Guarding His Heart Read online

  The walk on the beach and the conversation with Sienna had done her a world of good. Georgie took a deep breath. Tomorrow, she’d go back to Liam’s and act like the professional tradesperson she was, and pretend she hadn’t been on the verge of tears and run out on him this afternoon.

  She would be professional, and she could remain aloof.

  Chapter Six

  The best-laid plans flew out the window when Georgie shut the door of Ana’s house behind her the next morning. She’d slept soundly, but late, and had deliberately left her starting time until midmorning so Liam would be settled into his study downstairs. She hoped that he’d left the front door unlocked as he’d promised and she wouldn’t have to face him. She’d have to see him sometime, but the later it was, the better prepared she’d be.

  The delivery truck with the lumber for the shelves was due at eleven so she timed her arrival for then. He probably hadn’t even noticed she wasn’t there.

  She walked up the hill, ignoring Mutt’s mournful cries at being left behind. That was one less thing to be concerned about today. She didn’t want to have to worry about leaving him in Liam’s backyard.

  One less opportunity for bumping into Liam.

  She crested the small hill and groaned. Mitzi and Thelma’s pink DeSoto was parked in the driveway outside Liam’s front door and there was no sign of the truck from the store. The pebbled drive crunched beneath Georgie’s feet as she debated whether to sneak upstairs and start work, or acknowledge Thelma and Mitzi.

  She’d kill them, she really would. Or she’d give them a good talking to about respecting people’s privacy and turning up unannounced. Taking the cowardly option, she pushed the door open quietly and ignored the voices from the large living room as she tried to tiptoe across to the staircase. She frowned, trying to remember which step creaked.

  “Georgie. Come in and say good morning to your friends.”

  Busted.

  Liam stood at the door and she turned around slowly.

  “They wouldn’t leave until you arrived. Thelma and Mitzi wanted to say hello to you.” His voice was cold and the implication that she was late for work hung in his words.

  Georgie pulled herself up straight and tried to stare him down. She was her own boss and he had no say in her working hours. A little spurt of anger stiffened her spine as she held onto the banister.

  Good, embarrassment zero. Anger, one. Keep it together.

  She raked a cool glance down his body and ignored the little jolt of her heart. He had knee-length chinos on this morning and his feet were bare. A loose white shirt completed the casual look and as she lifted her eyes to his face her heart thudded uncomfortably in her chest. It was just like the shirt Colin Firth had worn in the famous lake scene that she and Sienna used to swoon over. His face was unshaven, and those sexy cheekbones were highlighted by the dark stubble. His ice-blue eyes held hers but she fought the feeling that crept through her bones.

  “All right. And then I have to get to work. The truck with the wood is due to arrive any minute.”

  “So that’s why you’re late?”

  She stepped off the bottom stair and walked across the entry hall toward him, knowing there was a flush on her cheek. “Late?” She reached him and looked up into an amused gaze. God, I wish the man would shave, she thought irrationally. The stubble just makes him better-looking. “I’m not late.”

  “I thought you had to knock the wall out?” His voice was low and there was dead silence from the living room. A grin pulled at the sides of Georgie’s mouth as she imagined Thelma and Mitzi straining to hear their hushed conversation. Not hearing what she and Liam were saying would be killing them.

  “I do.” She let the grin take over, and shot him a smile as she reached up and patted his shoulder. “You worry about your work and your guests, and I’ll look after my work. Deal?”

  Liam’s arm stiffened beneath her fingers and she knew he’d picked up the censure in her voice despite her sweet smile. She dropped her hand from his shoulder and pushed past him. Unfortunately, he was standing in the doorway so she had to squeeze by to get to the living room. Every nerve ending stood at attention and her heartbeat picked up.

  “Georgie.” Thelma patted the sofa beside her. “We were worried about you, and so was Liam.”

  Liam? Already?

  “You’re very flushed, dear. You’re not getting ill, are you?” Mitzi fluttered her little hands around.

  “No, I hurried up the hill. I’ve got a delivery truck due at eleven. Now, don’t you two have somewhere else you have to be? I’m sure Mr. Wyndham has some work waiting for him.”

  “It’s all right. Liam knows you told us he was busy and that he didn’t want to be disturbed. But he’s such a sweet man. He said he was very happy to have us visit.”

  Georgie closed her eyes and took a breath. And she was sure they’d left nothing out about her, too.

  “We had to come. There was a part from our car still in the garage here and we’ve been waiting for the new owner to arrive so we could come and get it.”

  “What part?” Georgie asked suspiciously. She knew them too well. Apart from their craftwork and going to the markets, their day was filled with good-natured meddling and matchmaking.

  “Oh, just a pink thing.” Mitzi waved her dainty little hands again. “Liam is going to look for it on our way out.”

  Thelma smiled at her and Georgie bit back the sarcastic reply that was hovering on her lips. She looked up and was surprised to see a grin on Liam’s face. Of course he’d picked up on what was going on. He could see right through this devious pair. She would be having stern words with them later on.

  “I’ll go to the garage and see if I can find the pink ‘thing.’” He walked over to the elderly pair and offered a hand to each of them to help them up. “And then I’ll come back and give you a hand to unload the timber truck.” He turned to Georgie as the elderly women picked up their bags.

  “Oh, don’t worry about the part now,” said Thelma. “It wasn’t urgent. We’ll leave you and Georgie to wait for the truck. We’ll come back and get it another day.”

  “Yes, it will give us a reason to come and visit again. We do love being neighborly,” Mitzi chimed in. “It’s so important to make new residents of Nebbiton feel welcome.”

  Georgie turned to Liam with a genuine grin this time. “And since Joe left Mitzi his car, they’ve been neighborly all over the county.”

  Georgie watched Liam as he escorted her two friends to the door. A tray with teacups and leftover cake sat on the coffee table and she grimaced. By the look of things they’d been here all morning. Love it!

  It didn’t matter. She’d made up her mind about how to handle Liam. She would ignore the nervous jolts and warm feelings that ran through her, and get to work as soon as the truck was unloaded. Mitzi and Thelma’s being here when she’d arrived had broken the ice with Liam a little, although she still resented his comment about her being late.

  “Oh, Georgie dear?” Georgie waited for what was coming as Thelma turned to her. “We’ve organized a little welcome reception for Liam at our place on Sunday.”

  Mitzi piped up. “We’re having a garden party. You know how we love them.”

  Georgie shook her head. “Sorry, gals, I can’t make it. I’ll be busy working here. And I’ve already welcomed Mr. Wyndham.” Her eyes met Liam’s and she could see the mirth in them. What happened to the guy who wanted total privacy?

  A welcome reception? He seemed pleased about it, by the grin on his face. Maybe she’d read him wrong. Maybe it was just her he didn’t like?

  And unfortunately for her, he exuded even more hotness when there was a hint of a smile on his face. God help her if he actually smiled at her. She went weak at the knees just imagining it.

  “Oh, but you have to come. Liam doesn’t have a car yet and we’ve organized for you to drive him to our place.”

  Why do they always do this to me? She swore that Mitzi and Thelma had complete
d People Manipulation 101 right before they’d taken up Matchmaking 101. She tried to stare them down but they both quickly looked away from her and back to Liam.

  “Come on, Liam. Help us into our car like the true gentleman you are, and we’ll go back to town. If we leave now we won’t block the driveway for the lumber truck. We’ll come over and see your new office when it’s finished. Georgie’s work is magnificent.”

  “It’s only a set of bookshelves; I’m not doing a full restoration.” As soon as the words left her mouth and she watched Mitzi’s face light up, Georgie wished she could pull them back.

  “Oh, but you could. Joe’s…I mean Liam’s house is crying out for a touch like yours. You could do it instead of going—”

  “Mitzi, I think Mr. Wyndham is waiting for you.” Georgie clenched her fists as she glared at her sweet old friend and kept her voice firm.

  Mitzi walked to the car where Liam held open the driver’s door. She turned her little wrinkled face up to him and a surge of guilt hit Georgie for thinking badly of them. They were just trying to be kind.

  “Perhaps we could make you some frilly curtains,” Mitzi said.

  Thelma winked at her over the top of the car. Georgie snorted, and Liam closed the door, seemingly oblivious to the silent messages being passed around him.

  …

  Liam turned around to speak to Georgie as the huge old pink car drove sedately down the driveway, but she’d disappeared. He walked thoughtfully through the door and closed it quietly behind him as the sound of hammering began on the top floor.

  So much for being a recluse.

  He valued his privacy, and he’d come here just for that reason, but those dear old souls had managed to break through his barriers before he’d even had a chance to think. They’d bundled him into his kitchen, made a pot of tea, and produced a cake from a basket. He still didn’t know which one was Thelma and which one was Mitzi. He’d barely managed to get a word in while they’d taken great delight in filling him in on all the locals around Half Moon Bay. There was enough new material filed away in his head to create a whole imaginary town populated with the colorful characters they’d described to him as they’d brewed tea and fed him cake. A little creative spurt niggled and he welcomed it.

  And they’d talked about Georgie. They’d hinted at a big secret but were loyal enough not to tell him anything private about her. It had whetted his curiosity. Maybe it would explain why he found her fascinating and so easy to read. He’d lost sleep last night worrying about what he’d done to upset her. It seemed as if she’d gotten embarrassed after she’d offered to listen to him if he wanted to talk. Then she’d run out and he’d let her go.

  Kind. As well as interesting and beautiful. And a hard worker. He’d only known her a couple of days. She’d rescued him—or so she thought—retrieved his kayak, ministered first aid to him, and then turned up in dungarees and work boots. One of the most independent and self-contained women he’d ever met. Very different from Vanessa and her needy personality.

  Before he went into his small study, he detoured via the kitchen and cut a huge slab of cake to take upstairs with him. He grinned; a spark of enthusiasm fired in his blood and it was unfamiliar. Ideas were turning into words in his head and he needed to get them down. He’d go up and see Georgie after he was done.

  A long while later, Liam stretched at his computer desk and looked around. The afternoon sunlight was pouring through the window and he was thirsty. He glanced down at the time on the bottom corner of his laptop screen.

  “Damnation.” He pushed the chair back and strode toward the door before cursing and turning back to his computer to save his work. The words had flowed and he’d written the first three chapters of a new book.

  Not the book his publisher was waiting for, but the story that had come into his head when he’d been listening to his visitors. Now he felt guilty that he’d locked himself away, and he’d completely forgotten about Georgie and the lumber truck. She would think he was the biggest louse around. He just hoped she hadn’t carted the timber upstairs herself. After he saved his file, he headed for the door. The house was quiet. There was no banging, no sound of any work—he tipped his head to the side and listened. There was no sense of anyone in the house but him.

  He strode along the top hall, listening as he made his way to the study. The door was closed, and he stood outside and tapped lightly on the heavy wood.

  “Georgie? Are you in there?”

  All was quiet as he pushed the door open. She’d gone but she’d obviously worked hard, and he’d heard none of it while he’d been in his creative zone. The back wall had been pulled down and piles of old plasterboard were sitting neatly in the corner. A new frame had been built, ready to support the shelves. Liam swiveled around and groaned. Four high piles of wood were stacked neatly beneath the window.

  God, I hope she had some help to carry that up. Surely the truck driver would have helped? He’d apologize to her tomorrow.

  For a moment, he debated whether he should wander down to her cottage now, but common sense won out. He wasn’t going to go visit her for any old excuse just because he found her— Liam frowned. Why did he find her so fascinating? She was confident and independent and interesting. But that didn’t mean he had to bother her.

  Despite enjoying his visitors today, he still intended to keep to himself. He’d get Thelma and Mitzi’s number from Georgie tomorrow, and take a rain check on the welcome. They’d sucked him in and he’d agreed to come to their party but it was totally not his scene.

  Too cozy for me. He valued his privacy too much to get involved with the townspeople.

  They were sweet old ladies and although he’d seen right through the reason for their visit, it had been kind of nice having company in his new house. Once he’d gotten on top of his book—the other one—he’d invite Sarah and Mike down for a weekend. Not a total recluse; just when it suited him.

  It was time to start living again. But slowly. Take it slowly.

  Liam crossed to the window and looked at the cottage down the hill.

  Chapter Seven

  It was Friday morning and Georgie cursed as she tried to lift the last length of wood into place. It was heavier than the rest and she had to get it up before she could start building the frame on the wall that joined this corner. She put the solid piece of lumber down, dropped to her knees, and caught her breath. It wasn’t worth throwing her back out. Looking around, she tried to figure out whether she could start at the other end of the window wall and wait till tomorrow, when Sienna would be here to help her lift the heavy piece of timber. In the meantime, she could set the joints at the corners where the two shelves would intersect.

  She’d worked all week and hadn’t laid eyes on Liam since Thelma and Mitzi had left on Tuesday. On the second day, she’d had a dreadful thought, worrying that he’d gone out in his kayak and tipped over again. Creeping quietly downstairs and through to the kitchen, a pile of dishes in the sink caught her eye. She put her hand to the coffeepot and breathed a sigh of relief as the warmth touched her skin. He wasn’t far away. She could stop worrying.

  Another day had passed and Georgie had made great progress on the shelves. Occasionally, she would hear a door open and shut downstairs while she was working, reassuring her that he was around. Each morning when she arrived, the front door was unlocked and she let herself in. She walked home for lunch each day, and Liam was nowhere to be seen as she came and went. She left Mutt down the hill and after the first day when he’d realized that he wasn’t going with her, he had stopped howling.

  Liam was either totally angry with her that Thelma and Mitzi had invaded his space, or he was simply indulging in that privacy that he’d indicated was so important to him.

  Georgie stood and stretched. Whatever it was, it was none of her business, and her equilibrium had been restored because she hadn’t had to deal with him all week. It had been very easy to stick to her plan of being professional and remaining aloof. She pul
led a face. It’s pretty easy to remain aloof when I don’t even run into the person I’m being aloof to.

  But now she needed a hand and she would ask in a professional manner, unless she could get away with leaving it. One last look at the wall convinced her that she had to keep working at that end. It was the first time she’d needed any help since she’d started this job.

  Georgie slipped into the small bathroom next to the study and filled the old-fashioned pink porcelain basin with water. She scrubbed her hands clean and then patted cool water onto her cheeks. As she pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, she stared at her reflection in the antique mirror above the basin. Her cheeks were pink and she knew it had nothing to do with the exertion. The curse of fair skin and red hair. She was nervous about seeking Liam out and it showed in her complexion.

  Smoothing her T-shirt down over her work shorts as she walked down the hall toward the stairs, Georgie glanced into the open doors. It really was a beautiful old house—run-down, but beautiful. It had been one of the first mansions built along the cliffs when Nebbiton was developing into a commercial center back in the twenties. She loved Half Moon Bay, and its history fascinated her. The town had been settled in the early twentieth century by Italian immigrants who had planted acres of vegetables to supply the San Francisco market, and it still had a distinctly Italian feel. The old mansions that had been built along the coast road before the Depression had provided most of their restoration jobs when she’d been in business with Ana and Sienna.

  Georgie stood at the top of the staircase and let her hand sweep the beautiful wood. It still had a high gloss and was worn smooth from years of hands running down it. The sound of a door opening beneath her jolted her out of her thoughts. She knew exactly what she was doing—putting the moment off.