“It should. I wouldn’t mind if you…ah, got involved with someone.”
Gavin gaped at his daughter. Since when did she care about that? And what the hell was her vague reference to someone? Then she flitted off, down the other hallway.
The last bedroom and Sierra’s room were opposite each other on the other end of the hallway. She squealed upon seeing her stuff. “I love it! This is exactly where I would’ve put everything. So can we hang my TV and set up my computer right now?”
He checked his watch. “We have to be at Charlie and Vi’s pretty quick so the TV will have to wait until I find my tools. But let’s hook up your computer.”
That task finished, they hauled everything from the car. He showed Sierra the small servants’ staircase connecting the second floor directly through the kitchen. Sierra tried the handle on another door. “Where does this go?”
“Basement.”
“There’s a whole other level?”
“Yes, but it’s unfinished and Rielle uses it for storage.”
“What are we gonna use it for?”
His immediate thought was to ask Rielle’s permission and he had to remind himself for the tenth time that he owned this place. “Maybe that’s where our old furniture is.”
“I hope there’s another wood burning stove down there, so we can just chop it up and torch it.”
Gavin laughed. “Come on. Let’s package up the beets and head to the McKays.”
Sierra didn’t speak as they started up the driveway to Charlie and Vi McKay’s place.
“Sweetheart? You all right?”
“Yeah. This might sound random, but what am I supposed to call them? I mean, they are my grandparents. When they visited us I didn’t think too much about it because I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to know them. But now? We’re living up the road from them. I bet we’ll see them all the time.”
Another issue he should address. Did he remind Charlie and Vi that he preferred they didn’t drop by unannounced? Or would he come across like a jerk?
“Is this weird for you?” Sierra prompted.
“Unbelievably. Just when I think I’ve wrapped my head around it…I realize I don’t have a clue how to deal with any of this we’re your family stuff. And then they’re all cowboys. I am so far from a cowboy…”
“So Mr. I’ve-always-got-the-right-answer-and-I-can-lecture-you-for-hours-on-it…doesn’t have the right one this time?” She snickered. “Wow. That might be a first, Dad.”
“Smart aleck. I trust you’ll be on your best behavior?”
“I polished my halo before we left.”
He smiled. “Come on. I’m starved.” He glanced at the bag of beets in the backseat. Maybe if he “remembered” them after the meal, Vi wouldn’t insist on cooking them for the meal. God. He hated beets.
“Quit stalling, Dad, here they come.”
He plastered on a smile.
Charlie and Vi met them on the porch. Vi hugged them while Charlie offered his hand.
Then they stared at each other.
But it lasted about a minute. Awkwardness vanished as Sierra jabbered enough for both of them.
Chapter Four
Rielle had just popped the top on a bottle of Moose Drool beer when Gavin wandered into the kitchen.
Speaking of drool. Man, oh, man. The last year had been very good to him. He’d always been attractive in the charming and confident manner of a businessman. But since she’d last seen him, he’d slimmed down and toned up to the point he was almost…buff.
She’d chalked up his previous physique—or lack thereof—to sitting behind a desk all day. But his appearance had undergone a serious change in the last year. He’d chopped off his wavy dark brown hair in favor of a modified buzz cut. Now his blue eyes, framed with ridiculously long black eyelashes, were his most striking feature. He sported a neatly trimmed goatee which accentuated his leaner cheeks and the strong line of his jaw, both more prominent with his overall body weight loss. The man still didn’t smile as much as he should, so her heart skipped a beat when he leveled a smile at her.
“Don’t suppose you’ve got an extra one of those for me?”
“Extra what?” Why was Gavin staring at her mouth? Why did she have the urge to lick her lips?
“An extra beer.”
“Oh. Yeah. Sure.” Get it together, Ree. She reached into the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. When she turned around, Gavin was right behind her—checking out her butt.
He blushed and stepped back. “Sorry. I don’t expect you to wait on me, Rielle.”
She handed him the beer and the opener. “Maybe we oughta talk about our expectations.”
Gavin nodded.
“It’s a beautiful night. Let’s sit outside.”
He motioned for her to lead the way.
She flipped on the lights lining the walkway and lit the kerosene lamp on the table between the glider swing and her favorite rocking chair. She curled up in the rocker, setting it in motion as Gavin settled on the swing. The kerosene flame flickered in the breeze behind the glass chimney, throwing a golden glow against the house. Neither she nor Gavin said anything for a few moments. Normally silence didn’t bother her, but tonight it did. “Sierra get settled in all right?”
“It helped having her stuff already here. I have to admit I’m happy each bedroom has its own bathroom. The girl is spoiled. She’s never had to share a bathroom with anyone.”
“Rory and I shared a bathroom until I built Sage Creek. Even then, she came into my bathroom to get ready in the morning. Come to think of it, she still does that.”
“It sucks that Sierra isn’t willing to share any hair care tips with me.”
Rielle laughed. “Was it her idea or yours to get the buzz cut?”
Gavin buffed the top of his head with his palm. “Mine. I started to see some gray and I’m not ready to invest in Grecian Formula for Men, so I bought a pair of clippers and hacked it off. I save myself fifty bucks a month at the barber.”
“Well, it looks good. Really good.” Feeling stupid for tossing out a compliment, she angled her head away from his prying eyes.
“Thanks. I have to admit I didn’t recognize you with your short hair.”
“I’ve heard that a lot in the past few days.” Rielle felt his eyes on her, measuring her, but she couldn’t meet his gaze.
“So it’s a recent change?”