A Father's Second Chance. Mindy Obenhaus

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СКАЧАТЬ He stopped.

      So did Gage. He eyed the man who was a little older than his thirty-one years. A deep love of mining and its history had bonded the two from a young age.

      “Any hiring going on?”

      Ted shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Don’t give up, though, buddy.” He gripped Gage’s shoulder. “Things could change at any time.”

      Easy for him to say. Ted had remained in Ouray, getting his foot in the door early when the first gold mine had reopened. Gage, on the other hand, had gone off to Colorado’s School of Mines for a degree in mining engineering. If only he’d hung around. Maybe he’d be following his dream instead of biding his time working construction.

      “Daddy...what about the cake?” Emma squeezed his hand, bringing a smile to Gage’s face.

      His girls were the reason he gave up his dream job in Denver and moved back to Ouray. He needed the support of his family. And he’d do it a thousand times over, whatever it took to provide a stable, loving environment for them. He only wished he could say the same for their mother.

      He shifted his focus back to his friend. “We’re on a mission, but let me know if you hear anything.”

      “Sure thing, Gage.”

      Emma skipped alongside him as they continued on to the kitchen. He hoped she wasn’t getting a second wind. If that happened, they could be up all night.

      He carefully pushed open the swinging door.

      “Nana!” Both girls bolted toward a long stainless steel work table as his mother, Bonnie Purcell, stooped to meet them with open arms.

      Behind her, the caterer moved aside and busied herself at the sink. But not before her deep brown eyes narrowed on him.

      “Oh, my precious girls.” Mom embraced her granddaughters. “You were so good today.” She released them, smoothing a hand over her shimmering dress as she rose. “Gage, have you met Celeste?” His mother’s gaze drifted between him and the caterer, that matchmaking twinkle in her eye.

      Man, Taryn hadn’t been married but a few hours and his mother had already set her sights on him.

      Well, she could try all she wanted, but Gage wasn’t going down that road again. He was a failure at marriage and had no intention of setting himself or his daughters up for another heartbreak.

      “Not officially.” The caterer grabbed a towel from the counter. Chin jutted into the air, she held out a freshly dried hand. “Celeste Thompson. Nice to meet you.”

      Recalling the irritation that had accompanied his parting words earlier in the evening, he reluctantly accepted the gesture. “Likewise.”

      Long, slender fingers gripped his with surprising strength.

      “Celeste was telling me that she’s looking for a contractor to do some renovations in the space above her restaurant.” Mom fingered Cassidy’s soft curls, her attention returning to the caterer. “Gage has quite an eye for detail.”

      “Well, it just so happens that I’m a detail kind of girl. I’m very particular about how things are done.” Her smile teetered between forced and syrupy. “But, if you think you can handle it, you’re welcome to come by and look things over.”

      “Oh, don’t be silly.” Mom took hold of his daughters’ hands. “Gage can handle just about anything.” She beamed at Celeste first, then Gage. “Come on, girls. Let’s go say good-night to Papa.”

      The trio stole through the door, leaving him alone with the caterer. Talk about awkward.

      She stepped toward the counter and retrieved a disposable container. “Here’s the cake I promised Emma. I included enough for you and her sister, too.”

      He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but accepted the package anyway. “Cassidy.”

      “I’m sorry?”

      “My other daughter is Cassidy. I’m sure she will appreciate the cake every bit as much as Emma and me. Thank you. And...” He forced himself to meet her gaze. “Thank you for helping me out earlier.”

      “You’re welcome.” Her golden-blond hair was slicked back into a long ponytail. Save for one wayward strand, which she promptly tucked behind her ear. Her expression softened. “Look, I realize that was kind of an uncomfortable situation with your mother.” She peered up at him with eyes the deep, rich color of espresso. “If you’d like to drop by and check out the project, great. However, I understand if you don’t have time.”

      She was actually giving him an out?

      He hadn’t expected that.

      Unfortunately, his finances dictated he not turn down a job. “How about Monday at two?”

       Chapter Two

      Get in, and get out.

      Gage slammed the lid on the aluminum storage box in the bed of his pickup. He really wasn’t interested in meeting with Celeste Thompson today. True, his project at the Schmidts’ was drawing to a close, and he didn’t have anything else on the books, but he was fairly certain that the type of work Celeste wanted was not going to match up with the kind of work he specialized in.

      A breeze rustled the golden leaves of an oak in the Schmidts’ front yard. Their Queen Anne-style house, with its sprawling porch on the west side, had been one of his favorites long before they hired him to renovate the first-floor bathroom. He loved all the old buildings in Ouray. Appreciated the architecture and intricate details that made them grand. Restoring them was his forte. But he’d encountered one too many city dwellers who didn’t see the value in “old stuff.” They were only interested in removing the old and making everything modern.

      That was like tearing out the heart of a home. Something he could not—would not—do.

      He climbed into the cab of his truck, eyeing the burnt-orange landscape that spread up the mountainsides. He supposed it wasn’t fair to judge Ms. Thompson based on the actions of others, but she definitely fit the demographic—young urban professionals trading everything for the good life in Ouray, Colorado. What they failed to realize was that while life was indeed good in Ouray, it could also be tough. Many people worked two or three jobs, unless they owned their own business. In that case they had only one job to which they were on call 24/7. Which was why so many people threw in the towel after only one season.

      Celeste might be a good cook, but did she have the guts, the tenacity, to embrace Ouray and its oft-difficult way of life? Not to mention its historic architecture.

      He fired up the engine and dropped it into gear, deciding he’d find out the latter soon enough.

      Heading toward Main Street, he rolled down the windows to take advantage of the mild autumn air. Who knew how many more days they’d have like this? The thirteen-and fourteen-thousand-foot peaks that surrounded the tiny town were already topped with white.

      A few blocks down Main, he pulled into a parking spot across from Granny’s СКАЧАТЬ