And Never Let Her Down: A Town of Destiny Novel Read online

  AND NEVER LET HER DOWN

  A Town of Destiny Novel

  Nancy Glynn

  Copyright © 2019

  by Nancy Glynn

  All Rights Reserved

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Previous books by Nancy Glynn

  Town of Destiny Series

  And Never Let Her Go

  And Never Say Goodbye

  And Never Lose His Heart

  The Golden Hills Legacy Series

  Rose’s Sin, The Prequel

  Black 21, Book One

  Lana’s Calling, Book Two

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  Chapter One

  Aubrey O’Dell glared for the hundredth time at her brother’s proposition in the e-mail. When she had first read it a week ago, she thought he was kidding. As kids, they pranked each other constantly.

  This had to be a prank.

  When he didn’t answer her back, a slow but steady prickling started in her spine, traveling upward. He wasn’t kidding. Danny was going to go through with it.

  But when?

  Pushing away from the desk and glowing monitor, she glanced around at the dark-wooded setting of her living room and sighed. The closed blinds shaded her home from the blaring sun bouncing off the snow drifts.

  She tightened her terrycloth robe and pushed her chestnut brown hair to the back. Coffee. She needed strong, black coffee. A ritual she depended upon to start her writing every day. Writing would save her from this hopefully bad joke Danny was playing on her.

  Danny thought he was safe in Iraq, as funny as that sounded. Safe from her strangling hands that would wrap around his thick Gunnery Sergeant neck. Tough Marine that he was, he feared his baby sister. But apparently not enough. Not this time.

  Stubborn ass. Thought he was smart.

  Too old for this. At thirty-two, just no. What was wrong with him? Did he think she was desperate? She had friends. Busy friends, but friends. She could use a little help, but not what he was proposing. When he once set her up on a date, after he told her the guy was waiting at a restaurant for her, a total stranger to her but not to him, she wanted to end him. She straggled into Moe’s Place and straggled back out after breaking the guy’s heart, cute as he was. She could find her own dates, thanks.

  She didn’t speak to Danny for a month after that.

  This time, he had gone too far. This latest idea had to be the worst. If he really made this happen, she’d never speak to him again. She didn’t care where his heart was. Didn’t care if he wanted the best for her. After her breakup with Joel and moving back home to Destiny, IL, she wanted no part of needing a man again.

  To her, they were all cheats—all dishonorable, selfish, stingy, and egotistical cheats. Joel had taught her that after three years of living with him in New York. She had him to thank for that.

  Being back in her old town with old faces gave her peace. She hid in her home that she rented for a reasonable price, if she took care of the grounds—all 40 acres. Wasn’t much to care for as the grass was dormant in the summer. Brown and dead, now covered in sparkly white.

  But the treacherous ice and snow—that got her. Brought her to her knees.

  Writing was her savior, even after losing Joel as her editor. She started over with a new series, new pen name, new identity, and as her own publisher this time. This belonged to her now. All of it. The blossoming springs, the heat of the Chicago summers, the colorful autumns, and the below-freezing temperatures that created ice slides.

  She heaved herself up onto her crutches, wincing at the pain in her armpits from the digging of the wood. Lifting her casted foot, she hopped to the kitchen and paused, tilting her head up, when she heard the roar of a machine from outside. The rumbling of a snow blower jetting through her yard fired off, closer to her house this time.

  Hobbling over to the picture window and opening the blinds, she peered out into the mounds of iridescent snow. She squinted at what appeared to be a dark figure cloaked in heavy winter gear, struggling to push the blower against the thick walls of ice.

  Wait. She took that back. Winter gear with a cowboy hat. What?

  Her brother went through with his plan.

  Flames nearly shot out of her good foot as she jumped to the door and swung it open, almost losing her balance. She banged on the screen door to get his attention, but he continued his fight with the snowbanks.

  Huffing, she unlocked the Plexiglass door and pushed against the drifts of snow piled against it. “Hey,” she said in a loud voice, cupping her hands around her mouth, but the wind carried her voice away. Nothing. His head was down and concentrated. Man was he focused on his job. He swiped at his face dripping of water, she presumed. Probably sweat. Cold sweat.

  Desperate to stop him, she eyed her crutch, pushed the door out as much as she could, stepped out and aimed the walking stick down at his feet, but instead bounced off the snow blower.

  Bingo.

  Orbs of blue met her cold stare, his red cheeks extending down to a sharp jawline, and a hint of a smile touched his full red lips. He took his hat off to greet her. Who did that anymore? His short dark hair, military crewcut, barely moved as he did so. “Pleased to meet you, Aubrey. I’m…”

  “Hayden. Hayden Brock. I know.” The biting winds whipped her hair around her frozen ears as she stared at him.

  “Right. Your brother must have filled you in.” He put his hat back on. “I promised him I’d help you out until your foot healed.” He wiped his face again and shivered.

  It wasn’t his fault. He was just obeying her bossy brother. She decided to let him in to warm up and then send him on his way…back to Texas. “Please come in and have some coffee. I don’t want to see you get sick. My brother’s not worth all that.”

  “But all this snow? How’ll you get through it? No, I really need to do this, but thanks.” He went to turn the machine back on.

  “No! Please just come inside. You can go back to it after you get warm, okay?”

  He paused, thinking about it, before rubbing his hands together, and grabbed her crutch indented into the snow. He then tread the icy walk with care. Holding on to his hat to keep it from flying away, his boots disappeared into the banks on the porch. After wiping the snow off the crutch, he handed it to her.

  She took it and pushed the door wide for him to enter, noticing how tall he was, almost a foot taller than her five-foot-four frame. After she closed both doors, she turned, leaning on both sticks. “Let me take your coat. You can leave your boots near the heating vent to dry off.”

  He glanced down at her cast and back up to her eyes. “You don’t have to do all that. A little cold won’t kill me.”

  “You’re from Texas, right? Never been anywhere near snow?” She extended her hand for his suede jacket.

  “That may be true, but I’m fine.” He gave in and handed her his coat and then his hat, giving a small smile. “I appreciate it, though.”

  She laid them on the radiator and then sighed, turning to him. “How is Danny? H
e doing okay out there?” Still angry at her brother, she needed to know. She gestured for him to follow her to the kitchen, thumping on her good foot.

  “You get around pretty good on those. Anything I can do? Why I’m here, right?”

  Spinning around, she glared and motioned for him to sit at the table before she made her way to the counter. “Coffee?”

  “Please. Just black.” As he took his seat, he said, “Yeah, Danny’s fine. Just fine. He worries for you.” His blue eyes penetrated hers before she poured the coffee.

  “I get that, but to have you come out here to help out his sister just because of an injured foot is crazy. I have friends for that. There’re also a few neighbors who could help. I really don’t need you here…Hayden.”

  He stood and took the offered mug before sitting back down. “Look, I’m down the road at the Holiday Inn. I can come over and clean up that snow and any other errands you might need from me. I really don’t mind.” He drank the hot coffee, closing his eyes to allow the heat to generate through his body.

  “Coming back to life?” She couldn’t help but notice him enjoying that coffee, picturing it pooling through his muscles—muscles she could see through his tight Levis and flannel shirt.

  In a dreamy state, he said, “Oh, yeah. Never thought I’d feel anything again.”

  She laughed. “So, you were cold? Thought so, Mister Tough Cowboy.”

  Sipping his coffee, he grinned but then studied her with an intensity. “I know you don’t know me, but I feel I know you, Aubrey. I’ve seen your beautiful letters to your brother when he needed them and felt like you were my sister, too. I owe him a favor, so let me help you out. I can come back in the morning and be your brother-for-hire.”

  “I appreciate that, but I’m really okay.” She chewed on her lip, taking in the sincerity of his words. As long as he remembered the brother-for-hire part. “Fine, if you want to help with the snow. But…you need warmer clothes. I don’t want you getting pneumonia on me. Then I’d have to take care of you, and my hands are already full with these stupid crutches.”

  He laughed. “Does it hurt?”

  “A little.” She sat across from him, balancing the crutches against the table. “Nothing a little Valium can’t help with.” She drank her coffee. “So, you’re retired now? How does it feel?”

  “It’s strange. I went home and spent a few days with my family.”

  “How do they feel about your helping out a stranger?”

  “You’d be surprised. They know Danny, have met him a few times when he came home with me on leave. They feel they know you, too.”

  “Danny mentioned going home with you. I’m still upset with him. I asked him not to do this, but he’s so stubborn.” She adjusted her layered hair to drape the front of her top, drawing his eyes to it. She cleared her throat to bring his eyes back to hers. “I hope you don’t think anything will happen out of this. Just so you know, I’m not interested. I have a deadline for my book, and that’s all that’s on my mind.”

  He chuckled. “I’m not here for that. Just ended a relationship back home. Not looking for a replacement.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Was it a long one? You don’t have to answer.” She finished the rest of her coffee, enjoying having company for once. Her only recent visitors have been her book characters.

  “Long enough. Five years. I realized right before retiring she wasn’t for me. She agreed, so no hard feelings. She wants to be someone’s housewife. I want a partner.” He drank his coffee and peered at her over the rim.

  She nodded. “And right now, you’re helping an invalid, basically. Not what you were looking for, I’m sure.”

  “I don’t consider you that. So, you’re a klutz. Happens to the best of us.” He smirked.

  She snorted. “Klutz? Yeah, I was that day. Can’t argue that. But you’re really not needed here.”

  His eyes widened.

  “I mean…you know…because I have help here. Danny’s forgotten about Mr. Parks down the road, who’s known me since I was a baby.”

  “Yeah, he mentioned him. Said he needed help more than you did. And your parents are in the city?”

  She nodded. “Retired and living off Lake Michigan.” She shrugged. “But they’re busy with their friends and traveling.”

  “Right, so that leaves me.” He stood and walked his mug to the sink. “I’ll go shopping for a new coat and be back in the morning.”

  “I can go with if you want? You’ll need a few other things besides a coat.”

  He glanced at her foot. “In your condition? I’ll be fine…”

  “Now who’s saying I’m an invalid? I can get around on my crutches or use one of those wheelchairs.”

  He walked to her and extended his hand to guide her up. Handing her the crutches, he smiled. “If you’re up to it, then I’m yours.”

  Now her eyes widened, and a flush colored her cheeks.

  He chuckled. “I mean for the day…to go shopping. I’m not good with words.”

  Laughing, she said, “I noticed.” She picked up her mug and hopped to the sink.

  “I could have done that. I’m right here.”

  She spun around with steel in her eyes. “Hayden, you’re here right now, but in a week, you won’t be. I’ll still be on these damned things and I need to do this myself.”

  “Who said anything about a week? I’ll stay until you get through therapy.”

  She shook her head. “No, you won’t.”

  “Yes, I will. I promised your brother. I’m staying.” He stared her down with the same fire.

  Sighing, she let out a breath. “I’m not sure when therapy will begin. Could be next week…could be a month. That’s way too long. I can’t ask that of you.”

  “How about we’ll see, okay? Now let’s go shopping.”

  She shook her head and rotated back to the sink to wash the mugs and set them in the rack. Stubborn man was what he was. Must be a cowboy thing, because modern men didn’t act like that. At least not the men she had met. Definitely not Joel.

  When she turned back around, he already had his hat, coat, and boots on, holding out her coat. She didn’t mind the help, just hated feeling helpless. She passed the crutches to him, so she could pull on her coat. “I need my one boot. It’s by the stairs.”

  He turned and jogged to get it, bringing it back like an obedient cowboy. “Anything else?”

  She snickered. “This isn’t going to be easy, is it? I don’t want a slave. My own brother wouldn’t be so obedient.” As she hobbled to the chair, he again took her crutches and helped her down.

  “I’d do this for my mom. I’m sure you’d do it for me if I needed you to.” He bent down to slip her boot on.

  Watching his scratched-up hands work the brown boot up her leg, a shiver danced through her body. Shrugging it off, she said, “Maybe. If you asked nicely.” She gave a lopsided smile that made him laugh. “What exactly do you owe my brother? He’s never said anything to me.” She heaved herself up and balanced on her crutches after donning her wool cap.

  “Not for you to know. Between Marine brothers.” He ran ahead to open the door.

  “Got it. Secrets. I’ll have to ply you with liquor to find out then.” She followed behind, getting good on those sticks.

  “Nope. First of all, not a big drinker, and I’ll take it to the grave with me.”

  Next thing he did was shock her by picking her up after balancing her crutches against a wall, and carrying her out to the rented black Silverado, traipsing with care down the walkway. “I feel ridiculous. I could have walked, you know.”

  “I know, but let’s get that foot healed fast by not walking on it.” He opened her door and slid her in before closing it and jogging to get the crutches. After he grabbed them, he pulled the door shut and ran to his side, shoving the keys into the ignition to blast the heat. “Sorry, should have done that first.”

  Still in shock by his…ways, she strapped the belt around her and smiled. Why couldn�
�t he be unattractive? It would make things so much easier. But her brother knew what he was doing, and she wasn’t about to let it work. She was not letting him have the chance to say I told you so. He’d enjoy that way too much.

  No. She’d just have to pretend Hayden wasn’t a movie-star handsome cowboy. Turn those parts off and kill any unwanted thoughts. Let him help her and then get him out and back to Texas.

  And if he knew what she didn’t have to offer him as a woman, he’d already be running back home.

  Chapter Two

  As she eyed a few Bomber jackets, she glanced over to find him looking at Suede coats that would hardly secure the warmth. She cleared her throat and caught his attention. “You don’t want those, Cowboy. Try these on.”

  “I have been in the cold before, you know. I’ve blazed a few bonfires on my parents’ ranch to know how to keep warm, Miss Snowy Know It All.” He unhooked the hanger and pressed the black coat against him.

  Snickering, she watched him from her lower level. “Try it on to make sure it fits. I think it’s your size.”

  He rolled his eyes and tugged his other coat off and the new one on, zipping it up to his chin. “There. Snug as a bug, right?”

  “Pull the hood up.”

  With exaggerated slowness, he pulled it up, the fur surrounding his face.

  “Turn around. I want to make sure it doesn’t bunch up in the back.”

  He shook his head and danced around, his hands on his hips. “Like what you see?”

  Good thing he was facing the opposite direction as her eyes drifted below the coat hem and appreciated his round behind. Her face flushed red hot. “Yep. Looks good. I think this is it.”

  “Finally. Took long enough.”

  “Hey, we only looked at ten coats. You want to be warm in our world. And campfires don’t count.”

  He scoffed. “It was cold those nights!”

  She tilted her head and raised her brow, making him laugh. A tap on her shoulder turned her head.