Page 6 of Edge of Paradise

"I know what you're thinking," she told him with a quaver in her voice. "I didn't mean to stay away so long. I just got so caught up in my work and my life, and it was so far away from here. It's expensive to live in a big city, and it never seemed like there was enough money to take time away from work, let alone the money for a ticket. Before you say what I can tell you are going to say, I know he would have sent me the money for a ticket, but I couldn't ask him for it. I never wanted to let him know things were as hard as they were."

He considered her for a long, quiet moment with eyes so intense she swore there was weight to his gaze. When he spoke, his voice was warmer than it had been since he walked in the door. "He would have helped you. He would have done more than spring for a ticket, but I think you know that." His head tilted to the side, and the corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. "I think that's probably why you didn't tell him. He talked a lot about your stubbornness and your hardheaded pride. I guess he knew you well."

"Yeah." She smiled a little herself and used the corner of her sleeve to wipe away the tears. "He sure did. Better than anybody in the whole world. Sometimes I think he's the only one who ever knew me at all."

With a small burst of efficient energy, Jaxon pushed to the edge of his seat and started arranging folders with decisive movements as he spoke. "All right then. No sale. This folder goes in the shredder as soon as I get back to the office." He stuffed it into his briefcase then took out three other folders to replace it. "Now, since you are keeping the place, there is a whole list of topics we have to cover instead. For starters, the pruning of the fruit trees needs to be completed, and the brush needs to be gathered and burned. Then you have to decide on fertilization; your uncle didn't like the last company he hired out to do it, so he was in the process of finding a new one. You also need to get someone in here to sheer the sheep. Wally was putting that off, and now you are running the risk of being late…"

And on and on he went. Andie thought her mind was going to explode with all the information he dumped on her. Everything from managing the money and hiring field hands to waste disposal and burn days. It was so overwhelming that she was sure she had already forgotten more than two-thirds of what he told her by the time he finally packed up his fancy briefcase and headed for the door.

"Look." He paused and turned to look at her on the wide, weather-beaten porch. His gaze was no longer coolly professional; now it was warmed with concern and—unless grief had knocked her way off her game—interest. "I'm going to be here for you. This is a lot to take on, and I will help in any way I can. Just take it one step at a time." He smiled as he shrugged into his jacket, and Andie couldn't help but notice how defined his muscles were when his shirt and that already snug vest were pulled taught over his chest. "So, the first step for you is getting a hired hand in here to help you with the day-to-day stuff. The neighbor kid Logan is a good fit for that. He's been helping out around here off and on for most of his life, so he knows the animals and what needs to be done. His number is on the chalkboard by the kitchen phone."

"Okay," she agreed, since he seemed to be waiting for her compliance before he left. "On the chalkboard."

"Word of warning for you though. His father is the one who was set on buying this place, so I can't imagine he's going to be thrilled you've decided to stay."

"Oh." She felt a weight sink into her tummy like a lump of cold oatmeal. "He's going to be mad, isn't he? Do you think it's all right to offer his son the job then?"

"Sure it is." He gave her a baffled look. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, if he's bound to be upset at not getting the place, doesn't it stand to reason he'll think I'm being insensitive or rude? Like I'm rubbing his nose in what he can't have?"

The man just squinted at her in that universal way all men seemed to do when faced with a thought based on emotion from a woman. Looks like the hot executor was just a man after all.

"Umm," he hedged, still squinting, "yeah, I think you still should. He's a good kid, and his dad would probably take it worse if you didn't hire him on, since he'd practically been the hired hand here anyway."

"Good point. Okay, I'll do that then." She nodded, relieved to have a positive way to look at the situation.

"First thing." One last squint, and then he turned that Clint-like stare out onto the property spread before them. "From the looks of this place, I'd say they've been coming over here every day already. Put my mind at ease and call as soon as you get in the house. Deal?" When he turned back to look at her again, his expression eased to an encouraging smile when she nodded and promised she would do just that.

As Andie watched the handsome Jaxon Blake slide smoothly into his classic red convertible, she wondered why a man with his looks and skill had chosen to open shop in such a small backwater town as this. Surely, from what she'd seen of him so far, he could have made a killing in a big city. So, why was he hiding out in the sticks?

"Oh well." She shrugged to herself. "Not my business. Time to tend to what is." Then she marched back into the house and straight for the kitchen phone, so she could make that promised first step.

Chapter 3

"What the hell do you mean she's not gonna sell?" Luke was sure he missed a step somewhere; he just couldn't see where.

"I mean," Jax told him in a voice way too calm and serious for this to be a joke, "that Wally's niece has decided to keep the farm."

"No." Luke thought his head was going to explode with this news on top of everything else that had gone wrong lately. "No fucking way. That woman hasn't bothered to drag her ass down here for eight years, and now, after all this time, she decides to goGreen Acreson me?" They were in Luke’s barn, since Jax had shown up when he was mucking out the stalls and Luke saw no reason to stop working just because the overpaid pansy stopped by to chat. Luke snatched up the pitchfork he set aside and squeezed so hard on the worn wooden handle he was a little surprised it didn't splinter into toothpicks. Then, because killing the messenger was not a viable option, he decided to take his frustration out on the work instead.

He stabbed into the soiled filth lining the floor of the stall in front of him, skewered a hefty chunk of it, and flung the weighty load in the direction of the wheelbarrow. When a large collection of horse apples missed the barrow and plopped onto Jax's shoe, he considered it poetic justice.

"Nice, asshole." Jax shook off his foot without blinking an eye. "Real nice. And this, after I go out of my way to come over here and tell you the news in person. I see common courtesy is still a waste of effort on you."

Luke shrugged. "What did you expect from me? Tea and fucking crumpets?" By the time the next forkful flew the dapper Dan was smart enough to have already moved clear of its trajectory.

"Yeah, I guess I forgot who I was talking with for a minute there." He made his way over to the opening of the stall Luke was mucking and leaned a shoulder against the chewed and time-worn beam. This was Milly's, and the mare chewed on wood more than any horse Luke had ever known, and that was saying something. It was like the damn horse was trying to eat her way to freedom.

"Look at it this way," Jax continued, breaking into Luke's thoughts. "There's no guarantee she’s going to be able to make a go of this. Like you said, she's been a city girl for too long." He looked over his shoulder as if he expected someone to be eavesdropping. Who did he think was going to be blabbing their conversation, Pansy the milk cow? "Between you and me? I give her less than a year. She's soft, Luke. And sweet. Her heart is broken, and she's only doing this out of guilt. She's got enough grit in her to see the farm through the spring and summer, but the first hard winter up here is gonna knock her on her ass. Mark my words."

Luke considered that for a moment. If that were the case, it wasn't the worst thing that could happen.

"Are you sure she's not just holding out for more money? Or got a buyer set up through some city realtor up wherever the hell she's from? Should we up my offer?"

"No." Jax’s voice and face were all stern business now. "On all counts, no. She honestly wants to make a go of it. If you ask me, she's doing a little self-imposed penance. Just hang tight. She's bound to snap out of this sooner rather than later, and then you're in."

Jax looked at him with a critical eye. "Unless you alienate her that is."

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