by Ciara Knight
Rocky Mountain Promise
By
Ciara Knight
Rocky Mountain Promise
Book 4
Gone with the Brides Series
Copyright ©2017 by Ciara Knight
All rights reserved.
First edition published 2017
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Chapter One
Ally Roberts sank into the plush Victorian walnut parlor chair under the weight of the sweltering heat, her father’s phone call, and her spreadsheet of overwhelming financial losses. She eyed the rugged Rocky Mountains through the large storefront windows and longed to be hiking or swimming or doing anything besides facing her failing business.
Her best friend, Melinda Walters, propped open the front door with a brick. “Do you think your father is sending Bri, Bekah, and Spike here to convince you to close up shop?”
Ally twisted her hair back and flopped it behind her shoulders. “No, I think he’ll tell me that in person when he gets home from their trip. Mom wouldn’t let him bother with something like that on their big vacation. Whatever reason he had for sending her, it’s not good.”
Mel grabbed an eighteenth-century French lace fan and waved it like it was from a dime store. “We need a window unit in here. It’s stifling.”
“Can’t afford one right now. Besides it’s the first day it’s been this hot for as long as I can remember. Tomorrow it’ll be better. Tomorrow is always better.” At least it would be if Ally’s plan worked.
Mel plopped down across from her. “What are we going to do? You’re the business girl behind this shop. I’m just fluff.”
“Stop, you do half the work around here.”
“Then why don’t I get half the pay? I mean, I’m cheap labor and all, but how are we going to make enough to pay rent at the end of the month?”
“I’ll think of something.” Ally smirked. “Perhaps you can work for free?”
“I love you, and I love our shop, but not that much.” Mel returned the wry smile while fanning her pink cheeks. “Why don’t you get out of here for a while? I can man the store.”
“Nope, I need to be here. I’m working on a plan to put us in the black by the end of next month.”
“Really? Can I have a raise?” Mel picked up speed on her fanning.
“Um…I said in the black, not how far in the black, so that’s a pretty big maybe.” Ally scooted her laptop closer. “Sorry we’ve been struggling so much, I know this place was my idea.” Ally glanced around at the store and rested her gaze on the antique jewelry case on the front counter filled with old watches, old necklaces, and an old promise ring. Her old promise ring.
“Oh no, don’t tell me you’re seeing them again?”
“Seeing what?” Ally tried to act innocent.
“The Ally McBeal monsters. I thought we were done with those. Why did we watch that show growing up? I swear it took ten years to stop seeing Great Green Jealous Monster, Mr. Hopeless, Harold the Hate Monster, Mr. Embarrassed, Mega Fear, Ally Anxiety, and a few others.” Mel stood and paced the room and glanced out the front windows.
“Don’t be silly, we’re not kids anymore.” How could Ally tell her they still hung around? Even if they weren’t real, they still had a hold on her. She didn’t want people to think she was crazy, well, not certifiable anyway. Her elite Roberts family already saw her as a failure. At least that’s how Ally felt. Mr. Hopeless shook his massive disapproving, hippo looking, blue face at her from the other side of the jewelry case. He always liked to toy with her mind.
She stuck her tongue out at the old nemesis and then willed him to back into the corner out of her direct view.
Mel returned to her chair and fanning. “Fine. Then whatcha got cooking in that creative brain of yours?”
Ally typed in the password to her new website. The beautiful image of the ornate French, antique chair she’d restored, with the words Alinda’s Antiques illuminated the screen. “You know Mrs. Kelley passed. Do you remember seeing the inside of her house on prom night?”
Mel snapped the fan closed and tapped it to her chin as if in deep thought. “Ah, yeah. You know David Kelley, her grandson, was my date. He was best friends with…”
“Rex. Yes, I know.” Ally forced an it-doesn’t-bother-me-anymore smile. “She’s our ticket to turning this place around, but I’ll only continue with your approval.” Ally took a steady breath. “I don’t want to dredge up horrible memories for us both, but this might be our only shot.”
Mel waved her free hand at me. “Please, it was eight years ago.”
Ally stiffened, then forced her shoulders to relax. “That’s why you still have David’s picture in your top drawer.”
“And you have the promise ring Rex gave you in the display?”
“So, at least I’m trying to sell it.”
“Nice try. You’ve got it marked up so high no one would ever buy it.”
Ally blew a large amount of stale, once hopeful air from her lungs. “Touché.”
“To answer your question, I’ll do anything to save our shop. You know that,” Mel said, but her pitch lowered to her upset tone.
Ally fidgeted with the peeling sticker on the corner of her laptop. “Well, her antiques are gonna save us. I’m trying to locate David to find out if he wants me to purchase her furniture. If she still has it, some of them are very rare. I’ve found a niche market for high priced antiques that are rare finds. I could sell a few of her pieces, pay off our business loan, and afford an actual meal out.”
“How are you going to reach David? He’s in the military still.” That time Mel’s voice dropped to an I’m-not-able-to-face this tone.
“I’m not sure. I thought—”
Mel tossed the fan on the desk with a loud clack. “Nope, not happening. Besides, I have no more connections than you do. You want to find the men, you reach out to Rex.” She eyed Ally with a lift of a brow challenge.
“Sorry, thought you wanted that raise. Guess I was wrong.” Ally quipped.
Mel leaned back with a mischievous smile. “You know, if you went on a date you wouldn’t have to eat in all the time. Mark sure would like to take you out.”
Ally ignored her and turned her laptop around to show her the website she’d spent all night constructing.
“Wow, that’s nice.” Mel retrieved the fan again and flipped it open. “I hate to rain on your hope, but there are two problems. One, I mentioned. Both men are in the military somewhere over in God knows where. Two, it’ll take a few months to get things sorted and sold. Rent’s due later next week and neither of us have a dime to float this place again.” Mel scrunched down in her seat. “I love you girl, and you know I want this place to work, but maybe it’s time for us to move on.”
Ally caught her double meaning of store and life. Even the mention of the name Rex tightened her belly until she had to fight not to double over in anguish like he’d disappeared yesterday instead of eight years ago.
Ally propped her elbows on the secretary desk and held her head in her hands. “I’m not holding on. I’m making my dreams come true. The ones I can control.” Ally mumbled, her eyes closed and fingers massaging her temples.
“I’m not talking about the store. I see you still eyeing your spot on the ridge, the one he promised to marry you on before the creep up and disappeared on you.”
&n
bsp; Ally cleared her throat and her mind of anything Rex. She’d moved on from him, it was just the talk of prom and visions of their beautiful night together that put her in a nostalgic mood. No more thoughts or conversation would be wasted on him. “I know how I can make rent.”
“How?”
She swallowed her pride and said the one word she swore would never cross her lips. “EBay.”
Mel gasped. “You’re not serious.” She dropped the fan onto her lap. “You said EBay was the evil cheap shopping demon that would suck all the beauty out of antiques. That it’s an online hell for shop owners.”
“I know, I know. But drastic times call for—”
“Drastic measures.”
“No, selling your pride to the highest bidder.” Ally picked up the other fan, the antique, hand painted matador Spanish fan and waved it like she just didn’t care. “I’m not talking about our special stock, I’m talking about mid-century pieces and knock offs that we purchased at flea markets.”
“I think I’ve worked out having a tour bus drop off right in front of the shop. Perhaps that will help,” Mel said, with a hint of hope in her voice.
“We’ll hang onto our Victorian furniture and hand crafted pieces. If we could land some more stellar antiques perhaps we could open a specialty online store.”
Mel flipped the fan open once more. “You’re always coming up with an original way to save our butts. I guess I lucked out with a one of a kind business partner.”
Tap. Tap.
They both looked up to see Ally’s brother Spike, sister Bekah, and cousin, Bri, at the front door of the shop. Great, her father had sent reinforcements. This couldn’t be good.
“Oh, you’re one of a kind alright.” Bekah entered the store with a tentative, crooked Roberts’ smile and a sister teasing tone. Not a good combination.
Spike tossed his sun-bleached, scraggly, brown hair and settled his compassionate hazel eyes on her. Another bad sign. That big brother look either meant he was about to protect her from someone, or give her bad news.
“How you doing?” Mel said in her best imitation of Joey-from-Friends tone.
Bri shrugged her shoulders. “Fine. How are you doing?” She faced Ally with a sympathetic head tilt.
That wasn’t a good sign. If only Ally could be more accomplished like the rest of her family, perhaps she wouldn’t be facing the family firing squad of bad news sent by her father. “Spill it cuz. Is Dad sick? Am I dying? Are you opening a chain of B&Bs across the world?” She eyed Bekah and Bri then turned to Spike. “Or you going to open an award-winning, international adventure company?”
Bekah rolled her eyes and leaned against the desk, crossing her arms over her chest. “Exaggerate much?”
Spike approached with the tentative step of an eagle about to toss her young from the nest. “Relax.”
Bekah sighed. “We came here to warn you.”
“Warn me about what?” She squared her shoulders and waited for the bad news. “Just say it.” A thousand thoughts swarmed in her head. Someone was sick, Bekah and Bri’s B&B burned down, Spike wanted Ally to help with an elderly group hiking trip again.
A large shadow loomed at the open front door, warning of a new customer.
“Excuse me, I’m looking for the owner,” a man said. Not just any man, the man. The man who broke his promise to love her forever. The man who disappeared without a word.
Bri’s gaze shot from Ally to the front door. “Rex Snyder is in town.”
Ally didn’t stand, didn’t speak, didn’t breathe.
Spike edged forward, his hands fisted. “You’re not welcome in this town.”
Mel was the first to move. She smacked Ally’s leg to jolt her to reality. “What are you doing here?”
The room heated another ten degrees closer to summer-sending-a-girl-to-a-mental-hospital temperature. She gulped hot air and scooted her chair back. For eight years she’d waited to tell him off. To swear like an injured bronco rider, kick like a wild mustang, throw things like an angry, abandoned ex-girlfriend. Eight years of thoughts swarmed and buzzed and stung for release, but only two words managed to break through.
“You’re late.”
All eyes, cousin, best friend, sister, brother all settled on Ally and then Rex. The room stood silent, except the horns honking outside, a child’s laugh from a park across the street, the chime of the town clock. It all sounded far, far away.
Rex stepped inside, keeping his distance from her family, especially Spike. They’d once been friends, but that ended the day Rex broke her heart. Sisters before bros apparently in the Spike handbook.
The over six-foot-tall, thin, yet strong man with a winning smile and empty promises skirted along the wall to keep from being beat down by three small girls and an overprotective big brother.
“What?” Rex said, his voice low and deep and sexy and wrong.
“You’re late. Eight years late.”
She backed away, then stopped and stood her ground. With the best you-can’t-hurt-me-anymore look on her face, she raised her chin and said.
“Too late.”
Chapter Two
Rex fought the urge to yank Ally into his arms and race her to the top of that ridge and marry her. A promise that had haunted him for years. Not even the mortar shells exploding around him in the Middle East could overpower her voice in his head. “I…I.”
Dang, he couldn’t even speak. The hurt look in her eyes, the deep, dark, dismal pain he’d caused that by leaving. But she broke his heart too by not following him. And now he was back to cause more pain for them both.
“You what?” Bri Roberts snipped. “You can leave now.”
Mel, Bri and Bekah formed a three-woman front line as if protecting Ally from insurgents. Spike stood as backup behind them. Mel popped one hip out, giving him her full attitude like she used to give David. “What are you doing here? Were you expecting a how’ve-you-been and a glass of tea?”
Rex fought the rise of panic that would send him diving into the nearest hole for cover. “I wouldn’t have come, but I had to. I didn’t know that Ally was the owner of the store.” Something deep down warned him that David did know, and he’d sent him anyway. The dog.
“Why’d you have to?” Bri asked, her tone of curiosity mixed with hostility echoed through the shop.
“It doesn’t matter. Leave,” Spike growled.
Rex hesitated, assessing his options.
Ally leaned so that she could see through her family. Hadn’t it always been that way? He was never good enough to be a Roberts. Not that Spike had ever given him grief. He’d hung with him despite the other side of the river reputation Rex’s father had brought upon him.
“Why are you here?” Ally said, barely above a whisper.
“Because when a man who saved you three times from being blown to bits asks you to settle his grandmother’s estate because he can’t leave the Middle East, you do it. No questions asked.” Apparently, he should’ve asked a few questions. He knew there was a chance he’d run into Ally, but he had no idea that was who David set him up to work with. Ally had done it, opened her antique store. She’d always said she’d open one in town. But he’d assumed she’d gotten a fancy degree, married rich, and lived in a cushy mansion.
Ally pushed through the friend and family line, her chin held high. The way she did when she didn’t win class president by a single vote and went to congratulate Susie Warren. “You’re handling the Kelley estate?” Ally asked.
“I am.” Rex shoved his hands in his pockets to keep himself from wrapping his arms around the woman who haunted his dreams. “David Kelley gave me legal documents to handle all the affairs. He can’t manage it from his current location, and he isn’t due for leave for another five months.”
“I see. Then I will be happy to work with you on the Kelley estate, Mr. Snyder.”
“You what?” Mel lurched forward, but Bri yanked her back. Spike shot a sideways glare at Ally. Bekah shook her head.
&nbs
p; The zoom of a car went by on Main Street.
Ally straightened her shirt, a form fitting one that could get any man’s attention. It certainly got his. “I’ll meet you tomorrow morning at Mrs. Kelley’s home to start inventory. If you can let me in, then I’ll work from there, alone.”
She stepped forward and offered her hand, the way she did to Principal Mitzo when he gave her a college recommendation letter. Rex reciprocated. Before he ever even touched palm to palm, he felt Independence Day sparks ignite, and when they touched fireworks exploded. The kind that lit up the night sky with excitement and intrigue.
He tightened his hold, and stepped closer. He’d promised himself not to see her when he flew to Colorado. Promised himself he wouldn’t talk to her when he drove from the airport. Promised himself he wouldn’t look at her when he parked. Promised himself he wouldn’t try to mend the bridge that had been blown to splinters between them when he saw her in the shop. “Ally…I…think we should—”
“Keep it professional. Yes. You have a duty to your friend, and I have a duty to Mel and my business.” She had slipped away years ago, leaving him with a black hole of loss in his heart. The one that he’d nearly fallen into the day her dad had told him the truth. The truth that she deserved better than a failing high school student with no family and no money. Mr. Roberts had been right. Rex had nothing to offer except a bad temper at the time. They would’ve ended up like his parents. A drunkard father who couldn’t pay bills, and a mother who resented marrying him.
Perhaps tomorrow, at the house, he could talk to her. He had money now. His security business had taken off to the point he could already retire. Even Mr. Roberts would be impressed. But from the look of her now… No. Some things were better left in the past, and Ally Roberts was definitely his past. By the crooked tilt of her lips and the far-off stare, he knew she didn’t want anything to do with him. “Professional. Absolutely. Read you loud and clear.”
He nodded at Bri, Bekah, and Mel, but hesitated on Spike. Based on his crooked snarl, that friendship was best left in the past. He backed out of hostile territory. Silver Springs, Colorado wasn’t the home he once remembered. It didn’t belong to him anymore. He caught one last glance of Ally and his chest tightened.