Chapter 5
Morning sunlight poured into The Homestead’s front lobby while Ava waited for Richard. As they prepared to leave Trenton’s ranch yesterday, he’d asked her to meet him at ten that morning so they could assess the job they had before them. She ran her gaze over the charming sitting room. From the wall of weathered books surrounding the fireplace, to the plush chairs and shabby chic décor, it was the sort of place that had her wanting to sink into a book, curl up under a blanket, and read the day away.
She lifted her warm mug of coffee to her lips and inhaled the rich brew before taking a sip. She’d refilled it one last time after her trip through the breakfast buffet. And what a delicious breakfast it had been. They were serving made-to-order omelets today, and Ava opted for spinach, feta, and tomato. After eating that, a generous side of bacon, and a serving of fruit too, she felt as if the meal would tide her over until Christmas.
She’d hoped all of that food would help counter her nerves. For a time, she decided, it probably had. But now that she was about to come face-to-face with the most intimidating brother in the Duran family, the nerves were building back full force. It was interesting though, because for all of the grumbling the twins did where Richard was concerned, they seemed to know they could rely on him. He was trustworthy. Dependable. Solid.
That final word put a slight grin on her face. Richard Duran was definitely solid physically. Tall, strong, and more muscular than wiry Wren in his wildest dreams. Thank heavens for that; had Wren been built with a body like Richard’s, Ava might have been dead by now. A shiver rocked through her body.
You’re safe here,she assured herself. She hoped that was true. It was just that, no one would have ever guessed that her father was physically violent with his only child back at home. With Wren, though, it was slightly different. He often boasted that the people who worked for him were scared of him, and he liked it that way. Not many would assume that his brazen personality carried into his personal life to the extent that it did, but a few of his closest friends had warned her about Wren and his temper once they started dating. “Don’t get me wrong,”they’d say when he stepped away from the table at the night club, “he’s a great guy, but…”
Thatbutwas often followed by things like,he makes a better friend than he does a boyfriend.Orhe can really lose his temper, and the people closest to him pay the price.
Sadly, thathadn’t been enough to steer her away from him. Of course, at the time she’d received those warnings from his friends, Wren hadn’t become violent with her yet. He’d lashed out a few times, raised his voice, thrown a few things, and punched a hole in the wall beside her. She’d seen him battling with himself in that way, and inwardly, Ava had hoped she could fix that part of him. The way she’d tried and failed to fix that side of her own father.
Which is why it didn’t come as a surprise when the therapist said that her draw to Wren was a result of that unresolved issue.
She couldn’t be certain, but Ava was, at least at this point, pretty sure that none of the Duran men had that in them. And hadn’t she become good at spotting the sort of men that were like Wren? The obnoxious man at the restaurant who belittled the waitress and the woman in his company without a second thought. These men carried an air of superiority that practically oozed off them.
“Ava,” came a deep voice, pulling her from her musings.
She tore her gaze off the window and set it on the man in the walkway. Her body responded to the sight of him before she could. A flare of heat low in her tummy. A trail of tingles over her skin.
“Hi,” she managed, cursing herself for being so affected. The Duran brothers were handsome, there was no getting around it. She’d known that much upon first glance at the twins. But there was something about Richard that went deeper. She was no expert on the man, having just barely met him, but he seemed to carry a quiet strength. And unlike Maverick and Memphis, the oldest of the bunch seemed to be very…in control of himself, and she liked that.
The smallest hint of a smile pulled at one corner of his lips. And was that hints of stubble accenting his jawline? She’d pegged him for more of the clean-shaven type, like Maverick. It looked nice on him.
He pointed a thumb toward the hallway on the other side of the wall. “Shall we?”
She was quick to move to her feet. “Sure.”
“I asked Betty to meet us here,” he said over his shoulder while leading her down the hall. “She worked closely with Jepson in the beginning of the year, plus she knows where the receipts are stored.”
“Idoknow that much,” came a sweet, southern voice from within the office.
Ava followed Richard into the space in time to see the woman come to a stand and smooth a hand over her bright turquoise top. She’d overheard the family saying Betty resembled a well-known country music star, and that she did—the beautiful smile, platinum hair, flashy clothes, and all.
“Oh, I’m so happy to meet you,” Betty said, proving she sounded like her as well. Betty stretched out a hand as she approached.
She followed suit in time for the exuberant woman to sandwich Ava’s hand in hers. “Nice to meet you too.”
“I’m tickled pink that you’re here, and not just because of the taxes either. We need some more feminine energy to balance things out, right, Richard?” The woman reached up to rest a hand on his upper arm. Even in her stiletto heels, she was still a great deal shorter than him.
Richard moved his gaze from Betty to Ava. “You’re probably right.”
“That a boy,” Betty added with a few shoulder pats. “Takes a real man to admit he needs a woman.”
Richard scratched the back of his neck and motioned to the file cabinet. “You said you know where all the invoices are?” he asked.
“I do,” Betty said. “But let me just preface.” She put her hands up to stay them, narrowing a serious look at Richard, then Ava. “Jepson told me to file the paperwork and leave it at that. He’d be back soon to get around to it and he didn’t want anyone messing with his way of doing things. So while this stack of receipts might look like a whole lot of neglect, I want you to know that I was simply following orders from the tax man himself.”
“Way to put us at ease, Betty,” Richard said, that half grin pulling at his lips once more.
Betty only shrugged. “Well, you’ve been warned.” She moved gracefully to the file cabinet beside the nearest desk, pulled out one of the drawers, and retrieved a hefty folder. Tattered edges and dinged corners marked the odd-sized pages within. A large, pink rubber band secured the stack in its entirety, assuring that nothing slipped free from the stack.
“I bundled it up and started a new stack once the new year came, so I guess that means we’re behind on this year too, since Jepson never came back to get things in order.” She plunked the stack onto the desk and turned back to look at them. “I wish I’d have done a better job—”
“Don’t apologize, Betty,” Richard said, putting his hand up. “You do enough around here. Fortunately, I’ve got a very qualified woman to help me put this all in order, right?”
