Love Unclaimed (22 page)

Audree busied herself with her work and helping out at the Edwards’ farm after her parents talked her into using her vast farming experience. Since spending most of her childhood and teenage years working with the ‘farm crew’ that had worked with her father on the crops and at the farmers’ market, she had had enough of farming and wanted to work more with the horses. When Audree needed time away or time to think, she always returned to the farm and helped with planting or harvesting the crops of vegetables, fruits, and flowers that her parents sold at their farmers’ market that they had in town.

“Audree?” Travis called, just as Audree had stepped out of the shower, necessary after spending the day working at the farm.

“Up here,” she called down to him. “I’ll be down in five.”

“Hurry up; I got something I have to show you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she mumbled and adjusted her towel around her chest.

“Come on,” Travis called a little while later.

“Holy crap, Trav, it has been like two minutes; could I at least get my clothes on?”

“Yeah, sure, it if isn’t going to take a lifetime.”

“Just for that I’m drying my hair, too,” she said, after throwing on a pair of denim shorts and a tank top.

“Aw Audree, really?” She could hear him grumble before she turned on the hair dryer.

Ten minutes later, Audree was dressed and bounding down the stairs humming, when she heard a loud clatter come from the kitchen.

“Travis, what the hell are you doing in there? If you broke…” she stopped just inside the doorway when she saw the large male form standing at the kitchen counter. Her heart stopped for a second as he turned around to face her. “Clint!” she yelled and leaped at her brother throwing her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

“Whoa, hey, little sister.” He laughed a wholehearted belly laugh as he squeezed her tight against his chest. “Missed ya, Pip.” He kissed her temple and placed her feet back on the floor.

“Please don’t call me that,” she groaned. “What are you doing here? You weren’t due in for a couple of more days.” She beamed up at her brother and noticed his casual clothes. “When did you get home?”

“I got in yesterday.” He laughed when she frowned at him. “I wanted to surprise you. I figured you knew I was coming home, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if you picked me up so I wanted to surprise you and then Momma and Dad.”

“You knew and didn’t tell me.” She eyed Travis, who threw his hands up in defense.

“I didn’t know till they picked me up at my place.” Travis realized she had caught the word
they
and the slight tilt of his head, when she turned her head to the table across the room.

“Hello, Audree,” Gavin whispered from the corner of the room.

“I cannot believe you are here,” Audree said to Clint, not even acknowledging Gavin. “Ruby and I have so much that we still have to get done before Friday. Mom and Dad have no clue about it. They think it is party for Eva coming home, who, by the way, will be home Friday morning. She cannot know you are here yet or she will spill the beans.” Audree sounded nervous to her own ears as she rambled.

“Don’t think we should tell Ruby either.” Travis laughed. “You know she can’t keep a secret to save her life.”

“You are one to talk.” Audree looked back at Gavin then to Clint before focusing on Travis.

“Yeah, well.” He waved his hand between Clint and Gavin. “They apparently had their ‘discussion’ about everything.” He pointed at Gavin and Clint. She then saw the bruise around his right eye and redness spread across his cheek; she noticed that Gavin had similar marks and rolled her eyes.

“Ah, about that…” Clint rubbed his jaw, looked over at Gavin and laughed.

“I have a lot of stuff to get done today and tomorrow. What are you going to do the next couple of days since you are still in hiding?” she interrupted.

“I was planning on talking to you and hanging out a bit, maybe go see some people. But you’ll have to come to my place if we are going to keep me hidden until the party.” Clint reached his hand out to Audree. “We,” he looked from Travis to Gavin and back to Audree, “actually we need to talk about some plans for the farm and ranch, too.” He tugged her behind him when he felt her pull back. “I have steaks waiting to be grilled and beer in the fridge.” He opened the back door without letting go of her hand.

“Clint, I….”

“We’ll address
that,
too.” He led her down to his truck. “Trav, you drive. I’ll sit in back with Gavin.” He tossed his keys at Travis. “What? I’m not supposed to be here and neither is he apparently.” Clint winked at his sister and nodded toward Gavin as he held the door open for her.

“Ugh, you all suck,” Audree sighed, sliding into the passenger seat and noticing that Gavin slid into the seat behind her.

***

Holy shit, if this ride back to Clint’s house gets any fucking longer, I think I would shoot myself
. Gavin thought as he sat in the backseat of the double quad truck. All he could smell was Audree’s freshly showered scent wafting through the truck. He had to adjust himself a couple of times, much to the amusement, and disgust, of Clint, who just shook his head at Gavin’s discomfort.

“She is still my sister, man. Knock off the thoughts.” Clint leaned across the seat and whispered to Gavin. Travis chuckled and Gavin smacked the back of his head, which seemed to pull Audree out of her thoughts, thoughts that had her staring out of the window and ignoring everyone in the truck.

“What happened?” she asked, almost dreamily, and Gavin groaned at the sound of her voice.

“Seriously, knock it off.” Clint punched Gavin in the shoulder.

“Could cut it with a knife.” Travis chuckled. “Nice to see that, at least some of it is still there.” He ducked from another of Gavin’s swats.

“What the hell are the three of you talking about?” Audree asked, looking at Travis and Clint, but not turning around to look at Gavin.

“They are just being their usual asshole selves,” Gavin said, hoping she would look at him.

“Wonderful,” she sighed and turned back to the windshield.

“Travis, pull my truck in the back and Gavin will put his back out front, that way Mom thinks it is still just him staying here,” Clint said, directing Travis to the back of the house, when he caught Audree’s surprised look at him. “All in good time, sis, all in good time.” He winked at Audree’s questioning glance.

Gavin had sent Clint a text last week, telling him that he would be staying at his place for a while, instead of going back east since he’d left his company in the hands of his CFO. Clint, of course, had no problem and it had surprised Gavin that Clint hadn’t asked why. Much to the dismay of his Board of Directors, he called an emergency Board meeting and informed them that he would be doing his work from a remote office, slowly moving toward being more of a figurehead and owner of the financial investment company he had built from the ground up.

He was involved in every part of the company. He was the rare owner who put family before business. His employees knew his door was always open, to everyone. He knew each of his employees by name and knew their spouses and children. He had learned years ago, from Mr. Edwards that the people that worked for you made you better. So he treated his employees well. He paid people a lot of money to keep his company running and
now
they would really start earning it. Until the new home office was completed, he needed a place to stay, since Audree had kicked him out and the next logical place was Clint’s house. Travis was staying between their family house and Audree’s until a decision was made about what to do with the land and the house. That was part of the discussion that Clint had been talking about earlier.

In the two days that Gavin had been at Clint’s house, after picking him up at the airport, a lot of things had been hashed out, including the situation with Audree. Gavin had intended to talk to Clint after he got home later in the week. Since Travis had opened his big fucking mouth, it saved Gavin from having to figure out a way to bring the subject up. Clint brought it up first, asking Gavin what the hell was going on with him and Audree, and when it had started. Gavin left out all the gory details, of course; then Clint did what any good big brother would do, he punched Gavin squarely in the jaw. Gavin, a man desperately in love with best friend’s little sister, of course returned the punch. This then led to a brawl in the backyard before Travis happened upon them and broke it up, offering steaks and beer.

“So what is the big need for this meeting?” Audree asked, placing the bowl of salad in the center of the table and taking the furthest seat from Gavin.

“Excuse me, Pip, my seat.” Clint nudged her out of the head of the table seat, leaving only one other seat at the table, the seat next to Gavin.

“I promise not to bite,” Gavin whispered when she took her seat next to him, chuckling when she sighed.

***

Oh my God! This has been the longest hour of my life. Having to sit so close to him, after all this time, is uncomfortable. Gotta love Clint for trying, but I just want to get this night over with and get away from Gavin as quickly as possible. Especially before I do something really stupid and forgive him for his stupidity and general asshole-ish behavior. I know and understand why he did what he did, but dear God, that vision is permanently imprinted on my brain. Why hadn’t he warned me about what his plan was; I could have been prepared to see the man I love with a woman I hate. It hurt more that he didn’t trust me. I also feel completely stupid for allowing our ‘relationship’ to go on like it did for so long. Like I told Ruby the other day, if he really wants me back, he is going to have to fight for me and court me like he should have done a long time ago.

The ride over here was torture. I knew everyone in the truck could feel the tension and electricity in the air. I assume that is what the ‘cut with a knife’ comment earlier had meant, but I wasn’t getting in on any of the nonsense Travis was starting. It is also clear by the bruises on both Clint and Gavin’s faces that they had a talk about the whole situation and hashed out their grievances the same way they always did; with a fist fight, a steak and a couple of beers. Guys are so stupid, Audree rolled her eyes and looked around the table at three of the men she loved, and she couldn’t help but smile at them and their stubborn stupidity.

“Okay, so Trav, Gavin told me some of the ideas you guys have for the shitload of land the two of you now own,” Clint stated matter-of-factly, before taking a pull from his beer and placing a plate stacked with steaks from the grill in the center of the table.

“Yeah, I was talking to Scotty and Harry about staying on a bit longer, to help out with some of the new ideas, that is, if you and Audree agree.” He looked directly at Audree who had taken note of Gavin’s body tensing at the mention of Scotty’s name. It made her smile to herself knowing that Gavin was still jealous of Scotty, even though nothing had happened between them, but Gavin didn’t need to know that just yet.

“Why am I involved in any of your plans for the land?” Audree glanced at Gavin, but directed her question to Travis. Travis had brought her up to date with the situation with their father. She was very proud of them both, but wished it had been taken care of years ago. So much time wasted on a mean old man. She was also thrilled she hopefully wouldn’t be meeting up with him in town anymore.

“Your parcel may be affected,” Gavin stated.

“Oh, okay?”

“Do you remember when we were kids and were upset we lived so far from town that we didn’t get to enjoy a lot of things there?” Travis asked, popping a bite of steak into his mouth while waiting for Audree to answer.

“Yeah, we said it would be great if we could have some of that stuff closer to us. Even now, it would be nice if school were closer for Eva, maybe some other stuff, too. I’ve been talking to Gabby Alton and she is talking about home schooling her three kids.”

“What if she wouldn’t have to home school them; if there was a school closer?” Gavin asked and smiled when her eyes met his.

“You guys are going to build a school?” She returned his smile.

“We were talking about building a kind of community, actually.” He winked at her and she felt the blush spread across her face.

“You guys are serious?” She smiled and forcefully pulled her gaze away from Gavin’s.

“Yup,” Travis said, proudly. “We are going to knock down our father’s house and start off with a clean slate. We are going to knock down Meager’s house, too. Most of his land hasn’t been used for farming, no matter how much he boasted it had. Father just took his word for it, but never really looked for himself. There will be a school to start with, well a school house and basically home school from there until we can get approved for an actual school. Your mom and aunt have been talking about a restaurant near their market; Ruby could have a shop. We have even been talking about a bed and breakfast so people have somewhere to stay at after some of the events that Ruby has planned at the barn. She also suggested a type of dude ranch with themed events.”