His Dirty Hands (The Montgomery Boys Book 2)

by Jessica Mills

  I got myself a cup of coffee before settling down at the table. As I took the top waffle from the stack and cut it into tiny bite-sized pieces to smear with butter and dribble with syrup, I was very aware of my daughter. She tried to reach around my fork and knife to get pieces, then dipped her fingertip in the syrup and licked it.

  This was going to warrant careful wordsmithing. Gabby might only be three years old, but she absorbed everything around her. This was the age when little ones started repeating everything they heard. It would be just my luck she would take this opportunity to retain every detail of the story I told just to rattle it all back out in the middle of the grocery store or while we were walking down Main Street.

  “Well, I, too, thought we were probably just going to go to dinner,” I said.

  “Yeah,” Darcy said, leading me. She stabbed two waffles with her fork and brought them over onto her plate, looking at them only long enough to get them properly buttered before looking back at me. “So, what happened?”

  “Remember when we first got here and he gave us a tour around town? He showed us that little place called The Junction?”

  “I remember,” she said. “He mentioned something about his brothers going up there a lot or something.”

  “Exactly,” I said. “That’s where his brother, Jesse, and his girlfriend, Shannon, go every week.”

  “Shannon, like the girl who got us this place and you your job?” Darcy asked, connecting the dots to make sure she was following along.

  “That’s the one. Apparently, he decided it was time for me to be properly introduced to it. So, we went and spent the evening hanging out with Jesse and Shannon. We played pool—well, the guys did—and then there was karaoke and we danced.”

  Darcy stared at me as she ate her breakfast. “Are you going to tell me that’s it?”

  “That was it for The Junction, but after that, we still had energy and decided we didn’t want to go home quite yet.”

  This was where things were going to start to get creative.

  “Yeah,” Darcy said.

  “So we walked back here and got the truck. Then Clayton brought me out to a place where we could see a lot of really pretty stars. He thought we would see them best if we were lying down. So we did. And it was really warm, so I didn’t need my sweater anymore.”

  Darcy nodded slowly as she took a sip of coffee. She set the mug down and smiled at me. “Was it warm enough for Clayton to not need his shirt, too?”

  “It was,” I said. “And we looked at the pretty stars and it was really, really nice.”

  We were using the same tone we usually used when we were explaining things to Gabby. That, combined with my careful choice of words, meant the story went over my daughter’s head. She was highly invested in soaking up as much butter and syrup as she could on each bite and stuffing the pieces into her mouth. I watched her for a few seconds, then looked over at Darcy.

  She opened her mouth like she was in shock. “I’m glad you had fun,” she said. “But I have to admit I am really surprised.”

  “You are?” I asked. “Why?”

  “I’m just surprised you felt comfortable enough with him to… go stargazing again,” she said.

  “I know,” I said. “Honestly, I’m a little surprised, too. After everything with Matteo, I couldn’t see myself being that comfortable with anybody for a really long time. Especially not somebody I’ve only known for a few weeks. But somehow, I just knew it was right. I know it was really fast, but there’s something so special about him.”

  My best friend smiled widely, obviously happy for me. “Does this mean we may stay here for a long time?”

  I let out a long breath, leaning back in my chair and holding my cup of coffee between both hands as I thought over the question. It wasn’t that I actually had to think about it or that I had any doubt of my answer. I was just contemplating what it meant for me. For all three of us.

  “I want to,” I said. “My family won’t track me down here. And chances are low that Matteo would ever find us in a small town like this. Green Valley isn’t exactly his style. But as strange and unexplainable as it sounds, I think it’s mine. This is the first place I’ve felt truly safe in over three years.”

  “I know,” Darcy agreed. “There’s definitely a different vibe. It’s comfortable and I feel good here.”

  Setting my cup down, I rested my hands on the table and looked directly at her. “We haven’t really talked about how long we were going to stay. Even after we got this place, we never said how long we’d be here. I don’t want this to be like other places I’ve stopped in the last few years. I don’t want it to be just another place I stay in for a few weeks or a couple of months, then disappear. This place is amazing, and I don’t want to throw it away to get back on the road.”

  “Are you saying this is where you want to settle?” Darcy asked. “Like for good?”

  “I think we should make this place our home,” I said. “Really put down some roots and start our life here.”

  Part of me felt guilty making this decision for Darcy, but she didn’t hesitate.

  “I’m all in,” she said.

  “Really?” I asked.

  “Absolutely. I told you I’m going to stand by you and Gabby no matter what. Whatever it takes to make sure you’re safe, that’s what I’m going to do. Besides, this place is adorable. And I’ll point out that I was the one who suggested we stop here in the first place.”

  I laughed and rolled my eyes. “That’s right. Hog all the credit.”

  We laughed for a few seconds. Then I looked into her eyes again. “Thank you. Thank you for everything. There’s no way I could have done any of this without you. If I didn’t have you in my life, I honestly don’t know if I would have survived everything with Matteo and having Gabby on my own. I appreciate you more than I could ever tell you.”

  Darcy concentrated on her waffles for a few seconds, then shook her head hard. “You can’t do that. You can’t make me cry first thing in the morning.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to get you all emotional. Now, let’s eat. I’ve got to get Gabby off to daycare so I can get to work.”

  We ate our waffles, cleaned Gabby up, and got ready for work. Darcy was really enjoying working at a little shop, and from the visit I paid her, the older couple who hired her couldn’t be more delighted. I walked down Main Street that day feeling like I was starting to become a part of Green Valley.

  I couldn’t have been happier.

  Chapter 27

  Clayton

  “You think she’s going to be all right, doc?” I asked.

  The vet nodded as she stepped back from the cow and peeled her gloves off. Dr. Vick had been visiting our ranch since I was a little boy, helping us keep the herd healthy and strong. In those years, she’d gone from a young woman just a few years out of veterinary school hauling her daddy’s old bag, to a woman nearing retirement as she prepared to pass her bag onto her son.

  “She’ll be just fine,” she said. “I’m going to leave you with some antibiotics to take care of the infection. Make sure she gets them at the same time, three times a day. Encourage her to drink as much as she can. Eating isn’t as important, but if she will get something in, go for it. Other than that, pay attention to her symptoms and her behavior. If there are any major changes, give me a call.”

  “Will do,” I said. “Thanks for coming out on such short notice.”

  “Of course. Can’t leave sweet Tulip here feeling bad. She has that new calf to keep her eye on.” She gave the cow a pat on her red and white side. “Don’t worry, mama. You’ll be doing better soon. Until then, I’m sure Clayton here will make sure your baby is just fine.”

  “Want to stay for lunch?” I asked.

  Dr. Vick shook her head. “Thank you for the invitation, but there’s a sow ready to have her first litter across town and the farmer has been fussing over her. I’ve got to swing by and make sure everything’s going well.�
�

  “Another time,” I said. “Good luck with the piglets.”

  The vet gathered her equipment and left. I spent a few more minutes with the sick cow, then headed up to the house for lunch. Usually at this point of the day, my brothers would be crowded in the kitchen for lunch. Cassidy or Boone handled most of the cooking, but recently, Shannon had been bringing by food or sending it with Jesse in the mornings.

  Not that she cooked any of it. The hot plate in the kitchenette of her tiny studio apartment wasn’t exactly equipped to prepare big meals. Even if she had full use of a real kitchen, I doubted she was going to be putting out anything impressive. Shannon was many things, but domestic wasn’t one of them. The best thing that came out of that kitchenette was usually cold beer.

  The food she brought over usually came from her mother, who was one of the best cooks in Green Valley. I figured one of these days, Mrs. Dailey would see fit to start teaching her daughter how to cook. It couldn’t be long before she and Jesse took a stroll down the aisle. Once that happened, they’d be responsible for feeding themselves and Jesse wasn’t much good beyond a few recipes he picked up while he was serving overseas. They were definitely tasty, but a family can only subsist but so long on the same handful of dishes.

  But instead of a bustling kitchen with everybody filling up after a long morning in preparation for a longer afternoon, the house was quiet. I took out my phone and called Cassidy. He and Boone were still out on the ranch dealing with some nasty overflow from where the creek got blocked during a recent rainstorm. Shannon had come out to work on a couple pieces of machinery that weren’t working and Jesse was with her. Sawyer and Wade were working on setting up for the next round of guests who were arriving in a few days. Everybody was on their own for lunch.

  That worked for me. Grabbing my keys, I hopped in my truck and headed to the cafe where Gia was working.

  All in all, things were going very well between Gia and me. We talked several times a day and saw each other just about every night. But there was still something lingering in the back of my mind. A week after our night together, Gia still hadn’t opened up to me about what brought her to Green Valley. I didn’t want to push her, but the curiosity was getting to me. Something got her to leave everything behind and come all the way out here. And she admitted she was running from something.

  I needed to know what it was.

  She was clearing the dishes off a table near the front window when I stepped into the cafe. I smiled as she tucked a tip in the pocket of her apron and brushed her hair back over her forehead with her arm before gathering up the tray. I crossed to her and she turned to me with a smile.

  “Hey there,” she said.

  “Hi,” I said, leaning down for a quick kiss. “Let me help you.”

  I tried to take the tray from her hands, but she resisted.

  “Don’t you dare. This is my job. I can do it.”

  “I know you can do it,” I said. “But I’m standing right here. Seems silly for you to not let me help you.”

  Gia smiled and hoisted the tray up. “You might think so. But not to me.”

  “All right,” I said.

  She dipped her head toward a booth. “Go sit down. I’ll bring you a drink. Are you hungry?”

  “Do you have a lunch break coming up?” I asked.

  “She does now,” Missy, the manager of the cafe and self-assigned matriarch of all who worked there, said. “You take those dishes back to the kitchen, honey. Then sit down.”

  “I’m not due for my break for another hour,” Gia pointed out.

  Missy gestured at her with a spatula soon destined to flip home fries on the massive griddle. This place was sometimes called the cafe, but the truth was it was just a diner with a fancier menu and less grease on the counter. I had a tender spot in my heart for the older diner on the other side of town. That was the kind of grease that had a story to tell.

  “A fine-looking man like that walks in here asking after you? That’s when your break starts. Remember, there are only a few of the Montgomery boys to go around and one of them has already been snatched up.”

  Gia laughed. “Thank you, Missy.”

  She carried the tray into the kitchen, and I sat down at the booth. When she came back a few minutes later, she wasn’t wearing her apron and had two plates piled high with French fries and thick bacon cheeseburgers. She set one in front of me and walked away again, only to come back with glasses of lemonade.

  “This looks good,” I said. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until now.”

  “You came to a cafe because you weren’t hungry?” she teased.

  “I came to a cafe to see the cute waitress. But the burger is a good bonus.”

  Gia grinned and bit down into her burger, groaning as she chewed. “It really is.” We ate for a few seconds before she looked at me and narrowed her eyes slightly. “What’s on your mind?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “You look like you want to say something.”

  I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, but the need to understand her better was getting to me. It was more than curiosity. If I didn’t know what she was going through, it would always be there. I would always wonder.

  “I want to ask you about something,” I said. “But I don’t want you to be upset.”

  She nodded. “Go ahead.”

  “When I was helping you move into your apartment, you fell asleep on the couch. You were having a nightmare and woke up a little bit. You were crying. I asked you if you came to Green Valley because you were running from something and you said that you were. But you didn’t say anything else. I’ve been waiting for you to explain it.”

  She looked at me with hesitation in her eyes. “Why? Does it matter?”

  “Of course, it matters,” I said.

  She set her food down and wiped the tips of her fingers on the napkin in front of her. “Because it might change the way you look at me? You might not want to spend time with me anymore?”

  I shook my head and reached across the table to hold her hand. “No. That’s not it at all. Nothing could change the way I look at you, Gia. I just want to know you better. I can see the pain in your eyes, and I hate it. You shouldn’t carry it by yourself.”

  “I’ve been carrying it for so long,” she said. “That’s why I keep running.”

  I leaned closer. “But that’s why I want to know. If I don’t know what you’re going through, I’m always going to worry you’ll run again. I want to be here for you, to help you.”

  Gia drew in a breath. “I started dating Matteo when I was really young. He was everything my family didn’t want for me. They put a lot of pressure on me my whole life to find a wealthy, respectable man to marry and he was my rebellion. He was also controlling and violent.”

  Hearing that made my heart clench and the muscles in my jaw tighten. I listened silently as Gia poured out the story of her brutal ex and the horrible way her family treated her when they found out she was pregnant. After staying so closed, her openness and vulnerability surprised me.

  When she was finished, I stroked her hand with my thumb and reached across the table to brush a loose piece of hair away from her cheek. “How long has it been since you’ve spoken with your family?”

  “Since Gabby was born,” Gia said.

  The answer made my breath catch in my throat. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. No matter what went on between us, I couldn’t imagine not talking to any one of my brothers for that long.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said. “I wish there was something I could say to make you feel better. I can’t tell you that I know exactly how you feel. But I did lose my mother many years ago and then my father. They’re two of my brothers who don’t stay in touch with us as much as I would want them to. It’s not the same thing, but it’s as close as I can come.”

  “I appreciate you trying,” Gia said, “but you don’t need to. I wouldn’t want you to understand this.”

 
“And I don’t want you to have to go through it alone. You have lost so much in these past few years and suffered a lot of fear. I hate that you are going through it.”

  “I feel so much better now,” she said. “I feel so much safer here.”

  “I really hope you do. I really want you to feel safe here and not just say it.”

  Gia smiled softly. “I’m not just saying it. Coming here is the best thing that’s happened to me since Gabby was born. It’s amazing here. I feel safer and more comfortable. I feel like I’m home for the first time.”

  She reached up and ran her hand along the side of my face. I felt her fingertips touch the scar that stretched along my temple and down to my jaw. She’d never said anything about it before, but now I could see the curiosity.

  “You can ask,” I told her. “It’s all right. It doesn’t bother me.”

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “When I was younger, I was working out on the ranch. Cassidy and I were cutting wood and the chain on the chainsaw I was using snapped. It caught me across the face.”

  “That sounds horrible,” she said. “It must have hurt so much.”

  “Honestly, not as much as I would have thought. It was so sudden and traumatizing, I felt some pain but probably not anywhere near what it should have felt like. That came later. The chain made a ragged mess of my skin. Cassidy had to hold it closed until help got there. He stayed with me the whole time and talked to me so I didn’t pass out. The doctors did their best to stitch me up, but there really wasn’t much they could do.”

  “That must have been so scary,” she whispered.

  “It was,” I said. “But Cassidy held it together for me. Both literally and figuratively. He got me through it. He kept the bleeding down and made me stay awake. I didn’t realize until the ambulance came how bad his hands were shaking. He didn’t let on how upset he was. All he cared about was being my brother.”