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He hurried to the door. “Expect a visitor within five minutes of me telling my mom about the gala.”
“Can’t wait.” She followed him out. “You’re like me and my family. I live a few blocks away. If I have kids one day, my mom or dad can just walk over and babysit for me. It’s nice, isn’t it?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Thank you, Jaime. You’ve been really good to me.”
“You’re welcome.” But he didn’t look back. If he did, she’d see. She’d know.
So, he focused on the lawn, sparkling with morning dew, and breathed in air scented with freshly mown grass and a hint of manure.
He’d let her think the best of him, the man that worked hard to be responsible and good.
The less she knew about his filthy thoughts, the better.
ChapterFour
As she saton the bar stool getting her make up done, Grace marveled at how different this world was from her own. From the working ranch to the cozy cabin to the startling mountain ranges that encircled the valley, Calamity felt like an alternate universe.
And she loved it.
Jaime was right. His mom had jumped at the chance to glam her up. She’d even gotten her daughter to join in. They’d just needed a few minutes to get organized and asked her to meet them at the Dream House in an hour.
Last night, Grace had driven past it, of course, but it had been dark. She could only see its size and interesting features—like arched windows and balconies.
She’d been pretty excited to get a look inside, but when she arrived, she’d been shocked to find it only sparsely decorated. “Does anyone live here?” she asked.
“Nope.” Abby—the middle Dupree child—brushed powder on each cheek. “Jaime built it for my parents, but they never moved in. He was involved in literally every step of the design process because he wanted it to be perfect for them.”
“It’s stunning.” With its high ceilings and rustic wooden beams, an entire wall of windows that took in the Teton mountain range, and a massive stone hearth, it was the Western version of luxury.
But the centerpiece was the kitchen. Built to accommodate dozens of guests, it was a chef’s dream with two of every appliance. “I guess you like to cook?” she asked Kate, Jaime’s mom.
“I wouldn’t say I like it.” Kate wasdarling. Slender, dressed head to toe like a cowgirl from the pearl snap buttons on her shirt all the way down to the snakeskin boots, she was a force to be reckoned with. “Remember, I’ve been feeding eight people for thirty years. He was just trying to make it easier on me.”
“So, why aren’t you living here?” Grace closed her eyes while Jaime’s sister dusted her eyelids with a glittery shadow.
“I raised six kids in my house. Every nick on the furniture, scratch on the floor, and hole in the wall is a beautiful memory. Besides, what do I need ten thousand square feet for?” Seated at the kitchen table—a banquette that ran the length of one whole wall—Kate let out the top of one of her daughter’s evening gowns. It was a perfect fit for Grace—except for the boobs, of course.
“Yeah, but you host all the family gatherings. That was his point in designing a kitchen like this.” Abby, an artist who did graphic design for ranch merchandise, smelled of fresh apples and paint.
“Well, I’ve done it in my house for nearly thirty years. We’re doing just fine.” The matriarch pointed the scissors in Grace’s direction. “I’m going to let you in on a secret. The bigger your house, the less time your family will spend together.”
“Unless of course, you’re the only daughter.” Abby flashed a playful grin. “And then you get a whole bedroom to yourself. A bathroom, too. Meanwhile, the boys were jammed into two bedrooms.”
“Livin’ the high life, that’s for sure.” Smiling, Kate continued sewing. “But my point is when you’ve got eight people living in three thousand square feet, you’re forced to watch TV together and eat together. When you share a bedroom, you’re forced to learn how to compromise and get along. And before you make a joke”—she eyed her daughter—“the six of you are best friends.”
“Well, I’m not sure if that’s because we lived in a three thousand square foot house or the fact that Jaime made us get along.”
Ooh, what does that mean?Grace was dying to find out more about this man who seemed to switch from hot to cold and back again without warning. One minute, she was convinced she wasn’t his type, and the next, he’d give her a smoldering look that made her knees shake.
But it was a waste of time to try and figure him out. After tonight, she’d never see him again. “Sounds like he’s got oldest child syndrome.” A look passed between mother and daughter, only making Grace more curious. “Enzo’s the oldest in my family, and it took him a while to get there, but now, he checks every box on that list.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “He’s the most responsible, he’s a perfectionist, and he’s a high achiever. He went to business school and has all kinds of ideas to change the way we run the bakery.”
“Trust me, Jaime wasn’t always like this,” Abby said. “He did a total one-eighty after the accident.”
“That sounds a lot like Enzo.” Though, for him, it hadn’t been an accident.
“So, now, remind me how you know my son?” Kate asked.
