Holding On

by Jill Sanders

  “Yeah.” He waited until he heard the guy leave the building before making his way down the hallway to where Dylan sat behind the desk.

  “I’ve got something for you.” He set the box down in front of her. She looked at it for a moment, then opened it.

  “What is it?” she asked as she opened the box.

  “Since it’s important that we can get ahold of our office manager at any given time, and since I noticed you don’t have a cell phone…” He shook his head. “Seriously, who nowadays doesn’t have a cell phone?” He smiled as she pulled the new phone from the box. She set it on the table like it was made of glass and she was afraid it would shatter in her hands. “It’s a company phone,” he added, feeling the need to talk her into the idea of carrying it around.

  “I…” She shook her head. “I can’t accept this.”

  He laughed. “Sure, you can. Like I said, it’s a company phone. We all have them.” He held up his matching phone. “It’s a little hard to call the hotel phone when we need to reach you.”

  She didn’t touch it again, so he picked it up and flipped it on. “I’ve already texted my brothers your number, as well as the site managers.” He watched as the new phone booted up. “All that’s left is for you to program all the phone numbers into it. You can just log in to your corporate email and your contacts should sync.” He handed her the phone. “Then everyone will be in your phone automatically.”

  “I…” She shook her head. He could see she wanted to say more, but she just swallowed and started the process of entering her login information into the phone.

  He helped for a few minutes, then had to go finish his work. When an alarm popped up on his screen, he smiled and pulled out his phone and texted her.

  -Five minutes left before we can get out of here.

  He waited and when the reply came back, he smiled.

  -Four now.

  When he walked out of his office, she was still bent over the new phone. Seeing him, she frowned.

  “I can’t get the accounting software app to work on this.”

  “We have an app for our accounting program?” He moved over behind her desk.

  She nodded. “Yes, their website shows it. I’ve downloaded it, see?” She held out her phone for him to see. Sure enough, there was the logo and login screen for the app.

  “Maybe it needs the admin username and password instead of yours.” He punched in the access and smiled when it logged in. “Well, I’ll be…” He shook his head. “Here you go.” He handed her the phone.

  “I shouldn’t have access to the admin login.” She started to delete the app.

  “No, it’s okay. I can officially say your trial period is over.”

  “Why would you say that?” She was still frowning up at him.

  “Trent liked you.” He chuckled.

  “But…” She continued to look down at her screen.

  He could tell she was having a hard time with it, so he changed the subject.

  “Come on, let’s go look at the house.” He stepped back, allowing her to close down for the night.

  He was locking up the front door when they heard a car pull into the parking lot. Glancing back, he groaned.

  “You’re about to meet Darla, the woman I warned you about.”

  “The one who set fire to your sister-in-law’s car?” she asked quickly.

  “Yup,” he said as the woman climbed out of her old clunker. The car had seen better days ten years ago. Now it was just waiting for a reason to die.

  “I heard congratulations are in order,” Darla said as she approached them on the sidewalk.

  She wasn’t wearing a jacket even though there was a light dusting of snow covering the ground, so he figured she’d probably just gotten off work. From the smell of her, he estimated she was too drunk to be driving and reached in his pocket for his cell phone.

  He didn’t respond to her but asked his own question instead. “Darla, should you be driving yourself home?”

  “Oh, I only live a block away.” She leaned closer to him, almost falling over. His hand reached out automatically to steady her. What could he say? He’d been raised to help a woman in need, no matter who that woman was. “So, your brother and that… woman had a child.” She ran her hands over her flat belly. “I was pregnant once.” She said this to Dylan as her eyes raced up and down her.

  Dylan, for her part, was wrapped in a jacket. Not the thickest one, but at least it would keep most of the cold out. She’d worn black leggings with a long grey sweater skirt and ankle-high boots. Her hair was tucked under a black cap and she was wearing black gloves that had seen better days but would keep her digits warm. All in all, Dylan looked a lot sexier than the stripper trying to rub her double Ds against his arm.

  Setting her away from him, he cleared his throat and pulled out his phone. “I’ll get you a ride home.”

  “Don’t bother,” she purred as she walked back to her car. “Tell Tyler I stopped by.” She waved as she pulled out of the parking lot.

  “Wow,” Dylan said under her breath, “were those natural?”

  He stopped texting Tony and glanced up at Dylan. Then he laughed and hit send. He knew Tony would have someone drive by and make sure Darla didn’t hit anything or anyone on the way home.

  “Come on.” He took Dylan’s gloved hand and walked her to his car. “I’m driving.”

  He’d gotten his truck back from the shop and was happy that the thing would now stop when he hit the brakes. It was an older truck, but it was paid off and reliable enough.

  “Nice. This is a better version of my brother’s truck,” she supplied.

  He glanced over at her as he drove out of the parking lot. “I heard that your brother’s truck was towed for the tags being expired. Two years expired.”

  She sighed. “Small towns.”

  “Yup, you can’t escape gossip.” He turned down the street the little home sat at the end of.

  “I wrote them a check, but I’m hoping they won’t cash it until I get my first paycheck.” She turned slightly towards him. “And then that will leave me dreaming about moving out of the hotel but having no money for a deposit until my second paycheck.”

  “We can probably work something out with the landlord. The place is empty now. I’m sure they’ll want someone in it now, rather than later.” He turned into the cul-de-sac and nodded. “There she is.” She glanced out the windshield and her eyes went huge.

  Chapter 7

  This couldn’t be the house Trey had been talking about. The place was a fairy-tale cottage. It was painted dark brown with cream trim surrounding all the windows and doors. The front door was half glass, and there was a light on inside, making the place feel welcoming.

  “This is it?” She turned slightly to Trey, who was watching her closely.

  “Yup,”

  “For the rent you mentioned?” She turned and looked at the house again. A small covered porch ran from the front door around to the left side of the house. A cobblestone driveway led to the back of the place.

  “Yup,” Trey said again, slowly letting the truck roll down the driveway. He stopped at another set of stairs on the side of the house.

  “There’s a side entrance here that enters into a mudroom. I used that in the winter. The garage is back there.” He pointed to a separate building that was as cute as the house. “There’s a makeshift apartment above the garage. Basically, a room with a bathroom, a small kitchen area. If your brother pisses you off, you can shove him up there.” He chuckled. “There are two bedrooms, two baths in the main house. Small, but I’d wager bigger than the hotel room.”

  He helped her out and, since the snow was falling again, they rushed to the covered wraparound porch. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket.

  “You have the keys?” she asked, watching him open the door.

  “Yeah, the owner dropped them off while you were at lunch.” He opened the door and she tried not to sigh at how wonderful the house was. He leane
d in and flipped on the light. “I texted the owner about you. He is willing to work with you to get you in here. He doesn’t like it sitting empty for security reasons.”

  “It’s furnished,” she said, stepping into the stone-tiled mud room. On the left wall was a long bench with spots for shoes and jackets next to it. The washer and dryer sat across from the space. There was a wall of white box containers with wicker baskets as you made your way out of the room, with enough storage for hats, gloves, or whatever other winter wear one would want to store.

  They walked into the kitchen and she instantly could see herself here. She’d really missed cooking. An L-shaped black granite countertop stretched along the right side of the kitchen. There were white paneled appliances that matched the cabinets and a wood chop-block island with a small sink in the middle. There were red bar stools on the other side for seating.

  Over the island hung pans of every size and color. She turned to Trey.

  “Fully furnished?” she asked.

  “Yeah, it’s one of the perks.” He smiled. “I lived here when I came back into town before I moved into my current place.” He chuckled. “I had to buy everything myself. Actually, I’m still buying stuff.”

  She walked past the kitchen into the dining room. It appeared that at one point the space had been a back-patio area, since there were windows on all three sides, with large French doors leading out to the backyard. An oval table with six chairs sat in the space. She could just imagine sitting in here having dinner on a warm summer night with all the windows and doors open to the cool breeze.

  Her heels clicked on the gleaming oak floors, only silenced by the thick rugs in several areas.

  Turning back around, she turned the corner and walked into the living room. There was a beautiful stone fireplace with an oak mantel on the side wall. Huge reclaimed wood ceiling beams hung overhead, making the entire place feel warm. Comfortable-looking dark brown chairs and sofa and sturdy wood furniture made the space cozy. Huge windows overlooked the front yard and street.

  “It’s a real wood fireplace. There are several places in town that can deliver firewood by the week if you want,” Trey said as he walked over to the fireplace. “I’ll get a fire started since it’s chilly in here. Go on and take a look around. I hope it’s okay, but I ordered pizza.” He smiled. “It’s one thing I miss at my place. They won’t deliver since my driveway hasn’t been graded yet.”

  She nodded as she continued to scan the space. There was a narrow hallway with a sliding barn door. She moved into what she figured would become her favorite room in the house.

  The space was small, but there were bookcases on every wall. The small library was tucked behind the living room fireplace, and she imagined its warmth would spread there first. Instead of another sofa, the end wall was a wide window seat with more than a dozen thick throw pillows.

  Turning back, she passed through the living room and headed towards the front door. The staircase was across from the massive wood doorway with its long windows on either side. Down a small hallway sat a powder room and another coat closet.

  She climbed the stairs and found a small loft area with another window seat at the top. The bedrooms sat on opposite sides of the house. The room and bathroom to the back of the house instantly piqued her attention. The comforter was a pale blue, while the bathroom walls were a brighter blue, making it very cheerful.

  Each of the bathrooms had a sunken bathtub with a wood ledge, giving plenty of space to sit along the outside of the tub.

  The bedroom windows overlooked the backyard, where she could see fresh snow falling on what she assumed was a grassy area. There were flower beds and several benches outside.

  Before heading downstairs, she took several deep breaths. She wanted the place. Really wanted it. But she had to be reasonable. She couldn’t afford it. Not now. Not until after she’d paid for the towing and for updating the tags on her brother’s truck.

  She didn’t know what next month held for her, but she was pretty sure Brent would do something else to use up the deposit and rent she’d need for the beautiful home.

  Making up her mind, she straightened her shoulders and made her way back down the stairs. Trey was at the front door, talking to the pizza delivery person about football when they both spotted her coming down the stairs.

  “I’ll see you later, Kenny.” Trey nudged the kid out the door when he gave out a low whistle.

  “Yeah, sure,” the boy said as Trey shut the door in his face.

  “Did you at least tip the kid?” she asked.

  Trey chuckled. “Yeah,” He followed her into the kitchen area.

  “It’s kind of strange, eating dinner in someone else’s house.” She glanced around again and, for a split second, dreamed.

  “It’s not someone else’s. You’ll be moving in Saturday.” He opened the cupboard and pulled out two plates like he lived there. Then she remembered he had.

  “Trey, I can’t. I just can’t make the numbers work.” She sat down at the bar area and rested her chin in her hands. “No matter how much I want it…”

  “It’s all set, then.” Trey set the plate down in front of her and poured her some soda. “The deposit and rent will come out of your paychecks—both of yours, not just you—so you can move in.” He sat next to her and clinked his glass against hers. “Welcome home.”

  She set her glass down and stood up. “Trey, I appreciate everything, really I do—”

  “I didn’t want to have to bring out the big guns, but”—he took a deep breath— “your landlord is my mother. She’s actually on her way over here right now to meet you again, officially. But rest assured, everything is already set in stone. She agreed to rent it to you, with your brother as a side occupant. And tomorrow we’ll arrange it so that rent will be taken out of your paychecks, equally.”

  She felt her stomach roll and suddenly was more nervous than she’d been in a long time.

  “Your mother owns this place?” She looked around.

  “Yeah. When I moved back into town, I was renting the place. The owner and my mom were best friends in school. She happened to mention to my mother she was thinking of selling. When my father died, my mom had come into some money she didn’t know what to do with, so she jumped on the house as an investment.” He smiled.

  Just then, the side door opened.

  “Wow, it’s really coming down out there,” a woman called from the mudroom. “I hope you saved me some of that pizza.”

  When Gail McGowan walked into the kitchen, Dylan couldn’t instantly see a resemblance. She’d met her at the diner that first day on the job, but she’d been so overwhelmed, she hadn’t paid much attention to her. However, after spending half an hour watching Trey with his mother, she noticed how much alike they were in personality.

  She was surprised at how much Trent had taken after their mother in looks. From the painting in the main lobby, it appeared Trey was the only one who resembled his father.

  “Trey tells me you and your brother have started working for him,” Gail said over pizza. They had moved into the dining room and Dylan sat with her back to the fire, watching the snow fall outside in the floodlights.

  “Yes, although my brother, Brent, doesn’t officially start until this Monday. His medical forms were just turned in this afternoon.”

  “That’s good. Trey tells me you’ve got a science background,” she said, sipping some coffee Trey had made for her.

  “Um, well, I was top of my science class in high school. I had wanted to go on to college, but after my parents died, there just wasn’t enough money.”

  “Have you thought of online classes? My late husband was a firm believer in higher education. He even implemented a benefit program where the company would pay if the classes have anything to do with the job.”

  “Yeah,” Trey jumped in. “I’m sure we can make something work for you. Not that any of the classes you’d be interested in have anything to do with being an office manager. But I’m
sure we can work something out.”

  For the first time in almost four years, happiness felt within her reach. Could she really have it all? Living in a beautiful home, having a wonderful job, the possibility of college? Not to mention working for some of the sexiest, rugged men in all of Montana.

  She was just waiting for the moment when everything came crashing down on her again.

  Gail glanced down at her watch and stood up. “Well, I’m sorry to bug out on you two, but it’s game night and I’m hosting. I still have to swing by the store for some more bean dip.” She took her plate to the sink and rinsed it, dried it, and put it away.

  Then she walked back over to Dylan and held out her hand. “I’m happy that this place was available for you and your brother. I look forward to seeing someone back in it.” Her eyes traveled to Trey. “Now if he’d just get some of his junk out of our garage, I’d be even happier.” She smiled as Dylan shook her hand. “If you need anything, let Trey know. He knows this place inside and out and can arrange for anything that needs to be done.” Gail shocked Dylan by pulling her in for a hug. It felt good, the contact from a mother figure. It had been years, ages really since she’d been embraced by someone she trusted and looked up to. Her mind flashed to all the lost moments with her own mother, moments that couldn’t be made up.

  She didn’t realize tears were sliding down her cheek as she watched the woman leave the house until Trey walked over and gently pulled her into his arms.

  * * *

  He didn’t know where Dylan’s tears were coming from, but he knew how to handle them. Years of being the youngest in a nearly all-male family had taught him to let his mother lean on him when she needed. He didn’t know why she’d picked him out of the three boys, but he always seemed to be the one who was around when his mother’s eyes turned wet.

  “Feel better?” he asked as he gently rubbed his hands over her hair.

  “I’m sorry.” She pulled back and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I haven’t done that in years.”