Her phone rang several times as she let herself wallow in self pity, but she ignored it. Easton was probably trying to get to her to talk his way out of the situation. She would check her messages when she was less angry and hurt.
Finally putting Zipper down, she went to shower. She had to get the makeup off and wash away the sin of ignorance, the dirty feeling it gave her. She spent quite a while under the spray, letting the hot water soothe her a bit before washing and climbing out. As she wrapped her robe tightly around her body and hugged herself for comfort, someone knocked on the door, and she was infuriated.
Stomping through the trailer, she went and threw the door open, ready to rail at Easton for chasing her down. But it was Garrett who stood there, his face grim. Leah scowled, tilting her head in confusion. “What are you doing here, Garrett?” Then, she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh, no! Is Shakota okay? Damn my life! I should have been checking the phone to see who was calling.”
Garrett shook his head. “It’s not about Shakota, Leah. I’m afraid I’m here for you. I have to take you in.”
Leah was thoroughly baffled. “What are you talking about, Garrett? I’ve never done anything illegal in my life.”
He scratched the back of his neck, wearing a sheepish frown. “Well, Leah, there was a complaint about your conduct today. Apparently, you made a scene, and I’ve got to take you in for disturbing the peace.”
She gawked at him. “Come on, Garrett, you can’t be serious.”
He didn’t look pleased. “I don’t have a choice. Listen, out of respect, I’ll let you get dressed, and I won’t cuff you, as long as you come peacefully. Can we do that?”
Could the day get any worse? Gritting her teeth, she hissed. “I’ll be right out.”
Twenty minutes later, she was in a holding cell. She hadn’t been printed or booked yet, and she hoped she could avoid that process altogether. She just needed to find out who had issued the complaint and talk to them, or at least convince Garrett to let her off with a warning. She didn’t think she’d been that loud.
She heard footsteps—a couple of sets—and as she looked up, she gaped at Garrett, who was now escorting Easton to the same holding cell. He opened the door and let him in, then closed it and walked away. Leah wished she could just go back three or four days in her life and start again.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, letting the venom of her anger seep through.
“Talking to you.” She glared at him, and he continued. “I knew you wouldn’t stick around to listen without some sort of intervention, so I unofficially lodged a complaint so Garrett would lock you up where you couldn’t run away.”
She stood and opened her mouth to let him have it, to unleash all her pain on him, but he stepped up to her and placed a finger over her mouth to stop her. “I’m going to explain, whether you want to hear it or not.”
She clamped her mouth shut and backed away, crossing her arms and waiting impatiently. He seemed content with that.
“I asked Bertram to put that together for me about five minutes after the reading of my grandmother’s will. It was just a thought, one I shared with you to an extent afterward. You promptly explained why keeping the diner alive was important, and I put the idea away right then. I just forgot to tell the lawyer I didn’t care about it anymore.”
Leah narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s a convenient explanation.”
He gave her the crooked smile that always got her goat. “I know it seems that way, but it’s the truth.” He closed the distance between them again, and Leah hesitated to move away. “Look, Leah, I’m smart in a lot of ways, but I do a lot of stupid things because I don’t think ahead. In this case, it’s even worse because I didn’t consider the possibility that someone in this town could open my eyes to a whole new perspective. And I certainly didn’t plan on letting anyone open my heart to something new.” He reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
Frowning, he asked, “Did Garrett pull you out of the shower or something?”
Blushing, she shook her head. “Not exactly. I had just gotten out and put on my robe.”
He leaned down and sniffed her hair, groaning. “You smell delicious, better than anything you’ve cooked so far. And that’s saying a lot.”
Leah’s heart thudded in her chest, part of her terrified and ready to run while the other part yearned for him to touch her again. “So, City Slicker, what are your plans now?”
He took a deep breath. “I’m not sure yet. I know that I’m giving you a raise and a promotion. I’ve already got the lawyer drawing up papers to give you half ownership of the diner.”
Leah inhaled sharply. That was unexpected. She didn’t know what to say, but it didn’t matter as Easton said, “I’m also going to get a quote on the cost of expansion. The place is too damn small to accommodate its popularity.” He gave her an ear to ear grin. “And I’m going to take a little vacation. My business is doing well, and I can leave most of the work to my assistant. Anything he can’t handle, I can probably deal with by working one day a week remotely. I need a couple of months to get to know myself better, to learn more about my roots.”
Leah nodded. “I think that would be good for you.”
He’d said remotely; likely, he would find a place in Billings to stay, where he had all the modern amenities. She looked away from him, not wanting him to see the hope in her eyes that was dying.
But he clutched her chin gently in one hand and forced her to meet his gaze. “And I want to get to know you better.” Leah felt the tears prickle at her eyes as she held her breath. His expression grew soft. “I don’t know a lot about love, but I know that I already feel more for you than I ever have for anyone else, with the exception of my mother and father. And I think that, with a little time, I’m going to be so deeply in love with you I can’t find my way out.”
Leah choked back a sob. She didn’t trust her voice, so she simply whispered, “Me, too.” She barely had the words out before his lips locked onto hers. She sighed, opening to him and letting him taste her as she drank him in. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her when her knees grew weak, and the world around her disappeared. It was an amazing kiss, and she wanted it to last forever.
But he pulled away all too soon. “There’s one more thing.” She braced herself. “The day after New Year’s, the headstone you wanted is being installed at your mother’s grave. I called in a few favors to track one down.”
Gasping, Leah thought she might pass out, and she threw her arms around his neck. No one had ever done anything so kind. Or so expensive. But she knew it wasn’t about the money. “Thank you, Easton,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome.”
This time when she heard footsteps, they were heavy and fast, and Garrett came with the keys, his hands shaking. “I don’t care whether you two are done or not. We’re leaving. The baby’s coming!”
They rode in the back, lights and siren blaring, to the medical center, and Garrett arrived just in time. Leah had been waiting with Easton for maybe ten minutes when they wheeled Shakota out with her little bundle, Garrett at her side. “Hey, you two, meet Lillian Blue Woodward.”
Garrett came over to hug them both, and he nudged Leah, saying quietly, “And I won the bet, too.” He said louder, “What more can you ask for than a beautiful baby?”
Leah nodded, thinking, someone new to love for Christmas. That’s the best gift in the world.
~ The End ~
I do hope you enjoyed Easton and Leah’s story. If so, I’d like to ask you to take two. Take two minutes to do two things:
Please leave a review. Oftentimes, purchasing decisions are based on other reader’s reviews.
Please give one of my other books a try.
Canton County Cowboys: A Cowboy Worth Loving; Dare to Love a Cowboy; Captivated by a Cowboy
Cowboys of Courage: Courage to Follow; Courage to Believe
Cherished Cowboys: Cherished Love
/> ~Enjoy and thanks again, Charlene
About the Author
Charlene Bright is the author of several contemporary western romance novels. She’s a lifelong resident of the American South and currently residents in southern Oklahoma on a family-owned cattle ranch. She greets each morning with a hot cup of coffee and an optimistic smile. Traveling to America’s national parks is her favorite pastime. You can find out more about Charlene and her books at Charlene Bright and don’t forget to connect with her on Facebook.
Courage To Fall (Cowboys of Courage 3) Page 8