Come On Over

Okay, that might’ve come out a bit haughty.

With his sights locked on her, he said, “I was wondering what kind of idiot packs important legal papers with their belongings instead of keeping the documents locked up or with them.”

Heat surged up her neck and into her face. Someone who’d left in a hurry. Someone who’d been foolish enough to overstay where she hadn’t belonged in the first place.

“I deserved that,” Shelby said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

His gaze lowered before he looked away. “We’ll get this straightened out, but I’m warning you, it won’t be the outcome you want.”

She bit her lip. He seemed awfully sure, she thought, again taking in the furniture, most of it quite nice. The truth was, she didn’t really have the deed in her possession, only her grandfather’s will. Of course she’d call the attorney who’d drawn the will up. Something she would’ve already done if she hadn’t been in such a rush to get away from her ex-fiancé and his family.

“You should try The Boarding House Inn in town. Better hurry, though, it’s getting late and there isn’t another inn for miles.”

Shelby studied his expressionless face. Naturally he was trying to get rid of her. “Hmm, I could ask around about you.”

“Good idea. Most folks know me, or at least they know my family. They’ll confirm what I’ve told you.”

Her mouth went dry. Her heart sank. This wasn’t looking good at all. Maybe he was bluffing.

“Hey, how about that cold drink I promised? I’ve got orange juice, water, beer...”

Annoyed that he must’ve noticed her difficulty swallowing, she shook her head. “How far is it to town?”

“Sixteen miles.”

“And you don’t care if I inquire about you,” she said, watching him closely.

“Nope. Ask anyone.”

A knock at the door had them both turning their heads.

Through the screen she saw it was the older woman who’d been sitting in the rocker. She was holding a covered dish.

Trent looked at it and groaned. “Really, Violet?”

Shelby didn’t know why he sounded grumpy. It smelled like cornbread and something else, maybe molasses. Whatever it was, the aroma was divine.

The woman glared at him. “You gonna let me in?” She was tiny, not even five feet, her voice surprisingly rough.

When Trent didn’t respond, Shelby looked at him. Why the hesitancy? The woman was obviously his neighbor...

Unless...

Shelby hurried to open the door. “Of course, this is perfect timing,” she said, then glanced at Trent, who sighed with disgust. She smiled sweetly. “You did say I could ask anyone.”

2

ANYONE BUT VIOLET.

Damn, no telling what the old busybody would say. She’d stir the pot just to see what bubbled over. She did it to him all the time.

Shelby held the door open wide.

Trent didn’t try to hide his irritation. “I see you’re making yourself right at home.”

“Thank you, dear,” Violet said, smiling at Shelby as she crossed the threshold.

He didn’t miss the shrewd gleam in the troublemaker’s eye. Shaking his head, he caught the door when Shelby let it go and kept it open. “Violet, I know you’re not one for visiting. Don’t let us keep you.”

“Don’t mind him.” Violet passed the foil-covered dish to Shelby. “Nobody does.”

“As a matter of fact, this young lady isn’t staying, either.” He swatted at the fly he’d let in. “She needs to get to Blackfoot Falls before The Boarding House Inn is full.”

Shelby shook her head and smiled at Violet. “I’m Shelby.”

“Shelby, huh?” Violet completely ignored him. Which was what he generally preferred, just not at the moment. “What a pretty name. I’m Violet Merriweather.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Merriweather.” Shelby sniffed the dish she held. “Is this cornbread?”

“Homemade. Along with my own baked-beans recipe. It won me a blue ribbon at the 1989 county fair. I use a couple shots of bourbon. And, honey, I’d be pleased if you call me Violet.”

Trent would call her a cab and gladly pay the fare all the way to California if he thought that would get rid of her. She hadn’t been inside the house even once since he’d moved back. As far as he knew, anyway. Probably came in to snoop when he went to town for supplies.

“For pity’s sake, Trent Kimball,” Violet said, wildly waving a hand around. “Must you let in all these damn flies?”

“They were invited. You weren’t.”

When Shelby stared at him as if he had the manners of a baboon, he let the screen door slam. But only because the flies were getting out of hand. Good. Let Ms. I’ve-got-the-deed know what ranch life was like. Full of flies, hard work and no time for this kind of bullshit.

“I’ve been here eight months now, and this woman has never offered me so much as a crumb,” he said, gesturing to Violet. “She’s nosy and is up to no good. Plain and simple.”

Shelby blinked. “I thought you said your family’s been here for generations?”

Trent sighed. He needed a beer, or preferably a whole bottle of tequila.

“Ah. I see...” Violet said, her face lighting up as she gave Shelby a head-to-toe inspection. “You must be the wife.”

“Wife?” Shelby darted him a stunned look. “His? God, no.”

Trent clenched his jaw. He wasn’t so much insulted by Shelby’s reaction as he was pissed at Violet for bringing up his failed marriage. Which she was dying to know more about. She could be a pain in his ass but this was the first time she’d made it personal.

Signaling for Mutt to follow, Trent headed for the kitchen. It didn’t matter that he glimpsed a trace of regret in the old woman’s pale eyes. If remorse got her out of his house quicker, then good, otherwise he didn’t give a shit.

After he’d filled Mutt’s food bowl and the dog was wolfing down his supper, Trent grabbed a beer out of the fridge. The two women could stand out there yakking for the rest of the afternoon for all he cared. Let Violet do her worst. Hell, Shelby could bunk with her in the double-wide.

He twisted off the bottle cap, threw it at the trash can and missed. Maybe Violet’s comment was innocent. She hadn’t actually said anything about him being divorced. Not that he kept it a secret. He just didn’t like talking about it. Especially when some things about Shelby reminded him of his ex. The way she dressed, for instance. Designer jeans and high-heel boots around here? And those soft slim hands, she couldn’t use them for much. So what the hell did she want with a ranch, anyway?

A nagging thought finally took hold. Violet hadn’t put him in a sour mood. Well, no more than normal. Shelby’s horrified reaction at being mistaken for his wife had done it. Which made no sense. He didn’t know the woman and only wanted to get rid of her. Sure, she was attractive but he honestly wasn’t interested.

The horde of flies he’d let in weren’t helping his mood. Jesus, they were everywhere. He swatted at the persistent little bastard buzzing near his ear. And missed. He had a mind to set out Violet’s beans and cornbread. That should keep them busy for a while.

Dammit, that one fly seemed determined to drive Trent crazy. It dive-bombed his ear again. He stayed completely still for a few seconds, waiting, waiting for the perfect moment, then spun around and slapped...

Shelby. Right in the face.

He stared at her and she stared back, eyes wide, lips parted. He looked at his hand again. What the hell...

When he looked back at Shelby, she’d hardly moved. Or blinked. It was some kind of miracle that she hadn’t dropped the casserole dish.

He went to take it from her and she reared back.

“Jesus, I didn’t mean to... I was going for a fly...then you were...you were in the living room... I didn’t hear you. I swear I would never...” He nodded at the dish that was starting to sag. “Maybe I should just take that from you?”

He moved slowly, wishing she’d stop staring at him like he was the devil himself. Thankfully, she let him have the dish with no fuss.

Her head tilted a smidge as she blinked. “You slapped me.”

“No, I was— There was this fly,” he said, wondering why, the one time in his life when he’d needed a fly, it had vanished into thin air. “I’m truly sorry. Let me see,” he said, reaching for her.

She moved back again, lifting a tentative hand to her face.

“It wasn’t on purpose.” Trent couldn’t see any kind of mark or discoloration but that didn’t make him feel much better. He’d never hit a woman in his life, and he hoped to never do it again. Even by accident. “Why’d you sneak up on me?”

“I did no such thing.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean... Please, let me have a look...”

“I’ll live.” She slowly flexed her jaw. “For your information I was bringing in the food, not sneaking up on you.”

“What happened?” Violet rushed in with a concerned frown.

“I hit Shelby.”

“It was an accident,” she said, giving him an exasperated look.

“Well, I expect it had to be,” Violet muttered. “Trent can be a stubborn jackass just like his great-grandpa, but he wouldn’t strike a woman. Where did he get ya?”

“Really, it’s nothing.” Shelby turned her head, away from their prying eyes. “I could use something cold to drink.”

He saw her eyeing his beer and he grabbed another one from the fridge. “What about you, Violet?”

“Wouldn’t mind some whiskey if you got it.”

No surprise there. He opened Shelby’s beer and as he passed it to her, he snuck a look at her jaw. He doubted it would bruise, it hadn’t been that hard. But that wasn’t the point. Shit. He got out the Jack Daniel’s from an upper cabinet, wondering if he could convince Shelby to use some ice on her face.

Violet took the bottle from him, then helped herself to a glass sitting on the draining rack.

He watched Shelby take an impressive gulp of beer. “How about—”

“No,” she said, her voice firm. “Thank you.”

“You don’t even know what I was gonna say.”

“No ice. I’m fine.”

Trent hid a sigh by drinking his own beer. He hated when women did that. Pretended they could read your mind. He hated it even more when they were right. Well, screw that. “Not ice. I have a thick T-bone in the fridge.”

Shelby let out a short laugh. “You’re not serious.”

He wasn’t but she didn’t need to know that.

“I’m not putting a slab of raw meat on my jaw.”

“It’s supposed to work for black eyes.”

“That’s a foolish, archaic old wives’ tale.”

“Good. Because I’ve changed my mind. I’m frying that steak for my supper.”

Violet threw back a healthy shot of whiskey and poured another. “Is it big enough for all of us?”

“No.” It wasn’t enough that she was guzzling down his whiskey? She wanted his steak, too? He noticed Shelby checking out the silly daisy wallpaper he hadn’t had time to get rid of yet.

“Yep,” Violet muttered. “You’re just like your great-grandpa. Cut from the same ornery mold.”

Trent looked at her. “What was that crack earlier? I’m not stubborn, and neither was Gramps.”

Violet snorted. “Like hell.” She nodded at Shelby. “So was yours. I reckon that’s why you two are here in this mess.”

“Excuse me?” Shelby stared at her. “How could you know my grandfather?”

“Can’t say I ever met him, but I knew your great-granddaddy. You said your last name is Foster. Harold Foster was your great granddad, wasn’t he?” Violet said, and Shelby nodded. “Harold was a kind, mild-mannered man most of the time.”

“Wait. Hold on. What mess?” Trent asked, knowing in his gut he wouldn’t like the answer. “Because I was doing just fine before...” He glanced at Shelby, saw her absently probing her jaw, felt a stab of guilt and closed his mouth.

“While you were in the kitchen swatting at flies, this young lady told me why she’s here,” Violet said, “and I’ve got a fair notion as to what might’ve happened.”

Shelby’s green eyes brightened. “You think I really do own the Eager Beaver?”

“Look here, Violet, you can’t just make up stories because you’re bored,” Trent warned. “I swear to God, if you stir up trouble, I’m gonna sic Mutt on you.”

Shelby inhaled sharply. “You wouldn’t.”

He ignored her, determined not to let Violet off the hook even if Mutt would just lick her to death. “This woman has driven all the way from Colorado and—”

“How do you know where I’m from? I didn’t tell you.”

“License plates.”

“Oh.”

He wished she’d quit wetting her lips and distracting him. “How’s the jaw?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“Well, excuse the hell out of me for being concerned.” Trent started to take a pull of beer but pointed the bottle at Violet instead. “Tell her how long my family’s owned this ranch. You ought to know. I remember you had that old brown trailer when I was a kid living here with my folks. You’d just gotten the double-wide when I visited Colby six years ago. Now, go on and tell Shelby that this property rightfully belongs to the Kimballs. Please.”

Violet ignored him. As usual.

Shelby looked like all the air had left her lungs. If she hadn’t been set on taking his last chance away from him, he would’ve felt sorry for her.

He turned back to Violet, who was watching the byplay as if she’d have to testify in court. “You have no intention of straightening this out, do you? Makes sense, since it would be the first nice thing you’ve done since I came back home. I don’t even know why I let you stick around. I should’ve given you the boot.”

Shelby gasped.

He looked at her. “What?”

“Could you be any ruder?”

“Sweetheart, you have no idea.” Trent tossed back more beer, and then wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “You got a problem with my etiquette, there’s the door.”

“Huh.” Shelby sniffed with disdain. “I’m surprised you know such a big word.”

“What?” He snorted. “You mean a Neanderthal like me?”

“Now you’re just showing off.”

Violet’s rusty cackle reminded them she was still there.

Shelby blushed and took a dainty sip.

He probably should’ve offered her a glass. “You gonna tell her, Violet? Instead of letting her get her hopes up.” He did a quick once-over of Shelby, from the top of her tawny hair all the way down to her city boots. “Not that she’d last more than twenty minutes out here.”

“Honey,” she said, her chin lifting, “you have no idea.”

Trent met her feisty green eyes. She had grit, he’d give her that, but with those dainty manicured hands and soft skin, she’d chosen the wrong zip code.

“Well, ain’t you two a pair?” Violet muttered, sounding more troubled than amused. “It’s like watching Harold and Edgar all over again. This isn’t good. Not good at all.”

They exchanged frowns, then both turned their attention to Violet.

Edgar was Trent’s great-grandfather, though he’d died when Trent was eleven, so his memory of him might be a little fuzzy. “So, out with it,” he said. “Say what you want to say.”

“Pigheaded and impatient. You’re just like him,” she said, her fondness for Edgar obvious in the small smile tugging at her weathered mouth. She nodded at Shelby. “Harold was another one. You couldn’t find a pair of mules more ornery than those two boys. Both of them twelve years my senior and acting like kids. Fighting all the time, mostly over nothing at all. Makes a body wonder how they ever became friends much less business partners.”

He watched Violet pour more whiskey, then he glanced at Shelby. From the dread on her face, he figured she was thinking along the same lines as him. Hell, he sure hoped his folks had an honest-to-goodness deed in their possession or this could get sticky.

“Business partners,” Shelby repeated. “What kind of business?”

“Well, the Eager Beaver, of course.”

Trent muttered a quiet curse.

Sighing, Shelby rubbed her left temple.

Mutt stood at the kitchen door and barked. After Trent let him out, he saw Shelby frowning at the unsightly grooves on the doorframe, remnants from Mutt’s habit of scratching to go outside. The job required the wood to be sanded before he could paint. It was on his to-do list along with a hundred other chores.

He had a feeling he was going to need another beer. The fridge door squeaked when he opened it. Just like the other dingy white appliances, the poor old Frigidaire was on its last leg. “Obviously the partnership didn’t work out,” he said, and nodded at Shelby’s nearly empty bottle.

She shook her head. Her resigned expression should’ve made him feel better. It was clear Edgar had stayed and worked the ranch. Had Harold given up his share and moved to Colorado?

Violet wasn’t looking smug as expected, but kind of glum, so he let her be and waited until she was ready to continue.

It was Shelby who finally broke the silence. “I’m not sure what any of this means. Are you saying my great-grandfather sold out to Edgar?”

Violet shrugged her narrow shoulders. “Can’t say one way or the other.”

Okay, Trent wasn’t sticking around for any more of her tap dancing when the truth was plain as day. The tractor wasn’t going to fix itself and he was losing daylight. It wouldn’t kill him to let Shelby stay in the spare room for a night... Yeah, it could. Next thing he knew, she’d be moving her stuff in and taking over the house.

His gaze caught on the rise and fall of her breasts and he had to remind himself he wasn’t interested. Not in her, not in any woman. Now, he wasn’t opposed to some recreational sex once in a while. But with Shelby? As his granddad used to say, Trent had as much chance as a one-legged man in a kicking contest.

“Some folks need to argue about everything. It’s just their way. Those two even fought over naming the ranch,” Violet continued. “Edgar claimed he saw a beaver over at Twin Creek reservoir, and Harold swore up and down it was a marmot. They finally flipped a coin.”

“As fascinating as all this is,” Trent said, grabbing the whiskey and returning it to the cabinet. “I have work to do.”

Violet didn’t protest being cut off, which was peculiar in itself. Then her faraway gaze drifted to the window over the sink, as if she’d slipped into her own little world. “Always arguing like those two did, no one ever paid them any mind...but that Saturday-night poker game at Len’s they had a terrible falling out. Both of them with full-blown cases of booze blind, they said things they couldn’t take back.” She shook her head, the sadness in her face giving the room a chill. “Stupid old mules. A day later, Harold up and left.”

He glanced at Shelby. Hugging herself, her expression sympathetic, she stared at Violet.

When Shelby turned to look at him, he avoided her eyes and took a swig of beer.

“What the hell did you do with my whiskey?” Violet had returned to the present with her usual cantankerous disposition, and Trent couldn’t say he was sorry. At least it helped prove to Shelby that Violet was a nightmare.

“Your whiskey?” He put his empty beer bottle in the sink. “The tea party is over, ladies. I’m going back to work.”

“Don’t let us stop you.” Violet pulled her pipe out of her pocket.

“On, no. Not in here, you don’t. Put that away.”

Violet huffed in annoyance.

Shelby cleared her throat. “So, I guess we’re back to where we started.”

Not from where he stood. Although she claimed to have a deed. And he didn’t peg her for a liar. Obviously there was more to the story. “I’d be happy to give you directions to The Boarding House Inn. It’s on Main Street. You can’t miss it.”

“Actually, I’ll be staying here until one of us can prove ownership.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“It’s the only fair thing to do.”

Violet chuckled. “Attagirl.”

Mutt barked from outside the door.

“You can let him in on your way out,” Trent said to Violet, who gave him the familiar glare, basically telling him to kiss her ass. He grinned. “Thanks for the beans and cornbread.”

3

SHELBY WATCHED THE interplay between Trent and Violet. Any other time it might have amused her. Neither of them would admit it, but they liked being neighbors. They liked each other. Had it been that way with her great-grandfather and Edgar? Had their friendship been based on harmless banter and a genuine concern for each other...until it hadn’t?

What had caused the final showdown, she wondered. Violet knew the answer, of that Shelby was quite certain. Just as she was convinced the older woman would never reveal it. Shelby didn’t consider herself the romantic sort, but she couldn’t help wondering if Violet had been the source of the trouble between the two men. Although she would’ve been fairly young.

Violet still had the pipe in her hand as she walked toward the door. “I reckon I’ll go on home and leave you two to figure out sleeping arrangements.”

Shelby and Trent looked at each other at the same time. Annoyingly, she felt a blush spread across her cheeks. She was quick to refocus her attention. Which happened to land on his left hand, his ring finger to be exact, and the pale mark that could easily be from a wedding band he’d once worn.

Violet had mistaken Shelby for his wife. Not ex-wife, and he hadn’t corrected her so they were probably separated. Interesting that Violet didn’t know the woman. Not that it made a difference to Shelby. He could have five wives for all she cared. Though she doubted he’d find that many women willing to put up with him.

He took her empty bottle and rinsed it out along with his. As he stood at the sink she got her first good look at his behind. His very nice behind. He was tall and muscular without being too husky, a body type she’d always appreciated. Okay, so he had a few decent assets.

A loud bark made her jump.

Just as the dog came bounding in, she caught Violet’s mischievous grin. The woman had paused at the screen door and watched her ogle Trent.

Shelby did the only thing she could do. She smiled back. “Thank you for the food. I’ll be sure to return your dish,” she said. “Or maybe you’d like to join us for dinner?”

Trent turned, his eyes narrowed. “Excuse me, but this is still my house.”

“Half,” Shelby said. “Half your house. I think we can agree on that for the time being. Don’t you?”

“Hell no.”

Violet let out a howl of laughter as the screen slammed behind her. Shelby could see how her cackle might get on a person’s nerves after a while. She bent to pet the dog’s head and as the sound faded, watched Trent drop the rinsed bottles into a plastic milk crate, purposely ignoring her.

“I’ll get my things from the car,” she told him, not surprised when he didn’t answer. “I hope there’s a spare room.”

“Nope.”

“This is a three-bedroom house. You can’t be sleeping in all three rooms.”

“Yes, I could, but as it happens, I use one for storage.” He paused. “And the third as my office.”

She glanced at the laptop sitting on the table, then raised her brows at him. “I bet there’s enough space for me to sleep.”

“I have private stuff in there. I can’t give just anyone access.”

“Hmm, well, I suppose I’ll have to take the couch.”

“I watch TV late. Sometimes till three in the morning.”

“No wonder you don’t have time to keep the place up,” she said, sweeping a gaze over the cracked linoleum floor and chipped Formica countertops, before returning to Trent.

His eyes had turned a steely gray. It made him look a bit dangerous, and she suppressed a shiver. “See, that’s the beauty of owning my own place. I don’t have to answer to anyone. And you know what else? The couch is mine.”

She drew in a deep breath, refusing to look away. If she hadn’t met the other Trent, the more affable man who’d teased Violet, the man who had seemed genuinely stricken over accidentally hitting her, Shelby would’ve left by now. She’d be too afraid to be in the house alone with him. Also, knowing Violet was next door helped.