by Hope Navarre
“Saving your ass, from what I gather,” Ellie retorted, turning to leave before things got ugly and running smack into Ryan. His hands automatically caught her shoulders, steadying her. She glanced up at him, gave a small snort to cover the instant reaction of her body to his touch and walked on out of the shop.
“What just happened?” she heard him ask Walt before she got out of earshot. She was barely to the flagstones when she heard the crunch of boots on gravel behind her. She turned around before Ryan reached her.
“You don’t need to act as peacemaker between me and Walt,” she said before he could open his mouth.
A corner of his mouth tightened as if he was stopping himself from arguing the point. “Where’s the snake?”
“In the grass by the stone steps.” Ryan immediately started across the flagstones and she followed. “He was there,” she said, pointing at the grass where she’d last seen the snake.
“Must be under the porch,” Ryan said.
“Comforting thought,” Ellie muttered, although truthfully she was no longer all that disturbed by the snake, which seemed to want as little to do with her as she did with it. She brushed the hair away from the side of her face as a cool gust of wind swept over them. “George stopped by.”
Ryan stilled. “What did you think?”
“He seems very accomplished.”
“How white were his teeth?”
“Pretty white,” she said. There hadn’t been much about him that hadn’t been polished and perfect, from his impeccably styled hair to his lizard-skin boots.
“He was a few years ahead of me in school and kind of notorious for being nuts about his teeth.”
“Being nuts about your teeth doesn’t mean you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I never said George didn’t know what he was doing. I said that he liked to fire people because he can.”
“If that’s indeed the way he operates, then I’m aware and can make sure he’s fair in his recommendations.”
“Even with Walt?”
“Walt is his own worst enemy.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“I’m probably the one that said it.”
“I think you were.” Ryan regarded her for a moment, a half smile on his face, but she could see that his thoughts were traveling along serious lines. “When’s George showing up?”
“Early next week.”
“I’ll warn Walt,” he said.
Ellie nodded, thinking good luck, but seeing no reason to say it out loud. They both knew what Ryan was dealing with.
“By the way,” he continued, “I have a business appointment tomorrow, so I’ll be gone for a couple hours. I’ll make them up—”
“When you get back from the rodeo the following day?” Ellie smiled a little, trying to keep her attitude friendly yet businesslike. “Don’t worry about it. I figure you put in more hours than we pay you for anyway.”
“Thanks,” he said.
“No problem,” she replied. Because that wasn’t the problem. Still being attracted to him was.
* * *
ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS into the lawyer meeting, Ryan understood perfectly why his father had used an attorney from Billings, many miles away. While lawyers could not break confidentiality, Charles was obviously not comfortable having a local guy knowing him for what he was. A man who refused responsibility for his son.
Ryan sat stiffly, hardly able to believe he was hearing what was being laid out in front of him. Charles wanted him to sign a confidentiality agreement saying he would never claim kinship, never challenge his estate after his death, in return for a lump-sum settlement now.
“Do you understand the agreement?”
“Pretty hard not to. My father wants to buy my silence.”
The lawyer’s expression didn’t change. Apparently he was used to such things. Well, Ryan wasn’t. “Is he offering the same agreement to my mother?”
“I can’t discuss that.”
“I can find out, you know.”
“I can’t discuss anything that doesn’t pertain to the matter at hand.”
Ryan leaned back in his chair, wanting very much to tell the dapper fellow across the table to tell his father to shove the deal up his ass. However, as satisfying as that would be, there was more than just himself to consider here. The sum Charles offered was generous, although not as generous as a third of the Montoya Ranch.
“Mr. Montoya did request that you discuss this matter with your mother prior to making a decision to act in any regard.” The lawyer emphasized the last words in a way that made them sound like a subtle threat.
“Meaning to talk to her before I announce to the world what he’s offered?”
“I believe that’s exactly what he means.”
Charles was taking a chance, but he’d lived for years wondering if Lydia or Ryan would break their silence, and apparently after their last encounter at the rodeo that had taken Matt out, Charles wanted some kind of a guarantee. “I want a copy of these papers.”
“I can forward them to your lawyer for review.”
“And if I don’t have a lawyer?”
“I would think with a matter such as this, you may want to retain services. Have him contact me here.” The lawyer pushed a card across the table to Ryan, who tucked it into his shirt pocket without looking at it.
“Mr. Madison?” Ryan met the lawyer’s eyes then, saw a touch of empathy. “Seek legal counsel.”
“Yeah.” He’d already figured that this was nothing he wanted to deal with alone and, surprisingly, he felt very much like his father—he didn’t want to do this through a local attorney. Of course, he could just say take a flying leap, walk out of this office and make Charles suffer.
He kind of liked that idea...except that it wouldn’t be that easy. If he did things to Charles, it was quite possible that Charles would retaliate against his mother. An ugly can of worms. One he’d had no part in creating but now had to deal with.
“I’ll be in contact,” he said, getting to his feet. He didn’t know if the attorney was done, but he was.
Ryan drove straight to his mom’s beauty shop, only to find that she was elbow deep in foils, coloring Kadie Larson’s hair.
“Do you have any time between appointments?” he asked. This wasn’t a discussion to squeeze in between hair jobs, but he had to leave for a rodeo early the next morning and he wanted some answers before he left.
“I’m pretty booked this afternoon,” she said as she folded the ends of a foil. But when she glanced over her shoulder at him and saw his expression, she added, “But why don’t you come back at one?”
“See you then.”
He left the shop, hearing the usual burst of noise as the door swung shut and the patrons said what they wouldn’t say while he was there. He was glad he couldn’t hear what it was, having hung around the shop enough as a kid to know that no subject was sacred. He pulled out his phone, called Francisco to tell him he’d be back later than expected and wouldn’t be able to help move the bulls then crossed the street to his truck.
* * *
AFTER A MORNING of wearing her professional hat, making phone calls, touching base, contacting companies she’d once consulted with, Ellie needed a break. A long one. As soon as Walt had disappeared across the pasture on his four-wheeler, she’d spent time communing with the horses, who enjoyed having their ears and necks rubbed, then decided to tackle house-shopping phase one: the small stuff. She’d have to travel to Bozeman or Butte to properly shop, but the long distances to and from the major Montana cities were more than she wanted to take on at the moment, so she’d settled for exploring Glennan.
The town boasted the chain grocery store and a smaller market, a couple hardware stores, two restaurants, an antiques/thrift sto
re that was closed and a few boutiques aimed more at tourists and travelers than locals.
She wandered in and out of the boutiques as she made her way down the main street, thinking that she might at least find something decorative. She found a couple colorful throws, some pillows and a set of dishes she thought Angela would like in the funky gift store next to the café. Then she wandered on, planning to return and make the purchase on her way back to the car. She went into the fishing shop just because she’d never been in one and was happily ignored by the two elderly gentlemen in deep conversation over a tray of fishing flies. She left the store, paused at the tiny art gallery, then moved on to the last store on the street: a children’s store. Ellie hesitated before going inside.
She still felt like a stranger to this baby business.
She stopped inside the door and was overwhelmed by cuteness. There were bunnies and chicks, giraffes and hippos emblazoned over bibs, overalls, Onesies. Ruffled dresses and tiny motorcycle jackets.
Ellie reached out to touch the jacket, marveling at the details. It was a work of miniature art. But then so were the amazing smocked dresses. Boy or girl? Which was she having?
The doctor said they’d do an ultrasound the next visit. Try to see what’s what and hear the heartbeat. An overwhelming idea. This child would be in the world before she acclimated herself to the idea of being its mother.
“Shopping for a gift?” the young woman behind the counter asked as she pulled pale pink thread through a piece of cloth stretched in a small embroidery hoop.
Ellie shook her head, pulling her hand away from the smocked dress. Just coming to terms with reality. She wandered over to the quilts, feeling ridiculously self-conscious even though the proprietress was busy with her embroidery and politely letting Ellie shop. Feeling a bit dazed, Ellie left the boutique a few minutes later, calling a quick thank-you to the woman behind the counter. She stepped out into the sun and then headed for her car.
“Ellie.”
Her heart skipped as she turned toward the direction of Ryan’s voice. He was halfway across the street and coming toward her, looking way too good for her peace of mind. He also looked stressed—maybe even more stressed than he’d looked when he’d realized the calves were out. Not that the picture of him standing on the porch bare chested in his jeans was burned into her brain or anything. Or that she’d ever thought of him kissing her before they parted company.
“Hi,” she said, for want of anything else to say. “I hadn’t realized you were already in town.” By seemingly mutual agreement she and Ryan had avoided each other over the past several days, but she was always aware of where he was. She’d assumed when she’d seen him take off with Walt earlier that morning in the ranch truck that his business was taking place later in the day.
“I am,” he said simply. “But I’m heading back as soon as I talk to my mom.”
“She’s here in town?”
“Owns that shop over there,” he said, pointing at the black-and-gold sign that read Crowning Glory. “She’s in the middle of a foil job.”
Ellie couldn’t help smiling. “Familiar with beauty procedures?”
“Lived with them all of my life. Kids came to me to find out what was going on around town. Anyway, I was waiting in my truck for her to get done and saw you wander down the street.”
And into the baby store. She shouldn’t feel self-conscious, but she did. If she’d planned to get pregnant, she would have embraced baby shopping, but having it happen the way it had... She was uncomfortable embracing it—at least publicly.
“I needed to get out of the house,” she said.
“Cabin fever?”
“Depressing job search. Tight market. A lot of ‘I’ll let you know if I hear of something’ type of stuff.”
“I can see where you’d want to take a break from that.” He looked down at his boots for a moment, then back up at her. “You busy tomorrow?”
The question startled her. “No,” she said cautiously.
“Want to go to a rodeo?”
A day alone with Ryan?
Her first instinct was to say no, to protect herself, but the word died on her lips as she took in his taut expression, the tense lines around his eyes.
Something’s happened to him. Something bad. She’d have to be thickheaded to not pick up on it.
“I’ve...never been,” she said, even though it wasn’t an answer.
He gave a too-casual shrug. “I wouldn’t mind some company on the drive and I figured that you might like to get off the ranch for a while.”
“Company?” she echoed.
“Yeah,” he said, his mouth tightening an iota. “Just...company.”
“When would we leave and when would we get back?”
“Early tomorrow morning and we’d get back tomorrow night.”
For a moment she studied his face, trying to pinpoint what it was that made her feel so strongly that he was dealing with something other than waiting to talk to his mother. The breeze blew her hair across her cheek and she pushed it back.
“All right,” she said quietly. “I’ll go to the rodeo.”
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, almost self-consciously, before he said, “Can you be ready to go at four-thirty?”
“In the morning?” Again she brushed back the hair that drifted across her face. She really needed to stop clipping it up and go with the unprofessional ponytail. “If I sleep in my clothes I ought to be able to make it.”
“Great.” He lifted his chin, looking over the top of her head at his mother’s shop. “Her client just came out. I’d better get over there if I’m going to catch her.” He looked down at Ellie and she could see from his expression that he needed to get over to that shop. Now. “See you at four-thirty?”
She hoped. “I’ll meet you at the truck...but feel free to knock if I don’t show.” She rubbed a casual hand over the side of her neck, remembering the last time he’d gotten her up with a knock. “I’ll, uh, take extra care with my buttons if you do have to get me out of bed.”
“And I’ll tell you if you don’t,” he promised wryly, his mood a touch lighter than when he’d flagged her down. “See you then.”
* * *
LYDIA WAS WAITING for Ryan at her chair. “Is this a backroom talk?”
“Of the highest order,” he said. His mother’s face instantly sobered and then she turned to lead the way down the narrow hall to the most private room in the place—her minuscule office.
Ryan closed the door after them and got right to the matter at hand. “Mom, has Montoya offered you some kind of deal?” Lydia’s chin went up and he saw color stain the tops of her cheekbones.
“Why?”
“Because he offered me a deal.”
“Take it,” she said.
“You don’t know what it is.”
Lydia raised her eyebrows an iota. “I imagine it’s a lot of money.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s money he owes you. Take it.”
“He threatened you a couple weeks ago, didn’t he?”
“He thought I was the reason Matt knew about you.” She gave a soft, disgusted snort. “And that really aggravated me. I spent all those years being quiet because I didn’t want to hurt people. His wife. His other son. They were innocent.” She rubbed her fingertips across her forehead as if erasing a memory. “And that’s how he rewarded me. Threats. He said he’d ruin my business if I talked.”
Ryan felt his blood pressure rise, but he remained silent.
“As if he could,” Lydia said with another snort. “No one does a weave in this town like I do.” She tilted her head as she regarded her son. “But I’d had it. I called him a few weeks ago, told him that if he paid the child support he owed you growing up, he’d never have to worry about eithe
r of us saying anything.”
“You’re blackmailing him?”
Anger flared in her eyes. “I wish I was. That would be fun, but my conscience won’t let me. The confidentiality agreement makes it all nice and legal. We keep quiet, you get what he owes you.” Lydia’s shoulders drooped. “I should have done it a long time ago, but I didn’t want to share you. I was half-afraid that if I pushed him, he’d take you away just to show me who’s boss. I was young and dumb and intimidated.”
Ryan leaned his palms on the desk. “Did you ever think about what might happen if I didn’t want to sign the agreement, Mom?”
Lydia blinked at him. “Are you ever going to tell anyone he’s your father?”
“I seriously doubt it.” He had nothing to gain by hurting Charles’s wife.
“Then sign and get what’s coming to you. What you should have had all along.”
Ryan pushed off the desk. “I need time to think,” he said.
“I figured you would,” Lydia said quietly. “And since I didn’t raise no fool, I assume you’re going to make the right decision.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
ELLIE WALKED OUT of the house at exactly 4:25 a.m., yawning as she stepped into the cold Montana morning. Her hair was in a low ponytail instead of a French twist, her shirt fully buttoned. She had a thermos of tea and a pocketful of granola bars. Ready to roll and nervous as hell.
She wasn’t even sure why she was so nervous, but it had to do with Ryan. With the unknown. After kissing her that night, he’d backed off as promised, but she still felt uneasy. Something to do with a gut-level attraction, no doubt—and the fact that part of her couldn’t help thinking how much she wished she’d met him before she’d hooked up with Nick...which was kind of dumb. If she’d met Ryan before, she wouldn’t have hung around the ranch long enough to get to know him to any great lengths. She would have found him attractive, maybe even slept with him and then gone back to her own world.
She was still going back to her own world. The ranch was a good hideaway, but it held nothing for her in the long run.