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

by Ann B. Harrison

  Was it so much to ask that she be happy? She didn’t think so. Perhaps she should pick someone more like herself next time instead of taking on someone who had such different ideas. Whoever said opposites attracted was talking about themselves obviously and was twisting the words for their own gain. It should have read “opposites need to stay at their own end of the scale to avoid an all-out war.”

  “This isn’t getting me anywhere, Hamish.” April stroked her finger down his wiry head to the tip of his black, wet nose. His warm breath rolled over her hand and she thanked her lucky stars she had her boy at least. He was reliable, wouldn’t dump her for a long lost girlfriend who’d hurt him nor would he turn his back when she disagreed with him.

  Hamish would always be there for her. A loyal trusted friend she could rely on.

  A tap on the door startled her and Hamish scurried out to the lounge room. He barked, a loud woof that would scare away the most intrepid burglar. April got up, pulled a sheet around her flimsy nightgown and padded out. “Who is it?”

  “David. Can you please let me in?”

  “I have nothing to say to you.” April slid the bolt home and felt a twinge of regret.

  It was the first time she’d ever locked the door to her home. It made a loud snicking sound David would have heard. There was quiet for a moment and then the pad of feet on the stairs as he walked away.

  She shuffled over to the window and waited to see if he walked around the front of the shop. When ten minutes had passed with no sign of him, April gave up. “Guess that’s it. And to think I was ready to fight for him before she came back on the scene.” April headed for the shower to wash away the tired eyes and lethargy a long night restless night had left her with.

  She was just walking out of the shower when her cell phone rang.

  “April, it’s Rick. Sorry to bother you but Susan asked me to give you a call.”

  “Hey, no worries. How is she?” The panic in his voice was palpable over the phone. “Is something wrong?”

  “Yes. I don’t know if she told you but she’s pregnant. When she was carrying Connie it was touch and go so many times. The thing is, she’s in a hell of a lot of pain, can hardly stop vomiting and David can’t be reached. She’s asking for you. Can you come?”

  “Call an ambulance and I’ll be right there.” She slammed down the phone and grabbed her keys, bolted down the stairs, and ran for her van. Her heart was in her mouth all the way to Susan’s house. She got there just as the sirens sounded down the street.

  Chapter Twenty

  April paced the waiting room lobby with Rick as the doctors saw to Susan. Each time the door opened, they both spun around, desperate for news. Eventually their prayers were answered and a doctor came out. “Mr. Collins?”

  “How’s my wife?”

  The doctor smiled and came toward them. “She’s resting comfortably.”

  “The baby?” April saw the question in Rick’s eyes.

  She reached for his hand, gave him a squeeze.

  “Baby is fine, too. I suspect your wife has a terrible case of food poisoning but for her safety, I’m going to keep her in for the rest of the day. She’s dehydrated so we’ve given her fluids and something for the pain.”

  Rick grabbed April and hugged her. “Thank god. I was terrified. The last pregnancy…”

  “I know, Susan told me. Go and see her, Rick. I’m glad she’s okay. Tell her I’ll see her tomorrow when she’s home, alright?”

  He wasn’t ready to let her go yet. “Thanks for coming when we called. She was beside herself after what that woman said when we tried to get hold of David.” The color had started to come back into his face.

  “What woman?”

  “The one claiming to be buying David’s practice. You know he was involved with someone and she stayed in Seattle, right?”

  “Elise. She’s here. I saw her last night when I dropped in to take him dinner. She’s buying the business?”

  “That’s what she said. I mean, we knew he was anxious to sell and move his mother to Seattle so he could go back to his old job but after all this time we hoped he’d changed his mind. It would seem that wasn’t the case.”

  “When did you speak to her?”

  “After I called the ambulance I tried David again hoping he was at the office. She answered the phone. I guess she’s started there already.”

  April said goodbye and hurried back to Cherry Lake. As she drove into town, she saw David jogging along the shore with Oscar. She pulled over ahead of him and slammed on the brakes, climbed out and waited on the pavement for him.

  “April.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? Why leave it so I’d find out myself?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Selling up. You could have let me know. I thought we meant more to each other than that. You ask me to give you a chance and then I find out you’re really selling. How can you foist that horrible woman on the people of Cherry Lake?”

  “I tried to call you. And I came over this morning before I went running but you wouldn’t let me in. Remember?”

  “And I’m glad I didn’t. Now I know what you’re really like. Playing me against her, letting her tell your friends how it’s going to be. How could you?”

  “Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about but I’ve dealt with my ex. She isn’t going to be a problem.” He even had the nerve to look guilty.

  April ignored the way it tore at her heartstrings. “Is that right? I don’t believe you.”

  “I asked her to leave. She’s got nothing to do with me.” He reached down and brushed his hand over Oscar’s ears. “And before you ask, I stayed at my mother’s last night. Elise will be leaving today.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “April, nothing’s changed between us.”

  She snorted in disbelief. “Well, let me tell you, Dr. David Morrison, you weren’t here when things went bad so I don’t know how you can say that. And I thought Susan was your best friend, yet you didn’t come. Instead you let Elise crawl back into your life and take over your practice. ‘I’m not letting that witch of a woman get her hands on me or my friends.’ Those were the exact words Susan said when I saw her as they loaded her into the ambulance.”

  “What the heck are you talking about?” His face paled. “Susan? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?” He reached for her, but April stepped back. “Tell me what happened.”

  “The baby’s fine and so is Susan. She has a bad dose of food poisoning and called you for help but got Elise instead. Seems she’s digging her claws in before anyone else gets to work, staking her claim, I guess. Anyway, Rick called an ambulance to take her to the hospital and they wanted to keep her in because she’s dehydrated.” She folded her arms over her chest, trying to protect her heart. “Elise told Rick when he called looking for you that she was buying the business and to bring Susan down to the clinic because she didn’t make house calls.”

  “What? Who did you say?” David seemed hardly aware that he spoke.

  “Your Elise. The one who took the dinner I brought you as a peace offering. Ring a bell?”

  “I didn’t even know she was coming until I got home last night. But she turned away a patient? She turned away Susan?”

  “Yes.”

  “Tell me exactly what the hospital said again.”

  “She’s going to be okay. Food poisoning but that’s not the point. You wouldn’t have turned her away.”

  “No, I wouldn’t have. Can I ask a huge favor? Can you take Oscar to your place? I have to deal with Elise now before she causes any more damage and then I’m going to see Susan. I’ll pick him up and take him home later.”

  She held her hand out for the dog lead, watched him run toward the clinic, and turn up into the back entry. “Looks like you get a play date with Hamish. Still doesn’t solve my problems though.” April hurried back to her apartment to settle the dogs.

  *

  David strode into the clinic and found
Elise standing behind the reception counter with a patient’s chart in her hands. His spare set of keys sat on the countertop. David grabbed them.

  “Darling. Where have you been?”

  “I told you yesterday to get out, Elise. Why’re you still here?” He stood with his keys in his hands, watching the uncertainty in her eyes. How he ever thought he was ever in love with her, he’d never know.

  “Because you asked me to come here, to live with you, and work with you.” She smiled, tossed her hair back from her face. “So, here I am, darling, ready to take up your offer. I came in early to get used to the place before I start seeing patients. I didn’t think you’d mind. The paperwork is a mere formality. This is a bit quaint compared to what I’m used to but it has good bones, a great country feel about it.” She smiled and took a step toward him. “I know I’m late to the party, but you know what they say. Better late than never.”

  “No, stop right there.” The predatory gleam in her eyes scared him.

  “Don’t be silly, darling. So, we didn’t agree on the timeframe, and had a little fight. It doesn’t mean we’re over. Just that it took me longer to come to my senses than it should have. But I’m more than happy to make up for lost time.” She took another step. “I really do love your practice, by the way. I’m sure I’ll fit in very well once the locals get to know me.”

  “No, you won’t. You will not be working with me, ever. You can pack your bags and get into that car of yours and go back to where you came from. I know why you’re here and it won’t work.”

  “I’m here for you, darling. I told you that.”

  “I’m not totally stupid. You were asked to leave the clinic you worked at and if you think you can come down here and buy yourself some respectability, you can think again.”

  “I did nothing wrong.” The bitter twist of her lips was a far cry from the seductive smile from a moment ago.

  “Oh, yes, you did. You’ve shown you have no scruples and care about nobody but yourself. I would never allow anyone to buy the practice my father built who treated patients or coworkers like that.”

  “But all the studying we did together, all the effort I put into becoming as good as I can be. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” What he suspected were crocodile tears filled her eyes.

  “No, and I really don’t care what you think you’re suffering. You no longer concern me.”

  “But even my father agrees I was treated badly.”

  “Don’t tell me, he’s given you the money to disappear and you thought you could buy your way in?” David shook his head. She hadn’t changed. What hurt him the most was how long it had taken him to see her true colors. “Tommy should have told me it was you who made the offer on the business. I could have saved you the effort and given him my answer straight away. I’m giving you ten minutes to leave or I’m calling the police and having you thrown out. You were never invited to join me no matter what you say, but you have been invited to leave.” He lifted his hand and looked at his watch. “Ten minutes. Not a second more.”

  “You can’t do this to me. After all we meant to each other, David. You have to give me another chance. The money I can put into the business. Imagine what you could do with it, how much we could expand.”

  “Nine.” He would not be swayed from this step. He should have done it yesterday and saved them all the extra grief. What a fool for even letting her get a foot in the door. And what an idiot for not insisting April let him in last night to explain what happened with Elise. He never should have left without putting his side of the story forward. His mother was wrong, a lot could happen while he chewed over his options and mistakes. Hopefully it wasn’t too late.

  “Eight.”

  She screamed in frustration and hurried to the office next to his she must have thought to claim as her own. By the time she came back out with her handbag over her arm and a jacket, the minutes had ticked down to two. “Two.”

  “You’ll regret this for the rest of your life. See if you don’t.”

  “One.” Elise stormed out the door and slammed it behind her. David stood where he was, breathing to restore his calm before going to apologize to April.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Hamish loped over to the door and sniffed through the crack at the bottom when David knocked. Oscar stood beside him whining. “Come in.”

  David opened the door and stared at her. “Hi.”

  While the dogs licked David’s hands and wagged their tails in sheer happiness, April found herself staring back, unable to move. It’d been one thing to approach him on the street while she was high on adrenaline to give him a piece of her mind, but to finally be able to talk things over with him after the last few anxious hours had her lost for words.

  “I have some things to say if you’ll let me go first. I’m hoping you’ll be kind enough to give me a chance to do that because,” he gave her a winning smile and she melted inside. “I’ve been an idiot and I think you know that. I’d really like this chance to prove myself redeemable.” He patted Hamish and Oscar on the head and closed the door behind him.

  “I don’t expect you to say anything. Just be kind enough to listen. Not that I deserve it.” He ran a hand over his hair, messing it up making him look cute. “I was an ass and I know it. I actually knew it at the time but I couldn’t seem to control myself.”

  He wandered over and sat at one end of her couch, facing her. “I’ve been on a negative, ‘I refuse to listen,’ tour since my father died.”

  The hitch in his voice made her want to reach out and touch him but David had to deal with his demons and get it out of his system. Until he did, he wouldn’t be able to put his past behind him. Psychobabble one-oh-one if she remembered correctly.

  “It all happened quite fast once I knew what was happening, the cancer diagnosis Dad didn’t tell me about, the terminal verdict they had hanging over their heads while I was away traveling instead of being with them. I wasn’t ready for it, you know? Too much too fast to deal with. It threw me and I had trouble dealing with it. My father was my hero. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have trained to be a doctor.” He wiped his hand over his eyes and she looked away, giving him a small gap of privacy to get control of his emotions. “By the time I got home and they told me, it was too late. There was a slim chance that they could give him a few more months if he underwent chemo but he refused as soon as they suggested it.” Hamish climbed up on the lounge beside David and dropped his big head in David’s lap. His hand went out to touch him and he caressed Hamish’s ears. “Mom didn’t say anything but I did. How could he not even try? I didn’t understand it, couldn’t see how he would give in so easily and leave us like that.”

  April put her glass down and picked up a tissue. Funny how her eyes had started leaking when this poor man was letting her into the heart of his problem.

  “Instead, he started taking supplements and herbs. He found some crazy woman online and went to her for magic potions. Started drinking things like wheatgrass shots and eating nothing but vegetarian meals.” The tension rose in his voice. “I tried, god, how I tried but he wouldn’t listen. He was so stubborn when he put his mind to it.”

  Sounded familiar. It made April smile just a little through her pain.

  “Obviously he died and still I couldn’t forgive him for not trying harder. Not trying everything that was out there to be with us longer. An extra day to tell him I loved him. An extra week to see more sunsets with us. I would have taken anything he could give but he wasn’t prepared to fight a battle he knew he couldn’t win.” He stared at her now, his heart in his eyes. “I blamed the herbs he was administering for taking him away from us when I know deep down they probably made his life more tolerable in the end. And in doing so, I blamed you and everyone who was a little bit alternate when I shouldn’t have.”

  “I knew that. We all knew that.”

  He frowned and she took that as an excuse for her to have her say and moved a little closer.

&nbs
p; “Susan came to my rescue. You know that day after the cookout when I was late coming back to the shop and you were waiting for me?” He nodded and she continued. “We were having coffee together then and a really good girl heart-to-heart. She told me to give you space, to let you deal with it and I knew then that I shouldn’t have taken what you said to me personally. It wasn’t aimed at me. I know that.”

  “How can you be so forgiving?”

  She shuffled over to sit beside him. “I know how different we are. How different I am from all my family. I know my weaknesses but I also know my strengths. And my strength has always been compassion and it’s the reason why I’m not kicking your ass out the door and mooning on the couch with ice cream and bad movies so early in the morning.”

  “You’re something special, you know that right?” He grinned at her.

  “That little comment may have saved that ass of yours.” She smiled back and slid her hand into his. “You need to forgive your father because it was his decision, not yours. Sometimes when we’re told things are hopeless the best we can do is give in gracefully and go. It was his choice to accept his frailty.”

  “I know and I accept that. But no matter how prepared you think you are, the day your parent is no longer there is hard to take.”

  “True. I’m not looking forward to it.” She slipped her arm around his waist. “I suppose this is where I say I forgive you and we move on?”

  “That would be nice but I don’t expect it to be that easy. So, I come prepared to grovel a little bit more.” He leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. “I wonder if you’d like to join me for dinner tonight? My house, that’s if you’re not too scared to try my cooking.”

  “I’d love to. And caring about your father doesn’t make you an idiot, David.” She pushed him toward the door. “Leave Oscar with me and go see Susan. I know you’re dying to catch up with her and make sure she’s okay.”

  “Thanks. You’re right. I really need to see her for myself.” He moved away but stopped. David turned and held her face in his hands. “I’m so sorry you were subjected to the unhappy Elise. I told you it was over between us ages ago, and I was telling the truth. She was only using me as a means to an end, or at least trying to. I didn’t have any idea what she was up to until I made a phone call and found out she’d disgraced herself in the city. Figured it would be easy to slink in here and take up where she left off.”