“Least I don’t have anyone taking advantage of me.” His voice dropped, the bite going out of it. “Not like you and your mother.”
How many times was Ethan going to hear the same thing? “Helping someone who needs us isn’t being taken advantage of. There are a lot of people out there who only need a helping hand now and then. They do the best they can but, with the odds stacked against them, it’s not always easy. You should try it sometime, Dad. You’ll be amazed at how good you feel making one person smile.”
“I don’t know, Son. I just don’t know anymore.” He hung up and Ethan sat in the truck, despairing of his father ever getting a humane bone in his body. How was he going to change his father’s mind and convince him he had it wrong all along?
His stomach rumbled reminding him how hungry he was. After a big day of prepping the ceiling in the small ballroom, he was ready to move onto the larger room. Putting new support beams in both the ballrooms so they could knock down the existing wall between them was going to be hard work. His team would painstakingly remove the old timber boards so they could replace them when the work was done, giving a smooth continuous look to the double height room. It looked boxy now but once it was all opened up and they knocked down the wall and leveled the ceilings, the room would come into its own. But to get to that point took time and patience, especially when it came to old buildings like the hotel.
Mari wanted it to look as though it had always been one large room rather than the way it was now. Without the doorway between the ballrooms, it would be more glamorous, spacious. Easier to hold bigger functions and allow her to really ramp up her wedding business. It’d taken Christian weeks to get the plans just right.
Ethan locked his truck and stopped at his mailbox on the way to the front door. Nothing but bills and a trade magazine he would look at later if he stayed awake that long. He didn’t like his chances.
By the time his steak was under the grill, he’d had a long hot shower, forgiven his father for being so stubborn and pigheaded, thought over what Christian had said regarding his inability to get over Mari and half decided his friend was right. None of the women he’d dated since she’d left had been right for him. He could see that now.
But a lot of time had passed since they were teens hanging out at the bleachers pretending to watch their favorite sports team. The chance of them connecting on the same level now was slim to none. Perhaps it would be easier to remain friends and not even attempt trying to drag their old romance out of the closet. Because every time he thought of her with his brother, feelings of jealousy reared their ugly head. He should have been the one to marry her, to raise their child. Getting used to that news was going to take time no matter how brave a face he put on.
Chapter Seven
“So, how did he take it?” Bella walked into the bar with Dakota and April trailing behind her.
“Good morning to you too.” Mari hugged all her sisters.
“Well, give up the gossip, girl. You know how this works and we’ve been waiting to hear what he said.”
April perched herself on a stool. “Was he very angry with you for keeping the secret from him?”
“Yes, he was and I don’t really blame him. Like I told you, I tried to get in touch with him.” She sighed. “I know I could have tried harder, called Pearl even, but I was hurting and Rake offered me a way out that was easier than it should have been.”
Dakota spoke up. “Yes, but Ethan has to understand the position you were in. He’d just bawled you out along with his father. What did he expect, hearts and roses?”
Mari laughed. Trust her sisters to bring things into perspective. “I understand his anger and he listened to what I had to say. At the end of the day, we both have to band together and try to give Noah the best outcome we can. Simple as that.”
“I like your train of thought.” Bella gave her the thumbs-up. “Because it’s not about you two at all, it’s all about Noah. Poor kid has lost and gained a father. That’s enough to give anyone anxiety issues.”
“And I won’t let that happen. Noah comes first regardless of what Ethan and I think of each other now.” She meant it too.
Last night had been difficult. After fielding questions from Noah about the Bensons, she’d gone to bed only to toss and turn, her legs twisted up in her sheets as she remembered how close she and Ethan were as young lovers, how long it’d been since she’d had a man in her life, especially one who made her heart race as Ethan did. And just how long it had been since she’d had someone in her bed. The relationship she’d had with Rake hadn’t been built on love at first, even though a version of that had come later. It’d been built on mutual respect, need, and trust. Trust she’d found hard to give after the life she’d left. Rake didn’t blame her, not one bit. They were two of a kind, unlikely allies. Both suffering hurt.
Rake convinced her she could overcome her past, build a new life and she believed him. He’d backed her in her quest to learn, to grow, and to eventually open her own wedding business. When she married him, it hadn’t been because he was the great love of her life. It was because they cared for each other and had made a life together when all the odds were stacked against them. Two souls on a journey neither of them had expected to take.
“There’s nothing else to tell.”
“Well, I don’t agree. Any man who looks as good as Ethan does is worth talking about.” Dakota tapped her fingernails on the polished bar and gave her a wink. “And that telltale blush of yours isn’t doing you any favors, girl.”
Mari whipped her hand up and touched her cheek before thinking. Damn, how could she not’ve thought about it? A face that told everyone what she was thinking was a dead giveaway and her cheeks were flaming. Busted!
She waved a hand in front of her face trying to cool down.
“You never really talked about what happened when Dad divorced your mom. We know you stayed here after she died and lived with the Bensons but Dad never told us all the details, said it was your story to tell. I’m pretty sure when you told us about Ethan being Noah’s father you left something out.”
Bella reached for her sister’s water and downed it. “If you don’t mind that is.”
Dakota butted in. “It doesn’t matter whether she minds or not. It’s the code.” She reached for a clean glass. “Can I have a sparkling water please with lots of ice? I think I’m going to need it.”
Mari gave them all a glass, poured one for herself and took a satisfying drink, trying to buy herself time to sort the words out in her head. She might as well get this over and done with. They weren’t going to go away until she told them the whole story.
“I moved in with them before she died. She ran off and left me to fend on my own and that’s when Jeff and Pearl took me in. Ethan was my best friend at school. Ever since we were little actually. We were like two peas in a pod. Together all the time despite my mother doing her best to ruin everything for me. Pearl, Ethan’s mom, was everything mine wasn’t. Kind and warm, caring and ready to listen to me. Willing to see me as a person, not a ball and chain around her leg.” She smiled to herself remembering how Pearl had reacted yesterday when she’d come to visit. “She was the mother I never had. Nothing like the stereotypical cold foster mother you read about. She was the mother who baked apple pies and made pumpkin spice at Halloween. She even made Ethan and me matching costumes when we were little so I never felt left out, because my mother would be on a bender or disinterested in what I did at school.”
Mari looked at her sisters, hoping they understood just how important Pearl was to her. “My mother hated that we got on so well. I can’t prove anything, but I believe that there was something to connect his father and my mother that made her bitter. She had it in for Pearl but I never could figure out what and nobody tells kids anything. It was more than Pearl being mother of the year kind of thing too. But it was the way his father reacted that scared me the most.”
“You mean like an affair or something?”
&nb
sp; “No, April. I’m not sure that’s it. I get the feeling that there was bad blood between them but it may only be my imagination working overtime. It was like he resented me or something, even though he was the one who suggested they take me in. It was like a love-hate relationship that I’ve never understood. At first I thought he was sad for me but as I got older, it felt as though I was in a vacuum. It only got worse.”
“Sounds like a honey of a guy.” Bella shuddered. “Are you sure you weren’t imagining it? You know, teenage hormones and over imagination playing up? Maybe he wasn’t the kind of person that wore his heart on his sleeve, kind of guy.”
“I don’t know but I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Ethan used to try and figure it out but eventually he gave up. Kept butting up against a brick wall.” She ran her finger over the rim of the glass, thinking aloud. “None of it made sense because they took me in when Mom lost it so I don’t get why he was so against me. Maybe it was because she kept coming back and tried to wheedle her way in for money or something – I don’t know. It never made sense.”
“But that doesn’t explain why you left. Why you ran away.” Dakota waved her hand toward the ballroom where the builders were working. “I mean, if I had that guy waiting at home for me, I wouldn’t run away and leave him behind.”
“I didn’t want to. Believe me. I wanted to stay so badly it hurt. But Mr. Benson accused me of something I didn’t do and it made it too hard to stay. He never would’ve let Ethan and me get any closer. He told me so to my face that night.”
“What else did he say?” Bella rested her chin on her hands, waiting for answers.
Her heart squeezed, giving Mari pain as the memories rolled through her mind. “There was a break-in at their house while I was with friends at a boxing match watching Rake. Things were messed up, thrown all over the place.” She passed her hand across her forehead. “He said it was me, that I wasn’t at the match like I said I was. He claimed I did it to get back at Ethan for dumping me.”
“What? Was he serious?” Dakota’s voice rose. “He doesn’t know you like we do, obviously. My goodness, I knew soon as I met you what kind of person you were. How could he, living with you like that, not see the real you?”
April butted in. “What did he blame you for taking?”
“Nothing was taken that I know of. More that I trashed the place for revenge.” She sucked in a deep breath. “It was impossible for me to stay after that because Ethan sided with him.”
“What? Are you freaking kidding me?” Bella stood, staring, with her mouth open. “And you didn’t punch him in the nose for that? You never did tell us what he said to you.”
“No, I didn’t hit him even though I thought he deserved it for not sticking up for me. We fought something terrible though. I don’t know what started him off but it was the beginning of the end for us. He informed me that he didn’t see his future aligning with mine and marriage and kids weren’t an option. He wanted to be ‘free’ to play the field instead of being saddled with me.”
“The bastard!” April was horrified.
“I didn’t see I had any choice but to go. Too many things had happened as I already explained and, with Ethan being as negative to me as he was, I didn’t think I could stay.”
“I wish we’d known. I’m sure Mom and Dad would have come and brought you home to live with us.” Bella glanced at the others and they nodded their heads in unison. “We would have loved you growing up with us.”
“You’re all very sweet but we can’t change things now. All I’m hoping is for Noah to get to know his family and have things go smoothly. He’s had a pretty rough few years with Rake’s illness. I want him to get to know Ethan and have fun with him even if there isn’t anything between us.”
Dakota smiled at her. “And what do you want with Ethan, Mari?”
“Excuse me, Mari?” Her barman, Keith stuck his head around the door. “The builder’s looking for you. A problem with the ceiling in the attic and he said he needs to discuss it with you.”
She stumbled over her own feet as her sisters cat-called and thumped their palms on the bar making a ruckus she wished they wouldn’t.
“Ooh, Mari. Ethan needs you.” Dakota burst out laughing at her attempt to tease.
“Shut up, you.” Mari swiped at her to cover up the sudden rush of heat she felt at those words. “As owner, I can hardly ignore the man, can I?” She smoothed down her hair and glared at her sisters.
“Amuse yourselves for a minute will you?” She ignored the raised eyebrows of her sisters and hurried out to find Ethan. Just how much more was this going to cost? She didn’t have a never-ending supply of money.
There was no point blaming either Ethan or Christian for the problem even though they did the inspection when she purchased the Lake Hotel. It was an old building and, anything with this much age on it, she had to expect problems. Not ideal but there she had it.
She bounded up the stairs, glancing down the first level hallway for Ethan before continuing up to the attic. She walked into the crowded storage area looking for him. “Ethan?” She walked around an old hutch dresser laden with dust-covered boxes and pulled up short when a resounding crack of timber sent a shiver up her spine and her blood went cold.
“Mari!” Ethan’s voice came up the stairs along with his footfalls. “Do not go in the attic.”
Too late! The floor gave way and she stumbled to escape. Mari launched herself toward the doorway but found herself falling.
*
“Don’t move, anyone.” Ethan tried to calm his breathing while surveying the situation.
Nothing good would come of him panicking. Not with Mari lying facedown, teetering close to the hole in the floor, her fingers clawing at the dusty boards for grip. Her foot seemed to be stuck in another rotten spot close by to the area he’d already discovered. He shouted out to anyone that could hear him. “Call 911.”
Footsteps pounded up the stairs and stopped behind him.
“What the heck?” Keith gripped the doorframe and stared over his at Ethan. “What can I do?”
“Nothing until emergency services gets here. It’ll be quicker than us moving the scaffolding over and we’d never reach her from where it is now.” He lowered his voice. “Mari, I’m coming to help you. I want you to try and keep as still as you can, sweetheart. Okay?”
Her panic-stricken face was pale with fear.
“I’m going to come and get you. You’re not alone. Do not move a muscle.” He lay down and slithered over the floor to distribute his weight and hopefully make it safer for him to reach her. If he walked across as she’d done, there was a good chance they’d both fall through the ceiling. The rot must be more widespread than he thought. She was yards away from the damage he’d discovered in the double height ceilings moments earlier.
“There must be something else I can do?” Keith spoke from the door.
“Stay where you are for now and don’t let anyone in here. I don’t want to risk anyone else on this floor. We have no way of knowing how far this goes.” Ethan moved between a dusty trunk and an old rocking chair on his belly, the dust catching in the back of his throat.
He could see the situation better now that he was closer. Mari’s foot was jammed in a rotten patch of flooring close to where he’d been working earlier. The gaping hole behind her reminded him just how dangerous and widespread this situation was.
“Hey, Ethan, can you hear me?” Ben called up from the ballroom.
“Yeah, I hear you.”
“Fire rescue is on the way. What more can we do?”
“Pray.” He inched forward, sweat trickling down his face.
He reached out, grabbed Mari’s hand in his. Her fingers dug into his palm. A trickle of tears rolled down her pale cheeks. He needed to defuse the situation before she panicked and moved enough to fall any further. He’d seen how quick the timber disintegrated when he was pulling out ceiling boards. A small puff of dust was the only warning he had before a massi
ve dump fell around his head. “Funny. You always had me believing you were fearless.”
A laugh escaped her lips then caught on a sob. “I’m good at illusion then.” She blinked. “Ethan, I don’t know if I can hold on. Please don’t let me fall.”
“I promise I won’t. I need you to relax and let emergency services do their job. We’ll get you out of here safe and sound.” He slithered closer and grabbed her other hand. “I don’t want you to make a single move, okay?” Years of stale dust clung to his clothes reminding him just how old this building was.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Mari closed her eyes and breathed through her mouth. “Talk to me. Tell me something, anything to keep me from panicking.”
“Not much to tell that you don’t already know.”
“Ethan!”
“Okay, go with me here then. I work with Christian and we took over the building company from his father. I do the renovations side of things and love working with old buildings. I’m starting to wonder if I’ve taken on more than I can deal with here.” His words came out in a rush but anything to stave off her panic.
“You can do better than that.” Her lips quivered. “Give me something I can get my teeth into, something I don’t already know about you. Gossip is acceptable. Especially juicy gossip. Surely something exciting happened for you in the last ten years that I don’t know about.”
The Moore Sisters of Montana: The Complete Series Box Set: Books 1-4 Page 53