Montana Welcome

by Melinda Curtis

  “The Blackwell Ranch has vehicles that can tow us to Big E’s mechanic in Falcon Creek.” From Conner’s grave expression, Lily knew she should be more contrite. “Hopefully, we can apologize properly to the owner of this gate in the morning.”

  “Of course,” Lily said. “I’ll pay for all the damage.” Her car insurance might cover most, if not all of it.

  “I’ll split it with you.” Pepper clutched her cell phone as if afraid to let it go. “It’s only right.”

  “Before any money passes hands, let’s see how this shakes out first.” Conner made the call, moving away and talking privately before returning. “Katie’s sending Ben. But it’s going to take him about four hours to get here. Best try and get some sleep.” He shut the hood and dragged the ranch gate closed, fencing them on whoever’s property this was, presumably to keep their livestock safe.

  Pepper disappeared into the motor home. She and Natalie went into the bedroom and closed the door.

  Lily waited at the door for Conner. “Tell me the truth. How much trouble am I in with Big E and the Blackwells?”

  “I suppose that’s relative.” He smoothed her hair behind her ear, bringing warmth and forgiveness with his touch. “You’re going to have some explaining to do concerning your so-called cousin Ken. You know that. I’d say Pepper and Dorothy will be the emotional barometer of how that’s received. And then there’s this old thing.” He patted the motor home’s exterior wall. “This is Big E’s favorite mode of transportation.”

  “Great.” Lily felt like she was sixteen again, having taken her mother’s car without asking permission and misjudging the width of a parking space. But this was more than a scratch that could be buffed out.

  “I’m not saying it can’t be fixed,” Conner was saying. “But it’s not the best way to introduce yourself to the Blackwells.”

  “They’re going to think I was drunk.” She hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol.

  Conner shook his head. “More than likely, they’ll never let you hear the end of putting Big E’s ride out of commission. Those Blackwells have a sense of humor and long memories, especially Ben.”

  “I can take a little ribbing.”

  Conner scoffed, an indication that little might not describe the ribbing ahead. “If that’s the case, if I were you, I’d straighten out things with Pepper sooner rather than later.”

  Lily nodded, not moving inside. She still had something to say to Conner. “Are we good?”

  “You mean, am I mad at you for this?” He stared at her with that slow smile she loved so much. “We, Miss Lily, are more than good. We’re okay. Now, get inside before I do something we agreed was too soon to be doing.”

  Kissing.

  Lily was tempted to linger and null that agreement. But she was in enough trouble already.

  She hurried inside and spent a long time in her bunk second-guessing her decision to slow things down with Conner, instead of worrying about how her apology to Pepper would be received and how her meeting a Blackwell cousin would go in the morning.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “RISE AND SHINE, ladies.” Conner hurried outside to greet the driver of a large black semitruck in the gray light of dawn. “Our ride is here.”

  Our ride. A Blackwell.

  Lily hopped out of the bunk and scurried into the small bathroom, needing to make herself look presentable for both her cousin and Conner. Teeth brushed, hair combed, she was just slipping into her cowboy boots when Conner opened the motor-home door.

  “I’m not sure the front bumper will stay on if you use it to pull the motor home onto the flatbed.” Conner’s gaze collided with Lily’s. There was no trace of past kisses or shared laughter in his expression. This cowboy was all business. This wasn’t a relationship slowdown. This was a full-on stop.

  Lily was unexpectedly gutted. She couldn’t move, not even to draw a breath.

  “I think the rear axle will work.” The cowboy behind Conner had broad shoulders, dark hair and an assessing smile, so like Big E’s that Lily was taken back to the moment her grandfather had walked into the bridal vestibule.

  Past Conner.

  Who’d looked much the same as he did today.

  “Good morning,” Ben said. “I’ve got room for you ladies in the truck.”

  Natalie checked him out. “Are you the married one?”

  “Honey, all the Blackwell boys are married,” Ben said, seemingly without taking offense. “But there are plenty of cowboys working the ranch if you’re a sucker for Justins and Stetsons. How are you doing, coz?”

  For a second Lily thought Ben knew who she was. But then he quite clearly tipped his cowboy hat to Pepper.

  “I’ll be fine, as long as we get to the ranch today.” Pepper made her way down the steps with all the swagger she’d exhibited the day they’d picked her up in Vegas. She wore a darling red sweater, black leggings and suede booties. “Oh, and coffee. I’ll be needing a latte.”

  “Ditto.” Natalie followed her down, wearing a nearly identical outfit only with a beige sweater.

  “So this is how Conner feels.” Ben slapped Conner on the back. “A beck-and-call cowboy.”

  “Your sense of humor hasn’t improved since kindergarten.” Conner had no qualms about firing right back, but he caught Lily’s eye as he did so, as if to say, You can’t give these Blackwells an inch.

  “I’m Lily.” She came down the steps and hesitated in front of Ben, unsure whether she should shake his hand or hug him.

  “She’s the cousin of the groom,” Pepper called back to them, dwarfed next to the semi Ben had brought.

  “Right,” Lily said in a small, flat voice.

  “Let me expand upon my introduction.” Ben gave Lily’s hand a bone-breaking shake. “Ben Blackwell, attorney, happily married, soon-to-be father of two.” He arched a brow at Conner’s scoff. “What? Katie said this was a bachelorette party.”

  Conner gave Lily a significant look, which she ignored. Now wasn’t the right time to explain who she really was.

  At this rate, there might never be a right time.

  “I’m the one who got us into this predicament.” At least Lily was fessing up to something.

  “Really?” Ben raised his eyebrows and glanced at Conner. “I thought you were driving.”

  “Big E doesn’t like anyone to drive his motor home without prior approval,” Conner clarified for Lily’s sake.

  “Peachy.” She was doubling down on ways to disappoint her grandfather. “Again, I was driving. And I’ll step up and pay for the damages.”

  “Wow. What a surprise. Conner let you drive?” Ben chuckled, tipping that cowboy hat back. “Conner doesn’t like to go against the rules. Never has.”

  “Here it comes. There were extenuating circumstances, Ben,” Conner grumbled. “It won’t happen again.”

  Ben’s humor dissipated. “It shouldn’t. You should be your own boss. You were one of the best horse trainers around.”

  “I told him that, too,” Lily blurted.

  “Did you?” Ben gave her another assessing look. “Maybe together we can convince him.”

  Conner caught Lily’s arm and tugged her toward the big truck. “Those conversations are best rebooted at the Silver Stake over a beer when the music is so loud I can’t hear you Blackwells nag.”

  A blue pickup approached from the ranch proper.

  “Here’s the rancher whose driveway you’re blocking.” Ben settled his hat more firmly on his head. “Time to make offers of reparation.”

  “Tell him I’ll pay for the damage,” Lily called back to him over her shoulder. “Tell him there was no alcohol involved. Tell him—”

  “Let the lawyer handle this.” Conner helped her into the truck, which was running with the heater blasting. “If you want to talk, you should talk to Pepper.”

  “Right.�
�� Wrong. Lily leaned back toward Conner and said in a soft voice she hoped Pepper couldn’t hear, “You won’t think poorly of me if I hold off until later.”

  “You’re running out of laters, Lily.”

  “Right.” She climbed into the back seat with Pepper and Natalie, but couldn’t think of a way to broach the topic.

  Besides, the pair was engrossed in social media. She couldn’t interrupt them.

  * * *

  “STOP!” PEPPER CRIED as they drove into Falcon Creek. She pointed to a feed store. “There’s Brewster’s. Grandma Dot said I should pick up some boots there. And I need a new pair of jeans.”

  Lily knew that wasn’t true. She’d seen the inside of Pepper’s suitcase.

  Ben slowed down. “You have plenty of time to shop before Saturday.”

  “I don’t.” Pepper used a bridezilla voice, one that raised concerns about the stress of the bride-to-be. “My days are filled between now and the wedding. We need to stop now.” That tone... Gone was the gushing, happy-go-lucky bride who was checking off items on her life plan.

  Natalie reached for Pepper’s hand.

  “We can drop the ladies off here,” Conner told Ben. “They can shop while we take the motor home over to Charlie’s.”

  Ben frowned, but pulled over so they could get out.

  Conner dropped to the ground and helped them down. “Look out for Pepper, will you?” he said to Lily.

  “Like she was my own,” Lily assured him, wishing Ben wasn’t watching so she could squeeze Conner’s hand or kiss his cheek or tell him she had meant slow down, not stop. But Ben was watching, so she followed the two younger women up the steps to the loading dock and front door.

  An old man sat in front of a chessboard near the feed store entrance. Natalie and Pepper breezed right past him. He waved Lily over. “Name’s Pops. You look like a chess player.”

  “Actually...” She wasn’t.

  “Sit down and make a move.” The old man was thin and neatly groomed, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. He shuffled his boots on the wood planks. “I’ve been itching to start a new game this morning and no one’s been by.”

  Lily perched on a wooden chair and moved a pawn forward with concentration and careful fingers. “I don’t know much about chess, I’m afraid.”

  Pops mirrored her move with a black pawn. “I’m a chess master. Play every day. I’m always up for a friendly game.”

  Lily focused on how to move another pawn forward. “I don’t think I can stay for the whole game.”

  Pops moved the horse to the middle of the board. “Heading out to the Blackwell Ranch?”

  “Yes. Have you been there?”

  The old man guffawed. “To one of the biggest and oldest spreads around? Yes, I have. They had quite the shindig out there when Big E turned eighty a few years back. Your move.”

  The biggest and oldest? She’d had an image in her head of a quaint ranch. It wasn’t like the motor home was new. Were the Blackwells Montana royalty?

  I’m not royalty.

  Lily tried to grab a pawn, but her fingers fumbled and it spiraled around, knocking other pieces over. She apologized and tried setting the board to rights, but it was a lost cause. Her fingers weren’t responding to her brain’s orders. Pieces fell and scattered.

  “I want to play chess.” A cowgirl of about eight or nine ran up the steps, trailed by her mirror image, who was no less insistent on playing with Pops.

  “Speakin’ of Blackwells.” Pops nodded toward the girls and a tall, lean cowboy who followed them. “Hello, Jon. Girls.”

  More Blackwells? Should I introduce myself?

  Chickening out, Lily got to her feet. “I should get inside. My friends will be wondering where I am.” Not to mention Pepper seemed to have a case of wedding jitters. “Thanks for the game.”

  Her place was quickly taken by the twin girls.

  Lily entered the store with Jon Blackwell. They acknowledged each other with head nods.

  This is going to be so awkward when we’re formally introduced.

  Lily veered toward Pepper and Natalie, who were rummaging through a table of blue jeans. Now was the time to come clean with Pepper about how she wasn’t related to Ken before things got worse. “Pepper, remember the day we met?” She cleared her throat. Tried to look nonchalant. “Do you?”

  Oh, jeez. Stop babbling.

  “That was just a few days ago.” Pepper did the giggly-gushing thing, but her words came out strained. “How could I not?”

  Right. “I meant to tell you then—”

  “Pepper?” Jon Blackwell walked over, tilting his hat back to reveal the same bone structure as his brother Ben. “Grandma Dot’s Pepper?”

  “That’s me.” Pepper rushed over to hug him. “Good to see you again, Jon.” She introduced Natalie. “And this is my fiancé’s cousin Lily.”

  Oh, boy.

  Lily raised a hand. “Actually, about that—”

  Jon interrupted her with a laugh. “The Lily who ran Big E’s motor home off the road?” He was playing to the crowd—Pepper, Natalie, the middle-aged salesclerk—who responded with laughter. “Ben just texted me about your mishap from the repair shop. Wait until Big E finds out.”

  Oh, come on.

  As one of five children, Lily knew this teasing could not pass without a defense or she’d be forever labeled as an easy mark. “Did Ben tell you we were being chased by a motorcycle gang who—”

  “It was so dark,” Pepper interrupted. “Super creepy.”

  “I was scared of wolves,” Natalie added. “Conner said he didn’t hear any, but I did. I swear I did.”

  “That doesn’t really pertain to the actual motor-home incident.” Lily tried to regain control of the conversation, but Jon would have none of it.

  “Conner never lets guests get out of hand.” Jon gave them a once-over. “You three must really be a handful.”

  “Your order is ready, Jon.” The woman behind the counter waved to him.

  Pepper and Natalie drifted to the cashier behind Jon, asking about the boot selection.

  “We’re not a handful,” Lily muttered, stomping back outside. “I’m not a handful.”

  “Check,” one of the little cowgirls told Pops, who gaped at the board, wondering aloud how that could have happened.

  “We had to start your game over,” one cowgirl told Lily. “That board was a mess.”

  Lily nodded, owning up to the disarray she’d made of the chess pieces. Why would that be any different from the muddle she’d made of her life?

  “Daddy always says he can’t make sense of a mess.” Her twin nodded.

  “And it was a big mess,” the first twin said, causing both girls—both Blackwell girls—to laugh.

  On the bright side, the Blackwells seemed to have a good sense of humor. If only Lily wasn’t the butt of their jokes!

  A few minutes later Ben and Conner pulled into the parking lot just as Natalie and Pepper came out with their purchases. The motor home was no longer on the flatbed trailer. Conner helped them up, without smiles, slow or otherwise.

  “Was the news at the mechanic’s shop bad?” Lily asked.

  “The jury is still out,” Conner said flatly. “How was shopping?”

  “Small-town news travels fast—about me and the accident, that is,” Lily grumbled, fastening her seat belt.

  Ben laughed. “I only texted my brothers and their wives. Of course, if they each tell two friends, and they each tell two friends—”

  “Soon all the town will know.” Lily frowned at her cousin. “Thanks for that.” What a great start she was making as a Blackwell. She hunkered into her seat and refrained from saying anything else on the drive out of town.

  “There it is!” Pepper squealed from her window seat. “The Blackwell Ranch.”

  B
en turned on a narrow lane that cut through two empty pastures. It was difficult for Lily to see around a pair of cowboy hats and two excited women leaning into her line of vision.

  And then things came into view. The impressive arch that proclaimed this to be the Blackwell Ranch. A grand two-story home surrounded by lush gardens. Beyond that were barns, corrals, pastures filled with horses and cattle, small cabins and a quaint white farmhouse.

  But the home... The mansion...

  Lily gaped. “When you said the Blackwells had a guesthouse, I thought you meant they had a guesthouse. Not a hotel.” Who were these people?

  “My brother Tyler would tell you it’s both a guesthouse and a hotel.” Ben stopped in front of a welcome sign. “Large, yet intimate. This is the end of the line for the wedding party.”

  Lily got out with Pepper and Natalie. They each grabbed their bags from Conner, assuring him he was no longer needed. No one was more vocal about that than Lily. Nothing was going right today. She needed space.

  Conner held Lily back when she would have followed them inside. She peered at him, searching for the man she’d felt such a connection to, but to no avail. The cowboy she’d assumed was Big E’s bodyguard on her wedding day was back. All business.

  “It’s time to tell Pepper the truth,” Conner said gravely. “You think her groom isn’t going to show up and out you tomorrow?”

  “I tried telling her at Brewster’s.” Lily eased her arm free. “I’ll tell her tonight.” She took a step toward the guesthouse, needing a room, a space of her own, a moment to accept the fact that she was alone and another to remind herself that that was okay.

  “Good luck in there.” Conner tipped his hat. “It’s been a pleasure being your chauffeur.”

  Lily’s feet stopped forward progress. She turned. “Am I...? Am I not going to see you anymore?” He’d given her all the signs, but she had to know.

  “Yeah. I’ll be around.” But the way he said it implied he’d be keeping his distance. He shuffled his feet and then there it was—that slow smile. “I’m a camp counselor for the Blackwells, after all. Got rules to follow and everything.”