“In some ways, the ranch was too much,” he drawled. “I grew up there and learned the ropes as a kid. But I also learned it could engulf a man’s whole life. I wanted more than that. And since my brother was more inclined to want to handle it, I let him. Christina has always been interested in the horse breeding aspect. It wouldn’t surprise me if she wants to take that over someday.”
His daughter was merely four years younger than Lisa was. She shouldn’t be standing here like this with him, alone in her apartment. She didn’t know him. She shouldn’t even want to know him.
When she took a step back, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I know you said you have work to do tonight, and I don’t want to keep you.”
“You suddenly got very nervous on me, Lisa. What’s going through your head?”
Since they did have to work together, she wasn’t about to tell him. “Nothing you want to know about.”
“You mean like earlier today? When you got something in the mail and wouldn’t tell me why you were upset?”
“As I said, Alan, you don’t know me. Maybe you were wrong about my reaction. Maybe you were seeing something that wasn’t there.”
“Or maybe you’re trying to hide how disturbed you were by that piece of mail.”
She took a couple more steps back, knowing that this man saw entirely too much. “I think you’d better go.”
Cocking his head, he asked gently, “Are you afraid of me, Lisa?”
“Should I be?” Her question was almost belligerent. She needed to wrap defenses around herself, and that was the only one she could find.
“Hell, no. I like women. I respect them. And I think I can read the signals they give out pretty well.”
“I’m not giving out any signals.”
“You’re doing a terrific job of trying not to.” He shrugged. “As you said, we’re going to be working together. If we establish a friendship, that will be a lot easier.”
A friendship? Like she had with Craig? She doubted that. Everything about Alan shouted, I’m a powerful male and used to getting my own way. She had a habit of defying any man who tried to patronize her or wear a mantle of authority around her.
“Just think about it,” Alan suggested, as if whatever decision she came to didn’t matter to him at all. “I promise you, you’re safe around me, Lisa. After all, I have a daughter who’s only a few years younger than you.”
In plain English, he was telling her he was as aware of their age difference as she was. If there was an attraction between them, it wouldn’t go anywhere. There were simply too many complications.
He moved toward the door. As he opened it, he said, “Good luck with your interview on Saturday. Carrie invited me to stop and watch her work. I might just do that. Good night, Lisa.”
Then Alan Barrett was gone.
Touching her locket, rubbing her thumb over the engraved front of it, Lisa sank down onto the couch. She wasn’t keen to do this interview in the first place. Now, knowing he might be there…
She felt as if she had so many secrets to hide, she couldn’t keep the door shut on all of them. Somehow she had to. Alan’s opinion of her was already important to her, and that worried her most of all.
Chapter Three
“Do you know if it’s cool in Rocky Ridge, Texas this time of year?” Jillian Logan asked Lisa as they shopped in one of Portland’s department stores Friday evening.
Lisa plucked a burgundy plaid blouse from a rack and held it in front of her. “I looked it up on the Internet. It’s possible they can even get snow in February, so wearing long sleeves won’t be a problem.”
“Tell me again why you don’t want this Alan Barrett to see your tattoos?”
Jillian, who was twelve years older than Lisa, had become like a big sister since they’d gotten to know one another. Jillian was a social worker at the Children’s Connection, and Lisa had met her after she had given up Timothy for adoption. They’d clicked, and Jillian was one of the few people who knew Lisa’s whole story.
“I’ll be working with him,” Lisa replied. “He has to see me as a professional.”
“I think it’s more than that. You don’t want him to ask any questions.”
Sensitive and caring, Jillian was insightful, too…at least about everyone else. Jillian and her twin brother David had been abandoned by their drug-addicted mother and left in the care of their grandmother, a stroke victim who was barely able to care for them. Thanks to the support and love of the Logans, Jillian and David had survived and thrived. But Jillian was shy in her personal life. She could fight for a client, no holds barred, but when it came to herself and men, she lacked confidence.
“I don’t want any questions,” Lisa admitted. “It seems Alan has been working with Brian a lot.”
“Alan, is it?” Jillian asked with a sly smile.
Not much flustered Lisa, but Alan Barrett did—even a simple discussion about him.
“I don’t believe it.” Jillian’s smile was wide. “You’re blushing!”
Embarrassed, Lisa returned the blouse to the rack. “No, I’m not. It’s just hot in here.”
Jillian’s brown eyes were kind as she tapped her friend’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”
With a huge sigh, Lisa answered honestly, “He ties me in knots. Do you know what I mean?”
“Uh-oh. How much time have you spent with him?”
“Not very much. I sat in on a meeting with him in Brian’s office and had dinner with him at Brian and Carrie’s. When we go on this trip to Texas, I’ll be with him every day for three or four days. What am I going to do? I don’t want him to see how he affects me. I have to be all business.”
“Do you?”
“What do you mean?”
Her friend eyed her assessingly. “There’s a reason he’s tying you in knots. A nonbusiness reason. Why does he unsettle you?”
“If I knew, I could stop it from happening,” Lisa grumbled.
Jillian gave her a penetrating look.
“Okay, let me think about it. He’s got the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. He’s tall and broad shouldered and makes me feel protected, which is crazy, because I’ve only been around him about two minutes. He’s got this deep voice that just kind of seeps under my skin, and a Texas accent that for some reason makes my heart beat faster. On the other hand, he’s much older than I am. Before you start analyzing and telling me I’m looking for a father figure, forget it, because when I look at him—”
“How much older?” Jillian asked, cutting right to the chase.
“Seventeen years older.”
Her friend whistled through her teeth. “Lisa…”
“We started out on the wrong foot,” Lisa admitted. “He had this authority thing going on and was determined he could do whatever he wanted. But I stopped him cold.”
“Yeah, I would imagine that. You and authority figures don’t mesh well.”
“But then he helped me carry some furniture up to my apartment and that authority thing wasn’t part of it at all. I mean, when I’m around him, I don’t even think about him being older.”
“You’d better watch your step.”
“Nothing’s going to happen,