Page 9 of Takes Two to Tango

He shrugged. "I'm going to replace some boards and paint the porch."

"No, you aren’t,” Rayne jerked her eyes to her aunt and gave her a look. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he thought it had something to do with the fact she hated him. She'd changed so much. Her words were direct and authoritarian. He could see her commanding a kitchen staff.Do this. Saute that. Behind you, chef.

"He's the only person I can find, Rayne. And he's my friend and neighbor. Besides, I take exception to your trying tomicromanage every aspect of this venture. I'm perfectly capable of handling this."

Bubba clomped up the stairs. “Heck, Rayne Rose. Didn’t realize that was you.”

Rayne stopped frowning and turned her gaze on the large man lumbering toward her. “Hey, Bubba.”

Bubba wiped his hand on his shirt and offered it to Rayne. Rayne ignored his hand and rose up on her toes to give Bubba a hug. "Sorry about your momma, Bubba. She was a fine lady."

Bubba nodded. He'd lost his mom a few years ago to cancer. "That she was. Everybody sure misses her."

"Especially her Seven-Up cake. She taught me how to bake my first cake, you know," Rayne said, her smile incredibly gentle. It was as if her irritation had melted away, leaving the old Rayne in its place. Brent loved her smile, the softness of it. He wanted to taste that smile against his lips.

Bubba stroked his scruffy red beard. "Yeah, she was good around the kitchen. Even taught me how to cook. Good to see you home, Rayne."

Rayne's frown returned. "Well, Oak Stand's not exactly my home."

Frances moved to Rayne's side and curled her arm about her niece's waist. "Of course, Oak Stand's your home. The place you grew up is always your hometown. And she'll be here for the next month or two. At least."

"Maybe," Rayne muttered, not quite meeting her aunt's eyes.

For a moment they all stood silent, waiting for something to break the uncomfortable moment. Luckily, Bubba knew when to make an exit.

"Shoot, I can’t be standing around jawing. Jack's got plenty of work out at the ranch. Y'all have a good mornin'." Bubba stopped mid retreat. “And I’m sorry about your friend and all. I ain’t like that.”

“We know that, Bubba,” Frances called.

“Ranch?" Rayne asked.

"He works for Nellie Hughes's husband. You remember her. She's a Tucker. Her husband, Jack, started a ranch with his daddy raising horses for the rodeo. He raises other horses,too," Frances said, like a tour director for the Oak Stand Chamber of Commerce.

"Oh,'' Rayne replied, watching Bubba head toward his truck. The overgrown man opened the door before turning around and snapping his fingers. It sounded like the crack of a bat and Frances literally jumped.

''That gal left her computer bag in my truck."

Frances scurried toward Bubba. "I'll get it"

She left Brent on the porch alone with Rayne. It felt intentional.

There had been a time when he and Rayne were like Forrest Gump and Jenny-like peas and carrots. But that time had long passed. Brent would have thought Rayne had gotten over the hurt, but one look at her yesterday as she blazed into his parents' yard to rescue her son from his total depravity told him she still nursed the anger and betrayal. He wasn't sure why it still felt so raw, but it did. For him, too. So standing beside her at that moment felt like standing barefoot in a field of thorns.

“If you don't want me to do the work. just say. I'll find someone else." He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to pretend she was only another customer.

Rayne looked hard at him, making him squirm. He'd broken her heart nearly fifteen years ago. He hadn't realized what he'd done when he hadn't shown up at the Oak Stand High auditorium that spring night. But when he'd untangled himself from the head cheerleader, put his pants back on, and uncurled the wadded paper Rayne had hurled at him, he figured out pretty quickly that he'd broken her heart and ended their friendship.Like a dumbass, he hadn't realized her feelings for him were of the romantic variety. Not really. Sure, they'd kissed, fooled around a little when he was first trying on girls. But he and Rayne had been best buds, friends of the heart. She’d been too good, too pure, too sweet.

One look at her eyes that night, and he'd known he’d been so wrong.

He'd been a boneheaded kid, wrapped up in trying to be his dead brother, afraid to be who he really wanted to be. But he supposed the results had worked out for the best. Rayne had wiped him from her hands and spread her wings. She'd left Oak Stand and made a new life for herself, rising like a flower among the weeds to tilt her face to the sun. She stood as a reminder of strength and grace. He couldn't have been prouder of her... even if she hated his guts.

Rayne crossed her arms over her breasts. She was no longer a gangly sixteen-year-old. He noticed. Oh, did he notice. "I'd like to pretend your being here for the next couple of days won't bother me a bit. Thing is, it will. I'd like to say what happened years ago is so far back in the past that a mature woman wouldn't give a nickel about a boy who didn't keep a promise, but I guess I didn't grow up enough. I'd rather you find someone else to do the job. Because I don't want to be around you."

As sharp as a blade, her admission drew blood.

He nodded. ''I'll see if I can find someone who can come out this afternoon. Maybe Ted Bloom's finished over at the Pattersons' place."

Rayne held herself stiffly as she stood staring at the daylilies emerging from the weary earth on the side of the house. Her eyes looked wistful. He wished he could do something to make things better, but he'd screwed the pooch long ago, and had done such a fine job that nothing was left between them but bittersweet memories of what was once so good.

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