Straight From The Hip

“I didn’t have to take notes before.”

“You couldn’t see the paper before.” He tapped on her yellow pad. “Chop-chop.”

“You did not just say that to me.”

“Want to arm wrestle for dominance, honey?”

Izzy laughed. “That’s okay. Back to brainstorming.”

They were talking about ways to make more use of the ranch.

“So far we’ve got renting out the facilities without staffing them,” Aaron said. “I like that. Groups can come in and do their thing, then leave. Our expenses will be minimal. We’ll charge them a cleaning fee, so there’s the insurance issues and wear and tear. And I like your idea of expanding the obstacle course.”

“I think we should talk about having kids here longer than a weekend,” she said. “What about a week at a time?” Her plan was eventually kids would take over for the whole summer, but she doubted Nick was ready to hear that.

“What additional staff would we need?” Aaron asked. “A nurse? Counselor?”

“Maybe. What about a school counselor? They have the summer off. We could invite a counselor and his or her whole family. They’d get a free vacation, we’d get the expert we need?”

Aaron eyed her. “You’ve been thinking about this?”

“Some. I saw what the time here did for Heidi. That was only three days. In a week-”

“We’re not doing weeks.”

The statement came from behind her. Izzy turned and saw Nick standing in the kitchen.

“What are you two doing?” he asked, not sounding or looking happy. She’d never seen him frown before. Or the ice that seemed to invade his eyes. “You’re supposed to be working on logistics for our fall retreats.”

“We’ve done that,” Aaron told him, unfazed by the obvious annoyance. “We’re brainstorming ways to make your life better.”

“My life is fine the way it is.” He left.

Izzy rose and went after him.

“What’s your problem?” she demanded as she hurried to catch up with him. “We’re helping. You need to be starting the conversation with thank you.”

He stopped in front of his office and faced her. “This doesn’t concern you.”

Had he been this much of a jerk when she’d been blind?

“Excuse me? I should just shut up and do my job? I don’t think so. What’s wrong with you?” She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Getting the most use out of the facilities makes financial sense. Expanding what you offer will bring in more clients. The more corporate sessions you book, the more money for the real work with the kids. Although if you ask me, you need to completely change the schedule to do corporate stuff from fall to spring and have kids all summer. Aaron and I were talking about having one-week sessions for them that-”

“No.”

Nick didn’t speak loudly or harshly, but there was a finality to the single word that silenced her.

They stared at each other.

“Just like that,” she said. “Only you get to decide? There’s no team here? What is going on with you? Why are you acting like this?”

“This is how it has to be.”

She knew he had a gentle, caring side. She’d seen it. She’d experienced it firsthand. But apparently that part of him was on vacation.

“Is this about the guilt?” she asked.

The ice thickened. “I’m not having this conversation.”

“Actually, you are. That’s why we’re both angry.” She drew in a breath. “I understand you have issues.”

“I don’t have issues. I’m responsible for the death of three innocent people. That is fact, not emotional baggage.”

“True, but because of those other people, children are getting a second chance. That girl who was here before. Denise. She’s going to be a doctor. She’ll spend her entire career saving lives. There are people who will still be living because of her. People who otherwise wouldn’t make it. And she’s doing that because of what you did.”

“Nothing makes up for what I did before.”

“All the more reason to have the kids here longer.”

“No.”

He stepped into his office and closed the door behind him.

There wasn’t a lock. She could have followed him inside. But that wasn’t the point. He was trying to shut her out and he was doing a heck of a job at it.

So much for the romantic homecoming, she thought sadly as she walked away. So much for thinking there was something between them. It was as if Nick was trying to push her away.

And he was doing a damn good job.

NICK STOOD in the center of his office and wanted to throw something. He knew he should go apologize to Izzy, but he couldn’t. Not without telling her what was wrong. And to tell her that was to admit the truth about Garth.

He would have to tell her eventually. The longer he waited, the bigger the risk that she would find out from Garth directly, and Nick didn’t want that.

But he also didn’t want to lose her.

He knew the second she found out the truth, she would stare at him as if she had no idea who he was. Because she would believe he’d betrayed her. That he’d sold her out from the beginning. And he wasn’t sure he could explain well enough to change her mind. She wouldn’t be able to forgive him just like he couldn’t forgive Garth, despite the continued calls from his former friend.

Just another day, he thought. One more day. One more night. Then he’d tell her.

What tonight was supposed to have been, he thought grimly. Them together. He’d blown that.

He crossed to his desk, but couldn’t relax enough to sit. If only he’d met her another way. If only they didn’t have Garth between them. Would that have made a difference? And why did he care? It wasn’t as if Izzy was a significant part of his life. She was a friend. He respected her, but in a few weeks she would be gone. He wasn’t looking for anything permanent.

Connections were impossible. What if he got so happy he forgot what he’d done? What if he stopped making payments on his debt to society?

He’d never thought to ask the question before. Izzy claimed peace could be found, or maybe made. But he didn’t believe her. Life wasn’t that easy. He’d been wrong and he had to pay. There was no way around it. However much he might want that to be different.

THE EARLY MORNING WAS cool and clear, with almost no humidity. Practically a miracle, Izzy thought happily as she drove with Aaron to the guesthouse to set up for their corporate retreat. Norma had spent most of the previous day working with the caterers on food prep, the housekeeping service had been through to get the rooms ready and boxes of folders, pens and notebooks had been delivered.

“I want to be outside,” Izzy whined when they came to a stop in front of the large guesthouse building. “Don’t make me stay inside.”

“Work this morning, play this afternoon,” Aaron told her.

“I want to play now.”

He got out of the Jeep and looked at her. “You sound like you’re five.”

She got out, raised her arms so they were level with her shoulders and spun. “I want to see things, do things. I’m not blind anymore, Aaron. Give me a break.”

“Putting together the notebooks is doing something. Don’t make me use my stern voice. You won’t like it.”

Izzy slowed and looked at him. “If I’m bad, will you spank me?” she asked, mostly to make him squirm.

Aaron wrinkled his nose. “I am so the wrong person to have that conversation. Didn’t Nick tire you out last night?”

“No. I slept alone.”

“While I want to hear all the details, I have a very busy morning.” He pointed to the back of the Jeep. “Take those boxes inside to the conference room and set everything up. We have thirty people due here at ten-thirty. We