A Second Chance at Crimson Ranch Read online

  She sucked in a breath at the thought.

  This was hopeless. What had made her think she could extricate herself from the shadow of Craig’s deception and make a home in this town? She didn’t belong in Crimson.

  Emotions flooded her and she turned to flee, only to run into someone. Someone tall and extremely solid. She glanced up to find Logan Travers staring down at her. She saw a look of understanding pass through his eyes and nearly groaned. Of course he would have heard the accusation Jeremy had thrown at her. She wondered briefly if it was possible to actually die of embarrassment.

  His hands felt warm on her arms as he set her back a few steps. “You’re not running,” he whispered, then raised his head to greet Jeremy. “It’s been a while, Jeremy. How are things?”

  The other man’s gaze swung between her and Logan, clearly trying to come up with a connection. “I’m getting by,” Jeremy answered. “I’m surprised to see you back in town, Travers. With the way things were going, I figured you’d have ended up in jail by now.”

  Olivia’s breath caught at the blatant rudeness of the words.

  Logan didn’t seem to mind. One corner of his mouth lifted. “I turned things around. It happens.”

  “Construction attracts all types. Lots of guys just hanging on to the edges of the business to stay afloat.” Jeremy gave a jerky nod. “I hear you’re building houses in Telluride.”

  “Things are good down there. I’ve been lucky with the people I’ve gotten to know. Some builders care about doing things right. Others cut corners wherever they can.” His blue eyes met Olivia’s gaze. “I stopped by the community center building the other day. There are some problems with the wiring and insulation you’re going to want fixed before you continue.”

  Jeremy took a step forward. “Are you hinting that those problems are my fault?”

  Logan shrugged. “I’m saying it’s important to get the right people working on the project.”

  “You’ve got some nerve, Travers.” Jeremy Dempsey’s temper was back in full force. “I remember when you were a scrawny kid running wild around this town. You and your sister raising holy hell all over the place.”

  “A lot has changed since then,” Logan answered casually but Olivia saw a muscle tick in his jaw.

  Jeremy must have realized he’d stepped over some invisible line because his attention turned to Olivia. “I don’t want anything to do with your project and I’ll make sure no other contractor in Crimson will, either.”

  “It’s a community center for Crimson,” she said, trying not to sound as desperate as she felt. “I’m doing this to help the town.”

  “You could help by leaving,” Jeremy said. “No one here needs the reminder of anyone or anything associated with Craig Wilder.”

  He turned on his heel and stomped off toward the front of the store.

  She would have gone after him but Logan’s hand clamped around her wrist. “You’re better off without his help.”

  She shook off his grasp. “Easy for you to say. I need a contractor. I can’t exactly renovate the building on my own.”

  An older man walked into their aisle, took something from the shelf and turned away without making eye contact. Great. She wondered how many people had overheard her argument with Jeremy. She’d never liked the guy but knew he was well-connected in the community.

  She’d been running on adrenaline since her meeting at the mayor’s office earlier in the week, but now her shoulders slumped under the weight of the task before her. She felt Logan’s searching gaze and bit down on her lower lip. “I’m not going to lose it,” she assured him.

  He didn’t look convinced. “Let me buy you a cup of coffee while we talk.”

  “I think you’ve done plenty of talking this morning.” She walked past him up the aisle and out of the store, ignoring the stares from the men at the front counter.

  To her surprise, Logan followed her down the street. Although it was sunny and clear, the air was still frigid and a layer of packed snow covered the streets.

  “I’m sorry, Olivia,” he said when she stopped at her Mercedes SUV. He turned her to look at him. His broad shoulders blocked the sun, but its reflection shone in his blond hair and highlighted his strong features and jaw line.

  He was so handsome in broad daylight. It was a little difficult for Olivia to meet his gaze. She’d never been comfortable around really masculine men. The alpha type was far too intimidating. And everything about Logan screamed alpha male to her.

  “It’s fine,” she mumbled, dropping her gaze to the sidewalk.

  “I did go to the building site,” he told her.

  “Why?” she asked. “What does the community center matter to you?”

  “I have an interest in design. I like to work on renovations rather than new construction, especially historic buildings. I have a few more days in town and it made me curious.”

  “And you found problems?”

  “Nothing huge or structural.” He shrugged. “I don’t think Jeremy was doing his best work. You can find someone better. This is the slow season in construction. Lots of guys should have the time to fit this in.”

  She kicked her boot against a pile of dingy snow at the curb. “Not likely now.” She paused as an idea struck her. “Unless you take over the construction.”

  So much for avoiding alpha males.

  “No way,” he answered quickly.

  “Why not?” she countered, raising her gaze to meet his. “Jeremy isn’t going to come back on the project, and who knows how long it will take to find another contractor. With the tight timeline, I need someone I can count on.”

  “What makes you think you can count on me?” His expression was guarded as he studied her.

  It was crazy but the longer she thought about it, the more Olivia was convinced Logan could help her. That maybe he was the only person she could trust right now. “You’re Josh’s brother. I know he would vouch for you. That’s a pretty strong reference.”

  “You heard Jeremy. My reputation in Crimson isn’t the best.”

  “We all make mistakes.”

  “Mistakes,” he repeated, laughing softly. “Right.” He looked past her to where the mountains sat in the distance. Olivia loved those mountains and realized she’d do whatever she had to do to stay living in their shadow. “I left here a long time ago. This isn’t my home anymore.”

  “You just said it’s a slow season for construction. The whole thing should be finished in six weeks. There’s an apartment over my garage that’s empty. You can stay there.”

  “You don’t know me well enough to offer me a job and a place to live.”

  “The fact that I don’t know you is why I need you to take this job. You won’t be affected by the gossip.” As a brisk wind whipped down the street, Olivia started to zip up her puffer jacket, but it got caught in the fabric. She struggled with it as she spoke. “You saw how Jeremy treated me, how those men in the store looked at me. I’m quite the topic of conversation in certain circles these days. Most people are supportive, but for others it’s my fault that Craig had a wandering eye. I don’t like it and I don’t want it to detract from the community center. You’re the only person outside of my small group of friends who doesn’t look at me with pity.” She pulled harder on her coat, embarrassed that her fingers shook slightly. Glancing up at him, she said, “I can’t take any more pity in my life, Logan.”

  His mouth opened as if he would argue but then shut again. He took a few quick steps away from where they stood, then stalked back. “This is a bad idea.” He reached out to brush her hands aside. His long fingers gently worked the zipper free of the snag. He zipped up the coat to her chin, his knuckles grazing her jaw as he finished.

  “But you’ll do it,” she suggested, her voice the tiniest bit breathless.

 
“I never was known for my good judgment,” he answered. “Yes, I’ll help you.”

  “You won’t regret it. I promise.” She smiled despite her nerves. “Would you be more comfortable staying with Josh and Sara? I’m sure they would—”

  “The apartment is fine,” he interrupted. “At the ranch I’ll only be in the way. I need to drive down to Telluride for a few days and wrap up some loose ends. My roommate can take care of the house while I’m gone.”

  Roommate? Olivia couldn’t help but wonder if that person was a woman or man. None of her concern. This arrangement was strictly business. She knew without a doubt that Logan Travers was too much for her.

  Too attractive, too young, too dangerous.

  Still, she felt relieved to have him working on the renovations with her. Something deep inside her relaxed with the knowledge that she wasn’t alone on this project. She tried to convince herself it was simply having a contractor to handle the construction, but a part of her knew it had more to do with the man standing before her.

  She took her cell phone from her purse and handed it to him. “Put your number in and I’ll text you my address. I have some things to take care of in Denver over the weekend. We could meet at my house Monday morning, and I’ll show you the plans and where we are on the project. You can get moved in, then we’ll go from there.”

  He watched her for several long moments, those ice-blue eyes giving nothing away. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked finally.

  I have no idea what I want, Olivia thought silently. Her plan was crazy, impulsive and the exact opposite behavior anyone would expect from Olivia Wilder.

  “I’m positive,” she answered.

  Chapter Three

  The following Monday, Logan let himself into the building at the edge of town that soon would house the community center Olivia was working so hard to make happen. There was no lock on the front door, something he planned to change today. Although the rooms were still under construction and unusable, he didn’t believe in taking any chances.

  As if in answer to his concerns, he heard a sound coming from the far end of the building. He made his way through the early morning shadows, careful not to make any noise as he walked.

  The glow of a flashlight was visible in the large room that occupied the back half of the first floor. He stepped through and realized he needn’t have worried about noise. The preteen boy who was currently spray painting a large B on the wall wore headphones. Logan could hear the bass echo in the empty space. The kid wore a flannel hoodie and jeans that rode low on his narrow hips. His dark brown hair was sleep tousled as he concentrated on his task.

  When the boy started on an i, it was clear where the graffiti was headed. Wordlessly, Logan approached from behind, grabbing the hood of the boy’s sweatshirt with one hand and ripping the headphones off with the other.

  “What do you think you’re doing, punk?”

  The kid flailed, arms and legs flying as he tried to fight his way out of Logan’s grasp. Logan figured he had more than a foot plus a good fifty pounds on the boy. It wasn’t difficult to capture his wrists before shoving him into the wall.

  “L-let go of me,” the boy yelled.

  “Not until you answer my question.”

  “What’s it look like?” The kid’s tone was surprisingly belligerent, but Logan felt a tremor of fear slide down his arms. “I’m sending a message.”

  “Who’s it for?” Logan asked, although he could guess the answer.

  “Olivia Wilder,” the kid said with a sneer. “She’s the biggest bi—”

  “Watch it,” Logan cautioned, pressing the boy a little harder against the wall. “She happens to be a friend of mine. What’s your beef with Olivia?”

  The boy’s thin shoulders tensed and he was silent so long that Logan thought he might not answer. “My mom took off with her husband,” the kid finally mumbled. He deflated so suddenly, Logan had to practically hold him up so he didn’t sink to the floor.

  Logan sighed as the situation became clear. “What’s your name?”

  “Jordan.” The answer came through gritted teeth.

  “How old are you, Jordan?”

  “I’ll be thirteen in two weeks.”

  “Jordan, I’m going to let go of your wrists now so we can talk man-to-man. But I’m warning you that if you try to run away, I’ll catch you and it won’t be pretty.”

  Slowly, Logan released the boy’s arms. He backed up a couple of steps and waited for Jordan to turn toward him.

  “Are you going to call the sheriff?”

  “Not yet. I’d like to see if we can work this out ourselves.”

  Jordan picked up the headphones Logan had knocked to the ground and placed them around his neck, keeping his gaze firmly away from Logan.

  “I’m sorry about your mom,” Logan said finally.

  Jordan’s head shot up and his eyes blazed. “Olivia is the one who should be sorry. My dad says that if she’d been more of a woman, her husband wouldn’t have needed to go after Mom.”

  “Have you heard from her since she left?”

  “She’s called a couple of times.” Jordan’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. “She’s in Arizona. Told me she loves me and that I can visit her over the summer. My dad yells, then begs her to come back. I don’t care if she ever comes back, and I’m not going to see her.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Logan said quietly. “But it’s not fair to blame Olivia. She didn’t force your mother to leave.”

  “But my dad—”

  “I understand what your dad is saying. He’s angry. This must be really hard on him.”

  “He sits on the couch in the dark every night. I can’t even get him interested in any hockey games, and he loves hockey.”

  “He loves your mom, and he’s hurting. I imagine you are, too.”

  “I don’t care about her,” Jordan said, his voice an angry hiss. “It wasn’t like she was a good cook or anything. I can heat up frozen dinners myself.”

  Logan felt a mix of sympathy and admiration for the kid. He remembered what it was like to put on a tough attitude to mask the real pain and how much trouble that could lead to. He pointed to the letters on the wall. “You’re going to have to clean that up.”

  “I’ll be late for school.”

  “Enough time this morning to write out one word but not much else?”

  Jordan glared at him.

  “Come back after school. Wear old clothes because you’ll be repainting that wall.”

  “What if I don’t show?”

  “Crimson is a small town, buddy. It won’t be hard to track you down.” Logan picked up the can of spray paint and the flashlight. The room was beginning to brighten as morning dawned more fully. “I’m going to be working on renovations for this building, and I’ll come looking for you if there’s any vandalism while I’m here. But I’m going to need an extra hand for the small stuff. You interested in making some money?”

  The kid’s eyes widened. “You’re going to give me a job after I did this?”

  “Give me your dad’s number and I’ll run it by him. I’ll have an answer by the afternoon. We all make mistakes.” Logan smiled as he repeated Olivia’s words from yesterday. “You get this chance on one condition. You need to leave Olivia alone. Your mom leaving wasn’t her fault.”

  “Some people are saying—”

  Logan cut off Jordan’s words with a wave of his hand. “Some people are idiots. Don’t be one.”

  “Fine,” the kid said on a huff of breath.

  Logan held out his hand. “Give me your headphones.”

  Jordan shook his head. “No way. These are Beats. Do you know how much they cost?”

  “I do.” Logan took a step forward. “You can have them back once
the wall is clean.”

  Jordan muttered a few choice curse words under his breath but handed over the headphones. He picked up his backpack from the floor. “School lets out at three. I’ll be here after that.”

  “See you then.” Logan took a deep breath as he watched the kid disappear through the doorway. He’d come back to Crimson for his brother’s wedding and now he had a job in town and a potential delinquent on his hands.

  For someone who prided himself on keeping his personal connections to a minimum, today was a big departure. He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to offer Jordan work, other than recognizing a boy who was carrying a lot of emotional baggage on his shoulders and who might need an outlet for some of that pent-up anger and frustration. Maybe if someone had given Logan a little help years ago, his life wouldn’t have gone off track.

  He certainly felt out of his comfort zone right now.

  He took some measurements and made notes about the state of the progress before heading to the address Olivia had given him. He walked the few blocks to her house near the center of town, hoping the morning cold would clear his muddled head.

  The house was situated on a block of renovated Victorian two-stories. It had a large front porch. The exterior had been painted a sage green with white trim and shutters framing each of the windows. As a kid, he’d walked these streets with his twin sister, imagining which of the homes they’d want to move to. Anything would have been an improvement over the dilapidated farmhouse outside of town they’d grown up in. His oldest brother, Jake, still owned the land, but the house had burned down in a fire a few years after their mother’s death.

  As he stepped onto the porch, the front door opened. Olivia smiled nervously and gestured him inside. “I saw you coming up the sidewalk,” she explained quickly. “Not that I was watching or waiting. I happened to be near the window...watering a plant...and you were...well, come on in.”

  He smiled as color crept into her cheeks and felt the anxiety his memories produced slip away. She wore a cream-colored turtleneck sweater and slim pants that made her legs look a mile long. Her hair was pulled back again, and he realized he wanted to see it down around her shoulders. To know whether it was straight or held a bit of curl, if it all would feel as soft in his hands as the bit he’d fingered during their dance.