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  “No! No, crazy person! Do not touch my whiskey!” he shouted as he started toward the door.

  Callie came bouncing back out onto the porch, whiskey bottle in hand, and laid the butcher knife next to the beer cans.

  “What? This whiskey?” she asked in a questioning tone. “The whiskey you spent the evening with, even though your entire family was just across the yard?”

  “Don’t you dare judge me,” he warned.

  Callie lifted her shoulders to her ears and feigned innocence. “I don’t know much about whiskey, but this stuff seems pretty expensive.”

  “Callie,” his voice full of warning. “That bottle of whiskey is over one hundred dollars a bottle and I have to drive three counties over to get it!”

  Her mouth fell open in mock surprise, “Really? Wow. It must be pretty good stuff.”

  She uncapped the lid and he froze as she tipped the bottle. He rushed toward her but not before she grabbed a full beer can and threw it at his head. He ducked, shocked at how hard this little woman could throw.

  “Stop it, Callie,” he said through gritted teeth. She looked him right in the eye and kept pouring.

  She threw another beer, and another, draining the whiskey from the bottle between well-aimed throws.

  “What’s the matter, Trey?” she teased.

  This time he rushed at her, she screamed and launched the empty bottle at him. He paused long enough for her to grab the knife, get inside, and slam the inside door, locking it before he could get in.

  He grabbed the screen door, pounding on the inside door that he knew he would never be able to break down. “You’re going to pay me back for that!”

  He could hear her laughing inside as he backed away, staring at the door. He stomped bare-footed back toward his truck, picking up the empty bottle on the way. He mumbled a few obscenities to himself before turning back toward the cabin and yelling, “Blah, blah blah, huh? I’ll show you blah, blah, blah!”

  He slammed his truck door, his tires kicking up gravel and dirt as he sped out of the driveway.

  Callie watched him leave through the kitchen window. She leaned against the sink, her head dropping down into her hands as she took in a slow deep breath. That was one of the hardest things she had ever done.

  Don’t you dare judge me. His voice echoed around in her head over and over. If he only knew that she was feeling the complete opposite.

  She walked outside, standing on the side porch briefly before walking down the steps and picking up the beer cans, opening each one and pouring out the alcohol.

  As she picked up the last can and held it away from her as she poured it out, she looked to the main house where Eve stood on the porch staring at her. Callie had hoped this would be over with and Trey would be gone before anyone else woke up.

  Andy’s truck pulled into the drive and past them both, parking in front of the barn. When Eve’s eyes returned to her, Callie waved. Eve paused a worried look on her face but gave a small wave before she turned and went back into the house.

  Callie’s heart sank. She closed her eyes and whispered a little prayer to anyone who would listen, “Please, don’t let me screw this up.”

  She turned and walked back up the steps to the side door of the guesthouse. She wasn’t sure what her next step was going to be, but she knew she had started something she would have to see to the end…whatever that end might be.

  Nine

  Trey sped down the gravel road toward his house. That woman was crazy…like diagnosable crazy.

  Blah, blah, blah? What the hell? He didn’t know what mental illness she had, but she had something! Or lots of somethings!

  How dare she throw him not only out of the guesthouse but off his own land! He wasn’t even sure what had just happened, only that he was sitting in his boxers in the cab of his truck driving a million miles an hour toward his house, and Callie was probably moving all her stuff into the guesthouse at this very moment.

  And what did she mean his whiskey was more important than his family? Nothing was more important than them. She didn’t know him, she didn’t understand all the things his family had been through. She probably didn’t even know the story. His mom wouldn’t be naive enough to share the ins and outs of their family heartbreak with some stranger she met online, would she? No. She was too smart for that.

  His mom’s trusting face flashed in his mind and his grip tightened on his steering wheel. What had she told Callie? Who did Callie think they were? What did she think of him? A prickling sensation started in his chest.

  Callie had to go. His mom had made it clear she wanted Callie at the farm, but there was no way he could allow her to stay. She had a way of ripping open old wounds that had been long closed and he wasn't about ready to let a crazy person take over his family. But how was he going to make Callie leave without upsetting his mom even more?

  He'd have to do this another way. Somehow make things so hard on Callie she would want to leave. But it needed to be her idea.

  It dawned on him that he knew nothing about Callie, not even her last name. Panic swirled in his chest. He’d left her back on the farm with all the people he loved most in the world and he didn’t even know her last name.

  He turned into his driveway, parked his truck as close to the back door as possible and rushed to get inside.

  “Where is it? What did I do with it?” Trey asked himself as he dumped the basket next to his computer and rummaged through the papers. He spun around, running into his bedroom and opening the drawer of the side table next to his bed. He ran his fingers through the pieces of paper he kept there, hoping the business card he was looking for would somehow be hidden in the sea of ignored mail.

  He crossed his room, throwing on a clean pair of jeans and pulling a t-shirt over his head as he rushed into the bathroom to quickly brush his teeth. Opening the hall closet, he moved a few things around on the shelves. The pictures of Lauren and Alex caught his eye so he grabbed them. Shutting the closet door, he walked into the dining room and ran his hand through his hair. “Where the hell did I put that card?” he asked out loud to no one.

  Then it came to him…he rushed into the kitchen, still clenching the photo frames in his hand.

  The card was pinned to the board, right where his mom had hung it over two years ago. He plucked the card from its spot and shoved it into his pocket.

  Realizing he was still holding the pictures, he headed back toward the closet but stopped as he passed the shelf he sat the images on before his mom’s Sunday visits.

  He looked down at the smiling faces before setting them on the shelf.

  He picked up the phone and, without a second thought, dialed the number. He’d never called into work his entire life. Never taken a vacation, never been late, or left early.

  “Hello, Mr. Gibbons, this is Trey O’Brien and I have… I have some family obligations I need to take care of. I need some time off. At least a week, but I will keep in contact with you if it looks like it might be longer."

  After settling the details with his boss, he shoved his phone into his back pocket and headed back out the door. Sitting in his tailgate, he quickly pulled on his socks and boots he'd thrown in his truck bed when Callie had evicted him.

  He left his own house as quickly as he had left the farm this morning, spewing gravel at the remnants of the water fountain that was surrounded by an Eve O’Brien, handmade, wooden flower bed. It used to be a focal point when you drove onto his property, but now it was just a home for brown, dead weeds.

  Heading back to his family farm, he reached for the card. Worth County Sheriff Jesse Deal had been a few years younger than his dad in school and the O’Brien’s had always been some of Jesse’s most prominent supporters.

  “County Sheriff Deal,” he answered and Trey smiled as he drove up the driveway of his family farm.

  “Sheriff Deal, Trey O’Brien here.”

  “Hey, Trey. Good to hear from you. Is your mom okay?”

  “Well, that’s
why I’m calling. I have a situation and I was wondering if you would help me out.”

  “Sure thing. What can I do for you?”

  Trey pulled in front of the barn, sitting in his truck as he finished explaining to the Sheriff what he needed. He jumped out of the truck and a huge smile stretched across his face as he reached in the back for his tool belt.

  Eve and Lauren stood on the porch, staring with surprise in their eyes.

  “Good morning, ladies,” he said with much more enthusiasm than he felt.

  “Hey, son. What are you doing here?” his mom asked as he walked toward them.

  Callie walked out onto the porch eyeing him suspiciously.

  “Good morning again, crazy person.”

  She paused for just a second, exchanging confused looks with the other women on the porch.

  “Asshole,” she regarded him with a tip of her head like it was a respectable way to greet someone.

  Eve swallowed nervously, looking back and forth between the two of them, clearly wanting to reprimand them both for their disrespect. She held her tongue.

  “Trey, honey, don’t you have to go to work?”

  He shook his head, smiling at her. “Nope. I’m on vacation.”

  Eve’s mouth fell open, “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

  Andy walked around the side of the house just as Eve repeated what Trey had said, “Vacation?”

  “Vacation," Trey repeated. "I noticed there are a few things around here that Andy could use help with. We’ve been slow at work so I called in today and told Mr. Gibbons I would be on vacation for as long as you guys needed me around here.”

  “Vacation,” Eve said flatly, eyeing Trey.

  Andy slapped Trey on the back, harder than necessary, almost breaking the fine line of control Trey had. Trey turned toward him, forcing a tight smile.

  “Well, I think that’s great,” Andy said. “I sure could use some help fixing some of the fences around here. Oh, and I noticed some of the shutters on the back side of the house are a little loose since that last wind storm.”

  Trey reached for his work gloves that hung from his back pocket and slapped them against his hands. “Okay. Let’s get started.”

  “I guess we’ll see you boys at lunchtime then?” Eve asked, the questioning tone still present.

  “Yes, Ma’am,” Trey responded, smiling.

  Eve turned and patted Callie on the arm as she passed by her. Callie gave her a warm smile as she watched her and Lauren go into the kitchen.

  She crossed her arms in front of her chest and walked to the edge of the porch.

  “I’ll meet you out back,” Andy said with a smirk as he put his cowboy hat back on and hurried off.

  The smiles fell from both Callie and Trey’s faces as they challenged each other with their silence.

  Callie was the first to talk. “Vacation, huh?” she asked warily.

  “Yep,” he flashed her a bright-toothed smile that made her heart speed up.

  “I guess I’ll see you at lunch then?” she asked.

  His voice dropped lower, the smile turning to a playful smirk. “Oh, you’ll be seeing me all right. And I definitely… see you.”

  Fire raced through her veins as her body reacted to his words. In this moment, her wild side wanted to come out and play. She imagined running her fingers through his thick hair and wanted him to whisper into her ear like he had last night. She could feel the heat climbing up her neck – she knew she was blushing. She needed to get out of this situation and fast. She had gained the upper hand this morning but felt that quickly slipping away.

  She nodded her head in his direction, saying her goodbye, “Asshole.”

  Trey tipped his hat at her, “Crazy girl.”

  Callie watched Trey walk away, fearing the rules had changed once again.

  Ten

  Trey came around the side of the house carrying an armful of boards for the north fence. Sweat dripped down his face as he watched Callie kneel over one of the large planters running along the side of the house.

  She wore her hair pulled up into a high ponytail, but it still reached the middle of her back. Her t-shirt sleeves were rolled up onto her shoulders, like girls do, to make sure she didn’t get the classic farmer’s tan lines. She wore short, grey athletic shorts that fit the curve of her ass like they were made for her. Trey couldn’t help but stare and he let out a low whistle while walking toward her.

  Callie looked over her shoulder, her eyes squinting against the sun. “Excuse me? What the hell are you staring at?”

  Trey smiled. He liked her sassiness. “Well, you are most certainly crazy. We all know that. “

  Callie stood, brushed the dirt from her knees, then crossed her arms in front of her chest. She tilted her head to the side, watching him closely as he closed the distance between them.

  He wet his bottom lip with his tongue, biting it softly before he continued. “But even crazy can’t stop a man from appreciating the fact you are all woman… and a gorgeous one.”

  He gave her a quick wink as he passed by her, dropping the boards into the bed of his truck.

  “Trey, could you come here a minute?” Eve called out from the other side of the house.

  Trey took off his work gloves as he walked over to where Callie had joined Eve on the ground, helping her lower a flowering bush into the freshly dug hole. He was glad to see his mom with her hands in the dirt. There was a sudden rush of memories from his childhood that made his heart hammer quickly in his chest.

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  Eve started to stand and Trey rushed to offer her his hand. She laughed but accepted the help, brushing clumps of dirt off her gloves as she smiled at him.

  “Thank you, Son. Do you think you could find time to run over to the nursery and pick up some more flowers for me? I would do it myself, but I need to get lunch started. And as you can see, I’m up to my elbows in dirt. It feels really good to be planting again, and to be honest...” she paused, looked down at Callie who was still adjusting the bush and moving soil around, and giggled, “I don’t want to stop.”

  Trey was listening to his mom but couldn’t take his eyes off Callie as she dug around in the fresh dirt. Maybe it was the fact he hadn’t had a woman in his bed for a very long time, or maybe it was because there was no denying his attraction to Callie. Hell, call it a teenage wet dream, but it was damn hot watching that woman get dirty.

  “Trey,” Eve repeated his name, knowing she didn’t have his full attention.

  “Sorry. Yes, of course, I can.”

  Callie turned around, facing the two of them, but stayed seated on the ground, arms resting on her bent knees. She used the back of her glove to wipe away a few beads of sweat that threatened to run down her face, leaving a smear of dirt across her forehead. Trey put his hands on his hips and looked away smiling.

  “Callie, can you think of anything we might need from the nursery?”

  “Um…” Callie went through their inventory in her mind as she pulled off her gardening gloves. “Maybe some of the fertilizer we saw online this morning? Do you think they would carry it?”

  Eve waved her hand in Trey’s direction. “Oh, yes. It’s the natural fertilizer in the blue bag. I can’t remember the name though. Do you know which one I’m talking about?”

  Trey shook his head, “Nope. I don’t really search flower fertilizer online. You’re going to have to give me more information than that.”

  Callie started to get up, “Let me go get my phone and I will send you…” she paused and looked up. Trey stood above her, extending a hand like he had to his mother. Her heart warmed as she hesitantly reached up and placed her hand in his.

  His eyes darkened as their hands touched. Callie’s stomach began to flutter and she knew she wasn’t safe around this man. As much as she wanted to believe she knew what she was doing in this situation, Trey O’Brien was the epitome of a man in control.

  He gently pulled her to her feet, standing clo
ser to her than necessary. Without releasing her hand, he leaned into her slightly. The heat from both their bodies swirled together in a sweet ache of temptation and mistrust. Callie’s breath hitched in her throat.

  “Well, well, Miss Callie…I think this might be a ploy to get my phone number. All you needed to do was ask.” Trey let his eyes leisurely explore hers until finally moving down to her lips.

  Callie’s face heated instantly. Her mouth fell open and when Trey’s mouth turned up into a devilish smirk, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to slap it or kiss it off his face.

  “Why don’t you get your phone and ride along with me?” He continued to hold her tightly against him, and although she pushed against him like she wanted to be released, that wasn’t entirely true.

  Eve was back on the ground and entirely engrossed in her planting. “That’s a great idea.”

  Trey gently rubbed at the dirt smeared across Callie’s forehead and she froze in his arms. He whispered, “Go get your phone and let’s get going.”

  Callie didn’t want to be told what to do. Part of her wanted to take a step back, look up at the arrogant man in front of her, and remind him he was a grown man who could surely find the right type of fertilizer on his own. However, there was another part of her that wanted to lean into the muscular chest, breathe in his manly scent, and do whatever he asked.

  She found herself turning toward the house without question, trying to shake the fog from her head that had Trey’s name written all over it. Suddenly, all the stories Lauren had told her of who Trey was before Jamie’s death were becoming clearer. This man knew exactly how to get what he wanted from a woman. She smiled to herself as she thought maybe it wouldn’t be so wrong to be another notch in his bedpost.

  She grabbed her phone off the kitchen counter, pausing as she looked out the door. Callie watched as Trey stood next to his truck talking with Andy, who stood next to the barn. The conversation looked forced, not as comfortable as it should be between two lifelong best friends. The tension between the two was almost too painful to watch. Trey turned away from Andy, slamming the tailgate of the truck. Callie watched as Andy opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. He stood for only a minute as he looked at his friend’s back, then disappeared into the barn.