by Eileen Green
Lately he had been thinking about how mature she was for a woman her age. She spoke to people with patience, understanding, grace, and as equals. It was a big job she was doing, and she was going over and beyond what needed to be done. She was detail oriented and, she was so smart.
A decision was made in Matthew’s mind in that moment.
“What about the rehearsal dinner?” Glen was asking as Matthew turned his thoughts to the moment. “I have some suggestions.”
“I thought that perhaps we could just have it there also. I mean,” Heather said quickly. “It’s a lot of people to have to get around to a restaurant. The waitstaff would be overwhelmed. The catering company is willing to come over the day before, not just for preparation, but for the rehearsal dinner also.”
Glen’s smile never faltered, and Matthew had to hope he really wasn’t upset. “However, what I could have you do, is provide us with those cinnamon rolls you make. We’ll need them for the catering staff, the event people who are going to be setting up, and, I’m sure the brides will appreciate something to eat while they are getting ready.
The smile on the older man’s face grew. Matthew got it. He wanted to feel appreciated, but also wanted to provide his services in some way to the people he cared about.
“You got it,” he said happily. “I’ll make sure I put that on the calendar.”
“Great. One less thing for me to search for,” Heather said, her own happiness showing in her words and her demeanor.
Glen stood. “Where are you guys off to?” he asked as he returned the chair to where it belonged.
Matthew stood and Heather followed. “Thought we’d drive down to Bozeman. Take our time, stop, shop. We’ll spend the night down there.”
Heather’s hand was still in his and Matthew felt her squeeze it when he mentioned spending the night. They had discussed it. There was no expectation as he had booked two rooms. If she decided stay with him, they could always cancel the reservation for the one.
“Sounds great. I’m sure you’ll have a great time,” Glen said as he shook Matthew’s hand. “And I’ll take care of this.”
Glen grabbed the check that was sitting on the table before Matthew could stop him. “You don’t have to do that, Glen,” Matthew offered, even though he knew he wouldn’t win the argument.
A throaty laugh sounded from the diner owner. “I’m the owner. I can do whatever I want in my own place.”
“Well, we appreciate it,” Matthew said.
Heather leaned over and kissed the man on his cheek. “Thank you.”
“Hey, you better watch that!” he joked. “If the missus gets out of that meeting early and sees that, you might have a fight on your hands.”
“There won’t be a fight,” Heather offered. “She loves you so much, and trusts you. She knows we all love you, and, a kiss on the cheek isn’t anything she has to worry about.”
Glen’s face, the part they could see above the beard and mustache, glowed with Heather’s words. He was truly in love with his wife.
“You guys be careful out there.” Glen shook Matthew’s hand again before he turned to another table to greet the occupants.
Matthew escorted Heather out the door, the little bells tinkling above him as he closed the door behind him. They had to park a few spots down the street so he led her down to the truck. When he got to her door, instead of opening it, he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
Chapter Four
He surprised her when he pressed her against the door of the pickup when she expected him to open it for her. When his lips covered hers, she let her tongue wander and he opened to her. He tasted of the bacon, maple syrup, and the coffee he had consumed for breakfast.
The kiss was short-lived, Matthew probably not wanting to make a spectacle of each of them. Heather had to suppress the giggle that wanted to emerge at the thought of her fathers-to-be being called and then coming after them.
He pressed his forehead to hers, something she found nearly as intimate as a kiss. “God, how I love kissing you,” he whispered, his passion strong.
Heather felt the telltale blush rise in her, if the heat within her was any indication. She hated that she was fair and could blush so easily.
Matthew gave her lips a chaste kiss before he opened the door. Heather climbed in, the truck being a bit higher than she was used to. She had to step on the running board to get in.
Once she had her seatbelt in place, Matthew closed the door and then went around and climbed into his seat. It was a short drive out of town, heading down Highway 93. He hadn’t told her where they were going, just that it was going to be a bit of a drive to get to where he wanted to take her, hence the getting out early.
Her mind was heading north, more like Whitefish, or perhaps Glacier National Park, the latter someplace she had always wanted to go to but never had a chance or the time to go.
When they passed through Ronan, Matthew stopped at a building that looked like a barn, and sported the name, Ronan Sports & Western Store on the far end. He helped her out and they entered the store, Heather a bit apprehensive.
“What are we doing here?” she asked quietly as they headed toward the boot section.
“You’ll need some hiking boots.” His answer was given, although he didn’t look at her.
His attention was on the boots on the rack before him until he found a stylish pair of women’s boots. They were black with a band that looked as if a sock was sewn onto them.
“What size, babes?” he asked as he looked down at her feet.
“We’re going hiking?” she asked, not caring that her excitement was showing. “And nine.”
“Great.” Matthew had her sit on the small bench people used to try on shoes, and then he knelt before her. With a gentleness that had her sighing, he pulled off her sneaker and then slid the boot on her foot.
Lacing them up for her, Matthew pressed on the end of the shoe with his thumb, checking to see where her toes were. There was plenty room.
He helped her to her feet. “Walk back and forth for me, baby,” he said quietly.
He sat on the bench she had just vacated. She walked up and down the aisle a few times, getting the feel of the boot. It felt good. She could probably use a thicker pair of socks to help protect her feet.
When Heather turned back to take her seat and remove the boot, she fount Matthew looking at her, but not down at her feet. She knew where he was looking and her face heated.
Heather stood before him, her foot tapping on the carpeted floor. It didn’t bother her that he was looking at a different part of her anatomy, in fact, it warmed her low in her stomach. It did bother her a bit that it was happening in a store.
Clearing her throat, she became more amused the longer it took for him to realize she had stopped in front of him.
“Oh, he’s got it bad,” a familiar voice said behind her.
Whirling around, she found Brian standing in the aisle with Ray. Both men wore amused expressions on their faces.
“Brian, Ray,” Matthew said behind her. “What brings you guys here?”
“We’re getting a head start on our hunting this year. I’m in need of some new gear,” Ray replied.
Heather had no idea what Ray was talking about. She had never been hunting, and she hadn’t dated anyone that had been either.
“It’s always good to plan ahead,” Matthew said, standing.
“Hey, you want to come with us?” Brian asked as he eyed some boots.
“I’d love to. I’ll need to find out if I’m working then or not,” Matthew answered happily. “It’ll depend on the weather.”
“Of course,” Ray said as he took a pair of boots off the shelf. “It’ll be a bunch of us getting together, kind of like a bachelor party.”
Heather watched the interchange between the three men, and then a thought occurred to her. The one thing she hadn’t planned for was the bachelorette party. She would need to discuss that with the ladies.
“
Those look like nice boots,” Ray observed. “Where are you guys going?”
Matthew looked at Heather, and then back at the two men before him. “It’s a surprise.”
“Cool.” Brian nudged Ray. “We’ll let the lovebirds go.”
“We’ll see you later, then. Have fun.” Ray smiled as he took the box with the boots he had been looking at and followed his brother out of the area.
“How’d those fit?” Matthew asked as he took her hand.
Heather let the giggle out. “I don’t know. How’d they look on me?”
“Huh?” At least he looked confused.
“You weren’t looking at the boots, mister,” she said sarcastically in gest.
Matthew’s cheeks turned pink. “I was…” he stopped slowly. “No, I was looking at the most gorgeous ass and legs I’ve ever seen.”
“Well, they fit fine. I’ll need to get some thicker socks though.”
He helped her out of the boot and back into her sneaker before they went to find her some socks. Along the way, she looked at a sweater she found cute, however, she put it back once she saw the price tag. The boots were going to be expensive enough, and since the wedding planning was the only job she had, she had to reserve her money.
At the checkout counter, the cashier rang up the two items and as Heather began to pull out her wallet, the sweater joined the boots and socks along with Matthew’s credit card.
“You don’t have to do that,” Heather said, opening her wallet.
Matthew’s hand covered her wallet. “I want to,” he said softly. “I want to do things for you, babes. Please?”
He looked so sweet standing before her. The cashier was smiling knowingly. Heather was still conflicted, but she didn’t want to create a scene in the store.
“All right. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Matthew leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips.
The next three and a half hours was spent talking in the truck as they drove through the countryside. Heather was content looking at the verdant green of the hills and mountains, along with the ranch land they passed.
Once they reached Whitehall, Matthew pulled off at a bar and grill on Legion Avenue. After going over the menu several times, Heather decided on a patty melt and some tater tots. Matthew chose a basket of fried shrimp and fries, and a soda. Since she wasn’t driving, Heather had a margarita.
Their lunch was pleasant, something Heather was enjoying. Everything so far, she was enjoying.
When they finished eating, they drove for about an hour up to a parking lot in the mountains. There was a sign that announced they were at the Ringing Rocks. Matthew helped her put on her new socks and boots, and they hiked up the one and a half miles up to an area with piles of rocks.
“What is this place?” Heather asked as she looked around.
There were families milling around along with other couples, everyone looking happy. Heather was going to have to get out more often.
Matthew smiled and pulled a small hammer from a pocket in the jacket he was wearing. A gleeful smile appeared on his lips. “Watch this,” he said with the excitement of a child.
He lightly hit a rock, and it rang out like a bell. After hitting several more, Heather was amazed at the range of sounds that came from the rocks.
They played with the rocks for a bit longer before they returned to the truck and moved on to the next surprise.
That one was up another mountain and another hike. As they moved through the woods, Heather was beginning to hear a rushing of water. It got louder as they moved along the trail, at the base of cliffs formed by prehistoric lava flow.
Water cascaded over the crest above them, cascading into a pool. The rocks along the sides of the falls is what had Heather curious. “What kind of rocks are those?” she asked as she got closer.
“They’re called basalt. They were formed by the old volcanic activity. If you could get closer to them, you’d see that they are hexagonal.”
“It’s amazing,” Heather said in awe. “I wonder why the rocks formed like that.”
“I know it has to do with the lava cooling. In Ireland, there is an entire beach that is made out of them, all different sizes. There is a cave formed by them also.”
“I’d like to see that one day,” she said quietly.
“In the winter, when the falls are frozen,” Matthew continued with his tutorial, “there are people who come up here and they climb the ice.”
“Sounds fascinating.” Heather moved closer to the water. There were a couple of kids playing in the pool below the falls.
Watching them splash around, she began to wonder what it’d be like to carry Matthew’s baby. She could see herself pregnant, rocking in a chair on the front porch of a house that he built for them. Then she saw herself sitting in that same rocker, welcoming grandkids. And when they were both old and gray, she could see them sitting there, enjoying a sunset.
Heather turned to Matthew and took his hand in hers. “I love you, Matthew Campbell.”
She hoped he would return her sentiment, but she was certain he felt the same way. Matthew reached up and pressed his hand against her cheek. “I love you, too, babes. I wanted to be the first one to say it, but I’m glad you feel the same way.”
He leaned in and kissed her, in a loving and respectable way. When she heard a giggle nearby, she pulled away, smiled, and then looked for the culprit. A little girl, about six years old was sitting on a boulder watching them.
Being that age had little girls thinking about kissing boys, but balancing the fact that they have cooties also.
“Let’s get going. You have a decision to make,” Matthew said sweetly, his brows waggling.
She knew what he was implying. He had told her he would reserve two rooms, and if she wished to forego her room and stay with him, he would cancel the other room.
* * * *
Matthew had taken them to a bar/saloon outside of Bozeman where the food was good, as was the beer. After eating, they hit the dance floor for a few songs before going back to the hotel.
The hotel was rustic. It looked like a ski lodge from the outside. The entry for the rooms overlooked an atrium courtyard in which a pool sat, and there were two hot tubs separated by a waterfall. Matthew was certain they were going to need to return to enjoy the amenities for he didn’t think they were going to leave the room now that Heather had made her decision.
When they had gotten to the hotel and were checking in, Matthew let the woman behind the counter know that they would be needing only one of the rooms he had reserved. The older woman with dark hair streaked with gray gave him a knowing smile and a wink before she processed his card and registered them.
The room he had gotten had a gas fireplace in it. There was a sitting area in front of it, the bed behind the couch. The bathroom was large, the walk-in shower separate from the Jacuzzi tub which sat against a half wall. It was made to be a part of the room.
Once the door closed behind them, Heather felt like giant butterflies descended into her stomach and were now having a boxing match. She had to hope she didn’t lose her dinner.
Rooted in one spot, she watched as Matthew moved over to the fireplace. He turned a switch and the bluish-orange flames burst to life. The closing of the curtains on the window that overlooked the atrium in the middle of the hotel was next, although Heather took it as a sign that they would consummate their love soon.
Matthew looked at her from across the room, the look of love on his face. However, there was uncertainty and confusion there also. He made his way back to her, removing his jacket along the way and tossing it across the back of the couch.
Once he was standing in front of her, he looked in her eyes. “What’s the matter, baby? Have you changed your mind?”
Calm and confident Matthew had disappeared before her eyes, and Heather hated that it was she who had put the new Matthew before her. The sadness that registered in his green eyes was something that made her sick.
&
nbsp; Blindly, Heather reached for his hands. The way he flinched had her wanting to run for the door. She loved him, and he had reciprocated, but she knew that was an age-old manipulation that had affected her mother.
“Geez, Heather!” he exclaimed softly. “Your hands are like ice!”
He pulled her over to the fireplace and sat her on the stone hearth. “Are you all right?” he asked as he rubbed her hands together in his.
Heather looked down at him as he knelt before her. She hated that she had put the look of near panic on his face. It was as if he realized her dilemma. “There is no pressure here, babes. As much as I want to make love to you, I leave the decision to you on when you want to. I can sleep on the couch.”
A sob threatened to escape at his words. The love she had for him had embedded itself deep inside. Her heart blossomed whenever she knew he was coming to visit, or when he would call. When she was away from him, her heart hurt.
“I love you so much,” he said softly. “My heart hurts when I’m not with you.”
That he declared his love for her and had told her the same thing that she thought about herself, was touching. They had been seeing each other for a month and a half and he hadn’t pressured her into having sex with him.
Knowing in her heart that Matthew Campbell was nothing like Dale Peters, her biological father, and being able to separate the two men in her heart should have been easy. And really, it was. She knew deep inside that Matthew wouldn’t treat her like a mistress and then split.
Love was taking chances. She had to take that first step of trust.
“This is the first time that I have declared my love for someone. I know I can’t lump you in the same class as my father, but I will admit I’m scared.” She had to be truthful with him.
“First off, baby,” he began, “I would never treat you the way that he did your mother. Your mother is so sweet that I can’t even think about what that asshole did to her. Second, if I even thought about doing what he did, my brother, and all his friends, would beat the shit out of me, and then throw me off a cliff somewhere.”