Dane met her gaze without moving. “It’s your call, Hayley. We don’t want to cause you trouble with your family or friends.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” she said quietly, the fork set down and momentarily forgotten.
Jack leaned back in the seat, his jacket open and reaching for the glass of ale he’d bought. He took a quiet swallow.
“It isn’t us who will be…criticized, Hayley,” he said when Dane kept silent.
“Because you kiss me?”
Dane laughed at the genuine surprise in her voice.
“Because we both kiss you, Hayley,” Dane said with a laugh, his head shaking before he mentally said, ‘fuck it,’ and bent to kiss her before sinking into his seat. “But we’d never deny our girl…without reason.”
Laughter was soft at the face she made with a wrinkled nose and tip of her tongue out at them.
“It doesn’t bother you what people might think?” Hayley asked after several quiet moments of enjoying the delicious buffet food.
“I guess I want to be naïve and think that my personal life is just that,” Jack said, scowling at the hoot of laughter from Dane. “But I know differently. I also know it won’t be us people target,” he repeated firmly. “It’s you we have to watch out for.”
“I’m not your responsibility,” she replied very softly. “It’s sweet of you…protective…but if I’m going to walk in the world with my decisions, I have to be strong enough to hold my head up and tell anyone who is less than positive that there isn’t room in my life for their manners. I’m not passing judgment upon them, and I expect the same courtesy in return.”
Jack leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “Hayley, we’ve been involved in this…lifestyle choice…a lot longer than you. We’ve learned a few things…”
“Usually the hard way,” Dane injected sourly. “When you make a statement like that, it usually ends up hurting.”
“It would be sad to lose friends or…well, friends…because of something I’ve selected to enjoy in my private life,” she said softly. “But no matter which way I chose, I’m hurt.” She peered deeply into the eyes of the two men with her. “Isn’t that a true statement?”
For a quiet moment, she didn’t expect them to respond. But that would definitely be outside the norm for either man, she thought. The sadness in their eyes made her smile and she placed a hand on each of theirs.
“You don’t have to answer. I can see it and feel it in your eyes. I’m a big girl…I’ll get over it, either way.”
“I’m not sure your family will say the same, Hayley.” Dane flipped his hand and closed it around hers. “But I’m more on the selfish side and not willing to lose you.”
Hayley knew the hand holding the fork shook. Visibly.
She let her gaze wander to the plates of food but barely saw more than color.
“It’s a lot more than play dates, Hayley,” Jack said softly, reaching over and pacing two fingers beneath her chin. “You can feel it, babe. I know you can.”
“That isn’t what was supposed to happen,” she said after a very long pause. She didn’t raise her gaze from the plate and didn’t get to see both the strong men in her life holding their breath.
“Was there a prearranged script to follow?” Dane asked solemnly.
She finally looked up, expecting to see humor on their faces but there was none.
“Would you date one of us and lock the other outside?” Jack’s hands were wrapped tightly around the frosted glass. There were no words, but her head shook very slightly, the word ‘no’ mouthed but it had no power behind it.
“Then eventually we’ll have to sit and have a semi-serious discussion about what life’s laid out in front of us,” Dane released a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“What have you done to her?”
Those words managed to snap Hayley out of the haze that surrounded her. She straightened in the chair, thick lashes blinking rapidly over slightly misty eyes. Her palms flattened on the table. The sigh that sifted through her lips told of her frustration. But she buried it and bounced back with a bright smile.
“Dell…how nice to see you!” She was up and around the table. Her arms rose and she hugged him tightly, relieved when he embraced her. “Be nice. They haven’t done anything to me.”
“I think you were wonderful on the stage, Hayley,” Tasha told her warmly, accepting her hug. “I wish you’d told us you were singing. The girls were bouncing all over their seats,” she said with a laugh. “Eden and you made the ranch very proud. I heard the grandparents were here, too.”
“Gram?” Hayley looked around the large room, searching. Her smile broadened and she reached for Jack’s hand and then Dane’s. “Come on…I want you to meet them.”
“Hayley, that isn’t a smart…” Dell began, his tone low and flat.
“I think it’s a very smart thing,” she interrupted, her chin tipped up. “I’m your grown-up little sister, Dell. I love you…you’ve been the best brother a girl could ever have…but I’m making my choices. And you know what? I’m making them smart because you are my brother.” She held up her hand when he started to speak. “I’m not the naïve little girl I was, Dell.”
Her smile was a little sad when she turned to find Jack and Dane watching her.
“If you don’t mind…I’d like to introduce you to my grandparents.”
Dane pursed his lips. “Are you sure about this, Hayley?”
“I didn’t think much of anything frightened you guys,” she teased lightly, leaning to the side and kissing him before turning to the other side and brushing her lips across Jack’s. “We’re friends out for a fun evening. It doesn’t have to be more than that as far as my family is concerned.”
“Family and Christmas,” Jack murmured, his hand sliding around her neck and holding her firmly in place. “After this, we’re going to Independence.”
“Yes, Sir,” she responded without hesitation.
“And if she didn’t want to?” Dell demanded, his hand out to clasp his sister’s wrist.
“She…has a voice and knows how to use it,” Hayley told him, pulling her wrist free and shaking her head. “I’m not getting through to you.”
Tasha took Dell’s hand, her head shaking slowly. “You don’t have to understand, but you do have to accept, Dell.”
“The hell I do,” he ground between his teeth as they walked away.
“You’re going to lose her,” Tasha whispered.
Hayley felt the tears slip from beneath lashes she’d squeezed tightly closed for a brief moment. She was glad she’d dropped their hands and brought her fingers to her face, swiping at the dampness angrily.
“Hayley…” Jack’s voice ached with the sorrow they could feel from her.
“Gram!” Hayley shook her head and flashed a bright smile. She wasn’t sure where she pulled it from, but she refused to allow it to slip again. Her arms went around her grandmother’s shoulders with a strong hug. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
“You should have told us, missy,” she chastised with a tsk of her tongue. A tone that slipped to a soft chuckle. “You were beautiful, Hayley.”
“She’s our granddaughter,” stated Neal Russell. “Of course she was beautiful. She has your lungs.”
“Oh, gramps…” the cry was soft and barely heard but she almost fell into his arms, her head on his shoulder and her hug tight.
“And don’t you let anyone stop that gorgeous smile I saw when you were singing up there, girl,” he whispered hoarsely. His hands moved to her shoulders with a confident squeeze. “Introduce us to your nervous looking friends.”
“I think our girl has inundated them with her exuberance with Christmas and thrown in a few relatives to sweeten the mix,” Charlotte Russell studied the handsome men standing before them. “Join us, please.”
“Dane Landon,” he said politely, offering his hand to each of them.
“Jack Bennett,” Jack spoke into the openin
g for their introduction.
“My grandmother, Charlotte and grandfather, Neal,” Hayley announced formally, wrinkling her nose at the laughter from the guys.
“My granddaughter has excellent taste,” Charlotte said with an approving nod at first Dane and then Jack. “I could tell from the look in her eyes…”
“I…Gram…”
“Take the boys and get something strong to drink, Neal. I want to have a talk with Hayley,” Charlotte said quietly, her smile soft when she met the gaze of her husband.
Hayley felt their confusion but swallowed and nodded when they seemed to be waiting for her agreement.
“Very considerate, too,” Charlotte stood and held her hand out to Hayley. “Walk with me. We need some privacy.” She gave her hand a firm squeeze. “And you keep your head high and dare anyone to ruin your happiness, child. And that includes your brother. His heart is in the right place, but he needs to open his mind.”
“Gram, you’re confusing me. I know Dell is a little confused, but they’re friends…”
“Sweetheart, I’m not new to the world. The look in their eyes…and the look in your eyes…” Charlotte sighed wistfully. “I know those feelings, Hayley.” She looked around the large room, selecting a corner off from the others and near the large Christmas tree. “Here…sit with me and talk.”
Hayley sat, her hands twisting nervously. “I can tell you about them…if that’s what you need to know.”
“Oh, child,” Charlotte laughed. “As soon as chatter reached your grandfather about your new friends, he knew everything there was to know about them. He’s become quite fast friends with several people at the resort and they are very good with sharing information. Not just about their business life, about their personalities…about how they treat others, workers and friends alike.”
“Gram…” Hayley gaped, her mouth open in surprise. “You investigated my friends?”
“We’ve always worried about you, Hayley. We tried beating it into Marshal’s head that he needed to stop trying to wrap you in cotton,” she tsked and patted Hayley’s hands where they were twisting together. “Relax, child.” She drew in a long breath, her laughter nervous. “I never thought I’d speak of this again…but I think there’s a little history you need to know.”
“History? About you and gramps?”
“Oh, sweetie…” Charlotte leaned forward, taking both Hayley’s hands in her own. “I was so much younger than you when I met Neal and Marshal Russell. They weren’t much older…barely a year or two. Marshal was a year older than Neal…and both had such dreams. This place was wide open and filled with possibilities,” she paused, making certain she had Hayley’s focus. “And I fell in love. My parents weren’t very approving…but we didn’t care…we were isolated out here…who would ever know…” she inhaled very slowly, watching the information sink in.
Hayley stared, waiting. Until she repeated the words in her mind. Her mouth opened and formed an ‘OH’ before she clamped it shut. Her eyes widened and her lips pursed in a confused little frown.
“Gram…are you saying…”
“You’ve seen the old photos in the main building, Hayley. What did you see? Describe them for me,” she urged with a little smile.
“I…you and Gramps and…you were all so young and they were quite handsome…and you looked so very happy…” Hayley thought about the albums of old photos. “And you were always together,” she said very slowly. “The three of you were…”
“I was pregnant before I was married. We’re fairly certain your father is Marshal’s son,” Charlotte said softly. “I wouldn’t marry because I wouldn’t choose. I’d never seen two brother’s so very close and considerate of one another…and of me. If one wasn’t taking care of me, the other was,” she wiped her fingers over her cheek, a tear for the man she’d lost so long ago. “I didn’t know I had a big enough heart to love them both, but I refused to believe it impossible. Refused to give up either one of them. How could I take their happiness away by denying either of them? How could I take away half my heart…”
“Gram…” Hayley slid closer, her arms wrapped around the older woman’s shoulders. She could feel the pain she spoke of; she could imagine it tearing her apart to watch one of them walk away from her. “Oh, Gram…”
Chapter Twenty-Six
She was never so grateful for waterproof mascara before. They held one another, their tears falling silently for a long moment. Hayley lifted her head to find a clean white hanky dangled before her face. Another dangled before her grandmother’s forehead.
“I had a feeling you’d need me,” Neal Russell said firmly, sitting at his wife’s side and taking her against him.
Hayley felt herself handed off and took the hanky, dabbing and sniffling. She recognized the scent; Dane’s cologne slightly different than Jack’s. She smiled.
“I thought after all this time…” Charlotte sniffed into the hanky. “I thought I’d be able to talk about him…”
“You loved him, Lottie…he’s always been with us,” Neal kissed her forehead. “Every time I look at Marshal, I see my brother all over again…and I’m quite proud of him and of his children. He managed to see his son Marshall Neal and spend time with him. That was our last trip to Alaska. Bringing back the bad news of his loss…that was the hardest thing I’d ever done in our life. You were so broken…so sad for such a long time…I worried for you and our babe…”
“She’s much stronger than you imagined,” Jack remarked softly, his hand stroking gently over Hayley’s head. “I can understand that completely.”
“Our girl is much stronger than some will give her credit for,” Dane agreed with a nod. “I’m sorry you had to relive this, Mrs. Russell.”
“No, young man, I’m not reliving it at all. I’m grateful for the memories I have and glad I could finally speak of it without fear someone wouldn’t understand,” Charlotte lifted her head with a watery smile. “We argued. I’m sure, just as you’ll argue. But when we made up…”
“Gram!” Hayley’s hand went to cover her mouth.
“And she still blushes...so much like you, Lottie,” Neal commented with a chuckle. “When we first met her…I was positive we’d battle it out and I’d lose my brother…or I’d lose my heart…but she wouldn’t let that happen. She argued like a lawyer with a life on the line,” he recalled with a shake of his head. “Then she introduced us to others in relationships that were far from conventional. There was an incredible shortage of women in the territory. It was still pretty raw and men who traveled to create their fortunes, didn’t bring along a young bride.”
“Does dad know?”
“Your father knows,” Charlotte answered. “He’s known since he had his appendix scare when he was much younger. His only comment…” she shook her head at the memory. “Dad never treated me any differently than the others. Well, of course not! You’re our son. Period. And you always will be our son. Silly thoughts…I have photos…not ones I wanted shared with the history. These are private. But I showed your father…Marsh had a year with him…”
“It would have been different if Marshal had lived,” Neal said quietly. “They’d have all grown up with two fathers and never given it a second thought.”
“You miss him,” Jack said softly, letting Hayley lean away. She straightened her shoulders and inhaled very slowly, very deeply.
“Even after all this time…” Neal sighed. “Yes. Our parents died when I was seventeen…he was eighteen. We thought we were so smart and planned and struck out for the west to make our claim on some of the land. Then we met up with this scrawny girl with more spunk than…” he stopped and looked at the younger trio. “Just like you,” he concluded with a smile at Hayley. “Enough gumption to stand up to your father when you announced you were going to be a vet at the age of nine. Enough to push your way into the vet office with your uncle James at the age of eight. And more than enough to knock your brother’s nose back into place about your life and your choices.
”
“Thank you,” Hayley hugged her grandmother. “I don’t know how to explain it to him. We’re honestly friends…”
“I’m not a fool, child, and neither are you,” Charlotte told her. “Maybe you haven’t faced it yet, but I can see it. In all of you. How you deal with it…well, that’s your business. But don’t think for a minute that it’ll be easy. No matter what path you take…I’ll be here for you. Remember that. Heaven knows I love your brother, but he has his own family to worry about now. Tell him to let you worry about yours,” she said with a wink.
“Give the boy time. He’ll come around,” Neal promised with a laugh. “It isn’t something some can grasp as easily as others. I remember talks with Marsh…we both thought we’d lose our minds…that it was an insane thing to consider. But we weren’t cowards.”
“I never set out to…” Hayley stopped, still uncertain about the feelings inside her.
“No, Hayley, it isn’t something we expect to find, but it is a wonderful thing. You and I…we’ll talk more when we’re alone,” she promised with a wink. Charlotte gripped her granddaughter’s hand tightly. “Your young men are silent. Come back and share the table with us. I think we should get to know one another.”
“I think we’d enjoy that a great deal, Mrs. Russell,” Dane held his hand out, his fingers closing around Hayley’s when she responded without hesitation. “I’ll take her to the restroom first, though, and meet you three at the table.”
His free hand went around her waist as they walked from the banquet hall, down the wide corridor.
“We didn’t expect to find a partner when we met Hayley,” Jack said quietly as they walked among people and tables. “We’ve been friends and business partners for so long, though…”
“Just like me and Marshal,” Neal remarked, holding the chair for Charlotte and leaning to kiss her. “I know that wasn’t easy for you, love. But I think it was very well done.”
“She’s our girl,” Charlotte said simply. “She deserves to know she’s not…not an aberration simply because she cares for more than one person.”
Independence: #4 Hayley Page 20