Chapter 5
KAT
Any time Kat approached a challenge for which she had no strategy, rather than sit and think it through, she had a tendency to jump in and figure it out later.
So, the following morning, rather than sit and overthink the ideas knocking around in her head, she decided to go to the store and buy some supplies.
The problem with doing things this way was that she often wound up in the deep end of the pool with no idea how to get back out again.
Right now, the hardware store was her deep end of the pool.
She realized, with a groan, that she had no idea what needed replacing at the ranch.
That morning, she’d thought that something she knew she could do to help out was shop for supplies.
But there didn’t seem to be a clearly labeled aisle for ranching stuff at this particular hardware store.
She slapped her own forehead, realizing how stupid she probably looked.
But, like always, right before she lost her nerve, her instincts kicked in.
She thought about the resources she knew she had.
There was Tony, who could easily assist with supplies.
All she had to do was hand him the cash to do so.
There was the barn and the few animals left on the ranch.
“Wiring,” she muttered, remembering she wanted better lighting in the barn. “Where is electrical?”
“Five aisles down,” answered an arrogant-sounding voice from behind her. “But you’ll want a permit if you’re rewiring. Do you have one?” The way he asked made it obvious he didn’t think she did. He was right, of course, but that was hardly the point.
She whirled around to see the man behind her, standing with his arms folded and his head cocked.
He was staring at her like she was a specimen he was scrutinizing.
She didn’t appreciate the way he watched her at all.
She wanted to ignore the disrespect she sensed in his gaze, but she couldn’t seem to manage it.
The problem was that, appearance-wise, he was a borderline perfect specimen of a man.
He was tall with sandy hair, light stubble, and bright blue eyes.
A cowboy hat topped his head and gave him a romantic look that didn’t seem to match his personality at all.
“I didn’t ask for your help,” she murmured. “But thanks, I guess.”
He grinned at her and let his arms drop to his sides. “You didn’t need to ask. The expression on your face spoke loud and clear.”
“And what is it my face said to you so clearly? If it wasn’t go away, then you misinterpreted.”
His smile didn’t even waver. “Hm, well. Your face says you don’t even know why you’re here. You look like a lost kitten. Are you sure this is the store you need? There’s a craft store across the street that might be more your speed.”
Kat rolled her eyes at the front he was clearly putting up. “Aren’t you a peach,” she said sarcastically. “For your information, a craft store wouldn’t do me any good. I’m trying to renovate a ranch.”
His brows rose at that. He clearly hadn’t expected her to have a real reason to be here. But then he looked into her cart and burst out laughing. “What’s this then?” He picked up the hammer in her cart. She’d grabbed it because she figured she’d need it to repair the goat enclosure.
“That’s called a hammer.” She spoke slowly, as though she was explaining tools to a child. “You can hit nails with it. That’s what makes them go in.”
The man holding her hammer snorted. “Oh, she’s a spicy one, is she? Hissing at everyone who offers to help.”
“Only because you’re being so condescending,” Kat answered.
“I can’t help it,” he said, arching an eyebrow. “You’ve got a hammer with a pink handle—”
“Ergonomically designed for female hands, you sexist weirdo.”
Her insult didn’t even faze him. His eyes fell on the other four products in her cart. “And are those decorative flower pots?”
“Are you saying a ranch can’t be attractive?” she snapped. “I happen to live there, too, you know. I’d like to feel at home in my own house. Honestly, guys like you are so frustrating sometimes. You act like you know everything, but you have nothing to back it up.”
“Correct me then,” he said with an even cockier grin than before. “I love being corrected by beautiful women.”
Kat felt her cheeks burn at his compliment, and she wanted to slap herself. Was she really going to let this man get to her? Even if he was physically her exact type, he was clearly a jerk. A bad personality could eclipse a perfect body all too easily. “What if I don’t want to correct you?”
“You won’t be able to help yourself,” he said, setting the hammer she’d grabbed back on a shelf. Then he took hold of the front end of her cart and started wheeling it away with her following behind it. “Come on. I’ll show you where the nail guns are.”
“Hey, I wanted that hammer.”
The unfortunately charming man pretended not to hear. “So,” he began as they walked, “let me guess. You’re not from around here.”
“Wrong.” Kat lifted her chin. “So wrong. I was born and raised in this very town. My uncle owned the ranch before he left it to me. He chose me over both my brothers because he knew I could handle it.”
“You just corrected me.” He briefly grinned back at her, and she noticed he actually had deep dimples under that stubble.
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to help it,” he said.
Kat smiled to herself but dropped it as soon as he looked her way again.
By the look on his face, she hadn’t dropped her smile in time.
“Next assumption from me,” he said. “Even if you were born and raised here, you haven’t lived here in a while. ”
He led her down another aisle, and they stopped in front of a selection of nail guns. “What makes you say that?” Kat asked, actually curious this time.
“Your clothes,” he answered with a shrug. “They’re way too fancy for a small town like this.”
Now it was her turn to raise her eyebrows at him. “I’m wearing jeans—”
“Designer,” he interrupted to add. “Artfully torn.”
She rolled her eyes and went on. “And boots.”
“High-heeled boots.” He smirked.
“And a plain, button-down shirt.” She gestured to the shirt in question.
He barely fought to hold back a smile. “Let me guess. It’s dry clean only.”
“Wrong again, mister.” She was maybe a little too excited to correct him this time. “Delicate wash. Hang to dry.”
“Practically dry clean only.”
“Not even a little bit.” She laughed and had to remind herself that this man had a terrible personality despite his gorgeous appearance. Don’t give in to his charms, she ordered herself. “So where do you think I came from, then?”
“Some big city or other.” He paused and thought about it while analyzing the nail guns. She wanted to be angry, but the fact that he was taking the time to choose one for her made it difficult to stay mad. “I’m gonna say San Antonio.”
“Ha!” She nudged him playfully. “Wrong again. I came from Houston.”
“And look at all this personal information I’m wringing out of you.
You’re lucky I’m not some identity-stealing con artist.” When he said that, her smile dropped, and he seemed to realize he’d gone a bit too far.
He quickly picked a product and dropped it into her cart.
“Don’t tell me anything else. I already know the rest anyway.
” He gave her a long look and cracked that grin again.
“You were working at some big-shot job, but as a former small-town girl, you never quite felt like you fit in. Every morning, you’d get up, slick back your hair into a low ponytail or a tight bun; put on your pencil skirt, blouse, and jacket; and look into the mirror to put your makeup on, wondering where you went wrong in your life. ”
Was he psychic or something? Or was she just that obvious? Either way, it was disrespectful. She stared down at the nail gun in her cart. “I may be a city girl now, but I grew up out here, and I can figure out a ranch. I have an experienced ranch hand to help me out.”
“Just one?”
“For now.”
“What are you selling?” he asked.
“Huh?” She narrowed her eyes at him, not quite certain what he was asking.
He clarified. “Meat? Dairy? Eggs?”
She shrugged.
With an infuriating half-smile, he asked her, “Have you ever milked a cow?”
“We don’t have cows,” she said. “Yet.”
“Do your own farrier care?” He arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
“What?”
Once again, he had to clarify. “Hoof care, for the horses. Do you have horses?”
Kat frowned. “Just one.”
“One horse. One hand. Sounds like a lucrative venture.”
“You know what—”
“Have you fixed a fence yet?”
She perked up at the mention of a fence, despite her desire to slap the man in front of her.
“Oh, that was on my to-do list, actually.” She pulled out her phone and started scrolling through her list to check for other things she may have forgotten about while she was awkwardly making her way through the hardware store. “And the front gate.”
“So, you need lumber,” he said. “How much?”
Kat cleared her throat. “Um… Well, the gate’s about this wide.” She spread her arms as wide as she could and took several steps in one direction to double the distance she indicated. “And the broken fence is…” She thought about it a bit. “It’s about the length of an aisle here?”
The cocky man in front of her burst out laughing. “Is that all?” He shook his head. “Lady, you need to learn to use a measuring tape.” Ten seconds later, he’d casually tossed a brand-new measuring tape into her cart and started pulling it by the front end in the direction of the lumber.
“Hey now!” Kat said. “I didn’t ask for help.”
“But you clearly need it,” he said.
“Not from you.” She pouted, still clinging to the handle on the front end of her cart. “I don’t even know who you are. How am I supposed to know whether you’re really an expert? Maybe you really are some kind of con artist.”
He pulled the cart alongside rows of lumber, all lined up according to size. Then he stalked around the cart and offered his hand. “The name’s Cole,” he said. “And you are?”
She stared down at his hand, refusing to take it. “Katherine. But my friends call me Kat.”
Once again, he burst out laughing. “So you really are a lost kitten. Well, well, well. Looks like the cat distribution system has smiled on me today.” He quickly took her hand and shook it despite her stubborn refusal to do so herself.
“How many times a day do you get slapped by women?” Kat said, yanking her hand back and glaring as hard as she could while fighting back a smile.
Cole didn’t even flinch. “Would you believe it’s zero?” He didn’t wait for her answer, instead picking out some boards for her. “How many boards do you think you’ll need?”
“How do you know what size I need?”
“It’s a ranch fence. Most of them are similar. I’d be willing to bet this is the right size.” He held out one board and winked down at her. “Is it? The right size, I mean?”
Her eyes grew wide, and then she wrinkled her nose at him disgustedly while snatching the boards away. “I’m sure it is.”
“And the wire?” he said, cocking his head. “Is this a patch job, or… are you looking for something that will last?”
OK, this man was a professional flirt. That was clear enough. He was trying to get under her skin, but she wasn’t going to allow it. “It’s a patch job for now. Later, I’ll build something to last.” She narrowed her eyes and concluded, “With someone else’s help.”
He laughed again, and she was becoming irritated by how funny he seemed to find her.
Nothing she said to him made him the least bit angry.
She couldn’t decide whether he had a great sense of humor or if he wasn’t quite picking up what she was putting down.
Before she could come to a conclusion, he said, “What you really need is a feed store. There’s a great one just outside of town. I can take you there if you like.”
Kat took a deep breath and decided to put a stop to this before it got out of hand.
“Look,” she said to the unbearably handsome man beside her.
“I think I can see where you’re trying to take this, and I’m just going to be clear from the start.
I’m not looking for anything right now. I’m just here to fix up and run a ranch. I don’t have time to deal with dating.”
“Dating?” He took the boards back from her. “I’m only helping a lost kitten out. I promise not to ask you out, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He grinned. “I just need some good karma, OK?”
She shook her head but gave in anyway. “Fine. Thank you for your help, I guess. But I’m sure I can find the feed store on my own.”
“You need any help taking these to your truck?” He hoisted the lumber to indicate he intended to carry it.
“I don’t have a truck,” she said with a shrug.
“How’d you get here then?” he asked.
“A car, obviously.”
“Tell me it’s at least a hatchback.” He jostled the boards again. “Otherwise, these won’t fit.”
It took her a second to figure out what he was getting at.
As soon as she did, she slapped her own forehead and muttered, “Stupid,” to herself.
How had she not even considered what she could carry back in her car?
This man had her all flustered, that’s how.
She hadn’t meant to buy lumber today, but he’d swooped in, and now she had lumber to buy.
“You can put those back,” she finally concluded.
“I’ll come back for them some other time. ”
“Hmm…” He stared at the lumber in his hands with a downcast expression.
“But I chose these especially for you. They’re the best of the bunch.
Let’s make a deal. I’ll buy these and keep them in my truck.
When you need them, give me a call, and I’ll deliver them to you.
If you never call, I’ll use them for something else.
Just so you know, I could help out with other things if you ever need a temporary hand.
I have plenty of ranch experience, and I’m currently sleeping right up the street at the cheapest motel in town.
” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a pen, and wrote his number on the packaging for the nail gun.
“Fair warning, though, I’ll probably say I told you so when you call. ”
“Predictable,” she muttered.
He gave her one last smile and a wink that sent the blood right back to her cheeks. “Oh, kitten, the last thing I am is predictable.”
As soon as Kat got back inside her car, she let her head drop onto the steering wheel with a frustrated groan.
“Well, that went swimmingly,” she said to herself.
“You just couldn’t stop blushing like a high school girl, and now he thinks you’re some kind of wannabe rancher with a weakness for small-town cowboys.
” The only problem with that assumption was that it wasn’t quite as far from the truth as she would have liked it to be.