Summer on Main Street

by Crista McHugh

  ****

  Ben dug into the stack of four large pancakes with gusto. Between bites he eyed Hayden, who poked at her bowl of fruit salad less than enthusiastically.

  “You don’t eat enough.” Ben took a sip of black coffee.

  Hayden shrugged. “I’m on a diet.” She scooped up a spoonful of melon.

  “You’re joking, right? You certainly don’t need to be.”

  “We’re here to discuss my grandmother,” she reminded but her cheeks blushed prettily and he could see a twinkle in her brown eyes.

  “Yes, you’re right,” he agreed. “Lu. I worry about her being at Primrose. Sally can handle things only so far, but if she has another spell—” He paused. “Well, I’d rather have her at The Painted Horse. We’re a good fifteen minutes closer to the hospital. There’s a staff to take care of her too.”

  “But what about your business? How would you be able to spare the room when you have guests in for clinics?”

  “We can shuffle people around if need be. We’ll make the room. She can have the room you stayed in. We can put a rollaway in there for Sally, and you can stay in my sister’s room.”

  With a sharp intake of breath, Hayden looked away from the fruit, her gaze fixing on him warily.

  “Your sister’s room? Why couldn’t I stay in the room with Gran too?”

  Ben shook his head. “That would be too cozy for the three of you.”

  “Then I’ll stay at Primrose Inn by myself.”

  Ben shook his head. She was a fighter, but he wasn’t sure just what she fought against. He studied her carefully, trying to read the expression in her eyes. Was she really that scared about the kiss the other night even though she’d been the one to initiate it? Is that why she acted like a trapped rabbit?

  “Not by yourself. What’s going on? Why can’t you stay in my sister’s room?”

  “I don’t want to invade her privacy,” Hayden replied half-heartedly.

  Ben shook his head. He reached out and took hold of her free hand. She didn’t pull away, which pleased him.

  “What’s the real reason? The kiss? We haven’t had a chance to talk about that yet.”

  “What’s there to talk about? I kissed you. To tell you the truth, I don’t know why I did, maybe it was the moonlight.” Hayden pulled at her hand, but Ben refused to let it go. She intrigued him too much to let this go with such a lame reply. There had to be something more to it than the right atmosphere.

  “No, it’s not that easy—”

  Hayden yanked her hand with such force that she nearly sent her bowl of fruit flying.

  “What do you want from me, Ben?” Hayden whispered softly. She looked around the crowded cafeteria. They’d received a few curious glances, but for the most part no one paid them any attention. “I came here for two reasons. To meet my grandmother, tell her that my mother had died. And now to meet my father. I’ve accomplished part of my goal. As soon as I meet Jesse, I’m going back to Maine. End of story.”

  Ben sat back in his seat. It wasn’t exactly what he expected or hoped for. He thought that maybe she’d want to stay, for Lu’s sake as much as anyone’s.

  “And what about Lu? You’re going to pack up and leave her?”

  It was a cheap shot, that was for sure. Ben was ashamed to have said it. But it was out, and hanging in the air between them like dirty laundry. He opened his mouth to apologize.

  “I’m not going to leave Gran in this shape. I’ll wait until she’s better. But I have a life back east, Ben. I can’t put it on hold indefinitely. Maine is my home. Not Burton. My stepfather needs me back there.”

  The sadness that filled her eyes shook him, but he couldn’t figure out why he wanted her to be content here in South Dakota if it wasn’t her intent to stay.

  “Fine, if you’re in such a rush to leave then I’ll set up a meeting between you and Jesse. For now, though, we should concentrate on your grandmother and getting her to my place and comfortable. I’ll call Sally and tell her to pack up whatever she and Lu will need and get it over to The Painted Horse. I’ll take you back to Primrose so you can do the same.”

  Hayden nodded, pushing aside the half-empty bowl of fruit. “Fine. I’d appreciate the help. With both Gran and Jesse.” She dropped her gaze to the table, her jaw set hard.

  Ben couldn’t tell if she was just angry or if she was going to cry. Whatever was going on in her head, she didn’t look like she wanted to be comforted. Instead she grabbed her bowl and got out of the plastic chair quickly, without waiting for him, going to the counter where dirty dishes were placed for cleaning and leaving her bowl.

  Ben hurried to catch up with her. Despite the chill that radiated from her, he took hold of her arm and pulled her close.

  “Don’t think this is over, this subject of what happened the other night. We will talk about that kiss before you disappear on me.”

  It would have been so easy to take her into his arms and kiss her again, feel her lips beneath his. She didn’t pull away from him like he’d expected her to do, but she didn’t look up at him either. He looked down on her dark head, his gaze brushing down the loose curls of her ponytail that just touched her shoulders. Then she glanced up at him. She bit her lip. Maybe she wasn’t so impervious to him after all.

  He’d get Jesse to meet with her, if she wanted to run back to Maine so quickly, but he had her for a while, right in his own home and he planned on using that time to his advantage. To seduce her, if necessary. Whatever else, he planned to prove that there was some deeper meaning to her feelings for him.

  ****

  Lu was awake when Hayden got back to the room after leaving Ben. She sat up in bed, a breakfast tray and the news played on the television mounted on the wall near the ceiling.

  “Thank goodness,” Hayden exclaimed, relief washing through her like a pleasant warm breeze. “You look so much better.”

  Lu pushed the tray away and patted the bed next to her. Hayden perched at the edge, facing her grandmother.

  “We need to talk, honey,” Lu said, taking Hayden’s hand in hers. Her grip was frail, her fingers cool. “There are things that I want to settle with us now, before it’s too late.”

  Hayden took a deep breath, anticipating her words. After all, hadn’t everyone been hinting around at this for the past week?

  “Your grandfather and I were very unfair to your mother, cutting her off the way we did. I’m not so sure she would’ve ever come home, but we could’ve gone to see her if we weren’t so darned stubborn and hurt. But that’s no excuse, now is it?”

  Hayden squeezed her grandmother’s hand. “It’s okay. I’m sure Mom understood. She never spoke of you with anger. She loved you and Grandpa very much.”

  A tear slipped down Gran’s cheek. “And we missed knowing you.”

  “That’s in the past. We can’t change it, we can only move on.”

  “I changed my will two days ago to leave Primrose Inn to you.”

  She expected it, so Hayden couldn’t even pretend to be surprised. She tried to smile but was afraid that she was making a lousy attempt at it. Not that she wasn’t grateful to her grandmother, but she thought of all the complications that would arise from this. Sally already resented her presence in their lives. She was going to go through the roof when she found out that her suspicious were true.

  As far as Ben was concerned, he was another interested party. He had known this was bound to happen.

  “You don’t have to do that, Gran. Really, I appreciate it and I’m overwhelmed, but I’m not the right one to inherit your home. Sally should.”

  Lu waved her hand. “Sally will understand.” Then she laughed and shook her head. “Okay, maybe she won’t, but this is my choice. She’ll accept it.”

  “But I don’t belong out here. I can’t stay. My life is in Maine. I don’t know what I’d do with your home.”

  Lu leaned back in the pillows and closed her eyes. “I’ve made up my mind,” she said firmly. “Your grandfather and I depri
ved Rosalyn of her home. I don’t intend to do the same to you.”

  The tone of her voice reminded Hayden of her mother when she was laying down the law and Hayden had always known better than to push. She wouldn’t push now, not with Gran feeling so poorly, but over the next few days she’d try to talk some sense into her grandmother.

  “Ben wants you, wants us, to stay at The Painted Horse Ranch for a little while. Until you’re feeling up to going back home,” Hayden said. She hoped that Lu would refuse and just want to go back to Primrose, but instead she nodded her head.

  “Wouldn’t be a bad thing, I suppose. Ben is such a thoughtful man. I’m sure Sally would be relieved if we were there.”

  Hayden smiled tightly. “She likes Ben, doesn’t she?”

  “Sally has been in love with Ben since they were kids. I’m not saying that the feelings are mutual, but they dated for a short time when they were in high school. He’s moved on, but I dare say she hasn’t.” Lu’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Don’t tell Sally that I said so but I don’t think she and Ben would make each other happy in the long run. She’s too flashy. Needs more excitement than Burton can offer. That’s another reason why I don’t think she’d be good for Primrose Inn. It’s a special place and it deserves someone who’d love it. Now you go and tell Ben that I’d be happy to be his guest. I’m going to get some sleep.”

  Without another word, Hayden leaned over and kissed her grandmother on the cheek. Life was getting more and more complicated, she thought resignedly.

  ****

  Hayden shut the door and leaned up against it. She willed her heart to slow down. Knowing that Ben waited for her downstairs, waited for her to gather her stuff, made her pulse beat hard against her chest. Remaining detached from her host would no doubt prove to be more and more difficult.

  Convincing Ben she only kissed him on impulse and not because she found him incredibly attractive would be hard to do under such close quarters. Fortunately he had a slate of clinics scheduled to begin in the next week or so and they would take up Ben’s time, making it much easier to avoid him until she could go back to Maine.

  Hayden pulled away from the door, and grabbed her duffel bag and suitcase. Quickly, she collected a week’s worth of underwear and socks, then went to the closet to get several pairs of jeans and tops, and tossed them into her old suitcase. She didn’t want to take everything, didn’t want to appear expecting to stay any longer than it took for Gran to get well.

  With a bag clutched in each hand, Hayden headed back downstairs to the parlor where Ben waited. She paused in the doorway, gazing at him while he studied the painting she’d done for Gran.

  Why the heck did he have to be so damned handsome? The question thrust in her mind, demanding attention. She didn’t need the added distraction of his interest in her, and vice versa. Didn’t need to be led astray by the thoughts of kissing him again. Not when her heart longed for the Maine coast.

  Hayden dropped her duffel and suitcase on the floor, the loud thud gaining Ben’s attention. He swung around to face her, a slow smile pulling on his lips.

  “All set?”

  “No. If you don’t mind, I’d like to bring my paints and a few canvases?”

  “That’s fine. You know I was half serious the other night.”

  Hayden paused, brows raised. “About what?”

  “About you doing a painting for me. Would you?”

  Hayden chuckled. “A painting of you? In a fringed jacket, rifle in hand?”

  “No, I guess not,” he replied with a laugh. His eyes shined a brilliant blue, and Hayden felt compelled to drift into them, but with fierce common sense, she stood her ground. She willed herself to look anywhere but at him.

  But that was a tall order. His gaze gripped her almost as if it were a physical hold. At some point his eyes had lost that humorous glint and slid into something far more dangerous. The look reminded her of moonlight. And kisses.

  The only thing she could do was to turn her back. Walk out of the room to collect her painting supplies she’d stashed in the small room off the kitchen.

  Fine, she’d do a painting for him. It was the least she could do in exchange for his hospitality. Somehow she’d get out to that view of Sky Butte, with or without him, and paint a nice landscape for his living room, or office, or wherever. How much more perfect would that painting be with a horse and rider in it?

  “Stop that,” Hayden grumbled as she laid her brush holder on top of the wooden box that held her paints.

  But the image stuck there in her mind. A tall, dark-haired cowboy, either mounted on or standing next to a rugged brown and white horse, the sun setting on him and the butte, making the whole world look as if it were on fire. It would be a gorgeous painting, and her fingers itched to get working on it.

  But she didn’t dare ask Ben to pose for it. He’d only been joking, and it would be embarrassing to ask now.

  Besides, she wouldn’t need him to pose. She could just close her eyes and picture him perfectly. She’d be able to paint him from memory.

  ****

  Excitement ran through Ben as he waited for Hayden to collect her things. It was a double-edged sword, though. The reason for Hayden coming to stay with him was less than pleasant. He wanted Lu to be her old, spunky self. He was afraid that these episodes with her heart were becoming too frequent. He wouldn’t enjoy the other downfall, having Sally under his roof, either. The woman was as obvious and persistent as a horsefly. And as annoying.

  What a difference between her and Hayden.

  He looked forward to seeing Hayden every day. Just the thought of having her at the breakfast table every morning, looking at him with those russet brown eyes and the shy smile that made him want more.

  How the hell was he going to be able to concentrate on the guests who’d start arriving on Friday with Hayden distracting him?

  “I’m ready.”

  Hayden stood by the door, bag in hand and two blank canvases tucked under each arm. Her dark brown hair caught glints of sunlight that flooded in past the sheer curtains. The rays enveloped her body in some kind of ethereal glow. And for the first time in his life, Ben was star-struck by a woman. He realized that he was already half in love with her, and if she gave him the chance he’d fall the rest of the way.

  Without much more than the need to be near her in his head, Ben closed the distance between them, took the canvases and bag from her, set them gently to the ground and took her face between his hands.

  Before he lowered his mouth to hers, he let his fingertips slide over the smooth skin of her cheeks, pushing aside a lock of hair that curled over his thumb. He touched her lips tentatively, to find out if she’d pull away. But she didn’t. She didn’t lean into his kiss either, but she let his mouth touch hers in a feather light caress. Her sigh couldn’t be disguised though and he let the tiny gesture embolden him. He let one hand drift into her soft hair, sinking his fingers into the tangle of curls. His mouth pushed more insistently on hers, inviting her to be a participant in this kiss. The heat of the contact spread from his lips downward until his whole body felt like it was on fire. He was certain she could hear his heart pounding.

  His hands dropped away from her head and glided down over her shoulders and her back, one finding a resting place on her hips and the other remaining on the small of her back. He pulled her closer so her body snuggled in against his. She was a perfect fit.

  Against his shirt, he could feel the pressure of her arms snaking around his waist, and he smiled against her mouth. Her embrace was a good sign, a very good sign. He wanted to taste her, to know every inch of her. His desire for her reached an alarming peak. Made more alarming by the urgency that she seemed to be returning the kiss. No longer shy or testing, Hayden pressed herself closer to him, her hands climbing up his back to his shoulders and into his hair, pushing his Stetson askew until it finally tipped off his head and fell to the floor.

  Everything inside him, from the hard beat of his heart against
his chest and the rush of blood through his veins, centered around her. Her kiss sent the pit of his stomach into a wild swirl, akin to a roller coaster, and the unexpected sensation drove him on. The velvety softness of her tongue stroked against his and he greeted it hungrily, tasting the sweetness of her mouth.

  Without any warning, Hayden ducked away from him, the palms of her hands going up against his chest and pushing him back.

  “No, what are we doing?” she asked faintly, putting a finger against her lips. She looked past him out the window. “We can’t do this. It’s not right.”

  Ben wanted to take her back into his arms, if for nothing else than just to comfort her, make her see that it was all right. But that move wouldn’t be productive. Not yet.

  “Why isn’t it right? What in the world has got you scared about what’s going on between us? You can’t blame the moonlight this time, Hayden.”

  Hayden walked away from him, back over to her suitcase and duffel bag.

  “Because I’m not staying here. What is the point of getting involved? We’d only get hurt when I leave.” Hayden turned back to him. The sadness that lingered in her eyes pulled at his own heart. “Right?”

  With that last question she seemed to be looking for some kind of validation as to why they couldn’t pursue something they both obviously wanted.

  But he refused to buy into that.

  He stooped down and retrieved her canvases and bag of painting supplies.

  “I’m not going to make you any promises. I think we’re a little too involved to turn back now.”

  Chapter Five

  Hayden had more food for thought than she could possibly handle. Dealing with the emotions stirred between her and Ben was just half of the storm that whirled inside her head. There was also the matter of Primrose Inn. She tried to bring it up to Gran, but the woman wouldn’t discuss it with her, insisting it was a done deal and she wasn’t going to take it back.