Home. I leaned back to rest on my heels. Would this place ever truly feel that way? Chip let out a happy little sound as he nibbled away, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Taste good?”
He gave a series of squeaks as if to agree.
I groaned and rubbed at my temples. “I’m losing it. Talking to a chipmunk.”
I heard the now-familiar sound of tires on gravel. Taking a long, steadying breath, I made a promise to myself not to kill whoever was coming up the drive. But I wasn’t sure I’d be able to live up to that promise. This day had burned away the last of my patience.
I pushed to my feet and took up my usual vantage point at the window, where my shotgun was within reach. Peeking through the curtains, I muttered a curse as I saw the light bar on top of the SUV. “Great, just great.” I had half a mind to bring my shotgun out with me, but I resisted.
Crossing to the door, I pulled it open just as Hayes climbed out of his sheriff’s department vehicle. Unfortunately, there was no gorgeous dog to temper his visit this time.
I leaned against the porch railing. “You know, you come here a lot for someone who hates the sight of me.”
Hayes scowled, the movement somehow making his dark blue eyes shine in the afternoon light. “I don’t hate the sight of you.”
“That scowl on your face says otherwise.”
He let out a long sigh as he came to a stop at the bottom of my porch steps. “I was surprised that it was you when I showed up here. I thought someone from out of town had bought the place.”
“And being surprised turns you into an asshole?”
The corner of his mouth quirked up. “It might. I certainly do better when I know what I’m getting myself into.” I was silent for a moment, simply taking the man’s measure. He shifted on his feet. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve the greeting I gave you. I was trying to shield my family, but I didn’t need to be a jerk to do it. Think you can forgive me for not handling myself well?”
I gripped the railing, my fingers digging into the freshly stained wood. It turned out Hayes could be a charmer when he needed to be. Which meant it was my turn to scowl. “Oh, turn that grin off. I’m not gonna fall at your feet because you flashed those pearly whites at me.”
He chuckled. “A smile never hurts when you’re trying to get your point across.”
“I’ve always been a believer that actions speak louder than words.”
“Let my actions speak, then.”
“And what actions would those be?”
Hayes was quiet for a moment, his gaze traveling over the property. “My mom said you were turning this place into an animal sanctuary.”
“That’s what I’m working towards.” Unfortunately, the process was moving as slow as molasses. I still wasn’t done with the repairs and renovations on the cabin.
“Let me help you get this place into shape.”
My mouth fell open. A fly could’ve swooped right in. “You…want to help me make repairs on this place?”
He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Why not? My dad said he’s coming out this weekend to check out the barn. I can help him. I grew up on a ranch. I know my way around hard work.”
I snapped my mouth closed, swallowing the million and one retorts that wanted to surface. Ones that lashed out and told Hayes to get off my property. I took a deep breath. “Okay.”
The word was out before I could think better of it. Before I could remember the hatred I’d seen flash in Hayes’ gaze that first day. I closed my eyes for a moment, reminding myself that I could take it, whatever his emotions. Because if he didn’t let them out, they’d simply fester. To move forward, we had to look at this head-on.
“Okay?” Surprise lit his tone.
I nodded. “You can help on the weekends.”
“I have some afternoons off—”
I shook my head, cutting him off. “Weekends are enough.” I couldn’t deal with him all week, too. Two days would be more than enough.
“All right, then. I’ll see you this weekend. Let me know if there are tools you think I’ll need to bring.”
“I guess I could send you some smoke signals.”
His lips twitched, and the movement stirred something in me that I didn’t want to look too closely at. “All right, smartass. Take my number.”
I pulled out my phone and unlocked the screen. I typed his name into my contacts. “Ready.” He listed off the digits, and I plugged them in. “Prepare for some prank calls.”
Hayes groaned. “I guess I’d deserve that.”
“You would.”
His gaze met mine, freezing me to the spot. “Call me if you need anything.”
I wouldn’t. “Okay.”
He shook his head as if he knew I was lying and turned towards his SUV. “I’ll be seeing you.”
The words felt like both a promise and a threat. There’d be no escaping Hayes now.
10
Hayes
A knock sounded on my door, and I looked up from the pile of paperwork on my desk to see Calder standing in my doorway. “Look what the cat dragged in after he got it out of a tree.”
“After all the calls you get from Ms. Pat, I’d say missing cats are your wheelhouse, brother.”
I leaned back in my chair and glared at him. Because he was right. I’d had two this morning already.
Calder barked out a laugh. “She called you today already, didn’t she?”
“It’s been a long Friday, and it’s only nine a.m.”
He slid into one of the chairs opposite me at my desk and set down some coffee in a to-go cup. “Maybe this will help.”
I eyed him cautiously. “You’re bringing me coffee…”
“Yes…”
“You need a favor, or something bad happened.”
Calder rolled his eyes. “So suspicious of everyone.”
“I’m suspicious of you because I’ve known you my entire life.”
“Can’t a guy check up on his friend? Make sure he’s hanging in there?”
I picked up the cup and took a sip. “Mom told you Everly’s back?”
“Hadley took the twins to the park yesterday.”
Hads adored Birdie and Sage and loved stealing them away for adventures whenever she could. I scrubbed a hand over my face. “She talk to you about Mom at all?”
“No. They get into it at family dinner?”
“Understatement.” Over the years, Calder had become one of the family and had seen more than a few dustups between Hadley and Mom.
His gaze drifted out the window as a muscle ticked in his cheek. “Hads needs to understand that she can’t just take off to climb a mountain by herself and expect no one to worry.”
“I know that, and you know that, but Hadley’s yearned to stretch her wings from the time she was seven. Mom and Dad were protective after what happened to Shiloh, and Hadley took the brunt of it for the longest.”
Calder looked back to me. “I get that she needs freedom, but it’s not worth her getting hurt or killed.”
His words alone caused my chest to constrict, made breathing just a little more difficult. Calder muttered a curse. “Sorry, man. I shouldn’t have said it like that. I know you worry about her.”