She sat a little taller, pressed her lips together and then nodded decisively. Banks always felt better with a plan in place and it seemed she was no different.
“That sounds like a perfect plan.”
—TWENTY-FOUR—
Norah huddled around her phone on Nan’s back step, staring hard at Rob’s last text. She’d told him she’d had an ultrasound, that Jellybean was a girl. He’d texted back ‘THAT’S GREAT’, but Norah couldn’t figure what it meant or why she cared so much about his approval here. It felt dangerous to go down this road, trying to be friendly with him, but they had shared a significant amount of time together, and now this baby growing inside of her, whether she liked it or not. Still, she was ready to move on in Three Rivers, and the smartest thing to do would have been to tell him to move along, because she was doing the same, but some strange sense of obligation to him was stopping her. He did abandon you, she reminded herself.
A shadow cast over her phone screen and she locked it quickly, letting it go dark, as Layla sat down beside her.
“Hey girl,” she said, settling in and arranging herself so her pregnant belly protruded just so. Norah was quickly learning it was for comfort, not optics. It wouldn’t be long, at the rate Norah was going, before she was the same size. Unconsciously, she rested her palm on her own bump. “How’d the ultrasound go? You get lost on the way to Johnston?”
Norah smiled, it was nice to have somebody to chat with. In retrospect, Rob had narrowed her world so significantly that she hadn’t had that kind of support structure when she left Denver. She hadn’t even had anybody to text to tell she was leaving town, at the end of it. Now here she was in Three Rivers, with actual friends, and family. It was strange, and wonderful.
“It was good. I didn’t get lost—Banks took me. But it was great. Baby’s good, it’s a girl.”
“Oh, a girl, you lucky thing!”
“Do you know what you’re having?”
Layla shook her head. “I didn’t find out with Mason so we decided another surprise would be nice. I have very strong boy feelings, though. When I think about the future, I see myself as a boy mom forever. I’d love a girl, but we’ll love a boy, too.”
“So… Banks took you? How was that?” Layla dug. She didn’t have to dig far; Norah was dying to talk to someone about Banks.
“He was amazing. The technician thought he was the father and he never skipped a beat. What man wouldn’t freak out about that?” Just thinking about how supportive and amazing Banks had been during the appointment, compared to Rob and the hand she could still feel on her arm if she thought about it for more than a second, brought tears to her eyes. Pregnancy hormones. “He’s just…he’s so solid. I’m not used to it.”
“You’ve got it bad, girl,” Layla said with a laugh.
“Well, it’s a little more complicated than boy meets girl, boy falls for girl,” Norah replied, stretching back and pointing at her belly. It was protruding a lot more than normal these days; the panels on her maternity pants were really starting to fill out. She was sure she could see new growth every day.
“Oh my God, you popped! Look how pregnant you are!”
“People are beginning to notice. Banks said Rosie said something about him being the father the other morning before the ultrasound.”
Layla’s brow furrowed at that.
“Look, you don’t know my history but I wasn’t exactly considered ‘good stock’. I spent two nights with Nate right before he left town to hit the rodeo circuit and nobody knew we had been together, so when I turned up pregnant, you can bet there was a lot of talk. A lot of ugly, too.
“Nate was a golden boy, and I was in love with him, but I didn’t want to ruin his life so I didn’t even tell him until he came back home after his wreck and my mother, of all people, dropped that bomb on him. In public. The rumor mill in Three Rivers loved to talk about me, and people even said rude stuff to my face.”
Norah’s heart dropped. If it was going to be like that here, maybe she didn’t want to put down roots. At least in Denver, nobody knew their neighbor well enough to talk about them. But you also didn’t have all the other good parts she’d already discovered about the town.
“I can tell by your face you’re freaking out,” Layla said with a laugh. “So let me tell you the most important thing is to know your truth. Know you’re doing the right thing—the thing that you want to do. And everybody else can just go suck on it. The most important thing for me was having Nan in my corner to remind me of that on a pretty regular basis. You’ve got Nan, too, so I think you’re going to be just fine.”
“I hope so.”
“And you have Banks…like, really got him. You’ve seen how busy he is; how much the town depends on him. He hasn’t made time for anyone like he’s making time for you in a very long time—you should feel good about that,” Layla said, and then paused, considering her next words. “And you should be careful not to hurt him.”
Layla had been so interested in the goods about Norah’s dates with Banks it hadn’t occurred to her Layla would also be protective of her brother in law—but it made sense, that was just how people were in this town.
“You know I wouldn’t do anything like that on purpose,” Norah started. “Banks and your entire family has been so generous and kind to me. I’m grateful, my life is just complicated.”
“I get how things can be complicated. My thing was complicated. But be in or be out, that’s the best advice I can offer. With both feet. Because he is.”
—TWENTY-FIVE—
“I’ve told you this before, Banks,” Jessie started, draping her stethoscope over the back of her neck. Banks unclipped the lead rope from Dixie’s halter and rolled his eyes.
“I know, I worry too much.”
“That too, but everything’s fine. Sailor’s very healthy. She looks great. Dixie looks great, too. I can’t promise nothing will happen because I can’t see the future, but as of right now, everything is perfect.”
“I know; it just feels better to hear a professional say it.”
Jessie laughed, pulling off her gloves and gathering the rest of her tools.
“I can understand your anxiety—with the way his brother is performing on the reining circuit, you probably have a buyer all lined up.”
It was true he’d already received a couple of email inquiries about Sailor, but he hadn’t made replying much of a priority either. He rubbed his jaw, a little ashamed to admit that he was considering not doing the one thing his breeding program was supposed to do—put these great bloodlines into the hands of people who could mold them into excellent athletes.
“I was thinking she might stick around.”
“Broodmare prospect?” Jessie tipped her head, quizzically. They’d discussed his vision for his breeding program often enough. He had no interest in raising and training them. There was more money once they were broke but he preferred to send them to their new homes sooner rather than later. He had no interest in showing, either. He just really enjoyed poring over bloodlines and futurity records and making good matches. And then looking after the broodmares. He had one personal horse he rode when he got the hankering or they needed one more pair for something over at the Baylor ranch, but he was much happier to just foal mares out…until last year.
Banks shook his head, directing his gaze to the long-legged foal.
“Nah. Just might wait and see how she turns out is all, I guess.”
She raised a brow, looking back into the stall at the filly.
“You don’t train or show, you thinking of getting into it?”
“Something like that,” Banks said, shaking his head and turning his back to Dixie and Sailor. Maybe not him. Maybe Norah. Or maybe not Norah. But the pair were already getting on like a house fire, he couldn’t think about splitting them up right now. There was enough other stuff going on, he didn’t need to rush anything.
“Something, eh?” Jessie laughed, packing up her kit. Banks lifted it and they
made their way toward the barn door “Say, someone mentioned something about a new face around town. Seen you with her a few times. Banks Montgomery, are you courting someone?”
As if on cue, Banks heard a car in the driveway and saw Nan’s sedan pulling in with Norah behind the wheel. He couldn’t stop the big grin he got when he caught sight of her.
“Norah Clarke. She’s from here originally. She’s been helping out at the office,” he said, deftly sidestepping Jessie’s question. If she wasn’t an idiot, she’d have caught his big grin and she might even be able to hear the way his pulse sped up as Norah climbed out of the car. “And around here a bit, too.”
*
Norah pulled into Banks’ yard with Layla’s words ringing in her ears. She hadn’t been planning a visit, but after her visit with his sister-in-law, she wanted to see him. The novelty of being wanted the way Banks wanted her wasn’t lost on her.
Crash came from the barn to greet her, weaving around her legs and nearly tripping her as she climbed out of the car.
“We’re going to have to do something about that before the baby gets here, buddy,” she said, stopping to acquiesce to his demands for ear scratches. “I mean, I love you too, but you’re going to break my neck.”
The dog seemed to mock her as he bounded ahead away from her, leading her toward the barn.
Banks stood out front next to a silver SUV and a young blonde woman in overalls and rubber boots.
“Norah,” Banks said, gesturing for her to come over. “Were your ears burning? I was just telling Jessie what a help you’ve been in the office. Jessie, this is Norah Clarke. Norah, this is Jessie Marks, my vet.”
“Vet? Is everything okay with Sailor?” Norah hadn’t thought her heart could beat any faster than it was, but there, it kicked up a little notch at the thought that something might be wrong with the foal.
The young woman stuck her hand out and Norah shook it. The vet was fresh-faced and looked sincere and friendly.
“No, I was just telling Banks she’s about as perfect as I’d allow myself to say out loud. It’s good to meet you, Norah.”
“Just a normal check in,” Banks assured her.
“Exactly, normal,” Jessie reiterated, then looked at her watch. “I hate to run but I said I’d swing by the Baylors to look at a lame horse before I head home for the day. Have a good one.”
“It was nice to meet you,” Norah said, watching the woman climb into her truck. She was pretty, fit, and educated. Despite herself, Norah felt frumpy comparatively, until Banks tucked her up under his arm and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” she replied, turning in his arms to press up onto her tiptoes and brush her lips over his. Banks’ hands slid down over her waist, settling low on her hip, his fingers finding the curve of her ass in a way she didn’t dislike. With Rob, she’d always wondered what he was thinking, but Banks read like a book. She could feel it in his touch. See it in the way he looked at her.
“I don’t know why you’re here, but it sure doesn’t hurt my feelings.” Banks said, giving her a squeeze before he released her.
“Should I not have come?”
“What? No, of course you should come to see me any time you want to. I’m happy to see you. I’m just about to do chores, though. Don’t suppose you wanna learn how to do proper barn chores?”
“Absolutely,” she said with a nod.
Banks led her through the barn, doing all the heavy lifting himself while directing her to throw a flake of hay in here or dump a scoop of grain there. She stood back while he let the horses in through a door at the end of the alleyway and each one split from the group into their stall as they came to it.
“They’re smart,” she marveled.
Banks chuckled. “They’re old hands at this. Every once in a while somebody forgets where they go and all hell breaks loose, but other than that, they’ve been doing this every day for their whole lives.”
“They’re impressive animals, Banks. And the way you interact with them…” She was embarrassed to say it out loud, but it was hot watching him quietly chatter to each horse, running his hand along their spine as they passed, or touching their chest lightly to move them. They seemed to respect him and understand what he said, or what he meant, anyway. She’d never known she’d find something like how he interacted with his animals so arousing, but, well, here she was, with her mouth just a bit dry, and a bit of heat in her belly.
He shrugged off her compliment, latching all the doors as he came down the alley.
“There we go, tucked in till night check.”
—TWENTY-SIX—
From Banks’ bedside table, Norah’s phone buzzed. It was an unwelcome interruption as she rolled onto her back, resting her head on his bicep as he arranged the bedsheets around the pair of them.
“Not that I want to cover this up…” he murmured, his mouth finding its way back to her collarbone.
She put her hand in his hair, laughing.
“This is how we got into trouble in the first place.”
Her phone buzzed again. She frowned, glancing at it, but turned back to Banks.
“You call that trouble? Because I can think of a dozen good words for what we just did and not a single one of them is trouble…”
The third time her phone buzzed, she frowned.
“You should check it. It might be urgent.”
“Mmm, but I don’t want to move.”
She felt the muscles of his arm move as he stretched, collecting her phone and presenting it to her. She sighed and unlocked the screen.
Rob.
Great timing, asshole.
She flipped open the texting app while Banks traced his fingers over her upper arm.
How’s preggo?
Hello?
He’d never been terribly patient about communication—especially when it was coming from her. With some distance and clarity, it probably should have been one of the primary warning signs. Hindsight’s always 20/20.
Banks was definitely trying to avoid reading over her shoulder, but as she was in his arms, it was a challenge. When she read the next text, and a fourth buzzed through in her hands, she wished she’d gotten out of bed to check her messages.
Where r u?
Slut. Answer.
Well that escalated quickly.
Banks’ body stiffened beside her.
Rob had to have been drinking. He was never real friendly when he was, and knowing he was in Salt Lake with his cousin, who knew what else he’d put into his body.
“Does he talk to you like that all the time?” Banks ground out.
Norah didn’t respond right away. She turned her head to look at Banks, put her phone down and touched his cheek.
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay. This clown thinks he can leave you here, then talks to you like this? You’re the mother of his child for God’s sake.” The reminder made Norah’s stomach lurch. All loved up, it was easy to forget about Rob completely. She’d done a better job of out of sight, out of mind, than she’d expected.
“Well, he’s not here,” she started. Banks’ anger was startling. She’d watched him talk to people in town with respect and patience, even when they didn’t deserve it. This tense body language was foreign and strange. She smoothed her fingers over a big wrinkle on his brow, then tipped forward and kissed him.
His response was swift and felt urgent; it matched the quick intensity he’d brewed up when he’d realized Rob was texting her. He touched her waist, drawing her close, and then released her almost as quickly as he’d pulled her to him.
“Has he ever hurt you before?” Banks asked, his voice softening.
She shook her head.
“He only grabbed me at the bar and it’s the first time he ever put hands on me. But he’s known to be a bit of an asshole with a few drinks—”
Her phone rang behind her, and she dug it out of the bedsheets with a curtain of dread descending over
her heart. Banks seized the phone almost before she could read the caller ID.
He paused, for just a moment, and she thought he might leave it alone. That she could just block Rob’s number and they could move forward and she wouldn’t have to think about it again, but then he swiped the screen and connected the call. Norah’s mouth went dry, her heart thundering in her ears as Banks put the phone to his ear.
“This is Sheriff Banks Montgomery, and I am directing you to stop contacting Norah Clarke.”
Her heart sank as she heard Rob’s angry voice on the other end of the line. She couldn’t make out what he was saying, but he didn’t sound happy.
“No, you listen to me. If you don’t leave her alone, we’ll press charges for harassment.”
Norah sat up as Banks disconnected the call, handing her the phone.
“Problem solved.”
She pushed her way up the bed, resting her back against the headboard and drawing her knees up and the sheets to her chin.
She’d been able to not think about this, put it out of her mind and ignore the matter so long as Rob didn’t really know where she was. Oh, he could come sniffing through but the odds that he actually would put in any effort without knowing there would be a payoff were pretty slim. Until now.
Banks pushed up into a sitting position as well, his brow furrowed again as he looked at her, his lips pressed together. Like he was looking for some kind of thanks for being her knight in shining armor. She felt sick.
“What’s wrong?”
“He didn’t know I was here.”
“What?”
“He didn’t know I didn’t go back to my parents in Denver. But now he knows I’m here.”
She sighed, let go of the blankets and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, reaching for her discarded shirt. This was not how she’d imagined the afterglow, but here they were. Her stomach was all knotted up and Jellybean was oblivious to her mother’s distress as she somersaulted.
She was stupid to think she could just ignore this forever, but it felt wrong that Banks had snatched it out of her hands. She could handle it as long as she had control. She could handle it as long as Rob was at a distance. But she wasn’t sure she could, now. She’d just begun to feel powerful and in control of her life again and Banks had taken that right away from her. Unknowingly, granted, but that didn’t stop the sting of tears and the big lump in her throat.
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