Montana Cherries (The Wildes of Birch Bay Book 1)

by Kim Law

  And Ben.

  But her options looked slim when it came to the man she wanted in her life, so the job currently got all her attention.

  “You talked to him yet?” Gabe asked.

  Her smile faltered. “Now, why’d you go and ruin a perfectly good reunion?”

  He just looked at her.

  “I talked to him Friday,” she told him. Gabe was aware they hadn’t ended on the best of terms, though she’d given him little to no details. She had no idea what Ben might have said. “He’s seeing someone,” she added.

  “Who’s seeing someone?” Jenna jumped into the conversation. The burrito was gone, with only traces of sauce left on her face.

  Her dad reached over and tapped her nose. “Go check out Aunt Dani’s bedroom, sport. See if she even has a bed. I’ll bet she doesn’t.”

  Jenna laughed, and hopped down from the couch to determine the state of Dani’s bedroom.

  When she disappeared from the room, Gabe turned back to Dani. “Did you tell him you’re back for good?”

  She shook her head. She hadn’t seen the point.

  “He should know.”

  “Why?” she asked. “He made his lack of interest clear when I spoke to him.”

  “He was hurt before.”

  “Of course he was hurt. I left him.” She swallowed. “And he wanted more. I messed things up, and now he’s moved on.”

  “But you had to mess things up. You needed to go.”

  That didn’t seem to matter in the grand scheme of her relationship with Ben.

  They could hear Jenna laughing from the bedroom as she bounced on Dani’s bed.

  “Tell him,” Gabe said. “It might matter.”

  She stared at her brother. She wanted to believe him. Because she hadn’t been joking with Ben. She wanted a second chance. She wanted him in her life.

  But she struggled to see that happening at this point.

  “So, what are you saying?” She spoke in a teasing voice, hoping to lighten the mood and get the attention away from all she’d lost. “That you now want me to be with your friend? Because the last time I checked, you didn’t want him anywhere near me.”

  Gabe rose from the chair. “I want you to be with someone you love.”

  “And you think I love Ben?”

  Jenna came skidding into the room. “She does have a bed, Daddy. And a television too. I turned it on, but couldn’t find the good shows.”

  Gabe turned a fond eye to his daughter before returning his gaze to Dani. “I think you do.”

  Damned perceptive brother.

  “I think you did when you left, and that hasn’t changed.”

  “I had too many issues when I left,” she argued.

  He eyed her. “But the feelings were there.”

  Dani’s jaw clenched as she stared at him. She wanted to say more, yet at the same time wanted to say nothing at all. Yes, maybe she had loved Ben when she left. But she’d still had to go. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t be where she was today. She wouldn’t be ready for more.

  But how did she go about winning back the man she loved, when the last time they’d had a real conversation she’d walked all over his heart?

  “Anyone tell you he’ll be at the house Thursday?” Gabe asked.

  It took a second for his words to have meaning, and when they did, Dani rose to stand beside him. “What?”

  Gabe nodded and picked up Jenna.

  Ben would be at the house? Thursday? For Thanksgiving?

  Would his girlfriend be there, too?

  Panic threatened to take hold, and when she caught her hands shaking, she shoved them in her jeans. “Why?”

  “Gloria and Dad invited him. He’s always been like family,” he reminded her.

  Right. It wouldn’t be the first holiday Ben had spent at their house.

  “They invited who, Daddy?” Jenna turned her daddy’s face to hers, and Gabe placed a kiss on her forehead.

  “Your best friend,” he answered her.

  Jenna gasped. “Haley? Where’s she gonna be?”

  “With Pops. At the house.”

  “Then let’s go. I haven’t seen her in forever.”

  Gabe winked at Dani. “Lost out to a five-year-old, sis.” He turned back to Jenna. “You won’t see her until tomorrow. You and Haley get to go shopping with Aunt Dani and Gloria, and then you get to spend the night in a hotel with a pool.”

  “While you cook, I understand,” Dani interjected.

  She’d tried hard to keep the hurt out of her voice, but she’d picked up on a key fact from her brother’s words. The women would be taking the girls with them . . .

  Which meant that Ben would be free for another overnight date.

  “That’s what I hear.” Gabe stepped closer then, and in an unprecedented move, wrapped Dani in a huge hug. He muttered into her hair, “It’s good to see you again, sis. It’s good to have you back where you belong.”

  Though her heart was breaking over Ben, it was full of love for her brother.

  She wasn’t sure Gabe was aware of it yet, but he was different, too. He and Jenna were closer, and he seemed to care less about the state of his marriage. That was both sad and a little joyous. Dani had grown tired of watching Michelle walk all over him.

  He moved to the door with Jenna, but looked back before heading out. “Tell him,” he repeated.

  The thought sent her heart on a race, but she just might. Because whether he was spending his nights with another woman or not, Ben was worth fighting for.

  Dani led the caravan of cars back to the house the late Thursday afternoon, with Aunt Sadie in the vehicle with her, seated in the passenger seat of Dani’s sedan. Dani had her own car back now—her dad had gone with her to return the rental to the airport earlier in the week—and she glanced in her rearview mirror to see the empty spot where a child’s safety seat had been strapped in for more than four years. Today, that seat was in another vehicle.

  Both Jenna and Haley were riding with Haley’s grandmother, who’d been waiting for them outside the mall last night.

  Angelica Denton was even more beautiful in person than in the movies.

  She’d flown in with a bodyguard, and had rented a Cadillac Escalade for which her bodyguard also served as driver. Haley and Jenna had been taken with the idea of riding around with a “driver” whom they didn’t even know, and according to Gloria, this had been fine with both Ben and Gabe. She’d called to check once they’d found out that the elder Denton would be accompanying them.

  Megan had also come in with Jaden yesterday, and she and Gloria were pulling up the rear of their three-car procession.

  They’d shopped, dined out, had their nails done, and gotten the girls’ hair styled.

  They’d even ended up having their pictures taken a couple of times by people who recognized Angelica, and that morning they’d requested a late check out of the hotel and spent the day by the pool. All in all, it had been a great trip. The time away couldn’t have been more relaxing. Especially knowing that a houseful of men were back home preparing dinner.

  Only, Dani had been stressed.

  Because Ben was at the house. And she had every intention of talking to him.

  She only hoped it wouldn’t have to be in front of another woman.

  “It was a fun day,” Aunt Sadie mused.

  “Yeah.” Dani put the car in park, but didn’t move to unbuckle her seat belt. She left both hands on the steering wheel and stared straight ahead.

  “You okay?” Her aunt asked. She had her belt off, and her hand on the door.

  Dani shook her head. She was so not okay.

  Everyone else passed their car, heading for the back door, and still, Dani sat. Aunt Sadie pulled her hand back and clasped her fingers together in her lap.

  “T
his about Ben?” she asked carefully.

  Dani nodded. “I just need a minute.”

  “Okay. I’ll sit with you.”

  A small smile came to Dani’s lips. “I love you, Aunt Sadie. No matter what’s going on, you’re there for me, aren’t you?”

  “I’ve always tried to be.”

  “And I appreciate it. Very much.” Dani leaned across the front seats and gave her aunt a hug, and as she did, it was as if the strength from the other woman transferred to her. Her family had her back. She loved that about them. “Let’s go in,” she said. She wasn’t ready, but at the same time, it felt like she’d been looking forward to this her whole life.

  She had a man to win back.

  They got out of the car, and moved to the house, and through the back windows Dani could see her brothers, her father, Uncle Jonas, Gloria, Megan, Ben’s mother, and the girls.

  No Ben.

  And no girlfriend.

  She and Sadie stepped inside the house to controlled chaos. Her brothers saw her, and all came over to greet her, welcoming her home. She’d never felt so much love. And amazingly, the house smelled like Thanksgiving—turkey and dressing. With not even a hint of burned food.

  Impressive.

  She shed her coat while the guys moved back into the kitchen, where each had a task that needed tending. Watching them, Dani forgot all about Ben. She focused, instead, on her brothers. Nick and Cord seemed at a loss as to what to do, but did take instructions well. Jaden wasn’t a total reject, Gabe was on about the same level as him, and Nate seriously was in charge. The man even wore an apron around his waist.

  Jenna and Haley attempted to help them out, and Dani’s dad and uncle were on dish duty.

  Dani suddenly wished she had the camera Ben had carried around all summer. This was a shot that would win the hearts of millions of women, if they could only see it.

  And then Ben came down the hall.

  He was alone.

  He stared across the room, his eyes on hers, but he didn’t speak.

  And Dani simply couldn’t do it. She reversed positions, and headed in the opposite direction. “I forgot something in the car,” she mumbled when Aunt Sadie looked in her direction, then she fled out the back door. She needed one more minute.

  She needed to breathe.

  Stepping into the cold air, she realized she’d come out without her coat, but she didn’t let that slow her down. Taking the stairs, she played along with her ruse and went to her car. She’d said she left something in there, so she’d find something to take back inside with her. And by the time she did, she’d have herself back under control.

  But, damn. She’d forgotten that she’d always kept her car as clean as she’d once kept the house.

  Opening the back door, she leaned inside and peered at the floor. Jenna had sat back there a lot. Surely there was something stuck under one of the seats that she could use.

  She shivered as a burst of cold air slid up the back of her shirt, and reached a hand under the passenger seat. When she landed on something fuzzy, she pulled it out. It was a piece of purple fluff from Jenna’s princess wand. It would have to do, because she was now freezing her rear off.

  When she straightened from the seat, Ben was there waiting for her. With her coat.

  Ben held Dani’s coat out for her, and couldn’t stop himself from soaking the woman in as she silently turned and slid her arms into the sleeves. Good Lord, he’d missed her. The time apart had eased the memory of his loss, but now that she was back? All he’d thought of over the past six days was her.

  When he got Haley ready for school—he’d wondered if Dani was out of bed yet.

  When he’d taken Montana out for a walk—he’d wanted to know if Dani was walking on the beach.

  And when he and Karen had been out Saturday night.

  He’d desperately wished for it to be Dani.

  Karen had wanted more; he’d been going too slow for her. So he’d kissed her.

  And he’d thought of Dani the entire time.

  Karen had not been pleased to be taken home early. But he couldn’t worry about that now. Dani was back. She wasn’t out of his head. And he had to find out what that meant.

  She took her time buttoning her coat, and when she finally faced him, he felt as if the light had come back on in his world. Damn, he didn’t mean to still love this woman.

  “Rumor is that you’ve set up shop in town,” he said. He’d heard that all week. Dani Wilde is back, and it looks like she’s here to stay.

  “I’ve rented a building on Main,” she confirmed. Her face remained passive.

  “The two-story with the vacant apartment on top?” Not that he’d driven by trying to figure it out. Much.

  She gave a small nod. “No longer vacant.”

  “So what does that mean?” he asked.

  Her throat moved as she swallowed. She glanced toward the house and back to him, then finally she spoke. “It means I’m home, Ben. To stay.”

  Both elation and frustration sailed through him. She was home.

  To stay.

  He either had to get over her—fast—or he had to be prepared to chase her until he caught her for good. There was no middle of the road on this for him. And he feared there was really only one path he could take.

  He just wasn’t sure if he was prepared to take it.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Why am I home?” She looked at the house again, and this time she chewed on her bottom lip. Then she peered through the dark in the direction of the nearest field of trees. Then toward the beach. When her gaze came back to his, he felt as if he’d traversed the grounds of her family’s orchard with her. “Because this is where I belong.”

  “Seems fickle. A short time ago New York was where you belonged.” His words were harsh, but he couldn’t help it. And he didn’t care. The last time they’d both been here she’d told him she didn’t love him.

  He didn’t want to love her either.

  “New York was where I belonged,” she answered. “Three months ago. One month ago, even. But not anymore. I don’t need the escape anymore.” She shook her head. “I’m not healed. I won’t ever be healed. Childhood scars remain forever. But I am better. I’m mentally healthier. I can function in the world I live in without having to create make-believe barriers to keep it from being too hard, and most importantly . . . I want to function in the world I live in. But I want to do it in my world. My home. Here, in Montana. I want my own life. I want to love. And I want to be loved. So I’m back. For good.”

  He swallowed the words that rose to the top. He’d loved her. He’d offered her all of that.

  But he also remembered how she had needed to go. She hadn’t dreamed that up, and he was honest enough to admit that he’d understood it. He just hadn’t like it.

  And he’d watched her change over the weeks through her phone calls with Haley.

  He got what she meant when she said was better. She was. He’d just never been able to figure out if the changes had come about because of her, or due to someone else. And that ate at him. That terrified him.

  “Did you meet anyone in New York?”

  Her brows shot up. “You mean a man?”

  “Yes.”

  The laugh that slipped out of her was dry. “No, Ben. I didn’t meet anyone. You’re the only one who’s been dating. You’re the one with a girlfriend.”

  He didn’t acknowledge or deny her words. Yes, he’d gone out.

  No, he didn’t have a girlfriend.

  “You told me to move on,” he said.

  “Yeah. I’m aware of that.” She shivered as she stood in front of him. They remained slightly behind the open car door, but that wasn’t enough to keep the wind from whipping around them. Even with a coat, it was too cold to be outside. Snow was moving in, and an arctic
blast had arrived first.

  “Get in my car,” he said.

  She motioned toward the house. “It’s time for dinner.”

  “Dinner can wait. We need to talk, Dani. And it’s cold out here.” When she didn’t move, he added, “We can’t talk in the house. Every one of them would be listening to us.” He held out his car keys. “Get in my car, and I can at least run the heater to keep us from freezing to death.”

  With a small nod, she headed for his car.

  And with sudden clarity, he realized that he wanted to take her to his house.

  He’d refused to let Karen come to his home, but he wanted Dani there. He needed to see her there.

  He got in the vehicle, and started it up, and when he put it into gear she barely acknowledged the action. It was as though she’d known he would take them somewhere. Possibly, she understood where they were going.

  chapter twenty-nine

  Dani sat stiffly in the front seat of Ben’s SUV as he made the five-minute drive to his house. The instant he’d put the car into drive, she’d known where they were going. Which thrilled her. She wanted to see his home. Only . . .

  When the house came into view, nerves ignited in her stomach. She turned to him, apology in her heart, but she had an issue with this. “Have you brought your girlfriend here?”

  She didn’t think she could go inside if he’d had another woman there.

  Ben didn’t answer. Instead he focused on maneuvering in the narrow driveway.

  When he reached the side of the house, he parked facing the lake, shifted out of gear, and stared straight again. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

  Dani snorted, and Ben shot her a irritated look.

  “Dad and Gloria babysit for you,” she said. “I overheard you making a date.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Fine,” she grumbled. “Has your bed-buddy been here?”

  “Dani, for Christ’s sake. I thought you might want to see the house. I want you to see the house.” He motioned to the side door. “Do you want to go in or not?”