Rocky Mountain Angel

by Vivian Arend

  Relaxing back in his chair was exactly what he needed for a while. The area around them was filled with cousins and friends. Wild, noisy and perfect.

  He’d missed this when he’d left.

  “That’s a very serious face for someone with a bottle in their hand,” Joel teased.

  Gabe considered. Out of all the boisterous lot, Daniel and Joel from the Six Pack side were the closest to him in temperament. Daniel was happily married now, and usually too busy running after his adopted boys to spend tons of time with Gabe anymore. Even at eight years younger Joel would probably understand.

  “Thinking about the time I lived away from Rocky. I worked hard and met some nice folks, but in the five years something was always missing. This whole nosy, noisy clan gets under your skin, and it was tough being away, no matter how annoying everyone can be.”

  “I hear you. At college, Jesse and me would sit and shoot the breeze with people from all over the province, but they only understood part of the picture. There’s a feel to family, isn’t there?” Joel twirled a bottle cap in his fingers, staring over the room slowly as if thinking it through. “Still, there’s something to be said about looking a little farther from home when it comes to dating.”

  “You seeing someone?” Gabe refrained from asking if Jesse was seeing her as well. It wasn’t his place to poke, not when he had a few threesomes in his sexual history. Although, his few previous experimentations and the twin’s typical two-on-one reputation were very different things.

  Joel glanced around cautiously. “Just started. Don’t want to talk about her.”

  A loud roar sounded from behind them, and Gabe stood to get a better look at what was making the girls so rowdy.

  “Oh hell, you’re in for it,” Joel warned. “They’re doing shots.”

  Gabe snuck his chair back and made his way over to the section the ladies had taken control of. A surprising amount of teeny glasses littered the table considering they’d only just gotten there.

  Allison was very red in the face. He stepped behind her chair and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “You okay?”

  Karen Coleman shook her finger. “Oh no, you don’t. No interference from the guys allowed.”

  “Maybe he’s here for the—”

  Tamara got cut off, a hand slapped over her mouth by her little sister, Lisa. “Don’t say it!”

  Feminine laughter rang out again.

  “I think you should allow us guys to join your party,” Gabe suggested, squatting beside Allison’s chair.

  For some reason, that only made the laughter get louder.

  A huge tray was lowered to the table, small shooter glasses covering its surface. Karen looked around at the other ladies. Universal headshakes were the instant reaction. She shrugged. “Sorry, Gabe. Looks like you’ve been voted off the island.”

  Now he was more curious than before. “I’ll just stay and watch then.”

  “No,” Allison shouted.

  More laughter ensued.

  “Oh boy.” She covered her cheeks with her hands before glancing at him. “It’s okay. You go have fun.”

  Tamara giggled. “He’s gonna…”

  Allison held her finger to her lips before giving up and grinning. “You are so bad.”

  “Which is why you like me. Go on, pick another shot.”

  Allison eyed the tray as if it might explode.

  “Let Gabe pick one for you,” Karen suggested.

  That suggestion was greeted with a lot more enthusiasm. Whatever the hell they were up to, Gabe would go along with it if he could keep an eye on Allison. He reached forward for a creamy brown shooter.

  “No, not that one,” Allison gasped.

  Gabe jerked his hand back. “Why not?”

  She flushed so red. “Already had one of those.”

  “Oh yeah, she did.”

  He shook his head and ignored the jokes and nudges going on. Instead he picked up a nearly white drink with whipped cream on the top and handed it to Allison. “You let them know if you want to stop, okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine. This is fun.”

  Across the table Lisa tipped back a shot, swallowed, then slammed the glass upside down in front of her. All the women leaned forward. Lisa covered her face as her friend nabbed the small piece of paper stuck to the bottom and read it out loud. “Passed Out Naked on the Bathroom Floor.”

  Oh jeez. Now Gabe knew what they were doing. “Dirty shots?”

  “Aren’t most of them dirty?” Karen asked. “Go on, pick one. If you dare.”

  He glanced at Allison, wondering which shot she’d had that put that blush on her cheeks. It was mostly harmless fun, though. “What the hell.”

  Gabe selected one and tossed it back, hoping he had managed to pick something not too terrible. The alcohol went down smoothly, too many fruit juices along with it for his taste. He tipped the glass over.

  “Read it,” the chorus demanded.

  “Really? Fine.” He leaned over and checked the shot name. Ah shit. “Sex on My Face.”

  It took a while for the laughter to slow. He took the teasing with a grin. “Here I thought the male Colemans were the dirty perverts of the group, but I can tell I was wrong.”

  When he went to stand, Allison caught at his hand. “Don’t forget you promised to take me dancing.”

  Loud protests greeted her suggestion. Gabe raised his hands in submission. “Tell you what, I’ll come back in a bit.”

  “She’s got to have the shot you picked for her before you go,” Tamara warned.

  Allison gave Tamara a dirty look. “You know something.”

  Tamara opened her eyes wide. “Me? I’m truly innocent.”

  “Right—you were the one to order the drinks.” Karen poked her sister good-naturedly.

  Allison shook her head, but she took the shot, passing the empty glass to Gabe. He turned it over.

  Angel’s Kiss.

  He glanced at his cousin to discover Tamara grinning from ear to ear. She waggled her brows suggestively, tilting her head toward Allison.

  “That was a setup. I don’t know how you did it, but that was a total setup.”

  “Hey, be happy you didn’t pull the Suck, Bang and Blow.”

  “Troublemaker.” Gabe cupped Allison’s chin carefully and pressed his lips to hers. He meant to make it a quick, easy kiss, nothing too showy for the group of rowdies watching keenly.

  Only she slipped her arms around his neck, and her mouth edged open, and next thing he knew his tongue had slipped in to taste the sweet remainder of her shot. Or maybe it wasn’t the shot. Maybe it was just her. She tangled her fingers in his hair, and he could have happily sat there on his knees kissing her for the rest of the evening.

  The taunting when he did pull away was to be expected. He ignored them all and stared into Allison’s eyes. “You have fun. I’ll come get you in a bit to dance.”

  After Gabe left, her third and final shot had been one with the unfortunate name of Bull Rider. Still, it had to be the alcohol dancing in her veins that made her face feel so heated when Gabe returned to claim her and take her out on the dance floor. The slow music was exactly what she needed so she could catch her breath.

  Except being in his arms, swaying slowly, was making it tough to breathe for all sorts of other reasons.

  She rested her cheek on his chest and gave in to the urge to relax as she let him lead. “I think I’m more tired than I knew.”

  Gabe chuckled. “I think you’re more drunk than you know.”

  “Three shots, that’s all I had,” she protested.

  “Fine. It’s not the alcohol. It’s all the stress from the past week. Taking an evening off and relaxing—you’re feeling it.”

  They moved together easily and she had to agree. “Kind of like after exams when everyone succumbs to the flu.”

  “Right. Don’t worry, I’ll get you home okay.”

  A yawn snuck out and she barely covered her mouth in time. “I think my pla
ns for kicking up my heels for a few hours of dancing needs to be revised.”

  “We can head out anytime you’d like. There’s someone here most Fridays, and if you don’t have things happening with your mom, I don’t mind bringing you.”

  She bit her lip for a second. “It feels wrong. Laughing and dancing knowing that…”

  “Allison, don’t.” He stopped right in the middle of the dance floor and lifted her chin until she had to look in his eyes. “Don’t do that to yourself. Your mom is so happy you are here, and she’s not going to begrudge you enjoying yourself and having a few laughs.”

  “I guess, only—”

  “No only. It’s true.” He tugged her off of the main floor, bringing her back into his arms more like a hug of reassurance than actual dancing. He spoke softly. “You came to give to Maisey, to help her. You need to stay healthy so you can be there for her. Don’t sacrifice your happiness thinking that’s what she wants. Because it’s not true.”

  Allison squeezed him tight, nodding her agreement. “You’re right.”

  They danced for a few minutes, the music pouring over them gently, others moving around in an easy rhythm.

  The room was a little blurry through her tears and she wiped them away as discreetly as she could.

  “Gabe?”

  “Yeah?” He pulled back and gazed over her face, concern in his expression.

  “Thank you.”

  He tweaked her nose and motioned toward the door. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

  Chapter Ten

  Gabe squeezed Allison’s shoulder before leaning over to grab her plate, stacking it with his and making tracks for the clean-up area. The laughter of the Coleman Canada Day gathering that surrounded him was part of why he’d worked so damn hard to come back. To make things work for his family—so they could continue to be a part of the extended family. He scraped the dishes and brought them around the corner to where a makeshift kitchen had been established for washing.

  The Six Pack twins were elbow deep in clean up. “Did you lose a bet?” Gabe asked.

  “Shut up,” Jesse snapped.

  Gabe snorted. “You did. You must have, or you two would be so long gone by now we wouldn’t even see your dust.”

  Joel kept drying but jerked his head toward his twin. “This one had the bright idea to gamble with the girls. Offered both our services without even asking me.”

  “Well, that part is nothing new. Who’d you bet with?”

  Jesse didn’t answer, just groaned as their cousin Karen carried in another huge armload and deposited the mess to the side. She blew them a kiss and sauntered off.

  Joel raised his brows and stared in disgust at the never-ending pile of plates and utensils. “Dammit, Jesse, I’ll say it again. If you’re going to make a wager, at least don’t make it a stupid one. Horses? You’re brainless enough to include horses in a bet with Karen involved?”

  “She wasn’t there when I made the bet. It’s the rest of the girls who pulled a fast one on me,” Jesse complained. “How was I to know she was around the corner?”

  Joel snapped his towel and Jesse shouted as he dodged. Gabe walked toward the barns still laughing at their antics and feeling good about the entire day.

  This evening they would spend time with Maisey—he’d promised to do the heavy lifting for a couple of clean-up projects. After there would be fireworks and more time to sit and be with Allison.

  He pushed open the barn door and ambled cautiously toward the stalls. His Uncle Mike had a couple of new animals he wanted to see.

  After about a month around each other, he and Allison had fallen into a comfortable routine. They’d had no further little misadventures in terms of naked surprises, or kissing, or dirty shots for that matter, and he should have been happy.

  The deception was going well. Why did it feel as if something was missing?

  The horses nickered softly at his approach, and he slowed his steps. They’d been purchased for a good price, and had the potential to be fine animals one day, but it would take time to train and gentle them along.

  He paused far enough away the horses stopped their rambling, and instead looked him over with curiosity.

  “You are a pretty girl.” Gabe smiled as the filly on the right dipped her head as if in response. “Oh, you like being sweet-talked, don’t you?”

  The stallion in the next stall snorted, wanting attention, and Gabe took a step closer, still moving smoothly. Keeping himself confident and strong, sending out all the positive vibes he could.

  Horses were the mind readers of the animal world at times like this.

  “They are beautiful animals, aren’t they?”

  Gabe twisted his head slowly to see his Uncle Mike approach from the back of the barn.

  “You found yourself some wonderful additions to the ranch,” Gabe admitted, speaking softly. “I’m a little jealous.”

  Mike nodded. “I think the Whiskey Creek side are a touch green with envy right now as well. But once these two are settled in, I’ve no objection to helping you strengthen your herd.”

  Gabe grinned. “Hopefully by that time I’ll be able to afford it.”

  Mike winked, picked up one of the buckets and slipped down the barn toward the feed rooms.

  Gabe took his time, one small pace after another, until he was beside the mare. He didn’t move, just let her sniff him, her wide nostrils flaring as she leaned down and finally nudged his shoulder.

  He pressed a palm to her nose, the heat of her breath shooting out and hitting his chest.

  A low hiss sounded behind him. Ben snarled, “You get your fool hands off that animal. You want to fuck up something else?”

  Gabe’s tension shot skyward. Way to make a family event special—his father was such a ray of sunshine. Remembering his promise to himself, though, he stayed where he was and concentrated on not letting his anger show and further upset the pretty mare that had frozen in place at the new visitor.

  “Lower your voice,” Gabe ordered.

  A swear exploded from his father, and Gabe sighed. He carefully backed away from the horses. He had barely cleared four feet when a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him.

  It was obvious his father had been drinking. Figured.

  The man looked him up and down with fury in his eyes. “Don’t you ever think you can start ordering me around.”

  Gabe pushed past him without a word. Or he tried to. Ben grabbed his arm and locked him in position.

  Gabe jerked his arm forward but it wasn’t enough to break free. “Let go.”

  Ben shook his arm violently. “You want to call the shots, you try it with that woman you hooked up with. At least until she realizes what a loser you are. She’s far too good for the likes of you.”

  “She is amazing, isn’t she?” Gabe ignored the insults and broke free. “Smart as well. Far smarter than you, old man.”

  Ben spat to the side. “She chose you. Means she’s too stupid to know much. Maybe I should go and tell her exactly what kind of fucked-up bastard you are, before it’s too late and you screw up her life as well.”

  “Leave Allison out of this.”

  “Not satisfied to crawl off like you should.” Ben moved in closer, the scent of the liquor on his breath making Gabe gasp and turn away. Ben jabbed him in the arm to get his attention. “Where the hell you get off trying to tell me what to do? I’m your father, and you damn well treat me with respect.”

  “I’ll treat you the way you deserve, and right now, that’s like a drunken ass.”

  Gabe regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. Not that they weren’t true, but this wasn’t making his own decisions, this was stooping to his father’s level.

  Ben’s punch came amazingly quickly for a man too tipsy to stand without swaying. Gabe twisted aside at the last second, and the fist grazed his jaw instead of landing squarely.

  The urge to swing back and lay the man out flat was incredible. He wanted to punish and hurt the way
Ben had managed to wound him over the years. The way he’d torn up the family and negated all their hopes.

  The image of the kittens both tightened his fists, then made him lower them. He would not join this battle. He would not move farther down the road his father walked.

  Ben didn’t show the same restraint. He waded forward, fists flying. Gabe was forced to grab hold of his father’s forearms to stop from being hit. Ben’s voice rose, and in the background, the horses grew more agitated, crashing against their stalls in response to the anger and noise.

  Suddenly Mike was there. Grabbing hold and pulling them apart. Gabe went willingly, his father not so much.

  “Enough, Ben, calm yourself.” Mike spoke firmly, dragging his brother out of viewing range of the horses.

  “His fault. Should never have come back. Nothing is right because of him.”

  Gabe was still struggling for words when his uncle defended him.

  “You’re not thinking straight. Gabe works as hard as you do to keep things going on the ranch.” Mike glanced at Gabe, as if willing him to step back. “You need to stop this fighting.”

  “Works hard? Only at what pleases him.” Ben tore himself free from his brother’s grasp and turned to glare at Gabe. “You think you’re so smart? You have all kinds of wild ideas about improving the place? You just want to tell me I’m wrong with nothing to back it up. So, shut up. You couldn’t do any more than I have. Tear the family apart, turn us out on our asses—”

  “I could run the place a damn sight better than you do,” Gabe blurted out.

  His father laughed. “You’d like to think so. You and that woman, and your fairy-tale ideas of making money magically appear. It doesn’t happen like that. It’s impossible.”

  “It’s not possible because you’re clinging to old-fashioned ways that are going to get us tossed out. You stubborn fool.”

  “Enough.” Uncle Mike’s command cut through the tension for all of a second before the volume rose again.

  “Fine—prove it,” Ben shouted. “You think you can do better than me, it’s on your head. Payments are due end of the summer. Find a way to make your pot of gold appear in time to stop us from losing everything.”