“That makes sense. She must miss them terribly.”
“You have no idea.” The hot anger I’ve managed to keep suppressed from Meadow claws its way to the surface. Quickly, I fill him in on everything I’ve learned since my feet touched Montana soil. “And I know for damn certain that’s not everything.”
“No doubt. Is she sad? Grieving her marriage at all?”
“No. I think she’d be well on the way to moving on if the kids were in the same place as her.”
“Well, whatever she needs, let me know. You know you don’t have to ask.”
Despite his tough business edge, John Jennings has a heart of pure gold. I smile in the dark. “I know.”
“I think this year has shown all of us we should have done a better job of taking care of the family we made all those years ago.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“You’re a good man, Kody,” Jennings commends me.
“I don’t know what else to do except to be here when she needs to shift some of the burden,” I tell him honestly.
Jennings hesitates.
“What?” I mutter irritably.
“Nothing. I was just going to ask how you’re handling hearing all this.”
“If you thought I was furious at my parents’ house when I first heard what was going on, Lord knows what I’d do if I ran into…I can’t even think of the right name for Mitchell Borneman.”
“Tiny Douchebag,” Jennings supplies.
I sputter with laughter. “That sounds like something Jed would say, for fuck’s sake!”
Jennings chuckles in my ear. “It was Rainey. She came up with it and has been socializing it among the women. Maris is apparently using it in the bar like it was his God-given name while Kara tested it out the other morning just as I took my first sip of coffee. I had to go find a new shirt since I spit everywhere.”
I grin. Those women are a force individually, but together? They should terrify all of the men on the planet. My heart swells with pride when I think of the way they’ve all adopted each other, especially with everything that happened after Jed died. Kara and Jennings’s lives have changed so much including their living accommodations. “So, despite the lack of crown molding, how’s the new house?”
“Kara keeps swearing she gets lost in our bedroom. I told her I have no problem with figuring out a way stay in it longer.”
“Why am I not surprised?’
Jennings’s smile can be heard over the line. “Besides, I got what I wanted out of our new home.”
“What? Your own office? The three-car garage?”
“No, her and Kevin living in it with me. We could have stayed in the two-bedroom apartment we were cramped in and I’d still be perfectly happy. The fact you sent a crew here as a wedding gift to custom-build it, well, that just makes it all the more special. I just wish…”
He doesn’t finish his sentence, but I know what he’s going to say. He wishes Jed were still alive to see how happy he and Kara are together. “Me too, brother. But you know he’s watching all of us.” I swallow hard right after I say the words. God, I hope he is. The idea of a world without Jed is just not something I’m ready for, despite it being almost a year since he’s been gone.
“You should be scared,” Jennings laughs after a lengthy pause.
“What? Why?” I’m confused.
“Jed spent a lot of time walking around Flathead Lake when we were there. Don’t you have a tree house to build? When the hell are you supposed to find time to do that.”
“First things first, let me finish with rebuilding what I’m here to before I turn my attention to another project.”
“Well, from everything I’m hearing, you’re doing exactly what she needs right now. But make sure you find time for what you need as well.” Without another word, Jennings hangs up.
What I need? The thought runs insidiously inside my head. I stare out across the vast lake lit only by the moonlight. What I need is directly tied up in Meadow’s happiness.
The problem is, will I get a chance to show her that before I have to leave?
On that depressing thought, I push myself to my feet and head back inside to answer some email before Greta comes out to Montana and follows me around like she used to when we were kids.
The next morning, I pull up to Nature’s Song and find Meadow’s SUV already there. Instead of being upstairs when I walk in, she’s laying dozens of boxes on top of the counter alongside boxes of coffee and stacks of cups next to it. Her cheeks look pale, but still she smiles when she sees me. “Morning, Kody.”
“What’s all this?” I ask, gesturing to the items she has lined up on the kitchen island, the last viable surface we have to remove.
“I placed an order at the diner we went to for to-go coffee and apple cider donuts…Kody!” Meadow screeches as I yank her into my arms.
“Your job is not to feed the entire damn crew,” I growl.
She shoves at my chest to put some space between us. “My job is to do whatever the hell I want it to be, Mr. Laurence. You sure as hell aren’t the boss of me.”
“Oh really? I’m not? Then tell me, Meadow, where’s your hard hat?” I smirk down into her face as a flush immediately brightens her cheeks. “Right. The minute my company took over this job, I become your boss the minute you walk through that door until the moment you step out of it.”
The flush staining her cheeks recedes as if it was never there. Instead fury tightens her features. “Only insomuch as you get to direct my work. But remember who signs the paychecks. And if I want to be a nice human being and buy the men and women who are working on this site something to eat to say thank you out of my own money the same way I did when I was nothing more than a lowly waitress working at Donna’s, then I’ll damn well do it. I’m not your employee, Kody. Nor am I your wife. Hence, I don’t report to you for a damn thing despite the fucking color of the hat I wear while I’m on this site.”
While I stand there stunned, Meadow uses the opportunity to shove herself out of my arms and storm away. But not before I see her swipe up her hard hat, which was sitting right behind the mound of donuts she’d purchased for my team, and slams it on her head.
“Well, that was fucked-up, boss,” I hear behind me. I swivel around as Shane saunters in. “Meadow’s a great lady.”
“You have no idea what that was,” I tell him.
“What it appears to be was you giving someone a hard time for doing something nice that any number of us have done before. The question is why?” Shane flips open a box, and the smell of freshly made donuts permeates the air. Lifting two, he flips the lid back down. “And just for the record, there’s nothing left to demo other than the island these are on and some carpet. I’m not certain I want you near a sledgehammer or a knife right now. So, why don’t you take a page out of the lady’s book and go outside to cool off?”
Following Shane’s gaze, I find Meadow’s run past the debris in the backyard until she reached the grass near the water’s edge. From this distance I can’t see anything except the bright color of her shirt that proudly matches the hard hat she’s still wearing. “I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time.”
Along the way to get to Meadow, I’m stopped a few times by members of my team. Each time, I let them know about the treats she brought. Shane’s right. Why did I have such an adverse reaction to her bringing them when any number of our crew had done the same in the past?
Because she’s not theirs. She’s yours. The thought pops into my head. I shove it aside because I don’t dare think that way. Meadow’s marriage just broke up. There’s no way she’s thinking along the same way I am—that all those years ago maybe there could have been something deeper between us. Right now, I have to tread carefully because…
Suddenly, a frozen ice ball hits me in the center of the chest. “Shit, that hurt!” I yell.
“Good!” Meadow yells. She storms in my direction, her long limbs jerking in anger. And I real
ize she isn’t broken, she’s infuriated.
It sparks some deep-seated memory inside me from long ago as I approach her warily.
“Oh my God, Kody!” Meadow shouted. She was pulling her pale blue skirt away from her long legs. “I smell like a brewery.”
“I’m sorry, Flower. I was aiming for, Jed,” I stammered.
“I figured.”
“I missed.”
“I can tell.”
“Can I make it up to you?”
Her icy glare raked me up and down. “Pray I don’t get pulled over considering none of us are twenty-one yet.”
Then Rainey snorted. “Like that will matter. Mitch would probably bail you out.”
Meadow turned her withering stare on her sister. “Because that would look great. Hey, new guy I’m dating. Come bail your drunk-smelling chick out of jail.”
I turned away with my fists clenched, not wanting to give in to the urge to lose the rest of my temper for not having the balls to ask Meadow out sooner. I’ve never even met this Mitch guy and I already hate him.
Meadow’s chest is heaving as she hoists another scoop of ice in her hands. “That was for being such a dick this morning.”
My eyes dart to the ball she’s forming in her hands. “Then what’s that one for?”
Her eyes narrow. “My revenge for the beer all those years ago. That blue dress was completely ruined.”
Fuck. She remembers.
“You have that wrong, Meadow. I’m the one who deserves revenge for that.” Swiftly, I get close enough to grab her wrist, forcing her to drop the ice ball.
“What…what do you mean?” Her head falls back. The yellow hard hat falls harmlessly to the ground, spinning on the hard grass.
“I’m the one who had to sit there and listen to you and Rainey talk about your new guy when all I wanted to do was…” My head starts to lower.
Her body stretches up. My hand holding her wrist loosens and slides down her arm over her side to grip her around the back.
“What? What did you want to do, Kody?” she whispers.
It’s cool enough out that as my eyes are focused on her lips, I can see our breath entwine. “I wanted…”
Her eyes lower, long thick lashes temporarily hiding the deep blue color.
But just as my lips touch hers, I hear a large crash. I snarl. “Fuck. I can’t do this now. I have to go see what happened.”
Her eyes fly open as I set her away from me. Her fingers come up and press against her lips before she turns away.
I storm in the direction of the noise when suddenly I jerk myself to a stop. What the hell am I thinking? “Meadow?” I call to her. After she whirls around to face me, I declare, “I’ve waited too long to kiss you. This isn’t the place for it.”
From a good six feet away, I see her swallow. My lips quirk. “Now get to work. The rest of those bedrooms need the walls cleaned so they can be primed next week.” I turn away.
“Are you sure you don’t want an ice ball in the back?” she calls to my back.
I laugh knowing it’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay.
In fact, I think we might just be better than that.
Meadow
Using a bandanna I picked up when I ran out for lunch that’s sporting huckleberries trimmed to look like flowers, I sit back on my heels and grin.
It’s done.
“Though, I feel better knowing it was grease and not—”
Footsteps announce someone’s presence before I hear Kody say, “Crap?” I twist around to find him lounging in the doorway.
“Fecal matter,” I toss back.
“Either way, we’re talking about a lot of work to clean up a load of—”
“Kody!” I cut him off before he can say it, but I’m laughing just the same. “It was bad enough when I thought it was that. Let’s not rehash it.”
He takes a few steps into the room and offers his hand to help me stand, and I accept it. Our bodies are as close as they were when his lips brushed against mine after what I’ve been mentally calling the donut debacle from yesterday. All morning, I’ve used a critical eye as I ensured the walls of the last bedroom have been scrubbed. I’ve almost stripped the paper covering the wallboard in some places as I tried to make sense of what his intent was by that almost kiss.
Was he just being friendly? Familial even? I mean, there was nothing overtly passionate in the brush of his lips against mine. Scolding myself, I drop his hand and gesture to the room at large. “What do you think?”
“Isn’t this the room where that schmuck went to town with markers he found in his niece’s bedroom?”
“It is.”
Kody steps away and my heart rate settles down. Until he frowns and shrugs off the overshirt he’s wearing. I don’t know if I make a sound, but he turns to face me. He opens his mouth. I just pray he doesn’t expect me to speak.
Dear merciful God. The tight white T-shirt he had on underneath is molded to his broad shoulders and chest before gaping slightly around his narrower stomach. I wish my eyes were my fingers right now so they could trace each sinuous muscle on display.
My fantasies are going to take on a whole new meaning tonight.
“Don’t you think, Flower?”
“I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?”
He frowns. “Are you okay?”
Hell no. “Sure. I might have been in here too long without a break,” I lie.
“I was just saying that at the end of demo week, we normally have a small party. Now, I’m not sure if you’re up to it.”
“I’m up to it.” Excitement begins to thrum in my veins. I haven’t felt so eager since last summer when the kids and I would hang around with Rainey’s family, Kara’s family, and Maris in Juneau for family barbecues.
“Are you sure?” Kody moves closer. Inspecting my face as closely as he was the wall, he notes, “You’re flushed.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ve just been bent over, contorting myself, for hours. I’m fine.”
“Thanks for the mental image. That helps.”
“What do you mean?” I’m bewildered.
“Nothing. Never mind. Any suggestions where we can go tonight?”
I immediately think of the bar at the lodge he and his crew are staying at, but then dismiss it. Quickly, another thought pops into my head. “Why don’t we have a cookout at my place?”
“You want this crew invading your home?” Kody’s incredulous.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Then I frown. “So long as they don’t mess with the kids’ rooms.”
“I can guarantee that.”
“Then I have only two important questions.”
“Okay.” He draws out the word.
“What does everyone like to eat? And are you going to be as pissy at me as you were yesterday if I leave to go and get it?” I give him an impish smile.
Kody tears the sponge from my hand. Peeling off my gloves, he begins to edge me toward the doorway.
“I guess that answers that part of the question,” I mutter as we descend the stairs.
“If I answer the second part without including them, I’ll never hear the end of it,” Kody explains.
Touching his chest lightly when we reach the foot of the stairs, I proclaim, “You’re a good person, a good boss.”
“What else am I good at?”
I open and close my mouth before avoiding the question as I dash away yelling, “What does everybody eat and drink? Party at my house tonight.”
I try to use fielding orders to distract me from the fact I can still feel Kody’s eyes burning into my back.
I chew anxiously at my lower lip as the crew begins to arrive with no sign of Kody. Yes, he mentioned there was usually an event, but maybe he got a better offer? Stop it, I tell myself firmly, as Shane gives me a side hug when he enters the front door with a case of beer.
“I’m not sure you’re going to need that,” I joke.
“Why?”
Gesturing to the backya
rd where flames are licking at the fire pit, I remark, “It wasn’t just food I picked up at the store.”
Shane’s eyebrows raise up to his smooth hairline. “You didn’t need to do that, Meadow.”
“Maybe not, but you all worked hard, and it’s appreciated.”
A chill races through me when Kody interrupts our discussion. “What on earth is all of this?” We both spin around to find him holding a case of beer in one hand and a wrapped bottle of wine in the other. Sniffing the air appreciatively, he asks, “What’s that smell?”
“Oh! The sides must be warmed up.” Crossing the room, I grab the pot holders and pull the heavy trays of beans and rice from the oven. After sliding in the pans of skirt steak, chicken, and veggies, I set the timer.
Kody’s followed me into the kitchen. Making himself at home, he opens the refrigerator to find a spot for the alcohol he brought only to be brought up short when confronted with bowls of guacamole, salsa, and a vat of queso I need to get warmed.
Quickly swiping my hand across my forehead, I nudge him out of the way. “Let me make some room. Then you all can start munching while I finish up dinner.”
“We can?” he echoes.
“Yep. I just have to…Kody!” I exclaim as he swings me around to face him. I’m holding a large bowl of sour cream in my hands I bobble, which fortunately he catches before putting on the counter behind him.
“Have you relaxed at all today?” I must appear confused because he tips his head back to rest on his shoulders—something I know is a sign of frustration.
“Did we not discuss having dinner here?” I demand.
His head snaps down. “And when I got here, I would have used my corporate card to have ordered the crew food, even if it was only Taco Bell.”
“They’re only open until nine,” I tell him automatically.
His lips curve. “Been there already?” He lifts a piece of my hair and tucks it behind my ear.
I blush remembering my confession to Kody years ago about my addiction to fast food. “Well, there and Arby’s.”
“Good.” At my confusion, he leans down to whisper, “I want to take you to somewhere more memorable, then.”
Return by Land (Glacier Adventure Series Book 2) Page 14
