Montana Dad

by Jeannie Watt

  “I’ll...” The woman turned, smiling at the couple sitting in the small parlor, holding glasses of wine while their gazes bounced back and forth as if they were watching a tennis match. The woman then took off through the house, and Rosalie and Alex followed, skirting a puddle of red wine.

  “Mr. Taylor. The dog’s owners are here,” she called in a falsely bright voice. The couple with the wine followed, apparently not wanting to miss a minute of the action.

  Vince had done a spectacular job renovating the interior of the house. Everything was top grade, from the flooring to the countertops. Too bad he didn’t have that many guests to enjoy it.

  When Rosalie stepped out into the backyard, Roger was holed up beneath some barbecue equipment and looked as if he had no intention of ever coming out. Vince had just finished a phone call. He gave Rosalie a hard look, then palmed the phone.

  “Animal control will be here in a matter of minutes. They will take care of the matter.”

  Rosalie let out a breath and simply regarded the dunderhead in front of her for one very long moment. “What are you?” she asked at last. “Some kind of cartoon villain?”

  Vince’s face went red, and he shot a quick look at the guests standing on his back step before bringing his glare back to Rosalie. “Excuse me?”

  “You stole my fence last year in the boundary dispute between our properties, made us give up Lizzie Belle.” She nodded at the guests who were watching wide-eyed. “Lizzie Belle is my business partner’s adorable pet dwarf goat. She now lives on a ranch instead of with us, thanks to Mr. Taylor.” Rosalie turned back to Vince, whose color had risen to the point that he now resembled an heirloom tomato. “You’ve managed to turn the county commission against us, and now you are picking on small dogs.” She heard a choked laugh but didn’t know if it came from Alex or from a guest.

  It had to have come from a guest, because Alex was now on her knees, trying to coax Roger out of his hiding place.

  “That ‘little dog’ raced into the house and upset Mrs. Jennings, which resulted in a broken bottle of wine and probably a laundry bill.”

  “I’ll pay for the wine and the laundry bill,” Rosalie said. “And you do realize that this dog once lived in this house, and that his owner moved, leaving him behind? He spent months here waiting for his owner to return.”

  She heard a small “oh” and turned to nod at the guest holding the wineglass. There were small red stains on her skirt that Rosalie hadn’t noticed before. “It’s true.”

  “Got you.” Alex climbed back to her feet cradling Roger against her. “I’ll pay for the wine and the cleaning and any other damage Roger did. He’s my dog now.”

  “I’m glad he has a home,” the female guest said.

  Vince gave a tight smile. “I was unaware of these circumstances,” he said stiffly. “Forgive me. I thought he was some stray off the streets.”

  “He isn’t,” Rosalie announced. “So perhaps you can call animal control.”

  “Yes. Of course.” Vince brought the phone to his ear, and Rosalie thanked her lucky stars that the wine-drinking guests had followed them to the backyard. Otherwise the Roger episode might not have had such a happy ending.

  “How much do I owe you for the wine and the cleaning?” Alex asked.

  Vince smiled, but Rosalie could see the deep anger in his eyes. “Don’t worry about it. We’re neighbors. These things happen.” He turned to his guests. “Mrs. Jennings will open another bottle of wine. Compliments of the house.”

  Alex and Rosalie quickly made their way back through the beautiful house, out the door and down the walk to The Daisy Petal. After the front door was closed, Alex put Roger on the floor, and he was instantly surrounded by two little girls patting him and making certain he was okay.

  Alex turned to Rosalie. “I am so sorry.”

  Rosalie held up a hand. “Not another word.”

  Alex nodded, then asked, “Roger really lived next door? Nick told me his story, but I didn’t realize he was your neighbor.”

  “Wanda caught him a few weeks after we first moved in,” Gloria said as she handed both women glasses of chardonnay. “So we didn’t know him well. Just his name—and only because the animal-control guy kept driving up and calling him.” She made a sputtering noise. “Like little Roger would fall for that.”

  * * *

  ROGER SPENT THE remainder of the afternoon quietly lying between Bailey and Kendra in the dining room as the girls worked on a puzzle and then played a board game. Alex had brought Gus inside shortly after they returned from their adventure next door, but Roger stayed where he was, parked between the sisters, instead of greeting his friend with his usual exuberance.

  “He’ll snap back,” Rosalie said when she caught Alex studying the terrier through the arched entrance of the dining room.

  “I know,” Alex replied before starting to tie one of the last vase ribbons into a fancy bow. “I think he’s flashing back to his past.” And she knew what that felt like.

  “No doubt.” Rosalie sent her a warm smile. “He’ll feel better once he gets home again.”

  Home.

  Alex liked the sound of that. She was making a home, for her and her dogs. And honestly? She’d never had a living arrangement approach home status before. Her apartment had been nice, but she’d never felt like she belonged there...in fact, she’d never felt as if she’d belonged anywhere until she’d moved to the dilapidated Victorian house near the Callahan ranch.

  Alex gave the bow a tug, tightening it around the vase. She hadn’t realized how good it could feel to be greeted with sloppy canine kisses, and to have real neighbors and a sense of community.

  She shot another look at Roger nestled between the girls. Roger wasn’t afraid to accept comfort and closeness now that he trusted his people.

  And she was beginning to feel the same way.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  NICK WAS FINISHING up a patch on the bathroom wall when he heard Alex’s car in the driveway. He finished smoothing the joint putty, then headed into the living room as Alex let herself into the house, a dog on either side of her.

  “How was it?” he asked as she bent down to take the leash off first Gus, then Roger.

  “Well, Roger got out and caused mayhem with the neighbor—that jerk who lives next door to your grandmother.”

  “I know the guy you’re talking about.”

  “Roger recognized home and escaped from the dog yard, broke a bottle of wine and basically enraged Mr. Taylor.”

  “It doesn’t take much.”

  “Then your grandmother asked him if he was a cartoon, and then he got all nice when he realized that some of his guests were watching. I caught Roger, and we all went home.”

  “Sounds like a full afternoon.”

  “And we got all the gift baskets done.”

  “Well done.”

  “I like your family,” she said simply. “They’re like something out of a movie.”

  “I hope you don’t mean The Addams Family.”

  The dimple showed in her cheek as she took another step forward and surprised him by taking a light hold of the front of his shirt. “I do not.”

  “Loosening up, are we?” he asked with a heart-stopping smile.

  “I’m working toward it.”

  He gave in to temptation and leaned down to lightly kiss her. “I’m not going to get anything done if I do that again,” he muttered. Alex hadn’t backed off, and he needed to kiss her again, but he’d promised himself to take it slow.

  “Then I won’t pay you.” She grinned at him and stepped back.

  He headed back into the bathroom, then called out, “Would you like to go out Friday evening?”

  His question was met with silence—to the point that he had to lean out of the room to make certain she’d heard him. Oh, yeah. She had. Suddenly there
was a rock in his stomach. He’d moved too soon. “You don’t have to go.”

  “Where would we go?” she asked cautiously.

  He held her gaze, watching her reaction as he said, “We would go to the Shamrock Pub. Brady, Katie’s fiancé, is coming home, and we’re going out to celebrate his getting done with his welding course. If you don’t come, then I’ll go along as the much appreciated third wheel.”

  “You can’t stay home?”

  “No. Not an option. Katie made it clear that I need to get off the ranch. She says going to your place and the building supply store doesn’t count.”

  “I’ll go.”

  She made it sound like she’d agreed to face the firing squad, and she seemed to realize it. Her expression relaxed and she stepped forward, coming to stand a few feet in front of him. “Thank you for being patient.”

  Funny thing. He thought that when he decided to date, he’d be the one asking for patience as he worked through the obstacles that came with being a single dad devoted to his daughters.

  “Just a warning. I’m going to be overthinking.”

  He grinned and reached out to smooth the hair away from her temples. “Me, too. About you.”

  Her lips parted, then she closed her mouth and tilted her head to one side. “Fair enough,” she said softly. He had no clue what she meant, but it didn’t seem to be anything bad.

  Cool. And he was about to go on his first date in over a decade.

  * * *

  ALEX STOOD AT the window watching the taillights of Nick’s truck disappear before heading upstairs to bed with Roger and Gus trailing behind her. When she turned on the water to brush her teeth, the pipes no longer sang—thank you, Nick—and when she climbed into bed, easing Gus aside so she had room for her feet, she no longer felt the clutch of anxiety.

  Thank you, Nick, Gus and Roger.

  She was happy and secure for the first time in months, but she couldn’t silence the small voice that wondered how long it was going to last.

  There’s no reason it can’t last for a long time.

  She had some stuff to tell Nick, sure. He already knew the bare bones, but he didn’t know that she’d come within a hairbreadth of being arrested. And while she was innocent, there were a lot of people who hadn’t believed her—and still didn’t.

  She’d lived honestly, done the right thing and found herself in big trouble, all because she’d been too trusting.

  And here she was—about to trust again.

  This time it’s different.

  Alex put her feet against Gus’s heavy body and pried a little bit more space free.

  Different. Yes.

  Alex fell asleep almost as soon as she’d levered enough legroom from Gus, waking to find sunlight streaming in through the window. She hummed to herself as she padded downstairs in her slippers and robe and made coffee. No Nick today because he was helping his grandmother set up the display in her booth, prepping for the big picnic the following day.

  She’d just let the dogs back in after their morning romp and settled with them in the living room when her phone rang from where she’d left it charging in the kitchen. Expecting Nick, she nearly dropped it when she saw that once again someone was calling from the Virginia area code.

  Biting her lip, Alex took a chance and answered.

  “Alex...is that you?”

  She didn’t recognize the male voice, although there was something about the tone and timbre that seemed familiar.

  “It’s Lawrence. Lawrence Stoddard.”

  Alex almost hung up. Almost. But curiosity overcame caution and she said, “How are you?”

  “I’m doing well, all things considered, but to tell you the truth, I’ve been worried about you.”

  That was...touching.

  “There’s nothing to worry about, Lawrence. I’ve been cleared and I’m doing okay.” Rebuilding my life one brick at a time.

  “I’m sorry for what Jason did. He screwed me over, too.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to ask how, but instead she said, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  There was a brief silence, then Lawrence said, “I don’t suppose you’d like to meet for coffee. I wouldn’t mind talking to someone who is, you know, going through the same thing. Even though I’ve worked to keep my head held high, the way people talk is getting to me.”

  So he wasn’t doing all that well, and apparently he didn’t know she was a couple of thousand miles away. Thank you, Mom, for not letting the cat out of the bag.

  “I can’t, Lawrence.” She spoke gently. “I’m sorry.”

  “I understand.”

  “How did you get my number?”

  “It was in some of the stuff Jason left behind. I’ve got a key to his old apartment. I’m selling everything.”

  “Good, Lawrence. It’s best to get rid of the bad memories.”

  “My feelings exactly. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

  “No. I’m glad you reached out. And if things get rough...well, call.”

  “Thank you, Alex. Take care of yourself.”

  Alex hung up the phone, her heart breaking a little at the sadness in the man’s voice. She retraced her steps to the sofa, and when she sat, both dogs took their protective positions, Gus leaning against her leg and Roger on her shoe. She hugged a pillow to her middle and stared across the room. If she’d been in Virginia, would she have met with him?

  Maybe, even though it would bring everything she was trying not to think about raging back to the surface. Maybe that was where it needed to be so that she could deal with it. It would have been helpful to talk to someone who truly understood what it was like living under a cloud. And it would have been satisfying to explain to her mother that, no, Lawrence wasn’t weathering the storm of his brother’s betrayal any better than she was.

  She wasn’t weak for seeking out a new life in a new area. She was dealing with matters differently than Jason’s brother, and it sounded like her way was working better than his. She had friends in her life and a man...

  She blew out a long breath.

  She’d continue that part of the conversation with herself later, because she didn’t know what she was going to do about the fact that she’d fallen in love with Nick Callahan.

  * * *

  ROSALIE BREATHED A sigh of relief when the vendor tent she’d ordered for June in Bloom finally arrived several days after the promised delivery date. Thankfully, they still had time to practice setting the thing up before the big event.

  Some vendors made do with sunshades and folding tables, while larger businesses set up tents or built structures that mimicked their actual storefronts. Rosalie and Gloria had decided to hit the middle ground, purchasing a sturdy screw-together metal frame with a colorful canvas cover. The directions touted ease of setup, stating that all one needed was a screwdriver and a combination wrench.

  “And apparently an uncanny ability to read between the lines,” Gloria muttered as they attempted to connect two pieces that looked as if they should go together as per the instructions, but clearly didn’t. Gloria dropped the heavy cross piece and sat down on the grass beside it, leaving Rosalie holding an upright.

  The components were unwieldy, and some pieces were difficult to identify, even after laying everything out on the grass in the backyard, which annoyed Rosalie, who could usually put together anything simply by looking at a picture.

  “There are steps missing,” Rosalie muttered as she stared at the minimalistic directions.

  She lowered the directions and gave Gloria a long look. “I should call Nick, but I hate to bother him while he’s working on the Dunlop ranch.” After all, Alex was paying him for his time.

  “Is there anyone else you could ask?” Gloria inquired in a voice which clearly indicated that she had someone in mind.

  Rosalie cut to
the chase. “Do you think I should ask Will?”

  “Yes. It’s a matter of needing a third pair of hands, and I know that Will is still at the co-op coffee klatch since it’s not yet nine o’clock. He’s in the vicinity.”

  Given Gloria’s reasoning, it seemed reasonable to ask Will for some assistance. They were, after all, friends. That didn’t stop Rosalie from having to clear her throat twice as she called the co-op and asked to speak to Will. It was allergies, of course, not nerves.

  Rosalie closed her eyes, wondering at the need to lie to herself. It was clearly nerves making her voice feel thick.

  “Hi, Will,” she said in response to his cautious hello. Apparently not many people called the co-op and asked for him. “If you have a few minutes, I need some advice as to how to put together the framed tent that Gloria and I bought for the June in Bloom—”

  “Would fifteen minutes be okay?”

  “I...uh... That would be lovely.”

  Ten minutes after her call, Will pulled up in front of the house and Rosalie met him at the door. After thanking him for coming she handed him the directions that had come with the tent.

  “I think they left out every other step,” he said after putting on his glasses and reviewing the directions. “This doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

  “I agree.” Thank goodness it wasn’t just her.

  Rosalie ushered Will through the back door into the yard where Gloria still sat on the grass, her face turned up to the sun. She smiled at Will as he came down the steps. “Thank you for coming, Will. I’ve been working out, but these frame pieces are heavy.”

  “Glad to be of service.” He studied the pieces laid out on the grass, then looked over his shoulder at Rosalie. “Do you have a cordless drill?”

  “Of course.”

  “I think we’d find that to be a real time saver.”

  “I’ll get it.” Rosalie turned and trotted up the steps. She liked how Will didn’t make her feel like he was a man coming to the rescue. He made no secret about the fact that he found the directions as confusing as she did. He’d probably also built more things in his life than she had and was therefore more well-versed on what went where and why.