The Rancher Meets His Match (The Millers of Morgan Valley #4) - Kate Pearce Page 0,13
town started this infill project to make sure that all the historic buildings in Morgantown, and anything industrial, got a makeover and became useful. Chase Morgan is chairperson of the committee, and he’s invested a lot of his own money into making the trust workable.”
“He’s a multimillionaire. He can afford it.” Julia drank some tea, suddenly aware that Kaiden had left his coffee on the table. “It’s probably some kind of tax break for him.”
“So cynical.” Juan chuckled. “Just like your mother.” He pointed at the coffee. “Why don’t you take that down to Kaiden while I sit here and enjoy the sun?”
“I don’t know where he is.” Julia felt herself blushing.
“Didn’t you listen to a word he said? He’s in the old movie theater.” Juan pointed out onto the street. “It’s right on the corner opposite the Red Dragon Bar. It’s a five-minute walk at most.”
* * *
It was hard not to stop and look at the shops that ran along both sides of Main Street. There were some familiar ones like Maureen’s General Store, and Daisy’s flower shop, and some newer places like a coffee shop that smelled divine. Aware that Kaiden’s coffee was rapidly cooling down, Julia kept walking until she reached the crosswalk where the Red Dragon Bar sat on the corner. Even the bar looked in far better shape and had a new coat of paint.
She crossed the street and looked up at the unassuming façade of the old movie theater with its faded fake frontage, and the overhanging porch with spiral metal poles holding up what had once been an etched glass entryway. There was no open door in the front, so she walked around the back. She heard Kaiden whistling before she saw him and paused in the doorway to observe him until he looked up.
“Hey.”
She held up the coffee. “You forgot this.”
His smile brought out the dimple in his cheek. He’d always had a twinkle in his gray eyes and the kind of face that looked like he was inviting you to share a joke. She’d been one of the rare people not to fall for it because there had always been a watchfulness behind his gaze, as if he needed you to like him a little too much. And somehow, as if he’d known he didn’t fool her, his comments to her had often been barbed.
“What?”
Julia blinked as he advanced toward her.
“You’re staring at me.” Kaiden angled his head and studied her. “Are you considering running off with my coffee after all?”
“I wouldn’t do that.” To avoid touching him, she set it down on his cluttered workbench. “I suspect there is much better coffee at that café a few doors down.”
“Yeah, Yvonne’s is great.” Kaiden leaned back against the bench, his arms folded across his chest. He wore a tool belt low around his hips like a gunslinger. “If you like, we could have lunch there one day.”
It was Julia’s turn to stare. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
His brow creased. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you’ve always disliked me, and I bet you have some opinions about daughters who don’t come back to see their fathers very often.”
He whistled. “Er, I think you’re projecting here.”
“I’m not—I’m just trying to work out what your game is.”
“What game? You look stressed. I was just trying to be neighborly. There’s no need to take everything the wrong way.” He glanced down at his workbench and moved a screwdriver. “If you ask me, it looks like you just want someone to argue with right now.”
“Why on earth would you think that?” Julia asked. “I don’t know what to do about my dad, my brother isn’t returning my calls, and I’ve got about a hundred problems with my day job.” She shook her head. “Trust me, I really don’t need to get into it with you right now, Kaiden Miller.”
“Okay.” He picked up his coffee and retreated to the other side of his workbench. “As I said, if you want to talk about any of this stuff, give me a call.”
For some reason his calmness was fast becoming irritating.
“Is this amusing for you?” Julia asked slowly. “Because I’m not feeling it. But why should I be surprised? You’ve been making fun of me your whole life.”
“Wow, that’s some leap.” Kaiden’s smile abruptly disappeared. “Thanks for bringing the coffee, Julia. I’ll be up to the ranch this weekend with some preliminary plans to discuss with Juan.”