“You can’t keep ignoring me.” She leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms to ward off the chilly air. “This is so unlike you, Rosey. Usually you’re all sunshine and smiles and sex talk when you get back from a road trip. Did something happen between you and Sam?”
Rosey backed out of the shelf, got to her feet and propped her hands on her hips. “No. Did something happen here while I was gone?”
“Didn’t we already go over everything that went on here this past weekend?”
“So, how about the weekend before that?” Rosey walked past her, hands notably empty, exiting the freezer. “Did anything happen then? Anything outside of the bar?”
Rosey knew about her date with Dean.
Shelby was surprised it’d taken the woman this long to find out about her afternoon on the mountain. Even more so that she’d managed to wait until now to bring it up.
After closing the freezer door when her boss disappeared back into the closet-size room that served as her office, Shelby followed. Rosey sat at her desk, reviewing the weekly supply orders.
She perched on the edge of the desk and gently pulled the paperwork from her boss’s hand. “Okay, who told you?”
“Dean.”
“Dean?” That was the last name she expected to hear. A thread of anger went through her as she wondered how many other people he’d told. “When did he talk to you?”
“Last Thursday, just before Sam and I hit the road.” Rosey dropped the pen in her hand and turned to face her. “After I told him the two of you were spotted in his truck heading down Falls Mountain.”
Relief filled her that it wasn’t just idle talk, but that Rosey had pried it out of him.
“What I want to know is why you didn’t say anything before I left?” Rosey continued. “You’ve always shared things with me.”
Head low, Shelby studied the paperwork, the words written in her boss’s neat handwriting melting into one big blur. She opened her mouth, but her typical wisecrack died on her tongue.
“Did I ask that tough of a question?”
“I guess...” Shelby pushed the truth past her lips. “I guess I didn’t want anything to tarnish the best time I’ve had in...well, in forever. Not that telling you would do that,” she added. “I just wanted to keep it to myself for a little longer.”
“Oh, honey.” Rosey leaned forward and laid a hand on Shelby’s knee. “You shouldn’t feel that way.”
“But I do and with good reason, right?” She pulled in a deep breath and let it out. “And I’m sure you’re not the only one who’s said something to Dean about me by now. What exactly did you say to him?”
“Don’t worry, I was discreet.”
Shelby offered her friend a long stare. Discretion wasn’t exactly Rosey’s strongest attribute.
“I was,” she protested, taking her paperwork back from Shelby. “All I said was that you two were seen together.”
Dread filled Shelby. “Who told you that?”
“Sam, of all people. He was out on his bike and spotted you in a stranger’s truck. Dean was the one who told me about the picnic. Did you have a good time?”
Shelby smiled, then said, “Yes, I did. He cooked a great meal and we talked about all kinds of things. I tried not to have a good time, as crazy as that sounds, but he’s just so...nice.” She traced an imaginary line on her jeans. “I let down my guard, Rosey. So much so that I almost let him kiss me.”
“Almost? Why almost?”
“Because I panicked, of course, so the kiss never happened. But again, he was nice about my stupidity.” A pang of longing swept through her as she remembered his certainty that kissing her would be worth the wait. “Not that it matters now.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because Dean never came into the bar all weekend.”
“Maybe that has something to do with the fact that you kept turning him down when he asked you for another date.”
“He told you that?”
Rosey nodded. “So, why won’t you go out with him again?”
“Because I had to work, filling in for you this past weekend, my mother’s schedule got changed due to another hairdresser taking vacation, I have my daughter—” Her phone buzzed from inside her back pocket, cutting off her list. Shelby looked at the screen. Another text from her mother. “Besides, you can bet Dean pulled his vanishing act this past weekend because someone else, or a few someones, took great pleasure in telling him all about me.”
“Shelby, those stories about what happened back when you were a teenager are not who you are now. Hell, they’re not about who you were back then. Zach Shute was stupid and mean and that posse of hangers-on he ran around with was even worse for spreading lies about you. But that’s all in your past.”
“Is it? It’s been five years and there are still people in this town who repeat those nasty stories, as if they’re reliving some old high school memories.” She hit the button to read the text, then pushed off from the desk. “What happened back then is part of my life now because of my daughter. And you know what? That’s the way I want it. It’s the way I wanted it from the moment I found out I was pregnant. If Dean can’t handle that, then good riddance to him.”
“I don’t think you’re giving him enough credit.” Rosey stood, as well. “Have you even told him about Caitlin?”
Shelby shook her head as she grabbed her purse from a nearby chair and headed for the door. “No. Sunday afternoon and the couple of times he stuck around after hours here at the bar was just a little me-time with a nice guy. Nothing more.”
“A nice guy who likes you.”
That got her attention. She stopped and turned back. “He told you that, too?”
Rosey nodded.
“Well, those few times with him wasn’t the real me. They were just a fantasy. Look, I’ve got to go. Mama is running late at the beauty shop.”
“Don’t think for one moment we’re done talking.” Rosey sat again, waving the pen at her. “About any of this.”
“Or about your weekend away?”
“Great ride, great friends, great food and great sex. What else is there to say?” Rosey quipped minus her usual smile. “But Sam is gone now, zooming his way back to sunny San Diego after a stop in Spokane to visit his daughter.”
Shelby sent her mama a quick “Be right there” text message before sinking into the chair opposite her boss, knowing she couldn’t leave just yet.
“Did he propose again?”
Rosey sighed, then yanked open the center drawer. Pulling out a black velvet jeweler’s box, she tossed it onto the scattered paperwork of her desk.
Shelby started to reach for it, then asked, “May I?”
“Sure, why not?”
She picked up the box and opened the lid, gasping softly at the large, rectangular ruby surrounded by diamonds that trailed off into the white gold band. “Oh, this is beautiful.” She looked up. “Was this all? I mean, it’s more than enough, but usually there’s something more to his proposals.”
Rosey shook her head. “Just him down on one knee. You’d think the man would know better by now.”
“You two have been together for over ten years now and you’ve known him since you were kids.” Shelby closed the lid and pushed the tiny box back across the desk. “You once told me Sam was the love of your life. Maybe you should say yes one of these times. Before it’s too late.”
“Oh, honey. Sam and I are one beer short of a six-pack between us when it comes to the ol’ ball and chain. The majority of those marriages being mine.” Rosey swept the box back into the drawer. “That ship has sailed.”
“What was it you were saying about letting go of the past?” Shelby asked. “Maybe you’re not giving Sam enough credit. Or yourself.”
“Isn’t there some place you need to be?” Rosey pointed toward the door. “Like five minutes ago?”
“Yes, there is,” Shelby said, rising again. “But can I add, we’ll be talking about this again later
, too?”
“My office, my rules. Now, git!”
Shelby did as she was told, checking the time on her phone as she left the bar. She couldn’t believe Rosey had said no to Sam for the fourth time. The first had been back when they were teenagers. At the insistence of her parents, Rosey had chosen college instead. They’d lost touch for years until the internet led them back to each other.
Shelby had met Sam for the first time three years ago when he came to her daddy’s funeral with Rosey. A few months later, during a late night of girl talk and take-out wings, Rosey told her the whole story, including Sam’s second proposal the week before when he’d attached a diamond ring to the ignition of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Rosey had accepted the motorcycle, but again turned down his proposal.
The next time a different diamond had been attached to keys to his beach house in San Diego. She again returned the ring, but kept the keys when Sam insisted. They continued to see each other every couple of months, with Sam traveling to Montana to stay for a few weeks at a time in the warmer months while Rosey went to him during the winter.
What must that be like? To be loved so fully by someone who refused to give up.
After she climbed into her car, she headed for Bee’s Beauty Parlor. Popping in for a moment, she waved at her mother who was busy with a customer, then grabbed her daughter’s child seat from the truck and headed off again.
A few minutes later, she pulled into the crowded driveway at Country Kids. Caitlin wasn’t a regular at the day-care center, but Sara and Suzie Johnston allowed her to come whenever Shelby or her mother’s schedules clashed.
Shelby liked that it gave her daughter a chance to play with other kids on a regular basis. As hard as it was to believe, Caitlin would be starting kindergarten next month, and as much as she seemed to enjoy being with other children, she tended to enjoy her own company best, especially when surrounded by her books and stuffed animals.
Shelby headed up the front walk, but was drawn to the backyard by the sounds of happy kids playing outside. She walked through the new fence and found a group of parents standing with Sara, one of the owners, but the sight of an oversize play set in the center of the yard drew her attention.
Caitlin had been here just last week for a couple of days and neither she nor Shelby’s mama had mentioned anything about this beautiful maze of slides, swings, towers and bridges. The wood structure was light oak in color, sitting on a sea of brown wood chips and even came with a tire swing and a fireman’s pole.
She tried to find her daughter among the crowd, realizing she didn’t have any idea what she was wearing today. Caitlin had been in her pajamas when she’d left this morning. Of course, she was probably wearing—
“Mama! Mama! Over here!”
Several women reacted, a typical occurrence when those words were called out, but Shelby recognized her daughter’s voice immediately. She turned, noticing for the first time another new play structure similar in design and color to the larger set. Only a couple of feet off the ground, it resembled a mini pergola except for its angled canvas-covered roof, front porch and railing. Her daughter sat perched on the porch, waving madly at her.
And Dean stood nearby, a stunned expression on his face as he stared at her.
Oh, God, the fantasy was officially over.
Shelby automatically stiffened in defense mode. Fight or flight. Because flight wasn’t an option, fighting for her next breath was all she could manage. Of all the places in town where she might have run into Dean again, this was the last on the list.
“Mama, come see what I did!”
Drawing in a lungful of air and grateful for winning that small battle, Shelby forced her feet to move when Caitlin excitedly beckoned her again. Her daughter wasn’t willing to wait, however. She jumped to her feet and started down the steps.
Dean instinctively turned and easily lifted Caitlin to the ground, as if he’d done it so many times before.
Surprised at the tears biting at the corners of her eyes, Shelby blinked hard, dropping to one knee to wrap Caitlin in her arms when her little girl reached her.
“Hey, baby.” She buried her face in her daughter’s neck and stole a minute in an attempt to gather her out-of-control emotions. “It looks like you had a fun day.”
“Oh, yes! Look what I did!”
Caitlin wiggled out of her arms and clutching her hand, she pulled Shelby to her feet, leading her toward the play area.
Toward Dean.
Work boots planted wide and arms crossed over his chest, muscles testing the seams of his light blue T-shirt, he watched. His unblinking gaze was focused solely on her, his features now looking as if they were carved from granite.
“Sweetie, slow down.” Shelby tore her gaze away to focus on her daughter, trying to grab a few more moments to stabilize a world that had suddenly gone cockeyed, but Caitlin had already let go, racing back to the playhouse.
“Hi, Shelby.” Suzie Johnston greeted her and then she realized there were others standing in the yard, as well. “We’ve had quite a day here, as you can probably tell.”
“Yes, I see that.” She looked at the group of ladies, recognizing one who had been with Darlene that night at the bar when she’d been drunk and mouthy. Ignoring the slight narrowing of the woman’s eyes, Shelby continued, “Your backyard has certainly changed since the last time I was here.”
“All thanks to this man.” Suzie waved in Dean’s direction. “This is Dean Pritchett. He’s part of the volunteer crew from Thunder Canyon and our generous benefactor. Have you two met?”
Shelby finally looked at him again. The hard line of his mouth told her he wasn’t going to answer for her, even as a slight tinge of color crossed his cheeks at the teacher’s words.
“Ah, yes. We’ve met a couple of times,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Hello, Shelby.”
There was a hint of irritation in his eyes despite the calmness in his tone. She guessed from his reaction to seeing her that he hadn’t known about her daughter until this very moment.
And if Caitlin was a surprise, then he must not be aware of the stories that surrounded Shelby’s teenage pregnancy.
Amazed that no one in town had felt the need to share their version of her story, Shelby felt a sliver of guilt at keeping that part of her life from him. Past history had taught her that once men found out she came as part of a package, they wanted nothing more to do with her.
Then again, a few conversations and one date didn’t mean she owed this man anything.
“How did you two meet?” This came from Darlene’s friend, her smile a bit too innocent. “At the bar?”
“Yes, at the bar.” Shelby tightened her fist, welcoming the press of her keys into her skin as she stepped away from everyone, including Dean. She needed to get out of here before anyone said...anything. She didn’t think she could handle that. Not now. “Caitlin, honey, we have to go now.”
“Mama, come see our special reading place,” Caitlin called from inside the playhouse. “It’s so neat!”
Wanting nothing more than to leave quickly, she walked to the structure, noting the same wood chips, actually pieces of chopped rubber, surrounded the playhouse. Peeking inside, a smile came to her face as her daughter gushed about the furniture that had been moved here from the day-care center, including a rug, miniature table and chairs and lots of fluffy pillows.
“And I was the helper because it was my idea,” Caitlin said proudly as she stood next to the railing, the platform making her tall enough to look Shelby in the eye. “I carried the nuts and bolts and washers and handed them over whenever Dean asked for them.”
Shelby’s smile grew as she brushed her daughter’s bangs out of her eyes. “I’m sure you were a great help.”
“She certainly was.”
Caitlin beamed at Dean’s words as his voice carried over Shelby’s shoulder. He was standing beside her, so close she could almost feel the soft brush
of his shirt against her arm.
“And we talked about our favorite books.” Caitlin offered a bright smile at her new friend. “Mama, Dean likes to read, too!”
“Something you already knew about me.” Those words were purposely kept low so no one else could have heard them but Shelby. “Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, well, I’m glad to hear that—”
Her voice caught and she had to press her lips together for a moment. This wasn’t like her. She didn’t get unnerved, not after honing her survival skills over the past five years. And never around men. Not anymore.
What was it about this man that threw her off her game?
“I’m glad you had a good time today, honey,” Shelby managed to get the words out. “But we really need to get home.”
“Running away?”
That got her to look at him, and still, she made a quick survey, relieved to find everyone else had moved away. It was just the three of them here. Then she got mad. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Don’t you think we have a few things to talk about?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” she said the words aloud, refusing to react to the disbelief that filled his gaze. Her gut told her she was wrong, but she didn’t care.
Thankfully, her daughter listened to her this time, gathering her backpack and her books before scrambling down the steps. She stepped around Dean and took Caitlin’s hand. The two of them headed for her car, and Shelby swore she felt Dean’s heated gaze on her back the entire time it took to cross the yard.
“Mama, I have to go to the bathroom.”
Knowing her daughter wouldn’t last the fifteen minutes it would take them to get home, Shelby tamped down her need to escape and released her hand. “Okay. You go inside and I’ll be waiting right here by the car.”
She watched Caitlin skip into the house, then turned to unlock her car.
“Shelby, wait.”
Closing her eyes, she yanked open the back door before turning around. “What part of no don’t you understand?”
“What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell me you have a child.”
“I just met you. There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
The Maverick's Summer Love (Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys) Page 8