A Season to Celebrate

by Fern Michaels

  “Don’t they say you should never mix business with pleasure?” Bella asked.

  “Or attempt to seduce your old friends?” Billy countered.

  Bella sighed. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “Hey, I wasn’t talking about you.” Billy frowned. “I was talking about me .”

  Bella carefully lined up two mugs and then straightened them again. “Are you by any chance trying to take the blame for what happened between us?”

  “Well, seeing as I’m the one who obviously pushed you too far, then, yeah.”

  She slowly raised her head to look him right in the eye. “You made me climax. Twice. And then when I panicked, you took me home. How in the world are you taking the blame for that ?” She pointed her spoon at him. “I wanted you to touch me. I loved it!”

  “Okay,” Billy said, holding her gaze. “That’s good to know.” He held up the papers. “So do you want this copy?”

  “Are you listening to me?” Bella asked. “What is up with you wanting to be Saint Billy the Perfect of Morgantown all the time?”

  He went still. “You sound just like BB.”

  “What?”

  “He just tore me off a strip at dinner for being too scared to accept any ownership of the ranch, or to rock anyone’s boat.”

  “Maybe he has a point.” Bella glared at him.

  “Maybe he does,” Billy sighed. “So here goes. I want to make things right with you. If that means I accept the blame for what happened the other night and we can move forward and still be friends, then I’m good with that.”

  “Well, at least that’s honest.”

  “I’m trying here.” His smile was crooked. “I never want you to feel frightened with me, or worried that I won’t stop trying to get in your pants again.”

  Bella took a deep, steadying breath. “I wasn’t frightened of what we did together. I was frightened of how it made me feel —emotionally, not physically, if that makes any sense.”

  He still looked puzzled, so Bella kept talking.

  “When you touched me, it was so wonderful, and so special, that I couldn’t handle it. It reminded me of how I’d felt with Ron, and that was such a shock that I didn’t know how to deal with it. I felt guilty . Like I was betraying him . Can you understand that?”

  He was nodding now. “Yeah, I think I can. I felt like that after Annie left. I was still technically married, but for a long time I had no idea whether she was dead or alive, and I was in no fit state to be as discriminating as I should’ve been. Knowing I’d been stupid just added to my guilt, made me drink even more and do even more stupid things.”

  “Maybe they both ruined us in different ways.” Bella tried to smile.

  “Not ruined,” Billy objected. “Love is never wasted. The trick is moving on from the guilt, and finding new ways to give and receive that love.” He hesitated. “It’s fine if you’re not ready to move on from your relationship with Ron yet.”

  “Now you’re going back to being all reasonable again.” Bella sniffed as she poured them both some coffee.

  “I can’t seem to help myself.” Billy chuckled. “I just want the people I care about to be happy. I came so close to losing everyone and everything I loved that I value every precious second in case it’s snatched away from me again.” He grimaced. “If that makes me a pushover or too nice, I suppose that’s how it is.”

  “You’re definitely not a pushover.”

  “Thanks.” He smiled as she handed over his coffee. “But am I too nice?”

  “You’re a good, strong man.” She pressed her hand over her heart. “In here.”

  “I try to be. That’s all I can do.” He sipped his coffee. “So can we be friends again?”

  Bella considered him for a long moment. “I can’t do casual sex.”

  He blinked at her. “I beg your pardon?”

  “That’s what I’ve realized over the years since Ron died.” Bella took a deep breath. “The thing is, I don’t feel casual about you.”

  “Sexually or generally?” Billy asked.

  “Either,” Bella said, then took her courage in both hands. “It feels to me that if I did sleep with you, then we’d have to be a couple.”

  “Okay.” Billy nodded.

  “Doesn’t that scare you?”

  He sat back and regarded her. “Should it?”

  “Well, because of your kids, and the ranch, and your mother—God, your mother—and Annie . . .” She ran out of breath. “What about them?”

  “What would they have to do with us being a couple?”

  “Because they’d all know , and—”

  “That would bother you?” He raised an eyebrow. “You’d prefer to keep everything secret?” His eyes were full of sympathy. “I don’t think that’s possible in a town this size, and if it does bother you, then maybe, as I said, you aren’t yet ready to move on.”

  “I’m trying to be,” Bella whispered.

  He reached for her hand. “Look, I’m not going anywhere. If you get to a point where we can be a real couple, then come and tell me.” He squeezed her fingers. “I mean it. I’ll wait. You’re worth it.”

  “Really?” Bella looked into his eyes and saw nothing but understanding and genuine concern in them. “I feel like I’m letting you down somehow.”

  “You’re not. We’re not kids anymore. We’re old enough to speak our minds, take things slow, and get them right . I don’t have a problem with that.” Billy did his best to try and get through to her. “I just want you to be okay.”

  He wanted a lot more for her, but a year in jail had taught him all about patience—about how to pace himself, how to shed his past, and look forward to a better future. He’d even learned to forgive himself, which had been the hardest thing of all. Some things in life were worth waiting for, and Bella Williams was definitely one of them.

  She was still worrying at her lip, which made him want to kiss her real bad, but he also sensed she was relaxing a little.

  A loud crash reverberated through the floor, and Billy stiffened. “Did you leave anything out in the kitchen?”

  “No. But Jay might have gone in there for something, although it’s unlikely that he’d make a mess.” Bella slid off her stool in double-quick time.

  “Could it be a raccoon or some kind of animal?” Billy asked.

  “It’s possible. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.” Bella was already heading toward the door. Billy caught her elbow.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To see what’s happening. This is my home, and I’m not letting any raccoon or skunk run wild in my kitchen!”

  “Don’t you think Jay can handle it?”

  “He might not have heard a thing. It gets really noisy out front on Friday nights.”

  Having rarely been in the bar since his return, Billy could only assume she was correct.

  “Shall I call Nate?” Billy offered.

  “Not yet. I don’t want to look stupid or waste his time. Let’s see what we’re dealing with first.”

  Bella went into her office, opened the closet, and started punching numbers in the safe. When the door swung open she grabbed a box and started loading bullets into the chamber of a gun.

  “You’re going to kill it ?” Billy asked. “I was thinking about opening the back door and simply shooing it out.”

  “It depends how big it is,” Bella said. “We had a wild pig in here once, and it was as big as a calf and caused so much damage you wouldn’t believe it.”

  Just as they reached the front door leading to the stairs, there was a crash of breaking glass and the creaking sound of wood as the downstairs door was kicked in. Bella started forward, and Billy held her back.

  “Wait,” he whispered close to her ear. “I’m betting that’s not a pig. How about we set up a trap?”

  Bella nodded. He reached over her shoulder and unlatched the front door, leaving it slightly ajar. Taking her hand, he set off back toward her office where the safe was
still open and on display in the moonlight.

  “Let’s leave it like that. Now, where can we hide, and make sure this particular pig can’t get away?”

  Chapter Six

  Bella directed Billy behind her desk and they crouched down together. She could clearly hear someone coming up the stairs, and it definitely wasn’t Jay. Her teeth were chattering so hard she wondered why Billy didn’t say something. He was busy texting while she laid the gun on the floor, making sure the safety was still on.

  The stumbling footsteps grew louder and were accompanied by a litany of grunts and curses that Bella remembered only too well. She tensed as her former employee, Axel Jordan, swayed against the door frame, the smell of alcohol coming off him in waves.

  “Stupid bitch,” he muttered. “Can’t even shut the safe properly. Thinks she’s so safe with that disabled vet protecting her?”

  Beside Bella, Billy’s arm was rigid, his whole attention on Axel, and his normal expression obscured by an icy calmness that reminded her of Jay.

  Axel stumbled against the desk, knocking piles of paper to the floor, and then leaned down to look into the safe, where the strongbox was clearly visible.

  “I’ll just take it all.” Axel chuckled. “Bastards.”

  It took Bella a terrified second to notice Billy was on the move. He crawled around the other side of the desk, gathered himself, and leapt on Axel’s back, bringing the younger man crashing to the ground.

  Bella shot to her feet as Axel attempted to break free, his flailing fist connecting with the side of Billy’s head making him jerk backward. With a whoop , Axel attempted to shake Billy off, but Bella wasn’t going to let that happen.

  “Stay right where you are,” she yelled as she pointed the gun at Axel, and took up a two-handed shooting stance.

  “Like you know how to fire that.” Axel gasped as Billy recaptured one of his hands and wrenched it up against his spine.

  “You don’t think Jay taught me to defend myself?” Bella asked. “Try me.”

  Billy shoved Axel’s head down to the floor again with some force, and he went quiet.

  “Do you have any rope?” Billy asked.

  “I have panty hose!” Bella laid the gun down on the desk and ran to her bedroom. Her hands were shaking so hard, it was almost impossible to get the darn panty hose out of the packet. Not that she needed to worry about accidentally snagging them . . .

  When she got back, Axel was still out of it and Billy had grabbed hold of his other wrist.

  “Thanks.” He took the black, silky hose. “What a waste.”

  Bella’s knees gave way, and she sank down beside him. “I hardly wear them anymore. I prefer stay-up stockings or Spanx.”

  Billy chuckled. “Good to know.”

  “How can you be so cheerful?” Bella demanded.

  “Because we won.” Billy turned to look at her properly. “Are you okay?”

  She reached out and cupped his cheek, her voice trembling. “I thought he was going to kill you, and then I thought that would be the second man I’ve loved taken away from me too quickly.”

  Billy placed his hand over hers. “You’ve had a terrible shock—”

  “Yes, I have, and maybe I’m speaking the truth because there isn’t anything left to hide behind when this kind of thing happens,” Bella said. “I’d hate to be the kind of person who ignores a wake-up call.”

  Billy’s cell buzzed, making them both jump. He took it out of his pocket and held Bella’s gaze.

  “It’s Nate. I’m going to call him, okay?”

  He pressed the screen and put the sheriff on speaker. “Hey, can you come on over to the Red Dragon? I’ve got Axel Jordan drunk and tied up in Bella’s apartment.”

  “I’m already in the kitchen.” Nate sounded his usual laid-back self. “The back door was wide open.”

  Bella winced. “I guess I forgot to check if it was locked when Sonali went out, and I didn’t put the alarm system on because Jay was still in the building.”

  Billy patted her shoulder. “It’s okay.” He could hear Nate coming up the stairs and kept talking to him. “Axel smashed through both doors, so you should be able to walk right in.”

  “So I see,” Nate replied. “I’m coming in now.”

  Billy made sure that Bella’s gun was in full view on the desk, and slowly stood up, offering Bella his hand to help her rise as well.

  “You’re bleeding,” Bella gasped.

  “Yeah, I think his ring caught me when he walloped me on the side of the head,” Billy hastened to reassure her. “Nothing to worry about.”

  Nate stood in the doorway and slowly put his weapon away. “Nice job, guys.”

  “You’re welcome,” Billy said. “He’s drunk and he’s still breathing, and that’s all you need to know.”

  “Got it.” Nate went down on one knee and shook Axel’s shoulder until he groaned. “You’re under arrest . . .”

  Billy moved over to where Bella was standing, one hand over her mouth, and put his arm around her. “How about we go into the kitchen and make some strong coffee?”

  She nodded, and carefully stepped over Nate, who was busy calling for an ambulance and some backup.

  Billy hugged her as they walked down the hallway. “You did good.”

  She shuddered. “I’m not sure about that.”

  “Yeah, you did. I believed you’d shoot him and more importantly, so did Axel. Your intervention gave me the moment I needed to knock him out once and for all.” He led her to the couch. “I’ll get the coffee. Do you want to text Jay?”

  “I’m surprised he isn’t already up here demanding to know what’s going on,” Bella said.

  As if she’d conjured him up with her words, Jay appeared in the doorway, his frantic gaze fastened on Bella, and he rushed over to her side.

  “Are you okay? Nate just told me what happened. How the hell didn’t I notice what was going down.” He took Bella’s hand in both of his. “Did he hurt you? How did he get in the kitchen? Did you let him in?”

  Billy stepped into Jay’s line of sight. “Maybe you could ease up on the questions, Jay. Your mom’s pretty shaken up right now.”

  Jay briefly glanced at Billy and then returned his attention to his mother. “That’s it. You’re coming to live with Erin and me. I can’t let you stay here another night.”

  Bella sat up straight. “No, I’m not going to do that.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not giving you a choice, okay?” Jay stated. “Just pack a few things and come with me right now.”

  Bella looked over Jay’s head right at Billy, and he cleared his throat.

  “Bella doesn’t want to live with you.”

  Jay slowly stood and turned to Billy. “Look, I’m grateful that you were here, and Nate says you were the one who tackled Axel, but this isn’t really your business, is it?”

  “It is if Bella wants it to be.” Billy held Jay’s gaze. “Your mother is a grown woman. If she wants to stay here maybe you should respect her decision or at least give her the time to come to one herself.”

  Silence fell as the retired Navy SEAL contemplated Billy long enough to set all the hairs on the back of Billy’s neck on edge.

  “Mom can’t stay here tonight. The locks need fixing.”

  “Then she can choose what she wants to do.” Billy looked at Bella. “Do you want to stay the night with Jay, or come back to the ranch with me?”

  Bella rose from her seat and came to stand beside him. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll have to stay nearby so I can be here early in the morning when the locksmith arrives.”

  “Jay could do that,” Billy said firmly. “Come home with me.”

  “Yeah.” Jay cleared his throat. “I’ll take care of everything. You do what you want, Mom.”

  Bella’s smile was glorious as she placed her hand in Billy’s. “Then I’ll come with you.”

  * * *

  Bella glanced over at Billy as they drove back to the ranch. She’d
taken care of his bloodied head, talked to Nate, and made sure that Jay went home to Erin. The thought that Axel Jordan was now in custody made her feel so much safer.

  “You okay?” Billy asked as they drew up in front of the silent ranch house.

  “I’m getting there.” She smiled at him, and in the darkness he leaned over and gently kissed her mouth. “Won’t Ruth mind another guest?”

  “I texted them all to let them know we were coming, so hopefully they’ve all gotten the message and gone to bed.” The gentle humor in his voice was balm for her soul. “They’re a nosy bunch.”

  She climbed down from the truck and looked up as a flurry of snow descended through the blackness of the night. “The ranch house looks like a Christmas card with all the lights and the snow.”

  “So I’ve been told.” Billy took her hand. “Come on in.”

  The house smelled of Christmas spices and pine, and was lovely and warm. After shedding their coats and boots in the mudroom, they tiptoed up the stairs to the second floor. Billy opened a door and led her into a room with an angled roof that looked out over the barn.

  “Chase converted these attic spaces into separate suites. He and January are across the hall.”

  “It’s lovely.” Bella gazed out over the snow-covered roofs and fields. “It smells so new and piney.”

  “It didn’t exist when Annie lived here, so it was a good place for me to start afresh.”

  Bella pointed at the big wooden framed bed. “That’s one of Ruth’s quilts.”

  “Yeah, and BB made the headboard.” Billy’s smile was wry. “You can’t get away from them even in here.”

  “And you wouldn’t want to.” She walked straight into his arms, and it felt like coming home. “Come on, admit it.”

  “It’s my home,” he said simply. “It’s who I am.”

  Bella went to reply and yawned instead, giving him an up-close and personal view of her tonsils that made Billy smile.

  “Let’s go to bed.”

  “I don’t think I’m going to be good for much more than just sleeping,” Bella confessed.

  “Then sleep.” He kissed the top of her head. “No pressure, remember?”

  She used the bathroom and then climbed into the big bed and lay on her back listening as the extraordinary, all-encompassing silence closed around her like a silken glove. She yawned again as Billy joined her wearing a Morgan Ranch T-shirt and pj pants with horses on them.