What the hell was he supposed to do? Brian needed to fill the position fast and the woman said she had experience. He grimaced, knowing exactly what he’d done. He might have implied that she was already hired.
He’d let Brian sort it out. His little brother was good at fixing stuff. Besides, Brian needed a new therapist. She needed a job. Two problems solved.
“Andy said you put a woman up at the homestead. A young, pretty woman.” Brian tilted the bottle against his lips and took a long drink.
“Nikki Scott.” The therapist was quickly forgotten as he lost himself in a mental vision of Nikki.
Brian half sat on the open tailgate. “Do you think that was a smart move? No one has stayed there in months.”
“It was the only thing available.”
“Still, I’d hate for her to tell anyone what it’s like out there. That’s not what this ranch is about unless someone really wants to see how things used to be. This Nikki Scott doesn’t sound as though she fits the bill. What does she do for a living?”
“She’s a reporter.”
Brian choked on his beer.
Cal pounded his brother on the back. “You going to live?”
He took a deep breath. “Not if she writes about her stay at the homestead. I know you hate reporters, but don’t take it out on this woman, especially not on my ranch. Why the hell didn’t you just tell her we were full?”
He grinned as he remembered the way Nikki had sounded on the phone. “She had a voice that made me think of long nights of hot sex.”
Brian grimaced. “I would think Cynthia had cured you of those kinds of thoughts-at least for a while.”
Cal frowned. “You really know how to kill a moment, little brother.”
“If she writes a bad review I’ll do more than kill the moment. I’ve worked hard to make a go of this place. I’d hate to think it was all a waste.”
“Yeah, well, maybe you’ve put too much into it. There’s something to the old saying that all work and no play makes a person hard to be around.”
Or something like that. It was the truth, though. Brian had forgotten how to play. When little brother frowned, he continued.
“Don’t worry, she’s not here to write a review about the ranch. Jeff called to warn me about her.”
“Jeff? From college?”
“Yeah. Nikki’s here to dig up what dirt she can get about me and Cynthia.”
“All the more reason to get rid of her,” Brian said. “You don’t need more reporters hounding you. That’s why you came here in the first place.”
Cal laughed. “Yeah, I thought Nikki would turn her car around and leave when she saw the place. Man, it looks rougher every time I set eyes on it. Nikki must’ve thought so, too, but she tried to hide her expression. Not that it did any good. Shock was written all over her face.”
“But she didn’t leave.”
He shook his head. “Not even when she opened the cabinet and came face-to-face with Bandit.”
Brian chuckled. “I’d like to have seen that. I can’t believe that old coon is still alive. He must be at least twelve years old by now.”
Cal realized that was the first time he’d heard his brother laugh in a long time. It was nice. “No, the best was when I told her about the outhouse. That was sweet.”
“I doubt it was to her.” He shook his head. “Damn, I should’ve bulldozed it a long time ago, but I didn’t want to get that close.” He took a swig of beer and swallowed. “But she’s still there?”
“She’s tenacious, I’ll give her that. Jeff said they call her The Barracuda. I think I’m finding out how she got the name.”
“If she sees the ghost, she’ll be out of there quick enough.”
Cal rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me you still believe the place is haunted.”
“I know it is. Saw the spirit myself.”
“You saw it?”
Brian shrugged. “Well, yeah-sort of. It was more like shadows and light. Once, I thought I heard a voice call my name. I’m telling you, the place is haunted.”
Cal snorted. “Whatever.”
“So she has a nice voice, but what does she look like?” Brian suddenly changed the subject.
Cal glanced at his brother, really looking at him. He wasn’t all that little anymore-six two, at least-and he was tanned from days spent in the sun. His dark good looks had caused more than one girl to go into a fit of giggles when they were in school. Nikki wouldn’t be any more immune than most women. Brian would crook his finger and she’d tremble with anticipation. For some odd reason, that bothered Cal.
“What does she look like?” he repeated Brian’s question, then cleared his throat. “Butt ugly. Remember that old nag Grandpa used to have?”
“The gray one with buckteeth?”
“That’s the one. If you had a picture of both of them, you wouldn’t be able to tell which one was the horse and which one was the woman.” He didn’t look at his brother but tilted the bottle of beer to his lips.
“But Andy said she was pretty.”
Cal snorted. “Yeah, well, look at some of the women Andy has dated.”
Brian nodded. “Yeah, he really needs to get his eyes checked.” He straightened, drained his bottle of beer, and tossed it toward a large trash can that was near the barn. It clanked as it hit inside. “You can be the one who makes sure she doesn’t kill herself while she’s at the cabin, then. She’s your problem.”
That’s what he’d hoped Brian would say. He didn’t need his brother getting gaga over a pretty skirt and tell things he shouldn’t be telling. That wasn’t the only reason he’d lied, but it was the only one he wanted to admit to right now.
“Besides,” Brian continued. “The old homestead is haunted. Don’t you remember the stories Grandma used to tell us? I’m not going near the place. It wouldn’t matter if Nikki Scott was the hottest woman on earth.”
“You’re full of it.” Cal laughed. His brother would never convince him the homestead had a ghost. “I think you made the whole thing up when we were in high school and you were sneaking up there with Wanda Jo. You didn’t want anyone following the two of you to find out what y’all were doing.”
Brian’s face turned a deep shade of red. “Well, that, too, but there really was a ghost. Why do you think I quit sneaking up there?”
“You’re saying I should confirm your story with Wanda Jo?” Cal raised his eyebrows.
Brian shook his head. “No way. She married Wayne Harris and I don’t want to cross paths with him.”
“Ape Man Harris?” He tried to visualize Wanda Jo with Ape Man. Nope, it just wasn’t coming to him.
“Yeah, a couple of years ago. I thought I told you about it.”
Cal tossed his empty beer bottle into the trash can and they started walking toward the ranch.
“No, you didn’t mention it. I don’t blame you for wanting to keep your distance. Is Ape Man still as ugly as he used to be?”
“Uglier.”
“Why the hell did Wanda Jo marry him?”
Brian paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “He has big hands?”
Cal’s forehead wrinkled; then he started to laugh. He didn’t stop until they were near the back door of the ranch.
“Yeah, Wanda Jo liked…big hands, didn’t she? Is that why she dumped you?”
Brian grinned. “Compared to Ape Man? No one’s hands even come close.”
There were some good things about being back on the ranch, too. For just a few minutes, it had seemed as though the years between them were gone. When Cal looked up, he could almost see Grandma at the door holding a plate of cookies and smiling like she always did.
“You boys wash your hands and you can have some of the cookies I just took out of the oven.” She wiped her hands on her apron.
And then she faded away.
Some things you couldn’t bring back-all you had were the precious memories-but maybe some things could grow stronger. Like his relationship with Brian. It had felt good to cut up with him. They’d each gone their own ways after college.