Texas Summer Rain

chapter 4

As she was following him, she was thinking how good looking he was, then shook her head. You are here on business Olivia! No flirting with the handsome guy with forest green eyes. Just because you haven’t dated in a couple years doesn’t mean you need to jump the sexy guy you will be trapped in a cabin with for a week. Keeping her head would be paramount in this, she was about to reveal a lot of information to this stranger, some that may turn his life upside down. He may hate her by time this week was over, she had to keep her head. 

  She watched the scenery as they drove, how long had it been since she had taken vacation? Two years? Three? Maybe the week stuck out here wouldn’t be so bad after all, Rebel could certainly use the break from the city. She was so lost in though she almost missed where he turned off. She noticed the road wasn’t marked, it looked like it was a gravel driveway. It took another two miles before they approached the cabin. She expected something small, what she saw shocked her. It was fairly large with a peak in the center made entirely of glass, the glass doors opened onto a huge wrap around deck, all of which had a view of the lake. 

   She hooked Rebel’s leash and stepped out of her truck. Rebel immediately pulled on her to take care of his business. Xander stepped out of his truck and watched this dog that was nearly as big as it’s owner lead her around the yard. Laughing he walked over to her and said “Ms. Jenkins , I’m Alexander Green. Welcome to the cabin. Who is this horse?”  

      Laughing she answered “ This is Rebel , nice to meet you Mr.Green  please call me Olivia or Livie, most everyone does.” 

      “ Then please call me Xander. Only my Aunt calls me Alexander. Looks like that storm is moving in quicker than I thought. When Rebel here is done, might want to get inside. I’m going to unload the truck, would you like me to grab your stuff for you?”  

      “I’ll grab my bags, but you are more than welcome to carry rebel’s food.. He’s a bit of a pig.” 

    Xander laughed as he went and grabbed the dog food along with several bags out of his truck. Every time  he came back out for a load, his eyes would stray to her. She was playing with her dog and rubbing his belly when he would roll over at her feet. One his third trip out the door, the rain started. He grabbed his last duffle bag as she was running to the truck to grab her bags. He reached around her and grabbed her bigger bag, saying “I’ll get this one, we’re going to get drenched if we don’t hurry. They ran to the deck and got into the doors just as it started pouring sheets.  

     Olivia shook her head and said “ Crap! I left my brief case in the truck. I’ll have to go get it.” 

     “ Olivia stay here. It’s pouring rain, wouldn’t want you to catch cold.”

   “ I need my brief case Xander. It has my cell phone in it and all the paperwork I need.” 

    “ Then you stay here, you know how to make coffee right?”

   “Well yes I do, why?”

   He turned her towards the kitchen and said “The kitchen is through there, if you make coffee I’ll go get your stuff.” 

    “Alright, Thank you Xander.” 

      As she started walking into the kitchen, she smiled. What kind of guy gets soaked just so the woman he is with doesn’t get a cold from a little rain?  She started the coffee just as he came back through the door dripping wet.  

  “Oh Xander! You’re soaked! Where are the towels? I’ll get you one.”  

    He told her where they were, and as she hurried to grab him a towel, he had to chuckle. It’s just a little water but she seemed so concerned that I got wet for her. She has to be use to men doing anything for her. She’s so beautiful and sweet too it seems. 

    Rushing back to the door she handed him the towel and smiled as she walked back to get a cup of coffee. Xander followed her back into the kitchen, as she handed him a cup of coffee she asked “Do you need help putting everything away?”  

    Xander showed her where everything went and started to unpack the bags. They worked in silence for a few minutes and then he asked “ So the law firm you work for, are you one of the partners?” 

     “No, my father and two of his best friends started the firm.” 

     “ So you followed in your father’s footsteps?” 

      “ I guess so, I remember when I was around 5, I started getting interested in what Dad did. I never lost that interest obviously.” 

       “ Do you enjoy it?” 

     She sighed, did she enjoy it? She’d been thinking so much lately that she wanted something different. Shaking off her thoughts she answered  “ Sometimes.” 

      “Just sometimes?” 

       “ Well, sometimes I would like to go into a different type of law I guess.”

       “ What type of law do you practice now?”

        “ Industrial mostly. Sometimes Family if they are a current client and need a matter handled.” 

“ What type would you like to do?” 

   “ Mostly family law, some criminal.” 

   “ Criminal? Can’t that be dangerous?”

   “Well I suppose, I’d like to work with troubled teens. Some of the ones that come through the system, are good kids that were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and their court appointed counsel doesn’t care because they aren’t getting paid to handle the case.” 

     He saw this was a passionate subject for her and smiled while he was listening. He loved the way her eyes sparked blue fire when she spoke about the kids. She must be an amazing woman with a heart to match her beauty. 

    “Wouldn’t that be hard to have a practice where your clients never paid?”

    When she laughed, it sounded like bells tinkling and made him grin. He was still thinking about her laughter when she spoke.

   “ Well of course it would silly! That’s why you handle other cases as well, and take on only so many pro-bono cases.” 

    “You know I saw you in the store when you came in, my first thought was that you were such a beautiful woman, and would make a great character for one of my books.” 

    “What kind of books?” 

  He laughed and said “Oh come on, you can’t tell me you didn’t check me out before you came here.”

     “ Of course I did. What kind of lawyer wouldn’t check out a man she was likely to be alone with for a week? I know you are a writer, don’t know what kind.”

    “I’m a novelist. I write suspense, murder mysteries, even a little romance. I take it you aren’t much of a reader?” 

     “Well actually I am, when I have the time. Why would you think I wasn’t?”

   “ Most readers know me on sight. I have about 10 published novels, all best sellers.” 

    “Oh well, I don’t keep up with who’s on the best seller list.” 

     As she finished unpacking her final bag she came across the bone. She looked at him with a questioning look and he blushed. Which she found adorable. Clearing her throat, to keep from laughing, she asked “ Do you often buy rawhide?” 

      “Not usually but I remembered you said you were bringing your dog, so I figured it would get him something to welcome him too.” 

      “That was sweet of you Xander. I’m sure Rebel will love it.”   

       “I’m glad he’ll like it. Why don’t  you have a look around? There are two guest rooms, up the stairs and go left. My room is the door to the right of the stairs. Pick whichever one you like. I’ll start dinner. You do like steak right?” 

     “Yes I like steak, med rare if you don’t mind.”