Kitabı oku: «Bachelor Protector»

CHAPTER ONE

TYLER PRENTISS WAS frustrated and worried.

His red-eye flight had been delayed coming into the Sacramento International Airport, and then the car rental company had lost his reservation. It took an hour before he was finally able to get a vehicle and head for the small town of Glimmer Creek.

He’d never visited California’s Gold Country and wouldn’t be going now if his mom and brother hadn’t lost their minds. The thought made Tyler wince. It was closer to the truth than he liked.

Rosemary Prentiss had almost suffered a breakdown after his father’s death a few months earlier, and now Tyler’s younger brother, Nathan, was struggling to recover from post-traumatic stress and injuries received while serving overseas.

The employee at the Poppy Gold Inns reservation desk directed him to the John Muir Cottage where his family was staying in the Yosemite suite. Nathan was sitting in a comfortable chair in the back garden, and Tyler’s gut tightened. It had been a month since they’d seen each other, but his brother’s face seemed as gaunt as before.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Nathan returned tonelessly.

“I was able to come home a few days early and went to the rehab center for a visit, only to learn you’d checked out. You didn’t mention it when I called.”

“I knew you’d do the big brother thing and try to stop me.”

“Yes, if you weren’t ready,” Tyler couldn’t keep from retorting. “I happen to know your doctor didn’t want you to leave. One of the patients at the center told me.”

Nathan made a rude gesture, which was completely out of character for him. “Screw doctors, I’m sick of ’em. When I said I was checking out of rehab no matter what, Mom got a referral or something to come here.”

Tyler looked around. “Where is Mom?”

“At a shop called Sarah’s Sweet Treats. I didn’t like her hanging over me, so she got a job there. Now she’s gone most of the day, except when she brings something for lunch and checks in on her breaks. It’s much calmer this way.”

A job?

Tyler stared. His mother had never worked in her life, and it seemed unlikely she was in any condition to start now considering how shaky she’d been when he’d left for Italy just a few weeks earlier. Lately she’d seemed a little better when he’d phoned, but still anxious and uncertain.

The guilt he felt for even going on the business trip returned full force, but what else could he have done after postponing it twice? He’d designed a private museum in Rome, and his contract required him to spend a certain amount of time on-site. While the clients were sympathetic and had agreed to a shorter period, they’d run out of patience when he’d tried to delay his visit another time. Then he’d needed to leave for a few days in the middle to fly to Illinois for an emergency.

“All day?” Tyler repeated. “As in full time?”

“I guess. The first day she was just gone in the afternoon, and then she asked if I minded her staying away longer. I was all for it. I’m sick of people fussing at me.”

It was hard for Tyler to picture their mother being able to focus on anything, much less stick to an eight-hour workday. Rosemary Prentiss was a Washington, DC, socialite—a sweet woman with a short attention span, flitting from one cause to the next. She’d never even balanced her own checkbook or paid a bill, leaving everything to her husband.

When Tyler’s father had died, Rosemary had fallen apart. She’d been so unstable, her doctor had considered hospitalization. Then Nathan had gotten injured in Iraq. Needing to concentrate on her son’s recuperation had forced her to set aside her grief for a while, but it didn’t mean she’d fully recovered, any more than Nathan had.

“I’ll go check on her,” Tyler said.

Nathan shrugged. “Are you staying?”

“If I can get a room.”

“No problem. There are two extra bedrooms in the suite. Mom asked for the largest space available, thinking it would be quieter. That’s one of the problems with the hospital and rehab center—it’s never really quiet.” Nathan put his head back and closed his eyes.

More concerned and frustrated than ever, Tyler looked up Sarah’s Sweet Treats on his phone and followed the directions. It occurred to him that he ought to think it through first, but instead he marched inside.

“I need to speak with Rosemary Prentiss,” he told the woman at the counter.

“Rosemary isn’t available right now.”

“She works here, doesn’t she?” The question came out harsher than he’d intended.

“Uh, yeah. Let me get the owner.”

She hurried into the back, and a minute later another woman appeared. There was a smudge of white on her right temple, and she was wiping her hands on a towel.

Tyler assessed her quickly. Young, probably no more than thirty. Beautiful. Pale blond hair in a French braid. Striking green eyes. She also had an enticing figure, discernible despite the spotless chef’s apron wrapped around her.

“Hello, I’m Sarah Fullerton. I own Sarah’s Sweet Treats. Can I help you?”

Tyler pushed his physical response to her aside.

“My name is Tyler Prentiss. I want to know what you were thinking, hiring a woman as fragile as my mother to work for you?”

* * *

SARAH BLINKED.

Rosemary...fragile?

Were they talking about the same person?

Over the past two weeks, Rosemary had saved her sanity. The woman was an organizational marvel, with a quiet way of stepping in wherever needed. While she hadn’t been paid to work before, she’d spent most of her adult life running massive charity events, blood donor drives and church bazaars. Apparently marshaling volunteers into line was excellent training for managing the chaos of a bakery-restaurant and catering business.

“I’m sorry, but my employees aren’t your concern,” Sarah replied carefully.

“They are if my mother is one of them. There are safety issues to consider, along with everything else. I don’t want her exhausting herself in a hot, crowded kitchen.”

Sarah glanced at Aurelia who was watching wide-eyed. Other customers also appeared to be watching with varying levels of interest.

“Let’s step outside,” Sarah said in a tight tone. She didn’t appreciate scenes, particularly in front of her patrons.

“Just tell me where my mother is and we’ll both get out of here.”

His arrogance took Sara’s breath away. “What are you going to do, issue an order and expect Rosemary to follow it?”

“I’m going to reason with her. You can’t possibly understand the situation.”

“I understand you’re a chauvinistic jackass—how’s that for a start?” she shot back, quickly losing the battle to control her temper. Rosemary had talked often about her son the architect, but she hadn’t mentioned he was utterly impossible.

“Sarah certainly has figured you out, my darling,” said Rosemary. She’d returned from a visit to the office supply store and was glaring at her son. Sarah was reminded of her iron-willed grandmother who’d helped raise her. Yet Rosemary’s expression softened when she gestured to the red scar at her son’s hairline.

“What happened? You didn’t tell me you’d had an accident.”

He snorted. “You didn’t say anything about coming to California, either. We’ve talked every day since I left, and the subject never came up?”

Rosemary turned pink. “I knew you were busy and didn’t want to distract you. How did you get hurt?”

“It isn’t important. I’m fine.” He lowered his voice. “Look, you have to realize your doctor wouldn’t approve of you working. And I know that Nathan checked out of rehab against medical advice. So let’s go back to the suite and pack your things. We can leave in the morning.”

Rosemary shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere, and I’m sure Nathan wants to stay, too. Besides, I have a job now. Responsibilities.”

“You aren’t strong enough to hold any sort of job, much less do the kind of labor this place must require.”

“What do you think I’m doing here, scrubbing floors with a rag and toting hundred-pound sacks of flour?”

“It doesn’t matter. Nathan needs to go back in rehab. That’s where he belongs, and I’m sure you want to be near him.”

“He wasn’t getting better in that place and wanted to leave.”

Sarah bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. The men in her family could be opinionated and old-fashioned, but Rosemary’s son made them look like models of modern thinking by comparison. Of course...Tyler Prentiss might have a point if his brother wasn’t following medical orders, but he wasn’t going to fix the situation by acting this way.

“Nathan needs professional care,” Tyler said. “I’ve got plane tickets for tomorrow. We’re going back to DC.”

Rosemary crossed her arms over her stomach. “Enjoy your flight.”

“I have tickets for all of us.”

Whoa.

Sarah had never seen someone actually talk between clenched teeth before, but Tyler Prentiss was doing a credible job of being rock-jawed and speaking at the same time. It was too bad to see so much striking masculine appeal wasted on a guy like him.

When she’d first seen him—before he’d opened his big mouth—she’d actually felt a flash of awareness. Tyler was tall and classically handsome, with a strong bone structure. Paired with his dark hair and cool brown eyes, she’d found him quite compelling...until he’d started talking.

Tyler turned and focused on her again. “Please understand, Ms. Fullerton, my mother’s doctor told her to avoid stress. She’s had a difficult time since my fath—”

“Richard Tyler Prentiss,” Rosemary interrupted. “This is my place of employment, so unless you’re going to buy some of the delicious goods we sell here, please leave.”

“Fine. We’ll talk later.” He stomped out the door with a grim expression.

As soon as he was gone, Rosemary began to deflate. “I’m sorry my son made a scene, Sarah. Tyler means well, and I’m sure he’ll regret this when he calms down. Please don’t fire me.”

“I don’t fire employees because their sons behave badly,” Sarah assured. “In fact, I’m promoting you to assistant manager. My aunt won’t mind. She’s been hoping I’d hire someone in her place. You can focus on the office, supplies and coordination the way you’ve been doing, and I’ll manage the kitchen.”

Rosemary beamed. “In that case, I’d better get busy.”

She hurried away and Sarah rolled her shoulders to relax them, but before she could return to her baking, Great-Uncle Milt arrived.

“I heard you had a disruptive customer and came to help,” he announced.

“Thanks, but everything has been resolved.” Sarah had to rise on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. He was extremely tall, with a shock of thick white hair and a pair of youthful blue eyes. Folks in Glimmer Creek referred to him as the Big Kid, though as Glimmer Creek’s recently retired police chief, he could be stern about the law. Not that he was completely retired. The town had given Great-Uncle Milt the title of Police Chief Emeritus at his retirement ceremony.

“What happened?”

She tugged him out to the front sidewalk and explained, not wanting Rosemary to hear the comments being made about her eldest son.

“I’ll check into this fellow,” Great-Uncle Milt declared when she finished, his eyebrows drawn together.

“It’s fine. I’m sure he won’t be a problem,” Sarah said, though she was still annoyed that Tyler Prentiss had tried to interfere. She’d like to give him a sharp kick in the rear.

“Nevertheless, I’ll talk to the new police chief about it,” Great-Uncle Milt insisted. “I won’t have some stranger upsetting things around here.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Sarah said, yet the corners of her mouth twitched. The “new” police chief was Zach Williams...Great-Uncle Milt’s grandson. Zach was her second cousin, though in Glimmer Creek family was family. Period. And in-laws were relatives the same as anybody else. Great-Uncle Milt just didn’t like emphasizing the connection in case folks thought his grandson had gotten the job because of the relationship.

Yet Sarah’s humor faded as she thought about her cousin’s wife. Gina had died from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Zach had never been the same.

It was worse to bury a spouse than get divorced, but at least he remembered his wife with love, instead of the loathing Sarah felt for Douglas.

* * *

TYLER PACED THE GARDEN around the John Muir Cottage until his brother barked at him to go away. Inside the large Victorian farmhouse, he couldn’t find an informational booklet, so he called the Poppy Gold registration desk to get the Wi-Fi password. He had to do something while waiting for his mother to return.

Did she really think sunshine and fresh air would be enough to help Nathan?

Tyler frowned as he worked at the table in the suite’s kitchen. When Nathan had been in the military hospital, he and his mother had taken shifts so someone would be with him around the clock. She stayed days, while Tyler had stayed nights.

He’d never forget the first time he’d seen Nathan in the throes of a violent nightmare...groaning, thrashing, striking out violently. Sometimes yelling, revealing hints of the horrors he’d lived through. Even his less-intense nightmares had been disturbing to witness.

After that, Tyler had done research on PTSD. Nightmares occurred in a fairly large percentage of cases, and since Nathan was an expert in hand-to-hand combat, it wasn’t safe to get near him while he was experiencing one.

The minutes passed slowly, and finally the side door off the utility room opened. His mother walked in, bright and chipper, though her cheery expression faltered when she looked at him.

“You owe Sarah an apology,” she said flatly. “And you owe me one, too. I can’t believe you’d embarrass me like that.”

“I can’t believe you and Nathan would fly to California without a word,” Tyler retorted. “Three months ago you were still so distraught about Dad that you asked me to postpone going to Rome a second time. You didn’t want me out of the area for even a few weeks.”

Rosemary raised her chin. “I just felt it was too soon after Nathan had gone into rehab and that you should be there. But yes, I was also still upset about your father. I’d lost my best friend and the love of my life. Can you blame me for not being able to handle it right away?”

Tyler frowned.

While he’d respected his father, the idea of his parents enjoying such a close relationship was a challenge. When would they have found time? Richard Prentiss had often worked ninety hours a week, though admittedly, some of his work had included schmoozing with clients, his wife at his side. He’d been a lawyer, greatly in demand. More than anything he’d wanted his sons to go into practice with him, but Tyler had wanted to be an architect and Nathan a soldier.

Still, Tyler was willing to believe his parents had been closer than he’d realized. It would certainly explain why his mom had fallen apart so badly.

“I’m not blaming you,” Tyler said carefully. “On the other hand, I don’t think getting a job on a whim is the answer. What are you planning to do, move here?”

“Perhaps. Glimmer Creek is a nice town.”

“I don’t think you’d like it for long. The nearest place to buy designer accessories has to be fifty miles away.”

“Is that what you really think of me?” Rosemary asked sadly. “I needed to dress a certain way because it was important to your father that I looked like a successful attorney’s wife, but I’ve never cared that much about stylish clothes and jewelry. I thought you understood.”

Tyler didn’t know what he understood. At the moment he was exhausted, jet-lagged and his career was on shaky ground. He supposed there was a certain truth to his mother’s claim, though. His parents’ social circle would have expected them to be perfectly dressed.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m wearing sensible shoes.” Rosemary lifted a foot. “Kurt got them for me when he went shopping in Stockton.”

The comment went over Tyler’s head for an instant then he frowned. “Who’s Kurt?”

“Sarah’s father, Kurt Fullerton. He manages the Poppy Gold greenhouses and working gardens, but he also helps the bakery by shopping down in Stockton for specialty items. He’s a lovely man.”

The warmth in her voice made Tyler pause. “Are you dating him?”

It might explain a lot.

The disappointment in his mother’s eyes deepened. “Your father has only been gone for eight months. While some people are ready to move on that quickly, I’m not one of them. Kurt and I met two weeks ago at the bakery. Hard as it may be for you to understand, men and women can just be friends.”

Tyler worked with both men and women, but he couldn’t claim any of them as friends. He didn’t have that many friends, even from college. After he’d rejected law school, his father had refused to pay for his education. So Tyler had worked and borrowed his way through college, which hadn’t left time for socializing.

“I still don’t see why it’s so important for you to work,” he said. “If you want to get involved with something again, what about your causes back home? Surely they need you.”

“I’m needed here.” Rosemary’s face lit up. “I hear Nathan outside with Kurt. They often spend time together in the afternoon.”

“Maybe I should meet him.”

“Fine, but mind your manners. I’ll freshen up and be out in a minute.” She hurried upstairs.

Tyler’s head ached worse as he stepped into the garden and saw a burly fellow talking to his brother. This was the guy his mom called “a lovely man”? He certainly didn’t resemble the petite blonde at the sweet shop. Sarah Fullerton was slender with an elfin face, while her muscular father would look right at home in a Hells Angels jacket and straddling a Harley-Davidson.

Kurt and Nathan were deep in a debate about the merits of Humvees versus the earlier jeeps used by the military, and for the first time in months, Tyler saw animation in his brother’s face.

Fullerton looked up. “I’m guessing you’re the brother.”

Since he hadn’t said “chauvinistic jackass,” Kurt probably didn’t know what had happened at Sarah’s Sweet Treats.

“Tyler Prentiss.” He put his hand out, and Kurt shook it with the strangling grip of a wrestler. “It sounds as if you’ve been in the service.”

“I’m retired army.”

“Kurt was in Kosovo and did a couple of tours in the Middle East,” Nathan interjected. “He saw more than his share of action.”

The older man sighed heavily. “We’ve all seen too much.” He stood as Tyler’s mother came through the door. “Good afternoon, Rosemary.”

“Good afternoon.” She smiled and pointed to her feet. “The shoes you picked out are wonderful.”

Kurt Fullerton looked abashed. “I just got what Sarah told me was comfortable.”

Tyler stepped back and watched his mom chat with Kurt, trying to decide if there was an underlying thread of flirtation. Friendship was one thing, but he wanted to know a whole lot more about Fullerton if something serious was going on. After all, his mother was a financially comfortable widow who was shockingly naive for a woman her age.