Chapter Four

Frank frowned and quickly held her hands as he studied her face. “It was just Matt Shearer. The young farmer. That’s not a problem, is it?”

Carla let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and felt her whole body relax. Of course Jerome couldn’t have found me—why on earth would he think to come all the way out here? She cursed herself for her stupidity and let out a small laugh of relief.

“Oh…Matt…no, that’s not a problem,” she managed.

“He was disappointed to have missed you. Where are you staying, by the way? I forgot to ask so I couldn’t tell him,” Frank went on, looking slightly easier.

Carla’s mind raced. There was no way she couldn’t answer to a direct question from her boss. She reasoned that she was quite safe now, so it should be OK for him to know. “The Melrose, do you know it?”

Frank looked surprised. “Yes, I know it, the motel down the back road. But that’s got to be over a mile away—do you drive?”

Carla shook her head, her curls flowing into her face.

“Did you say the Melrose? The Melrose Motel? You’re staying there?”

Carla turned around to see that the two women had finished complaining and were now standing at the counter, listening. There was no way she could deny where she was staying, so she just nodded politely. “That’s right.”

“But I run a bed and breakfast here in town. Why don’t you stay here? It’s much cleaner than that place, and I’ve got a vacancy,” one of them said.

Carla felt panic-stricken for the second time this morning. She didn’t want to offend the lady, but she really didn’t want to move into town and have everyone know her business. It was bad enough already.

“Thank you, I’ll think it over,” she promised.

Delores arrived with breakfast just then, and the ladies turned around to greet her. Carla quickly rang up the couple of groceries for them and had them bagged ready when they turned back to her.

“Ooh, they smell good,” Carla said as Delores walked past her.

“I’ve bought you some. As soon as you’ve finished there we’ll eat,” Delores promised with a wide smile.

“I can’t wait,” Carla replied, hoping the women in front of her would take the hint and go.

“Thanks very much,” she said, taking the money. She counted out the change as she took it from the till to avoid having to talk about her residence, and she smiled as she gave it to them before turning to go into the back room.

The ladies left the shop, muttering, and Carla sighed.

“Is that Mrs. Hodges touting for business?” Delores asked with a smile as she handed Carla a large bagel.

“I’m afraid so.” Carla nodded. “I hope I didn’t offend her.”

“It would take more than you to put a chink in her armor,” Frank assured her, handing her some coffee. “That woman’s got the hide of a rhino. She asks everyone—you’ve only got to mention you’ve got someone coming over and she’s offering to put them up! Charges the earth, too.”

Carla smiled as she watched him take a mouthful of his breakfast.

“Thank you so much, this is very kind of you,” Carla told Delores.

“Nonsense. You take the weight off your feet. You’ll hear the bell if anyone comes in.” The portly lady gently sat at the little table and tucked into her own food, while Frank took his into the storeroom with him.

“Now, you tell me all about yourself,” Delores urged. “What brings you to Pelican’s Heath? Where are you staying? I was asked last night where you’d be and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought to ask.”

Carla giggled. “I’m staying at the Melrose Motel, just outside town,” she explained. “It’s actually really nice and the people are so friendly.”

“What? Trevor Melrose? He’s the most miserable man I ever met!” Delores exclaimed.

Carla giggled again. “He’s all right. He just seems grumpy but he’s nice really. And Maggie in the café is lovely, too.” She felt herself go red as she wondered if Delores would realize that she had already eaten breakfast. It was a couple of hours ago and she was really hungry again already, but she didn’t want her new boss to think she was greedy.

“Well if you say so, dear.”

She needn’t have worried. Delores obviously didn’t think that way and she secretly admonished herself for thinking she would.

“I’ll get it, you finish your meal,” Delores told her as the doorbell rang. She got up and went through into the shop.

Carla enjoyed her warm bagel and the coffee was delicious. She thought how kind it was of Delores to let her finish hers—her bosses sure were a lovely couple.

“Finished your breakfast?” Frank popped through from the storeroom.

Carla nodded as she took the last swig of her coffee. “Just about.”

“Think you could help me with something for a second? It’s heavy, mind, I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

Carla was on her feet before she’d even swallowed. Frank showed her into the little storeroom which was packed from floor to ceiling with non-perishable goods of all kinds.

“I need to get some of those light bulbs down from the top shelf,” Frank pointed. “Would you mind holding the ladder for me?”

“Of course. Do you want me to go up?” Carla offered.

“No it’s fine. I’d just feel a little easier if someone was holding the ladder, that’s all.”

Carla nodded and held the ladder while he climbed up. She noticed his hands shake a little as he held the sides and he wobbled slightly at first but he was soon up and taking the box from the high shelf. He was as light as a feather, really.

“Thank you. I knew it was a good idea to get another pair of hands around the place,” he told her when they’d finished.

Carla felt very welcome and was glad to be of some help to the old man. “Well I’d best get out there and help Delores. I think I just heard the bell again,” she said as she made her way through to the back room.

“There you are, I was looking for you,” Delores said with a beaming smile.

“I was in the storeroom with Frank. He asked me to hold the ladder,” Carla explained, a little confused. She was worried that her boss thought she was skiving, but Delores was smiling too much for that.

“It’s okay. Just that a certain young man came in asking for you. I went to fetch you through, but guessed you must be busy. He said he’d call back a little later.” Delores gave her a wink and Carla blushed.

“Good morning, could you help me out with some rice?” An elderly man came straight up to the counter, just as Carla was desperate to ask Delores who the ‘certain young man’ was. She knew who she was hoping it was, but wanted to be sure. Now was not the time, though, as she went around to fetch a bag of rice from the bottom shelf at the other end of the shop.

“Thank you so much, dear. I can’t bend down that far, you see,” the old man gushed when she got back to find Delores gone.

After that the shop was manic, with customers coming in for all sorts of things. Carla was glad she’d made a mental note of where items were kept or she would have been all at sea. By the time it calmed down a little, Delores had her head stuck in the accounts, and Carla didn’t feel it would be right to interrupt her just to ask which handsome young man had come calling this morning.

Her heart leaped when the door suddenly opened a while later and a man in a cowboy hat with bright green eyes strolled in.

“Good morning,” he said cheerfully. He went around to the left-hand aisle and started perusing the shelves.

Carla felt a huge thud in her stomach. She had dreamed about this guy all night, thought about him every waking minute and now he hardly even spoke to her! He looked as gorgeous as she remembered, and she noticed he had even had a shave today. She liked that look just as much as the stubble. He didn’t look up at her again, just kept selecting his shopping as if she wasn’t there. She felt disappointed and hurt. She was also beginning to feel a little annoyed at his sudden change of attitude. What have I done wrong? As she searched her brain for the answer the doorbell rang again.

“Good morning, beautiful.” Aiden Fielding swaggered up to the counter offering her a small bunch of flowers. “These are for you.”

Carla grinned. She loved flowers but had never been given any from Jerome. Aiden was a good-looking guy and he had a definite twinkle in his eye as he smiled at her. Although she was disappointed in the way Matt had greeted her this morning, she was really touched by Aiden’s response.

“Thank you so much. These are lovely,” she said, taking the small posy from him.

“And so are you.” Aiden grinned.

“Thank you.” She blushed. She was deeply flattered, although a nagging thought at the back of her mind wished it was Matt Shearer who was paying her so much attention.

“Have dinner with me tonight?”

Carla was stunned. “Well…I…” she glanced over the shelves and saw the gorgeous guy staring at her. For a fraction of a second she thought Matt was going to speak, but then he looked away. Fine. If that’s how you want to play it… “I’d love to,” she said, giving Aiden her best smile.

“Great.” He grinned. “I’ll pick you up from here. What time do you finish?”

“Six o’clock.”

“I’ll be here,” he promised. “By the way, where are you staying? No one seemed to know last night.”

Carla gaped at him for a second. She was sure Frank had said it was Matt who was asking about her last night. He must have got confused. They were both good-looking cowboys, after all.

“The Melrose Motel,” she told him with a smile.

Aiden nodded. “Great. I’ll see you later then, beautiful.”

Carla couldn’t help smiling at his bright, shiny face. He was fair and had big blue eyes. He was just over six feet tall, the same as Matt, and had the same beefy stature which she loved.

She thought he was about to leave, when he startled her by leaning over the counter and giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. “Until tonight,” he murmured with eyes full of promise.

The doorbell had rung again but Carla didn’t look up. She was too busy gazing into the handsome face in front of her. His lips were sweet and she licked hers to prolong the flavor. He winked at her as he turned and left. Carla put the flowers on the bench behind the counter with a smile. When she turned back to attend her next customer her face fell.

“Good morning.”

She felt another gigantic thud in her stomach as she gazed into two huge green eyes, which stared accusingly at her. As her brain struggled to compute she watched the guy walking slowly toward her.

“M-Matt?”

“Hi, Carla.” His face was taut as he stared at her, and she didn’t like to see the hurt in his eyes.

“B-but I thought…”

The man came up to the counter and stood next to Matt. Now that they were both together she could tell that the guy who she had first seen had a slightly more serious demeanor about him. Matt, who had appeared really lighthearted and fun yesterday, looked withdrawn and hurt today. Damn!

“You’re twins!” she blurted out.

“That’s right, ma’am. I’m Dyson Shearer, pleased to meet you,” the first guy said, offering her his hand.

She placed her trembling palm into his, and enjoyed the size and warmth which enveloped hers, just as Matt’s had yesterday.

“Um. Pleased to meet you. I’m Carla Burchfield. I’m sorry, I thought you were…”

“Me,” Matt said through gritted teeth.

“Yes.”

She withdrew her hand from Dyson’s, feeling stupid and awkward. Matt was still staring at her and she didn’t know what to say. She was getting a fuzzy feeling in her stomach just looking at the two hot guys, but she knew they weren’t happy with her. Why? Because I was asked out by someone else and said yes? Is that such a crime? After all, neither of you guys bothered to ask me! Her guilt soon turned to anger and she straightened her back and stared back at Matt.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a twin?” she demanded, sick of feeling bad over something that wasn’t her fault.

“Why would I? Did you discuss your family with me?” His voice was low and his face was sullen.

“Does it matter?” Dyson asked, placing a couple of cans on the counter.

Glad of something to do, Carla rang them up straight away.

“No,” she said, giving Dyson the change. “It just would have saved some confusion, that’s all.”

“You didn’t look very confused when you were kissing Aiden Fielding.” Matt had a face like thunder as he spoke.

Ire rose in Carla’s body until she almost burst. At the last minute she remembered where she was and turned her voice to a low murmur. “Is that a problem to you?”

She watched a flare spark in his eyes and for a split second thought he was going to yell at her. He, too, must have realized his whereabouts at the last moment as he practically whispered, “Why would it be?”

Now it was Carla’s turn to be hurt as she gasped and stared at him. She watched him swallow hard before he turned and both brothers left the shop without another word.

Carla was so busy staring at the closed door that she didn’t notice Delores come through. “Was that Matt Shearer again?” She threw Carla a knowing look but her face fell as she must have realized that Carla wasn’t smiling. “Oh, honey, what’s wrong?”

Carla thought she was going to cry but she took deep breaths to prevent it. “Nothing. I’m fine,” she lied.

Delores frowned then her eye caught the flowers on the bench. “Are these from him? Has he asked you out? He said he was going to. Where’s he taking you, somewhere nice I’ll bet?”

Carla felt sick. It was obvious that Delores knew the guy had feelings for her, and she wondered just what had been said earlier. When she’d seen Aiden she’d assumed it must have been him who came by this morning, especially when the guy she thought was Matt practically shunned her. What a complete mess!