Montana Welcome

by Melinda Curtis

  “Wait!” He had no right to follow. He ran after her anyway.

  “Hey.” Their waitress grabbed Conner’s arm with one hand, juggling a tray with their order and the tab. “Are you gonna pay for this?”

  Conner thrust a couple of bills at her, grabbed the postcard and headed for the door. He forgot about babysitting Pepper and Natalie. He forgot about his obligation to Big E. He forgot about saving the Rocking H. Front and center in his head was the need to find Lily.

  He burst out of Rustlers and scanned the parking lot. No Lily. Not even by the motor home. He started to sweat.

  What if he couldn’t find her? What if he couldn’t apologize? Not that he regretted that kiss, but she surely did.

  His phone rang.

  Mom.

  Conner didn’t answer. But the world came crashing back into his head.

  What if Lily decided she couldn’t finish the trip with Conner? He’d lose that double bonus.

  What if Pepper and Natalie got into trouble while he was looking for Lily? He’d lose his job.

  For the moment it didn’t matter. Conner turned, heading toward the street, rounding the corner of the bar.

  And there she was. Safe. Not sobbing. And she didn’t run off upon seeing Conner. Relief coursed through him.

  Lily sat on a curb at the end of the block. She didn’t look at him as he approached; she just held up her hand in a universal gesture to stop. “I am the worst person on the planet.”

  What? “You’re not.” Ignoring her attempt to erect boundaries, Conner sat next to her, draping his arm across her shoulders.

  “I sent mixed signals.” Lily leaned away from Conner but didn’t shrug him off. “We shouldn’t have done that. Don’t try to make me feel better.”

  “Okay.”

  She sneaked a sideways glance at him.

  “I’ll try and make myself feel better,” Conner said. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was too soon. It was too selfish and irresponsible. I’m supposed to be bringing you safe and sound to the Blackwell Ranch. That kiss was...” Fantastic. “It was...” Awesome. “Um...”

  “It can’t be anything,” Lily said firmly. “Not yet. I have too many unanswered questions ahead of me about my future.”

  “About a horse and a burro?” Conner rubbed her shoulder as he teased. “Or about a father you need to stand up to?”

  “By all means, let’s not forget Rudy. He’s a naval officer. There’s a rule or regulation for everything. And in this case, I don’t know how long the cool-down period is after ditching your wedding, but I do know that one exists to him.” Lily rested her head on Conner’s shoulder with a sigh. “It was a nice kiss. But right after, I was overwhelmed.”

  Me, too.

  “Let’s go back to the part about the kiss. It was just nice?” Conner should be offended at the label, but how could he be when Lily was tucked firmly beneath his arm? “It was more than nice.”

  Her palm rested on his knee. “You know what I mean.”

  He did indeed. Kisses like that... He hesitated to give it a label. “So we become simply the cowboy and the runaway bride again?”

  “Can we?” She lifted her head to gaze into his eyes. “No pressure? No expectations?”

  No.

  Conner dismissed the need to fight her suggestion that they dial their attraction back to the friend zone. “Just the memory of nice.” It was the honorable thing to do, not to mention it got him out of a bind with Big E.

  “Agreed.”

  And there it was. Bullet dodged. Not to mention a question had been answered: What would it feel like to kiss Lily Harrison Blackwell?

  Like heaven.

  A taste of heaven could last an honorable, responsible cowboy a lifetime.

  If I look away.

  If I drop my arm.

  If I can squelch the feeling that being with Lily is worth the price of financial ruin.

  His phone rang. Without thinking, Conner looked away, dropped his arm and gave the phone to Lily.

  * * *

  “IS CONNER ALL RIGHT?” Conner’s mother asked Lily. “Why do you always answer?”

  “He’s fine. He’s right here next to me.” Lily had expected him to be angry that she needed to slow down after that knock-her-socks-off kiss. Despite his treating her differently than her family or Danny... Despite her feeling more independent at his side than she had in years... Everything was happening too fast. “How are you, Karen?”

  “I was just doing my word puzzles and making cookies.”

  “What kind?”

  “Peanut butter.” Karen sounded pleased that Lily had asked. “You’ll have to stop by when you reach Falcon Creek and have some.”

  “I will.” Lily bade her good-night and handed the phone to Conner.

  The muted music from Rustlers drifted to them. A stiff breeze swirled down the empty street. But everything was so faint, so distant. It was as if she and Conner were in their own world, one where mistakes were forgiven, second chances offered and love dangled like a promise waiting to be made.

  When I’m ready.

  There were times with Conner when she felt more than ready.

  “I agree, Mom. Lily is great.” Conner inched farther away on the curb. “But she’s not ready to date right now, so pump those brakes.”

  A clearer sign of speed bumps ahead could not have been made.

  Exactly what I wanted.

  Lily drew a deep breath.

  Exactly what a runaway bride is supposed to want.

  “I know.” Conner spared Lily an eye roll. “What was I thinking the first time I got married? Running off to Reno without you? I should have cleared my plans with you. You’re the top brass and... Uh-huh. Hey, I hear the timer for the cookies. Yeah. See you tomorrow, Mom.” He snapped his phone closed and returned it to his pocket.

  See you tomorrow, Mom.

  Lily glanced up to the night sky, missing her mother. If she were still alive, Lily wouldn’t have become engaged to Danny. She’d never have found out Rudy wasn’t her father until later, perhaps from one of her sisters. But then she’d never have met Conner.

  Good night, mother hen.

  The crowd at Rustlers roared and then cheered. Catcalls and whistles arose. A woman woop-wooped into a microphone.

  “You don’t think...” Lily left the thought unfinished, turning to face Conner.

  “I do.” Conner got to his feet and pulled her to hers.

  “Pepper and Natalie,” they said at the same time.

  Together, they ran back to the bar.

  But Conner’s two words echoed in her head.

  I do.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ON STAGE AT RUSTLERS, Pepper had a microphone and stood in front of the karaoke machine. Natalie was in backup-singer position behind her with a microphone of her own. The pair had shed their tight-fitting jackets and were showing enough skin to give Big E a heart attack.

  Conner pushed his way through the crowd on the dance floor, hanging on tight to Lily’s hand.

  Under a disco ball, Pepper belted out the chorus of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding,” complete with dance moves. It was a combination of punk and a cheer anthem. The audience was eating it up.

  If Pepper planned to perform this at her wedding, Conner didn’t think Dorothy Blackwell would approve. There was too much sneering and below-the-belt hip action. His provocative charges finished out the song by jumping in the air and landing on their heels like hard-rock guitarists. The resulting applause and shouted adulation was deafening.

  “Do you want another?” Pepper cried, clearly ready to give them more.

  The crowd roared their approval, pressing forward, calling out requests, not all of them song titles.

  If anyone threatened the two young women in any way, Conner had no way to prote
ct them. He navigated toward the stage with renewed purpose and caught Pepper’s attention. “Hey, it’s time to leave.”

  “But...” Pepper pointed at the karaoke machine. “We’re about to do our next number.”

  “We’ve got to get to the campground soon, or they’ll give away our spot.” A lie, but it worked. He tossed jackets at his charges and then herded them toward the door, glaring at anyone who tried to stand in their way.

  A lot of dudes tried to block their exit. It was a slow walk.

  Pepper sulked her way out the door, tying her jacket around her waist. “We could have closed down the place.”

  “For sure,” Natalie added.

  Choosing not to argue, Conner set a brisk pace toward the motor home. He was too old for this job, unable to find any sympathy.

  “I loved your choreography.” Lily’s tone was cajoling.

  “We were in a dance troupe in high school.” Pepper perked up at Lily’s interest. “The wedding party is going to be performing that song at the reception.”

  Conner made a mental note to warn Dorothy.

  “I can teach you the steps if you like.” Pepper was back to her gushy self. She hooked her arms through Natalie’s and Lily’s. “I love it when wedding parties do production numbers.”

  “So fun,” Natalie chorused.

  “Thanks, but no.” Lily was nothing if not gracious. “I have two left feet.”

  Conner got them into the motor home and was about to take the driver’s seat when Pepper shrieked.

  “We have to go back!” Pepper looked like she might cry. She tossed her jacket on the dinette table. “My cell phone is missing.”

  “No-no-no-no.” Natalie dug in her pockets until she had her own sparkly device in hand. “Whew.”

  Conner dropped the keys on the center console and searched Pepper’s jacket pockets. Nothing. “Stay here. I’ll get it.” There was no way Conner was letting those gals head back into that bar again. “Rose-gold case and rhinestones?”

  “Yes. I think I left it on the stage. I’ll go with you.” Pepper was already hurrying down the steps.

  “No. Stay here.” Conner’s words had no stopping power.

  Pepper charged ahead.

  “Let her go with you,” Lily said from the passenger seat. “If someone found her phone, it might get awkward if you claim it as yours.”

  True. He and Pepper hurried back to the bar.

  But it wasn’t that simple. The phone wasn’t on or around the stage, and no one had turned Pepper’s phone in to the lost and found at the bar. Plus, a few persistent cowboys kept offering to buy Pepper a drink.

  “Conner.” Pepper clutched his arm. “That girl has my phone.”

  That girl hung out with the motorcycle gang. She was about Pepper’s age but was wearing leathers and a dark expression. She held up the glittery phone and snapped a selfie with a duck-lip pout that wasn’t as palatable as Natalie’s.

  Pepper reached the woman before he did. “You found my phone. Thanks so much.” She gushed; she smiled; she held out her hand.

  It was as if the entire leather-vested, chain-wearing group growled at sweet Pepper.

  She stiffened, but held her ground.

  “Now isn’t the time for heroics.” At least, not by Pepper. Conner stepped between her and danger. “We don’t want any trouble.”

  The growling became a thing, audible above the music.

  “We just want the young lady’s phone.” Subtly, Conner planted his feet hip distance apart, his hands loose at his sides.

  “Or we’ll call the cops.” Pepper poked her head around Conner, wearing an expression of schoolyard superiority, the one that said: Na-na, I told Teacher what you did.

  This wasn’t that type of negotiation.

  Conner gently elbowed Pepper behind him and repeated himself. “We don’t want any trouble.” But that didn’t mean he was shying away from it, either.

  “We’ll give it back.” A grizzled, gray-bearded man got to his feet from a table filled with glasses of beer. He plucked the phone from the woman’s hand. “We’ll give it to her in exchange for a kiss.”

  “Keep the phone,” Conner said without missing a beat. He turned and firmly nudged Pepper toward the door.

  “But...” The bride-to-be dug in her heels. “My life is in there.”

  Just as Lily’s had been in her phone, the one she’d left behind in San Diego. “You’ll live.”

  Pepper darted around Conner, leaving him no choice but to reverse course.

  The bearded biker chuckled and licked his lips. “I guess it’s my lucky day.”

  Pepper took a slow step toward him. “Have you ever heard of the ‘#MeToo’ movement?”

  “This guy hasn’t heard about personal hygiene,” Conner whispered in Pepper’s ear. “When I say the word, grab your phone and run.” He came around in front of her again.

  “You know what I’ve heard?” Scowling, Gray Beard hitched up his pants. “Finders keepers, losers weepers.”

  “Now!” Conner swiped a full beer mug off the table and tossed the contents at the biker.

  Pepper snatched her phone from his beefy hand.

  They both ran toward the door with what seemed like an entire biker clan hot on their heels.

  He hadn’t thought this through. There was no security to bail him out as there had been at the concert the other night. There was no easy escape, either. Their best chance was to lock themselves in the motor home and hope none of the bikers had a gun or the desire to kick the RV’s door in.

  Conner and Pepper burst out of the bar just as Lily brought the motor home to a stop in front of them.

  Natalie threw the door open. “Get in!”

  Pepper ran up the steps, stopping at the top to take stock of the damage. “Gross. I’m soaked in beer.” She smelled like it, too.

  “Go-go-go!” Conner locked the door behind him. “No time to change.”

  Lily gunned it down the street as soon as the door clicked closed. “You were in there so long, we got worried.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone as brave as Conner.” Pepper half hugged him, half fell into his arms as the motor home lurched ahead. “You saved me.”

  Behind them, motorcycle engines rumbled to life.

  “I haven’t saved you yet.” Conner set Pepper aside and came to stand at Lily’s shoulder, holding on to the upper bunk as they careened around a corner. “I should drive.”

  “I’m going to use my soft words and tell you to eat a carrot.” Lily took another hard turn. Her hold on the steering wheel slipped a little and sent the motor home rocking before she tightened her grip. “I’ve got this.”

  Conner bent to look out the rear window. No one was behind them. “Do you know where you’re going?”

  “Not a clue.” Lily turned again, bringing them onto a narrow, twisting country road. “I’ve always wanted to drive a getaway car, though.”

  “Maybe we should slow down.” Conner knelt next to her. “I don’t see anyone back there.”

  “One last turn, just to be sure.” Lily braked hard and took a sharp left onto a dark country road.

  “Slow down,” Conner cautioned. “Sharp corner ahead.”

  “These brakes are mush.” Lily pumped them, glancing down.

  “Sharp corner ahead,” Conner repeated over Pepper’s and Natalie’s panicked screams to brake.

  “We’re not making that turn.” Lily kept going straight, sending the motor home barreling down a dirt road instead of turning.

  “There’s a gate,” Conner said as calmly as he was able. Inside, a voice was shouting, There’s a gate. An iron gate. And we’re not stopping!

  “I see it.” Lily continued to pump the brakes. But they weren’t slowing down.

  Conner reached for the gearshift, dropping it to Low. But
it was too late.

  The motor home busted through the metal ranch gate with a cacophony of sound and came to a halt in a swirl of dust.

  Lily frowned up at him. “Would you like to drive now?”

  * * *

  “IT WAS ALL my fault,” Pepper said for what must have been the tenth time. She’d changed out of her damp clothing into stylish sweatpants and a matching pink hoodie. “If I hadn’t left my phone in the bar, none of this would have happened.”

  Lily shook her head, wrapped in a blanket and a thick layer of guilt as she stared at the damage she’d caused—the smashed fenders, the gate bent and hanging on one hinge. “It’s my fault. I’m the one who missed the turn.” And now they were stuck in the dark, heaven only knew where, with no sign of life anywhere nearby.

  The darkness was vast. Not a light from a house or a street visible.

  Claiming to fear wolves, Natalie couldn’t be coerced to come outside.

  Conner had the motor home’s hood propped up. He stood on the crumpled bumper, shining a flashlight at the engine, also munched. “I’m going to call the Blackwell Ranch.”

  “Let’s not make a fuss with an SOS.” Lily wasn’t even officially introduced to the family and she was already causing havoc. Way to create a first impression. “Why not just call a tow truck?”

  “For one thing, this isn’t a quick fix, like an oil change.” Conner hopped down to the ground. “The radiator is punctured and the engine block looks cockeyed, which means the frame might be damaged. I could be wrong about that, though. And then there’s the brakes.”

  “The brakes weren’t my fault.” But everything else was. Lily pulled the ends of the blanket tighter around her shoulders, pressing the fabric with her palms. “This sounds bad.”

  Conner nodded. “And Big E only trusts his mechanic to work on this. We’re over two hundred miles from Falcon Creek. I think insurance only covers the first fifty miles, maybe one hundred. That’s quite the tow premium.”

  “What are we going to do?” Much as Lily tried, she couldn’t bring back the fluttery feeling his kiss had given her. She felt as bent inside as the ranch gate. Now both the Harrisons and the Blackwells would consider her a disappointment.