Denim Blues: Montana Heirs 1

by Ashley Kay

  “I’m serious.” He shrugs. “Your town is growing on me.”

  “It’s a very well-loved place, especially this diner. I grew up in Willow Creek, the next town over, so frequenting this place was the norm. Been around forever, and the food is great. Home-cooked meals by Tuck, the chef. His wife was Mae, whom they named the diner after. She died a few years back, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to cook here.”

  On cue, Tuck rings the bell signaling an order is ready and his big booming voice echoes, “Order up!”

  “What’s good here besides the pie?” He scans the menu, the plastic cracking with each turn. I don’t even pick one up, I’ve memorized the selections.

  Leaning over, catching a whiff of his rousing citrus cologne, I point to the burger section. “Their burgers are divine. Juicy and big.”

  I close my eyes, licking my lips in anticipation of the best cheeseburger around. Opening my eyes, I witness Preston staring at my mouth, desire streaking through his midnight blues like lightning. Ducking my head, I clear my throat, “The fries are good too.”

  He licks his own lips, which makes my lower belly clench. “I can’t wait to try them,” his voice came out strangled. “I want to apologize again for getting in between you and your ex at the gun range. It really isn’t my place. I respect you a lot. I hope you know that.”

  I do know that. Even though his words had stung, his apology is sincere.

  “I accept your apology, and to be honest, I’m glad you were there when he showed up. I don’t know what’s gotten into him, he’s never shown up at my work acting like that. I hadn’t really spoken to him in a while and then he started texting me, wanting to get back together.” I shudder at the thought. Although we’d been good friends, that person is long gone. Someone dishonest has replaced him.

  “Has he always been an asshole? I don’t take you as the type to settle for that, so I’m guessing no.” Preston leans back and put his arm across the back of the booth, his hand inches from my shoulders.

  I sigh, picking at my napkin. “No, he wasn’t always like that. He used to be really sweet. We met soon after my mom died. He moved in across the street—they had to help take care of his sick grandmother. He found me sitting on the curb in front of my house upset one day and cheered me up. We were pretty inseparable after that. Got each other through some tough times. His grandmother died a year after my mom, and I helped him through his grief like he was there for me.”

  “What do you think made him change?” He unrolls his silverware and places his fork and knife neatly on top of the napkin. He’s so proper, it’s kind of funny here in this little diner.

  I shrug, tossing my shredded napkin. “After we were married, there were some things we were dealing with as a couple and I wasn’t handling them well. I pulled back. He retreated. It wasn’t long before I figured out that he was unfaithful.”

  I can tell he wants to ask about the things that tore Brody and me apart but is being polite. I want to tell him, just not here.

  “You deserve so much better than that. I know what it’s like to feel completely betrayed by those you care about.” He lifts his hand to caress my bottom lip with his thumb. Erasing the distance, he presses a gentle kiss to my lips. Surprised, I let out a small gasp and feel his smile on my mouth. I cup his cheeks and kiss him back.

  Friends definitely don’t do this, but we’ve crossed over that line more than a few times. All the unspoken attraction, touches, and stares aren’t going away like they should. His lips are so soft and a pleasant hum is resonating in the tiny space between us.

  A throat clears and we break apart to see our server standing there balancing our order in her hands. She huffs, obviously annoyed at having to witness us kissing.

  Grinning, we both take our food. Preston cuts his burger in half, and I’m utterly fascinated watching him take a big bite. He groans, licking his lips. “This burger is so good.”

  “Told ya.” I add ketchup to my plate, savoring the tingle still present on my lips from his kiss.

  He sucks grease off his finger—the action mesmerizing. I imagine him licking me all over my body and I immediately stick a fry in my mouth to distract from the visuals he’s enticing from me.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” he muses, popping a fry in his own mouth, chewing through a smile.

  “Like what?”

  “Like you want me to eat you.”

  I choke on the fry, reaching over to grab my drink. Sucking down a big gulp, I struggle to hide my burning face. His smug expression lets me know he knows exactly what I’m thinking. Tossing a fry at him, he catches it in his mouth. I give him a high five and relish the fun I’m having with him.

  Finishing our food, I wipe off my hands and turn to him in the booth. “How’s your ankle? I have someplace I want to show you. I need to stop by my house real quick before we go, but I wanted to make sure you could walk on it ok, first. You also have to change. You game?”

  He replies with a wink. “I’m game to follow you anywhere, Montana.”

  11

  PRESTON

  Stepping out of my door, I stumble upon an unforgettable sight. Savy bent over on the front porch, zipping up a large backpack. Averting my eyes would be the respectful route, but I’m too entranced to think rationally. Her ass looks fucking fantastic in those jeans.

  I clear my throat and she pops up, spinning around, her wavy brown hair fanning out underneath a faded ball cap. She’s a goddamn country wet dream.

  “Good, you’re ready. I have a backpack for you to carry, it shouldn’t be too heavy.” She tugs at a piece of hair that got stuck in her mouth and hikes a backpack up over her shoulders.

  “I may be a city boy, but I can carry a backpack.” She hands me the other bag and I sling it over my back, adjusting the straps. Extending my hand in front of me, I say, “Lead the way.”

  She hops down off the steps, excitement clear on her face. “Thanks for agreeing to this, I’m really excited to show you my favorite place in the entire world.”

  “Is that because I have no clue about the great outdoors, so you get to show off all your mad skills?” I fall in step with her and bump into her shoulder in jest.

  “Ha, ha. You’re probably right. I do like my ego stroked now and then.”

  I sure would like to stroke something of yours now and then too. I concentrate on the crunchy gravel underneath my feet so my face doesn’t betray my deviant mind.

  “What does this hiking trip involve?” I’m nervous about making a fool out of myself. I’m not kidding about being a city boy.

  She swings her arms back and forth, speaking with her hands, gesturing wildly. “First, we hike out through the forest that cuts through the facility. We follow the river, it’s the best way to get back in case we make a wrong turn, but trust me, I’ve done this enough that we won’t get lost. Then we head to a flat rocky area down at the foot of the mountain and we watch the sunset. It’s one of the most beautiful places to see it out here. And for later, I have a special treat, but it’s a surprise.” She flashes me a wide smile.

  It’s infectious and I’m grinning back just as wide. “If you say so. How did you find out about this place?”

  She slows down to keep pace with me. “When I started here, the first year on the anniversary of my mom’s death, it really upset me after coming back from spending time with my family. Grey noticed how unhappy I was, so he insisted I come with him hiking to this spot we’re going to. He said it was a place he’d go when he needed cheering up. I love it and go back all the time.”

  Jealousy rips through me. I wish at this moment I’d been the one helping her through a tragedy, but I tuck it away. She deserves to have someone take care of her, even if it had been my idiotic brother.

  Eventually, we’re deeper into the forest. The bubbling of water not too far ahead of us is a soothing sound to my ears. The forest is quiet, not as noisy as I thought, the animals taking a late afternoon siesta, enjoying the rar
e bit of sunshine we got today. Our footsteps crunch over the leaves and needles littering the hard ground. Thick trees on all sides cage us in as we trek through. We make it to the river and stop to take a break. Savy unzips her backpack and tosses me a granola bar. I eat it in three bites, savoring the sweet flavor and oats.

  “What do you think so far, cowboy? Can you handle it?” She takes a long swig from her water canteen, resting a hand on her shapely hip.

  I smirk, chugging a drink from my water bottle. “I can handle anything you throw my way.”

  Her laugh is contagious, filling all the empty spaces in the woods. “Ok good. We’re almost there.”

  We walk a little further in silence until she breaks it, her words soft, “Tell me about you and Greyson growing up.”

  I stiffen. “You really want to hear about our childhood?” I’m not sure I want to tell her anything, and yet I want to tell her everything.

  Her shoulder brushes against mine. “Yeah, I want to know. I think it might help to talk to someone who wasn’t there when you grew up. Greyson doesn’t really talk much about your childhood or you growing up as teens. He always avoids talking about it. He’s my friend, but so are you, and I feel stuck.”

  That surprises me. They seem like the type of friends that talk daily. Another twinge of jealousy knots my guts when I think of her talking to my brother all the time and all the times before I got here. But, she called me a friend. I’m irritated by that as well since we’ve kissed, but also just as relieved that she still wants me around after treating her terribly. I’ll take what I can get. I sigh, and it’s loud enough to scare a bird from its nest.

  “If it’s that big of a deal, then don’t worry about it.” she sounds miffed and walks in front of me. I reach out for her arm and gently bring her back next to me, her cheeks pink.

  “It’s not that, Savy. It’s just been a while since I’ve had to deal with this and it’s hard to talk about my brother and I. Brings up a lot of memories, some of which I haven’t visited in a long time.” I stare down into her wide hazel eyes that soften.

  She lays a hand on my forearm. “I get it, I really do. I just want to get to know you more, that’s all. If it helps you along the way, then even better.” A shy smile peeks out.

  I can’t resist her even if I try. I’m drowning in her.

  “Growing up, we were pretty close, inseparable actually. Goes with the twin territory, as I’m sure you see with your sisters.” She nods.

  I hope that whatever I say doesn’t drive her away from me. Or, begrudgingly, Greyson. I know their friendship is important, even if I admit I want her all to myself.

  “We did what typical brothers do, play, fight, have each other’s backs no matter what. It was good until it wasn’t. As we got older, things changed. Grey was into sports and girls. Don’t get me wrong, I was too, just on a different level.” Holding up my hands, I jerk my thumbs back toward my chest. “Let’s be clear, I had no issues finding girlfriends.”

  Savy rolls her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure you didn’t.”

  Chuckling, I shrug, almost wiping out when a tree root comes out of nowhere. I swear it just rose out of the ground at that very moment to knock me off my self-imposed pedestal.

  “Whoa!”

  Laughing, she latches onto my arm to steady me as I say, “Shit, definitely didn’t see that.”

  “It’s because your head was too big you couldn’t see the ground anymore,” she quips.

  “That isn’t the only thing too big on me,” I joke, earning a slap on my shoulder.

  “Finish your story, you perv. Quit trying to distract me!”

  “I’m distracting you? Have you seen what you’re wearing today?”

  She looks down, then shakes her head, and I laugh again. I can’t help it—I enjoy teasing her.

  “Fine, I’ll continue with my drama.” I tell her about junior high and high school but purposely avoid that night. I can’t go there yet.

  She’s silent. The only sounds are our feet thudding on the fallen pine needles and the whisper of wind in the trees. It’s still crisp outside, and I rub my hands together for warmth. Montana likes to hold on to its seasons, not unlike New York.

  I’m afraid I’ve said too much, but then she replies, “I’m surprised he was like that back then. He doesn’t seem to be that way now…” She lets it trail off. I realize this is probably weird for her to hear, considering they’re close friends. I didn’t lie to Greyson when I told him I wouldn’t tarnish their friendship, no matter how angry I am with him.

  “I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t be talking about him like this. I know he’s your friend and you haven’t known me as long.”

  She squints up at me through the sunlight that’s slowly descending below the tree line. Putting her hands up to block the bright rays, she frowns. “It’s ok. I think Greyson obviously went through some things before we met, and I know you two have a history. But, sometimes it feels like I’ve known you forever,” she mutters that last part, not intending for me to hear, but I do. It lights a spark inside me. The compulsion to tell her more is fierce. I know she’d understand all that I had gone through, nevertheless, I hold back.

  “Tell me about your parents. I’ve met them, but I want to hear about them from you.”

  My eyes widen in surprise. My mom and dad never mentioned her, but then again, they never mentioned Greyson that much either. They knew it was a touchy subject I avoided like the plague. Now, I wish I had inquired more.

  “My mom is great. She has a dry sense of humor and very smart. She plays a big role in the business and even more so now that my dad is gone. He was tough on us as kids, but as we grew up, he was less harsh and more contemplative. His father, my grandfather, was tough on him and that carried over into raising me and Grey. We did a number on him, though. The shenanigans we got into as kids. We put them through the wringer.”

  I think of my father and absentmindedly rub the smooth surface of my watch. My chest aches. He hasn’t been gone very long, but it feels like an eternity since I last spoke to him. I’d never get the chance anymore and the reality of that crashes into me. My father’s dead. I’m here trying to honor his wishes, but I’m struggling. I’m angry with him for putting me in this position, but I’m also angry with myself for causing him pain. I’m just as much to blame for his death as Greyson is.

  Staring off into the trees, I don’t realize that Savy has asked me a question. “Huh? I’m sorry, what did you ask me?”

  She cocks her head, staring at me, her eyes then registering understanding. She places her hand on my arm, squeezing it gently. “You miss him.”

  I nod, swallowing a lump that’s formed in my throat. I’m not an overly emotional guy, but I’m letting those guards down even though I was adamant they stay locked up tight.

  “It doesn’t feel real that he’s gone. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and see a text or a work email from him, or I’ll get a whiff of his nasty cigars and swear I hear him laughing at something my mother said to him.”

  “It won’t be easy, but eventually the ache will dull into something manageable. You’ll be able to smile when you talk about him someday.”

  I give her a sad smile. I knew she’d understand, and my heart hurts for her losing her mom so young and at a time where she probably needed her the most. My father and I had almost a lifetime together, yet I wasted it, angry and distanced from those in my life that really cared. Ashamed is the closest emotion I can name for how I feel.

  “Tell me about Manhattan? What do you like to do there?”

  She’s trying to distract me from my grief, and for that, I’m grateful. I don’t want to ruin this day, even if my feelings are valid.

  I ponder the question, watching as the light filters through the needles, shimmering all over the ground. “New York’s fine. I grew up in Cove Neck, but loved working in Manhattan, so coming here was a vast change. It’s fast-paced, loud, but has the best restaurants and places to hang out. My favorite i
s a little bistro that serves the best almond-coconut, orange cake. It almost rivals Mae’s desserts.”

  She comes at me with mock anger in her fists, and I shake with laughter while skirting out of her line of fire.

  “What’s it like to have lived in Montana your whole life?”

  Her eyes brighten. “Amazing. I’ve always felt a connection to the land and the wildness of it. Maybe more so because my dad spent a lot of time in the woods and would drag me along, but it’s always felt like home.”

  Home. Montana is growing on me in more ways than one.

  Savy crouches down to the forest floor and runs her hands through the moss and mushrooms trying to poke through the cool ground, a reverent expression on her face.

  “Did you know trees talk to each other?”

  I shake my head, placing a palm on the nearest tree, letting the grooves of the rough bark dig into me. “No, I wasn’t aware they communicated other than in fairytales.”

  Standing up, she brushes her hands on her pants and leans on the tree beside me. “The roots are all connected underground. The mushrooms and other fungi aid the trees in communicating with each other. They give each other nutrients when they need them and exchange information. Hub trees or mother trees, ones that are the strongest, even know their own baby trees from a tree that isn’t from their seeds. They will give more nutrients or information to their own tree kin versus a tree that isn’t related.”

  Raising my eyebrows, I look up and watch as all the tree crowns dance and sway in the breeze, the leaves just barely budding. “Gives you a different perspective on forests being more than just a bunch of stagnant trees. It’s an entire network, a community.”

  “Yep, all working together for the greater good.”

  The significance isn’t lost on me. I haven’t felt part of a community in so long. But here with Savy, I’m believing that maybe I will.

  A smile blossoms on her face. “Come on, we’re here.”