The Family Plan
Cathy McDavid

To my mother, who has always shown me by

example just what I’m capable of accomplishing.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter One

Jolyn Sutherland swung open the rear door of her horse trailer, retreated a safe distance and waited for the explosion. It came right on schedule.

Sinbad, her seventeen-year-old paint gelding, charged backward out of the trailer, legs thrashing, hooves clattering and sides heaving. He came to stop only when all four feet were firmly planted on the ground—for about two seconds. Jolyn grabbed his dangling lead rope before he trotted off in search of the barn and the barrel of oats he knew was waiting for him.

“That old horse never did trailer worth a lick.”

Jolyn looked up to see a familiar face. “Dad!”

“You made it.” Milt Sutherland strode toward her. “How was the drive down the mountain?”

“Touch and go in one or two spots. But we managed.” Ignoring the ribbons of pain that shot up her right leg, she rushed to meet him, a whinnying Sinbad in tow.

Her father enveloped her in a bear hug and for a brief moment, Jolyn was a little girl again, her big, strong Daddy making everything all right. “It’s good to be home,” she said, her face buried in his shirtfront.

“It’s good to have you home, sweetie pie.”

She’d missed Blue Ridge, missed living in a town where folks waved when they drove past and karaoke night at Sage’s Bar and Grill was considered big entertainment. The only thing better than watching the morning sun peek slowly over the top of Saddle Horn Butte was watching the evening sun set in the distant Verde Mountains.

Jolyn loved touring and wouldn’t have traded the last nine years on the road for anything except this, her father’s arms holding her tight.

“Your mother’s in the kitchen,” he said, “fixing enough food to feed an army. She’s been a nervous wreck the last few days, worried sick you wouldn’t survive the drive from Dallas in one piece. Especially in this heat. I swear summer comes earlier every year.”

Jolyn thought it was probably just the opposite. Her dad, not her mom, had been the nervous wreck.

“Well, we’re here.” She drew back after giving him a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Safe and sound.”

“Safe, yes. Don’t know about the sound part.”

“What do you mean?”

Her dad nodded pointedly in Sinbad’s direction.

She spun around and let out a gasp. “Oh, my gosh! How did that happen?” Bending over, she inspected Sinbad’s left side.

The horse sported a nasty gash just behind his shoulder. The wound, in the shape of a jagged V, was at least four inches long and deep from the looks of it. Blood had seeped out, staining the horse’s hide a dark red.

“I checked the trailer this morning in Phoenix before we loaded him,” she said, her voice echoing her dismay. “So did Uncle Leroy.”

Jolyn had stayed with various friends and relatives on her four-day trip cross-country from Texas to Arizona’s north country, including stopping to have lunch today with her brother in Pineville. She’d taken her time traveling, not wanting to wear Sinbad—or herself—out.

Her father came to stand beside her, the two of them contemplating the horse’s injury. “He must have run up on something between Pineville and here. The gate maybe.”

“I suppose.” Jolyn straightened and shook her head. The mountain road did twist and turn, but she’d driven slowly. Five miles under the posted speed limit the entire way.

“That horse has always been clumsy.”

She swallowed the retort on the tip of her tongue. It was easier for some people to blame the horse rather than the rider. Jolyn knew better. She, and not Sinbad, was at fault for each of their mishaps, including the last. This latest one was no exception.

“He’s excitable. That’s what made him a champion barrel racer and headlining performer.”

Her father smiled. “He was good in his day. So were you.”

At twenty years old, Jolyn had left Blue Ridge and joined the Wild and Wooly West Equestrian Show. She and Sinbad traveled with the show until fourteen months ago, their signature bareback jump over a wagon full of mock settlers one of the show’s biggest crowd pleasers.

In a split second, the time it took for Sinbad’s right rear hoof to catch on the side of the wagon, their career was cut short. Sinbad was laid up for six weeks after the accident. Jolyn for six months. She was lucky she could walk again, much less drive a truck and trailer.

It was the worst and, if things went well for her here in Blue Ridge, the best thing to ever happen to her.

“Do you have any antibiotics in the barn?” she asked her dad while patting Sinbad’s neck.

“No. My supplies are a little low.”

She wasn’t surprised. Her parents hadn’t kept horses on the property since she moved out. Anything out in the barn had been recently purchased in anticipation of her coming home.

She reached for her cell phone in her pocket. “I’m going to call Chase.”

“Is that really necessary? He’s probably in the middle of dinner.”

“It’s a bad cut, Dad, and needs to be treated.”

“We’ve got some peroxide in the house.”

“I’d feel better if Chase looked at it.”

Chase Raintree was the local veterinarian, the only one in a thirty-five-mile radius. He and Jolyn had been friends since before they could remember. Despite only sporadic contact in recent years, she was certain he’d come if she asked him—in the middle of dinner or not.

“The horse’ll be fine until morning,” her father said, dismissing her concerns. “You can head over to the feed store first thing after breakfast and pick up some medicine.”

“I will if Chase isn’t available.”

She flipped open her cell phone and began to press buttons, assuming the number hadn’t changed. Chase had taken over his parents’ house when they semiretired and moved to Mesa a few years earlier and lived there with his eight-year-old daughter, Mandy.

Jolyn’s father stayed her hand. “Maybe that’s not such a good idea.”

“Why?” She gave him a curious stare.

“Your mother and he are…well, let’s just say they’re having a difference of opinion.”

“About Mandy?” Jolyn asked.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, no.” Jolyn’s heart sank. “I thought Mom agreed to let that go.”

“She’s recently changed her mind.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Her father heaved a tired sigh. “I didn’t want to upset you before your trip. Figured you had enough to deal with.”

Jolyn groaned. “What brought this on?”

“I’m not sure. Mandy started taking lessons…oh, sometime last fall I guess it was. But your mother didn’t get pushy with Chase again until recently.”

Dottie Sutherland operated a small dance studio out of the community center, offering classes three afternoons a week and Saturday mornings. Most of the girls in town, and even the occasional boy, studied under her at one point or another while growing up. As a child, Jolyn endured two years of lessons before permanently trading her tap shoes for cowboy boots.

“Can’t you stop her?” Jolyn asked.

Her father raised one eyebrow and gave a short laugh. “You’re joking, of course.”

She hadn’t been but didn’t contradict him.

“This isn’t just about Mom. There are other people’s feelings to consider, including Mandy’s. She still doesn’t know, does she?”

“I don’t think so.”

“I can’t support Mom in this if it means hurting Mandy.” Or going against Chase, she added silently.

Her father scowled. “I don’t know what’s with your mother lately. She’s been acting funny.”

“Funny how?”

“Just not her usual self.” He exhaled. “I’ve asked her again and again what’s wrong but she keeps insisting nothing’s the matter.”

“Maybe I can get her to open up.”

“It’s worth a shot, I guess.” His tone implied she’d get no further with her mother than he had.

Sinbad, evidently tired of standing in one place, began pawing the ground. The movement caused his injury to gape and seep fresh blood.

Jolyn made a decision. As much as she wanted to see her mother and get to the bottom of whatever was bothering her, Sinbad’s injury needed attending. Turning him around, she walked toward the trailer. “I’m going to drive over to Chase’s.” She hated loading the horse back into the trailer after a grueling four-day road trip but saw no other choice.

Her father followed her. “What about supper? Your mother won’t be happy after all the work she’s put into it.”

“This won’t take long.”

“You baby that horse too much considering what he did to you.”

“Not now, Dad. Please.” She’d just returned home after a long absence and wasn’t in the mood to dredge up old arguments. To ease the tension, she gave him another kiss on the cheek. “I won’t be long, I promise.”

Chase lived half a mile away. She’d phone him on the drive over there. If he happened to be away, she’d wait for him and cleanse Sinbad’s wound using a garden hose.

And what if he doesn’t want to see you?

Of course he does, Jolyn told herself. Chase might be angry with her mother but he’d never refuse to treat a sick or injured animal.

He’d looked good the last time she’d seen him—two Christmases ago, was it?—though tired. His dark brown eyes had lacked their usual warmth, and his killer smile struck her as forced. The divorce and grueling custody battle had obviously taken a toll on him. Had he changed since then? And what would he think about the changes in her? Both the good and bad ones? Would he even notice?

It occurred to Jolyn that her need to rush Sinbad over to Chase’s house might be motivated by her desire to see him, especially now that he was single again.

Before loading Sinbad she inspected the inside of the trailer. Finding no sharp edge on the gate that might have caused the cut, she erred on the side of caution and chose to put him on the left side of the gate this time. The big paint initially balked at going back into the trailer but finally complied after much coaxing. Jolyn shut the door behind him and dropped the latch in place.

Her father rested a hand on her shoulder. “This isn’t all your mother’s fault. You can’t blame her entirely.”

“No, it’s not all her fault.”

It was her brother Steven’s fault when, nine years ago, he’d decided to have an affair with SherryAnne, Jolyn’s one-time best friend and Chase’s wife of three months. To this day, no one knew for certain who Mandy’s biological father was. Not even SherryAnne, at least as far as she was telling.

CHASE WALKED OUT of the house, the screen door banging shut behind him. He spotted Jolyn’s truck pulling into his driveway, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. She’d returned to Blue Ridge. Hopefully, to stay. He hadn’t realized until now how much he missed her.

When she approached, he motioned her on, signaling she should park near the barn, next to his truck. She gave him a wave as she rolled past. Chase followed, hurrying his steps. He rounded the back end of the trailer at the same moment she hopped out of the truck cab.

“Hey there.” She came toward him, grinning from ear to ear.

He avoided staring at her pronounced limp and kept his eyes focused on her face. It wasn’t exactly a hardship. Jolyn had always been a cute girl. She’d grown up into a very attractive woman. Hell, she’d just plain grown up. Chase didn’t recall her filling out a T-shirt quite that nicely.

“Hey there, yourself.” He scooped her up in an impulsive hug and swung her around in a circle. She felt nice in his arms. So nice, he didn’t let her go right away. “It’s good to see you again, Beanie.”

She pulled out of his embrace and glared at him with enough heat to blister paint. “I’m leaving right this minute and never coming back if you call me that awful name one more time.”

“String Bean Sutherland,” he teased.

“You’re as bad as you ever were.”

“Some say I’m worse.”

Her voice dropped in pitch. “Do tell.”

Was she flirting with him? Or, more precisely, flirting back? The Jolyn he remembered was too shy, too serious, too self-conscious around men to engage in lighthearted sexual banter. What, besides nearly losing her right leg, had happened to her during the last nine years?

She looked the same. Well, almost the same. Her brown hair sported blond highlights and was cut in a shorter, more sophisticated style. She’d also taken to wearing makeup. Not much, just enough to enhance her hazel eyes and full mouth. Dallas had obviously agreed with Jolyn. He liked the new her, liked seeing her finally come into her own.

Easy, boy. Chase took a mental step back, reminding himself this wasn’t just Jolyn, one of his oldest and closest friends. This was Dottie Sutherland’s daughter, and Dottie was a woman dead set on making his life miserable. No, ruining it.

About the same time Chase sobered, a loud bang came from inside her horse trailer. Sinbad was making his displeasure known.

Jolyn shook her head. “I’d better get him out before he kicks a hole in the door.”

“So, what scrape did he get into this time?”

“Scrape is exactly how I’d describe it. He was fine when I loaded him in Phoenix but not so fine when I unloaded him at the folks’ house. He has a pretty bad cut on his left side.”

“Let’s have a look.”

She opened the trailer door. Sinbad nearly plowed over her in his haste to escape and only calmed when she had a firm hold on his lead rope. “That wasn’t so bad, was it, old boy?”

Chase chuckled. “All these years and you still haven’t trained that horse to trailer?”

“We were too busy working on other things.”

As he well knew. He and his ex-wife, SherryAnne, had competed in horsemanship events alongside Jolyn up through their high-school graduation. SherryAnne went all the way to become Gila County Junior Rodeo Queen. Jolyn, the better rider in Chase’s opinion, lost out at the last minute and had to settle for being one of SherryAnne’s attendants.

“I really appreciate you seeing us. Dad told me Mom’s been giving you a hard time again.”

“She is, I won’t lie. No court order yet, but she’s threatened to see an attorney.” Chase examined Sinbad’s injury as he talked.

“For the record, Chase, I completely disagree with her.” Jolyn laid a reassuring hand on his arm. “I always have.”

“I know.” He turned to give her a smile. “And it means a lot to me. Your mother is a force to be reckoned with when she chooses. Standing up to her isn’t easy.” Chase understood that more than most. He’d been the brick wall Dottie Sutherland had bashed into for the last nine years.

“Has she said anything around town?” Jolyn asked. She kept Sinbad quiet while Chase filled a bucket with water from the hose. “Mandy doesn’t…hasn’t heard…”

“Nothing as far as I know.” Chase went to his truck and the custom-built compartments in the bed, where he stored veterinary supplies. He removed a pair of clippers, a bottle of disinfectant wash and sterilized cotton. “I will give your mother credit. She doesn’t appear to be running off at the mouth, for which I’m grateful.”

Chase set to work shaving the area around the wound, then he swabbed it clean. Sinbad behaved himself, paying little attention to Chase. Jolyn helped by distracting the horse with nose petting.

“You have every right to be angry at Mom. Maybe you should consider seeing an attorney yourself.”

“I will if push comes to shove. So far, your mother is just blowing smoke.” Chase silently wondered how long that would last.

Almost since the day she learned the chance existed that her son, Steven, might be Mandy’s biological parent—Chase refused to use the term father—she’d been pressuring Chase off and on to have DNA testing done. Thank God none of her family supported her, including Steven, who’d moved to Pineville years ago and purportedly wanted nothing to do with Mandy. But that didn’t stop Dottie. Lately, she’d escalated her pressuring to a new level.

Chase had fought her and would continue to fight her night and day. Mandy was his daughter, had been from the moment the nurse placed the squirming and squalling newborn in his arms. The only way Steven or any of the Sutherlands were going to get their hands on her was over his cold, lifeless body.

“Sutures or no sutures?” he asked Jolyn.

“What do you recommend?”

“Your choice. The wound will heal without them. Might take longer, especially if it breaks open, which is likely, being near the shoulder. Depends a lot on him and how quiet you can keep him for the next several days.”

“Not very. You know Sinbad.”

“Yeah, I do. He won’t stand well when I anesthetize the area. Which, if we decide to suture the wound, means I’d have to sedate him.”

“No, you won’t. He’ll stand.”

“You sure?” Chase squinted one eye at Jolyn.

She nodded. “He’s gotten a lot better.”

“Really?” Chase remained unconvinced.

“Injuries were a pretty regular occurrence in the show. Horses didn’t enter the ring unless they were cleared by a vet, even when they weren’t injured. The management had a strict policy.”

“Okay, then. Sutures it is. Do you want to tie up one of his legs just to be on the safe side?”

“Only if you’re afraid he’ll kick you.”

“Are you?” Chase remembered Sinbad’s exit from the trailer.

“No.”

Jolyn answered with such assurance, Chase laid his concerns about Sinbad’s notorious high spirits to rest. Maybe age and experience had mellowed the horse.

Even so, Chase didn’t once let his guard down while he cleansed and then anesthetized the affected area by injecting serum under the skin with a small needle. Because the cut was clean and recent, he trimmed away only a minimum of dead tissue.

Sinbad stood like a champ during the entire procedure. Chase finished up by applying a dressing.

“If he rubs this off, don’t worry. The antibiotics are more important than the dressing.”

He handed Jolyn a bottle containing a supply of metronidazole and instructed her on how many tablets to administer and how often. She was no stranger to horse care and nodded knowingly as he talked.

“If the sutures should pull loose for any reason,” he continued, “or if the wound appears infected, call me.”

“When do the stitches need to come out?”

“Ten, twelve days.”

“I’ll bring him by.”

Thereby saving Chase a trip to the Sutherlands’ place and a possible confrontation with Dottie. “Thanks.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“I’ll mail you a bill.”

“You’d better.” She wagged a finger at him in warning.

“I will.”

“Good.” Jolyn tugged on Sinbad’s lead rope. “This way, buddy. Time to go back in that nasty trailer.” She smiled apologetically at Chase. “He’s a little sick of traveling. So am I.”

“Why don’t you leave him here overnight?” Chase made the offer without thinking. Common sense told him he should cool his acquaintance with Jolyn until her mother backed off. “You can come collect him in the morning.”

“Thanks.” Jolyn’s face brightened, making Chase glad he’d spoken first and thought later.

They walked down the barn aisle, Jolyn leading Sinbad. Head held high, ears pricked forward, the horse took in his not-unfamiliar surroundings. Once, years ago, he’d spent a lot of time in Chase’s barn.

So had Jolyn. Without being told where to go, she took the horse to the line of stalls. Nickering from the barn’s various occupants greeted them every step of the way. Chase opened the door to an empty stall on the end. Next, he went around the side of the barn to where the hay was stacked and grabbed two generous flakes.

When he returned, he dropped the hay into the empty feeder and turned on the spigot to the water trough. Sinbad buried his nose in the hay, snorting lustily.

Chase lifted his foot and rested it on the bottom rung of the stall’s railing. So did Jolyn. They watched Sinbad eat and drink, enjoying a moment of companionable silence.

“How long you staying?” Chase asked, breaking the lull.

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“On how business goes.”

“What business is that?”

She smiled, and he heard pride in her voice when she said, “Sutherland Construction Company.”

“No fooling!”

“No fooling. I flew into Phoenix a couple months ago and tested for my contractor’s license. As of May thirty-first, I’m official.”

“Congratulations. I heard you were taking some classes in Dallas. I didn’t know what kind.”

“Trade school. I enrolled after the accident. Had to do something with myself during all those months of physical therapy.” She gave a little shrug as if it were nothing.

Chase doubted three separate knee surgeries and endless months of physical therapy were nothing. “I never pegged you for going into construction. How’d you wind up in that field?”

“We did most of our own construction in the show. Built and repaired sets and props. I found out I liked hammering nails and sawing two-by-fours—was actually good at it. Eventually, I was promoted to crew boss. Later, while I was in school, I worked part-time as a junior project manager for a commercial contractor.”

“Wow.” Chase eyed Jolyn with new appreciation. Though he shouldn’t be surprised by her success. She’d always been the determined sort, as her rebound from a devastating injury proved. “I’m impressed.”

“Well, running my own business is a far cry from running a ragtag construction crew or sitting behind a desk, punching numbers. I figure starting out in Blue Ridge where there aren’t so many good ol’ boys will be easier than starting out in Dallas.”

“What? The boys don’t take kindly to a woman muscling in on their territory?”

“I need to prove myself, and I’m okay with that. But I’d rather start out climbing a hill and not a mountain if I can help it. Once I get two or three decent jobs under my belt, generate some positive cash flow, I’ll relocate to a larger market, like Pineville.”

“Plenty of work around here.”

“Enough to get started. But I’d like to grow my business into something more than just the local handyman.”

“Hmm.” This time, Chase did think before he spoke. And despite the warning bells clanging inside his head, he voiced the idea that had just occurred to him out loud. “I happen to have a set of plans on my kitchen table for a small-animal clinic and office. Interested in looking at them?”

“Are you serious?” Her eyes glinted with excitement.

He’d forgotten how green they looked in sunlight. And about the small dimples on each side of her mouth. “Is that a yes?”

“You’re building a clinic? Where?”

“Here.” He hitched a thumb at the house. “I’m expanding my practice to include small animals. And I’m hiring an assistant to help with the large animal side.”

“Business must be booming.”

“It helps when you have no competition.”

“I’m hoping for a similar misfortune myself.”

“Be ready to work yourself to death. I put in sixty to eighty hours a week. No vacations, no holidays, and forget sick days. I’m up at the crack of dawn or earlier and don’t get home till seven if I’m lucky. Usually later.”

“You need more than an assistant. You need an army of helpers. And you’re taking on more work by expanding your practice.”

“My goal is, if not to work less, at least to be around more. Sometimes I think Mandy forgets she even has a dad. If everything goes well, I’ll turn over most of the large-animal practice to the assistant. Make ranch calls only in the mornings. Afternoons, I’ll run the clinic here and be home when Mandy gets out of school. That way she won’t have to spend so much time with babysitters.”

“I bet Mandy can’t wait.”

“The divorce was hard on her. She misses her mother.”

“But SherryAnne visits, right?”

“Once last year and that was for two days.”

“I’m sorry.” Jolyn’s expression matched her sympathetic tone.

“Me, too. For Mandy. Personally, I could care less if SherryAnne ever set foot in Blue Ridge again.” He inadvertently tightened his grip on the railing.

Perhaps because she sensed his changing mood, Jolyn steered their conversation back to building the new clinic.

“I’d be grateful if you let me bid the job.” She turned and looked him square in the face. “Even though I’m a friend, I’d expect no special consideration. Business is business.”

“I have two bids already from contractors in Pineville.”

“Good. That’ll give you something to compare my price to and keep me honest.”

“Just so you know, both prices are a little higher than what I was hoping to spend. I have a tight budget.” He’d refinanced the house in order to fund the new clinic and cover the costs of hiring an assistant.

“Now, about my mother…” Jolyn grimaced.

“I won’t lie, she’s a thorn in my side.” Chase leaned an elbow on the top railing and shifted his weight to the other foot. “She’s good with Mandy, don’t get me wrong. And Mandy loves dance class. Which is the only reason I let her take lessons when I’d rather keep her and your mother miles apart.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t bid the job.”

“As you said, business is business. And this could be a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“As long as we keep my mom out of it.” Jolyn gave a discouraged shake of her head. “I wouldn’t put it past her to use the situation to her advantage.”

Chase smiled down at Jolyn, his earlier worries melting away. Troublesome mother or not, he was glad Jolyn was back home. The affair SherryAnne had with Steven was hardly Jolyn’s fault. She’d been an innocent bystander. And like he and Mandy, she was taking the brunt of the fallout.

There might once have been something between him and Jolyn back in high school, something more than friendship. It hadn’t gone far, not beyond a single kiss during one of his and SherryAnne’s fights. By the next day, SherryAnne had gotten her hooks back into him. She’d probably sensed the underlying attraction between him and Jolyn and refused to let it go anywhere.

He’d handled it badly with Jolyn afterward, hurting her by not fessing up right away that he and SherryAnne reconciled. Fortunately, Jolyn was understanding—more so than he deserved. And now that SherryAnne was completely out of the picture, it might be interesting to see if any of that underlying attraction remained.

“One step at a time,” he told Jolyn. “First, bid the job. Then, we’ll go from there.” Impulsively, he took her by the arm. “Come on. I’ll show you the plans. And you can say hello to Mandy. She’s inside playing with a friend.”

No question about it, he thought as they walked to the house. He was courting trouble by inviting Jolyn into his life.

Casting a lingering glance in her direction, he found himself warming to the idea of keeping Jolyn close. His reasons had nothing to do with her mother or building his new clinic, and everything to do with the justice she did to a pair of snug-fitting Wranglers.

Chapter Two

Jolyn stood in the middle of the stark room and evaluated her surroundings with a critical eye.

Bright midday sunlight poured in through a lone, dingy window, emphasizing the room’s dismal condition. Dust particles floated in the air, thick enough to choke a snake. The faded vinyl flooring buckled in those spots where it wasn’t altogether missing. Jolyn counted seven holes in the walls, the smallest one the size of her fist. Paint was a distant memory.

She didn’t have to be a contractor to see that the room was a mess—and perfect for her fledgling business. Built onto the side of Cutter’s Market, one of Blue Ridge’s two small groceries, the room had a separate entrance and convenient parking for customers.

“Well, you want it or not?” Mrs. Cutter asked. She chewed on a plastic straw, a replacement for the cigarettes she’d given up two decades earlier.

Jolyn did want the room, but she tried not to appear overly eager—which is why she’d waited a full week after returning home to approach Mrs. Cutter about the For Rent sign in the window.

“It needs a lot of work.” She ran a finger over the yellowed and cracked light-switch plate.

“Hell, yes. If it didn’t, I’d have rented it out ages ago.”

Jolyn pretended to consider the offer on the table. In exchange for use of the room rent free, she would be required to fix it up at no cost to Mrs. Cutter and make any necessary repairs to her store, also at no cost, for as long as Jolyn used the room.

“Mind if I put a lock on the door?”

“Don’t bother me none as long as you give me a spare key.”

“And I want a separate phone line.”

“You pay for it, you got it.” Mrs. Cutter leaned a shoulder on the doorjamb. Rail thin, scratchy as sandpaper, and with only a sprinkling of gray in her hair, she didn’t look her age—which Jolyn guessed to be sixty-five, if not older.

“Then I suppose you have yourself a new renter.”

She couldn’t suppress the happiness bubbling up inside her. Sutherland Construction Company would have an honest to goodness office. When she was through fixing the place up, she’d frame her license and hang it right there next to the door where everyone could see it when they walked in.

“Do you have a lease agreement for me to sign?” she asked.

“Lease agreement?” Mrs. Cutter laughed sharply. “Good Lord, child. I’ve known you your whole life. Your parents for over thirty years. We only need a lease if you’re thinking of breaking it.”

“I’m not.” Jolyn laughed along with Mrs. Cutter and extended her hand. “Can we at least shake on it?”

They no sooner clasped hands when they were joined by Jolyn’s mother.

“Am I interrupting anything?” Dottie Sutherland peeked through the open door.

She was, Jolyn knew, on her way to the community center across the street where her dance class would be giving a recital that afternoon.

“Come on in,” Mrs. Cutter said. “I was just leaving. Got a couple of deliveries scheduled for later today, and there ain’t a lick of extra space in the back for the boxes.”

“I’ll be a while yet if you don’t mind.” Jolyn followed her new landlord outside. “I’d like to take some measurements and draw a few sketches.”

“No hurry. The place is yours now.” Mrs. Cutter disappeared around the corner of the building.

“Well, what do you think?” Jolyn asked her mother when she returned. Still feeling elated, she twirled in a half circle, imagining the room transformed into a functional and attractive office.

“I think you’re crazy.” Her mother’s look of alarm said it all. “This place is a disaster area.”

“The repairs are mostly cosmetic. You’d be amazed at what decent flooring and a fresh coat of paint can do.”

“I don’t know why you feel you need an office. What’s wrong with working out of the house? You’ve been doing it all week.”

Jolyn refused to let her mother’s lack of enthusiasm ruin her mood. “I’m in the way at home. Every time you start cooking, I have to roll up my plans and clear off the kitchen table.” She wanted her own desk and a visitor chair and a shelf for her reference books. “If I hope to build my business, I have to project a professional image.”

“A room behind Cutter’s Market isn’t exactly professional.”

“It’s a start. And when people see my work, which they will when they come into the store, I’ll draw new customers.”

Maybe, she mused, she should print up some flyers and display them by the cash register. Thus far, the only two jobs she’d landed were enlarging a walk-in closet and building a new outdoor air-conditioning stand.

There was still Chase’s clinic. She had the bid typed and in a folder on the front seat of her truck. He was taking a rare afternoon off work to watch Mandy perform. They’d scheduled their meeting for immediately following the recital.

Jolyn felt good about the bid, having gone over it and over it several times. She had cut corners where she could, without cutting quality. Called every supplier in the state for the best prices. She was also planning on hiring local labor whenever possible, reducing her costs—and price—further.

If she got the job, that was.

“You’ve only just come home,” her mother said with a catch in her voice, “and you’re leaving again.”

“Is that what’s bothering you?”

Jolyn had to agree with her father. Her normally bubbly mother was more emotional of late. Small things, like sentimental commercials on TV and sad songs on the radio, brought tears to her eyes. And she wasn’t sleeping well. Not a night passed Jolyn didn’t wake to hear her mother prowling the house. She’d broached the subject twice, but as her father predicted, she’d had no luck learning what lay at the root of her mother’s odd behavior.

“I’m not moving out of the house.” Jolyn squeezed her mother’s shoulders. “Not for a while anyway.”

In truth, she couldn’t afford her own place. All her money went into Sutherland Construction Company except for the modest room and board she paid her parents.

“Good,” Dottie said. “Because I love having you around again.”

“And I love being around.” Jolyn was surprised how easily she’d slipped back into small-town life and her corner bedroom on the second floor. After touring for so many years with the show, she wondered if the urge to wander would strike her again. With a business to consider, leaving wouldn’t be easy.

Unless Sutherland Construction failed.

“I suppose with some hard work, this room could make a nice office.” Dottie walked to the window, her feet crunching on the debris-covered floor. “You could put your desk here where the light is good.”

“Yeah.” Jolyn pointed to the opposite wall. “And another desk by the door.”

“Two desks?”

“If all goes well, I’ll need some office help.” She studied the ceiling and the many brown spots that indicated roof leaks. The repairs to Cutter’s Market might be more extensive than she’d originally anticipated. “Part-time, anyway,” she said distractedly.

“I’ll do it.”

“What?” Jolyn lowered her gaze to meet her mother’s earnest one.

“I’ll work for you part-time. You don’t even have to pay me.”

“Ah…Mom…”

“I’m good on the computer, you know that.” She ticked off items on her fingers. “I’ve taken care of the dance school books for over twenty-five years, was treasurer of the PTA until you finished elementary school. I’m organized. People like me. And—”

“Okay.” Jolyn held up a hand. “You don’t have to sell yourself to me.”

“I’m sorry.” Her mother took a breath and smiled weakly. “I really would like to be a part of your business. If you want me.”

Jolyn knew she should think carefully before answering. Her mother could, and possibly did, have an ulterior motive, especially if Jolyn won the bid for Chase’s clinic. She’d avoided the subject of Mandy’s parentage since her father broke the news to her, but it was still there, an elephant in the room they couldn’t ignore forever.

Or, she mused, perhaps her mother’s motive was no more devious than wanting to be a part of her much-absent daughter’s life. Jolyn could only hope.

“I suppose we could see how it goes,” she acknowledged without actually committing.

“I happen to know there’s a file cabinet for sale in the thrift store. And Office Central in Pineville is having a big sale this weekend. You could pick up a desk for half price.”

“Really? I’ll have to check it out when I run up there for supplies.”

Dottie glanced at her watch. “I’d better head on over to the community center. Some of the mothers are meeting me there early to help with costumes.”

“Break a leg.”

“Any chance you can swing by?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Oh, good.” Her mother beamed, making Jolyn glad she’d decided to go.

When she was younger, she and her brother were forced to sit through every recital even after Jolyn stopped taking lessons. Today, she was looking forward to watching the twenty or so young students prance across the stage in pink tutus and purple leotards. It would be a handy distraction and keep her from fixating on her upcoming meeting with Chase.

Dottie fished her car keys from her purse. “Look, about my issue with Chase and Mandy…”

Of all the times for her mother to quit ignoring the elephant, why did she have to do it now? Jolyn pressed a hand to her churning stomach. “You know I don’t agree with you.”

“Yes, well, neither does your father.”

“Then why not leave Chase and Mandy alone? They deserve to be happy after the hell SherryAnne put them through.”

“Because that little girl could be my granddaughter,” her mother said with such wrenching emotion, Jolyn was taken aback. “Your niece.”

“I don’t mean to sound callous, Mom, but it’s not like you’re going to be grandchildless your whole life.”

“Neither you nor Steven have any immediate plans of getting married. And with you pouring all your time and energy into the construction company,” she said, gesturing distractedly, “I don’t see you settling down and raising a family.”

At least her mother didn’t list the accident and resulting limp as a reason for Jolyn’s current single status. “I’m twenty-nine years old,” she said. “There’s no hurry.”

“Steven was starting kindergarten when I was your age and you were in preschool.”

“Things are different now. Couples wait until they’re more established before having kids.”

“Leaving grandparents too old to enjoy their grandchildren!”

“You’re not that old, Mom.” Jolyn barely refrained from chuckling at her mother’s exaggeration. “Besides, Steven might come through for you soon. He and Bethany have been living together for a while now.”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “I don’t see that relationship going anywhere.”

“What’s wrong with Bethany?” Jolyn had recently met her brother’s girlfriend and thought she was nice.

“She’s so much younger than your brother and still in college. I doubt she’ll be interested in getting married for a while yet.”

Jolyn couldn’t argue that point so she tried a different approach. “Steven doesn’t believe Mandy is his daughter and, let’s be honest, doesn’t want her. He’s made that crystal clear from the beginning.”

“He’s avoiding the situation. He always has.”

“He’s being realistic and reasonable.” Which was more than Jolyn could say about her mother. “Chase is Mandy’s father. He loves her. If you keep pressuring him, you could wind up destroying three lives and hurting God knows how many more people, including yourself.”

“I don’t want to take Mandy away from Chase. I simply want to acknowledge her as my granddaughter and have visitation rights. She’s a lovely little girl.” Genuine fondness shone in her mother’s eyes. “Very sweet and so bright. She reminds me of you when you were her age.”

“Mom.” Jolyn didn’t understand what had prompted her mother’s renewed obsession with Mandy. Maybe she was jealous of her friends and the grandchildren they were bouncing on their knees. “Chase says you’ve seen an attorney.”

“Last month. He wasn’t very helpful.”

“What did he say?”

“As long as Chase refuses to have the DNA testing done and SherryAnne says he’s the father, there’s nothing I can do.”

What a relief. “Sounds to me like you should take his advice and drop the matter.” Jolyn headed toward the door, intending to retrieve her notepad from the truck so she could start on the measurements and sketches.

Her mother trailed after her. “I’m not sure I can.”

Jolyn stopped and spun around. Behind her, cars pulled in and out of the market’s parking lot, forcing her to raise her voice. “What’s gotten into you lately?”

“Why do you keep asking me the same question over and over?”

“Because I can’t help thinking that something’s wrong.” Jolyn softened her voice. “Please, Mom. I want to help.”

Their eyes met, and for a fraction of a second Jolyn thought her mother might finally reveal what was upsetting her. Instead, she dismissed Jolyn with a flippant, “I’m fine. Perfect, in fact.”

Jolyn knew better but until her mother chose to confide in her, there wasn’t much she could do.

Heaving a sigh, she said, “I really wish you’d quit making trouble for Chase. He doesn’t deserve it.”

“You’re siding with him because you’ve always liked him.”

“I’m siding with Mandy. And of course I like Chase. We’re friends.”

“There was a time back in high school you wanted to be more than his friend.”

“That’s ridiculous. There was never anything between me and Chase.”

Even as she protested her mother’s assertion, Jolyn remembered the kiss she and Chase had shared that night on her parents’ front porch. It had meant nothing to him, but for a few days Jolyn had foolishly hoped he’d leave SherryAnne for her.

“All I’m asking is that you not let your feelings for Chase cloud your judgment when it comes to the possibility of Mandy being my granddaughter.”

Between her upcoming meeting with Chase and the conversation with her mother, Jolyn’s nerves were stretched to their limit. “Let me ask you this, Mom,” she snapped. “Are you willing to confront that little girl and tell her the man who raised her, the man she adores and calls Daddy, isn’t her father?”

“That’s not a fair question.”

“Yes, it is. And until you’re ready to live with the guilt of breaking two innocent people’s hearts, you have no right to demand Chase have the DNA testing done.”

Her mother gave her a look that was both woeful and unyielding. “If it comes to that, and I truly hope it doesn’t, I’ll be ready.”

JOLYN PUSHED OPEN the door to the community center and entered a packed house. At least a hundred family members and friends had shown up to watch the semiannual dance recital.

Since there were no vacant seats in the front rows, she sat near the back. Catching sight of several familiar faces, she smiled and nodded in response to waves of greeting. She noted more than one whispered conversation taking place behind the shield of a raised hand. Was it her recent return that had tongues wagging? Her accident? Her brother’s affair with the local vet’s ex-wife? Or was her imagination working overtime?

Probably a little of each.

Thankfully, the lights dimmed and a parade of costumed girls entered the small stage from behind a curtain. Video cameras by the dozen were turned on and aimed at the stage.

The recital lasted almost an hour, ending with a thunderous round of applause. As people milled about, Jolyn remained seated, watching her mother from a distance.

Dottie was in her element. Surrounded by parents and students, she radiated pride while graciously accepting congratulations. Without missing a beat, she complimented each child, praising their talent and hard work. Heads were patted, pigtails tugged and chins pinched.

Jolyn found herself smiling. People did like her mother, and she probably would make a decent, if not darn good, secretary.

“They’re talking Tony nominations backstage,” a low and unmistakably male voice said from behind her. A pair of strong, tanned hands gripped the back of her chair on either side of her shoulders.

Chase.

A tiny shiver of awareness swept through Jolyn.

“Mandy did a fantastic job for someone who’s only taken lessons a short time.” She swiveled in her seat to find him looking down at her, his face mere inches away, his dark brown eyes studying her intently.

Chase didn’t appear to be affected by their proximity. And neither was she. Not in the least. She was pulling at the collar of her blouse only because the material itched.

“Mandy wants to hang out with her friends for a few minutes,” he said. “I thought maybe we could sit at one of the picnic tables outside and go over your bid. Unless you’d rather meet someplace less casual.”

“The picnic tables are fine.”

Jolyn and Chase walked down their individual rows and met up in the center aisle.

“Give me a minute to let Mandy know where we’ll be.”

“Sure thing.”

Chase touched Jolyn’s arm. No more than a brush of his fingers, really. So why did it feel like so much more? She watched him slowly weave his way toward the stage.

With his six-foot-two frame, black hair and shoulders rivaling those of a professional athlete, he was easy to track even in a large crowd. If that weren’t enough, his long-sleeved blue denim work shirt stood out in a sea of T-shirts and tank tops. He must have come straight from a call to the recital.

“Hello, Jolyn.”

She turned and came face-to-face with Susan and Joseph Raintree, Chase’s aunt and uncle. “Hi. How are you?” Collecting her scattered wits, she shook hands with both of them.

“Welcome home,” Susan said kindly. She could have snubbed Jolyn as easily. Perhaps the Raintrees weren’t aware of her mother’s latest campaign. Chase had mentioned Dottie being closemouthed. “How long are you staying?”

“I’m not sure.” Everyone Jolyn ran into asked her the same question. She gave her stock answer. “Depends on how business goes.” If she didn’t get some decent jobs soon, she might be gone before the end of summer. “How’s your family?” she inquired instead.

Susan glowed. “Great. Gage and Aubrey got married this spring. They’re both working and couldn’t be here.”

“Tell them congratulations for me, please.”

Jolyn remembered Chase’s cousin Gage well, though he’d been less interested in rodeoing than Chase and more into sports during their high-school days. She knew Aubrey only slightly but liked her.

“Hannah’s going to Pineville College, studying ranch management.” Susan crossed her fingers. “She should graduate at the end of fall semester if she can pass all her classes.”

“You ready to leave?” Joseph grumbled.

He’d obviously reached his tolerance of squealing little girls and effusive, chatty parents.

Susan rolled her eyes. “It was nice seeing you again.” She linked her arm through Joseph’s and smiled up at him softly.

“Same here.”

Jolyn was immediately joined by a former classmate. The woman had a five-year-old daughter in the recital and was quick to mention she also had a son. Jolyn wondered how many of her old friends were now married with families. Could this be why her mother had become obsessed with having a grandchild?

“Sorry to take so long.” Chase returned just as her old friend was leaving. He stood close to Jolyn, not that he had to. The crowd was thinning with each passing second. “Shall we?” He motioned toward the door.

Jolyn nodded, her throat suddenly dry. Here, at last, was the moment of truth. Her first official bid presentation to a prospective client. How well it went could affect many things, including the duration of her stay in Blue Ridge and if she could make a go of Sutherland Construction Company.

She might feel more confident about the outcome if her mother weren’t trying to wreck Chase’s life.

Chapter Three

Chase opened the back door to his aunt and uncle’s house and hollered, “Anybody home?”

“Come in,” his cousin Hannah called.

Mandy squeezed in ahead of him, making a sweeping entrance into the kitchen. She was still wearing her recital costume and riding high from all the excitement.

“Did you see the show, Aunt Hannah?” she asked, executing an awkward but charming pirouette.

“No, sweetie, I didn’t.” Hannah applauded when Mandy was done, then scooped her up for a hug. “I just got home from school. But your Aunt Susan videotaped it. We’re all going to watch it after supper.”

“You have to go to school?”

“’Fraid so.”

“But it’s summer.”

“College is different. I’m trying to graduate early so I have to go during the summer. Nights and weekends, too.”

Mandy made a face. “That sucks.”

“Watch your language,” Chase warned.

His cousin gave him a bemused glance as she released a squirming Mandy. “She’s right, it does.”

“Been there, done that. It’s hard, but you’ll get through it.”

Chase had pushed himself to finish veterinary school in record time. In his case, because he had a wife and baby daughter at home. A wife he barely talked to in those days.

Eventually, he and SherryAnne managed to tolerate each other. Even to get along at times. When SherryAnne announced she was divorcing him and leaving Blue Ridge to pursue a career as a professional barrel racer, Chase was disappointed, but not surprised. They’d agreed when Mandy was born to stick it out so that their daughter would have the benefit of being raised by two parents. That commitment had lasted seven years.

They’d never fought for custody. SherryAnne wanted her freedom and Chase wanted his daughter. His daughter. No one else’s.

Chase had learned about SherryAnne’s infidelity by accident early in her pregnancy. He’d stayed with her until Mandy was born, planning to have DNA testing done soon after. It proved unnecessary. Chase didn’t need a test to tell him what he knew in his heart to be true.

“Hey there, you two.” Chase’s Aunt Susan came into the kitchen and ooh’d and aah’d appropriately when Mandy spontaneously performed part of her dance routine. “Aubrey just got off work,” she said after Mandy curtsied. “She and Gage are picking up pizza from Sage’s Bar and Grill on their way back from town.”

“Pizza, pizza,” Mandy singsonged and went in search of Chase’s Uncle Joseph to give yet another miniperformance to an admiring fan.

“She’s so cute.” Susan smiled dotingly. She and Joseph had become like substitute grandparents to Mandy after Chase’s parents had moved to Mesa. They still visited but only occasionally, usually around the holidays. Chase rarely had time off to visit them, something he hoped to change. As a result, Mandy spent a lot of time at the ranch. Chase, too, when he could get away. “You probably aren’t crazy about me saying this,” Susan went on, “but she’s the spitting image of SherryAnne.”

“She is.” Chase couldn’t deny the obvious. Mandy, with her red hair and freckles, had always favored her mother, for which he was glad.

His greatest concern was that Mandy might hear disturbing gossip about her mother or become the object of taunts and teasing. Protecting her 24/7 was beyond his abilities. Neither could he bring himself to tell her about her mother’s affair before someone else did. She was too young and too vulnerable.

A year between visits from SherryAnne had been hard on Mandy. Seeing her dancing around the kitchen in her recital costume, grinning from ear to ear, gave Chase hope that she would eventually rebound from her mother’s abandonment.

He hated to admit it, but he was thankful to Dottie Sutherland. She and her dance classes had restored some of the missing light in his daughter’s eyes. Dottie had also, as promised, not said one word to Mandy about her mother’s affair with Steven.

“I saw Jolyn at the dance recital.” Aunt Susan removed a stack of paper plates from the cupboard. “She looks good.”

Pulling one of the chairs away from the table, Chase dropped down into it. “She does.”

“Except for the limp, you’d never know what she’s been through the last year. I heard she had to learn to walk all over again.”

“I heard she almost lost her leg,” Hannah said.

“Imagine taking up a profession where you spend half your time outdoors and on your feet after something like that.” Susan shook her head in amazement. “She’s one strong gal.”

Chase thought of Jolyn while his aunt and cousin set the table. He’d forgotten about her limp. He’d been too busy noticing other things about her, like the long, smooth line of her legs and the hands that looked too soft and delicate to bang a hammer or saw wood.

Never one to hem and haw, Hannah asked, “Did she give you the bid for your clinic?”

“Yeah. We went over it after the recital.”

“And…”

Both his cousin and aunt stopped what they were doing to stare at him expectantly.

“And her price is almost fifteen percent under the next lowest bid.”

Hannah whistled. “That’s a lot of money.”

“It’s not just the money. She included several items in her bid the other two contractors missed.”

Jolyn had impressed Chase with her attention to detail. Unlike the other two contractors he’d dealt with, she’d patiently explained all the components of the bid in everyday terms he could understand.

“Money’s not everything,” Aunt Susan cautioned. “There’s experience and reputation to consider. She doesn’t have much of either, I’m guessing.”

“You’re right. She did provide me with several references, though, including the Wild and Wooly West manager and her former boss at the commercial contractor in Dallas. I called both of them earlier. They gave her glowing recommendations.”

“That’s to be expected.” Aunt Susan removed a pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator. “A person doesn’t give out names of people who won’t talk them up.”

“True. But I did ask a lot of questions, described exactly what I’m building. Both men expressed their confidence in her abilities.”

Aunt Susan sat in the chair across from Chase. “I have no right interfering in your life, so feel free to tell me to butt out.” She lowered her voice and directed her gaze to the family room. Mandy continued to entertain her great uncle, who was trying his best to watch her and the six o’clock news at the same time. “I know Jolyn is your friend, but she’s also Dottie’s daughter. Working closely with her could lead to trouble. Big trouble.”

“Believe me, I know.” Chase rubbed the back of his neck, massaging the kinks loose. “But Jolyn supports me where Mandy is concerned. She always has.”

“Are you absolutely sure? Family ties are strong.”

“Pretty sure,” Chase answered honestly.

“Dottie could try and use Jolyn to get to you without Jolyn realizing it.”

“Jolyn’s aware of her mother’s goals and I think she’s savvy enough to not let herself be manipulated.”

“In my opinion,” Hannah said, “you’re safe using Jolyn. She needs this job if she wants her business to succeed, and she won’t do anything to screw it up. Neither will Dottie.”

Hannah looked at her mother as if challenging her to disagree. Susan gave a noncommittal shrug.

“I like that she’s here in town.” Chase leaned back and stretched out his cramped legs. He wasn’t used to sitting as much as he had this afternoon. “The other two contractors admitted that while workers may be on the job every day, they would only make the trip from Pineville two or three times a week. If something were to go wrong, Jolyn would be five minutes away.”

“It’s cool you’re giving a woman a shot at this. And the money you’d save…” Hannah rubbed her thumb and first two fingers together. “You can do a lot with all that extra green stuff.”

Chase quickly added some numbers in his head. “I can pay for the holding kennels, waiting room furniture and a three-year lease on an X-ray machine.”

Susan rose from the table. “Sounds like you’ve decided.” The tiny hint of disapproval in her tone was unmistakable.

“Not yet,” Chase said. “I’m going to sleep on it tonight. See how I feel tomorrow.”

“I’m glad you’re taking your time deciding.”

From outside came the sounds of tires on gravel and the Raintrees’ pet dog, Biscuit, barking. Gage and Aubrey had arrived with the pizza.

Hannah grinned knowingly at Chase and said too softly for her mother to hear, “When are you going to tell Jolyn she has the job?”

“In the morning.” He grinned back at her. “She’s bringing Sinbad by early to have his sutures removed.”

She jumped up to give her mother a hand with dinner and patted Chase’s shoulder as she walked by. “You’ve made the right decision, cuz.”

Chase thought so, too. There were any number of reasons why he shouldn’t award the job to Sutherland Construction Company and an equal number of reasons why he should. Granted, he might be taking a chance, but his gut told him to hire Jolyn.

And besides, he rather liked the idea of working with her. It felt right, and nothing had felt right for Chase in a long, long time.

JOLYN PULLED BACK on Sinbad’s reins, squeezed gently with her legs and commanded him to walk in a firm voice. He obeyed and slowed from a fast trot, but not willingly. She didn’t blame him. Between the trip from Dallas and his latest injury, two weeks had passed since she’d last ridden him.

Sinbad disliked confinement. He was an athletic animal, taking pleasure in racing from one end of the arena to the other or leaping over obstacles most horses would refuse. Advancing age had affected his ability somewhat, but not his desire. If Jolyn were to give him his head, he’d gallop the entire half mile to Chase’s house.

Instead, they walked. Because of her, not him.

Jolyn hadn’t raced or jumped or done anything more demanding than a controlled lope around the bullpen since the accident. She hadn’t ridden Sinbad at all until four months ago and then she’d done it against doctor’s orders. But if she hadn’t climbed onto Sinbad’s back soon, she might never have gotten on a horse again.

Sometimes, Jolyn dreamed about the fall. In her dreams, she and Sinbad were flying over the wagon, just as they’d done in every performance for nine straight years. The crowd held their breath in collective anticipation.

Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the sharp thwack of Sinbad’s hoof hitting the side of the wagon. She felt his broad body shift beneath her as he was thrown off balance, saw the ground rush up to meet her, heard the sickening crunch when she hit and her own low “Oomph.”

Agonizing pain shot up her leg, so fierce it literally blinded her. She had no time to recover before Sinbad toppled like a giant oak tree and rolled on top of her, pinning her beneath a thousand pounds of thrashing, terrified horse.

She was told later that in clawing his way to his feet, Sinbad had injured her further. Broken ribs, a separated shoulder and torn ligaments were only a few of the injuries she’d suffered. Jolyn didn’t remember. She’d lost consciousness well before then.

She’d replayed the accident often enough to know it was just that: an accident. It could have happened to anyone at any time. Unfortunately, it had happened to her and changed the course of her life forever. She was lucky. It could have ended her life.

Jolyn rode bareback today, another reason she held Sinbad to a walk and probably why she was thinking about the accident. She’d decided against putting a saddle on him, afraid the cinch might aggravate his injury.

All at once, Sinbad lifted his head and whinnied shrilly. He recognized their destination, having traveled this same route countless times, and no coaxing on Jolyn’s part could keep him from breaking into a fast trot.

They reached Chase’s barn just as the sun crested the distant mountains. Jolyn loved morning rides and was glad when Chase suggested she come by early to have Sinbad’s wound examined and the sutures removed.

Their meeting the previous afternoon had gone well. At least, she thought so. Chase gave no indication of how her bid stacked up against the other two, telling her he’d let her know his decision in a few days.

The wait would be excruciating. No matter how tempting, she was resolved not to mention the bid or the clinic this morning, even if she had to spend the entire visit biting her tongue.

Chase must have heard Sinbad’s hooves clip-clopping up his driveway, for he came out from around the side of the house at the same moment she was dismounting. Slowly. Jolyn’s feet touched ground, and she cemented her teeth together to avoid crying out. She led Sinbad around in a small circle, as much to settle him as to walk off the pain in her knee.

“There,” she said to Sinbad in a whispery voice, “that wasn’t so bad.”

Chase reached her a few seconds later, a steaming mug of coffee in his outstretched hand. “Morning.”

“You’re a lifesaver.” She took the mug with fingers that were stiff from constantly yanking on Sinbad’s reins.

“Hope you still take it with cream and sugar.”

“I’ve learned to take it any way I can get it, but I still prefer cream and sugar.” She raised the mug to her lips. The coffee was warm but not hot, and she drank several large swallows.

“So, how’s our boy doing?”

“Good, I think.” Jolyn led Sinbad over to the hitching post just inside the barn.

Chase stood beside her, examining Sinbad’s wound. Using his thumb and fingers, he pushed in on the sutures and grunted with satisfaction. “It’s healing nicely. No infection or tearing, and scarring should be minimal. How much of the antibiotics are left?”

“Two days’ worth.”

“Finish them off to be on the safe side.”

He went to his truck, opened one of the compartments and returned with a large wad of cotton, a bottle of some kind of medicine and an odd-looking pair of scissors. After swabbing the injured area, he deftly and quickly removed the stitches. Sinbad’s only reaction was to snake his head around to see what all the fuss was about.

While Chase was bent over swabbing the area a second time, he said, “When could you start construction on my office?”

“What?” Jolyn wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

He straightened, his expression serious except for a barely noticeable crinkling at the corners of his eyes. “When could you start construction?”

Jolyn’s heart kicked into overdrive. “Um…right away. As soon as the permit’s ready.” She cautioned herself not to jump to conclusions. Chase hadn’t awarded her the job. He’d only inquired about a start date.

“The permit can be picked up anytime. I just need to give the county the name of the general contractor.” The smile lighting his eyes spread to his mouth. “Which I guess is going to be Sutherland Construction.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

She started to hug Chase, then caught herself. Contractors didn’t hug their brand-new clients. “Thank you, Chase. You won’t be disappointed, I promise. I’ve already put together a tentative schedule just in case and lined up three workers to handle—” She abruptly stopped, realizing she was rambling. Striving to speak slowly, she asked, “Would you like me to drive into Globe today and pick up the permit?”

“Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” Jolyn had pulled many permits for the contractor in Dallas. None with her own name on them, though. “I’ll leave this morning.” Globe, the county seat, was a good twenty minutes farther away than Pineville and in the opposite direction.

“What’s next?” Chase asked.

Jolyn led Sinbad out of the barn, Chase walking beside her. They stopped beside the fence to continue their conversation. “We should sign a contract. What kind depends on your lender, if you have one, and their requirements.”

“No lender.”

“Then we have a few options. How about I bring the permit and paperwork by this afternoon? In the meantime, I’ll contact the concrete company, see when’s the earliest they can start.”

“Better wait until early evening to come over. I have a full day because of taking yesterday afternoon off. I’ll phone when I’m heading home.”

“Sounds good.” Jolyn began mentally planning her day. “Don’t forget. You’ll need to clear the construction area. I can help tonight.”

“I think I can handle it.” He reached into his back pocket for his wallet and removed a business card. “Here. My cell phone’s on that in case you need to get hold of me for any reason.”

Jolyn took the card and ran her thumb along the crisp edge. The magnitude of the last few minutes sank in, filling her with joy. Thanks to Chase, she had her first big job. Sutherland Construction Company was no longer a dream. She pocketed Chase’s business card, resisting the urge to fling her arms wide and laugh out loud.

Sinbad nudged her elbow with his nose.

“Somebody’s ready to go home,” she said, hoping Chase didn’t notice the giddy tremor in her voice. “Got something around here I can use as a step up?” Without a saddle and stirrups, Jolyn couldn’t climb onto Sinbad unassisted.

“I’ll help you.” He bent and linked his fingers together.

Hesitantly, Jolyn reached out and placed her hand on Chase’s shoulder. It was strong and wider than she remembered, the fabric of his work shirt warm from the morning sun. Lifting her left leg, she placed her booted foot in his cupped hands and prayed her right leg wouldn’t buckle under the strain.

In the next instant, Chase boosted her onto Sinbad’s back, just like he had countless times when they were younger. Only today, his large and very capable hand lingered on the back of her calf.

Sensation flowed up Jolyn’s leg, more electrifying than it should be under the circumstances. Chase was her client, her veterinarian, her old friend. But his hand on her leg evoked a response in her that had little to do with business and friendship.

Sinbad pawed the ground, eager to start home.

“Take it easy with this big boy for another week or two,” Chase said, still holding Jolyn’s leg. “Don’t gallop or jump him if you can avoid it.”

“No problem.” She hadn’t done either of those things since the accident.

“I’ll see you tonight, then.” He squeezed her calf, then stepped back.

Jolyn waved. She didn’t trust herself to speak.

Chapter Four

Jolyn stepped back and out of the way as the last of the wet concrete was poured to create the foundation of Chase’s new clinic.

A moment later, the friendly-faced young driver who’d made the delivery handed Jolyn a receipt attached to a clipboard. “If I could just get your signature, ma’am, I’ll be outta here.”

She inspected the quantity and the total dollar amount before signing off. The delivery charge was twice the normal rate, but expected. Traveling the road from Pineville to Blue Ridge was both hazardous and time-consuming, forcing her to pay a premium.

“Thank you.” She returned the clipboard after removing the customer copy for her records.

“My pleasure.” The young man’s gaze lingered on her a second or two longer than necessary before he turned and left.

He wasn’t the only one to stare at her with undisguised interest. Jolyn had received similar looks from the clerk at the county office when she pulled the permit, two of the framers and the guy who operated the front-end loader when they’d excavated the ground. His daughter had once competed against Jolyn in barrel-racing events.

Evidently, men in these parts weren’t accustomed to dealing with a woman contractor. Their interest ranged from blatantly sexual to mildly curious. And while no one had shown her any disrespect, a few of the men had been borderline condescending. If that was the worst treatment she received, she’d consider herself lucky.

Jolyn walked the perimeter of the foundation and watched the trio of finishers with their long-handled bull floats transform the rough bed of concrete into a smooth, clean expanse. In this heat, the concrete would solidify within a couple of hours. Tomorrow, they would start framing the exterior walls.

Confident everything was going well, she went to her truck. Opening one of the side-mounted toolboxes, she dug around for a tape measure and a level, which, to her annoyance, weren’t in the last place she’d left them.

She heard Mandy’s small voice behind her.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Hey there.” Jolyn extracted the tape measure with a triumphant grin. “I’m looking for this. And a level. What are you doing?”

“Nothing. I’m bored.”

Two dogs sat at Mandy’s heels, purple and pink leashes attached to their collars. One was short, squat and pitifully ugly, the other a shepherd mix with half of one ear missing. As a kid, Chase was forever dragging home stray or injured animals. Jolyn suspected not much had changed in that regard.

“Can I watch you work for a while?”

“If it’s okay with your dad.” She thought Mandy looked more unhappy than bored.

“He’s still inside talking to Mrs. Payne. She’s watching me today,” Mandy said. “After she’s done washing the dishes and folding the laundry, she’s taking me to her house. She doesn’t have satellite TV, you know.”

“Bummer.” Jolyn resumed rummaging in the toolbox for the level.

“Yeah.” Mandy sighed.

“What about games?” Jolyn asked, wondering if the lack of satellite TV was the only reason for Mandy’s dejection.

“Mrs. Payne doesn’t play games. She sews quilts.”

Jolyn finally located the level, which was buried at the very bottom. “Let me guess. You don’t like to sew quilts.”

“I like to dance.”

“I saw you at the recital last week. You were good.” When Jolyn crossed the yard to the concrete pad, Mandy and the dogs followed her.

“Are you a dancer?”

“Me? No.” Jolyn caught the attention of the closest finisher and pointed to a rough patch that needed smoothing. “I took lessons for a while, then quit.” She winked at Mandy. “I didn’t have your talent.”

“Dad says you and him used to show horses together. Mommy, too.”

“That’s right,” Jolyn said distractedly. With some difficulty, she knelt on the ground and lowered her head until it was even with the pad, visually inspecting it. “Your mom and I were best friends.”

“You were!”

Jolyn cranked her head around. “Your dad didn’t tell you?”

“No.” Mandy’s face reflected a mixture of surprise, delight and disappointment. “He said you were friends, but not best friends.”

“Since we were younger than you.” Jolyn tried to stand but her right leg refused to support her weight. Wincing with pain, she braced her hands on her bent left knee and waited a moment to catch her breath before trying to rise again.

“You okay?” Mandy asked.

“My leg’s a little sore today.”

Sore didn’t begin to describe how it felt. Jolyn had been pushing herself hard for weeks now—driving great distances, walking more than usual, tackling the repairs at Cutter’s Market and her new office and riding Sinbad whenever she had a spare hour.

“Need help?” Mandy took Jolyn by the elbow and tugged.

Despite the little girl’s spindly arms, she impressed Jolyn by managing to hoist her to her feet.

“Those dance lessons have obviously paid off.”

“What?” Mandy furrowed her small, freckled brow.

“I was making a joke.” Huffing, Jolyn smoothed the girl’s hair. “Evidently a bad one.”

“Dad says you hurt your leg when you fell from your horse but I’m not supposed to ask you about it because you might be…” She scrunched her mouth to one side. “Sensitive.”

Jolyn laughed. “You can ask me any questions you want. I don’t mind.”

“I’d rather you tell me about my mother.”

She really should get back to work, but the desperation on Mandy’s face tugged at Jolyn’s heart. She didn’t understand how SherryAnne could leave her child behind and visit only once during the last two years. Surely professional rodeo riders got vacations once in a while.

“You look like her.”

“Everybody tells me that.”

“It’s true.” Jolyn’s mother was deluding herself if she thought she saw something of Jolyn in Mandy. “But you act more like your dad.”

“He didn’t eat his vegetables, either?”

“Okay,” Jolyn conceded, “there may be a few differences between you.”

“And he likes horses more than I do. I’ve got a pony and everything, but I’d rather dance.”

No, Mandy was definitely not the least bit like Jolyn. “You’re nice like he is. And sweet. Kind of quiet, too, until you get to know somebody.”

SherryAnne had always been a loud whirlwind of a person, who existed at the center of her own world. She’d alternate between lavishing affection on her friends and snubbing them.

Her and Jolyn’s relationship had been a complex one—they were friends, but also rivals. Jolyn diligently kept that rivalry restricted to the horse arena, refusing to let it involve Chase. She’d clearly made the right decision, because she and Chase had remained close through the years.

The same wasn’t true for her and SherryAnne. They’d hardly spoken after SherryAnne’s affair with Steven was discovered and not at all since Jolyn left Blue Ridge.

“What did you and Mommy do together?”

Jolyn concentrated on the good memories, those before high school when Chase went from being a boy in their class to SherryAnne’s love interest.

“You probably won’t believe this but your mom adored Barbie dolls. I think she must have had five or six and a few of Barbie’s friends.”

Mandy’s face lit up. “I have Barbies, too.”

“When we were a little older, we used to go to Cutter’s Market pretty much every day. Mostly we rode our horses but sometimes we took our bikes or walked. You mom would buy the latest teen magazine and cut out pictures of all the cute boys. Then she’d tape the pictures to the wall behind her bed.”

“Really?” Mandy’s tone suggested she didn’t understand the appeal. “I have pictures of ballerinas on my wall.”

“I had pictures of horses.”

Mandy giggled. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

The question came so far from left field it gave Jolyn a start. “Yes,” she answered cautiously.

“Which,” Mandy persisted, “and how many of each?”

“One. A brother.”

Jolyn started walking the perimeter of the pad again, checking for defects. Mandy and her small parade of dogs kept pace alongside her.

“Does he live here in Blue Ridge?”

“No. Pineville.” Jolyn cast furtive glances at the back door, hoping Chase would appear and give her a reason not to talk about her brother. When he didn’t, she improvised. “Hey, I’ve got an idea.”

“What?”

“Is there a stick around here?” She scanned the nearby ground.

So did Mandy. “Why?”

“You’ll see.” They found a short stick that would work for what Jolyn had in mind. “Come on.”

She led Mandy to a three-by-five rectangular area jutting out from the concrete pad. It would become the patient entrance when the building was complete.

Jolyn stooped over and, using the end of the stick, scratched the date and Mandy’s name in the lower right hand corner of the rectangle.

“There. Now place your hand below your name and press really hard.”

When Mandy did as instructed, Jolyn laid her own hand over Mandy’s and applied more pressure. The print came out perfect, and Mandy squealed with delight.

“Can we do the dogs’ prints in the other corner?”

“Sure. What are their names?”

“Buzz and Lickety.”

Jolyn scratched the dogs’ names beside Mandy’s. Buzz and Lickety were less enthused about being immortalized in concrete than their young owner but eventually submitted. Jolyn figured if Chase objected, she’d grind out the names and prints and patch the area.

“What’s going on?”

Jolyn spun around to find Chase watching them. She’d been so absorbed with Mandy, she hadn’t heard him approach.

“We were—”

“Daddy, look!” Mandy chimed in while Buzz hobbled off, shaking his foot and whining indignantly.

Chase inspected his daughter’s handiwork and smiled. “Very nice.”

“If you want, I can fix it later,” Jolyn whispered.

“Are you kidding? It’s great.”

“Daddy, let’s do your handprint, too.”

“That’s okay, kiddo. Three’s enough.”

Mandy jumped up and threw her arms around her father’s waist. “I’m going inside to get Mrs. Payne and show her.” In the next instant, she was tearing toward the back door, the dogs on her heels.

Chase turned to Jolyn. “Thanks.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Yes, you did. Mandy’s been having a tough go of things since her mother left. Each time I think we’re making headway, something happens to set us back again. Last night SherryAnne called to say she wasn’t sure she was going to be here for Mandy’s birthday next month.”

“Oh, Chase. I’m sorry.”

“Me, too. I figured today was going to be a difficult one for all of us. Now it’s not.” He glanced down at the hand and dog prints. “Because of you.”

Giving her no warning whatsoever, he bent and kissed her on the cheek.

Jolyn went utterly still as his lips brushed her skin. She resisted curling her arms around his neck—barely—but couldn’t keep her eyes from drifting closed. When he finally straightened, Jolyn’s breath fled her lungs in a slow whoosh.

She had no chance to recover before he said, “I’ll call you later tonight,” and made for the barn.

The back door banged open, cutting off Jolyn’s reply. Not that she had one. The kiss, despite being chaste, stole her ability to think coherently.

Mandy came darting across the yard, Mrs. Payne in tow. They gave no indication of having seen Chase kiss Jolyn.

If only the same could be said about everybody else there.

When Jolyn finally collected her scattered wits, it was to find a half-dozen construction workers staring at her, most of them wearing silly smirks.

Great. Her face and neck burned with embarrassment. Getting cozy with her client was hardly the way to earn the respect of employees and subcontractors.

She, of all people, should know better. From now on, she’d have to act more professionally in Chase’s presence.

It wouldn’t be easy—not when she could still feel his lips on her skin.

DOTTIE SUTHERLAND doodled on the small notepad in front of her while waiting for her caller to return and interrupt the lame song playing in the background. Shifting the phone to her other ear, she gripped her pen tighter. More curly, swirly clouds became sharp-cornered boxes the longer she waited.

Finally, a living, breathing voice came on the line. “Sorry to keep you holding.”

“That’s all right.” It wasn’t all right but objecting would be an exercise in futility.

“Can you be here this Thursday at four-fifteen?” the caller asked in a clipped, neutral voice.

Three days. Dottie’s stomach gave a small, uncomfortable lurch.

She scribbled the date above one of the doodles, wondering what excuse she could give her family for the trip to Pineville. Shopping, she supposed.

“Mrs. Sutherland?”

Dottie cleared her throat. She almost said no, but knew she couldn’t postpone the appointment. Not again.

“That’ll be fine. Thursday at four-fifteen. Thank you.”

She disconnected the portable phone and set it on the kitchen table. Tears stung her eyes. She tried to wipe them away but all at once there were too many. Thank goodness Milt and Jolyn were both at work.

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