by Liz Isaacson
Trepidation pulled through Jace. “You’re the second person to say that this week. We get along fine.” But maybe they didn’t. “She just…riles me up.”
“And you like that.” Tom wasn’t asking, but he watched Jace closely, which made Jace pause to find the right answer.
“It was always just playful banter. We have a lot in common, actually. She’s easy to talk to, and she makes me feel….” He cleared his throat, because he’d never told Tom how he felt after Wendy left. He suspected his brother knew—he’d suggested the equine therapy, after all—but Jace had never said it. “She makes me feel like I have something worth livin’ for.”
“Jace.” The fear and disappointment on Tom’s face didn’t settle Jace’s nerves.
“It’s just that, you know, after Wendy left, I wondered if my life had a purpose. So I could run Horseshoe Home for thirty years by myself, break my hip, and move into a newer, nicer version of a bachelor pad across the canyon?” Jace ducked his head and studied his hands. “I don’t want that life. I mean, I love the ranch. Love Montana. Don’t feel the itch to move or anything. But I…I don’t want to live Dad’s life. He’s lonely, Tom, and I don’t want to be alone forever.”
Jace’s voice stuck in his throat, so he stopped talking. He’d never expressed his loneliness so fully before. He wasn’t even sure he’d felt it so keenly before now.
“I understand,” Tom said.
“Thanks.” Jace looked up and gave his brother a grateful smile. “And there’s a lot of things I don’t know about Belle.” Like where she was going to live once her parents returned. He hoped she’d stay in Gold Valley, but they still needed to discuss that particular point. “This is a brand new thing.”
“What’s brand new?” Rose appeared with a plate of warm cookies. Tom took one and indicated that Jace should tell her if he wanted.
He took a cookie and said, “Thanks, Rose. I just started dating Belle Edmunds.”
Rose gasped and set the plate of cookies on the table. “That’s so great, Jace. Congratulations.”
“They’re not engaged,” Tom muttered. “Don’t make a big deal out of this.”
Jace could tell Rose wanted to make a big deal out of it, and he realized how secluded, how moody, how detached he’d become. “Thanks, Rose,” he said again. “It is kind of a big deal, isn’t it?”
She patted his hand and squeezed his fingers. “I’m so happy for you. I know what it’s like to try to move on after a disastrous relationship.” She glanced at Tom, who stared at her with a blank expression. “Some people don’t get it, because they haven’t been there. If you need someone to talk to, I’m right here.” She stood and sniffed, and Jace once again had a flash of realization that the people surrounding him cared about him, loved him, and wanted him to be happy.
“You take the time you need, too,” she said. “Okay? Promise me you’ll take the time you need to get to the right place.”
Jace volleyed his gaze from Tom to Rose and back. His brother had moved up here alone, worked and lived here by himself before Rose showed up. She’d been figuring things out, learning how to get to the right place.
“I will,” he promised her—and himself.
11
Belle didn’t join Carlos and his crew as they moved onto painting the cowboy cabins. Number one, she didn’t want to get too up-close and personal with Jace’s belongings. Their relationship was too new for that, and she thought he’d appreciate being able to keep his own space for now. Number two, she had a lot of work to get done for the Rimrod Lodge, as well as a meeting with the director of Flathead Lake.
She called Ashley one morning in late February, hoping her friend would be awake. “How do you feel about a day-trip to Flathead Lake?” she asked when Ashley answered. “You and Jackson.”
“Flathead Lake?”
“I have a meeting out there with their director for a project, and I don’t want to make the drive alone. You guys could go ice fishing, or skating, or I looked up their junior ranger program, and it’s mostly indoors this time of year. We could get lunch, or—”
“You had me at ice skating.” Ashley laughed. “What time do we need to be ready?”
“About nine,” Belle said, a smile skimming her lips. “Thanks, Ash. I’m buying today, too. I hear there’s a great café out on Wild Horse Island. We’d have to take a boat, but the website says it’s heated. My meeting’s at one-thirty. Then we’ll come home.”
“We’ll be ready,” Ashley said, and Belle hung up. Overjoyed she didn’t have to make the long drive alone, she also wanted to talk about Jace and work through some of her confusing feelings. Over the past couple of weeks, if she was out working at the ranch, he invited her to stay for dinner. The man could cook, too, and every time she thought about why he knew his way around the kitchen, sadness permeated her thoughts.
Then she’d spiral down a dark hole that ended with his fiancé standing him up on their wedding day. She couldn’t abandon him the same way. She didn’t want to be that woman, so she’d backed way off. They hadn’t cuddled on the couch again, and he hadn’t once tried to kiss her good-bye. She had a feeling he was also testing the waters before diving in too deep. He didn’t want to get hurt again. She certainly didn’t want to be the one to hurt him.
And so they’d come to a bit of a crossroads, neither one willing to take the next step. She dreamed, fantasized, and thought constantly about kissing him before leaving the ranch, but wanted to give him the time he needed to get there by himself.
She packed up her proposal and portfolio, though Vic should already have a copy of both. She phoned into the office to tell Calvin she’d be going to Flathead Lake that day. With nothing left to do, she typed out a quick text to Jace. Going to see about a new account today. Wish me luck!
Belle stared at the message, trying to decide if she could add more to it. Maybe an emoji heart or something. In the end, she pressed send and stuffed her phone in her purse. If Jace was out on the ranch, he wouldn’t answer right away. With it being the beginning of the week, she suspected it would be lunchtime before he looked at his phone. He seemed to do paperwork and office things on Thursdays and Fridays.
Warmed by the realization that she knew his schedule, Belle set out to pick up her friend. Only a few miles into the drive, Ashley had Jackson set up with a tablet, a movie, and a pair of headphones.
“So, tell me about your cowboy boyfriend.” She practically glowed with repressed glee. “He is your boyfriend now, right?”
Belle couldn’t help the grin that sprang to her face. “Right.”
Ashley squealed. “I love being right.”
“Well, we decided after our first conversation. So I didn’t lie to you last time.” She glanced at Ashley and back to the lonely two-lane highway.
“Oh, I know. I’ve never dated a cowboy. Is he—? Tell me everything.”
“Isn’t every man here a cowboy?”
Ashley laughed. “It seems that way, but no. Carter works in construction. He’s terribly handy, which I enjoy. He built our house from the ground up.”
“Wow.” Belle did enjoy a man who was good with his hands, and she’d seen Jace’s painting and mechanic skills. Her skin prickled with the thought of his hands touching her. She sighed. “It’s going slow, which is fine. I’m just…I need some advice.”
Ashley crossed her legs. “Well, you’ve come to the right person. What’s going on?”
“You know his fiancé left him at the altar, right?”
“Yes. So sad.” Ashley shook her head. “He hasn’t dated since.”
“I understand why.”
“So does he not act interested?”
“He does—to an extent. He’s pushy and stubborn at the same time. He wants me to admit how I feel, but we haven’t kissed or anything.”
Ashley sighed. “Oh, that’s a shame. I imagine a man like Jace being quite the kisser.”
“Ashley!” Belle laughed, but it sounded awkward and forced.
“Of course. But I think he’s trying to figure out if I’m worth his time.” As she spoke, she realized the truth of her words. “In fact, that’s exactly what he’s doing: judging me worthy enough to get involved with. If I fail, he’ll break things off. He doesn’t want to get abandoned again.” She took a deep breath and pressed harder on the accelerator. “And I don’t blame him. I don’t. I just…do you think I can speed him up a little?”
Ashley remained quiet for a few minutes, and when she spoke, her voice carried an edge of gravity. “Here’s the thing, Belle. This only ends one of two ways for a man in Jace’s position. With a wedding—and one that doesn’t have a year-long engagement, by the way—or a break-up in the next few weeks. I don’t see him going all the way just to get hurt again.”
“I know. You’re right.”
“So you have to know that, and then decide: Is that how this ends for you too? Are you ready to get married in the next, say, six months? Married, Belle. Not engaged.”
Belle’s stomach seemed to want to abandon her body. It twisted and turned. “I don’t even live here. Not really. When my parents come back—I mean, I’m almost thirty years old. I’m not going to live with them.”
“And a man as smart as Jace knows that. So every day you continue to live in your parent’s house is a day he can’t take a chance with you.” Ashley reached over and patted her leg. “You have money, right? Can you get a place of your own? Oooh, I know! Carter’s working on a new development on the northern edge of town. Right after the falls. You been up there?”
Belle shook her head, unsure if she actually wanted to buy something. If this relationship only ended in marriage for Jace, wouldn’t she live with him on the ranch? Her mind spun, and she tightened her grip on the steering wheel so she didn’t lose control. She couldn’t believe she was considering marriage. Marriage to a man she hadn’t even kissed yet.
She and Beau had dated for two years, and the M-word had never even surfaced. But deep down, Belle knew Ashley was right. Jace wouldn’t wait. If he discovered he loved her, he’d want to get married straightaway. The man made decisions and acted on them—a quality she admired.
“I think I’d rather rent,” she said.
“One of my friends is a real estate agent. I’ll give you her number.” Ashley began scrolling on her phone. “I’m so excited for you, Belle. Jace is a great man. Strong and stable and sensitive.”
Belle tuned her out as she focused on the twisty road. Jace was a great man. He was strong, and stable, and sensitive. A surge of uneasiness swept over her. “What if I do all this—get somewhere to live, and kiss him, and he doesn’t think I’m worth his time?”
“Well, that would be impossible. Have you seen yourself? You’re gorgeous. You’re successful. You’re kind. Why wouldn’t he want to be with you?”
Belle’s lips pressed together as she thought about how unsuccessful she was, even if it appeared to be the opposite to someone on the outside. “He rubs me the wrong way sometimes.”
Ashley laughed—a full-on belly laugh. “Oh, honey, Carter rubs me the wrong way sometimes too. Every time he turns the TV on right when its time to go to bed.” She made a face. “You work through those things when you love someone.”
“I’m not in love with him,” Belle murmured.
“Not yet,” Ashley said. “Give it some time. And I texted you Paulie’s number. She’ll find you somewhere to live lickety split.”
Relief coated Belle’s words when she said, “Thanks, Ash. You’re the best.”
It was the first day of spring—and the temperatures were actually melting some of the winter snow—when Jace jerked in surprise at the message on his phone.
From Belle: I need your help to move into my new place this weekend. You free?
He pressed call and waited impatiently while the line rang. When she answered, he said, “You’re moving?”
“That’s right. I got a house in town.”
“Your own house?”
“I’m renting for now,” she said, her voice somewhat aloof, though that could’ve been his imagination. He’d been circling the idea of kissing her, of taking their relationship to the next level, but he hadn’t been able to do it. They’d spent a lot of time together over the past six weeks; he knew most of her dislikes, had asked about her beliefs, gotten answers for almost everything he needed to know. But he’d never asked her what her plans were once her parents returned.
Now he didn’t need to.
Or maybe he did. “You’re planning to stay in Gold Valley for a while?”
“Why do you sound so surprised?” She giggled. “I have a job here, Jace. I have four clients now, and I’m busy. I like it here, well, I will once all this snow melts. And I happen to have a very handsome boyfriend I want to keep.”
“When can I see you?” he asked, his grip tightening on his phone. She’d made herself a permanent fixture in Gold Valley. It had been the last thing Jace needed before he advanced things with her. He’d kept his promise to himself—and to Rose—by going slow, taking the time he needed to work through his frustrations and feelings. He still hadn’t forgiven Wendy, but he reasoned that she had nothing to do with Belle.
He realized she was still talking, and he focused on the sexy sound of her voice. “…so maybe Thursday? Does that work?”
“That’s days away,” he complained.
She laughed. “Call me later, cowboy. We can talk while I sort through paint chips.”
“Or I can come help you,” he suggested.
“Oh, I don’t think that would be wise. I wouldn’t actually get any work done with you here.”
“Sure you would.” Confusion raced through him. “I’ve been over and let you work before. I even fell asleep that one time, remember?”
“I don’t think you have sleeping on your mind right now.” Her playful tone indicated that she knew he’d been holding back—and that she knew why. Joy lifted his spirits. She knew him, and she knew what he needed, and she’d done what he’d needed so she could be with him.
“Fine,” he sighed. “Thursday.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you here for dinner.”
“You cookin’?”
“I’ll order your favorite.” She hung up before he could question her. And she was right. He wouldn’t be able to wait for dinner before thoroughly kissing her. He wanted to abandon his chores on the ranch and go right now. But with spring right around the corner, he had fields to prepare for planting and paddocks to repair so they could move the herd off of hay and into the pastures. Not to mention that branding season was only two months off and none of their equipment was anywhere near ready.
The good news was that the renovation on the ranch was nearing completion. The lodge had gotten a facelift with the gray paint and dark carpet. The bookshelves, tables, and chairs had all been painted eggshell, and everything looked shiny and new. Even Jace enjoyed his new office, with its black and white chevron curtains. He hadn’t known what a chevron was, but as he faced the design, he smiled. Belle left her mark everywhere, and he liked her presence at the ranch even when she wasn’t there.
He fantasized about kissing her and didn’t notice when Rob knocked or came in. “Jace, we need you in our meeting.”
Jace yanked himself out of his daydreams. “Sure thing, boss.” He followed Rob down the hall to his office, his mind like a sieve. He needed to figure out how to focus, but all he could hear was “I got a house in town.”
Thursday night seemed to take forever to come. At the same time, the hours at the ranch passed in a rush. With so much keeping him busy, Jace could only spare a few minutes each night before he fell asleep to think about Belle.
He arrived at Belle’s at the same time a spring storm decided to drop buckets of water. He raced through the rain to her front porch and found her waving him inside.
“Hey.” He took off his dripping wet hat and shook
the water from it.
“Wow.”
He glanced up at the awe in her voice. She floated toward him, her hands reaching up to stroke through his hair. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the magical touch of this woman.
“I’ve never seen your hair,” she whispered. Already on her tiptoes, she pressed against him. “It’s so good to see you.” She fiddled with his hair on the nape of his neck, and Jace put his hands on the small of her back to hold her close.
“I thought Thursday would never come.” He brushed his lips against her forehead, down one cheek. She tilted her head to lean into his touch. “Belle, I’m dyin’ to kiss you.” His voice sounded strangled and husky.
Hers sounded flirty and in complete control when she said, “What are you waitin’ for, then?”
He dropped his gaze to her mouth; he didn’t wait another moment. He touched his lips to hers, expecting an explosion—and getting one. She was a firecracker and Jace wanted to experience every pop, spark, and snap.
She tasted like chocolate and mint, and she kissed him back with the same passion running through his veins. He’d never been kissed like that, and he drew her closer and deepened their connection.
12
Kissing Jace could only be described as life-changing. Everything Belle had dreamt about came true—right down to the heat coiling through her and the intense pressure of his hands on her back.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispered against her lips. He kissed her again, and Belle let herself fall, fall, fall. She adored him, and she wanted him to know it. She tried to pour everything she felt into her kiss, and by the time they parted, her lips felt bruised and swollen. He leaned his forehead against hers, his breathing ragged and quick.
A moment later, a deep chuckle emanated from his chest. “Don’t know why I waited so long to do that.”
“You ‘bout killed me too,” she said.
“Thank you.” He touched his lips to hers for a quick, chaste kiss. “Thank you for giving me time.”