Rocky Mountain Bride (Roberts of Silver Springs Book 4)

by Nadia S. Lee

  “Should’ve taken the call,” Sam said, as though he knew exactly what was going through her mind. “Your parents must be worried about you.”

  “I’m sure,” Lina said dutifully, because that was the right thing to say when it came to family matters. “But I’d rather not. They know where I am.” She lifted her phone. “GPS.”

  He nodded. She felt a bit guilty about duping him. She’d disabled all the GPS functions when she realized her mother was tracking her. It was simply beyond the pale restrictive…even for her controlling mother. If she was that worried, she could just call.

  She did and you didn’t answer, Lina’s conscience whispered.

  This is different, she told herself. She needed some coping time—away from her family, who were undoubtedly disappointed. She always disappointed them no matter what she did, and not marrying Jared was going to top the list for sure. He was from the right family—and an important client of her father’s firm. Jared’s father might fire Pearce Vogel Lott after she’d ditched Jared. As furious and hurt as she was by what happened, she knew her place in the family hierarchy. If she wasn’t smart enough to go to Harvard Law and join the firm, she was supposed to at least marry well and create beneficial connections.

  Well. There are other families, she thought, shoving the last bite of her grilled cheese sandwich into her mouth. She didn’t have to marry Jared. He was welcome to Crystal, who Lina had thought was her best friend.

  Her phone buzzed with her one thousandth text. We have to talk.

  Her mother. Again. Lina wasn’t in a talking mood. And she didn’t know what she would say to her mom yet.

  “What are you going to do now?” Sam asked, gesturing vaguely at her wedding gown.

  She washed down her food with the latte before answering, “I guess I’ll drive around until I find a motel or something. I didn’t think that far ahead when I…left.”

  He made a wry face. “Sorry.”

  “I’m not. It’s better that I found out now than later. Dad always said divorces are expensive.”

  “And ugly.”

  “That, too.” She sniffed. “It’s just so embarrassing to go back, you know? It’s already bad enough that Jared cheated on me, but doing it with my best friend?” Fresh tears sprang to her eyes. “I mean… How could I not have known?”

  “Hey. It isn’t your fault. People who betray your trust are the bad guys, not you for trusting them.”

  Sam’s sympathy was soothing because it seemed so real and heartfelt. At the same time, it made her feel even lonelier. Why didn’t she have anybody she could turn to on her phone? They were all financially and professionally connected to her family—and Jared—and they would consider their bottom line first.

  “The next town is going to be even smaller than Silver Springs,” Sam said. “If you want, you can crash at my place.”

  Lina hesitated. Jolie would be furious if she thought Lina was friendly with her ex-fiancé. Jolie hated having any more dealings with her exes once she broke up, and she’d made it clear Lina should stay away from them as well. Lina usually honored Jolie’s wishes, because she hated conflict with her sister. On the other hand, she was far from New York—and Denver—and it wasn’t like Jolie would ever find out. Lina didn’t really know where she was going, and she didn’t want to be stuck in a town without even a traffic light late at night. A good night’s rest, and she could decide what she’d do next.

  “That’d be great. Thanks, Sam.”

  Chapter Three

  Sam took Lina to his three-bedroom house only a few blocks away from the café, him in his Maserati and her in her Aston Martin. The garage was thankfully big enough for both cars, and she parked hers next to his inside.

  “Let me help you with your luggage,” he said, climbing out.

  “I’ve only got one bag.”

  “Still. No gentleman lets a lady carry a suitcase. My mom would flog me in the town square.”

  “Does this place have one?”

  “Whether it does or not, the sentiment stands.”

  Lina let a reluctant smile through, and he smiled back. It was nice to see that bit of good humor from her after the thing about her fiancé. Sam didn’t know much about Jared, but based on what he’d been able to piece together, he already disliked the man.

  Sam led her to the guest bedroom on the second floor and placed her suitcase in the walk-in closet. His younger sister Molly had helped him decorate—so it wouldn’t look like a place only a bachelor would inhabit. The room was mostly soothing sage and cream yellow, with some white thrown in. A fresh sheet covered a queen-size bed with a matte bronze wrought iron headboard, and the dark cherry of the dressers and vanity contrasted with the sage and yellow perfectly. The connecting bathroom had a shower, a couple of towels and some toiletries.

  “Sorry there’s no pillow. The ones before got too flat and bunched up, so I tossed them,” Sam said. “I’ll get you a couple before you go to sleep tonight.” He gestured at the bathroom. “I think it has everything, but if you need anything else, let me know.”

  “Thank you, Sam. It’s lovely,” she said with a soft smile.

  “No problem.” Her genuine approval brought such absurd pleasure to him that he almost faltered for a moment. “Why don’t you get settled, change into something more, uh, comfortable and then come downstairs?”

  “That’ll be great. Thanks.”

  Sam left Lina to it and went down to the living room, which was large and comfortable…although not entirely tidy. A few magazines lay haphazardly on the coffee table. Sam straightened them up, tossed a few crumbled papers that were lying by the sofa and grabbed a bottle of ice-cold water from the fridge. He walked back past the huge kitchen window that faced the yard, then stretched out on the brown leather sofa, propping his feet on the stack of magazines, and read through rulings from recent key cases that some friends in New York had said he should check out.

  He’d skimmed over three and finished his water when Lina came downstairs. She’d scrubbed the wedding makeup and put on a loose pink scoop-neck shirt and cropped skinny jeans. Her bare feet were quiet except for the creak on the third step of the stairs. Pearly pink polish coated her nails. Her toes curled on the hardwood floor until they were almost white, then she cleared her throat.

  “Do you have anything to drink?” she asked.

  “Sure. What are you in the mood for?”

  “What do you have?”

  “Grape juice, milk and some beer from a couple microbreweries.” He waited for her to ask about wine or fine liquor. He knew how Rich Vogel stocked his home—with various pricey wines, scotch and bourbon, and Jolie had never touched beer.

  “In the fridge?”

  He nodded.

  She went to the edge of the wide-open kitchen. “Wow, this is…really fancy. You have a griddle on your stove. And two ovens. Do you cook a lot?”

  “More than when I was in Manhattan. There’s no place around here that delivers twenty-four seven, so I had to learn the basics. Don’t want to go hungry late at night.”

  “Oh.”

  She padded over to the enormous fridge. Sam had bought it because his mom had told him a big stainless steel fridge with at least four doors was a must in a decent kitchen. He’d known exactly what she was doing—getting him to buy appliances with an eye to a future that included a wife and children. Although he didn’t have anyone in his life yet, he’d humored his mom. It’d pleased her, and he loved seeing her smile. Besides, he’d probably get married at some point, so why not?

  Lina pulled out a dark bottle of beer. “Want one?”

  “Sure.”

  She brought two, settled next to him on the sofa, and uncapped both with surprising dexterity. “Here.”

  “Thanks,” he said.

  They drank in a companionable silence until the phone in her pocket went off again. She stared at the screen and frowned.

  “Who’s that?”

  “My mom, for the ten billionth time.”r />
  “You should answer it. I’m sure she’s worried about you.” He’d met Catalina Vogel a few times, and the woman was not only a brilliant lawyer but a super mom. She lived the life all working women strove for, and he couldn’t imagine her being okay with her daughter missing, even if her phone did have GPS.

  “Doubt that.” Lina sighed. “She’s probably worried about how my disappearance looks. Perceptions are so important.”

  Sam stared at her, feeling like he’d missed something. Surely she couldn’t mean that. If it had been Molly, their mom would’ve brought out a shotgun and the groom would’ve been missing the things that made him a man. “But they saw what your fiancé did.”

  “I guess.” She shrugged, then took another long swallow of beer.

  He waited a beat. “Regardless, you should talk with your mom. I’m sure she’ll be on your side.”

  “What do I tell her? Marrying Jared was supposed to be my crowning achievement.”

  Stunned, he stared at her dejected face. “You’re only twenty-six, Lina.”

  “And I haven’t done anything in those twenty-six years, Sam.” She let out a low, self-deprecating laugh. “I went to the University of Michigan and majored in drama. No postgraduate degree for me, and no career path to speak of.”

  “Well, okay, but a lot of twenty-six-year-olds are trying to figure out their lives. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “Easy for you to say, Mister Harvard Law.” A small smile on her face softened the little rebuke. “Just look at my sister. Harvard undergraduate. Harvard Law. Class president. Law Review. An associate at Dad’s law firm.” She chuckled, but the sound was sad. “I keep wondering where I went wrong. Everyone was happy with our engagement. It made sense for us to marry, and it was a smart choice for both of us. Jared needed a wife who knew how to be a gracious hostess, and I needed…” She pulled her lips in, then swigged the beer until it was gone. “Mind if I get some water?”

  He shook his head.

  She went to the kitchen, came back with a couple bottles of water and offered him one, which he took with thanks. Twisting the cap, she said, “I can’t decide if I’m upset because of the humiliation or because I was betrayed by my best friend. I mean, true friends are supposed to be there for you all the time, right? Even through divorces and whatever ugliness is in your life.” She sucked down half the water and smiled, although it was tight. “I shouldn’t let her continue to hurt me. I can always get a new best friend, right?”

  “Of course.” His phone went off. It was Molly. “Hello?”

  “Hey. Don’t forget to come to family dinner at the parents’.”

  “Huh?” Sam went through his mental calendar, but couldn’t remember any family dinner planned for that evening.

  She chortled. “Did I get you? I’m just messing. It’s actually an impromptu dinner.”

  He laughed. “Brat.”

  “It’s not every day I get to stump my brother.”

  “I should’ve known. Mom would’ve never called it ‘family dinner’ without Chase home.” His younger brother was a proud Marine.

  Molly merely giggled.

  Sam tilted his head. “What if I have other plans?”

  “Yeah, right. I know you. You’re going to sit on your couch and read boring legal stuff tonight by your lonesome. So come on. And bring that woman.”

  Ah. Now the purpose of the dinner became clear.

  “She must be pretty feisty to make Wayne back off, and Emma said you guys ate at her café.”

  “Emma talks too much.”

  “She is a spring of information.”

  “Fount,” he corrected just because he could, and because he couldn’t resist. It was a little teasing ritual between him and his sister. “I’ll be there, but I don’t know about any guests.” He shot a sidelong glance at Lina.

  “Oh, come on.”

  “I’ll ask, but I’m going to respect her decision.”

  “Nobody said you shouldn’t, but Dad’s grilling.” Their father Steve made some of the best hamburgers and steaks in Silver Springs. “It would be downright rude to deprive her of that.” Molly hung up.

  Sam shook his head with a smile on his lips.

  “Who’s that?”

  “My sister,” he answered. “She says we’re both invited to a family barbecue…if you’re up for it.”

  “Oh. She actually mentioned me? I mean, I just got here, and I’ve never met your family.”

  She hadn’t, but then, it wasn’t like Jolie had met them more than twice. “Yes, and trust me, they want to have you over.” Lina’s jaw slackened. “Don’t be surprised—we’re neighborly around here, not like Manhattan and the whole big-city anonymity vibe.”

  Her shoulders rose up until they were almost touching her ears. “So they know about the speeding and the whole thing with the sheriff?”

  “Ah, they won’t judge you for it. Everyone needs an outlet once in a while, and Wayne’s pulled half the town over at one time or another. Today happened to be your day, and like you said, you were totally entitled.”

  A lovely flush bloomed on her cheeks. “I wish I hadn’t said that.”

  “Why not? It’s a better reason than most. So how about it? You don’t have to come if you don’t want. I have two chicken breasts in the fridge that I could fry up, along with some wild rice.”

  Lina pursed her lips, then smiled. “It’s okay. We should go, if your parents really don’t mind.”

  “They won’t,” he said, keeping his tone friendly.

  He almost wished Lina had declined so they wouldn’t have to field any awkward questions. He didn’t think his mother would be too…blatant about it, but now that some of his cousins had gotten hitched or were in the process, she’d been hinting about marriage and grandbabies and so on. He didn’t want her to get any ideas about him and Lina. Just because he’d bought her a late lunch and invited her to stay the night at his place, rather than aimlessly speeding through the narrow mountain roads from Silver Springs to the next town with a decent motel, it didn’t mean anything…although he could see how people might get the wrong idea.

  He made a mental note to talk to his mother ASAP after they reached his parents’ home.

  Chapter Four

  Sam led Lina to his folks’ house. The walk only took about fifteen minutes and seemed to clear her head. The air had cooled now, and it brushed against her, refreshing and clean, with a hint of lush woods and summer grass.

  Sam’s parents’ place was a sprawling two-level home with wooden shingles that had gone gray with age and a huge blue spruce tree in front. It shaded a good portion of the house, and she could imagine everyone enjoying a cool respite during the midday heat.

  A small gnome in a red coat and matching pants stood by the door. Lina studied the weathered statue. Calling it ugly would be kind. Its bulbous nose took up at least a third of its pasty face, and it had a hideous smile.

  “In case you’re wondering, that thing was Molly’s idea,” Sam said. “When she was eight, she got this notion that we needed one to protect our home. So Mom and Dad had to buy a gnome for Christmas that year.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  “At least we don’t have to decorate much for Halloween.” Sam flicked the tip of its pointy hat. “Dad’s been wanting to get rid of it for at least a decade, but Mom and Molly won’t let him.”

  There was sweet affection for his family in his tone. Lina smiled wistfully. Something like an old longing stirred within her, but before she could acknowledge it, the door opened.

  “Finally, you’re here!” A pretty brunette turned her gray eyes toward Lina. “You must be the one. Hi. I’m Molly.”

  The one? “I’m Lina.” She extended a hand, and they shook. Molly was probably in her late twenties at the most. Her face was bare of makeup except for some pink lip gloss on her wide and smiling mouth. A casual white T-shirt, worn jeans and white canvas shoes added to her “sweetheart next door” charm. Her entire attitude was inv
iting, and Lina couldn’t help but feel welcome.

  “Come on in. The grill’s hot now, and Dad’s ready to toss some burgers on it.”

  Sam let the women go first, then hooked the door closed with the heel of his shoe. Warm wood colors dominated the living and dining rooms, along with some cool orange and purple accents. Lina admired the way colors blended together to create a rustic, chic space for the family to relax. From plushy, square pillows to afghans on well-padded couches and a fireplace, she could imagine coming over and basking in familial comfort and love.

  She shook herself mentally. Not in the cards. She was just passing through. Besides, this was Sam’s family. She was being fanciful, a flaw her mother often asked her to correct.

  A slim auburn-haired woman in a comfortable-looking rosé-colored blouse and long denim skirt came out of the kitchen, a pink apron cinched around her waist. Her straight hair was tied into a tidy ponytail. The fine bones of her face were so similar to Molly’s that Lina knew instantly this was Sam’s mother.

  “Welcome,” she said warmly. “I’m Patricia.”

  “Lina. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Roberts.”

  “Oh please. Call me Patty. Everyone does.” She placed a hand on Lina’s back, guiding her to the couch. “Please sit. Something to drink?”

  “Juice, if you have any. Or water’s fine too.”

  “We also have beer,” Molly said.

  “It’s all right. I’m okay with whatever juice you have.”

  Patty went to the kitchen, Sam following her.

  Molly sat next to Lina on the couch. “So. Tell me how you made Wayne back down. When I heard from Emma, I thought she was kidding.”

  “Wayne? Oh, the sheriff. Is he that bad?”

  Molly waggled her well-plucked eyebrows. “He supposedly ticketed his own mother.”

  Lina chuckled. “Really?”

  Molly nodded. “The man’s infamous. If you ask him what superpower he wants, he’ll probably say the power to make cars slow down.”