Subject: Lieutenant Colonel Matt Ryan

Mission: Keep things professional...no matter how hard—or hot—it gets!

Matt Ryan wants to settle down to a peaceful life as a helicopter instructor at the local base. When he meets free-spirited antiques dealer Chelly Richardson and finds out she’s homeless, well, he has to help. But her living in his pool house means the wild-at-heart woman who is stealing his dreams each night is just a bit too close...

Chelly is determined to pay back the man who helped her during one of the toughest points in her life. She will also save the straitlaced Marine from the disaster that is her by keeping her hands off his hot, hot body. But the more she tries to stay away, the more fate seems to shove them together.

“I’m having a hard time keeping this just business...”

Matt leaned forward to kiss Chelly, lightly at first, his lips testing hers. Heat seared straight through her, settling in her core. Yes. She’d been wanting this from him for days. Since the first time she’d laid eyes on him in fact.

But it was wrong, really wrong.

Then his thumb stroked across her jaw so tenderly, she sighed and opened her mouth to his. Never in her life had a kiss done so much to her body. She thrummed from head to toe. And then she was lost in him.

When they parted, they were both breathing hard.

“That was—um, hot,” she said. “Amazing...and hot.”

She wasn’t going to do this.

Then he pulled her back to him and she was lost again.

Dear Reader,

As I finish up the edits on this book, it’s Veterans Day, a time of remembering those who have and continue to fight for our freedom. And the book comes out around July Fourth, which is a big holiday for us to celebrate those freedoms in America. It isn’t lost on me that I can write my fun, sexy romances because of what these people have done for their country. I appreciate that freedom every day.

I try to keep these books light and fun, and I sometimes take a bit of literary license with my characters and their jobs. But I never ever lose sight of the men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to protect us, whether they be Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Firemen or Police. There are those who always run toward the danger. They are a special breed. This book is dedicated to them.

Much love to you all!

Candace Havens

Make Mine a Marine
Candace Havens

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CANDACE “CANDY” HAVENS is a bestselling and award-winning author. She is a two-time RITA® Award, Write Touch Readers’ Award and Holt Medallion finalist. She is also a winner of the Barbara Wilson Award. Candy is a nationally syndicated entertainment columnist for FYI Television. A veteran journalist, she has interviewed just about everyone in Hollywood. You can hear Candy weekly on New Country 96.3 KSCS in the Dallas–Fort Worth Area.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Extract

Copyright

1

CHELLY RICHARDSON ROLLED down the window of her beat-up truck and breathed in deep. And then she banged her head on the steering wheel three times.

This is not happening.

She tried the ignition again. Nothing. Her already awful twenty-four hours had hit a new low. After driving straight from Nashville to Corpus Christi, Texas, she was exhausted. When she couldn’t get her new roommate to answer she’d taken a long nap at a truck stop located just outside of town. When she still couldn’t get her friend to answer, Chelly picked up a paper and decided to hit some estate sales around town. That was what she did when she was nervous or upset. She went on a treasure hunt.

That was how she’d ended up in front of this plantation home, complete with a picturesque wraparound porch, where Old Joe—her truck—had decided to quit on her.

“I will not cry,” she whispered. Even though she willed them away, tears threatened.

Why isn’t Lila answering? That feeling Chelly sometimes had when things weren’t right niggled at her. When Chelly had called Lila on Wednesday, her friend had invited her to stay at her place for as long as she would need. Chelly was looking for a fresh start, away from Tennessee. Away from her ex, who’d become a little too attached to her. To being an almost-stalker. When he’d appeared at the diner where she was working and created a scene, she’d given her notice, packed what few belongings she had and booked it out of town.

She didn’t need that kind of drama. New life. New dreams.

Except now she couldn’t get Lila to respond, and she didn’t even have the address of her friend’s house. Never one for planning much, this time her free-spirited ways had backfired.

I’ve been in worse jams.

Not really.

Oh, shut up. Anywhere was better than Nashville, where her ex had made her life miserable.

“Ma’am, are you okay?”

She glanced up from the steering wheel to find the hot guy from the estate sale looking in her passenger-side window. He was tall. At least six-three with a blond buzz cut that made her think he might be military. The bulging muscles under his T-shirt hadn’t escaped her notice when she’d been looking through the high-end treasures at his sale. Treasures that she would have been more than happy to take off his hands if she’d had more than a hundred bucks to her name. His prices were way below market value, even for a quick sale.

She forced a smile.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Thanks.”

“Uh-huh. I saw you try the ignition but it didn’t turn over. Didn’t make a sound. Could be the battery, but may be the alternator.”

Alternators were expensive; even a battery would take the last of her funds. Her throat clogged with emotion.

Oh, yay. This day just keeps getting better and better.

“If you pop the hood, I can take a look,” he said.

Here was a guy, who quite obviously had better things to do, and he wanted to give her a hand? His kindness was her undoing. A lone tear escaped down her cheek and she brushed it away fast with the heel of her hand.

So dumb. I never cry.

“Hey, now. It’ll be okay.” His voice was deep and smooth, like a good whiskey. “Don’t get upset. I’m pretty good with all things mechanical. I can help you, I promise.”

She forced another smile. “Sorry. Just having a bad day. And Old Joe decided to remind me of Murphy’s Law and has to be all stubborn because that’s going to make a bad day even better.” She sighed.

“I’ve been there,” he said. “But it’s gonna be all right. We’ll get the truck running. Like I said, there isn’t much I can’t fix.”

Maybe he wasn’t military; he might be a mechanic. Or a superhero.

“Young man,” an older woman interjected, waving at the hot guy. “How much do you want for the étagère?” She was pointing toward the Chinese Chippendale étagère that had left Chelly salivating.

Hot Guy took his aviators off, and she caught a glimpse of his beautiful dark green eyes. Wow. Total wow. He was gorgeous.

“Uh,” he said. “How much do you want to pay?”

What? Did this guy not have a clue as to what he had here?

Before the woman could answer, Chelly was out of the truck and walking toward her. “It’s five hundred, and that’s final,” she said.

The guy’s eyebrow went up, though he didn’t say anything.

“That’s fair,” the woman agreed. “Deal.” She took five one-hundred-dollar bills from her purse and gave them to Chelly.

Then the woman turned back to Hot Guy. “Young man, can you please help me load the piece into my van?” She gestured at a pristine luxury SUV parked in front of the next house.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be right there.” To Chelly, he said, “No way that bookshelf is worth that much.”

She smiled. “Not a bookshelf. It’s an étagère and it’s Chippendale. Retail it would go for around seventeen hundred.”

He blew out a whistling breath. “And here I was going to sell it for twenty bucks, or whatever she offered.”

Chelly almost choked. Hot Guy was absolutely clueless.

“Why did you have an estate sale if you don’t know what you’re doing?” She realized the words sounded harsh. “Sorry.” She quickly backtracked. “I mean, there are companies who can do this for you.”

He shrugged. “I assumed it wouldn’t be this hard, and I didn’t see why I should give a company twenty percent just to sell a bunch of junk.”

She shook her head again. “You have no idea the quality of items you have here,” she said. “This junk is worth thousands of dollars. It has lots of value. Even in the few larger pieces you have on the lawn, there’s enough to buy a used car. In this neighborhood you’re going to draw in a high-dollar clientele, and you need to take advantage of that. I don’t live around here, but a neighborhood like this one is where antiques dealers go first. Most people have no idea what their stuff is worth.”

He frowned. “You seem to know a lot about this.”

“Everybody has their thing, mine is antiques. I love it all. It’s kind of a hobby.” A hobby she’d like to turn into a business someday.

“I have an idea,” he said. “If you’ll help me out, I’ll fix your truck for free.” He smiled, and she was glad she could hold on to the truck for support. The man was sexy from his blond hair to his superbly formed calf muscles and all points in between.

“I’m in over my head,” he continued. “It’s only nine a.m. If you’ll stay until around three or so, I’ll make sure your truck is ready by the time you want to go. And I’ll pay for all the parts, and, as I said, labor is free.”

Free parts. Hmm.

She asked, “And all I have to do is make sure all these sharks don’t rob you?”

He smiled again, and her breath stuck in her lungs. “It’s a fair trade. You just made me four hundred and eighty bucks more than I thought I would. The rest is gravy.”

Well, there was nowhere else she needed to be at the moment, not that she could go anywhere without Old Joe. It was win-win.

Sticking out her hand, she shook his. “Deal.” She tried to ignore the tingles that his warm fingers sent up her arm.

“I’m Matt, by the way.”

“Chelly,” she said. Then she realized she was still holding on to his hand. “Okay. I better get to work.”

* * *

LIEUTENANT COLONEL MATT RYAN wiped his hands on the rag and then shut the hood of the old Ford F-150. After a quick run to the auto parts store, he had the vehicle going pretty good. He’d changed out the alternator and the oil, and bought her a new battery.

As he’d been working, he glanced over to find Chelly smiling and chatting with customers. Unlike him, she seemed to have an easy way with people. Her strawberry-blond hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and that blue blouse and denim shorts—man, she was about as pretty as they came. And she was smart about that junk. About five minutes after she’d started helping him out, she’d grabbed her phone from her truck. “I’m putting the details of your sale on one of the loops I’m on for antiques freaks.” She took a few pictures and not long after that he had three times as many people on the property. It had been a steady stream ever since.

At lunch he’d stopped long enough to make sandwiches and tea for himself and Chelly. When he’d taken the lunch to her, she’d handed him a wad of cash. “I lost count, but you’re close to three thousand. It’s not safe to keep it out here. You should put it in the house somewhere.” She frowned. “I mean, it seems like a lot of money, but you never know who might show up, especially in a neighborhood like this, where people know there’s going to be good stuff.”

Three thousand dollars before noon? It was insane. He’d thought he might get a couple hundred, maybe. The only reason he’d called it an estate sale was because the neighborhood association wouldn’t allow him to refer to it as a garage sale. Chelly obviously knew what she was doing.

Occasionally, she’d asked him to carry some of the heavier items to people’s vehicles.

He kept working on the truck and was surprised when he eventually looked up to find that there was hardly anything left on the lawn. She’d sold almost all of it.

He was a pretty self-sufficient guy. Rarely asked for help. But he’d needed it today. She was a wonder.

And he was most definitely a sucker for a beautiful woman. When he’d seen that tear fall onto Chelly’s cheek earlier, he realized he’d do just about anything for her. He’d wondered who or what had made her cry. Wasn’t his business. He had noticed the trash bags in the truck cab, and a couple of lamps and a table. She was either on her way out or on her way into town.

“You doing okay?” she asked.

He turned to find her approaching him with the cash box.

“You’re all fixed up,” he said, stuffing the dirty rag into the back pocket of his khakis.

“Really?” She gave him a sweet smile, and his lower region took notice.

“Yep.”

She handed over the cash box. “You had a good haul today. There’s at least thirty-five hundred in there, probably a little more.”

What? He had no idea his parents’ junk was worth that much. He opened up the cash box and took the money out. She deserved this. He already had the money she’d given to him earlier, and it was a lot more than he’d expected. “Here,” he said, holding out the cash to her.

She waved him away. “What are you doing?”

“You deserve at least half,” he said.

She stepped back. “No, we had a deal. You fix my truck, I sell your stuff.”

“But you sold it for so much. You should get part of it. I don’t feel right keeping all of this when you did the work. I had no idea what any of this stuff was.”

She crossed her arms, still refusing to take the money. Odd, since he had a feeling she could use it. “Can I ask you something?” she said.

He nodded.

“Is this your house?” She pointed behind her.

“Yes.”

“Are you getting divorced or something? Trying to get even with your ex by getting rid of all of her stuff for a fraction of what it’s worth? I mean, I’m not judging, but I’ve been curious all day. You and what you’re selling just don’t seem to fit.”

She had that last part right. “The furniture belonged to my parents who died last year in a car crash. I inherited the house and everything in it.” Truth, he hadn’t touched any of his parents’ belongings in the house or the garage. What was sold today had been in a storage facility. His mom loved to collect furnishings. The items in storage he hadn’t recognized, so it was easy to let go of them. But the rest, even though he needed to sell up, he couldn’t bring himself to get rid of it, yet.

The loss tugged at his gut as it always did. After eight years in the Marines, he’d experienced a lot of loss. So many of his friends were gone, but his parents had always been his foundation. The tie that had kept him grounded. He could always go home.

And then they were killed. Gone in one night. And his world had come untethered.

“Oh.” She put a hand on his arm and her warmth seeped into him. “I’m sorry. Figures I’d hit on a sore spot. My mouth always gets me into trouble.”

“You didn’t know. And it was a while ago. I’m only now starting to deal with all of this. Haven’t been able to. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps.”

“I don’t blame you. And they had excellent taste, your parents. I apologize for prying.”

“It’s okay. Most of it was my mom’s.” It wasn’t okay, actually, but he was a Marine, and he was pretty good at moving forward.

“So, thanks again for helping me with my truck. The few things that are left I’ve put in boxes for you. They’re in the corner of the garage. All you have to do is fold up the tables. Do you have my keys? I should probably get going.”

She was leaving. That bummed him out.

“Are you sure you won’t take the cash?”

“Nope. I’m good, but thanks. This was fun for me.”

“Your idea of fun and mine are completely different,” he said.

They shared a look and he realized how his words could be misconstrued.

“Keys are in the ignition. Be safe.” He felt like he wanted to hug her, but she was a stranger. That would be weird. Even weirder was the fact that he wasn’t the hugging type.

While he knew a lot about sadness, Chelly seemed to embody it. Even when she smiled it didn’t quite reach her eyes. A woman so beautiful shouldn’t have those kinds of worries. No person should have the burden she seemed to be carrying.

He waved goodbye and then headed over to collapse the tables. He was about to shut the garage door when he noticed she was still sitting in her truck.

Was she having car trouble again? He’d checked everything out, and had even driven the truck around the block to make sure it was okay. As he drew closer, he saw that she was staring at her phone as if it were an alien. Her teeth worried her bottom lip.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he walked up to the driver’s side.

She jumped.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. You okay?”

She shook her head. “I, uh. My friend texted me. She got married...in Vegas.” She sounded desolate.

“And that’s bad?”

“No. I’m happy for her.” She worried that bottom lip again. He had an urge to run his thumb across it.

What is wrong with me? The woman was having a difficult day. The last thing she needed was being ogled by him. “I’m not the best judge of emotions, but I’m pretty sure that’s not a happy face.” He pointed to her.

That made her smile, slightly. “Really, I am happy for her. She’s loved this guy for a long time. He surprised her with a trip to Vegas last night. They were married at a drive-through chapel.”

“That might not be the most romantic place to get married, but if you’re happy for her, what’s the problem?”

She rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. He had an urge to brush her hair from her cheek and tell her everything was going to be okay, even though he had no idea what was going on.

“I drove here from Nashville to be her roommate. I was supposed to move in today.”

Realization dawned.

The roommate had filled the position with a new husband.

“So you’re—”

“Homeless.”

2

CHELLY TRIED TO keep a positive attitude through the downs of life, but the last month had about done her in. Between the stalker ex and everything she’d gone through emotionally and financially, she was on the slow train to oblivion. Those dark places she tried not to dwell in were closing in on her.

“That’s rough.” The Marine leaned in her window. He gave her a look of pity. She hated that.

“I’ve been through worse. I’ll be fine.” And she would. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been in bad situations before now. There was that time in Turkey when she’d nearly been thrown in jail, and in Mumbai when she had that bug that laid her up for three days in some stranger’s house.

She sat up a little straighter and took a deep breath.

He nodded. “Strong. That’s a good character trait. But you look like you could use a break, and to be honest, I’d like to get away from the house for a bit. Do you have a swimsuit in that luggage of yours?” He nodded at the trash bags, aka all her worldly belongings in the back of her truck.

Where was he going with this?

Her thoughts must have shown on her face because he chuckled. “I’m not sure what you’re imagining, but I was going to grab some dinner and head out to my favorite place to clear my head. You’re welcome to join me, unless you have better plans?”

He had her there. “Are you a serial killer?”

He frowned. “No. Uh, I’m not.”

Shoot. She’d done it again. “Are you sure you want to hang out with me? I have a tendency to say the wrong thing all the time.”

“Well,” he said, a slow smile gracing his mouth, “I think I can handle it for the next few hours. Why don’t you pull around back and we can park your truck in one of the garages. That way your stuff will be safe. Get what you need and I’ll meet you there. Go down the street and turn into the alley.”

She should tell him no and move on, but he was right. She had nowhere else to go, and she did need a break. Dinner with Hot Guy was not the worst option. “Okay.”

His smile actually made her heart beat a little faster.

No! No more men.

A few minutes later, she had her change of clothes, a bikini and her flip-flops and was waiting by the two-story garage. The building was almost as long as the house, and it looked like there was an apartment on top. His parents must have had a great deal of money. This place was at least two and half acres in the middle of one of the nicest neighborhoods in town.

At least from what she’d seen so far.

When Lila had said she could move in, Chelly had looked up Corpus Christi and saw there was a beach. That was all she cared about, being near the water. She’d been tired of being landlocked in Nashville. Just one more reason to move.

The grime from having driven for so long was now starting to get to her. She couldn’t wait to hit the waves.

The garage door opened and she saw Matt standing there in board shorts and a clean white tank shirt. Those arm muscles were a powerful aphrodisiac.

Hey, that’s the last thing you need! No guys—it was the number-one rule she’d made in the first hour of her road trip. Ever. Well, at least not until she had her business in a good place and her life straightened out.

“You can park in this bay, but let me move my bike first.” He rolled out a black motorcycle. It was big and powerful-looking, just like him. A sexy Marine on a motorcycle.

No! Just say no.

She gave him a quick grin as she pulled into the garage. That was when she realized what he meant about his mother’s collection. There was a new Ford truck in the next bay, but the rest of the garage was filled with antiques.

“Heaven,” she whispered.

He laughed as he opened her door to help her out. “Maybe to you. To me, it’s nothing but a headache. I have no idea what’s expensive or not. I mean, I can tell from some of the wood—walnut and maple—that it’s worth something, but I don’t know what year anything was made or the value of it.”

From where she stood, she saw a wardrobe from the eighteen hundreds and, if she wasn’t mistaken, the buffet was from the same period. “Do me a favor, when you decide to sell all of this, call me first? This is a gold mine. These things should be in an air-conditioned space. The heat and moisture will play havoc with the wood.”

He winced. “I collected it all in here so I could sort through it. I didn’t know.”

“How long ago was that?”

“About a month,” he told her.

Not too bad. “Should be fine for now. But you need to make sure none of it gets wet or it’ll warp. It’s warm and humid, but if it the temperature goes higher, you might want to think about moving the stuff back indoors, until you sell it. I can help you, though, at least, figure out what you should get for the really good pieces. You won’t get retail prices, but there are five or six premium items in here.”

He made a face and grunted. “You serious?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Huh. Okay. I’ll have to take you up on that because I’ve got a lot of renovations to do.” He pointed at the bike. “We better get on the road if we’re going to be at my favorite spot in time.”

She wondered in time for what, but she figured he wanted to surprise her. After closing the garage door from a keypad, he passed her a helmet. She pulled it over her curls and then he helped strap it around her chin.

He climbed on the bike.

She eyed him warily. Not that she minded putting her arms around the hunk, but they had just met.

“I hope this is okay. It’s easier to use the bike rather than the truck to get where we’re going.”

She happened to like bikes and she didn’t want to insult the guy who had done her a favor and fixed her truck. “Works for me.”

He sat down on the massive seat. The sign on the side of the dark blue bike said Harley. She had some regulars at the diner where she’d worked who rode them. The chrome bike was a piece of art. It was customized with some slogans, Semper Fi she recognized, and a symbol she wanted to look up later.

“You can sit back here,” he said, patting the seat behind his. “Be careful of your calves with the exhaust pipe. Keep your feet up on the foot pads and you should be good.”

She did as she’d been told, but considered if her sneakers would have been a better choice, instead of the flip-flops. Though he was wearing flip-flops, so she wasn’t worried. What she didn’t know was where to put her hands. “You can wrap your arms around my chest or hold on to my shoulders. I recommend the chest since it’ll be easier where we’re going.”

He started the bike and the monster rumbled between her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his hard chest. He must work out every day, she thought. Her fingers itched to slide down and feel the rigid abs she knew were only a few inches below.

She was concentrating so hard on him that it was a good five minutes before she realized Matt had already driven them to the beach. The salty smell bit into her senses. She loved the water.

He steered into a burger joint and turned off the bike. “I’ll be right back, I’m going to grab us some dinner. Anything you don’t like?”

She shook her head, still trying to deal with the throbbing between her legs.

“I won’t be long.” Five minutes later he came out with armfulls of food, sodas and bottles of water. He stowed them in one of the side compartments of the bike.

“I could have helped you,” she said as he climbed back onto the motorcycle.

“No problem. I’m pretty hungry so I got a little of everything. We’re heading over there.” He lifted his chin toward the nearby hill and then put the bike into gear.

They rode right out onto the beach. It was slightly elevated and marked private. He stopped the bike and she climbed off.

“Is it okay for us to be here?” she asked.

He pulled a blanket out of the other side compartment and handed it to her. “It’s owned by some friends of mine. They let me use it whenever I want. Their place is up there.” He pointed up the hill again to a stunning beach house. “They’re gone this weekend, or there would probably be a whole crew of people running around. It’s the go-to spot for a lot of us on the base, especially on the weekends. Put the blanket by the fire pit. I’ll bring the food and meet you down there.”

The sun was just above the horizon, and the reflection was unforgettable on the blue water and white sand. The waves were calling to her. “Do you mind if I swim before we eat?”

“That was the plan,” he said as he stripped of his tank and took off his flip-flops.

Oh. My. Those abs. Seriously. She had to stop herself from gasping. They made men well in Texas. Very well.

After he’d gone into the ocean, she took off her top and shorts and adjusted her bikini, eager to cool her too-heated body. The water was actually warm. Still, it was wet and it felt good to ease the tension from her body. She followed Matt out to a sandbar.

“This is my favorite place to watch the sunset,” he said. She could see why. The water was shimmering, as if topped with sparkling diamonds.

“Are those starfish?” she asked.

“Yes. Last winter there was a cold spell and a lot of them washed up on the beach. Volunteers helped get them back out to sea. Marine biologists say their efforts helped save more than half the local population.”

“I’ve always been fascinated by starfish and seahorses,” she said, and she bent down to get a better look.

He cleared his throat. “We have those, as well, though you probably have to snorkel in one of the coves to see them. We also have a great aquarium in town.”

“Cool. I’ll have to check it out.” It felt a bit strange, hanging out with this man she didn’t know, yet she was more relaxed than she’d been in months. Maybe it was the water, or the pure exhaustion of the day.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she spotted something. She reached out to touch Matt’s arm. “Fin,” she said quietly as she backed away and tried to step off the sandbar for the shore.

He took her hand tightly. “Not what you think,” he whispered into her ear. “Watch.” Suddenly, a dolphin leaped through the air, splashing them on the way down.

Chelly let out a strangled laugh. “That totally scared me.” The dolphin leaped again and then there was another one. It was almost as if they were playing a game.

He laughed, too. “They come around this time to play and eat. You do have to watch for sharks, though, but that’s usually later in the summer. We have bull and tiger sharks that can sometimes be aggressive. But the dolphins are here pretty much year round, unless the water cools too much and then they swim south to Mexico.”

Sharks were on her list of things she never wanted to meet, but she trusted Matt to keep her safe. As the sun set, shivers traveled up her arms. He must have noticed because he glanced down to where he held her hand and let go. “You ready to eat?”

“Sure.”

Back on the beach he got a couple of towels from where the blanket had been stored on his bike and he handed her one. They ate their burgers and fries as the sun went down.

But it was far from dark. The moon was a bright globe in the night sky.

“This has been one of the best days I’ve had in a while,” she murmured. “Sitting here, watching the waves, I can almost forget all the crazy.”

“It’s the best place to just be. Sometimes I have trouble with that,” he said. “Sitting and being still. I prefer to stay busy. But this is the one spot where it’s easy for me to catch my breath.”

She had a feeling there was more to that story. What military men and women went through tore at her heart. But, like her, they didn’t appreciate pity, either.

“I have that same problem. Always on the go. I always have too many irons in the fire, but I kind of like it that way. However, I could do without the recent drama.”

Shoot. That just slipped out.

He leaned back on his arms and glanced over at her. “If it helps, you can talk about it. I’d assumed you’re on the run from something or someone.”

She grinned. “So you think I might be a criminal, but you’re hanging out with me, anyway?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You’re a really good salesperson, so I’m not complaining. Hey, the fact is you made me thousands of dollars today and gave me every cent. You refused the cash even though you deserved it for all the hard work you did.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m not on the run from any criminal activities. And I’m not a con man or—con person—or...whatever—” She gave an unladylike snort. “Sorry. That’s just funny to me. The sales thing, well, that’s a passion for old stuff, really. I mentioned it’s my thing.”

“You drove all night from Nashville, why the rush?”

I had to get the heck out of Dodge.

When she didn’t answer right away, he said, “You don’t have to tell me.”

“My ex,” she said. Why not say it? This guy had been nothing but kind to her, and she’d probably never see him again. “We broke up a while ago, but he didn’t seem to get the memo. When he threw a tantrum at the diner where I was working, I realized it probably wasn’t safe for me to be there.”

Matt quickly sat up. “Did he hurt you?” He very nearly growled the words.

“No. He scared me...bad. Frightened me, actually. I wanted nothing to do with him after that. And when I wouldn’t accept his apology... It’s complicated.”

“What happened?”

“He came to the diner again, caused a big scene in front of everyone. I’d been full-time there so a lot of the customers knew me. It was creepy, embarrassing. I took off and never looked back.”

She shifted to her side. Her story sounded like an episode from one of those crime shows on TV. How had her life slipped so far out of control? “That was the second time it had happened, and my boss said if it happened a third time, he was calling the cops. I couldn’t blame him. I was thinking the same thing.”

“I hate jerks who harass women. They should be locked up.”

Yup. She really liked this guy.

“It’s okay, Marine. I told you, I got out of that situation.”

“True. Please, finish your story.”

“We’d only been dating a few months and he seemed really great and attentive. But when he drank, I wasn’t so sure about his emotional stability. And that guy, I wanted nothing to do with him. That’s why I booked it. It was just easier. And Nashville was so not the right place for me. I mean, it’s a great town and all, just not my style.”

He’d probably think she was a runner and he wouldn’t be wrong. She hated confrontation, and when things got too tough she did have a habit of walking away. Her parents would be the first to sing hallelujah to that. She’d never stuck with anything for very long and as such was a constant disappointment to them.

But then, they weren’t exactly aces in her book, either. She hadn’t run so much as been pushed out of their house.

“You shouldn’t have had to leave town. Your home. That guy should be taught a lesson.” Matt sounded like he might want to teach that lesson. Did Matt have a violent streak? So far, all indications were he was about as kind as they came.

He was taking her side in all this, that’s it, which was what friends did. And she could definitely use one of those right now.

“I’ll be honest, it wasn’t much of a home. I’d only been there for a year. I’ve been traveling a lot. Roots haven’t been important to me for a long time. That’s why I was working at the diner. Easiest job to find in that area.”

He shook his head. “Wow. That still stinks. I’m sorry.”

She laughed. It was kind of absurd—the last year. It was like the universe was trying to show her something and she wasn’t seeing it. “I’ve developed a few trust issues, it’s true.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

Chelly tried not to hold on to anger and disappointment. They were useless emotions, but sometimes it was hard.

He leaned back again. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a bad time. I’ve only known you a day, but you seem pretty nice. And no one deserves to be treated like that.”

No pity, just kindness. She appreciated that.

“Thanks. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?” And then she slapped a hand across her mouth. Why did she keep saying such dumb things? “Sorry.”

He frowned. “For what?”

“I keep saying silly things like that around you. I’m sure you’ve had to deal with really serious things—way tougher than anything I might have been through. I mean, nothing compares to what you guys have to endure when you’re deployed. I’ve heard stories from some of the veterans at the diner. I’m always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time—”

“You don’t need to be careful with me,” he said. “My parents walked on eggshells whenever I came home, and it drove me crazy. Mom tried to put whale sounds in my room to keep me calm. Well, I kind of liked the whales. But I do what I do because I like the idea of making a difference. Being a Marine does that for me. And I’ve had it easier than most.

“Mom and Dad always did things their own way. We were never what you’d call normal. Of course, I’d give anything to have them around now to drive me nuts. Just know, with me, you can say whatever you want. I don’t ever think about comparing my life with anyone’s. Everybody goes through tough times. Sounds like you’ve had your fair share.”

Until I met you today. “I had a Sunday school teacher once who said that sometimes we put obstacles in our path, and sometimes they are put there to guide us down the right path. I never really understood that until this year. I don’t know where my path is going, but Nashville was definitely a wrong turn for me. I learned a lot of lessons there, none of which I intend to repeat.”

“I don’t usually believe in all those universe theories, but something good led you to my estate sale today, so I’m grateful.”

Shoot. She was grateful for the change of subject. “That’s sweet. I was glad to help.”

“Can I ask you something?” He shifted from where he’d been sitting.

“Sure. You know the majority of my darkest secrets.” At least the most recent ones.

“Why don’t you do this—the antiques thing—for a living?”

She glanced away from him and stared out at the water. Her dream had been so close to her heart for so long. Each time she thought she might be a step closer, something else happened.

“Hey,” he said, touching her shoulder lightly, and she looked at him. “No judgments. I promise.”

He stared at her intently. She could get so lost in those eyes.

Friend. Keep him in the friend zone.

“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

3

MATT LIKED LISTENING to Chelly talk about her idea for a junk repurposing business. She was so passionate about it, and her hands and mouth were going a hundred miles an hour. The towel slipped off her shoulder and exposed her bikini top. Thankfully, those dolphins showed up when they did earlier, or she would have seen his erection. When she’d bent over to touch the starfish, he couldn’t look away from her perfect butt. She was curvy in all the right places and seemed so comfortable with her body. He liked a woman who was confident.

Chelly cleared her throat. “I’m boring you. Sorry.”

“Not at all. So you take the old furniture, like my mom has in the garage, and turn it around and sell it for a profit?”

“Your mom’s furniture, at least what I saw of it, you would never touch. Painting or staining those things can ruin the value of the piece. But like that one desk we sold today—the school desk? It’s something that I could paint or do a fun pattern on or switch it into something else and it would bring in more money than the original would.”

“And you want to sell online?” He was getting the gist and trying to think of a way to give her a hand. That was something his mom had instilled in him. When you could do something nice for someone, you did it.

“To start with, yes. Someday I’d love to also have a storefront. And my ultimate goal is to build up my cash reserves so I can buy a retail warehouse. I never want to be in debt, so I’d save up first. I’m thinking solar panels for the roof to get off the grid as much as possible and save on costs and spare the earth. I know it’s probably a long way off, but a girl’s gotta dream. I like being self-sustainable.”

“I get it,” he said. And he did. An idea began to form in his mind. “So what if...and it’s okay for you to say no.”

She bit her lip. He noticed she did that when she was worried. “What did you have in mind?”

“We might be able to help each other out and in the process get your business started.”

Her eyes widenened. She asked, “How?”

“It’s clear that I have no clue what to do with all of my parents’ belongings. Some of those furnishings I want to save for my place, which I’m going to start building, but the rest I need to sell. Maybe you could assist me with that. I could give you a percentage and then anything that you might be able to repurpose, you could have for your business. I’d only be taking those items to the dump or giving them to charity, anyway.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’d help you for free,” she said. Still, she wouldn’t look at him. He’d pay big bucks to know what she was thinking just then.

“Nope. I need an expert and this only works if I feel it’s fair. You made me over six thousand today. I realize I keep saying that, but it’s so much more than I ever imagined. You get that I have no experience at this, and you’d be protecting me, as well. Making sure I get decent prices. You could build up an inventory. I bet that’s important. My mom used to have a store, which is why we have all this crap in the first place.”

“She had an antiques store? Now it makes sense. Everything was from different time periods and styles, and I couldn’t figure out how she would fit all of that in one house.” She smiled then, and her gaze met his. “It’s not crap, by the way. She had exquisite taste.”

“See? That’s why I need you.” He did.

“Do you do this with everyone you meet? Try to fix them? Sort out their lives? Is that, like, your thing?”

He crossed his legs and sat up. “What do you mean?”

“Saving damsels in distress. You’re a Marine. You’re probably wired to rescue people.”

Maybe he was, but it started a long time before the Marines. “You don’t really seem the type that needs to be rescued. I was thinking more of you being the one to save me, which is why it’s okay if you say no. There won’t be any hard feelings on my part.”

She shook her head. “You’re kind of a wonder, Matt. I’m not sure what to think.”

Given what she’d been through, she probably was a little shy about trusting anyone. He had the same problem, and he wasn’t quite sure why he was inviting her into his life. Over the past few months he’d done little except focus on work and make lists about what he wanted in his new house. Thinking of building it was the only light he had at the end of the tunnel.

He’d been forcing himself to go out with his friends, but more than anything he wanted to be on his own. To live peacefully. Get everything organized so he could move forward. He liked things ordered.

He had a feeling chaos followed Chelly, but there was something special about her. Something that called to him. The last few hours on the beach had been some of the most peaceful he’d experienced.

“You said you wanted to sell your family home. Can I ask why?”

That caught him off guard. “I have some river property not far from here, where I’d like to build a place. With the sale of Mom and Dad’s house I can afford it. I’m not much of a suburb kind of guy. I like my privacy. I’ve been meeting with an architect the last few weeks, but I really have to get my parents’ home and furnishings settled first.”

She seemed to consider this. “You mentioned you wanted to save some of their possessions for your place. What kind of a place? A cabin?”

“Nah. Can I show you?” He got out his phone, opened a real estate app and presented her with a photo of the iconic Texas river house he wanted. “It’s called a Texas T. Family room and kitchen in the center with hallways off to other rooms. And I want limestone floors and whatever else makes it fit into the landscape naturally.”

She flipped through the pictures. “Wow. This is incredible.”

He wasn’t sure why it pleased him that she liked it so much, but it did. “Here, I’ll show you the view from where I’m hoping the family room will be.” He took the phone and opened a new file of photos and handed it back to her.

She blinked. “That’s your view? Looking right out on the river? It’s totally incredible. And those cliffs. It looks like something on a postcard.”

That’s what he’d been thinking. When he was a kid he used to play in the woods around there while his dad and uncle fished in the river. Where the house sat was up on a rise, but there were a hundred acres, most of that on the riverfront. He’d been offered top dollar for it, but it was one of the most quiet, peaceful places on earth, and no way was he giving it up.

“You said you picked out an architect? Do you have a designer?” Her words came quickly now, her excitement was contagious.

He smiled.

“I hadn’t thought about a designer,” he answered. “One of my friends, Brody, is marrying a designer. She looked over the plans for me and told me how to—what did she say?—oh, to maximize the view. I guess I figured I could just ask her. Though, Brody says she’s busier than ever these days.”

“Or I could do that. Help you, I mean.” She worried her bottom lip. “Sorry, it’s just when I saw what you wanted, and where it’s going to be, I had all these visions in my head. Like you should use river rock for the fireplace. And I’d do limestone in the kitchen, but you have to make sure it’s sealed really good. You might think about using bamboo flooring for the rest, though. It’ll be a little warmer in the winter and it wears really well. If you’re running around barefoot all the time, the limestone might be a bit rough on your feet. And the wood will give the place a homier feel.”

He’d never thought of that. He did like wood flooring.

“Or not,” she continued just as quickly. “Like I said, I tend to jump into things pretty fast. That’s why I wasn’t so sure about your offer with the business. It’s been my experience, especially lately, that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Whether that be business or men.”

He didn’t blame her. “I get that. So in the spirit of being honest, before we get started you should maybe know that I like things done a certain way, and it’s hard for me to let go of that.”

“I’m kind of the opposite. If we’re going to do this, you’ll have to trust me to handle the details.”

A long moment passed before he said, “I guess it won’t hurt to try. I’d be willing to draw up a contract for you to organize, sell and repurpose my parents’ stuff. How do you feel about a sixty-forty split?”

“If I’m getting the forty, I can roll with that.”

He’d been thinking the split should go the other way, since she’d be doing a hundred percent of the work. “Okay, if that’s what you want. But it would be fairer if you took the bigger—”

“I take forty,” she interrupted. “I’d be happier with thirty. Forty seems really high.”

“Nope. That’s where I draw the line. I’d feel like I was taking advantage of you.”

She shrugged. “I’m guessing this is how nice people do business.”

They both laughed.

“For help with the river house, come up with a flat fee to charge me for your design ideas and dealing with the architect. I know what I like, but getting that across to folks—I’m not always the best communicator.”

She snorted and then clapped a hand over her mouth. He kind of loved that she did that. “That’s so not true. You’re easy to talk to. Maybe it’s the other people who are doing the bad listening.” She grinned.

“You might be right. So, good. Oh, and there’s one more thing.”

The grin disappeared.

“I know how to build a website. I did one for my mom’s business several years ago.” His friends called him a geek, but he was the go-to guy when computers, phones or anything else broke. He’d always liked tinkering with things, machines in general. He was a pilot, but he was also a fully vetted helicopter mechanic.

“Now you’re scaring me,” she said. And he could see that he really did. “You’re a little too perfect. Definitely an ax murderer, right?”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m far from perfect. Just ask anyone who knows me.” On the base he’d been reamed for not playing well with others. But he just liked to keep to himself. Though, he really had been trying to do better. The CO’s team-building events had forced it on him, but they’d also helped him to not be a complete loner, which was probably a plus.

“Honestly, ax murderer or not, I can’t wait to get started.” Then her face fell again.

“What?”

“Nothing. So, I can start tomorrow?”

“I gotta be on base by nine, but as long as you’re at my parents’ early, I can let you in. Before we head back there now, we can stop and get whatever you might need.”

That’s when it hit him. He’d helped her with the job situation—but she had nowhere to live.

And that was one line he wasn’t ready to cross.

4

CHELLY’S LIFE HAD done a one-eighty into awesome, but she wasn’t sure she could trust the feeling. Everything had been so rotten lately that she spent most of her time waiting for the other shoe to drop. But during her long drive from Tennessee, she’d promised herself that she’d start living in the moment again. Like she used to when she left college. Life had been better then, albeit a little on the gypsy side. She’d traveled the world and found odd jobs to fund the journey. Living in the here and now and taking advantage of opportunities had worked for her back then.

And maybe it would again. Mr. Marine had offered her an amazing opportunity. One that she would be silly to turn down. And it didn’t come with strings, which was beyond unusual. Matt was off gathering firewood for the pit, in order to roast the magical bag of marshmallows he’d had hidden in that Harley of his.

This guy. Well, she wasn’t sure what to think. It was so strange that all of this had happened. He was supernice, although she had a feeling he didn’t think of himself as such. But he’d already been so generous. Fixing her truck and taking her to the beach, offering to help her out.

He was right about his needing her expertise. Estate sale folks and resale shops would charge him huge fees. For the river house, she was determined he’d accept her modest one. She was already stoked about the ideas she had for the place.

She hadn’t lied. His pictures had sent her mind whirling.

“Here’s your stick,” he said.

She glanced up, confused. “I soaked it in the sea a bit so it won’t burn. Might make the marshmallows taste a little salty.”

She laughed. Right. “People pay a lot of money for sea salt marshmallows and sea salt caramel ones, too.”

His eyebrows drew together. “That’s a thing?”

“Sure.”

He held out a hand to her and she stood up. “Who knew we were making gourmet marshmallows in the fire pit?”

“Since we’re being honest with each other, I should admit that I can pretty much eat my weight in marshmallows. Easily a whole bag in one sitting. So, fair warning.”

“Oh, it’s so on,” he said. And then proceeded to put four marshmallows on his stick. She promptly put five on hers.

Laughing, she said, “Thanks. Today showed me that there are still good people in the world. I really needed to be reminded of that.”

“Hey, I feel the same. I guess it’s lucky that you like junk and that your truck conked out in front of my house. Uh, maybe that’s not so great, but at least you weren’t out on the highway or stuck in the middle of nowhere. There’s a lot of middle of nowheres between here and Nashville.”

“I know, right? Old Joe actually did me a favor. Maybe things are looking up.”

They were, but she still didn’t trust the feeling.

Live in the moment.

“So do you have a place to stay for the night?”

And there was the other shoe dropping. Sigh. Did he expect favors? He didn’t seem the type. No, she didn’t have a place, but she definitely wasn’t staying with him.

He lifted his marshmallows from the fire and blew on them. “That didn’t come out how I meant it to, Chelly. I wasn’t hitting on you. Just so you know. Honest.”

“I’m good.”

His eyebrow shot up. “You said your friend was out of town.”

“Yep. But I’m good,” she repeated. She had no idea what she was doing for shelter and she didn’t have much cash. Her plan was to head back out to one of the truck stops and sleep there. “I like camping and there are plenty of good places around here.”

“All right. You should know, though, that there are several guest rooms in my parents’ house. Or there’s the apartment over the garage. But none of those rooms have been touched in more than a year. And the apartment is filled with furnishings. There’s the pool house, but it’s basically a bed, desk and shower. I could give you some money for a hotel? A cash advance against what you make with my mom’s furniture? Might be more comfortable for both of us, and there are some decent hotels close by.”

He didn’t even want her staying with him. For some reason that struck her as being funny and she started laughing. Why would he? She was a mess. And he was a guy who liked order. He wasn’t kidding about that. From the way he’d organized their dinner on the blanket, to his need to clean up afterward before they moved on to dessert. “I appreciate the kindness, but I promise, I have it covered.”

She’d noticed showers attached to the campgrounds down the coast. Maybe she’d just hole up there for a bit.

The look he gave her was full of disbelief, but he didn’t say anything else. They ate their marshmallows in silence.

An hour later they were back at his parents’ place. She backed her truck out of the garage, sort of sad to end the day.

In fact, part of her was worried that if she left, he’d change his mind when she returned tomorrow morning.

Her phone rang; it was the ex. She looked away. With her first bit of cash she was going to switch accounts and get a different number. The jerk had given her the phone for her birthday. It had been nice at the time. Now, not so much.

Then it dawned on her. What if he could track her GPS? Is that how he’d found out where she was all the time? He’d shown up at the grocery store, the nail salon, the...

“Shoot.” She turned the phone off.

“What’s wrong?”

She jumped. Matt was standing at her truck window, but he backed off when he saw she was scared.

Her hand went to her chest. “Sorry. It’s dawned on me that my ex could be tracking my phone. He just called. I don’t suppose you have a tub of water or a very deep pool you could throw this phone in? You mentioned a pool house. I’m praying he hasn’t tracked me down yet.”

“Follow me,” he said. And then he held his hand out for the phone.

“Wait.” She turned the phone back on and sent a text.

I’m really gone. You need to stop calling. Truck broke, so I’m taking a bus to Mexico. Phone won’t work there. Adios forever.

She hit Send, and as soon as it showed he’d read it, she clicked off the phone again and handed it to Matt.

“This way.” She trailed after him through the garage and out to the most glorious backyard she’d ever seen. It was a Garden of Eden with a huge pool and a large patio that had a mix of teak and black iron lawn furniture. Along the fence line there were magnolia trees and freesias mixed with jasmine. The smell alone was magical, but there were twinkling lights, as well. When she was a kid, she couldn’t have imagined a better land for fairies. Oh, who was she kidding? She couldn’t imagine a better place now.

Except for New Zealand. Oh, how she missed that country.

“Did your parents entertain a lot?” she asked, before she realized that that might be another painful memory.

“All the time. Any excuse for a party. Holidays were my mom’s favorite, but they had friends over a lot.”

“I can imagine. This place is terrific. I’d never want to leave.”

“I used to complain about it when I was kid because I was always on pool-cleaning duty, and I was also the official toilet scrubber.”

She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. “Yeah, I bet that would get old very fast.”

He sighed dramatically, but then gave her a wide, warm smile. “You have no idea. I also had to dust a lot of my mom’s collectables. That was the worst. I never broke anything. Still, she wouldn’t have cared if I did. She was easygoing. But my dad on the other hand would have grounded my butt for a month if I’d broken something of hers.”

Even though he complained, he didn’t sound like it really bothered him. These were fond memories.

She didn’t have many of those with her parents. Maybe, when she was younger, but that was a long time ago.

“So do you want to do the honors?”

He held out the phone and she took it. “That hot tub looks like a good start,” she said. And then she bent down and dropped it in. It was freeing—losing this last bit of her old life. Sure, she might need some of those numbers again, but she’d cross that bridge when she came to it—namely when she was able to get a new phone.

Shoot. She forgot about Lila’s number. Now she had no way of getting in touch with her. Wasn’t meant to be? What kind of friend invited you to come live with her and then didn’t give you the address or leave you a key when she went off to get married?

She had to work on meeting better people.

After leaving her cell in the water for several minutes, she walked across to the pool and dropped the phone on the first step. “Do you have a water hose?”

He chuckled. “Behind the gardenias, over there in the corner.” She followed his directions and saw the faucet and hose attached. She only took a few seconds to drown the cell, not wanting to waste too much water.

“Are you sure you don’t want to hit it with a sledgehammer?”

She considered it. “No, too messy. Though I might run over it with the truck a few times just to make sure.”

“We have some tanks at the base,” he joked.

“Ha, that’s good. Thank you for everything. This turned out to be a great day.”

“Yeah, for me, too. Can I show you one more thing before you go?”

She lifted her shoulders. “Sure.”

He led her around the lawn to the pool house. It was cute, with the same kind of antebellum architecture that was on the front of the main house. It even had black shutters. She’d expected it to be bare, except for the basics he’d said would be there, but when he opened the doors and switched on the light, she nearly passed out from what was before her.

“This is so different than what I expected,” she said as she took in the shabby-chic furniture. There was a French daybed that had been made into a little reading nook. On the other side of the room, an office had been set up with a beautiful white desk—very French. Everything was blue and white, except for the curtains, which were a gray-and-white toile.

“She was in the process of redoing the whole house. But she redid her office first. After she sold the shop, she continued to deal online, so she’d needed a dedicated space away from Dad. He gets—I mean, he got kind of loud when he was watching sports, and it drove her nuts.”

“Nothing in here is like what she has out in the garage,” she said. All the other items were very formal, very expensive; all of this was also chic, but in a more whimsical way.

“True. All that junk is pretty stuffy. I’ll show you tomorrow in more detail. Anyway, I was thinking, there’s air-conditioning and a shower and a bed. And you could use it for tonight. There’s even a good lock on the door, so you’d be safe.”

From him? As if she was worried about that now.

“Matt, you’re sweet. But I told you—”

“You’re not a damsel in distress. I know. But I am a worrier. The campgrounds are probably fine, but your ex might have some idea where you are and that bothers me. You said he wasn’t dangerous, but if he’s following your every move... I’d feel better if you were secure. Besides, you can use this as your office until you find more permanent digs. My mom would love that another antiques lover is using her space.

“And, um. Well...”

Was she really going to say no to staying in a palace fit for a princess? She couldn’t have dreamed of a more perfect space for herself. “Matt, what is it?”

“It’s probably asking a lot, given you’ve already agreed to handle the contents of my parents’ house and my new place. But the real estate agent said my parents’ house needed a makeover. I was going to paint and declutter it. Keep it simple. But I might make a lot more money with your insights. You can just add to the fee you were already planning on charging me. And like I said, I’ll have my lawyer draw up a contract, so everything is on the up and up.”

This guy was unreal. Or desperate.

“How bad off is the house?” she asked.

He scrunched up his face. “Uh, yeah... I was kind of hoping you’d say yes before I showed it to you.”

She chuckled. “That bad?”

“It’s clean... It’s... Maybe I should show you. And again, it’s okay if you say no. But every agent who came through kind of... Never mind, come with me.”

He closed the French doors to the pool house.

They went around the enormous pool to a set of sliding glass doors. When he opened the doors, which led into the kitchen, she stopped abruptly. It was very brown. Everything was very brown. The cabinets, the tiles, even the appliances. It was top of the line a few decades ago, but the agents had been right about the room needing an update. Oh, the checkered brown and white wallpaper with a fruit border had to go.

It was hard to meld the idea that the same woman who had the office in the pool house lived in this space.

“So, I can guess what you’re thinking. Since she had such good taste with the furnishings and the pool house, why was she living in the past?”

“We have a winner.” She gave him a big smile.

“There are some rooms she finished, like the guest rooms upstairs. But she worked all the time. Dad didn’t like change or mess, so it took her a while to convince him to let her redo the house. It was the only time I ever saw them argue. I mean, I wasn’t home much the last ten years, but every time I came back, she’d done a guest bedroom or bath. There are six of them. But any room Dad lived in, which was most of the downstairs, she was waiting until... And then...”

They’d died. So sad. It made her want to help him even more.

He showed her the rest of the house. The furnishings were lovely, but as they went from room to room, she knew of ways to freshen them up. Most of it wouldn’t cost too much.

“Are there wood floors under the carpet?” There was a lot of carpet. Most of it the short, taupe, shag type.

“I think so. The house has been here for over a hundred years.” Indeed, and those floors had been protected for a long time. She had a feeling they’d be in great shape.

“So, Matt. I can help you, but since we’re being honest, I should tell you that I’m not accredited. I went to college for design. But I dropped out my last year.” Much to the chagrin of her parents. She couldn’t blame them for being upset. They believed she had a hard time finishing things, and they weren’t always wrong.

Then there was her brother—nope. She wouldn’t think about that now. She needed to focus. Worrying about the past and what might have been was something she didn’t do anymore.

“Are you saying this might be too much?” He looked as if maybe he was going to take back his offer. She couldn’t blame him, either. They were standing at the breakfast bar.

“No. I’m saying that I don’t want to pretend to be something I’m not. I can do this job, all of it. Your river house, this place and what’s in it as well as what’s in storage. But I want you to understand what you’re getting. I mean, for all you know, I’m some chick who worked at a diner until yesterday and then decided she could decorate.”

He crossed his arms and then cocked his head as if he was thinking hard about what she’d said. “Nah. I trust you. Besides, you knew all those details about the furniture and you still handed over all that cash.”

She chuckled and folded her arms across her chest. “You really are desperate.”

“You have no idea.” As if he’d only then understood what he’d just said, he held up his hands in surrender. “I mean, with the houses. I’m...good...with the other stuff.”

“Listen, I’ve just drowned my phone, which had a lot of my portfolio on it, but if you have a laptop, I can show you some pictures of rooms I did before I got to Nashville. I worked at a couple of design firms in Italy and Paris. That’s why I left school—to travel the world for inspiration.”

“I believe you,” he said. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

Right then, a burden lifted off her shoulders. For years, she’d been trying to do just that, whether it was to herself or her parents or her bosses. But Matt had already accepted her for who she was.

“Thanks. It’s been a long time since someone has been so kind, or even believed in me. So thanks. Just...thanks.”

Why wouldn’t her mouth remain closed? So embarrassing.

What is wrong with me? With Matt she was either tongue-tied or couldn’t quit jabbering.

I’m tired. And he’s hot. Anyone would be confused around all of that sexy man energy. Besides, when was the last time she’d met a guy who was that caring?

Pretty much never. Guys she met always seemed to want something from her.

And while Matt needed help, she knew he was one of the good ones.

“So, you’ll stay in the pool house and advise me with this monstrosity of a house? You can add it to your portfolio. Come on, if you can make this a showplace, that ought to get you jobs anywhere.”

“The bones are here, and your mom did make a good start upstairs.” A wall of tired hit her and she yawned. “And yes, I’ll take you up on the pool house, at least for tonight.”

The grin on his face made her heart skip a beat.

“Great. We should change the sheets on the bed. I cleaned all the linens—they’re in the closet upstairs. I’ll get sheets and towels for you.”

“Matt...” She put a hand on his arm. “I slept at a truck stop last night, and I haven’t had a proper shower in two days. Old sheets aren’t a problem. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll get the sheets, anyway. And then I’ll carry your stuff in from the truck.”

She smiled as he took off. He was a good guy. A really good one.

Now, if only she could keep her hands off him.

He’s a client. Yes, albeit a fit, good-looking one. But she wouldn’t screw this up. Too much depended on it.

5

COFFEE. MATT NEEDED loads of it. Maybe a dump truck full. Most of the night he’d spent thinking about Chelly. About how easy it had been to invite her into his life. How much he wanted her near him. Wrong. That was the last thing she needed—him being possessive.

Having her around would be challenging enough.

Did he need some wandering woman who looked like an angel making his life more complicated? She would, of that he had no doubt, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself.

Part of her appeal was her strength. She didn’t want handouts, and it was tough for her to accept his kindness. If she’d been greedy or asked for a favor, he might not have been as accepting. But she hadn’t asked for anything.

She was a complication. After his last tour, and with everything that had happened with his parents, he should want space. Time alone to get himself together. For his life to make sense again.

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