One of the many reasons she liked him.
Warning bells clanged in her head and her stomach tightened at the thought of Logan.
They’d only had two nights together, and it wasn’t like he communicated with her regularly—or at all—when they were apart. She knew the score with him and what their relationship was—and wasn’t. But still, she liked spending time with him. He was honest with her, never gave her any bullshit, and that was refreshing.
She finished drying her hair just as Colt showed up at her trailer.
“Ready?” he asked.
She gave him the once-over. He wore jeans, a tight T-shirt, and boots, his hair combed back and his skin tanned from being in the sun, which showcased his gorgeous steely blue eyes. “Is Tony flying in tomorrow?”
“Tonight. Along with Sarah and Callie.”
“It’ll be great to see them all. And Tony’s going to die when he sees you dressed like that. You might not ever leave the trailer.”
“Wouldn’t that leave the gossips talking.”
She looped her arm in his. “Well, we’ll have to see about finding time for the two of you to be alone. I know how much you miss him.”
“I do, Des. But you know how it is and has to be—for now.”
She laid her head on his shoulder. “I want you to be able to live an honest life, Colt. And a happy one.”
She heard Colt’s sigh, knew how very unhappy he was with living the lie. But she also knew how important his career was and how afraid he was to risk it all by coming out.
Though she still didn’t feel it was that much of a risk. His millions of female fans adored him and would love him no matter what. She was certain of it.
Then again, this was a monumental decision—both a career and a life decision, and not hers to make, so she’d just butt out.
They climbed into one of the available SUVs and drove over to the ranch. On the way over, she spotted several men on horseback leading cattle from one of the pastures. It was easy to pinpoint which of them was Logan.
“Colt, slow down,” she said.
She rolled down the window and gaped as Logan and several of the other hands maneuvered the cattle across the rise. There had to be a couple hundred head of cattle, and five hands working them, expertly keeping them from straying. Logan was closest to her, easily maneuvering his horse as he moved the cattle in the direction he wanted them to go.
They disappeared over the rise in a cloud of dust, heading toward the ranch.
“You’ve got it so bad for him,” Colt said.
She turned to him. “Shut up. I do not. I just find the whole cattle operation fascinating.”
He put the car back in gear with a grin. “It wasn’t the cattle you were looking at.”
No, it hadn’t been. But she’d be damned if she’d admit that to Colt.
They pulled up in front of the house. A couple of the dogs were hanging out nearby, so Des stopped to pet them.
“Hi, kids. How’s it going today?”
She lingered for a few minutes to play with the dogs, then they went to the front door and rang the bell. Martha came to the door, surprise lighting her face when she saw them.
“Des. Colt. What are you two doing here?”
“We thought you could use some help with prepping stuff for tomorrow,” Des said as Martha let them in.
“Oh, that’s so sweet of both of you. But don’t you have to work today?”
“Finished up for the day,” Colt said, laying a kiss on her cheek.
Martha blushed and led them into the kitchen.
There was a lot going on in there. Several pies had already been baked, and Martha had food cooking on all the burners at the stove. Plus, there was something in the oven, and she was prepping fruit at the counter.
“I’d like to say I have it all under control, but it’s crazy here.”
“That’s why we’re here to help,” Des said. “We’d be bored in our trailers, and this looks like a lot more fun.”
She and Colt went to the sink to wash their hands, then dove in, and, with Martha’s instructions, got to work. Colt peeled bags and bags of potatoes, and Des sliced enough fruit to feed the entire town of Hope. They went from one task to another.
“Just how many people are coming tomorrow, Martha?” Colt asked as he dropped the ten pounds of potatoes he’d sliced into a giant pot of boiling water.
“I’d say we usually end up with about a hundred people. Plus your movie crew. And you said you had some friends showing up, too?”
“Just a few, I promise,” Des said. “But if it’s too much—”
She waved her hand. “It’s no problem. Trust me, I’m not the only one doing the food. I’m just making a few side dishes. Everyone from town and the neighboring ranches also bring food. And we provide all the meat.”
“That’s very generous, considering it’s quite a lot of people.” Des couldn’t imagine feeding that many.
“Well, we’re a big ranch, and we like to give back to our community. It’s like we’re one big family. We have a huge area out to the side yard where we set up picnic tables for people to eat at. Logan and the crew will finish work early today and they’ll start cleaning up the area and set up the tables.”
Just as she said that, the back door swung open and a very dusty Logan stepped in.
Des’s heart skipped a beat. If she thought he’d looked sexy right after a shower the other night, seeing him covered in trail dust from head to toe did something to her libido.
His gaze zeroed in on her. “I didn’t know we had company.”
“We popped over to help Martha,” Colt said with a grin.
Logan nodded. “Nice to see both of you. Thanks for helping out.”
“It’s our pleasure.”
“Are you hungry?” Martha asked.
“Yeah.”
“Get washed up and I’ll fix you something to eat. Then you and the guys can get started on the picnic area.”
“Okay.”
Des loved to watch the interplay between Logan and Martha. It was obvious the two of them had developed a mother-and-son type of relationship because he followed her commands so easily. And he treated her with respect, as if she were a parent, not a ranch employee. It made Des happy to know he had that type of parental love in his life, especially in light of what had happened with his mother.
“Have you two had lunch yet?” Martha asked.
“No. We came over as soon as we finished shooting for the day.”
“Well, you should have said something. No one goes hungry around here, but you two have voices, you know. If you’re hungry, you should speak up.”
They’d been given a talking to, hadn’t they? “Yes, ma’am.”
“Now go wash your hands and you can eat with Logan and the crew.”
Des and Colt shuttled off to the bathroom behind Logan. “Guess she told you,” Colt said.
Des nudged Colt with her shoulder. “Shut up. She told you, too.”
Logan stood at the sink and shook his head.
“What?” Des said, hip-checking him to get him to move.
“Nothing.”
She grabbed for the towel to dry her hands. “Oh, I think there’s something on your mind. What is it?”
“No, really. Nothing. I’ll see you in the kitchen.”
He walked away without saying a word. Des stared after him. “I do not understand that man at all.”
“He likes you. And he doesn’t want to.”
Des shook her head. “That doesn’t even make sense.”
“Honey, men often don’t make sense. Don’t even try to figure us out.”
She put her arm around Colt’s waist. “But that’s why I have you. You have the supersecret code to men.”
Colt snorted. “I’m sworn to secrecy, and to the man code.”
“You’re so full of shit.” Des rolled her eyes and walked back into the kitchen.
“I made turkey sandwiches,” Martha said. “And there’s iced tea and fruit salad and some chips. Nudge all those cowboys out of the way and help yourself.”
Six sets of eyes looked up from the table at her and Colt. Used to being stared at, Des was undeterred. She found a spot at the table and took a seat, then introduced herself. So did Colt.
“So you’re making the movie?” one of the guys asked. She thought his name was Ayers.
“Yes.”
“That must be interesting.”
“It is. Any of you or your family are welcome to come watch us film. Just let me know and I’ll get you passes.”
“That’s awful nice of you,” Ben said. “I know Martha enjoyed her visit that day. And she couldn’t stop talking about her day as an extra. I loved the photo of her in her alien makeup.”
Des laughed. “I think she and Logan both had fun that day.”
Logan cleared his throat. “The men can’t afford to take days off to go watch you make movies.”
Wow. He was in a mood. “We also do filming later in the day, after you all finish work. And maybe their families would like to come watch.”
Logan shrugged.
“June—that’s my daughter,” one of the guys said to Colt and Des, “she’s a big movie fan. And she really likes Colt’s movies. I know she and her mama would love to come.”
“That’s sweet,” Colt said. “Like Des said, we’re happy to provide passes. You just let us know, or let Martha know and we’ll arrange it through her.”
“You bet I will,” Martha said, then gave Logan a stern look.
Logan ate his sandwich and didn’t make eye contact with anyone. Or add any more to the conversation.
But at least Logan didn’t say no this time.
Des figured he must have PMS—penis malfunction syndrome. Because he was acting like a dick.
After lunch, Logan told Martha he was going to clean the picnic area, then pull the tables from storage and start cleaning them up.
“Can I help you with that?” Colt asked.
Logan gave him a look. “Aren’t you here to help in the kitchen?”
Ignoring the insult, Colt said, “I think Des has that handled. But if you don’t need my help, I’m happy to stay here and assist Martha.”
Des shot Logan a scathing look. Logan shrugged. “Sure. You can come with me.”
“Great.” Colt winked at her.
“This is your way of escaping potato peeling,” she whispered as Colt walked by.
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
Logan had about as much use for Colt as he did a whiny city boy, which he figured Colt was. But if Colt wanted to follow him around, he’d put him to work. He assigned some of the crew to the task of hosing down the cemented area where they were going to organize the picnic tables, while he and Colt headed back to the barns where the picnic tables were housed.
They brought out twelve tables, not an easy feat, because the barn where the tables were stored was about fifty yards away. He figured city boy would give up after dragging the second table.
Colt surprised him. Drenched in sweat, he helped Logan pull all twelve tables, then helped him wash them down without complaint. Then again, he did have some muscle, so maybe all that time at the gym helped with his endurance.
“You always this quiet?” Colt finally asked him as they scrubbed the tops of the tables.
“Usually.”
“Or is it just me you don’t like?”
“I don’t feel one way or the other about you.”
Colt smiled and kept his head down on the task at the hand. “Good to know.”
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Logan used the hose to wash away the last of the grime and dust from the tables. Colt took a step back to get out of the way, then they used towels to dry them off.
“This will do until tomorrow morning. Martha will put tablecloths on them then.”
He saw Des making her way toward them with a couple of beers in her hand.
“I thought you two looked a little sweaty and might want to take a break and have a beer.”
“Sounds good to me,” Colt said. “Thanks, honey.”
Logan was too thirsty to say anything other than “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“How’s it going inside?” Colt asked.
“Great. We’ve got just about all the side dishes wrapped up. How about out here?”
Colt looked to Logan, who’d taken a couple of deep swallows of beer to cool down his parched throat. “Fine.”
“That’s descriptive,” Des said. “Anything else need to be done out here?”
“Not today. We’ll drag out the fireworks and finish decorating in the morning.”
“Okay. I’ll finish up with Martha here, then I guess we’ll head out.” She paused, looked at Logan, and when he didn’t say anything, she shrugged and headed back to the house.
“What is it with the two of you?” Colt asked.
“That’s none of your business.”
“Obviously, but she likes you. And sometimes it seems as if you like her back. Other times you don’t give her the time of day and you act like a dick to her.”
“Again. None of your business.”
“It is my business when it affects Des’s feelings.”
Logan leaned against one of the picnic tables and took another drink of his beer. “Why’s that? Because you have a thing for her?”
Colt laughed. “You’re way off base there, Logan.”