You Say It First
Page 44

“Uh-huh. We’ll see. Now can we change the subject? Oh, I know—what about your love life?”
A fascinating question, Pallas thought, at least to her. “Nick and I have been hanging out.”
Carol’s eyes widened. “Hanging out as in going to game night or hanging out as in you’ve seen him naked on a regular basis?”
“I’ve seen him naked.” She pressed her lips together. “It’s very nice. All of it. Him, the naked part. I like him.”
“A lot?”
“Maybe. Not that it matters. He’s not going to be a permanent resident for very long.” She explained about his commission in Dubai.
“You could go with him,” her friend said.
“No, I couldn’t. I have a business here. Plus, he hasn’t asked me.”
“What would you do if he did?”
Something Pallas hadn’t thought about. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter—he won’t. We’re both very clear that this is a temporary thing and I’m okay with that. When he’s gone, I’ll deal.”
Life would return to what it had been before and she would be fine. At least she hoped she would be fine. Sure, she would miss him, but it wasn’t as if she was in love with him.
As for him caring about her... She couldn’t even think the L word. Because she’d been taught that love had to be earned and she wasn’t sure she had. Or could.
“I’m glad you’re having fun,” Carol said. “One of us should be.”
“If you tell me who your mystery man is, I could help.”
“Thank you, but no. I’m fine. I’m strong and independent and I’ll get over him, then find someone better.”
“Are you trying to convince yourself or me?” Pallas asked.
“Both.”
* * *
PALLAS LEFT AFTER lunch but instead of driving back to Weddings in a Box, she turned in the other direction and headed for the family ranch up by the base of the mountains. Talking about Cade had made her miss him. With Nova and Joel’s wedding canceled, she had some free time, so why not visit her brother?
Despite Carol’s claims that he wasn’t the man she was secretly pining for, Pallas couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he was. If nothing else, she could see if Cade was the least bit interested in her friend. Maybe a little matchmaking would help her feel better about the loss of the alien wedding.
She stopped at the security gate and punched in the code, then drove down the mile-long driveway. On both sides were fenced-in pastures. Straight ahead was the old farmhouse and behind that was a huge, state-of-the-art barn.
By the time she got to the house and parked, Cade was walking toward her. She got out of her car and laughed.
“Let me guess. Some security system told you there was an intruder.”
Her brother hugged her. “It said the gate had been activated by an authorized code. There’s a slight difference.”
“Not much of one.” She looked at the weathered two-story house. The roof was new, and the structure sturdy, but it needed a coat of paint, not to mention a good window cleaning. “How are you surviving out here?”
“Good. I have all I need.”
“Your saddlebag and whatever else it is cowboys require to get through their day?”
“Something like that. Come on. I’ll buy you a lemonade.”
“You have real lemonade?”
“Made fresh by my trusty housekeeper.”
She thought of her small place and how the closest she got to having someone cook for her was when she got takeout. “You have a housekeeper?”
“I have a lady who comes in twice a week to clean, do the laundry and leave the refrigerator filled with meals.”
“Obviously your salary is much bigger than mine. I’m jealous.”
“I don’t pay for her,” he said with a grin. “She’s a condition of my employment.”
“Great. Now I have to hate you. And drink all your lemonade.”
He was still chuckling as he led the way up the porch steps and inside.
As she followed him, Pallas tried to remember the last time she’d been in the old farmhouse. She must have been in her early teens.
She and Cade had both learned to ride when they were maybe five or six. She hadn’t been very interested, but he’d loved everything about the ranch. In the summers he’d practically moved in with the ranch foreman, who lived in the house as part of the job.
The furniture had changed, she thought as she walked through the large living room, but was positioned the same. The stone fireplace was exactly as she remembered, as was the wooden rocking chair by the fireplace.
The kitchen hadn’t been updated. There were still gingham curtains at the big windows and an antique stove some big city designer would kill to get his hands on. The refrigerator was new, as was the microwave. A farm sink, big enough for a good-sized litter of puppies to swim in, stood in front of the large bay window.
“Do you feel isolated out here?” she asked.
“Nope. I’m close enough to town to get what I need and far enough away from everyone to enjoy the quiet.”
“And by everyone, you mean Mom?”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “I didn’t say it—you did.”
He put ice in glasses, then poured what looked to be real lemonade. Pallas took a sip and sighed. “Delicious.”
“Come on. I want to show you something.”
They walked out to the back porch, which was about twice as wide and three times as long as the front one. There were chairs and rockers, a swing hanging from the eaves and a rattan sofa. He motioned to the latter, then sat next to her.
“What am I looking at?” she asked.
He pointed to one of the fenced pastures. “Just wait. You’ll see in a second.”
She leaned back against the cushion and breathed in the warm, fresh air. Maybe it was all the grass or the pond or being closer to the mountains, but the air wasn’t as dry here as it was in town. She liked the sound of the birds and—
“Look!” She pointed as a brown mare and a darling, leggy, awkward colt walked into view. “Baby horses. I want one!”
“He’ll cost you about twenty grand.”
She nearly choked on her drink. “Seriously? He’s a baby.”
“It’s all about potential.”
“And good advertising. Twenty grand? For a horse?”
“That’s nothing. I want to buy a stallion for the ranch. He’s a special guy. I’m not sure I’m going to get him, but he’ll be about twenty times that.”
Pallas did the math, then gasped. “Or you could just go buy an island.”
“Hard to improve a breeding program with an island.” Cade rested one ankle on the opposite knee. “I probably won’t get him, but it’s fun to think about.”
“Is there an auction or something?”
“No. The owner doesn’t sell many horses and I’m sure others have offered more than me.”
“Who’s the owner?”
Amusement filled her brother’s eyes. “King Malik of El Bahar.”
Pallas’s knowledge of geography was sketchy at best. She knew El Bahar was south of Saudi Arabia—maybe on the water. The country was a close ally of the United States and was often referred to as the Switzerland of the Middle East. And even she had heard of their horses.