First Kiss (4 page)

“Great, tell me what to sign and I’ll get out of here.” His voice was anxious Olivia narrowed her eyes on him at his comments.

“Wouldn’t want to keep you.” She snipped at him. “I’ll need the power of attorney papers as well as his death certificate.”

His eyes shot open wide. “Shit! I don’t have any of that.” He came forward on his chair and rested his arms on the desk again.

“Cade, you can’t close out anything without them or attempt to sell the house. They should have been in the mail.” She laced her fingers together and dropped them on her desk as well.

“Dad’s mail? There’s no mail in his box.”

Olivia fisted her hands. She’d made arrangements for him to have those papers. There was no reason he should be seated before her without them.

Cade tapped his fingers on her desk. “Where do I get them?”

“You’ll have to contact the county and have them sent to you.”

“Great. What will that take? Six weeks?” He was perturbed, and she found humor in it. He fell back in his chair again.

“If you’re lucky,” she added, knowing she could tell him that he could drive to the county seat and probably get it in his hand. She’d also pay a call to the postmaster to find out where Austin’s mail had been forwarded. But she wasn’t going to share anything with Cade so she sat calmly. It was better to watch him stew.

He focused his eyes on her, and she felt her palms begin to sweat. He leaned in even closer over the desk.

“Who arranged his services?”

“I did.”

“Who turned the water off in his house?”

“I did. I can have that turned back on…”

“Did it.” He clenched his jaw. “Did you take the TV?”

“What? No.”

He nodded as if he’d known that was going to be her answer. “If you arranged his service and took care of his house, wouldn’t you have gotten those papers? Seems you were pretty close to the old man.”

Olivia straightened her spine. “I took care of him, Cade. The man died in my arms in the kitchen.” The anger and hate that she’d bottled up over Cade Carter was fresh and raw now. She struggled to keep her calm. “I made sure he had three square meals a day. I made him take his medicine, and I drove him to Gunnison to see the heart specialist that was recommended. He treated me like a daughter, and he respected me, and that is a lot more than I can say for any other person in this town.”

She took a deep breath, aware that her voice was rising.

“The paperwork should have been mailed to his house. But now you’ll need to get that paperwork to me before I can help you, Cade.”

He gave her another nod. “My aunt…did she come to the funeral?”

Olivia shook her head. “I thought someone said she’d come to town, but I didn’t see her, and I would have. It was a small crowd.” And that bothered her. Austin had closed himself away from the world. He should have had the whole town there, so why wasn’t the world mourning as much as she was?

Cade ran his tongue over his teeth and took in the sight of her sitting so professionally behind her desk. He’d thought of her over the years, but, of course, the image he had of her didn’t fit the woman before him.

Her chocolate brown eyes were soft, and today her brown hair fell over her shoulders. The black suit she wore made her look smart, but he already knew she was. Maybe it was fate he’d returned and had to do business with her.

He looked over her interlaced fingers resting on her desk. Each ring finger had a dainty gold band. He wasn’t sure if that was a symbol or a fashion. It was time to find out who Olivia Baker was now. It would give him something to do while in Aspen Creek, and it looked like he’d be staying awhile.

Cade crossed his arms over his chest. “So did you ever get out of this hell hole?” He asked realizing it was the worst way to put the question. “Probably didn’t get to college like you’d wanted to, did you?”

Where had he lost his art of conversation?

Olivia held her chin high. “I went to Mesa University in Grand Junction. I graduated with a 3.8. I have a degree in finance.” She locked eyes with him. “Yes, I got away.”

He swallowed hard. “It did good for you, even if you didn’t leave the state. You look real good.” His compliment didn’t even sound like one, and she shook her head. He was in too deep now, which meant he couldn’t stop talking. “So what brought you back?” He tried to gain back some composure, but suddenly any social skills he had seemed to be flying out the window.

“I came back to take care of your dad when I found out he was sick. And I got a really good job offer. We returned to this
hell hole,”
she used her fingers to emphasize his quotation, “about a year and a half ago
.
We just bought the old Alistair place over on Elm.” She smiled when she said it.

“Yeah, I know the place. Hung with Patrick Alistair in high school. Though I think he was a senior when we were freshmen, but he could get beer.” God, he was sounding so juvenile. It pained him to hear his own voice. “So, you said we?”

“I beg your pardon?” Her beautifully sculpted eyebrows had drawn together.

“You said
we
.”

A different smile formed on her lips. “Oh, yes, I did. Gage and I.”

Gage. The name stuck him in the chest like a knife because he’d seen the spark in her eyes when she’d said his name. “Lucky man.”

“I hope he thinks so.” She stood from behind her desk and looked down at him. “Well, Mr. Carter, I assume I’ll see you again when you have the appropriate paperwork.”

He realized his cue and stood to leave the office.

Olivia reached out and touched his arm. “Cade,” her voice was hushed and the hardness of her eyes had softened. “I’m really sorry about your dad. I cared for him so much.” The sincerity piqued his interest.

When he turned to her and met her eyes with his, he felt her hand tremble just as he felt his own knees go weak. Yeah, he thought, she felt it too. Damn it to hell, that Gage was a lucky guy.

He could find no words for her compassion. He slipped on his sunglasses and headed out of the bank.

As he walked out, he gave Kat McCormick a nod, and she smiled a crooked smile. Yeah, she’d have plenty to gossip about this summer. Olivia Baker, vice-president of the Aspen Creek bank, had just made him feel as little as he assumed he’d made her feel most her life, and he was sure it showed in his face. Well, it wasn’t the first time either of them had been the fodder for town gossip, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last.

Chapter Four

Olivia walked through the door to the post office just before closing time.

“Cutting it pretty close, aren’t you?” Clive, the postmaster, gave her a friendly smile.

“I know, but I just need some information.”

“Well, then, I’m your guy. What can I help you with?”

Olivia pushed back her shoulders and sucked in a breath of courage. “I need to know where Austin Carter’s mail is.”

Clive’s lips pursed, and he narrowed his eyes on her. “You know I can’t give that information out.”

“I assumed so, but nothing has been delivered to his house since he passed and we’re expecting important documents.”

Clive gave her a slow nod and leaned in over the counter. “I could tell you that you might want to talk to Ms. Carter.”

“Austin’s sister?”

“Just saying. Her name was still listed as a resident.”

The woman was a vulture. Olivia gave him a warm smile. “I’ll look into that.” She turned to leave.

“His son is in town, isn’t he?”

Olivia stopped and turned back. “For a few days.”

“I’ll stop by on my route and give my condolences. Mr. Carter was a fine man.”

She gave him a wave and left. Yes, Austin Carter was a fine man and, at that very moment, she missed him terribly.

The water and electricity had been restored to the house, and Cade was happy to not have to stay in town another night. He would, however, need to find some clothes. He’d only brought enough for three days, and it was a little cooler in the valley than he’d thought it would be. Perhaps he’d head over the mountain to Aspen Hills and buy something better than what the local general store had. He cringed when he thought about it.

After his meeting with Olivia, he’d called Ashley, who was sitting poolside enjoying a beer—
his
pool, drinking
his
beer. The whole thought made him mad.

He was tense. That was all. This little town made him that way. Perhaps he’d head into town and throw a few back himself. It wasn’t fair that Ashley was living it up in
his
house while he was obsessing over Olivia Baker and her absolute hatred of him and her very obvious affection for his father.

That clinched it. Perhaps a really good drunk would help him clear his mind, and maybe, just maybe, he could find out why Olivia was so attached to his old man and why there was a nursery upstairs.

There was only one problem with working at a bank, Olivia decided as she wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror…getting up before the sun on a Saturday morning to go into work. She couldn’t really complain. They all took their turns. Today it was her and Kat. It just might make for a very long four hours.

Michelle knocked on the door just after seven as Olivia filled her travel mug with coffee.

“Gage is still asleep,” she whispered as she let Michelle in the front door. Thank God for Michelle. Every other Saturday she’d worked Austin had watched him, up until she’d moved out of his house. Then he’d been busy. Only
now
she knew that had been his excuse since he was getting sicker.

“Did he have another bad night?”

“Yes. He’s only eighteen months old. I can’t image what he could possibly have terrors over.”

“Did you have them when you were little?”

She thought about it. “I don’t think so.”

“How about his dad?”

Olivia shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to even think about his father. She turned and headed toward the kitchen. She pulled a mug from the cupboard and handed it to Michelle. “So, what are your plans?”

Michelle took the mug and filled it from the coffee pot on the counter. “I thought we’d head into town and play at the park for a little bit. My sister and niece were going to meet us there.”

And it was reasons such as setting up play dates that made Michelle not only Gage’s favorite teacher but her favorite sitter.

“Why don’t I just plan to meet you in the park around twelve-fifteen.”

“Sure.”

Olivia was content with the arrangement. Gage was indeed a lucky man, she thought as she remembered Cade’s words from the day before. He was lucky to have people who cared about him.

The town was still quiet when she drove down Main Street and headed toward the bank. Usually, she’d use her Saturdays at the bank to catch up on her work. Other than the few people who didn’t make it to the bank on Friday with their paychecks or the ranchers who came in from beyond the city limits, there wasn’t a lot of banking traffic.

Earl, the night guard, opened the door for her, and she’d almost made it in to her office before Kat burst through the door behind her, nearly knocking Earl over on her way.

“Oh, do I have something hot to tell.”

Olivia closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. This was the only part of small town she didn’t like. “What’s that?”

“Cade Carter is in jail.”

Olivia felt the blood drain from her face, and she forced herself to concentrate. “What? Why?”

“Guess he headed into town last night and got drunk. There were enough fans around for a bit to talk football, so he bought a few rounds. Then he threw Buck into the jukebox.”

Olivia balled her fists at her side. “Was Buck hurt?”

“Oh, you know, he was so drunk he probably didn’t feel a thing. Juke box won’t play, and they had to call the cops.”

This wasn’t exactly how she thought Austin would have like Cade’s homecoming. She pinched the bridge of her nose. She was going to need more coffee to get through her day.

“Did they press charges?”

“Nah. Owner said Buck had it coming. He’d challenged Cade on some football mishaps, told him he didn’t deserve the M.V.P. for that play in the Super Bowl, and then he said something about Conner, and that was when Cade took the swing.”

Olivia gritted her teeth. Even dead Conner could get Cade in trouble.

Kat started toward the break room to discard her personal items. When she returned, Olivia was still standing outside her office door.

Olivia tried to act casual, but she’d been so stunned by Kat’s news she hadn’t been able to get to work. “So what happens now, for Cade?”

“Oh, Sheriff is just letting him sleep it off. That gossip over at the 7-11 says he’s got a huge black eye and a busted lip. Otherwise, he’s fine. But he’s going to be hurting today.”

Olivia was grateful when the door opened, and a customer walked toward the counter.

She retreated to her office and shut the door. Perhaps she’d just lay her head on her desk and catch some sleep. She certainly wasn’t going to be able to focus on much.

For the first time in the almost two years since Olivia had been back to Aspen Creek, the bank had been busier than she’d ever seen it on a Saturday. She helped Kat at the teller window, took four applications for ranch equipment loans, and had to open the vault for a safety deposit box for Mrs. Krane, who just wanted to see her husband’s old wedding band, again. She missed him that much.

When they locked the door at noon, Olivia fell into the seat of her car and let out a long and ragged breath.

The night of no sleep, followed by the busy morning, and then the constant worry over Cade had completely exhausted her.

What bothered her even more was the fact that Cade wasn’t hers to worry about, and he was taking up way too much of her time by doing so. But still, deep in her heart, he was her friend, and, above all else, he was Austin’s son.

But as sons went, hers was much more important, and she was going to hurry to the park and pick him up from Michelle. Nothing would make her day better than wrapping her arms around him and holding on tight.