Page 6 of Silverstorm

Aria liked this woman more and more. “What a great idea.” Her mind was turning over different concepts of how to let people know about this wonderful opportunity. “I’d need to know a bit more about what you’re planning,” Aria said. “Is this going to be a free event? Or are you going to charge? How long would it run for? How old would the kids be? Would their parents or guardians be involved? Are you going to rely on the Stargazer brand, or start your own from scratch?” Aria stopped talking and covered her mouth, embarrassed. She’d got so caught up with the idea, she’d let her mouth run away with her. “Oh, I’m sorry. I have a tendency to get carried away sometimes.”

Naomi sat back and laughed. “Don’t you worry. This is exactly what I need in my life. Someone to ask the hard questions. Some of those things you mentioned had never even crossed my mind before. Keep going, ask away.”

Aria spent the next twenty minutes brainstorming ideas, talking almost nonstop. Her coffee sat on the table, forgotten, growing cold, and Naomi’s half-eaten pastry also remained unfinished.

“I think we’re going to get on just fine,” Naomi said at last. “When can you start?”

“What? Oh…” Aria was so taken aback that Naomi had offered her the job on the spot that she was lost for words. “Really? Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. I like you, and I know Dean’s going to like you as well. Not that I need to ask his permission, this is my decision. So, what do you say?”

“Gosh. Thank you.” Aria could no longer contain herself and she leaped to her feet. “That is so great. I won’t let you down, I promise.” Except there was that one niggling thing that Aria had failed to mention. Guilt clawed at her belly, but she pushed it down. Now was not the time to tell Naomi about her little problem. There’d be time enough to sort through it later. And she needed the job now. Her need was greater than her loyalty to Naomi, or at least that’s how she justified it to herself.

And now she was outside, reveling in her new job. She couldn’t help herself; she skipped across the parking lot to her car. Just as she reached for the handle on her door, she heard a deep voice behind her.

“I take it your interview went well?”

She spun around and smiled at Jude, forgetting for a moment that she was supposed to be avoiding him. “Yes. I got the job. And Naomi is so lovely, just like you said. I can hardly believe it.”

He strode toward her, and she was so taken up with the size of him as he towered over her, looking all sexy and rugged in his uniform, that she ran out of words. So tall she had to tilt her head back to look in his eyes. Nothing like Beau, who was short—only slightly taller than her, some might say he was almost chunky—and blond. She should’ve remembered to put her guard up, but she was so excited by the good news that she gave him another warm smile. He removed his hat to run a hand through his hair, and she marveled at his curly locks for the second time that day.

“When do you start?”

“Tomorrow.” She could hardly believe it. But she was just as keen to dive into the job as Naomi was. Her life had taken a turn for the better, and she was going to grasp this opportunity with both hands.

“Did they offer you a room? They have staff quarters for single employees,” he said, hazel eyes flashing in the midmorning sunshine. They were an interesting color, almost a pale green in the sunlight, with a darker ring around the outside.

Her mood deflated slightly as she dragged her gaze away from his face. That was the one fly in the ointment. Naomi had mentioned they’d normally offer full-time staff accommodation, but they were in the process of renovating the staff quarters, leaving them short a few rooms. And it also seemed they were overflowing with new staff at the moment, having taken on a new ranch hand and an extra apprentice cook. But that was okay. Aria hadn’t known that accommodation on the ranch was even an option, so it was no real loss. She’d just have to spend another week or so in her car until she got her first payment. Then she could start looking for a room to rent.

“No, but that’s okay. I’m…self-sufficient.”

He leaned a casual hip against her car, and she could feel his presence almost as if it was a physical touch. Or was that just her mind wanting something it couldn’t have? She wanted him to touch her.

“You mean your sister’s place?”

She turned her head away. “Yes, that’s right.”

He studied her for a few seconds; she could feel his gaze boring into the back of her neck. “Well, that’s great news, anyway. Congratulations.” He pushed away from her car and she sucked in a breath of relief as the tension between them decreased the farther away he got. “I’ll look forward to seeing you around town.”

“Yes,” she replied, a little too brightly. “Thank you for your help this morning. I’ll make sure to get these tires fixed.”

He tipped his hat in her direction and got into his cruiser. She watched him drive away, then hopped into her own car. “Come on, Gandalf, things are looking up.” She started the engine and followed Jude’s trail of dust down the long driveway.

She was feeling so upbeat as she drove along with the window down, listening to the gravel crunch under her wheels, enjoying the big sky so blue above, that she made a decision. Possibly a rash decision, but she was feeling invincible today, so why the hell not?

Jude had mentioned Iliana’s new husband had taken over the Skyridge Ranch, and she thought she might know where that was. She had a vague idea it was farther out on this same road, right on the edge of Painted Rocks State Park. She cringed a little inside when she remembered the strange look Jude had given her when she insisted she was staying with her sister. Because if she had been, she was coming from the wrong direction to get to Stargazer. One more reason he probably didn’t believe her lies.

It was time she paid her sister a visit. Time to find out once and for all if she was welcome back in this town.

Turning right onto the main highway, she drove well below the speed limit, slowing to check the names on all the mailboxes she passed. This might be a fruitless search, a silly way to try and track down her sister, but she had all day to spare, and she was enjoying the fall sunshine, the pretty fall colors of the turning leaves shimmering in the breeze.

Nearly twenty minutes later, she reached the sign posting the entrance to Painted Rocks State Park and was about to give up and turn around when she spied a large, new mailbox almost opposite the entrance, with the name Doncaster proudly displayed on top.

This was it. She’d found it. Her stomach suddenly clamped in a tight knot. What if Iliana didn’t want to see her? Her car stood idling in the middle of the road as she peered down the driveway, trying to make up her mind. The roof of a large, cream-colored homestead was barely visible between the trees lining the driveway. Open paddocks stretched away on each side, a few lazy cattle grazing the last remaining fall grass. It looked idyllic. The perfect country getaway.

As she continued to dither, a car appeared in her rearview mirror. She’d either have to pull over to let it pass, or keep going.

She turned down the driveway. Peering over the top of the steering wheel, she watched as the homestead grew closer. It was as neat as a pin and picture perfect, and Aria’s heart expanded just a little. Good on Iliana for finally getting her life on the right track. For finding a nice man and a nice place to bring up a family. At least one of them had managed to break free from the stink of their family problems. It seemed Iliana had finally left the past behind. She wondered if Tango had ever been out here. Had he even attended the wedding? She doubted it, he rarely left the family home. And he may not have even been invited. Iliana had left home as soon as she was able to get away from their father. Their relationship had been practically nonexistent ever since. Aria didn’t think it’d ever be easily mended, certainly not for something Tango would’ve considered as frivolous as a wedding.

---