Her expression faltered. “Don’t put me on a pedestal, Buck. That’s a long way to fall.”
“Sorry.” He slid into the sleeping bag and turned to face her, his head resting on his hand.
“We need to go slow. For our sakes and the girls.” Haley’s face cracked into a smile. “Which is why we’re here sharing a small two-man tent.”
“It was your idea.” He shrugged and added wryly, “If we’re going to be open and honest and not put people on pedestals.”
She laughed and held up her hands. “I take full responsibility for us being here. But if this tent falls down on our heads, that’s all on you.”
“Agreed.” He laughed. “It feels good.”
“To be here with me?” She reached out and touched his arm, unsure of herself, and his heart ached to hold her and tell her how much she meant to him.
“To be here with you.” He placed his hand over hers. “And to laugh. Today has been the most fun I’ve had in as long as I can remember. Kids keep you young.”
“They also give you gray hairs and wrinkles.” Her face was serious as she looked at him. “But they do remind you what life is for. Loving and living.”
He leaned forward on an impulse and pressed his lips to hers. Haley slid her hand around his neck, her fingers stroking his skin, as their kiss deepened. Every part of him wanted every part of her. She sighed and pressed her body closer to his.
Buck wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, holding her against his body, her softness nestled against his hardness. The scent of her teased him, her warmth excited him. Slipping his free hand inside her sleeping bag, he cupped her breast in his hand, his thumb brushing against her nipple.
Haley whimpered, her fingertips pressed into his skin as if urging him on. He didn’t need any encouragement, he just needed her.
Then, in that moment of bliss, a sinister laugh filled the tent.
Chapter Nine – Haley
“Sorry. So sorry.” Haley scrabbled around looking for her phone. “Marie must have changed my ringtone.” Her hand closed around her cell phone and she pressed the green answer button, cutting the ghoulish laughter off. It was instead replaced by the sound of Buck laughing.
Thank goodness he had a sense of humor.
“Sorch?” Haley asked, her forehead creasing in a frown.
“Hi, Haley.” Sorcha’s hushed voice sounded strained.
“Is everything okay?” Haley sat up, pulling her knees up to her chin. Had Sorcha and Karl broken up? She glanced up at Buck and hoped he’d understand if she had to leave to go and comfort her friend.
“He said yes.” She sounded breathless, as if she’d been running.
“Yes to a baby?” Haley’s voice rose in excitement.
“He insisted we start trying right away.” That explained Sorcha’s breathlessness. “He also proposed.”
“Wow, Sorch, wow. I’m so happy for you.” Tears welled in her eyes as Sorcha’s news sunk in.
“I’m scared,” Sorcha admitted. “This is like grown-up stuff.”
“It is, and it’s wonderful and incredible and you and Karl will be so happy.” Haley wiped her tears away.
“He said the only reason he broke up with me before was because he thought I wasn’t able to commit.” Sorcha hiccupped. “Thank you for making me see sense.”
“This is all you. You found the courage to talk to Karl.” Haley’s cheeks were wet with tears and she blotted them dry on the sleeping bag.
“If you and Tiana hadn’t told me to ask him, I might have lost him.” Sorcha sobbed. “I was so stupid not to tell him how I felt before.”
“But you’ve done it now. And now is all that matters.” Haley glanced up at Buck who was watching her, his face contorted in pain as he watched her cry. Instinctively, she reached out her hand and he took it in his. He gave her strength, each touch, each moment they were together confirming the bond between them.
As Sorcha talked on, and Buck held her hand, Haley decided it was time to let down her own barriers, to let him in and follow wherever the road took them.
“Does T know?” Haley asked.
“No. She looked so tired this evening. I didn’t want to disturb her sleep. Will you tell her in the morning?” Sorcha asked.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell her yourself?” Haley replied.
“I might not be up until later and I don’t want you to have to keep anything from her. I love you guys.” Sorcha’s voice cracked with emotion.
“We love you, too,” Haley answered.
“Oh, Karl’s coming back, he went out and bought a bottle of champagne.” She giggled. “I’m so lucky.”
“You are.” The call ended, and Haley put her phone down by the side of her sleeping bag. Then she pulled Buck closer. “Where were we?”
“Is everything okay?” Buck asked as he lay down beside her. He wasn’t in his sleeping bag and by the light of the lantern she could see his muscles as they rippled with each movement of his body.
“It is. Sorch, she works at the restaurant with me and T. She just got engaged and decided to have a baby.” Haley wiped her face, aware she would look red and blotchy even in the dim light of the lantern. “It’s been quite a day for all of us, hasn’t it?”
“It has.” Buck put his arm around her and held her close. “I could propose. If you want me to.”
She gave a short laugh. “I think our relationship should be older than twenty-four hours before we get engaged.”
He turned his wrist and pretended to look at his watch. “I can wait another few hours.”
Haley slid toward him and cupped his face in her hands. “Will we always be this happy?”
“I hope so.” He gazed into her eyes. “But that I can’t promise.” He took hold of her hand and kissed it. “But I do promise to be everything I can to you and your children.”
“Alicia and Marie.” Haley watched as he nodded. “And children of our own?”
He took a sharp breath. “If that’s what you want.”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “But you do.”
“I can’t lie. I’ve always wanted children of my own, but as I’ve grown older and never found my mate, I realized it might not happen. I have come to terms with it.” He kissed her hand once more, as if to emphasize his next words. “I’m just happy to have found you. And I’m more than happy that you have two wonderful children whose lives I want to be a part of.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She loved her kids so much, was it fair to deprive Buck of children of his own? Of their own?
“I need time.” She caressed his cheek and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. Tired of talking, she lay down, pulling him down to lie beside her. “I’m scared I’m going to wake up in the morning to find this was all a dream and my ceiling is still in need of repair.”
“Me, too. On the dream part at least. As for the ceiling, I’ll fix that for you. But I hope when we do get married, you’ll move in with me.”
“Leave Bear Creek?” Haley couldn’t do that to the girls, all their friends were here, all her friends were here. Their lives were here, and she didn’t want them torn apart again.
“No, I thought I’d buy a plot of land and build a house here. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.” He stroked her shoulder as they lay looking up at the tent covering them. “I’ve spent my life building homes for other people, I’d like to build one for us. For our family, whatever that means.”
Haley shifted her weight and leaned on one elbow. “Can I help?”
He turned his head and looked at her. “Sure. We can look for a piece of land together and draw up the plans. I’ll even teach you how to build a wall if you want.”
Haley rested her head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, her eyes heavy as she thought of their future together. “I’d like that.”
Buck’s voice drifted off as she gave in to sleep and slipped into a dream filled with children and houses
and smiling faces all happy, all perfect. Was it possible she could finally have her own happy ever after with a good man who loved her?
***
“Mom.” A voice from outside the tent roused her from sleep and she took a moment to figure out where she was.
“Yes.” She cracked her eyes open. It wasn’t the middle of the night, she’d slept well and now it was morning. And Buck was gone.
She slid a hand across to where he’d lain next to her all night. At least she assumed he’d been there all night. Her heart faltered, remembering her thoughts of him not being real.
“Buck has cooked breakfast and there’s hot coffee.” Alicia’s words coaxed her out of her sleeping bag despite the chilly morning air.
“That sounds wonderful. I’ll be out in two minutes.” Haley pulled her clothes on and stuck her feet in her boots, then she scrambled out of the tent, just about maintaining her dignity as her aching bones got moving. The foam mattress was not her idea of a comfortable bed, although Marie, Alicia and Rhett seemed to have suffered no ill effects.
They were sitting around the campfire that had been resurrected on last nights’ ashes, talking and laughing as the early morning sun tried to cast its warmth over the mountain.
“Coffee.” Buck pointed to a steaming mug of coffee.
“Wonderful.” She sat down close to Buck and surveyed her children. “Did you sleep?”
“We did. Even if Rhett did try to scare us with his maniacal laughter.” Alicia looked accusingly at Rhett.
“It wasn’t me,” he said, defending himself, while next to him Marie stifled a giggle as she took her phone out of her pocket and tapped her screen.
Over in the tent Haley had shared with Buck, the sound of sinister laughing floated eerily across to them. “Is that the laughing you heard?” Haley asked.
“Yes.” Alicia glared accusingly at Marie. “You knew what it was all along.”
“I did. I set Mom’s ringtone and was going to call it and frighten you when we were trying to get to sleep. But then it went off while Rhett was telling his story. It was perfect. You should have seen your face.” Marie collapsed in laughter, but Alicia didn’t look so amused.
“That is so childish,” Alicia accused. “And you let Rhett take the blame.”
“Sorry, Rhett,” Marie apologized but didn’t sound convincing.
Rhett, however, saw the funny side. “It’s okay. It did add to the atmosphere.”
“Who called you at that time of night?” Alicia asked, trying to move past the subject and sound grownup.
“Sorch called.” Haley sipped her coffee, glad of the warmth of the mug in her hands and the buzz of caffeine in her head.
“Was she okay?” Tiana asked, coming out of the house dressed in a pink fluffy robe and hiking boots.
“Nice look,” Haley complimented her friend as Mason followed with two cups of coffee in his hands. “Doesn’t he trust you to carry your own?”
Tiana glanced lovingly at her husband. “No, bless him.” She put her hand down behind her back and lowered herself down onto a log. “You didn’t tell me why Sorcha called.”
“She called to tell me she had just finished trying to make a baby.” Haley laughed as Marie made a gagging sound. “It’s a fact of life. It’s how babies get made.”
“I know, but I don’t need to hear about it before breakfast.” Marie shook her head disapprovingly.
“So Karl agreed to try for a baby.” Tiana ignored Marie’s eye roll.
“Yes, and he proposed.”
Tiana squealed and nearly spilled the coffee Mason had just handed to her. “He proposed. I never thought he was the marrying kind.”
“It seems he didn’t think Sorch was the marrying kind, which is why he’s been flip-flopping on their relationship.” Haley grinned. “Let’s hope she doesn’t rush to get married.”
“Yes, if I’m going to be a bridesmaid, I do not want to look like a beached whale.” Tiana smoothed her hand over her stomach and whispered, “No offense.”
“You look wonderful,” Mason told her.
“You’re biased.” But she looked happy at his words. “I can’t believe we’re all going to be old, married women together.”
“Are you getting married, Mom?” Alicia asked quickly.
“No.” Haley frowned. “Not yet. We haven’t…”
Alicia laughed. “Your face. I think it would be great if you and Buck got married.”
“True mates,” Marie said, looking dreamy and clasping her hands together under her chin.
“Breakfast is ready,” Buck announced. He’d been quiet throughout the whole conversation and Haley was worried he felt left out. But he looked happy as everyone crowded around and helped themselves to bacon and eggs. Haley waited until the others had sat back down before she spoke to him.
“This is great.” Haley placed her hand on his upper arm and he straightened up and smiled at her before leaning forward and kissing her cheek.
“I haven’t said good morning yet.” He leaned down and picked up a plate off the makeshift table that was nothing more than a plank of wood resting on two large stones.
“Good morning.” She accepted the plate of food he dished up for her. “Shall we sit together?”
Buck nodded, quickly forking food onto his plate. They sat side by side on one of the large logs that had been dragged close to the campfire and ate in silence for a couple of minutes. Around them, there were contented sounds as everyone enjoyed their food.
“What are your plans for the day?” Haley had a list of things she had to get done today, and none of them included spending time with Buck. However, she didn’t want to just run out on him.
“Mason and I have a meeting with the architect at the warehouses we’re converting. Then we have to meet a supplier. I wanted to check in at your house sometime today to check the measurements and to make sure the ceiling will be dry enough for us to work on tomorrow.”
“It sounds as if you have a full day ahead of you.” Haley finished her breakfast, her stomach wanted more but she didn’t need the extra pounds on her hips. Not if she wanted to look good for her new man when he saw her naked.
Who was she kidding? At her age, and after two kids and a stressful divorce, it was a good thing the mating bond was so strong, and Buck wasn’t going to be put off by a little cellulite and breasts that hadn’t been pert since she breastfed Alicia.
“I’m leaving the kids here with Rhett and Tiana while I go home to clean the house and get the laundry out of the way. Text me when you are ready to come over and I’ll be waiting.”
She went back to eating her breakfast. Perhaps when he came to the house they could spend some time getting to know each other with no one else around. As she drank her morning coffee, she found she liked that idea. A lot.
Chapter Ten – Buck
What did Haley mean by I’ll be waiting? Was he reading too much into it?
He’d soon find out because he was parked outside her house, about to walk up to the front door.
He looked at the house nervously, and then got out of the truck and shut the door. This was ridiculous, he needed to get in there and be himself. Haley knew the score, she understood that this was different from any other relationship either of them had ever experienced.
Buck straightened up, locked the truck and walked toward the house.
Raising his hand, he knocked on the door. Haley answered almost immediately. “Hi.”
“Come in.” Haley’s face, flushed with excitement, had a big smile plastered all over it. He was immediately set at ease.
“Thanks.” He stepped inside, and she closed the door carefully behind him.
“Coffee?” She looked nervous. Buck hoped it was for a good reason, that she was filled with the same nervous energy as he was. The kind that made his stomach do somersaults.
“Yes, please.” He followed her through to the kitchen. “You’ve had a good clean in here.”
Haley looked over her sh
oulder. “I know it’s all going to get dirty again tomorrow, but I couldn’t bear to look at it.” She poured the coffee and handed him a cup. “How was your morning?”
“Not as productive as yours,” he replied, walking over to the hole in the ceiling and looking up. “I prefer the hands-on stuff, not the talking-about-it stuff.” He turned and watched her as she drank her coffee, her eyes flicking up to his face before looking at anything else in the room.
“I’m always nervous my ex is going to show up unannounced and say I’m an unfit mother,” Haley admitted. “So I clean like a mad woman every week.”
Buck’s breath caught in his chest and he forced the air into his lungs. “Do you still have contact with him?”
“Not for a couple of months. He raises his head every so often, tries to charm the girls into thinking he’s changed. Then disappears on them for weeks with no contact, which only solidifies their low opinion of him.” She pressed her lips together, her face a mixture of emotions. “I want them to have a relationship with him. But I can’t forgive what he did. What he made them witness.”
“And you shouldn’t have to. Not until he accepts what he did as wrong and tries to make amends.” Buck tried not to let his personal feelings cloud his words. “He has to earn his right to a place in your family.”
“I know.” She shook her head, as if shaking of her memories of Harrison.
“I do have some news,” Buck said, changing the subject. “I spoke to the architect this morning and he said he knows of a piece of land that might come up for sale soon. He gave me a rough map and I wondered if you wanted to come and take a look with me if I get a call confirming it’s for sale.”
“Really?” Her eyes lit up. “I’d like that a lot. I want to start looking forward, it seems as if I spent so long looking back, and now I’ve got myself stuck in a rut. This house, my life, it’s safe.”
“And I present a risk?” Buck asked.
“I’m not sure I’d call you a risk. You seem to be a sure thing.” She smiled as he raised his eyebrows at her.
“Does that mean you intend to take me for granted?” Buck asked.
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