The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana: Book Two) (6 page)

“It’s wonderful to see you, Paige.” Jenny threw an arm around her and gave her a squeeze.

Paige had the urge to put her head down on Jenny’s shoulder and confess all of her troubles. Instead, she returned the hug and blinked away the sting in her eyes. “It’s good to see you too.”

“Come on. Have a seat. Do you two want a booth?” Jenny led them through the filled tables and the curious locals staring Paige’s way.

“Sure, a booth would be good.”

Ted placed his hand at the small of her back. She was startled by the touch, and Ryan’s words echoed in her head. No, Ted was just being a gentleman, that’s all. She slid into the side of the booth facing the door, and Ted sat across from her.

“What’s the special today, Aunt Jenny?”

“You’re in luck. Lasagna with a Caesar salad and garlic toast.” She laid menus in front of them and fixed her speculative stare on Paige. “What brings you to Perfect?”

Paige studied the menu. “I needed a niece-and-nephew fix. I haven’t seen them since Toby’s baptism.” She risked a glance upward. Jenny wasn’t buying it—that much she could tell.

“Things happen for a reason.” Jenny patted Paige’s shoulder. “You’re right where you’re supposed to be. You have something to accomplish in Perfect.”

She and Ted both watched her walk away.

Ted shook his head. “My aunt is a little bit freaky sometimes.”

“No kidding.” The front door opened, and her heart tumbled over itself. Ryan and Noah snaked their way toward them. Ryan got there first and scooted in beside her. Noah frowned and took the seat next to Ted. She knew her brother preferred to sit facing the door, preferably with his back against a wall. Did Ryan have to do the same?

“What’re y’all having?” Ryan stretched his arm out across the back of their seat and threw a smug look Ted’s way.

“Behave,” she gritted out. Ryan’s brilliant blues fixed on her, and heat spiraled right down to the tips of her polished toenails. This close, she could smell the laundry soap he used, mixed with his own unique masculine scent. Why the hell did he smell like temptation? She tried to move away.

He followed, leaned in, and whispered, “I’ll behave if you will, darlin’.”

Noah shook his head and chuckled low in his throat.

“You couldn’t pick somewhere else to eat?” Ted muttered.

“And leave you alone with my girl?” Ryan raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think so, kid.”

“Your girl?” Paige sputtered. “I’m not—”

“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Johnny Appleseed.” Jenny placed four plastic glasses of ice water down in the middle of the Formica table, along with four straws.

“I see Lucinda got to you too.” Ryan grinned. “How’re you doing today, Mrs. Maurer?”

“I’m doing fine, and quit with the formality. Call me Jenny.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She watched Jenny’s glance touch on Ryan’s arm across the back of the booth. His hand dangled dangerously close to touching her shoulder. Paige sighed audibly. “It’s not what you think, Jenny.”

“Why, sure it is.” Ryan dropped his arm around her shoulders and tucked her up next to his side. “She’s already seen me naked.”

“It’s true. I did. By accident, not by choice.” She handed her menu over. “I’ll have the special, and you’d better bring Ryan a double order of the same. There’s nothing to the boy but skin and bone.” Paige shoved at him. “Let me out. I have to use the restroom.”

Ryan moved out of her way, a triumphant look on his face. “Hurry back, sweetheart.”

“Oh, I will,” she murmured and made her escape to the rear of the diner. Once behind the closed door, she let out a growl of frustration. He wanted to goad her into reacting—that much was clear. But why? She turned on the faucets and washed her hands. He had no idea how competitive she was. She wasn’t about to let him get the best of her.

The door to the small two-stall restroom opened, and Paige’s eyes widened. Had Jenny followed her? “Hey, did I mention how great you look?”

“Thanks. I feel good, and I couldn’t be happier.” Jenny smoothed her apron. “Don’t let Ryan fool you, honey.”

“Fool me?” She frowned.

“That young man is in a world of hurt.”

“I get that. Noah was too, remember?”

“I sure do, but Noah dealt with it differently. He wanted desperately to connect with people again. Ryan is trying real hard to drive you away. He tries to drive everyone away.”

Paige shook her head. “We don’t even know each other, and I’m only going to be here for a couple of weeks. Why work so hard to annoy
me
?”

“You don’t know?” Jenny chuckled. “Give it time, and it’ll come to you. He’s a good man. Try to see through all the bluster and the bull.”

“If you say so.” Paige reached for a paper towel. “I’d better get back out there before he has time to think up some new form of torture.”

“That’s the spirit.” Jenny patted Paige’s cheeks. “Don’t let him push you away. None of us are going to let him do that anymore.”

She watched Jenny leave, blew out a huff of air, and squared her shoulders. Yep. She could give as good as she got, and Ryan Malloy was about to have his ass handed to him on a diner plate—a freaking blue plate special.

CHAPTER THREE

R
YAN SLID OUT OF THE
booth to let Paige back in, bracing himself for a look of loathing or another hissed expletive. It would hurt, but the brief pain was necessary. It never came. Instead, she scooted back into her place with a sexy sideways glance that stopped his poor heart.

“If your ‘she saw me naked’ remark was meant to embarrass me, Malloy, you gotta do better than that. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before, and nothing stood out.” She grinned. “Oh, wait.
Something
stood out.”

Damn
. Stunned again. Not good. Try harder. “Nothing but skin and bone, you said. I guess I’d better put on a few pounds.” He rubbed his stomach and winked at her. “Don’t want the little woman unhappy with the goods.”

“Oh, I never said I was unhappy with…‘the goods.’” Paige let her gaze roam all over him, meeting his eyes with a smoldering challenge in hers.

His faced burned. He tried to reply, but his brain refused to connect with his mouth. Did she mean she
liked
what she saw? Confusion clouded his ability to reason.

“Score one for the spoiled little rich girl.” She canted her head and raised an eyebrow. “It’s a tie. Give it up. You can’t win.”

“She’s right. You can’t.” Noah shook his head. “Paige grew up with two older brothers, and we were brutal. You can’t faze her.”

Ryan blew out a breath and leaned back against the vinyl. He needed to regain his equilibrium, and Ted’s fuming glare from across the table didn’t help. He checked out, let his mind go. Unfortunately, all he could think about was how good it felt to have Paige’s warmth and soft curves tucked up against him. He relived the smoldering once-over she’d just given him. What did it mean? Could this flutter in his chest be the small stirring of some kind of twisted hope? Naw. His jaw clenched, and reality tossed a bucket of ice water in his lap. She was just messing with him to get even.

“What kind of advertising have you done?” Paige asked as salads and a basket of fragrant garlic toast were set before them by a server.

“We haven’t really done any advertising.” Ted reached for a piece of toast. “Our website and social media are pretty much it. We can afford to do more; it’s just that Noah and I are already stretched thin between production and admin stuff.”

“While I’m here, can I do some marketing for you?” Paige stuck her fork into her salad. “You should get a few print ads out there. We can start with regional magazines. I’m sure a city Evansville’s size has a local upscale spotlight magazine. Let’s place a few ads, wait and see if sales rise, and then you can make a decision about whether or not to aim for the better-known national magazines.”

“Absolutely.” Noah nodded. “You can do the search and copy, and Ryan can put the graphics together. That’s one of the reasons we hired him.”

Whoa. They’d have to work together. She’d be close. Dangerous. On the other hand, he’d have the opportunity to ferret out her reasons for hiding away in Perfect. Plus, the thought of creating ads appealed to him. “Sure. A few ads would be great.” He glanced at Paige and reached for garlic toast at the same time she did. Their hands touched. His pulse went off grid.
Fight it, soldier. She’s not for you. Keep it professional
.

She was only going to be here for two weeks, tops. He could keep it together for fourteen days, and Noah would appreciate knowing what was going on with his sister. He caught Noah studying him again. Ryan cleared his throat. “You know, seeing as how Paige is only going to be here for such a short time, why don’t I start driving myself into work? You two can have some brother-sister time in the morning.”

“Sure.” Noah’s mouth twitched like he was trying not to smile. “If you think that’ll help.”

Ryan sat on the couch with the sketchbook on his lap. A picture of Sweet Pea took shape beneath his hand. He’d head into Evansville soon for Cray-Pas and colored pencils. Once he added some pigment to the dog’s portrait, he’d mat and frame it for Lucinda. Maybe he’d even sign it “Johnny Appleseed.” He smiled. Yeah. That’s what he’d do. Lucinda would like that.

Johnnie Walker stood on the coffee table, along with his pistol, the letter, and pictures—the ultimate way out, his macabre version of a security blanket. He didn’t take a drink. Drawing required a steady hand, and J.W. would mess with his artistic muse. Ryan sighed, put the pencil down, and leaned his head back against the leather to stare at the ceiling.

Exhaustion tugged at his eyelids. Keeping up with Paige and their verbal sparring had taken a toll. Being anywhere in her proximity revved him up, and the effort to stay one step ahead of her razor wit took everything he had. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his face with both hands. A few minutes. A short break, and then he’d finish the sketch.

The distant rumble of thunder and a sudden rise in the wind were their only warnings. When they’d set out for the Antelope Hills, the day had been clear and sunny. The storm came out of nowhere, approaching fast, and Ryan’s horse danced with tension beneath him. No big deal. He’d ridden through worse, but Theresa was inexperienced. “Turn around and take the lead. We’re heading home, honey. Keep a tight rein on the mare.”

“All right.” Her brow furrowed with worry, and she tensed up, making the mare even more skittish.

“I’m right here, babe. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Clouds rolled in, and the day took on a greenish cast. The ozone-tinged scent on the wind raised the fine hairs on his neck. The mare neighed and reared, and he caught a glimpse of the panic on Theresa’s face. “Whoa. Let me get in front of you, Theresa.”

Ryan urged his gelding forward to pass her just as lightning split the air, striking a ponderosa pine to the left of the trail. The tree split with a loud crack, followed by thunder loud enough to shake the ground.

Theresa’s horse bolted. “Hold on!” he shouted as he kicked his horse into a gallop.

This was not the kind of trail to take at a run. Too many boulders and exposed roots, too many steep drops into rocky ravines. Keeping Theresa in his sights, he leaned forward and let his gelding eat up the distance between them. He had to catch her. She’d lost the reins and clung to the horse’s mane, bending low over its neck. Another lightning bolt hit the ground somewhere ahead of the mare, and she went into a stiff four-legged stop, her haunches almost hitting the ground. Everything went into slow motion. Theresa lost her hold and somersaulted over the horse’s head. Ryan watched in horror, helpless to do anything but try to get to her as she hit the boulders headfirst and tumbled over the edge. His heart seized. He leaped off his horse and scrambled down the rocky slope after her.

Ryan’s head jerked up. God, he knew where that dream led, and he didn’t want to go there. He reached for the whisky and took a long pull. His eyes burned. He and Theresa had been so happy. They’d just finalized their wedding plans and sent the invitations. They’d been excited about their future together and deeply in love. His throat constricted, and his chest ached. He took another drink and then another.