea for convincing Jake you’re interested in doing the horizontal mambo with him.”
“No,” I groaned. “You’re not back on the bad sex euphemisms.”
“I am. I’ve got a bunch of new ones Anthony found now that Sofia pays more attention to what we say. You’re going to love them. My favorite is riding the flagpole, but his is riding the bony pony.”
“I don’t know what that means,” I sputtered.
“Don’t think too hard about it. I’ve got more. Irrigating the garden. Going spelunking. Burying the bone.”
“Now I get it.”
“I knew you’d get there.”