The Moore Sisters of Montana: The Complete Series Box Set: Books 1-4

by Ann B. Harrison

  “If you’re sure, we’d love to.” They bustled over followed by a woman with two toddlers in a stroller. “May as well join in the party.”

  “I appreciate it. The food isn’t too spicy for the children and I’ll help you with them if you like.”

  “Thanks, they get to be a bit of a handful eating out so I rarely bother. This will be the closest I’ve come to a restaurant meal since I gave birth.”

  *

  Bella charmed the locals into relaxing in front of the camera. Tentative at first, they all eventually loosened up. When Jake looked up at Bella again, she stood with the young mother and had one of the children in her arms. The chubby twin had managed to shove most of the meat into his mouth and Bella was busy trying to pull it out so he didn’t choke. He wasn’t having it and threw back his head and cried in protest. She took it in her stride and he marveled at how calm she seemed.

  With the locals and his family, she was a different person. No sign of the pretentious glitz and glamour of the Valentine’s Day party in front of her Hollywood friends.

  “She’s great, isn’t she?” Jason aimed the lens at her and clicked, capturing her chucking the toddler under the chin, his little pudgy fists waving in the air as he bounced in her arms. “Don’t be fooled by the television Bella and the real one. Two very different people.”

  Jake swallowed the meat he was chewing. Was he that obvious? “Yeah, I can see that.” She was a contradiction.

  One he still hadn’t managed to figure out. It wasn’t as though she came across as unhappy with the fame nor as the girl next door. How could one person wear two hats and not get confused? His head reeled trying to keep up.

  “I hope so, man, because she’s gone on you and I’d hate to see her get hurt. She deserves better.”

  Just then, the alarm on the station wall rang and Jake ran for the truck, Ben already climbing in the driver’s door.

  Bella jogged over to him, baby still in her arms and pulled his face down for a quick kiss. “Take care, my hero, love you.”

  Jake climbed up and sat in his seat stunned at what had just happened. It was the first time she’d said the ‘L’ word. She waved as they headed to the call out and he wondered how he was going to respond when he got back.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Bella lay on her stomach on the floor, shuffling photos in and out of her “must use” pile. There were so many good shots; making up her mind was driving her crazy. A fall of footsteps followed by a knock at the door gave her a moment’s reprieve. She bounced up and pulled open the door, coming face-to-face with Jake.

  Bella reached up, wound her arms around his neck, leaned in for a lingering kiss. “I missed you.”

  Jake slid his arms around her back, rested them against her hips. “Sorry I didn’t get back to see you. It was a tricky one, lots of combustibles in a factory fire. Once we got the fire under control, we had to stay and make sure everything was safe and there was no chance of it flaring up again before we left.” He marched her back and kicked the door closed, shutting out the dark evening. “Looks like you’ve been busy.” Jake indicated the pile of photos on her floor.

  “Jason printed them out for me earlier. Fancy helping me decide? This is the part of the book that I find the most difficult. Jason takes such great photos, it’s hard to not want to include them all.”

  “Not sure how much help I’ll be but, if you want, I can spend time with you while you choose.”

  Bella took his hand and pulled him over to the pile, sank to her knees on the carpet and waited while he did the same. “These are the ones of this afternoon. Aren’t they amazing?” She pushed a pile toward him, tucked her feet under her butt, and watched his face as he flipped through them. She could tell when he came across the photo of the two of them, goo-ing over the twin with the chubby cheeks. They looked like the perfect happy family.

  “He’s adorable.” The tired lines faded from Jake’s forehead when he smiled.

  “Isn’t he just? And I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I used it. Makes the book look family orientated and that’s exactly the style I want to go for.”

  He glanced over the photo at her. “Really? I know you mentioned it before but I wasn’t sure you’d still go through with it, especially after the big night. I thought your style would stay more the glitz and glamour, like your show, once you’d had a chance to rethink it.”

  “No.” She smiled. “I wanted to change track with this book and that’s why I told you about it before. I haven’t changed my mind, Jake. I want to make it more accessible to the everyday housewife. Recipes that families can make together using fresh ingredients. Forget the fuss. Plain food, simply cooked but out of this world flavor. And it also ties in with what you pointed out about my achievements. I’ve ticked all the boxes. Now it’s time to loosen up.”

  “And you think this photo will do that?” He looked unconvinced.

  “That and the others I’ve tagged.” She shuffled around to lean against him and point out her favorites. “See, this one has Cory’s hand in it, cutting up the vegetables. You can tell it’s a teenager helping out and that sets a family tone. I meant what I said. I wasn’t joking, Jake.” She waited while he worked his way through them, coming to a stop where she wiped pink icing from his chin with her finger. Obviously taken the day they’d decorated Cory’s cookies, but not one he’d seen until now. He picked up the one of the two of them with the baby again and looked between them.

  “What do you think?” Bella held her breath. She wanted to use the photo from the barbeque for the inside of the cover. Even her editor had tagged it as mega potential for a family cookbook. They looked like a couple desperately in love.

  “I don’t know. It’s kinda personal. A bit, you know, romantic. Not sure I want the world to see that. They’d probably think it was our kid.” He blushed and she slid her arm around his waist, rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Maybe.” She smiled. “What is it that concerns you the most? The romantic look or the fact that we can see your face?” Bella giggled. “And the whole world won’t see it, only the ones that buy the book.”

  “What about the guys at the station?” A hint of a smile twitched at the corner of his lips.

  Bella grabbed a pile of photos from the floor, found one that showed the firemen hovering over the grill, hunger plainly etched on their faces. “If you let me use the one of you, I promise to put this one in too, that way they can’t give you a hard time. Deal?”

  “Does it really mean that much to you?”

  Bella didn’t have to give it any thought. “Yeah, it does. It’s where I want my book to head, Jake. I don’t want to be seen as the flashy celebrity cook anymore. I want grass roots cooking, exciting meals that anyone can make and that’s why I want to include photos of you and Cory, as well as the locals who’ve welcomed me to Cherry Lake, the food producers here who’ve supplied all the food I’ve cooked in these photos. It’s going to be an amazing book if I can do it the way I want to. And it could lead to something better and give me the freedom to live where I want.”

  “Deal.”

  *

  Why did he think she’d go back to doing what she did best? After the way the red carpet event had turned into the production of the century for Cherry Lake locals, he was sure Bella would stick to what she knew, forget the idea she’d run past him and he wouldn’t blame her if she did. She was a star for goodness’ sake. How could he forget that? And niggling in the back of his mind was the recurring thought that he wouldn’t be able to make her happy.

  “You’re overthinking things again.” Bella wiped her fingers over the lines between his eyes. She was right, he was churning things over in his mind. Even though she’d made noises about staying here with him, any moment he expected the bomb to drop and find out she was going back to the bright lights of the city.

  “Sorry. My mind keeps racing ahead. I can’t help it. Always plan for the best but expect the worst.”

  Bella snu
ggled into him. “That’s no way to live. You need to lighten up, Jake.”

  He laughed, her words reminiscent of something he’d said to her. “Look who’s talking.”

  “I’m doing my best, okay? I have things in the works, plans I can’t tell you about yet about my contract just in case I jinx myself and it all goes pear-shaped. I don’t want the two of us in the doldrums over it.” She rolled over and rested her head in his lap. “I’ll share when I can, promise.”

  Jake stroked her hair, wound a strand of the dark curls around his finger. “So long as you promise if it’s bad news, do it quick. None of this dragging things out. We agreed in the beginning that if it didn’t work, we’d walk away with no regrets.”

  She tipped her head back. “And you’re still okay with that?”

  He swallowed the lump in his throat. “We might not have a choice, Bella. We both have commitments.”

  “Yeah, but things change, Jake. We’ve both worked hard and deserve to have what we want. I don’t want anyone telling us what to do and what we can or can’t have.” She frowned and the corners of her lips turned down.

  “Let’s make the most of what we have for now and see how things go. Your ideas may work out. I’m just saying we need to be prepared for what happens if they don’t go our way.”

  Her cell phone rang and Bella tensed but didn’t get up.

  “Hadn’t you better get that?”

  “No.”

  It rang out and she relaxed. Then it rang again. She groaned and rolled over, clamored up off the floor and reached for the phone vibrating on the table top. “Hello. Russell, what’s happening?”

  Jake tried to ignore her as she argued with Russell but it was impossible. When she finally hung up Bella put her cell on the table and lifted her hands to her face. He got up and walked over to her, held out his arms.

  Bella launched herself against his chest, her despair palpable. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I have to go back.” The sob in her voice tugged at his heart.

  His heart plummeted. He hadn’t expected it to happen like this. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “It’s not fair. He refuses to discuss my contract over the phone with me. They want me there in person or the discussion won’t go ahead.” A hiccup sob rose in her throat. “I don’t think they’re going to let me stay here, Jake. What are we going to do?”

  The tears started and he was at a loss of what to do when hers wasn’t the only heart breaking.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Hurry back. I’m going to miss you.” Jake kissed her one last time before she drove away, tears blurring her vision. She grabbed at a tissue and wiped her eyes. Bella couldn’t wait to get this meeting over and done with.

  Russell refused to discuss the contract over the phone with her when she called him back begging for a reprieve, insisting that the studio wanted to talk to her face-to-face. She had no choice but to go back to Seattle even though she was more than a little tempted to remind him that he was the one that sent her away in the first place. It wouldn’t solve anything but it might have made her feel a little less frustrated. But if it meant she got to stay with Jake at the end of the discussions, it would be worth the trip and the messing around he put her through. Artistic temperament maybe? The guy was a control freak in sheep’s clothing.

  It was the not knowing that was killing her. The drive to Polson Airport would at least give her time to plan her future and come up with more reasons why the studio should listen to her ideas. If they failed to agree, she’d have to do one more season before she could walk away. She had no choice because she was contracted. The hardest part would be telling Jake. She wasn’t sure how she was going to convince him to wait for her if that was the way it turned out.

  When she arrived in Seattle, Bella grabbed a taxi at the airport and went straight to the studio. The taxi driver recognized her and chatted all the way in. “My wife is a huge fan of yours. Bought her your last cookbook for Christmas, I did.”

  “Thank you. That’s lovely. I hope she enjoys it.” She glanced out the window thankful she hadn’t chosen to drive herself. She’d forgotten how bad the traffic was since she’d been away.

  When she arrived at the studio, she had to pose for a selfie with the driver and after more greetings she was finally ushered into the boardroom.

  “Bella.” Russell came over, kissed her on both cheeks, and led her to a chair. “So good of you to come and deal with this personally.” He leaned in. “I know the boss wanted to talk to you face-to-face and it wouldn’t have been a good look to send in your manager to deal with things.”

  “Of course, I understand.” She took a seat, wondering where everyone else was.

  “John will be in shortly. He needed to set up something that couldn’t wait.” Russell gave her a satisfied smile having the head of the studio coming to the meeting. “I have the final proof of the last show. We’ll play it shortly when everyone is here. In the meantime, can I get you a coffee?”

  “Sure, that’d be great. Thanks.” Bella leaned her head back in the chair.

  The long drive and flight had left her more than a little keyed up and tired. Last night, she’d tossed and turned after Jake had left, frustrated beyond belief. She saw the defeat in his eyes when he said good-night. This morning, when she stopped in to see him on the way to the airport, it was still lurking, leaving her with a dread of what was to come.

  Once the plane had landed, she’d decided on her plan of attack. Instead of going to her apartment, she’d come straight here, keen to get everything on the table. If they didn’t want to give her what she wanted, she was prepared to fight.

  Russell put a coffee in front of her as the door opened and John came in with his secretary and the company lawyer in hot pursuit.

  “Bella. Good of you to come in.”

  She stood as he approached, air-kissed both of his cheeks and sat again. “Not a problem, John. I thought it was a good opportunity to sort out my contract and tell you what I envisage for the new series I’ve proposed. That’s if you’re interested in taking it on board, of course.”

  He pinned her with his hawklike stare while he sat down opposite, the expanse of the glossy black table acting like an ominous divide between them, reminding Bella of who was in charge. “I hope you’ve given us first offer on your idea, Bella?”

  A surge of hope rose in her chest. “Of course. I’d hardly take it elsewhere when I’m contracted to you. You’re the one who gave me the opportunity in the first place.” She took a deep breath and tried to relax. So much depended on this meeting going the way she wanted it to. Her whole future was tied up in this room with this man. It could go any way.

  “Great. Well, I think first up we should have a look at what Russell’s put together, get your opinion on that and then we can discuss your idea, how it will impact on your fans and the studio.”

  She nodded and waited while the lights dimmed.

  After an hour of watching the finale of her last show of the season and the promo they’d put together for her new show, Bella was barely holding in her temper.

  John watched her face as the lights came back on. “So, what did you think?”

  Bella counted to ten, glanced between her producer and the show’s boss. They had the potential to make her life easy or ruin it completely. “I love what you’ve put together. The reason behind axing the present show and starting the new one has been shown very nicely. I love the romantic element you’ve added, the photos of Jake and me at the Valentine’s Day dinner.”

  They all smiled at each other, prematurely patting themselves on the back, thinking they had a deal.

  “But, Russell, you had no right to add those pictures without my permission. You promised you would get it and you haven’t.”

  He squirmed in his seat beside her.

  “Is this true, Russell? You promised to get permission first?” John leaned forward on his elbows, the lawyer following suit, looking concerned.
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  “Look, John, I had to do something. Bella’s a star, you know that. How do you think the public is going to react if we tell them that her show’s been axed? What do you think the backlash is going to be like?”

  “That’s hardly your concern. I believe that’s my job as studio boss.” The lawyer and secretary both nodded, looking sternly across the table. “Besides, the show hasn’t been axed as yet. We’re merely discussing the possibility, I believe, of using a different format and location.”

  “You know exactly what I meant.” Russell waved his hand in the air. “And I’m the one who has to give the viewers what they want if you agree to Bella’s idea. The one who has to come up with the goods that makes the fans keep coming back for more. This is the best way I could think of doing that. Having the public see why Bella is leaving and changing track is a stroke of genius. They’ll all go crazy for it and follow the new show.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Why do you think I brought out Ryan for the dinner?” He paused a beat. “Because it makes you look more important to have famous friends backing you, that’s why. Makes it look like the studio is prepared to back you all the way by bringing out the big guns. I preempted the fuss by bringing in the big guns.”

  “That was a stroke of genius.” The studio boss tapped his fingers on the table, frowned. “Or they might change to another channel. Have you thought of that?” John’s face started to turn red. “Or, Bella might turn around and sue us for breach of promise.” His fist came down on the boardroom table and the lawyer nodded again quickly scrawling notes on his legal pad.

  “She wouldn’t do that, would you?” Russell looked at her, unrest creeping into his eyes.

  Bella looked back at the screen, the edits frozen over a picture of her and Jake in each other’s arms, the shots Jason had taken overlapping behind them. She loved the way the camera had caught them in a romantic, unguarded moment both relaxed with the bustle of a Hollywood production in the background. It screamed love and togetherness and the look in Jake’s eyes made her feel cherished. But she had promised him he would have a say in any photos he was featured in. And this wasn’t merely a photo, it was a whole series of them. It would be aired on all the network outlets right across the country. Nowhere for Jake to hide once it was done.