Mr. Congeniality Page 6

“They’re guys, not boys, and life’s boring without them.”

  Annie had once felt that way, but since separating from Spence she was enjoying the emotional peace of being single—at least for a while. “Life without guys doesn’t have to be boring,” she said. “There are so many other things to think about, to do and to try….”

  Nessa rolled her eyes. “I’m fifteen, Mom. I don’t want to think about anything else.” She grinned and sat back in her seat. “Being totally obsessed with guys is, like, my job.”

  Annie loved seeing her smile. “And my job is helping you know when enough is enough. This summer may turn out to be a great experience for you.” She pulled two menus from behind a napkin holder and passed one to her daughter. “We’ll just have to keep searching until we find something to interest you. There has to be some way to convince you that guys aren’t everything.”

  Nessa’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “You could talk Dean into getting a TV for the lodge. If he had cable or a satellite dish, I could at least keep up with the new music videos as they come out.”

  Annie shook her head, decided to order a strawberry milk shake and set the menu aside. “We’ve been here less than twenty-four hours, and I haven’t done a bit of work yet. I don’t think this is the best time to be asking for changes. Especially since Dean doesn’t seem inclined to make changes.”

  Frowning slightly, Nessa tucked her menu back into place. “Come on! It doesn’t hurt to ask. I’ll bet I could convince him to put in a dish.”

  Nessa could probably break through Dean’s crust if anyone could, but Annie shook her head and linked her hands together on the table. “Let’s wait awhile, okay? I haven’t figured out his moods yet, and I’m not entirely convinced he doesn’t bite.”

  Nessa giggled and leaned back in her seat. “Come on, Mom. He’s not that bad.”

  That was the first positive thing Nessa had said since they arrived, but it was one thing Annie couldn’t agree with her about. “You weren’t there when I met him yesterday.”

  “Well, Gary likes him. And so do Irma and Les, so how bad can he be?”

  “Not bad at all when he’s like he was this morning.” And last night. A waitress approached their table and Annie realized it wasn’t smart to be gossiping about her new boss, so after they placed their order, she changed the subject. “You haven’t told me what you think of Gary.”

  Nessa twirled a spoon on the table and took her time answering. “He’s funny. I like him.”

  “I’m glad. I like him, too. I’d forgotten how much fun he is to be around. I’d also forgotten what teases some of my family are. I guess it’s safe to say that you come by your love of teasing naturally.”

  Nessa started to answer but stopped when something outside captured her attention. Annie followed her gaze and recognized Dean’s black Dodge in the parking lot. She tried to decide which mood he was in, but he’d pulled the sun visor down in the windshield and she couldn’t see his face.

  “Who’s with him?” Nessa asked.

  “I have no idea. Let’s hope it’s someone who knows how to keep him happy.”

  Dean jumped from the truck and started toward the restaurant. A tall young man about Nessa’s age followed more slowly. Even from a distance, and in spite of the boy’s platinum-tipped spikes and mirrored sunglasses, Annie could see a striking resemblance between the two.

  When Nessa saw Dean’s companion more clearly, she straightened in her seat, the boredom flew out of her eyes, and a flush painted her cheeks. “Who’s that?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you think he’s going back to the ranch with us?”

  “I think we’re about to find out.”

  Nessa moved her shake to the center of the table so that it appeared as if Annie had ordered two for herself. She checked the front of her blouse as if she was afraid food had jumped onto it by mistake. “He’s hot, isn’t he?”

  Annie pretended not to understand. “Who? Dean?”

  “No.” Nessa scowled deeply. “The other guy.”

  She shrugged casually. “I guess so—for someone young enough to be my son.”

  Nessa darted a glance at her. “He’s hot, Mom.”

  “Okay. He’s hot.” The fact didn’t exactly thrill Annie, but guys seemed to be the only subject that sparked any real interest in Nessa.

  Nessa ran her hands across her hair and frowned slightly. “Do you really think Dean’s hot?”

  He was pleasant to look at, but Annie knew her daughter still had high hopes that her parents would get back together. She also knew that Nessa wasn’t ready for even a lighthearted discussion of Dean’s charms. Glancing at Dean’s broad shoulders and muscular thighs, she filled her mouth with strawberry ice cream. “I was joking.”

  Nessa relaxed slightly as Dean noticed them and started toward their table. Annie’s heart gave a strange little skip of anticipation. She told herself it was dread, stood and picked up her purse.

  “Let’s not keep him waiting. It might bring back the bad Dean.”

  Nessa slid out of the booth and Annie bent to retrieve her bags as Dean stopped beside their table. He glanced at their full glasses and waved them back to their seats. “You’re not finished.”

  “We’re ready to leave,” Annie assured him. “We were just killing time.”

  “We’re not in that much of a hurry. Sit down and finish.”

  Nessa sank back in her seat without arguing, but she seemed shocked to find a milk shake in front of her. Annie dropped back onto the bench and slid toward the window. When Dean showed no signs of leaving, she remembered her manners. “Would you like to join us?”

  Dean glanced at the young man who had pushed his glasses to the top of his head and was trying hard not to stare at Nessa. The kid’s gaze drifted across the top of Nessa’s head and glanced off her face. He lifted one shoulder and tried to give the impression that he didn’t care. “Sure. Why not?”

  Dean slid in beside Annie and left the opposite bench for the kids. Annie ignored the soft brush of his thigh and the feel of his arm grazing hers as he moved. “I’m Annie Holladay,” she said to the young man. “And this is my daughter, Nessa.”

  The boy’s eyes flicked across Nessa’s face again. “I’m Tyler.”

  “My nephew,” Dean added. “Tyler Bell.”

  That certainly explained the resemblance. Annie pulled her milk shake toward her and stirred it slowly with her straw. “Do you live nearby, Tyler?”

  The kid’s gaze drifted across the tabletop and landed for less than a heartbeat on Nessa’s cheek. “California.”

  Nessa’s eyes widened as if she’d never heard anything more brilliant. “What part of California?”

  “San Diego.”

  Annie tried not to let their mutual awareness disturb her, but it wasn’t easy to ignore. “So, you’re here for a vacation?” Please say yes. Please, please, please.

  Tyler toyed with the wrapper from Nessa’s straw. “Not exactly.”

  Once again, Dean filled in around Tyler’s answer. “Actually, Tyler’s here for the summer.”

  Annie’s stomach dropped.

  Nessa sat up straight and positively glittered. “The whole summer?”

  Tyler nodded, and this time his gaze actually locked on Nessa’s for a full second. “Afraid so.”

  “I know what you mean. My mom’s the cook, so we have to stay until after Labor Day.”

  The cook? Annie could have sworn she felt a headache coming on. Dean stiffened beside her and Annie realized how insulted he must feel to hear the kids complaining. She forced a light laugh and sent a look full of meaning at her daughter. “Listen to you two. You make it sound like staying here is a death sentence.” She turned to Tyler and added, “The ranch is beautiful. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

  Tyler glanced at Dean and rolled his eyes toward Nessa. “Yeah, well since there’s somebody else my age around maybe it won’t be so bad.”

  A flattering pink flush stained Nessa’s c
heeks and her eyes glistened. She appeared more interested in life than she had in a year. But that only made the pounding in Annie’s head worse.

  Yes, she’d been hoping to find something that would interest Nessa here in Montana…but this was not what she’d had in mind.

  BY SIX O’CLOCK, ANNIE was back at the lodge and in the kitchen. She’d been pleasantly surprised by the spacious room, with its huge windows overlooking the west side of the valley. The kitchen was well stocked with professional-quality appliances that were as good as any Annie had used in Chicago. It was a shame Dean wouldn’t let her use the kitchen to its full potential.

  She worked quickly, keeping one eye on the clock while she fixed barbecue ribs with her signature sauce instead of the bottled stuff Dean had provided. She wanted her first meal at the Eagle’s Nest to be special—as special as it could be considering the menus Dean had planned.

  As she finished peeling and slicing potatoes, she turned toward the sink and caught sight of Nessa sitting with Tyler on a log across the clearing. Annie tried not to be concerned about the obvious attraction between the two. Tyler was a distraction Annie hadn’t planned on having to compete with. She just hoped their interest in each other wouldn’t go too far.

  Tyler’s arrival might explain why Dean had been so snappy the day before. The tension between the two of them had certainly been thick. Dean might also have been edgy about meeting her. After all, he’d hired her sight unseen, based only on Gary’s word.

  The fact that Dean trusted Gary so much said a lot about their friendship, but Annie still wasn’t ready to relax completely around him.

  “Are you okay?”

  Irma’s question brought Annie’s head up with a snap. She let out a thin laugh and scanned the room to get her bearings, embarrassed that she hadn’t heard the other woman come in. “I’m fine,” she said, pulling a bell pepper onto the chopping block. “Just thinking.”

  Irma’s glasses seemed to ride perpetually halfway down her nose, giving the impression that she was in charge of the world and keeping an eye on it. “About anything special?”

  Annie shrugged casually. “I wouldn’t say that.”

  “How was your visit in town? Did you find what you needed?”

  “Almost,” Annie fibbed, tossing seeds into the trash. “I found several new outfits, including this one.” She untied her apron and held out her arms so Irma could get the full effect of the jeans and sleeveless western-cut shirt she’d picked out.

  “Looks perfect to me.” Irma nudged her glasses ineffectually. “How do you like it?”

  “The blouse is cool and comfortable, but I’d forgotten how stiff new jeans can be. It’s been years since I wore a pair. I’ll get used to them, though.”

  “They’ll be better after a few washes.” Irma checked the recipe Annie had left on the counter and pulled a casserole dish from a cupboard. “What about that girl of yours? How did she make out?”

  “Not so well.” Annie resisted the impulse to refuse Irma’s help. She preferred working alone, but she didn’t want to offend the only other woman at the Eagle’s Nest. And once guests started arriving, Irma would probably be too busy cleaning and keeping up with laundry to spend much time in the kitchen. “Are there any stores besides the ones we saw on Main Street?”

  “Not in Whistle River.” Irma buttered the dish and set it aside. “Guess we must seem small to you.”

  “Well, the town is a little smaller than we’re used to,” Annie admitted, “but it has a nice feel. I liked it.”

  Irma bobbed her head in satisfaction. “It’s a good town. Nice, friendly folks—at least most of ’em. There’s a few who aren’t, of course. One town’s like another that way. How’d Nessa like it?”

  “It’s a little small for her taste, I think. She’s used to having whatever she wants at her fingertips. But experiencing a different kind of life will be good for her. For both of us, actually.”

  “Life’s quiet here, but you’ll get used to it, eventually.” Irma wiped her hands on her apron and leaned against the counter. “Even Dean did, and that took some doing.”

  Annie cut open a head of cabbage and rinsed it under the tap. “Dean hasn’t lived here forever? That surprises me.”

  “Does it? I guess Gary didn’t tell you, then?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “What brought Dean to Whistle River.”

  Annie shook her head and set the cabbage on paper towels to drain. “I don’t even know much about what brought Gary here, except that he married a girl who lived around here. And we’re related. Gary’s an open book in some ways, and very private in others. And he never talks about other people.”

  Irma sent her a lopsided smile. “You’re right about that. Most of the time, I agree that a person’s stories are their own to tell. But Dean’s past spills over into the present at times, and if you’re going to work here it’s only fair that you know about it.”

  Annie laughed uneasily. She was curious, but it didn’t seem right to encourage Irma to share Dean’s secrets. “Maybe I should ask Dean…” she said hesitantly.

  “I wouldn’t suggest it.” Irma pulled a towel from a drawer and patted the cabbage dry. “I don’t know if you noticed Dean acting peculiar last night…?”

  “He was a little standoffish yesterday,” Annie admitted. “But he seemed okay today.”

  Irma laughed and began shredding the cabbage for coleslaw. “Standoffish is a gentle term for it. He was being a mule, and you know it.” She stopped working and wiped her hands on her apron. “Don’t get me wrong, I think the world of Dean. He can be one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet. Kind. Generous. Always willing to lend a hand or help someone in need.”

  Annie glanced at the door to make sure no one had come in behind her. “If you’d told me that yesterday, I’d have thought you were crazy.”

  “It’s the pain that makes him act a little different sometimes.” Irma wiped her hands on a towel. “I guess Gary also didn’t tell you that up until two years ago, Dean played baseball for the Baltimore Orioles.”

  “Professionally?” Annie wasn’t sure why that stunned her. He certainly had the body of an athlete, but he had the look of a lifelong cowboy. “He’s not very old. Why did he stop?”

  “Car accident.” Irma eyed the mound of cabbage on the counter. “He and a friend were hit by a drunk driver on the way home from a party.”

  Annie’s hands stilled. “And he was hurt?”

  Irma nodded. “His shoulder was mangled. The damage was too severe for him to keep playing.”

  “What about his friend?”

  Irma’s mouth pursed with disapproval, and Annie felt the heat of embarrassment creeping into her cheeks. She hadn’t meant to pry, but she must have stepped over an invisible line.

  “She escaped with only minor injuries, and that’s another story entirely. I’m only telling you this because it still affects him at times.”

  Annie nodded quickly. “I understand.”

  “Starting about four years ago, he came here for vacations during his off-season,” Irma continued after a brief pause. “Les met him on a trail ride he was guiding into the backcountry and he found out that Dean’s girlfriend was in Europe with her parents and Dean was planning to spend the holidays alone. We invited him to join us, and since then he’s become almost like another son to us. Our own boys live so far away and they’re busy with their own lives. Poor Les was having a tough time getting used to not being needed. And then Dean showed up and he was anxious to learn the things Les knew about roping and riding and such. Dean gave Les a new lease on life, and that’s no lie. But he’s been a different man since the accident, and sometimes he’s not so pleasant to be around.”

  Annie pulled the coleslaw bowl closer. “I had no idea he’d been through all that.”

  “Dean keeps quiet about his troubles for the most part. Doesn’t want anyone feeling sorry for him. He never talks about his career. I don’t think he lets himself even think a
bout it.”

  “I can understand that,” Annie said. “I just wish Gary had told me.” Maybe their mothers’ excuses for spreading family news wasn’t so off the mark, after all.

  “The two of ’em have gotten close as brothers in the past couple of years,” Irma said. “Dean was recovering from his accident and Gary had just been through his divorce when they met. They can bicker like cats and dogs, but in the end they’ll stick together. Dean doesn’t want people to know about his past, so Gary doesn’t tell. But there’s no way you’ll be here the whole summer and not encounter one of Dean’s bad spells. I thought you ought to know why it happens beforehand.”

  Annie nodded slowly. “Thank you. You said the pain makes him edgy. Does medication help?”

  “Not near enough.” Irma sent her a lopsided smile. “It’d help a whole lot more if he’d take the pills like the doctor orders. But he won’t, and there’s nothing anybody can say to convince him.”

  “That’s good to know, too.”

  Irma found a knife and pulled a bunch of scallions onto the chopping block. “You want my advice for how to deal with him?”

  Annie nodded quickly. “Absolutely.” They were going to be spending the entire summer together. She might as well find a way to get along.

  “Don’t feel sorry for him. Even more important, don’t ever let him get the best of you. Just give back as good as you get and I guarantee the two of you will get along fine.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  THE FIRE IN DEAN’S SHOULDER woke him long before his alarm was set to go off the next morning. He groaned and lay in the dark, willing the pain to recede as the sky slowly turned from ink to charcoal. Eventually, he admitted defeat, clenched his teeth and began the agonizing ritual of getting out of bed.

  Starting the day in agony meant he’d be useless before noon. With only six days until their first guests arrived, he couldn’t afford to lose even one. He swore under his breath and felt around in the dark for his prescription. He slid a pill into his mouth and gulped water from the bottle he kept on his nightstand, then leaned his head against the wall and waited.