Page 17 of For Always
“She was invited,” Tyler intervened as Jagger dared to glance at Dessie after his slick questions that were definitely aimed at Dessie’s remarks about Brooke.
Tyler stood from the table and walked until he was standing in front of Gabriella. She smelled good. Like flowers and sunshine. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and her make-up was light and natural so that she looked more like a high school teenager than a businesswoman. But Tyler knew that comparison was deceiving. After the kiss they’d shared last night, there was no mistaken that Gabriella Bennett was all woman, with passion burning bright just beneath her very pretty surface.
“Grab some coffee and a cinnamon bun,” he said to her. “I’ll get cleaned up and then we can get started.”
“Sure,” she replied.
She met his gaze, but then looked down at her feet, before lifting her head and looking across the room toward the counter where the coffeepot was. Tyler hoped he wasn’t making her uncomfortable. Just as he’d hoped all through the night that kissing her hadn’t made their future dealings too uncomfortable to bear. As for the way he was feeling standing just a few feet away from her, well, never before had denim capri pants and a simple gray V-neck shirt turned him on.
When he realized he’d been standing there looking her up and down as well, Tyler shook his head.
“I’ll just be a few minutes,” he said.
“Right,” she nodded and quickly moved away from the doorway. “I’ll just get some coffee.”
“Finally,” Jagger said from behind them with an exaggerated sigh.
Was she really that intent on messing this up?
Gabriella set her bag in a chair and lay her sunglasses on the table, before crossing the room to stand in front of the coffeepot. She let her hands rest on the granite countertop and stared straight ahead for a few moments. The sun left a hazy golden glow over the land. Acres of grass stretched across the landscape until cattle looked almost like specks in the distance as they grazed. It was a soothing sight, one that helped in calming Gabriella from the panic attack she was certain would overtake her in the next few minutes. She breathed in slow, releasing the breath in measured beats, just like the online articles had advised.
Gabriella hadn’t utilized the mental health benefits of her health insurance. She could have made an appointment with a psychiatrist and received medication to deal with her trauma and the stress and anxiety that had engulfed her since that day. And she could have called a psychotherapist to help her sort through the emotions that raged through her like a tsunami. She could have had help working through these past months and then she probably wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed with the thought of failing at this very moment. But she hadn’t. She’d decided she could handle it on her own. And she’d done pretty well. At least she thought so.
“Fresh cream is in the refrigerator,” she heard Dessie say and was jolted from her self-treatment.
“Verna used to run this house like a well-oiled machine but I figured in the past few weeks things had been left alone. If the plan is to keep this place, hiring a house manager might be good. Stephen’s wife, Naomi, is a delight. She worked here a couple summers while she was in college,” Dessie continued.
Gabriella poured the coffee into her cup and went to the stainless steel sub-zero refrigerator to retrieve the cream. She poured some in her cup and decided to forego the sugar. She didn’t need that additive to make her feel anymore jittery than she already did. And she didn’t know if the coffee was decaf or not.
When she turned again and headed for the table, it was to see that Jagger had left as well.
“He doesn’t like me very much,” Gabriella said as she took a seat and set her mug on the table.
Not that it bothered her. She was good with people not liking her. It was their problem, not hers. But Jagger was a client too. So there was that.
Dessie shook her head. “He’s not sure if he likes himself,” she said. “The thing about death is that it can be eye-opening for some and soul-searing for others. I’ve known this family since Verna and I were young girls in high school together. I’ve changed those boys’ diapers, put bandages on their scars, yanked them up when they were out showing off, and cried with my best friend when each of them moved away because Verna knew they had no intention of coming back.”
“Until now,” Gabriella said sadly. “They only came back because of their parents’ death.”
Dessie peeled another apple and set it in the bowl. The full lips, painted in a natural color lip gloss, sank into a frown and she shook her head faster, breathing in deeply. She didn’t want to cry and Gabriella felt bad that she was bringing on a conversation that made tears well into the woman’s eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said and reached over to touch Dessie’s hand.
“No,” Dessie said and sniffed. “Don’t be. Death isn’t always a sad occasion. Sometimes the good Lord calls his laborers home. George and Verna did all that they were meant to do on this earth. It was their time.”
Even if someone else chose to take them out? Gabriella wasn’t certain she believed Dessie’s words, but if it made the woman feel better, then she would let it be.
“So you’re here with your designs and ready to tackle this project I see,” Dessie said after clearing her throat.
“Yes. I did a little research last night after dinner and I think I’m ready to get a better idea of the job,” Gabriella said.
She could hear her phone buzzing from her purse and after taking a sip from her cup, she reached over to the chair beside her to grab the phone.
“It’s a great ranch. George was really good at working the land he had and raising the best cattle in this region. His father and grandfather taught him well. And then what he started doing with the horses. That was Verna’s idea. She loved horses. But that even started to pick up. Westwind was also becoming known for its budding stud farm. George forked over some good money to purchase prized studs. They were getting ready to…what, wait a minute, are you okay baby?” Dessie asked.
Gabriella could hear her speaking but she didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Her gaze was fixed on the message on the screen of her phone and her heart was pounding loudly. She read the message again:
I want you back. I’ll do whatever to make it happen.
