Rough Terrain (Vista Falls #1)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Yeah, sometimes I’d rather live in a big city.” He looked at Wes. “You used to live in Houston, right? What was that like?”

  “I liked it, but Vista Falls is home. Always has been, always will be.” Wes wondered whether he should tell Nick that he was a big part of the reason he’d moved back home. “Now that my dad’s passed, I wanted to be here for my mother. My sister’s going to school out of state, but my younger brother runs an inn in Vista Falls.”

  “That’s cool.”

  Wes smiled. That seemed to be Nick’s favorite catchphrase. “So tell us about school. You like it?”

  “It’s okay, I guess. I get most As and Bs, so it’s not as bad as it could be.” He reached for another piece of bread and buttered it.

  “I know it’s way too soon to ask this,” Sage said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. “I mean, you still have a lot of time to decide. But do you have any idea what you think you’d like to study in college? Um, assuming you want to go to college, that is?”

  Wes knew how important getting an education had been to Sage, but he was glad she wasn’t putting any pressure on Nick to follow in her footsteps. If he’d learned one thing in life, it was that the people who were happiest were those who’d made their own way and ignored anyone who thought they knew best.

  “I don’t know.” Nick glanced at Wes. “Business, maybe? That gives me lots of options.”

  The waitress returned with the appetizer platter they’d agreed to share, and Nick dove right in.

  “So any girlfriends?” Wes chuckled when Nick blushed. “Sorry, am I not allowed to ask you that?”

  “No, it’s okay. There is this one girl I like, but we’re just hanging out, you know, with other friends too. Not really dating.”

  “You have plenty of time for that,” Sage assured him, smiling at Wes.

  “You guys must have hooked up when you were pretty young, huh?” Nick asked. “Or were you not really together when I was, uh, when you got…”

  Wes smirked, opting to put the awkward question to an end. “No, we dated through most of high school.”

  “You ever think about getting married?” Nick asked. “You know, when you found out about me?”

  Wes and Sage both popped food into their mouths simultaneously as they decided how and who would answer his question.

  “Sure, we thought about it,” Wes said finally, not wanting Nick to feel any question was off-limits. “But we were both really young. We were headed off to college when we found out Sage was pregnant, and we had no way of supporting ourselves or you at the time.”

  Nick shook his head. “I get that.”

  “It’s not that we didn’t want to keep you,” Sage said softly. “We did. Believe me. It’s just that…” She drew in a deep breath. “My parents had very strong opinions about it. They didn’t think we were ready, and honestly, they may have been right. I don’t know.”

  “I read your book.”

  Sage gaped at Nick. “You did? When?”

  “A while back. I was curious.”

  “Oh.” She took a sip of her water. “What did you think?”

  “I thought you were pretty brave to put it all out there like that.”

  Wes shared their son’s sentiment. He didn’t think he would have had the guts to bleed on the pages the way Sage had.

  “It was kind of cathartic for me,” Sage explained. “I had all of these pent-up emotions about you and the adoption. Writing has always been my release, so my best friend talked me into writing the book. At first it was just going to be for me, a memoir of sorts. But after I let Gabby read it, she convinced me to submit it to a couple of publishers, and to my surprise, one of them picked it up.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Nick popped a pita square piled with dip into his mouth. “You’re really good. I don’t even like to read that much, and I got through that book in, like, a day.”

  “Thank you,” Sage said, smiling. “That means a lot, especially coming from you.”

  “So have you written anything else?” Nick asked.

  “I’m plugging away at something, but I don’t have a lot of time to work on it. Writing isn’t my full-time job. I’m running my family’s car dealership while my father recovers from a stroke.”

  Wes couldn’t believe how easily the conversation continued to flow as they worked through appetizers and entrees. Nick told them about his hobbies, the other sports he played, some of his friends, and his favorite subjects. He also asked about their families, saying it would be “cool” to meet them sometime. Wes knew his family would be excited to meet Nick, but he wasn’t so sure about Sage’s parents.

  “Maybe I could come to Vista Falls sometime,” Nick said after they ordered dessert. “If it’s okay with you guys? You could show me around, introduce me to everyone.”

  “That would be great,” Sage said, clearly not thinking about how her parents might react to the news that their grandson was coming to town. “Whenever you’re free. Assuming it’s okay with your mom.”

  “Like I said, she won’t mind if we all hit it off.”

  Wes got the uneasy feeling that Nick might be trying to replace the family unit he’d lost with one he perceived to be better somehow. Wes wanted nothing more than to get to know his son better, but he refused to do that at the expense of the woman who’d been there for him when they couldn’t be.

  “Still, I’d like to talk to her about it just the same,” Wes said. “Before we make any plans.”

  Chapter Ten

  “I can’t believe how well that went,” Sage said as they were heading home an hour later. “I wish we could have met his mom and stepdad when we dropped him off though. Do you think it was weird they weren’t home?”

  “I wouldn’t read too much into it,” Wes said, turning down the volume on a classic rock station that played some of their favorite songs from high school. “Nick said they had a thing at the church, right? Some potluck or something. I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”

  “Do you think they go to most of his football games? I hope they didn’t feel they had to stay away tonight just because we were there.”

  “I doubt we had anything to do with it.”

  “He’s amazing, isn’t he?” Sage knew she was gushing, but she couldn’t believe how strong and smart and handsome he was. Not only was Nick a great athlete, but he was a solid student, and he’d had them in stitches several times as he shared some of his buddies’ antics with them. “I already feel like I’ve known him forever. You felt it too, right? That connection?”

  “Yeah, I did.” Wes curled his hand around the steering wheel. “And I want more than anything to connect with him, but—”

  “But what?”

  “I just want to ease into it, you know? I don’t want his mom to think that we’re trying to take the place of his parents or anything. They’re the ones who raised him, who loved him. They’re the reason he’s such a great kid. We can’t forget that.”

  “You’re right.” She sighed as she sank back in the leather seat. “We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. It’s a shame his dad passed so soon, isn’t it? I wish we could have met him. I would have liked to thank him for the great job he did with our…”

  “Son,” Wes said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. “You can say it. He is our son.”

  “I don’t feel we’ve earned the right to call him that.” Sage knew it took a lot more than biology to make a person a parent. “Maybe someday we will but not right now.”

  Wes reached for her hand. “I know what you mean, but seriously, there’s no denying it, is there?”

  She laughed. “If his hair was a little longer, he’d look exactly like you did at that age.”

  “And English is his favorite subject,” Wes reminded her. “He may not like reading, but he loves writing. He sure as hell didn’t get that from me.”

  She appreciated his attempt to remind her that Nick had some of her traits too, but it was obvious Nick and Wes were
more alike. Not that she minded. She was just thrilled to be getting to know him after all these years.

  “How do you think your parents will react if we bring him to town?” Wes asked, squeezing her hand. “You think they’ll give you a hard time?”

  “Honestly? I don’t give a damn what they think about it. They may have been able to bully me back then—I was just a kid. But now I’m all grown up, and I can decide for myself whether I want Nick to be a part of my life. And I do.” Sage could tell Wes was relieved she wasn’t the same insecure girl she’d been back then, eager to please her parents and afraid to rock the boat.

  “Still, it’s probably not a good idea to get your old man all riled up. He is still recovering from that stroke, right?”

  “Yeah.” When her phone rang, Sage used her free hand to grab it from her purse, smiling when Gabby’s face appeared on the Facetime screen. “Hey, girl. What’s up?”

  “I couldn’t wait ‘til tomorrow to find out,” she said. “How did it go with Nick?”

  “He’s a great kid, Gab. I know I don’t have the right to be, but I am so proud of him.”

  Wes smiled as he released her hand and turned the volume down on the radio so they could chat. He curled both hands around the wheel instead of taking her hand again.

  “Was it weird?” Gabby asked. “Or awkward?”

  “Honestly, no,” Sage said, shaking her head. “Not at all. I was just telling Wes I can’t believe how easy it was.”

  “Hi, Wes,” Gabby said, grinning.

  Sage turned the screen so Wes could see Gabby. “Hey, beautiful. Thanks for calling to check in.” He glanced at the digital clock on his dash. “It’s after midnight. Isn’t it past your bedtime?"

  “Ugh, I had a date tonight,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I just got in.”

  “Didn’t go well?” Wes asked, smiling.

  “He’s the town vet, and he bored me with the details of this dog who had an obstruction. Apparently he had to perform a very delicate procedure to remove a chewed sock from his stomach. Like I want to hear about that over my filet, right?”

  “Should I assume you won’t be seeing him again?” Wes asked.

  “Probably not, but you know how it is around here. Slim pickings. We can’t be too choosy or we’ll be sitting home every night, according to my mother.” She laughed. “Have I mentioned she’s eager for grandchildren?”

  “Sounds like my mother,” Wes said, grinning.

  Sage listened to the exchange, knowing her own parents were in no hurry to add to their family. They believed it would be several years before her brother was stable enough to think about settling down, and they hadn’t asked her whether there was a man in her life since before Wes moved back to town.

  “Well, I’ll let you guys go,” Gabby said, stifling a yawn. “You wanna meet for breakfast in the morning, Sage?”

  “I have a few things to take care of at work.”

  “Okay, I’ll bring coffees and pastries by around ten. I should pass by the shop too. I just hired a new high school student to work Saturdays, and I want to make sure she’s working out.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you then,” Sage said before disconnecting the call.

  “You think Gabby’s ready for another relationship?” Wes asked, as they passed the sign welcoming them to Vista Falls.

  “I don’t know.” Sage was impressed by how mature her friend had been about the demise of her marriage, claiming she didn’t blame her ex-husband for anything. “I know she wants some stability in her life. She’s got a great little home of her own, and her business is doing well, but I think she misses being married.”

  “Was her ex a decent guy?” Wes asked, turning down the side street leading to her house.

  “Yeah, he was. I thought they were really compatible. They had a lot of the same interests.”

  “Why do you think it didn’t work out?” Wes asked, pulling into her drive.

  “Right from the start, Gab said she didn’t have that crazy chemistry with him she used to have with Colt, but she convinced herself that what she had with Colt was so intense because they were just kids. She thought a more mature love was supposed to be tamer, I guess.”

  “What do you think about that?” Wes asked, releasing his seat belt and shifting to face her as he curled his hand around her headrest. “You think just because we’re older, we should settle for boring and predictable?”

  “No.” She sighed. “I guess that’s why I’m still single though. Unrealistic expectations.”

  “Who says we can’t have as adults the kind of love we had as teenagers?”

  Sage didn’t know if he was talking about them specifically or speaking in general terms, and she was too afraid to ask. “That honeymoon phase can’t last forever, can it?” she asked, opting to believe he was speaking about the population at large.

  “I don’t know about that. My parents were in love right up until the end. I don’t remember a time when my old man left the house without kissing my mom good-bye. And we’re not talking about just some perfunctory peck on the cheek. I mean a full-on kiss.”

  Sage smiled as she settled her purse in her lap. “I remember that about your parents. They were always so affectionate with each other. It must have been so hard for your mom to lose him. He was more than her life partner. He was her best friend, wasn’t he?”

  “Sure was.” Wes hesitated before he added, “I guess that’s why I never got married. I’ve only found the kind of love they had one time in my life, and I’m not willing to settle for less.”

  “I’m not willing to settle either. I’d rather be alone than have a marriage like my parents have.” She knew that sounded harsh, but she’d always been honest with Wes. She’d never had any reason to hold back with him.

  “You can have whatever kind of relationship you want,” he said, sliding a strand of her hair through his fingers. “You just have to be willing to put yourself out there. Get clear about what you want and go for it.”

  “What if I’m not sure I can have what I want?” It was becoming increasingly clear to her with every moment they spent together that she still wanted the same thing she’d always wanted—Wes.

  “Tell me what you want.” His gaze passed between her mouth and eyes as he waited for her response.

  “Maybe I want a second chance.” That was just about the scariest thing she’d ever said, but it was also the most truthful. “Is that crazy?”

  “A second chance with me?” he murmured, moving in closer.

  “A second chance for us. To maybe get it right this time.” She didn’t know if that was even possible, but she wanted to try, so at least she wouldn’t be left wondering for the rest of her life.

  “I want that too.” His lips were hovering above hers when he whispered, “I want that more than I’ve wanted anything in a really long time.” His kiss was slow and thorough, as though he intended to make up for every second they’d lost. “But we need to take it slow.”

  “I know.” His kiss made it difficult to breathe, but she was trying to keep her voice level when she said, “Because of Nick.”

  “And us. We’ve screwed this up once before. I don’t intend to let that happen again.”

  Sage smiled as she curled her hand around the back of his neck. “I don’t either.”

  ***

  Nick pulled the blankets up to cover his bare chest when his girlfriend finally picked up the phone after his fourth failed attempt to call her. She’d slipped out of the stadium before he could find her and hadn’t texted to let him know where she’d be.

  “Hey, how’d it go tonight?” she asked.

  “Where’d you go after the game?”

  “Just out for a burger with everybody. I thought I’d see you there. Didn’t you say Wes wanted to—”

  “We went for a steak instead.”

  “I guess with his money, he can eat like a king, huh?” She giggled. “So what was Daddy Warbucks like anyhow?”

  Nick ha
dn’t thought twice about Wes’s money. He’d been more interested in getting to know him. “He was cool. So was Sage. I liked them.”

  “So you’re gonna see them again?”

  “Yeah, I think so. They invited me to Vista Falls. Maybe I’ll go next weekend.”

  “You think they’ll take you in this summer so you don’t have to move up to God’s country with your mom?”

  Nick knew it was too soon to ask Sage or Wes to take him in for the whole summer, but he hoped to work his way up to it. His mother would never let him stay home alone for the whole summer, and staying with his overprotective grandparents would have been even worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell service or Wi-Fi for two months. “Even if they do, it’s still an hour away. It wouldn’t be easy for us to see each other.”

  “Wes could have his chauffeur drive you back here every weekend.”

  Even though Nick barely knew his birth father, he didn’t appreciate Maggie making assumptions about him. “Wes isn’t like that. He drives a pickup truck.”

  “Ugh. Why, when he could drive some hot sports car?”

  “Turns out he’s not into that shit.” Unlike Maggie, Nick liked that the Wes he’d seen in the company’s promo videos was the same guy he’d met tonight. Wes didn’t pretend to be someone he wasn’t for the sake of his public image.

  “I thought growing up in that shitty little town would have made him want the best of everything. If I had that kind of money, you’d never see me living in Brock, let alone driving some stupid truck.”

  Nick didn’t happen to agree, and he said pointedly, “I guess somewhere along the way, he realized money doesn’t make him happy.”

  “Easy for him to say. He’s got more than he’ll ever spend. Tell him to send some of it this way.”

  Maggie always seemed to have her hand out rather than trying to pay her own way. That was one of the things that bugged Nick about her. Even though she had a part-time job at the local convenience store, she was always the last one to reach into her wallet when they went out with friends.