Second Time Around by Katherine Allred Page B

are wasting your time. If I were in your shoes I’d be doing the same thing.” He ran a hand through his shaggy blond hair. “As much as I hate to admit it, maybe it’s a good thing this happened. I don’t like seeing 5Lanie upset and hurting, but at least now she’ll have to make a choice. A bed can get awfully crowded when there are three people in it. When this is over, the only people who’ll be in mine are me and Lanie.” He shrugged again. “Better get used to the idea.”
    “I suppose that means you’ll still try to see her?”
    Harper gave him a cool smile. “You aren’t the only one who plans on fighting for what he wants. I’ll see her every chance I get.”
    “Too bad,” Quinn commented. “She’s already promised me she won’t see you alone.”
    “You may be able to keep her away from me, McAllister, but you can’t force her to trust you again. You had your chance five years ago and you blew it.” He hesitated.
    “There is one more thing, though. Zack. I promised him he could go on some calls with me Saturday. I’d still like to take him.”
    Quinn nodded. “I told Lanie last night I wouldn’t stop you from seeing Zack.
    Having me show up suddenly is enough trauma for him. I’d like to keep the rest of his life as normal as possible.”
    “I appreciate that.”
    “And now that we’ve drawn the lines, you might as well call me Quinn.”
    Harper arched an eyebrow.
    “We’re never going to be friends, Harper—” Quinn paused to smile. “But we do have one thing in common. We both have great taste in women. And it will make it easier on Zack if we can keep this civil.”
    “Quinn.” Harper nodded. “And you can call me Jared.”
    “You aren’t going to win,” Quinn told him quietly. “Lanie and I have too much tying us together.”
    “And Lanie knows that at the end of these three months I’ll still be here waiting. I’ll always be here for her. Can you honestly say she believes the same thing about you?
    Don’t count me out yet, McAllister. You may have won the first battle, but the war is just starting.”
    * * * * *
    Jared stayed at the table after McAllister left, finishing off his coffee and thinking. A frown creased his brow. From Edward’s description, he’d expected Lanie’s husband to be the nerdish type, more interested in business than people.
    Nothing could be further from the truth. He was going to have to be very careful with this man, maybe keep his distance from Lanie for a while. At least until he came up with a legitimate excuse for seeing her. Lanie wouldn’t break a promise easily.
    He paid Buck then stepped out onto the wooden sidewalk. For the last four years, he’d followed Edward’s orders. They hadn’t seemed demanding at the time, and he 5owed the man a lot. Now he was beginning to wonder if Edward had told him the entire truth about Lanie’s past with McAllister.
    With an inward sigh, he walked to his truck and climbed in. Even if Edward had been lying through his teeth, it was too late to back out of the deal. It had been too late the first time he’d seen Lanie.
    * * * * *
    “What do you think you’re doing?” Lanie stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at the horde of men who had come to a standstill at her barked question. One of them, obviously the crew chief, finally stepped forward.
    “Mr. McAllister hired us. I have the order right here.” Tentatively, he held out a yellow piece of paper.
    She yanked it out of his hand, rapidly scanning the list with growing disbelief. A weight room? A sauna? A hot tub and deck? But that was undeniably Quinn’s signature on the bottom. Was he trying to turn her ranch into a spa, for God’s sake?
    So furious her hair was prickling erect, she shoved the slip back at the confused foreman, spun on her heel, and ran smack into a hard male body. When she lifted her gaze it was to meet Duncan’s calm brown eyes.
    “Where’s Quinn?” she spit the question through clenched teeth.
    “In the