Shelter: A Heroes Of Big Sky Novel

by Kristen Proby

  “Oh, he did bring them by. I’m glad. And you’re welcome.”

  “You’re beautiful,” Lauren says. “Jillian didn’t exaggerate.”

  I feel my cheeks heat. “Thank you.”

  “It’s probably a little over-the-top to come by,” Cara adds. “But when Seth told us you’d be here today, we wanted to come say hello and wish you well.”

  “Thank you,” I say again and soften a little. Annie sets some treats on the counter.

  “Annie knows what we like,” Jillian explains. “And don’t worry, you’ll learn. I hope you have a great day.”

  “You, too,” I reply and turn to stare at Annie after the three women choose a table near the back to enjoy their snacks. “They literally all came in to check me out.”

  “Not all of them,” Annie replies, but her eyes are dancing with humor. “It’s sweet. They mean well.”

  “They’re very nice,” I concede.

  The afternoon slows down a bit. Just before we close, a bunch of kids file through after school to buy up the rest of the baked goods.

  When we finally lock the door, I turn to Annie and sigh. “How did you do this by yourself?”

  “I’ve been doing it for a long time,” she replies. “But I’m so glad you took the job. You’re a natural. The customers like you, plus you’re efficient and smart. Please don’t quit.”

  “I don’t plan to quit,” I reply with a laugh. “I liked it. Also? It’s good exercise.”

  “Hell, yes, it is. You’re on your feet, reaching and pulling, bouncing around back and forth. It’s hard work.”

  “It’s a good thing I’m not afraid of hard work.”

  She grins again. “I like you a lot, Remi.”

  “How was your day?” Seth asks after I’m settled in his truck, and we’re driving into town to meet his friends for dinner.

  “Busy,” I reply. “I like it there. The job is fun. It’s a lot of work, but that’s okay because I could use the exercise. Also, I think I met most of your family today.”

  His head whips over in surprise. “What?”

  I tell him about his parents, his aunt and uncle, and Lauren coming to the deli today.

  “Hell. I’m sorry, Remi. I mentioned that you were starting your job, but I didn’t intend for them to all show up and give you the third degree.”

  His cheeks have reddened, and he looks…embarrassed.

  “They didn’t hurt anything. I was surprised. Annie thought it was hilarious. But it was funny more than anything.”

  He sighs, so I reach over to take his hand. “Honest, Seth. It’s no biggie.”

  Seth just shakes his head and parks his truck in front of a little Italian restaurant called Ciao.

  “I hope you like pasta,” he says.

  “Are there people who don’t like pasta?” I ask, making him laugh before he exits his truck and walks around to open the door for me. “It’s a cute place.”

  “And usually busy,” he replies. “But we have reservations.”

  He escorts me inside, and we’re shown to a table where Gage and who I assume is Tate are already seated. After the introductions, and once we’re settled in with wine and our orders placed, Tate leans on the table and smiles over at me.

  “I’m a reality show junkie,” she says. “I’ve seen you on TV. Is all of that real, or is it staged?”

  I grin and sip my wine. “Well, it’s real. Trust me. When I dislocated my shoulder while climbing El Capitan on Death Defy, it felt very real. They don’t dictate who wins. But they do make us wear certain clothes or wear makeup, and that’s a pain in the ass, especially when you sweat so much.”

  “No kidding,” Tate says. “I saw that fall in Yosemite. It looked horrible.”

  “Not my finest day,” I agree. “What do you do, Tate?”

  “I work in interior design.”

  “Oh, that’s fun,” I reply as I hear Gage and Seth talk about something going on in the park. “I bet you get to see some beautiful homes.”

  “I do. I’ve designed some amazing spaces. Are you renting while you’re in town?”

  “No, I have a travel van.”

  She blinks at me for a moment. “You live in your van?”

  “Yep. I know it sounds weird, but it works for me.”

  “It’s not weird, just surprising. You really are an adventurer. I love it. Some of those travel vans are gorgeous.”

  “What do you do, Gage?” I ask when there’s a lull in the conversation.

  “I was in the Army for a while. Now, I do private training and rehab. That’s how I met Tate.”

  “Really?” I look between the two and then at the cane resting against the table.

  “I had a stroke,” Tate says. “And because of it, I couldn’t walk or do anything really. I had to relearn. And Gage has been the one to teach me. I’ve been out of the wheelchair for a couple of weeks.”

  “That’s amazing.” I shake my head and then lean back so the waitress can set my pasta in front of me. After she tops our dishes with fresh cheese and promises to return with more of the delicious garlic bread, I turn back to Tate. “You can’t be thirty.”

  “Just over.”

  “And you had a stroke?”

  She nods and carefully puts a bite of food in her mouth. “I did. But I’m doing much better now.”

  The four of us fall into an easy conversation, and before I know it, we’re finishing dessert. Seth was right. I like his friends.

  I like them a lot.

  And I respect the hell out of them.

  “We should do this again,” I say as we walk out of the restaurant. Tate walks with the cane, but she’s not slow. “I had a great time.”

  “I’m game,” Gage says. “Welcome to Cunningham Falls, Remi. It was nice to see you again.”

  I watch as Gage puts his hand on the small of Tate’s back and patiently walks with her to his SUV. He’s gentle, but he doesn’t baby her. He lets her do all of the work.

  When we’re in Seth’s truck, driving back to my van, I turn to him. “Jesus, Seth, she’s coming back from a major stroke, and she’s so young.”

  “I know,” he says softly. “And she’s kicking ass.”

  “Were they dating before her stroke?”

  “No. She was married at the time. After the stroke, the prick took off because it was too much for him to handle.”

  “What a douche.”

  “Gage took the rehab job, and the dating part has been slow-going. But he loves her. It’s written all over him.”

  “I could see it too. He’s sweet with her but doesn’t do everything for her. He’s a good balance for her.”

  Seth glances over at me, then back to the road. “Are you going to stay at your van tonight?”

  “What are my options?” I smile when he cocks an eyebrow.

  “You know I’d rather have you with me.”

  I slide my hand into his and hold on tight. Are we moving fast? Yes. But do I want to slow down?

  No.

  No, I don’t.

  “I’ll pack a bag.”

  “Bring the whole van, Remi.”

  I’m quiet for a moment, thinking about it. I’m not canceling my spot at the RV park. I’m just bringing it out to Seth’s so it’s not sitting empty.

  That’s all.

  “Okay.”

  He kisses my hand as he pulls next to the van.

  Chapter 11

  ~Seth~

  “I thought Troy was supposed to muck?” I lean on the shovel and wipe my face with my sleeve as my father spreads fresh hay in the stalls I’ve just cleaned.

  “He’s with your grandma again today,” Dad replies. “I know it’s time for him to move back home now, but I don’t have the heart to make him.”

  I sigh and stare at the floor. When my grandpa died last year, it sent us all into a tailspin. We all hurt and are still grieving for the patriarch of our family.

  He left us much too soon.

  But my little brother Troy
has been struggling the most and has refused to leave my grandmother’s house, aside from the one night he stayed with me. He insists that he doesn’t want her to be alone.

  It’s heartbreaking and sweet at the same time.

  “Sometimes the other kids take a turn,” Dad says. “But Troy’s really been adamant to stay with her lately.”

  “She’s not far from us,” I remind Dad. “She’s five minutes down the road. And I know she could move in with you and Mom if she wanted to. You have plenty of space in the big house.”

  “I’m aware of all of that,” he says. “Mom wants to stay at her place. She’s happy there.”

  I shrug and start on the next stall.

  “Speaking of flinging shit around,” I begin, “did Sarah talk to you about Kensie?”

  “What? No.”

  I poke my head out of the stall again and find my father staring at me with wide eyes and a baffled expression. “Where did she come up with Kensie’s name?”

  “She’s been doing a family tree for school. The kids were kind of upset, but I explained things, and they calmed down. Sarah said she has questions for you, so she’ll probably bring it up at some point.”

  “Damn. Okay, thanks for the warning.”

  “She’s dead, by the way. Kensie.”

  His head comes up again, and his eyes narrow. “How?”

  “Murdered. The same idiot she was with when she dropped me off here killed her about six years ago.”

  His face doesn’t change much. He doesn’t seem sad. He doesn’t even look particularly angry.

  “And how are you?” he finally asks.

  I shrug a shoulder. “I was curious, so I did some digging to find out how it all went down. Honestly, I wasn’t particularly surprised. And I’m not sad. I’m not…anything. It was like I was reading an article about a stranger. Because that’s what she was to me. But I found out during my research that she was arrested for whoring herself out, and that made me feel…I don’t know, pity, I guess. She could have had a good life with you. Instead, she threw it all in the toilet and ended up a drug-addicted hooker.”

  “She was an angry person, Seth,” Dad says. “Always. She never would have had a good life with me because nothing made her happy. And I’m not saying that in a spiteful way.”

  “I know. It’s just the truth. She was unhappy. And she was mean. I’m not saying she got what was coming to her, but—” I shrug. “It didn’t shock me that it ended like that for her.”

  “I’m not surprised either, honestly. You’re not her. You know that, right? You’re nothing like her, Seth.”

  “I know. I know that, Dad. Sometimes, especially that first year that I came to live here, I thought I was like her because I was so angry all the time. But then I figured out that I was mad because of her, not because I am her. She was a shitty mom, and I’m grateful that she was because it brought me here, with you and the mother who showed me what being a mom is all about. With Uncle Josh and Aunt Cara, and all of your crazy kids. If she’d kept me, well, I’d probably be in jail or dead. So, I pity her, and I hope she’s found some peace.”

  Dad walks to me and pulls me in for a hug, patting my back. “I’m so fucking proud of you, buddy.”

  Instead of the life of physical and sexual abuse that I lived when I was with Kensie, this is what I have here in Montana. A father who isn’t afraid to hug me and tell me he’s proud of me.

  I’ll never tell him everything that happened when he was deployed, and I was with the woman who gave birth to me. It would tear him apart, and there’s no need to do that to him.

  I have my family and this ranch, and that was the best therapy I could have asked for.

  “I know I’m your favorite,” I say when he lets go, and as I intended, I make him laugh. “I love you, Dad.”

  He nods. “I know. I love you, too. I’ll handle Sarah, and any of the others if they ask. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? Go find that pretty girl you’ve been seeing.”

  I grin. “She is pretty, isn’t she?”

  “Are you going to bring her to dinner tonight?”

  “I was planning to.”

  “Good. I’ll see you later, then.”

  “I can stay and finish the stalls.”

  “There are only two left, and Louie should be back with Josh in a bit. We’ve got this.”

  “Okay, but you can text me if you need me.”

  “You know, we ran this place just fine when you were a kid.”

  I laugh and put my shovel away. “But it’s so much more fun now that I’m all grown up.”

  The drive over to my house doesn’t take long, but I go even slower than usual so I can shake off the conversation I just had with my dad before seeing Remi. I don’t like to dwell on what happened before I was eleven. And I usually don’t. I haven’t in years.

  When I left this morning, Remi was sleeping soundly in my bed. She didn’t even crack one of those beautiful eyes open when I kissed her goodbye.

  But it’s after seven now, so my guess is she’ll be awake.

  When I come around the bend that leads to my house, I see I’m not wrong. Remi is wrapped in a blanket, huddled up on the porch swing, a mug of steaming coffee clutched in her hands.

  She grins as I park and then climb the steps toward her.

  “Good morning,” she says, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

  “’Morning. You must have slept well.”

  “Like the dead,” she confirms and sips her coffee. “Do you have a lot of work today?”

  “Actually, no. My dad just gave me the rest of the day off. Do you have something in mind?”

  “I haven’t ridden a horse in a long time. Do you think we could do that today?”

  I grin and reach for the mug she offers, taking a sip. “I just happen to know where we can get a couple of horses.”

  “How convenient.”

  I pass back the mug. “I need a quick shower, and then we can head to the barn.”

  “Don’t use all the hot water.”

  “Come on, we’ll conserve water and take a shower together.”

  “This is Starfire,” I say as I nuzzle the horse’s muzzle. She nudges me affectionately and lets me drape the bridle over her head. “She’s a sweetheart and is the most patient horse we have.”

  “She’s so pretty.” Remi rubs her hand confidently over the horse’s flank, then walks to her head to talk to her. “Do you mind if I ride you today, sweet girl? I’ll be nice to you, I promise.”

  Starfire nods and roots around Remi’s hands, looking for an apple.

  “I’ll be on Magic. She’s my horse. We should be ready to go here in about ten minutes.”

  Remi helps me with the saddles, and then we’re off, riding through the pasture to the other side of the ranch, where some of my favorite places are.

  “It’s a nice day,” Remi says as she takes a deep breath. “The leaves on all of the trees have turned already.”

  “I bet we’re in for a harsh winter.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “The leaves are falling now, and there has been a lot of snow in the higher elevations already.”

  “I hope we get a ton of snow,” she says with a smile. “I’m excited for it.”

  “I’m not ready. We have a lot of winterizing work that needs to be done here on the ranch before winter can settle in. We have to move cattle to lower elevations so they don’t freeze to death, and get other animals inside. It’s a process.”

  “I never even thought of it that way,” she murmurs. “Never a dull moment working a ranch, huh?”

  “Never,” I agree with a smile. “So, that spot over there is the best sledding hill on the property. I only broke my arm once.”

  She lets out a surprised laugh. “How many bones have you broken out here?”

  “Well, I broke my ankle the first summer I lived here. Poor Aunt Cara. She was with me, and she still feels guilty for that one. Whenever I want to soften her up for so
mething, I tell her my ankle is giving me fits, and she’ll give me pretty much anything I want.”

  “You’re a manipulator,” Remi accuses.

  I laugh and shrug. “She knows what I’m doing. Anyway, there was the ankle, my arm on the sledding hill, and once I broke my nose when I fell off a horse we were breaking.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah, I saw stars for a week. How about you? With as adventurous as you are, you’ve definitely broken something.”

  “I broke my collarbone once. Fell off my bike in Moab. Dislocated the shoulder. No other major injuries. Just scrapes and bumps here and there.”

  I point to the tree to our left. “That’s sort of a big deal in our family.”

  “Are those carvings in it?”

  “Yeah, going back to my great-great-great-grandparents, the men have carved their initials with those of the women they love. It’s tradition. And you can see how the tree has grown, and the older initials are higher up.”

  “That’s super cool. How long has your family been on this property?”

  “Oh, geez.” I blow out a breath and think back. “At least a hundred and fifty years. We own just over fifty thousand acres.”

  “Seth, this is more than a family business. This is a legacy.”

  “Yeah.” I smile as I nod at her. “It’s pretty cool. Oh, there are some cabins over that way where hunters can stay during hunting season. We host some people, and others just come and stay in the cabins on their own.”

  “Another income stream?”

  “You have to use what you have, and we have a lot here, honestly.”

  She nods and seems to be enjoying the view, which makes me happy. Something catches her eye, and she points off to the right.

  “Is that a cemetery?”

  “It is.”

  “Can we go look?”

  I raise a brow. “Sure, if you want.”

  “I want.”

  We turn the horses that way, and when we reach the wrought iron fence that surrounds the graveyard, we hop off the horses and drop the reins. The horses won’t go far and even start to graze as I open the gate for Remi.