Small-Town Girl (Mills & Boon Vintage Superromance) (Mills & Boon Superromance)

by Carmichael, C. J.

  Later, in the dark, he’d brought out an old quilt and spread it along the portion of the deck screened by lattice and honeysuckle.

  “Russell…?” He’d loved the way she’d said his name, softening and smoothing the two syllables with her English accent. Her speaking voice was the first thing he’d fallen in love with.

  “Come here.” He’d kissed her and slowly seduced her out of all her clothing.

  “What if…”

  He’d silenced her nervousness with another kiss. “No one can see us.”

  In the moonlight, Julie’s skin had glowed. She had the proverbial peaches-and-cream English complexion. Hair color that she termed “dirty blond” and he considered “honey.” Long limbs and a slender waist—

  Russell forced himself to stop remembering and stifled a groan. Why torture himself with old memories, when the flesh-and-blood woman lay at his side?

  Shifting to his left, he tried to gauge whether Julie slept. Her back to him, she remained perfectly still, her breathing too quiet for him to hear. He watched for several minutes, hoping she would roll over, throw out an arm, give him some opening that would allow him to slide closer to her.

  She didn’t move.

  The digital alarm clock on Julie’s night table soldiered on. Eleven-fifteen became eleven-thirty. Finally, Russell sighed and shifted to his back, arms folded behind his head.

  “Still awake?”

  Russell flipped back to his left side. “Oh, yeah.”

  She faced him now, covers drawn to her chin. “Did you really quit the university?”

  She wanted to talk. Well, what had he expected? Their conversation earlier that evening hadn’t been exactly conducive to romance.

  “I really did.”

  “You didn’t think we should—oh, never mind.” She brushed her hair back from her face. In the dim glow from the streetlights outside he could see her arch her clearly defined, elegant eyebrows.

  “What if I don’t want to move to Chatsworth? What if I refuse?”

  “I don’t know.” This idea of his had seemed so obviously the right thing to do for his family he’d almost convinced himself Julie wouldn’t object. He’d been kidding himself, of course. He knew how she felt about small towns, especially the one he’d grown up in.

  “I don’t think you’re being very fair to me,” Julie added.

  “Maybe not,” he conceded. “But I wish you’d at least consider the idea.”

  She propped her head up on her hand. “You haven’t given me much choice. You’ve already quit your job.”

  “Yes.” He should have told Julie first. But nothing she could have said would have changed his mind. He wanted more time with his son. “Since the day Ben was born, he’s fit into our lives so smoothly. Aside from those few months at the beginning—” they’d each taken two months off from work “—we’ve barely had to adjust our lifestyle to accommodate him.

  “Look at us. We both have jobs we love. Ben’s been in before-and-after-school care right from the start. You still run three times a week. I play squash—”

  “We’re not the only working parents in the world. And isn’t it healthy for us to have interests outside the house?”

  “That’s not the point.” He flung off his covers, suddenly hot. “Ben hasn’t asked much of us. He’s been a great kid, a happy kid. But now he needs us. Now—for a few years, at least—it’s time for him to be the focus.”

  “And he isn’t now?”

  “We’ve put our lives on hold since the accident. And yes, we’ve devoted most of our energy to him. But already we’re starting to slip back into our routines….”

  “Don’t you want that? Isn’t that exactly what Ben needs?”

  Russell could see how badly Julie longed for him to agree. He wished he could make her happy and do it. “But Ben can’t go back to being the boy he used to be. Not yet, anyway.”

  Julie dropped her head into her hands. Russell tried to draw her to him, but she resisted.

  “Have you thought about what school is going to be like for him? He won’t be top of the class anymore. He doesn’t even have the stamina to play soccer with his buddies. He’s going to feel like an outsider.”

  “And he won’t be an outsider in Chatsworth?”

  “He’ll be the new kid. There’s a difference. Plus he’ll have more family.” This was a delicate point. Russell was aware of the tension between his mother and his wife. He had no clue why two such wonderful women couldn’t get along. He didn’t dare say this out loud, but he was certain that if only they spent more time together, they’d come around.

  “There’s my side of the family, too.”

  Russell hardly knew her parents or sister; they’d moved back to London before Ben was born. “Are you suggesting we consider relocating to England?”

  “Of course not. It’s just…” She buried her head in her hands again. He wondered if she was crying. But when she finally faced him, her eyes were dry.

  “What if Ben doesn’t want to move to Chatsworth?”

  With that question, Russell knew his plan stood a chance.

  “Let’s ask him in the morning.”

  JULIE WAITED UNTIL RUSSELL fell asleep. Then she slid out of bed and crept down the hall, past their home office, to Ben’s room.

  After the accident, she’d moved an easy chair in here. The first few nights she and Russell had taken turns watching him. Finally Ben had insisted that they stop.

  “I’m fine. You guys worry too much.”

  He always said he was fine, even when it was obvious that he wasn’t. Getting him to take his medication to prevent seizures was often a struggle.

  Julie hovered over her son, listening for the comforting rhythm of his breathing. She touched his hair; his curls were so much softer than Russell’s. Her hand trailed over his cheek, then up to his forehead, to the patch of pink, scarred skin.

  What did the future hold for Ben? He’d come into this world so perfect. She remembered marveling at every wonderful detail, from his ten lovely toes, to his thick cap of hair. He wasn’t perfect anymore. Certainly not on the outside. And on the inside—no one could say. Just because Ben’s EEGs were normal now was no guarantee…

  She’d been allotted a beautiful, flawless son. And under her care he’d been hurt so badly he’d almost died.

  Maybe Russell was right. Maybe their city lifestyle was no longer the best for Ben. One thing she couldn’t argue with: if she’d put Ben first on that thirtieth day of April, none of this would have happened. Her son would still be whole and sound and happy.

  Why hadn’t she appreciated her good fortune when she’d had it? Why hadn’t she realized that a smart, happy, healthy little boy wasn’t just normal—he was a miracle. She’d taken the biggest blessing in her life for granted. And Ben had paid the price.

  Moving to Chatsworth could be her atonement she decided. If she gave up the life that she loved—her job, her friends, her house—maybe Ben would regain all that he’d lost.

  Of course, real life didn’t work that way. But maybe Russell was right. Maybe Chatsworth really would be better for Ben.

  Could she stand to move there? Julie brushed a kiss on Ben’s forehead, then sighed. If her son did indeed want to move, she knew she’d have no choice. She’d go.

  “BEN? YOUR MOTHER AND I were talking about something last night. We’d like to know what you think.”

  “Yeah?” Ben paused in the middle of trying to remove a section of his grapefruit.

  His movements were so awkward it hurt Julie to watch. She ached to take the spoon from his hand and feed him. But Ben struggling through tasks like this was supposed to help him get better.

  “This is just an idea, you understand,” Russell continued. “If you don’t like it, then fine. We’ll forget about it.”

  “What, Dad?”

  Julie wanted to cover her ears. Once the offer was made to Ben, there would be no turning back.

  “We’re thinking of moving. To Chat
sworth. Where your grandma and grandpa live.”

  “Yeah?” Ben’s eyes rounded. “Would we live in the same house?”

  “No.” Julie hated how sharp that had sounded. She took a deep breath. “Actually, your father has heard of a house for sale farther down the street.”

  “Is it by the lake?”

  “You bet,” Russell said.

  “Cool. Could we go canoeing and fishing and stuff?”

  Russell laughed. “Exactly.”

  Julie pictured, in that instant, exactly the life Russell wanted for them. Apple pie and roast chicken on Sundays. Long afternoons watching baseball at the diamonds by the lake. Sitting out on the veranda in the evenings, gabbing with passing neighbors.

  It was a lovely life, she supposed, a dream life for many.

  But it wasn’t the life she wanted. Not everyone suited small-town living. She’d grown up in London. To her, Vancouver was already small enough.

  Yet, listen to Ben.

  “We could visit Grandma and Grandpa all the time, right? And could I bring my bike? And what about a dog, Dad? Last time we went to visit Grandma she said every boy needed a dog….”

  He sounded so excited. She hadn’t seen him speak this quickly or look as animated since…

  Since. Everything was “since” now.

  “I don’t know about the dog, Ben. We’ll have to ask your mother.”

  Her fate was sealed. She grabbed the handle of her coffee cup, then let it go, afraid the porcelain would snap. Her wonderful job. Her friends, the theater, lovely shopping…the coffee shop she stopped at every morning. All part of her past now.

  “We can get a dog,” she said through tight, dry lips.

  Russell looked even more surprised than Ben. “We can?”

  She felt a sudden, scary urge to laugh. “Why not? A dog, a cat—what does it matter?”

  “A cat, too?” Ben’s smile widened. “Awesome! Gee, Mom, can we get a hamster and a—”

  “Julie?”

  She perceived the concern in Russell’s voice, but right now, she couldn’t deal with anything more. After stacking two breakfast plates, she turned her back on her family and escaped to the sink. From the table, she heard Russell say to Ben, “No hamster, son. Or guinea pig. Or lizards or snakes.”

  He went through the list of pets Ben had wanted at one time or another. Just to make sure, he added, “A dog and a cat. Nothing else.”

  “Cool.”

  Hearing that word, Julie felt like crying. Ben sounded so happy. She glanced over her shoulder at Russell. He was gazing at his son, smiling fondly.

  Seeing Ben cheerful and excited again should have been a lovely moment for her, too.

  But she couldn’t help worrying that the repercussions of this move might be far greater than any of them could guess.

  THEIR HOUSE SOLD QUICKLY, amid a flurry of interest from two different buyers. After signing the papers, Julie could tell Russell felt like celebrating.

  She wanted to mourn. Even if they decided after a few months or a year that Chatsworth wasn’t the right place for them, there would be no coming back. Little gems like this house were rare in West Van. Most homes sold for much, much more.

  “Some wine, Julie?” He’d just opened a bottle from the case of cabernet merlot they’d purchased in March.

  She swiped a damp rag over the window ledge, watching as he poured two glasses full.

  “I never thought we’d get our asking price. After paying off the mortgage we’ll have enough money for three, maybe four houses in Saskatchewan.”

  “Yes, well, considering I don’t even want one, that’s not particularly good news, is it?”

  Russell’s face fell, and she regretted being churlish.

  “Sorry. Everything’s happening so quickly. That’s all.” She took a sip of the wine, thinking to cushion the shock of having sold her home to the highest bidder.

  “Did you give your notice yesterday?” He sat on a stool, leaning over the granite countertop.

  She started to polish the faucet. “I told Suzanne about our plans to move.” The managing editor had been flatteringly disappointed.

  Russell stopped swirling the wine in his glass. He looked at her carefully. “Did you give your notice?”

  “I tried, but Suzanne wouldn’t accept it. She asked if I would work freelance from Chatsworth. Do some editing, take on a new column.”

  “Oh.” Russell thought about that for a minute. “It never occurred to me you could continue to work from Chatsworth. But why not? Are you going to give it a try?”

  “I’d like to. We will have an Internet connection?”

  “They do have telephones,” he pointed out.

  “Naturally. Well, yes, I’d like to give it a shot. I may have to fly to Vancouver occasionally, for meetings and such.”

  “I’d planned on you coming back fairly regularly, anyway. Can’t expect you to give up all your theater and shopping. This way the trips will be a business expense.”

  “Yes.” But only one ticket would. Or perhaps Russell had no plans of joining her. Separate holidays, then. The last thing, Julie feared, her marriage needed right now.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THE FIRST SIGN OF CHATSWORTH, approaching from the west along the Yellowhead highway from Yorkton, was the white grain elevator sitting next to the train tracks running parallel to the highway.

  The boxlike structure—which resembled a milk carton more than a building, in Julie’s opinion—was a tangible reminder of why this town existed; to service the surrounding farms. Farmers hauled their grain to the elevator so it could be sold. They banked in Chatsworth and collected their mail there. Picked up groceries at Lucky’s grocery store, filled their tanks at Stanley’s garage and bought parts at the Handy Hardware to fix their broken-down tractors.

  “This is it, isn’t it, Dad?” Ben slipped his earphones down his neck and leaned forward.

  “You bet, son.” Russell had his foot off the gas and the left indicator light flashing. He waited as a grain truck heading west passed by, then turned the Volvo onto the main road toward Chatsworth. Behind them, the rented U-Haul bumped over the twin sets of train tracks.

  The town wasn’t ugly, Julie conceded. Late-afternoon sunlight sparkled on the lake. The surrounding trees were tinged with early-autumn highlights. True, most of the homes were small and utilitarian, of little architectural interest. But the majority were well tended, and some of the flower gardens still looked spectacular, with late-blooming dahlias and mums.

  Russell turned left again and stopped in front of the three-story, brick elementary school. “That’s where we’ll be going a week from Monday, Ben.”

  Julie tried to put herself in her husband’s shoes. Could he really be happy to have exchanged his responsibilities at the university for the prospect of working here, in this modest structure, teaching grade-five students everything from spelling to art? Judging from the expression on his face, he was.

  “Worried, Ben?” he asked.

  Their son shrugged. “Not really.”

  “Well, you’ll have to be good…with the church across the road and all.”

  Julie turned to view the small white clapboard structure. “Your dad and I were married here, Ben.” How long ago that day seemed. She’d been so stressed, dealing with her parents and sister, all quite annoyed that she’d chosen to have her wedding so far from an international airport.

  Having the ceremony in Chatsworth had been her concession to Russell and his family. And they’d been bouncing between her family and his ever since. One year Julie would take Ben with her to London; the next year their son joined Russell for a visit to Chatsworth. Rarely had they made these trips as a family, saving the bulk of their vacation dollars and days for Saltspring.

  “Are we going to Grandma’s now?”

  “Sure. Let’s just drive past our new house first.”

  Julie could read the implications of the glance Russell shot her. He wanted her to like this house. He wa
nted her to like this town. He wanted her to think this was a wonderful adventure, a fresh start for their family. And she didn’t want to let him down.

  But when Russell parked their Volvo in front of the unassuming bungalow on Lakeshore Drive, finding compliments was hard. This place wasn’t terrible. The white siding seemed in good shape; the windows looked new. The small porch in the front was cute, though desperately in need of paint. But it wasn’t their house in West Van. Not even close.

  Oh, Russell… Where have you taken me?

  “Look at that tree house! Do you see it, Dad?”

  “You bet. I’ve always wanted a tree house. Maybe there’ll be another in the back for you.”

  Finally able to smile, Julie pointed out one redeeming feature. “There’s a raspberry bush next to the garden.” They all loved raspberries.

  “Awesome. Can I pick berries whenever I want to?”

  “In the summer, sure. They’ve finished for the season now, though.” Russell put the car back into Drive. “We should get going. Grandma will be holding supper for us.”

  Julie, tense already, felt a suspicious pressure in her temples. Surreptitiously, she dug one of her pain-relief pills from her handbag.

  “Headache coming?” Russell asked as he glided the Volvo and U-Haul two blocks farther along Lakeshore Drive.

  She nodded, swallowing back the medication with a swig from the water bottle she’d purchased at their last stop for gas in Regina.

  Briefly, Russell rested his hand on her knee. Before she could cover it with her own, he’d reclaimed the steering wheel.

  “We’re here.”

  “Yeah!” Ben shot out of the back seat, not bothering to close the door behind him. Rivaling him for speed were his grandparents, who must have been watching at the window because they were already on the steps. Betty Matthew held out her arms and Ben hurled himself into her embrace.

  Watching, Julie blinked rapidly. She’d been dreading this first encounter with the Matthews and now the moment had arrived.