At the waterfall, she sank onto picnic rock and recalled the way he had looked at her, and how she’d felt when he touched her hair, as if she was melting from the inside out.
She and Huck returned to the house at three-forty-five, fifteen minutes before the open house was scheduled to end. They entered quietly from the kitchen. Rosie filled Huck’s food bowl, noticed most of the muffins were gone, and then followed the sound of voices to the family room.
To her surprise, Brant and Maddie were engaged in an animated conversation. They fell silent when they spotted her.
“You’re back!” Maddie said brightly.
Rosie said nothing, just studied Brant, trying to read his expression. Had he dropped by to see her, after days of silence?
His impersonal smile told her nothing.
“How are you doing Rosie? You must be busy getting ready for the big move.”
His words were as dispassionate as his smile. It was as if they were two acquaintances, not a man and a woman who had been lovers four days ago.
“Good news, Rosie,” Maddie continued after a brief pause. “We’ve got a buyer who’s really interested.”
“That’s great,” Rosie finally managed to say.
Maddie looked puzzled by her flat tone. “Yes, it is. I’m heading to the office to draw up the paperwork. Is it okay if I call you later tonight with the official offer?”
“Yes, of course. Thank you for everything.”
When Brant accompanied them to the front door, Rosie was afraid he might slip away with Maddie. But he lingered on the front porch, waiting until the realtor had driven away to say, “You don’t seem excited about the offer.”
She tried to catch his evasive gaze. “Just tell me this. Is the offer coming from you?”
Chapter Nineteen
Brant had hoped to be gone before Rosie came home. He was trying so hard to do the honorable thing—to leave her free to follow her dream. But seeing her in person was a test of his resolve he didn’t know if he could pass.
She’d obviously spent the day outside—her skin glowed and she had the smell of trees and fresh air about her. He wanted so much to touch her. To stop himself, he gripped the porch railing hard and glanced out at the street instead of into her eyes.
“Do you care who buys your house? Isn’t the point to get your money and cut your ties so you’re free to go?”
“Should I take that as a yes?”
He gave a short, rueful laugh. He should have known he wouldn’t shake her off the topic easily.
“I’m putting in an offer, yes. I don’t have a realtor so Maddie’s handling the paperwork for me.”
She said nothing for a while, then in a puzzled tone, “But why?”
“I’m making changes in my life—a lot of them are well overdue. I told you about the new job. Next I need to buy a house. Sara Maria is desperate to get out of that damn care home. And now that she’s got a job she needs to be in walking distance of the bakery.”
“Okay, but there are other homes for sale in Marietta that meet those qualifications.”
“Maybe. I’ve grown attached to this one.”
Too attached, in fact. It worried him some that living here would make it that much harder to get over Rosie. But if he didn’t buy this house, she might use it as an excuse not to move to L.A. And he couldn’t let that happen.
Rosie did so much for other people. She’d spent years helping her folks, and in the few weeks she’d known them, she’d done so much for him and his sister. It was time Rosie did something just for herself.
She herself had said a chance to write for a major new TV series was like winning the lottery. It didn’t happen to many people and, when it did, it changed their life. If Rosie let this opportunity pass, she would surely regret it.
*
Brant’s story didn’t add up. Rosie believed the part about him needing to buy a house. But he was glossing over his reasons for buying hers.
“Have you looked at other houses on the market?”
“Why would I, when this one is perfect?”
“Purchasing a house is a major deal. You don’t just put in an offer for the first one that catches your eye.”
“Turns out I do.”
He still wouldn’t look at her and there had to be a reason. What was he afraid she would see in his eyes? She went to stand beside him. Noticed his knuckles were turning white he was gripping the railing so hard.
She touched his arm. “Brant?”
“I have to go.”
She tightened her hold on him. “Why would you avoid me all week and then turn around and buy my house?”
“I didn’t avoid you. I was just… busy.”
“Too busy to send me the occasional text message? Or to buy your sister’s chocolates? You can’t tell me Sara Maria suddenly lost her taste for salted chocolate caramels.”
“It just seemed…” His shoulders rose as he sucked in a deep breath. “It was too hard to see you, Rosie. I’m trying to do the right thing here. Make it easy for you to go.”
“And you think breaking my heart makes it easy for me?”
Finally he let go of the porch railing. Slowly he turned his tortured gaze to her. “Don’t say that. You haven’t known me long enough to say that.”
In a moment of clarity, she understood and a huge weight fell of her chest. He hadn’t been acting out of indifference, but unselfishness motivated from a deep sense of caring. Maybe even love.
She stared into his eyes and saw the hungry way he looked at her.
“My sweet Rosie. Stop torturing me.”
“If you mean for me to stop looking at you like I love you, then I’m sorry, but it simply isn’t possible.” She hoped he could see in her eyes exactly what she saw in his.
Love.
Her attempt at telepathy obviously worked because he groaned, and then he was cupping her face and kissing her. Lips first, then her cheeks, her nose, the tip of her chin.
“You’re so addictive. Why didn’t you warn me?”
She had to laugh. “Back when you were my five-thirty cowboy, I didn’t think I had a chance with you.”
“It was me who never stood a chance. Ah, Rosie, what am I going to do without you?”
She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. The words they’d just exchanged—they changed everything, didn’t they? She pressed her face to his chest where she could hear his pounding heart. “I don’t want to leave you.”
He stroked her back the way a parent might soothe a child. “You feel that way now. But I won’t let you stay. Seriously, Rosie. You have to move to L.A. There is no other option.”
“But—”
“I have to go now, Rosie. I’ve instructed Maddie to put in my offer at your asking price. So when she comes to you later tonight, just sign the papers, okay? If you can’t do it for yourself, then do it for me.”
*
News travelled fast that Rosie’s house had been sold. On Monday, Portia, Dakota, and Sage took her out for dinner at the fancy Graff Hotel to celebrate. Rosie noticed Portia ate very small portions of her smoked rib and coleslaw dinner. Sage seemed to be keeping a close eye on her niece as well. Later, when just Portia and Rosie were in the washroom, Rosie asked if Portia had told her aunt about the baby.
“I did. She was super nice and sympathetic.”
“That sounds like Sage.”
“Trouble is she wants me to tell my mom.”
“You’re going to have to eventually.”
Portia sighed. “Don’t I know it. But it won’t be easy at all. Aunt Sage didn’t press me with questions about the father. Mom won’t let me off so easily.”
Rosie wished she knew why Portia was so reluctant to talk about the dad, however the last thing she would do was pry. “I wish I wasn’t leaving you to handle all this alone.”
“We’ll stay in touch. And there’s always Facebook and Instagram. You have to post lots of pictures from L.A. Promise?”
“I will,
but it won’t be the same.”
“I feel the same way. These past few weeks have been some of the hardest of my life. I don’t know how I would have managed without you. You were so kind and supportive. Rosie, I’m going to miss you so much.”
They hugged and Rosie was touched when she saw tears glimmer in Portia’s eyes.
On Wednesday, Sara Maria came to Rosie’s house with a sour cherry pie, decorated with a cut-out heart in the center.
Rosie invited her in. “I know you don’t like pie, but I have some salted chocolate caramels. Would you like some of those?”
“Oh, yes.”
They sat at the kitchen table and Rosie put out a candy bowl with a variety of Sage’s chocolates. Then she cut a slice of the pie, scattering flakes of buttery pastry over the old oak table.
After her first taste, she sighed. “This is so delicious. If anything, you’re only getting better.”
“Brant says I’m not supposed to say that I wish you weren’t leaving. But I am allowed to say that I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too.” Rosie didn’t dare say more. Too much sadness was welling up inside of her. There had been so many goodbyes this week. And the hardest one was yet to come.
On Friday, Rosie went to work with her bags packed, ready to drive straight to the Bozeman airport after closing. Tears filled her eyes as she gave Huck one last hug. Though the sale of the house wouldn’t close for another thirty days Brant and his sister would be moving in this afternoon.
They’d agreed she would leave the furniture and all the kitchen stuff. But Rosie had cleaned everything out of the bedrooms. Anything she wasn’t taking with her was stored in boxes for when she and Daniel came back to do the final move.
By the time she made it to work, Rosie’s eyes were dry, but she knew that wouldn’t last. All day long old friends, neighbors, and customers made a special point of stopping in to wish her well.
At quarter after five, she freshened her lipstick, even though she wasn’t expecting Brant to show up until six. But at precisely five-thirty she spotted his familiar form out the front window. He strode up to the door, removed his hat, and then stepped inside.
Joy and sorrow rose up inside her. She struggled to keep her voice from trembling. “Good afternoon. May I help you?”
Without taking his eyes off her, he moved up to the counter. “I’d like a box of chocolates please.”
“Any particular kind?”
Eyes twinkling and fighting a smile he said, “I hear those cocoa peanut melts are good.”
She did a double take. “The cocoa peanut melts?”
“Yeah. I’ll take four of those. And then maybe some of the champagne truffles?”
Slowly he worked his way through all of the chocolates she’d recommended to him over the months he’d been shopping here. When the box was full, he asked her to wrap it up nicely.
“Your sister must be broadening her horizons,” Rosie said when she handed over the copper box with its festoon of curly ribbon.
“These aren’t for Sara Maria. Now that she’s got a job I figure she can buy her own chocolates.”
“And how does she feel about that?”
“Actually I think she enjoys having her own purchasing power, and the freedom that goes with that. At Donna’s suggestion, I took her to a new doctor this week and he feels that as long as she’s in familiar territory, she ought to be fine walking to work and running errands in town. He’s also recommended a therapist who’s going to work with her on coping strategies to deal with anxiety and stress.”
On the drive to the airport Brant talked a bit about his hopes for his new job, and Rosie shared the latest details on the chocolate and wine pairing event. She put the tickets she’d purchased in Brant’s glove compartment and told him he should still go—and take a friend, too, if he wanted.
“I’ll think about it,” he said.
No sooner were they out of sight of Marietta than Rosie began missing her dog, Sage and Portia, Sara Maria and her home.
She couldn’t imagine what was waiting for her in L.A. Daniel and Glenda were so excited for her arrival, but she felt only nerves.
At every highway exit she prayed Brant would turn his truck around and take her home. She wanted him to tell her he loved her and that he couldn’t let her go.
But before she knew it they were pulling up to the departures level of the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
“Want me to park and help you carry your luggage inside?”
“No. Just drop me off.” If their farewell was prolonged by another minute, Rosie was certain she’d start bawling.
And then everything happened quickly. No sooner had Brant pulled up to the curb and unloaded her two big suitcases onto a cart, than an airport porter came by to hurry them along. At the same moment a big SUV pulled up behind Brant’s truck and the driver tapped on his horn.
“I guess this is it.” Brant reached into the cab and pulled out the box of chocolates.
“For me?”
“Who else. I figured it might take you a while to find a new chocolate source in L.A.”
She tucked the box in her carry-on, trying not to sob. He was making this sound so final and she couldn’t handle that.
“I’ll be back… one day.”
He gave her a sad smile. “Sure. I know.”
She longed to hurl herself at him. But the porter was hovering and the driver of the SUV was hunched over his steering wheel and glowering.
Brant stooped and gave her a chaste kiss. “Good luck, Rosie.”
She could not say goodbye. She couldn’t say anything. She stood, clutching the handle of the luggage rack and watched as he drove away, feeling more bereft and alone than she ever had in her life.
Once his truck was a speck, she swallowed back a sob, and then straightened her shoulders. Goodbye, Montana. Hello, L.A.
Chapter Twenty
October 31, Two weeks later
Rosie sensed the moment Brant entered the Copper Mountain Chocolate shop. Slowly she turned toward the door and in the room filled with twenty-six guests all in costume, instantly spotted him.
He’d come dressed as a vampire, in an elegant, dark dinner jacket, with his curly hair slicked back and his handsome face pale under a sheen of makeup. His eyes felt like lasers as they homed in on her, following her every movement as she weaved through the crowd toward him.
He didn’t kiss her, but his gaze intimately drank in every detail of her appearance.
She was dressed as a witch in a black gown that skimmed her curves, then flared out from her knees and continued down to the floor. Her hair was wild and curly and she’d sprayed it with sparkles that matched the vibrant purple, gold, and silver makeup around her eyes.
He took both of her hands and seemed to study every inch of her. “You look… bewitching.”
“Do I?” She was the one who felt spellbound.
She couldn’t tear her gaze from him. She’d only ever seen him in jeans, but with his height, broad shoulders, and narrow hips, he totally owned his elegant evening apparel.
The vampire makeup and hair gave him just the right touch of a spooky edge to make her genuinely shiver.
Or maybe she was reacting to the touch of his hands.
She was so, so glad to see him again.
“I didn’t expect you to be here,” he said.
“I wasn’t sure, myself, until last night.” When she’d finally made the booking she’d asked Portia to pick her up at the airport, and they’d gone to Sage’s house to prep for the event.
They were all going as witches in a variety of elegant black dresses. Sage’s was long and flowing like a caftan, while Portia’s was mid-thigh length, and coupled with long, sleek black boots. Sage had hired a talented makeup artist to paint their faces and she’d done such a good job that from a distance it seemed like they were all wearing masks around their eyes.
“I decided I couldn’t miss this.”
“The
store looks great.”
The lights were dim. Silver lights sparkled from the ceiling and golden candles flickered on each of the tables. Display cases had been pushed back to accommodate six bar-height tables which Sage had rented for the event.
“Good evening, everyone.” Sage was standing at the table nearest the kitchen, flanked by the owners of the wine store—Emerson in a Dumbledore costume and Clifford as Professor Snape. “Welcome to our dark magic chocolate and wine pairing evening.”
“We’re hoping to tantalize your taste buds with some exquisite chocolate and vintage spirits tonight,” Emerson continued. “You’ll find menus on all the tables, along with pens. We encourage you to make notes about your impressions and any special likes and dislikes.”
“Very handy for placing your chocolate and wine orders at the end of the evening,” Clifford added with a saucy wink.
“Our first tasting will be of Copper Mountain’s single origin, dark chocolate along with a California merlot.”
Dakota and Portia emerged from the kitchen, bearing trays of chocolates and wine glasses. As they distributed them to the guests, Sage first talked about her chocolate, and then Emerson and Clifford elaborated on the wine.
Brant picked up a square of the dark chocolate, and then surprised Rosie by bringing it up to her lips. Delicately, she took a taste, closing her eyes to savor the rich, intense flavors, first a touch of cinnamon and hazelnut, followed by a sweeter, almost caramel note.
When she opened her eyes, Brant was watching her. Without breaking eye contact he took his own taste of the chocolate. The intimacy of the experience was incredibly arousing and, with the dim lighting, it was possible to imagine they were the only two people in the room.
Next Brant passed her the wine glass and she sipped the merlot, allowing the flavor to explode in her mouth, melding with the bittersweet aftertaste of the chocolate.
Melt My Heart, Cowboy (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 1) Page 17