go. But I’m buying. I reckon that’s the least I can do.” He watched Josh patiently rearrange the tools and close the box. “When do you leave to see your girl?”
“Not for three weeks. Fourth of July weekend.” Josh’s grin was wider than the Grand Canyon. “Can’t come fast enough.”
“You going all the way to New York?”
“Nope. Haley’s meeting me partway.”
“Where?”
Josh’s grin faded. “Why?”
Trace shrugged. “Just curious.” It was more than that. Haley had been a Sundance guest when Josh met her. She lived in Manhattan, and Trace had wondered how that would pan out for them. Josh had never doubted they could make it work, but Trace had. He hoped he wouldn’t be put to the same long-distance test with Nikki. “Come on, where are you guys meeting?”
Josh sighed. “Disneyland.”
“What?”
“You heard right.”
They were heading out of the barn but Trace stopped and laughed. “You haven’t seen Haley in how many months, and you’re taking her to Disneyland? Son, you need your head screwed on tighter.”
“It’s not me.” He held up his hands. “Haley wants to go there. I didn’t argue.” Josh narrowed his eyes. “If Nikki wanted to go to Siberia, tell me you wouldn’t be packed in two minutes.”
“Shut up.” Trace started walking again, veering off toward the house.
“You wanna ride with me to town?” Josh called after him.
“No, I’m taking my truck.”
“Right.” Josh’s laugh grated on his nerves. “In case you-know-who wants to go to Siberia.”
Trace flipped him off without a look back. A guest could’ve seen him, but so what. His mood wasn’t getting any better, and he figured he ought to skip dinner. Sitting at the table and trying to be nice would be torture. He wasn’t even hungry. And he sure as hell didn’t want to make small talk.
What a fool he’d been to think Nikki could be happy living here. She’d get bored sooner or later. Bored with Blackfoot Falls, bored with him. It wasn’t so much what she’d said about not being cut out for the country, it was how she’d said it. He had a bad feeling she’d already made up her mind.
It still appalled him to think he’d actually been tempted to discourage her from taking the money. If she was broke, she’d have to stay. But with all that cash, she could set herself up someplace real nice. Man, he couldn’t stand to think about her leaving. He had no right to ask her to stay, he knew that, but if the time came, he just might beg her.
That would be something. He never imagined he’d have to humble himself for a woman. Not that he thought he was too good for a little humility. Finding a willing woman had always been easy for him. The guys used to tease him about being able to pick and choose. It had been all in good fun, but it also had been the truth. He didn’t like this new game plan.
He stopped in the mudroom to scrape his boots. They were in terrible shape but not so bad they’d harm the wood floors. Rachel would yell if she saw him sneaking in with them on, but he didn’t care. Besides, he thought he’d heard her on the porch with the guests. It was beer and margarita time for them. And the perfect opportunity for him to creep upstairs unnoticed.
He opened the door to the kitchen and she stood right there in front of him, dropping a can into the recycle bin.
Her gaze went straight to his boots, eyes narrowing to a glare. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t want to hear it,” he said, putting up a warning finger. Hilda stood at the stove, and she turned in surprise at his rough tone. “Trust me. Bad time to get into it with me,” he added to make sure Rachel backed off.
“I know,” she said softly. “I really hate Wallace. I do.”
“Have you seen Matt?”
She shook her head. “We talked on the phone. I’ll see him later. How’s Nikki?”
“I know she went to work.” He rubbed the tension tightening the back of his neck. “Count me out for dinner.”
“Can I at least make you a sandwich?”
“No, thanks. I’m going to town...” He sighed. Hell, everyone knew about him and Nikki at this point. “To the bar. If I get hungry I’ll grab something at Marge’s.”
Rachel nodded. “Go. I’ll see you later.” She blinked, then her eyes rounded with surprise. “Maybe at the Lone Wolf,” she said, laughing and blushing. “Oh, God.”
“Ah.” He got