Chapter 10 Connor
TEN
CONNOR
“The fence on the east side of the property is down again and the cows have been trying to make a break for it.”
I look up at my ranch foreman, Oliver, when he steps into the den in the back of the house.
My grandfather used it as his office, and this is where he did all his business.
It was an unnecessary addition to the house as far as I’m concerned because its three walls are covered in large windows overlooking the west side of the property.
Which means in the winter, this room is cold as ice no matter how warm the rest of the house is.
“I thought Cage was supposed to fix that,” I say.
Oliver sits down in the chair across from me, running a hand through his blonde hair.
He’s the same age as me, came into town five years ago and got hired by my grandfather on the spot.
It still bothers me that I don’t know his background, I don’t know if he’s ever worked on a ranch, or if he’s hiding a criminal past we just don’t know about.
“Nope. I haven’t seen Cage in two days. His baby mama called, and he disappeared faster than a needle in a haystack,” Oliver says.
“This is the third time he’s done this in a month,” I say.
“Your grandfather never had any problems with him,” Oliver says, in a tone which could mean I’m the idiot or my grandfather was losing his mind.
“Let’s go,” I say.
We fix up the fence and make sure the cows are not escaping. It’s bitter cold and I help Oliver inspect the cows for sickness and injury before doing the same with the horses.
“You’re really going to open the lodge again?” Oliver asks, as we’re cleaning the stables.
“Yeah. The plans are drawn up and work will start in the summer.”
Because the lodge and the ranch are on the same property, I had plans drawn up to separate the two so I can keep people away from this side of the property.
“People like seeing the horses,” Oliver says. “They don’t get that in their real lives.”
“We’ll get the horses to the lodge, Oliver.”
“Will you keep the people away from here?”
I straighten from scrubbing the floor and give him a flat look. “Oliver, no one is coming here who I don’t want.”
As I say it, there’s a rumbling of a car coming up the driveway. It agitates the horses, and they start to whine. Oliver calms them, looking at me in question.
“You were saying?”
“You work for me, remember?” I remind him.
I pass him the broom on my way out of the stable.
There’s a black car coming up the driveway to the house.
I pull off my work gloves and start walking back.
I’m not expecting any visitors, and no one really comes to this part of the ranch.
Since it’s just me here, I haven’t bothered with Christmas decorations either.
The car stops and I see a dark-haired man get out.
He walks around the front and opens the passenger door for a red-haired woman and laughs at something she says.
The laugh takes me by surprise because for as long as I’ve known him, I’ve never seen Roman Maddox laugh or even smile. Love does strange things to a man.
Roman and I played for the Renegades together until he was traded to New Jersey. He plays for the Boston Titans now and got married last year, a fact which made me laugh when he told me. I thought he was joking.
He looks up when I get closer and smiles. “Were you out milking the cows?”
“I was fixing the fence and then helping clean the stables, asshole. The cows were milked in the morning.”
“Watch the foul language in front of my wife,” he says. The redhead next to him throws him a funny look.
“Babe, I’ve been surrounded by athletes my whole life. I’ve heard far worse.” She turns to me, her eyes bright green. “We didn’t mean to drop by unannounced. Roman thought it would be fine.”
“Of course, he did.”
“What are friends for?” Roman shrugs.
“This from a man who refused to admit we were friends for years,” I tell his wife.
Roman rolls his eyes. “I wanted Lavinia to meet you. She needed confirmation that I had friends before she came into my life.”
“I always knew you had friends,” Lavinia says. “It's so nice to meet you,” she says to me. “I’m a big fan.”
Roman wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her toward him. “She’s just saying that, she doesn’t actually mean it.”
“Roman!” Lavinia chides, laughing. “He’s going to send us back before he even invites us into the house if you keep up like that.”
“You’re allowed here anytime,” I tell her. “Him, I’m not too sure about.”
I lead them toward the front porch and up the steps to the house. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Lavinia won’t be coming back without me,” Roman says. “Isn’t that right, Blossom?”
Lavinia smiles up at him sweetly. “I don’t know. It’s a stunning view.”
Roman smirks, leaning down to whisper something in her ear.
Jealousy stabs me as I look away and make my way to the kitchen.
I had what they have, and I fucked it all up.
I was still fucking it up. I left because I thought Scarlett would be better off without me, better off without the family drama that she definitely didn’t sign up for.
I’m paying for making that decision for her.
“You have a beautiful home,” Lavinia says, as they enter the kitchen. “It must be so amazing waking up to that view.”
“It is,” I agree, looking out the windows at the mountains behind the house. “Except when it gets dark at five, there’s no one around and every sound makes you jump.”
“Are you afraid of the dark, Connor?” Roman asks with a smile.
“Yeah, I’m a sensible man and I can admit that there are more things out there than scientists have discovered so far.”
I make them both coffee and offer to make lunch, which they decline. So, I suggest we go into town for lunch. They’re only here for the day and then driving back to Whistler where they are meeting Lavinia’s brother and best friend.
Going into town will give me an opportunity to see Scarlett. It’s as I’m thinking this that the front door opens and her voice rings out.
“Connor Fitzgerald Hayes!”
“Your middle name is Fitzgerald?” Roman can barely control his laugh.
“It’s actually Frederick,” I mumble, distracted. I set down my coffee cup and round the counter, walking out of the kitchen. The kitchen is directly across from the entrance, and I see Scarlett as soon as I walk out.
Her violet hair is wild and windswept, lips berry red, and she’s looking at me like I’m the enemy of the state. Harvey stands next to her with a little smile on her face that I know doesn’t bode well for me. She’s holding a bakery box that I recognize is from Butter & Bloom.
“You,” Scarlett hisses. She stalks across the foyer, her heels clicking on the tiled floor.
“It’s because of you that my sister’s wedding is going to be ruined!
This whole town is in love with you and now they’re cancelling our wedding orders because apparently, I’m some kind of villain who broke your precious little heart. ”
Scarlett huffs, shoving a piece of hair out of her face, her eyes burning at me furiously.
“Listen to me very carefully, Connor. I don’t care what you have going on for the next week.
Unless it’s a life or death emergency, your time is mine.
You’re going to help me find a new baker and a new florist and a new spa and I don’t care what you do to make them fit us in at the last minute.
Nothing is going to ruin my sister’s wedding.
This is happening because of you and you’re going to fix it! ”
She shoves a finger against my chest. “I’m not kidding and I’m not going to let you off the hook for this. If a single thing goes awry, I’m going to haunt you for the rest of your life, and the rest of your afterlife, too.” She leans closer, hissing up at me. “Don’t have any doubts.”
God, how I love this woman. I don’t doubt her intentions to haunt me, but in her anger, she probably doesn’t realize it’s exactly what I want.
“Do you promise?” I ask.
Scarlett narrows her eyes. “What?”
“Do you promise to haunt me for the rest of your life and the afterlife? Because I’ll do anything you ask as long as you promise to haunt me.”
Scarlett closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. I glance at Harvey, and she shakes her head in disappointment.
“I’m never going to be free of you,” Scarlett murmurs. “Not even in the afterlife.”
“Never, baby girl,” I promise. “I’m afraid you sealed that deal when you told me you love me.”
Opening her eyes, Scarlett looks at me. Behind all the hurt and anger, I still see glimmers of our love. Maybe they’re just memories, maybe not. All I know is, if there’s even a small chance, I’m taking it.
“And you said we should have stayed in Whistler,” Roman says from behind me. “We would have missed this pure cinema.”
Scarlett balances, looking behind me at Roman and Lavinia. “I didn’t realize you were entertaining.”
“He’s not entertaining,” Roman says. “In fact, he’s more boring than I am. He lives on a farm in the middle of nowhere.”
Scarlett cracks a smile, thawing a little.
I glare at Roman. I’m the one who should be making her laugh and thawing the ice around her heart, not him.
But when I look at him and then Scarlett, I realize she’s seeing a man in love, so he’s not a danger.
Roman is standing next to Lavinia, an arm wrapped around her waist, and when he looks at her there’s no doubt she’s the only one who matters.
“It’s a ranch, not a farm,” I correct. “And I’m extremely entertaining.”
Scarlett makes a sound that could be a laugh, and I turn to her in question. “Can we talk in private?”
“We can wait in the kitchen,” Harvey says, walking further into the house.
“Don’t eat all the cupcakes,” Scarlett says to her. “I want to save some for Connor to choke on them later.”
Harvey snickers as she, Lavinia, and Roman disappear back into the kitchen. I take Scarlett’s arm and lead her into the living room.
“Why do you want me to choke on cupcakes, baby girl?”