Page 29 of Blue Jean Summer

I still had work to do today for an account I had landed. I had brought in an accountant to audit the estate’s finances so I was up to speed on what was going on. Inheritance taxes needed to be paid, and I needed to get the ball rolling on the legalities of parceling a section of the land to fulfill the will requirements and so Catherine could hit the ground running with her charitable initiative.

But all I had done today was carry her bags inside, pace my own room, then pace my office. When I couldn’t stop thinking about what she was doing, I took a walk down to the stables.

I thought it would clear my head so I could get back to work. But I was wrong.

Mason took up the spot beside me and mimicked my position, crossing his arms and watching Catherine’s distant silhouette. “You know, I bet Walt’s getting a kick out of this,” he said with a chuckle.

“That makes one of us.”

“It could’ve been worse,” Mason said. “Could’ve been a lot worse.”

“If the bright side is still morally gray, I don’t think it counts as the bright side.”

“So, what now?” Mason asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I said as Catherine pushed off the balcony railing and disappeared through the double doors.

“Stop acting like you’re scared of her,” Mason said. “It’s Cath.”

That’s exactly what I was afraid of.

This was too easy. She was too natural at playing the role. I was already too comfortable with her. Relationships were never this easy—not that this was a relationship. It wasn’t. It was a business deal. Maybe that’s why it was comfortable.

Business deals were familiar. I liked terms and conditions. I liked knowing exactly what the parameters were.

“It’s just business,” I said.

Mason chuckled. “Right. Keep telling yourself that.” He sauntered off to get back to work, reminding me that I should do the same.

No matter how much the mountains called to me with a siren song to saddle up one of the horses and ride away from it all, I stuffed my hands into my pockets and dutifully walked back to the house.

Before I could make it into my granddad’s study—though I supposed it was my study now—voices in the kitchen caught my attention.

I poked my head in and found Hallie and Catherine in cahoots over cutting boards. “Ladies,” I said, making myself known.

Lewis lurking around was bad enough. I didn’t want them to feel like they were being spied on by me too.

Hallie glanced up from the carrots she was chopping. “Well, if it isn’t the man of the hour.” She smiled. “We were just talking about you.”

I sidled up to Catherine and peered down at her. “Oh really?”

“About how we should probably pick a date,” Catherine said. “You know, since the summer calendar is nearly full.”

“And I need a picture of you two for an engagement announcement,” Hallie said. “You know how old-school the town is. If it’s not in the paper, it didn’t happen.”

Catherine looked up. “Are you okay with that?”

I could hear Lewis thumping around upstairs. His presence was a constant reminder of why this was happening. That, and the notice I had gotten from my attorney that Lewis’s petition to contest the will would leave me only a few weeks to say “I do” before a judge would review it to see if his complaint had any grounds.

“The sooner the better,” I said.

“I like the sound of that,” Hallie said with a smile. She gave my button-up and slacks a quick glance. “Hayes, you look fine. Cath, why don’t you go throw on a dress or something? We can take the picture out in the garden. I’ll send it in to the paper to get the rumor mill going.”

Catherine looked down at her sporty tank top, shorts, and sneakers. “I guess this isn’t engagement appropriate.” She wore a sheepish smile as she set down her knife and headed to the sink to wash her hands. “I’ll just be a sec,” she said, brushing past me as she slipped up the back staircase to get up to her room.

Hallie wore a knowing smile. “You look like you’re about to have an aneurysm.”

“It’s a lot,” I said as I pinched the bridge of my nose. “What’s all this?”