Trent raised a hand. “This was our mother’s ranch.” His voice grew husky. “I have no doubt she’d offer you the same arrangement. Sometimes we all need some help to get started.”
Brooke stepped in, and slipped her arm around her husband’s waist, then said, “How about we give you a trial period, then increase the rent then?” She looked at Cullen. “Do you both agree to that? A trial period then if Shelby wants to stay you’ll raise the rent.”
Cullen looked at the pretty brunette, suddenly hoping she’d take the agreement and stay around.
* * *
THAT AFTERNOON, SHELBY had their meager belongings moved over to the cottage. With the brothers giving her a cut in rent, she agreed to take the place only if she’d be the one to finish cleaning it.
She looked around and saw the beauty of the place. Okay, it was small, but the brick fireplace and the hardwood floors, scarred or not, gave it character. She’d mostly lived in apartments, with roommates, but after finishing culinary school, she’d hoped to finally put down some roots. Could Hidden Springs be that place?
She could see the brothers both wanted to help her, but she didn’t want to be beholden to anyone. Most of her life, she and her older sister had been in the foster care system. A lot of those years she’d lost touch with Georgia. They’d found each other only about a year ago when she’d learned about the hell her sister had been going through with Gil Bryant. Shelby had seen firsthand what Georgia’s ex-boyfriend could do when angered. She’d shown up one day and found Georgia beaten and bruised, but her sister refused to go to the ER.
Since Gil was a cop in the small Southern town, his fellow officers protected their brother. Even after Georgia broke up with him, he still got away with coming into her apartment and terrorizing her. He swore that she could never leave him.
Not having the option to call for any protection, Georgia had no choice but to take her son and disappear, and Shelby was going with them. They’d planned to leave Kentucky and come to Colorado to work on a ranch.
Then came the day they were to leave town. At five o’clock, Shelby had her car packed with all their possessions. She picked Ryan up at preschool, then drove to the designated meeting spot at the strip mall. When nightfall came and Georgia hadn’t shown up, Shelby got worried, and knew in her gut something had gone wrong.
After dropping Ryan off at the babysitter, she drove to the house, but a block away she saw the police car and flashing lights, then the coroner’s vans. Panic took over and she jumped out of the car and ran to the house, but it was too late. Gil had gotten to Georgia. He’d killed her. There wasn’t any proof that he’d been the one who shot her. Of course he had an alibi. Several of his fellow officers backed him up.
She’d never trust a cop again.
She swiped at a tear. That was when she heard her name. She swung around to find Cullen Brannigan. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a henley shirt. She couldn’t help but look over the expansive chest, then realizing what she was doing, she looked at his somber face.
“Oh, Cullen.” She went to the opened door. “Is something wrong?”
He shook his head, but held out the two big bags in his hand. “Brooke sent me over with some cleaning supplies. She was at the store and realized there weren’t any left here.”
She started to take the bags, but he shook his head. So she motioned him inside and led him into the kitchen. He followed her into the room lined with older white cabinets and butcher-block counters. The floor was worn but went with the rest of the house. She had boxes of pots and pans and her seasoning and spices on the table. And her extravagance had been her specialty knives.
“Thank you. This will help a lot. Once I get the kitchen organized and unpack my things, I was planning to go pick up some food, too.” She was excited that she would have an adequate kitchen to work in.
Their eyes connected, and there was a tightening in her chest that quickly spread through her body. She glanced away.
“I believe there’s shelf paper in there, so you can put away all your things.”
“It’s crazy, but the kitchen is important to me.”
He nodded. “Well, I’d hold off awhile on making too much food,” he suggested. “I have a feeling Brooke and Laurel will be bringing some food dishes by later.”
“Oh, they don’t need to do that.”
Cullen crossed his arms over his massive chest. “Sorry, there’s no stopping them. You may be a professional chef, but you’ll be getting some pretty tasty food.” He leaned forward. “Laurel’s mother is quite the baker, too. Her oatmeal cookies are out of this world.”
She nodded. “Sounds like you’ve sampled a few.”
“Of course. Luckily, since I’ve been here I’ve managed to work off the extra pounds by lifting hay bales for Trent.”
“So you don’t do any ranching like your brother?”
He shook his head. “I lived in Denver until this job came up. I really haven’t thought much about what to do with my share of this land. Trent likes that I’m here, and will probably talk me into getting some animals.” He looked out the window that faced the big empty barn. “I wouldn’t mind getting a horse or two.” He wasn’t sure right now. “I want to concentrate on my job and settle in.” He knew that since he was part owner of this property, Trent would encourage him to stay permanently.
Before she could ask, he said, “Trent’s mother was married to my father. She died suddenly last month.”
Shelby caught the sadness in his voice. “I’m sorry. She must have really loved you boys to leave you all this.”
He nodded. “It’s one of the reasons I took the interim sheriff job. Sheriff Ted Carson had a heart attack.”
“Oh, I hope he’s okay.”
“From what I hear, he’s doing fine, but he has to recover from his surgery.”
“So what are you planning to do after that?”
He shook his head. “Seems we’re in the same predicament, Shelby Townsend. I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the future.”
The next evening after the sun had gone down, Cullen stood at his kitchen window looking toward the cottage. After Trent’s strong urging, he’d officially moved in to the ranch house. Now his attention was focused on the other tenants living about a hundred yards away from his back door. Bright lights illuminated the small structure, and with the lack of curtains, he could easily see inside.
Shelby Townsend was busy at the stove, maybe cooking one of her specialties. Her rich mahogany hair was pulled up into a big clip, but some wild curls found their way out. She had on an oversize T-shirt and a pair of jeans covering her trim figure.
He quickly shook away his wayward thoughts and turned his attention to the table, where the boy sat, going through his photo book. Shelby said something to the child that caused them both to laugh. A soft lyrical sound seemed to vibrate through his chest, causing that familiar ache, reminding him of his solitary life.
He turned away, knowing that Miss Townsend could be a distraction if he let her. He thought back to when his shift had ended this morning, and how he had to fight from stopping by the café. Even after one of the deputies came into work all chatty about the pretty brunette Bess had hired, he’d driven home. Well, back to the motel, but just long enough to pack up his things and finally move in to the ranch house. He didn’t want the new tenants to be out here all alone.
Something else nagged at him, causing him to