Page 14 of Two Steps Ahead

Now she didn’t have to.

Weston straightened as soon as he saw her and walked toward the car. She gave him a little wave and smiled as she got out. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

He shook his head. “You mean Leo didn’t tell you I took the job?”

“No. He told me that someone would be here, but didn’t mention it would be you.”

A few awkward seconds passed between them before he tilted his dark head to the side. “Is it okay with you that I’m here? Leo and I agreed this would be where I would be most effective. He thought I could stay at the gardener’s house, out of your way. But you have to be okay with it all.”

“Yes, absolutely.” Her smile became bigger. “I’m glad to see you. Believe me, my dad wanted me to go somewhere else, butthat would’ve involved Jasper and his security goons following me around every second.”

He stood straighter and crossed his arms over his chest. “Ms. Delacruz.” His brows furrowed and voice became way...too serious. “I think having at least a dozen men assigned to your every step would be the best sort of security anyone could provide.”

His imitation of Jasper was spot-on and she laughed. “Weston Patterson, did you just make a joke?”

“I guess I did. Although, in my defense, Jasper is an easy target.” He gave her a smile that showed a tiny dimple at the corner of his mouth. “Can I help you bring your stuff in?”

“No, I don’t want to interrupt what you were doing. I can carry it in myself.”

“It’s no trouble. I’m just messing right now. Trying to come up with an overall plan. This place is a dream in terms of flora.”

She nodded. “Yeah. I love it here—the wild, natural beauty of it all.”

He took out her suitcase, and she grabbed the camera equipment she never went anywhere without and brought it into the house. Immediately she could see the kitchen had been well stocked.

“I wasn’t sure exactly what you liked,” Weston said. “So I got a little bit of everything. Leo paid for it, of course.”

She was a little surprised her father had told Weston she was coming at all. Probably had warned him to stay away from her. Dad could make things so awkward.

She turned to him, putting her camera down on the kitchen counter. “Listen, areyouokay with me being here? I know we haven’t seen each other in, like, twenty years, so if it’s not okay, please let me know.”

He gave her an odd look. “I would have never taken the job if I wasn’t okay with being around you.”

She was making the situation even more awkward. Better to just leave it alone. “Great! Then would you mind terribly if I change clothes and come out to help with some of the gardening and landscaping?”

He smiled, that dimple coming out again. She found herself staring at it. “Absolutely. Leo gave me carte blanche to change and put in whatever I saw fit. That was a mistake.”

She laughed out loud, tearing her eyes away from his mouth. “Oh yeah, it was. Let’s show him how much.”

All the tension she’d been carrying was gone. Dad hadn’t gone behind her back and sent a guard. Instead, she’d have a long-lost friend to spend some time with.

Asexylong-lost friend.

She couldn’t think of anything better.

“THISISN’TYOURJOB, you know,” Weston said, looking over at Kayleigh, who was covered in dirt.

Again.

Nearly every minute for the past three days he’d been working with plants, she’d been out here with him, doing whatever needed to be done.

Not just the gardening stuff most people liked to do—putting seedlings in the ground or decorative trimming. She’d done the nonglamorous stuff too—carried and spread fertilizer, weeded, pruned larger trees and bushes—all over the property. Never once did she decide to go hang out at the dock or stay inside and watch TV.

Weston was convinced Leo Delacruz was flat-out incorrect when it came to judging his daughter. She’d been nothing but polite and wonderful to be around. She hadn’t tried to run offonce, hadn’t told Weston to back out of her personal space. She’d been...normal. Helpful.

And sexy as hell in the dirt.

He’d told Leo as much—minus the sexy as hell part—every day when he’d reported in via phone call. Leo had been happy to hear it, since the threats against him had been escalating.

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