No, you dont have to remind me. But she did at every opportunity. As the only son, he was supposed to guarantee that his fathers branch of the McFarland clan would continue. His younger sister had no such responsibility, and frankly, that was unfair. The whole charade was so three centuries ago.
You intend to get married at some point, I hope?
Mac set his boots aside and wiggled his toes inside his wool socks. Maybe. I suppose. Im in no rush, but someday, when I meet the right woman.
And how do you intend to do that? Youre either working or camping alone in the woods.
Thats not true. I have dates.
With who?
Like withKathy.
His mother made a dismissive sound. That was months ago, and you were never serious about her. I could tell.
Mom, I love you, but you have to stop pushing.
There was a pause on the other end. I cant uninvite her.
I suppose not. His phone beeped. Listen, I have another call.
Ill see you tomorrow, then.
Yes, youll see me tomorrow. Bye, Mom. He disconnected and picked up the new call, which turned out to be Jillian Vickers, one of his favorite people. He wished her a happy Thanksgiving.
Same to you, Mac, she said. Hey, have you heard anything from our weekend renter, Beth Tierney?
No, I havent. He frowned. Why, is there a problem?
Im not sure, but I would really appreciate it if youd go over and check on her. Noise in the background indicated Ken was mumbling something. Last time we were there, we thought we heard a leak in the kitchen, maybe under the sink.
Really? Mac sat up straighter. You should have called me. You dont want water damage on those oak cabinets.
I know, but II sort of forgot about it. Im sure its nothing, but could you take a quick run over there and check?
Sure. Mac reached for his boots. Something about this situation wasnt adding up. Ken was a stickler for details. Jillian might have forgotten about a leak, but Ken wouldnt have. Hed either have made sure hed fixed it himself or phoned Mac. Still, Mac wasnt about to refuse a request from such great customers.
I realize Im sending you out in the snow, Jillian added. Im sorry about that.
Gives me a chance to try out my new snow tires. He pulled on one boot. Ill give you a call after I go over there.
Thanks, Mac. Youre the best. Talk to you soon. Oh, and her name is Beth Tierney. She hung up.
I know, Mac thought. You already told me that. He was halfway over to the Vickers cabin before he figured out what was bothering him about this errand. Instead of calling him, Jillian could have called the renter. No doubt the woman had a cell phone with her, and the rental agreement would have that listed.
Oh, well. Maybe Jillian hadnt thought of that. No doubt she was cooking and cleaning in preparation for the big Thanksgiving dinner with her family and she was distracted. He was nearly at the cabin, anyway, and he was pleased with the way his new tires gripped the road. This really did give him the chance to test them out, so it wasnt a wasted trip.
Anyway, if it turned out there was actually a leak, he needed to fix it before those beautiful cabinets suffered. Hed refinished them just last summer, and the image of water dripping on them made him wince.
Parking the truck in front of the cabin, he turned up his coat collar and grabbed his toolbox out of the camper shell in the back before going to the door. He smelled wood smoke, which meant shed built a fire.
He pictured the roaring fire he would enjoy once he finished this chore. The temperature had dropped significantly in the past hour, and he was ready to go home and settle in for the night. He knocked briskly.
When the door opened, he blinked in surprise. He hadnt thought much about who was renting the cabin, but in the back of his mind hed wondered what sort of woman would deliberately spend Thanksgiving weekend alone in a mountain cabin. He might have expected some eccentric old lady whod had it with the Thanksgiving Day hype and wanted an escape. He certainly hadnt expected Beth Tierney to be young and beautiful.
Not that she was trying to be beautiful. She wore a faded UNR sweatshirt, baggy sweats, andhe couldnt help smiling when he saw themsock-monkey slippers. Her dark brown hair was caught up in a haphazard ponytail, and her face was bare of makeup, which only emphasized the soft green of her eyes. Any woman who could look that appealing without trying captured Macs attention.
Im Mac McFarland, the handyman, he said. Ken and Jillian called me about a potential leak.
Oh! She glanced at the toolbox in his hand. Im sorry youve made the trip, especially in this weather. I fixed it.
So there was a leak? He didnt want to insult her by implying that she hadnt fixed it, but he loved this cabin and he was crazy about those oak cabinets. A leak that could threaten the finish hed painstakingly applied had to be investigated. By him.
Yes, but I handled it. Thank you for coming by, but everythings under control. Happy Thanksgiving. She started to close the door.
He put his hand on the door. I believe you Although he didnt, not really. But would you mind if I double-check the situation to see if its dripping again? Leaks can be tricky.
You dont think I fixed it, do you?
She seemed pretty confident, but he still wanted to look for himself. Im sure you did, but I promised to report back to Ken and Jillian after I checked on things. He smiled. Its what they pay me for.
She hesitated and finally shrugged. I suppose you wouldnt want to jeopardize your work relationship with them.
Id rather not. Theyre good customers. He gave her points for being understanding.
Okay, then. She stepped away from the door with obvious reluctance. Im sure the pipes are fine, though, and Im kind of busy right now.
He glanced at the cozy fire, the glass of wine, the cheese and crackers, and a yellow legal pad with some things scribbled on it. Are you a writer?
No.
So much for that attempt at conversation. Damn, now he was curious. Maybe shed recently broken up with someone and this was how she was dealing with it. He couldnt imagine anyone giving up on a woman who looked like her, but she could have a boatload of bad habits.
As he walked into the kitchen area he noticed a toolbox sitting on the floor beside the row of cabinets. He gave her more points; no women he knew traveled with a toolbox.
And it was definitely hers, because Ken and Jillian kept whatever tools they needed hanging inside a locked closet by the back door. Ken had made the decision not to give renters access to the tool closet, which Mac thought was a wise movenot so much for fear of theft as for incompetence.
Mac took off his heavy parka and draped it over a kitchen chair. Then he crouched in front of the sink and opened the cabinet doors. They moved smoothly on their hinges, exactly as hed intended when hed put in all-new hardware last summer.
Nothing was dripping now. He rolled onto his back and scooted under the sink to examine the pipes and fittings. All was well. Would you turn on the faucet for me, please?
She walked over, her monkey slippers whispering against the wooden floor, the scent of cinnamon arriving with her. Water splashed into the stainless-steel sink, but none of it dripped from the fitting.
She walked over, her monkey slippers whispering against the wooden floor, the scent of cinnamon arriving with her. Water splashed into the stainless-steel sink, but none of it dripped from the fitting.
Thanks, thats good.
The splashing stopped and she walked away again.
He waited. Still no drip. That left him with no reason to stay, no reason to satisfy his curiosity as to why this beautiful woman was here during what was, for most people, a family holiday. He certainly would be dealing with his family tomorrowalong with Stephanie, the woman his mother hoped would become the bearer of McFarland sons.
Easing out from under the sink, he sat up and leaned his arms on his knees.
Beth stood looking at him, her expression more open than it had been a few moments ago. No leak?
Not that I can see. Something else was different about her, too. Then he realized shed taken her hair out of the ponytail. It fell to her shoulders in soft waves and he noticed tinges of red mixed with the brown. Whatever it was, youve obviously taken care of it.
Thanks.
He stood. Guess Ill let you get back to your fire. I appreciate you allowing me to come in. He walked over to the chair where hed hung his parka.
It seems a shame that you drove over here for no reason.
He picked up his coat and turned toward her. No worries. Its okay.
I dont know if you have somewhere you need to be, butwould you like to stay for a glass of wine?
He had no idea what had prompted that invitation after her initial chilly response, but he wasnt opposed to her idea. At all. I have nowhere I have to be, and that sounds great. Thanks.
I hope you like red.
Absolutely. And this would give him a chance to stay a little longer and try to unravel the mystery that was Beth Tierney. But I should call Jillian and let her know the leaks not a problem.
Sure. While you do that, Ill pour you some wine.
Thats a deal. He pulled his phone out of his jeans pocket and punched in Ken and Jillians number.
Jillian answered on the first ring. Mac? Did you take care of the leak?
No, Beth did and its fine now.
Oh. I see. So I guess you didnt need to go out in the snowstorm, after all. Sorry about that. Jillian sounded a little subdued.
Guess not. You have a capable renter here.
Right. So youre heading home?
Not quite. Beth offered me a glass of wine, so Im taking her up on it.
Oh! Thats great! I meanhow nice of her.
The puzzle began to click into place. Jillian, whats up?
Nothing, nothing. I just think you two might have some things in common. Shes Irish, too, you know.
Turning away from the living room, Mac lowered his voice. Did you arrange this?
Not exactly. Wellsort of.
Honestly, Im beginning to think youre in league with my mother. But Jillian was a customer, so he couldnt be too hard on her. Still, it was an under-handed trick.
Mac, its harmless. I just thought you two might get along. If you dont, no harm done.
He glanced toward the living room where Beth sat on the couch with her wineglass on one end table and his on the other. Shed put the plate of cheese and crackers on the couchs middle cushion. A guy would have to be dead to turn down the chance to spend time in front of a fire with a beautiful woman on a snowy night, even if it was technically a fix-up.
He angled away again, once more shielding his conversation with Jillian. Ill say this, he murmured. You have good taste. Talk to you later. He disconnected the call and tucked the phone in his pocket.
Now to solve the mystery
CHAPTER TWO
INVITING THE HANDYMAN TO STAY for a glass of wine hadnt been part of Beths game plan. But Mac McFarland was serious eye candy, a fact she hadnt been able to ignore, especially after he took off his coat and started to inspect the pipe. Between the faded jeans that showcased his tight buns and a blue chambray shirt that required no padding to emphasize his broad shoulders, he was outfitted like a certified hunk.
His dark, wavy hair brushed the back of his collar in a most attractive way, and his eyes were the kind of startling blue that won guys modeling and movie contracts. On top of all that, he smelled good. From the moment hed come through the door, shed breathed in a heady combination of pine boughs and wood smoke.
Even though she was concentrating on the joys of singlehood this weekend, that didnt mean she couldnt invite a guy for a drink.
She wasnt exactly dressed for company, though. It was too late to apply makeup, but at least shed spritzed a little of her favorite spice body mist on after her bath.
Maybe shed share a drink with Mac and then hed go on about his business. But if not, and his arresting blue eyes continued to fascinate her, she might try out the new ground rules shed devised for her sex life and see what his reaction might be. Assuming he was interested in her and didnt have some sweetie in the wings, that was.
Once hed joined her on the couch, she picked up her wineglass and searched for an icebreaker.
He took a sip of the wine. Good stuff. Thanks.
Youre welcome. Sodid you decide in kindergarten that you wanted to be a handyman and that was the end of that?
He laughed. No, I wanted to be a superhero, but sadly my superpowers never developed, so I had to settle for household maintenance instead.
She could imagine him in spandex and a rippling cape. He had the classic square-jawed superhero look about him. Ill bet your customers think youre heroic. A good maintenance man is hard to find. As she knew from her experience as a hotel manager.
That, as a matter of fact, is true. Just about anyone can hang out a shingle. But I learned from an expertmy dad. I worked for him all through high school and college. He reached for a cracker and put a piece of cheese on top of it.
But now you dont.
Nope. I developed an independent streak. But at least by working on this side of the mountain, Im not in direct competition with him. He popped the cheese and cracker into his mouth and began to chew.
So hes in Reno?
He finished chewing and swallowed. My folks live there. He picked up his wineglass and gestured in her direction. Your turn.
I manage the High Sierras Hotel.
He nodded. I can see you doing that.
You can? She glanced down at her sweats. I dont look much like a hotel manager at the moment.
No, but you act like someone who makes plans and carries them out, which would make for a good manager.
She gazed at him, intrigued. How can you tell?
The fire, the wine, whatever you were writing when I got here. That looked like part of a plan to me.
It was. She was impressed that he was so observant and wondered what hed think of the manifesto she was creating.
But she didnt know him well enough to talk about it, at least not yet. When she didnt offer to tell him her purpose in coming here, he didnt ask. She took that as a promising sign that he respected boundaries.
He swallowed another sip of his wine. Id think this would be a busy week for you at the hotel.