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

by Ann B. Harrison

  “I don’t know what he’ll say. That’s a gross act of impropriety that I didn’t expect from you, not after our little chat beforehand.”

  “Look, kiddo. You wanted out and came to me with the idea of a new show. Nobody made you put that offer forward but I saw the potential, ran with it. Tried to do something that would make you happy. I put together that promo at the end of your last show to give everyone what they wanted. The studio wants you because you sell. You wanted to go live with your hunky fireman and get away from the glitz. I get all that, Bella. I understand and this is the only way I could see John going for it.” He pushed back his chair and started pacing the boardroom. “You can’t toss a contract away without giving something in return.” He turned to the studio boss. “John, when I pitched the idea to you, you had reservations, am I right?”

  “Some, yes.”

  “And after seeing that promo. What do you think?” Russell stood at the head of the table with the screen as his backdrop. “Do you not think that this is going to drag in more housewives around the country that can relate to Bella falling in love and wanting to be with her man?”

  “You have a point.”

  Bella pointed a finger at him. “You do, I agree. I have no problem with the way you’ve put the case forward for me to move to a different format. The only thing I have an issue with is the whole damned privacy thing. You’ve stepped over the line. If you do it now and get away with it, where will it end?”

  “It was the only way. I wracked my brains for another idea to showcase this to the studio but this was the only thing that made any sense.” He shrugged. “I’m sorry, Bella.”

  “He’s right.” John looked at the lawyer then at Bella. “I have to agree with him. If he hadn’t shown us that clip right there, I doubt I would have been happy for you to ditch the last season and move on. We have a lot of money invested in that show as you know. Suppliers would have to be apprised of the situation as would the advertisers. It doesn’t just come down to what you want. They all have a say in your future. You knew that going into the deal.” He picked up a pen and clicked it on the polished table. “I’m sorry, Bella, but I have to protect my interests and one of them happens to be your show. Your ratings are only getting higher and it’s a very delicate balance, changing a star to another format and not losing those percentage points. Not something that we do lightly. In fact, the last time we did something similar, we failed miserably. The studio can’t afford to pander to your little whims of fancy at the risk of bombing out. We stand to lose a lot of money if it goes south.”

  “But I don’t know if Jake will approve.” She bit her bottom lip.

  Russell pounced. “But he approved you using these photos of him in your latest book, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, but that’s not the point. The scope for people seeing this show is far more than the buyers for my books.” A niggling thought came to the front. “Hang on. Those photos that Jason took. How did you get hold of them?”

  “Interesting you should pick up on that, Bella.” The lawyer followed Russell’s every move. “It would appear that your photographer will be looking for a new assistant. According to Jason, the kid couldn’t help himself when he saw the photos of you two lovebirds and sold them on without permission. So, technically, we aren’t the ones breaking promises. That would be him.”

  “Was anyone going to tell me this?”

  Russell walked over and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Look, kid, you know he and I go way back. If you remember correctly I was the one who put you onto him for your books.”

  Bella nodded her head.

  “Normally Jason wouldn’t leave you in the dark like this, he’s one of the good guys. He’s gutted over the whole thing and I asked him if I could speak to you first. Put our case forward.”

  “I don’t understand why anyone would be that interested in me.”

  “You underestimate yourself, Bella.” John sat back and tapped the pen on the table. “Here’s what I propose. You let us run this promo at the end of the series as you see it and I’ll give you a new contract for what you want today. You can go back to your hunky hero and we can shoot your new season there.” The lawyer started scribbling on his yellow notepad. “Who knows? Your idea of taking things to the ordinary person might just take off into a whole new series.”

  Right now that was the last thing she wanted to think about. “And if I don’t give you permission?” She didn’t need a reply because she knew what the answer would be.

  “You come back and do the next show here. Stick to the old contract.”

  Russell came and sat down beside her. “Come on, you know he won’t really mind. What’s the difference, a couple of seconds on the big screen or a permanent fixture in a cookbook layout?” He smiled encouragingly. “And at the end of it, he has you living in Cherry Lake permanently.”

  *

  It had been harder than he thought watching Bella drive away yesterday. Already, Jake was used to having her around. As the dust settled on the road, he’d walked back inside the quiet house. Cory was out with friends and his father had jobs to do with his rental properties, so for once, Jake wasn’t vying for space or peace.

  Jake walked down the hall, glanced into Cory’s bedroom. His walls were covered with posters of his favorite soccer stars including a signed poster for Adam’s team. According to the coach, his son had the skills to go all the way to the top. Moving him to another town would be the worst thing he could do so it would be perfect if Bella managed to persuade the studio to let her move here permanently.

  He continued to his room. The bed he’d shared with Lisa took up most of the space, the patchwork quilt she’d made when pregnant with Cory still graced the end of the bed. A sick sensation rumbled in his gut. Would he have to give up the last links to his wife if Bella managed to get what she wanted? Was he even ready to dispose of the things he and Lisa had shared?

  He’d not given it much thought. Now the idea of throwing them out seemed too close for his peace of mind. It wasn’t as though he’d mentioned it to Bella but what woman would want another woman’s belongings in her house?

  Jake stared at the large prints on the wall. Their wedding portrait and a shot of the pair of them with a tiny bundle of joy wrapped snug in his baby blanket. How could he part with these? Maybe they could stay behind if and when he moved in with her. It was in the cards if she came back. Not that they’d actually set anything in concrete but it seemed like an unspoken plan between them.

  What was worse than worrying about taking his possessions was the thought of her not getting what she wanted. He would have to wait until she arrived back tomorrow evening to find out what happened. He couldn’t wait to see her, to make plans for their future. That was if they had one.

  *

  The following afternoon Jake was busy cleaning the house and preparing a welcome home meal for Bella when he answered a knock on the door. The local newspaper reporter, Ken Hazler stood on the porch.

  “Hey, Jake. Wondered if I could do a story on you and Bella Moore?”

  “What are you talking about?” He stepped out on the porch.

  “Haven’t you seen it? The new show you guys are filming here in Cherry Lake.”

  His father walked up behind him. “What nonsense are you talking now, Ken? Jake isn’t doing any show.”

  “Hey, Woodsie. Haven’t you guys seen the promo for her new show? The one she’s doing here instead of going back to Seattle? Thought for sure you’d know all about it considering you star in it, Jake.”

  His father walked over to the television and turned it on, clicked onto the cooking channel. Reporters were talking about the big news. Bella Moore was quitting her famous cooking show and taking on a more sedate role heading up a new program as befitted the love interest of Cherry Lake Fire Chief, Jake Woods.

  Jake watched in disbelief as the promo for the show aired and felt all sorts of violated.

  “Holy crap.” Cory’s voice reached him from
the hallway. “You look like a lovesick puppy, Dad.”

  “Not the most flattering side I’ve seen of you for some time, Son.” Woodsie rubbed his hand over his gray hair, shook his head. “Did you know they were going to do this?”

  Jake stared at the screen, wishing he could push the stop button but he felt frozen in time. The kind of thing he wanted to unsee but also didn’t want to miss a second of.

  “It’s not that bad, Dad. I mean, everyone knows you’re hot for her. Makes you look kinda soft though, you know?”

  “That’s not the point. Nobody asked if I minded having my face out there, Cory.”

  “So, is it a yes for the story then, Jake?” Ken shuffled his feet by the door. “I figured you’d want to support your girlfriend and all. I wouldn’t print anything you didn’t want me to.”

  Jake looked at him, not believing a word he said. Reporters were notorious at printing whatever sold papers the most. Just look at what he was watching.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “I had no choice. Believe me I tried to keep you out of it, Jake.” This wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have over the phone.

  “We all have choices. You promised me I could choose the photos you used. You never said anything about me being in a damned promotional video with my face plastered over every social media channel there is to say nothing of the national news.”

  Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath, dreading telling him that it was all over the latest magazines as well. They’d made headlines everywhere.

  “I know how you must feel, Jake, but it was the only option. You know that the footage from the dinner was out of my hands. Russell had total control of what they aired.”

  “Don’t give me that, Bella. You told me I had options when it came to photos of me and Cory.”

  “I did and I meant it. But that was for the cookbook, which I thought I had total control over. Someone leaked the photos Jason took and everyone is picking them up. I can’t control what the press does, especially when everything’s already on the Internet. Why do you think Russell made me go to Cherry Lake in the first place? Because he wanted to keep me away from the bloodthirsty reporters that will print anything to sell a story, that’s why. I told you that before and I’m sorry I dragged that crap to your door. I never intended things to get this bad.”

  She sighed and rubbed the spot between her eyes, digging her fingertips into the deepening crease. This could spell the death of what her and Jake had but it was out of her hands. She tried to concentrate on the conversation, desperately hoping she could salvage their relationship. The tone of his voice didn’t give Bella much hope but she wasn’t a quitter.

  “But the show is different, you know that. I went into the meeting ready to fight for what I wanted. I’d do anything to be able to stay with you and Cory in Cherry Lake, not have to move back to Seattle.” She swallowed. “The bottom line was I had to give and take. I didn’t really have any say in it.”

  “So the trade-off was you giving them permission to use the leaked photos of me and you and they’ll let you do your new show here?”

  “Yeah, that’s right. The studio didn’t have to ask me but at least they had the decency to do that I guess.”

  “And that was what you couldn’t tell me before you left? That you were putting this idea to them. Don’t you think I should have had a say in it, Bella?”

  “I’m sorry. I wanted to come to you with it all signed and sealed. I didn’t want to give you false hope or get too excited myself and discussing it with you would have made it seem more real somehow.” She wished she could see his face right now.

  When her cell rang, her heart dropped to her stomach, a sixth sense about what was happening. If only she’d been able to get a flight back that night as she’d planned. Sadly, the legal department didn’t have her new contract ready and there was no way Bella was going to leave the city without it.

  Instead she’d gone to her apartment to wait for the call from her manager to come in and sign it.

  “I don’t know, Bella. I just don’t know.” Jake sighed. “Let’s talk about it when you get back, okay?”

  “Okay.” She looked out her window at the busy street below, wishing she was in her little pink cottage.

  “When are you coming home?” There was a wistful note in his voice, which gave her hope.

  “I don’t know. There are things here that I have to deal with first. I’m so sorry, Jake. I never imagined it being like this.” When she hung up, Bella dropped down onto the couch, pulled a cushion to her chest and tucked up her feet. She felt as though she was in a hotel. The room was bland and soulless. A little like how she felt right now. Stuck between two worlds, she couldn’t settle things with Jake until she had the contract signed and sealed. Only then could she give him the assurance he needed. Until then, she was stuck here, the place she never thought she’d dislike as much as she now did.

  *

  Jake thought about it. It was what he wanted, wasn’t it? But how was he going to be sure this would be the only incident? That Bella wouldn’t regret her decision to leave all the glitzy life behind. Could he be sure this was what she wanted, that he wasn’t just a distraction that gave her a reprieve from her hectic lifestyle? And the fact she didn’t discuss it with him first bothered him. He could understand her wanting to surprise him with a puppy or a weekend away but this – this was a huge step for both of them and it didn’t feel right to be kept in the dark over it no matter what her reasoning was.

  He walked into his bedroom and stared at the photos on the wall. Did he have the guts to make the break? It felt as though he was being disloyal to Lisa to put her away. Not that he’d ever forget her. Whether it was with Bella or someone else, it was time to move on with his life.

  The front door slammed and the sound of a school satchel hitting the floor indicated Cory was home. This might not be the time to put away his dead wife’s photos.

  “Hey, Dad.” Cory stood in the doorway. “What’re you doing?”

  “Stalling.”

  Cory came in and sat on the bed. “About what?”

  “Bella and me.” Jake sat down beside his son.

  “When’s she coming back? I thought you said she’d only be a day or so.”

  “I don’t know. She must have more to deal with than I thought.” Jake linked his fingers and looked up at the photos on the wall. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something. I think it’s time I moved on and put these away. Would it upset you?”

  Cory shrugged his shoulders. “No, don’t think so.” He looked at them and smiled. “Don’t throw them away though.”

  “No, I wasn’t going to. Maybe put them in the cellar for now. You can have them anytime you want them but I figure it’s not quite the room decorations I should be having with Bella being such a big part of my life.”

  “Maybe.” He nudged his father. “So, does that mean you and Bella are going to, you know, move in together?”

  Jake sighed. “Here’s the thing, I don’t know. I’m not sure that I haven’t upset her. I wasn’t that pleased about having my face all over the television for the new show and I let her know that.”

  “Seriously?” He grunted his disapproval. “You need to get a grip, Dad. This is Bella, not some freak show. She’d never do anything to hurt you. So what if everyone sees you two together? It’s part of her life, you know? Deal with it. It’s not all about you, you know.”

  “I never said it was.”

  “Yeah, you did but not in so many words. It’s like she has to change everything she is for you but you’re not prepared to change for her. Lighten up a bit.”

  “It’s not that simple, Cory. She’s used to being in the public eye. I’m not.”

  “So what? Things will calm down once all the fuss about her new show is over. Before long, everyone will be talking about something new and you guys will be old news.” He turned to Jake. “You see, Dad, you have to figure out what’s more important. Your ugly fac
e being on television or your future with someone that makes you happy. Easy.” Cory stood up. “I’m going to go and kick goals. See ya later.” He ambled out of the room leaving Jake pondering his son’s words.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Two days later, Jake noticed her car sitting outside the cottage. She hadn’t called him to say she was back but he didn’t care. He wanted to sort this out once and for all. He strode down the lane and walked through the gate. When he stood at the front door, he took a couple of deep breaths to try and calm the anger that still simmered through his body.

  She answered before he could knock. Shadows darkened her eyes and paleness made her skin almost transparent. He’d never seen her looking so worn-out or defeated. This didn’t look like the right time to discuss lifelong changes.

  “You didn’t call when you got in. I was worried about you.”

  Bella rubbed her hands over her face and pulled her hair back. “I only got in about an hour ago and I think I fell asleep on the couch. Sorry.”

  “Right. So you were going to call me, weren’t you?”

  The shadows danced in her eyes and Jake wanted to kick himself. Way to go. Hit her with your bad mood when she’s down. “I’m sorry. I’m being an idiot. Come here.” He held his arms open and she leaned into him, a tremor going through her body.

  She slid her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest.

  “I didn’t mean to tear into you. That was unforgiveable of me.” Jake dropped a kiss on her hair.

  Her voice was thready. “No, not your fault. I shouldn’t have been so presumptuous with my plans and not involve you. I tend to take over and charge at things like a bull in a china shop to get them sorted. Bad habit of mine.”