Forever in Love (Montana Brides)

by Leeanna Morgan

  Jackie Montgomery, Catherine’s case worker, tapped her pen against the thick pad of paper in front of her. “I really want you to consider unsupervised visitation, Amy. Your mom isn’t taking Catherine away, she just wants to spend some time with her while she’s in Montana.”

  “Have you read Catherine’s file?” Amy’s voice had reached that nearly hysterical just give me a minute stage. Jackie raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow and Amy clamped her lips tight. It wouldn’t do to lose her cool in front of the woman that could change Catherine’s life forever. Or feel bitter toward a system that had offered a temporary solution to her mom’s permanent problems.

  “I’m aware of what happened in the past.”

  Amy held the edge of her chair with trembling hands. Her mom had lied her way through most of her life, ignoring everything around her when surviving got too hard. No one looking at the smartly dressed woman would think she had a deceitful bone in her body. But Amy had lived with her for too many years to trust her mother now.

  She’d seen the way Carmen could manipulate people, make them think that she understood them, that she was their friend. It wasn’t until the dust settled that they realized they’d lost a whole lot more than Carmen’s friendship. Money, husbands and alcohol rated high in her mom’s book of must haves. Especially if they belonged to someone else. As if reading her thoughts, Carmen turned her head, staring at Amy with the same chocolate brown eyes she saw reflected back at her every morning in the bathroom mirror.

  “I’m not drinking anymore.”

  Amy had heard the same words so many times that she didn’t have to look at her mom to know she was stretching the truth. “How long has it been this time?” She heard the hiss of indrawn air long before her mom pushed away from the table.

  “I’ve had enough of this conversation. I might not have been the best mother in the world, but I taught you to have more respect than what you’re showing me. You should be ashamed of yourself.” Carmen grabbed her bag off the floor and stalked across to the door. “If you think you’ve seen the last of me you’re out of luck. I want to spend some time with my little girl and nothing you can do will stop me.”

  Amy jumped as the door slammed shut behind her mother.

  Jackie took her glasses off and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “It’s not my place to tell you how to run your life, but I do have a responsibility toward Catherine. Your mother has made an effort, Amy. By all accounts she’s turning her life around. I think you need to give her a chance.”

  “I won’t let her mess up my sister’s life.”

  “You don’t need to. All your mom wants is a few hours alone with Catherine. If it would make you feel better I could be there as well. At least tell me you’ll think about it.”

  Amy stared at her mom’s empty chair, remembering all the times she’d believed Carmen had changed. That the days of being left on her own were over. She’d finally come to the painful conclusion that no matter what she did or where her mother was, she’d always be on her own. She had to toughen up or sink into the same hell her mother wallowed in.

  “Is everything alright in here?” Nathan stood in the doorway with Catherine in his arms, frowning at Amy. “Your mom ran out of the building a few minutes ago.”

  The weight of her mom’s anger and Nathan’s confusion pressed down on Amy’s shoulders. Carmen wasn’t the only one who’d had enough. Amy had thought bringing Catherine to Montana and starting a new life would be the hardest part of keeping her sister safe. She’d been wrong.

  Seeing her mother had brought all of her old insecurities rushing back. Her mom had looked good...better than she remembered. More in control of her life, more able to cope with a toddler. And that worried her. No matter how well she looked after her sister, if her mom could prove that she’d changed for the better, Catherine could end up going back to live with her.

  Amy pushed her hair back from her face and let out a tired sigh. “I need to think everything through.”

  Jackie shuffled some papers. “Your mom has a flight booked for Wednesday afternoon and I’ll need an answer by Monday lunchtime at the latest.” She picked up her satchel and handed a card to Amy. “Ring me on my cell phone as soon as you have an answer. It doesn’t matter if it’s the weekend.” She stood beside Nathan and rubbed Catherine’s arm. “And all you need to do, little lady, is keep that smile on your pretty face. It was nice meeting you, Nathan.”

  He nodded, his gaze never leaving Amy’s face.

  Jackie glanced out the window, tightening the belt on her coat as another gust of wind shook the tall pine tree outside. “You’re doing a great job of raising your sister, Amy. Don’t let your mom’s past interfere with where you both are now.”

  Amy listened to Jackie’s words, but they bounced off her like a boomerang. Her mom’s past would always interfere with her life. For sixteen years, Carmen’s bad decisions had become her own and she was damned if she’d pass that curse onto Catherine.

  The click of Jackie’s heels echoed down the hallway, filling the silence in the meeting room.

  Amy felt small and insignificant and so defeated that she didn’t know what to do. “I’m sorry you had to see that, Nathan.”

  He moved toward her, lifting her chin with the tips of his fingers. “You did well. It can’t have been easy listening to what your mom said.”

  “It was even worse living with her.”

  Nathan moved Catherine onto his other hip, lifting his keys out of her chubby hands. “Let’s get out of here and find a decent cup of coffee.” He lowered Catherine into her stroller and reached for the diaper bag. “Catherine’s case worker knows what she’s doing. It will all work out.”

  Amy wasn’t so sure. Before today she’d thought she’d planned for every obstacle that might come their way. She’d created a happy home. She had a good job, friends that cared about them. Nothing had prepared her for their mother turning up and wanting to be a part of Catherine’s life.

  Amy zipped up her jacket and followed Nathan out the door. For Carmen, motherhood the second time around had been shorter than her pregnancy. Wanting to be part of her baby daughter’s life now didn’t make her a good mom. It made her delusional.

  Nathan clicked the tray of the highchair into place and took the plate Tess held out to him. Amy hadn’t said much on the way over to Angel Wings Café and truth be told, he didn’t have an awful lot to say himself.

  He thought back to the meeting with Amy and Catherine’s mom. Carmen Sullivan had surprised him with her polite manners and expensive clothes. Amy had never talked about her mother or her home life before she’d come to Bozeman and in all the years he’d known her he’d never bothered to ask.

  His hand tightened on the back of Catherine’s chair. If he’d known what had happened he would have made sure that he’d seen a lot more of the woman who couldn’t keep her daughter safe.

  Tess lifted a cup of hot chocolate off her tray, hesitating before sliding it in front of Amy. “Is everything alright? You look exhausted.”

  “We had a meeting with my mom.”

  “She’s in Bozeman?”

  The surprise in Tess’s voice told Nathan she knew some of what had gone on in her friend’s life, but knowing Amy, she wouldn’t have told her much.

  “She’s not taking Catherine away is she?”

  Amy slumped forward, her elbows resting on the table. “Not if I can help it.”

  Tess straightened and sent Amy a determined scowl. “Don’t let her bully you into doing what she wants. Catherine needs someone that loves her and will always be there for her.”

  Amy and Tess looked at each other, a bond of understanding passing between them that went beyond their short friendship. Tess turned and saw him staring at her.

  “My mom left when I was five-years-old. I ended up living with my grandparents until I was seventeen.” She left a handful of napkins in the middle of the table and sent Amy a tight smile. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

/>   Nathan watched her walk back to the counter, smiling and talking with her next customer, showing none of the worry he’d seen in her eyes. He had a feeling there was a whole lot more to Tess’s story than what she’d be willing share in the middle of her café. Or anywhere else for that matter.

  Amy passed her sister a sippy cup and he watched the blonde haired mini commando shake water all over her scone. He grabbed the plate at the same time Amy reached for the cup. Their hands collided, the plate dropped on the table, and Catherine let out a squeal of delight. The cup wobbled in the air and popped its lid, leaving Amy with a wet shirt and a soggy scone sitting in front of her. .

  Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, the doorbell jingled and a cold gust of wind whipped the paper napkins onto the floor. He reached down to get them, dodging Catherine’s gooey fingers.

  “Hi, Amy.”

  Nathan’s head shot up. Brett Forster stood beside their table, hat in his hands and an appreciative look in his eyes that didn’t go down too well with Nathan. He’d seen Brett enough over the years to know that he was an okay kind of guy. Okay enough to tangle with someone else, but not Amy.

  Amy stopped mopping up the water, her mouth dropped open and a blush stole across her cheeks.

  “Looks as though you could do with a hand.”

  Nathan felt his eyebrows shoot toward the ceiling. If Brett thought he was going to get anywhere near Amy’s chest he’d better think again. The guy had taken Amy out for coffee. In his mind that rated about as high as a date at a library book talk. He cleared his throat, hoping to divert Brett’s attention away from Amy’s anatomy and straight into the frown he could feel working its way onto his face.

  Brett glanced at Nathan before reaching over to the next table and handing Amy more napkins.

  “Thanks, Brett. I’ve cleaned up as much as I can. It’s just as well it was only water.” She smiled at him before pushing the scone closer to Catherine. “Do you want to join us?”

  Brett shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not staying. I’m heading to Billings and thought I’d buy something to take with me.” He turned toward Nathan, his smile slipping enough to let Nathan know his guard dog tendencies hadn’t gone unnoticed. “I haven’t seen you in town much.”

  “We’ve been busy on the ranch.”

  Brett nodded, looking between Nathan and Amy before settling on Catherine, chewing on her soggy scone. “I’ll be on my way, then. I’ll see you next weekend, Amy.”

  “Thanks for the napkins.”

  Brett winked. “Anytime.” He walked across to the counter and filled a brown paper bag with food before leaving the café.

  Nathan watched Amy’s face, trying to work out what was going through her head. She followed Brett with her eyes, staring long and hard at the closed door after he’d left. “Where are you going next weekend?”

  She blinked, dragging her attention back to their table. “The Huffing for Stuffing Thanksgiving Day race. The cowboys on the Lazy M have organized a team and I bet Brett twenty dollars that we’d come in ahead of them.”

  “You run?”

  Amy sat taller in her seat, frowning at him. “Of course I can run. Sally, Gracie, Tess, Rachel and I have entered the five kilometer race. Last year the event raised over forty thousand dollars for the local food bank.”

  Nathan sipped his coffee, listening as Amy told him about their training schedule and the turkey hats Rachel had found on eBay. A couple of years back he’d run with Greg and a bunch of their poker buddies. They’d spent most of the race dodging black ice, strollers, and families decked out in fancy dress costumes. They’d made it back to the Museum of the Rockies behind the Groovy Grans. And just in time for a helping of hot apple pie.

  He wouldn’t be running in the race anytime soon, but that wouldn’t stop him making sure Brett stayed on his side of the finishing line. “Do you need someone to look after Catherine?”

  Amy shook her head. “Your mom and dad offered to look after her. They’re going to meet us at the Museum before the race.”

  He nodded and took another swallow of coffee. He could just happen to pass by and join his mom and dad. Sally was racing, and Matthew and Sean were bound to turn up at some stage. Catherine wouldn’t mind him being there. “Brett seemed happy to see you.”

  Amy shrugged her shoulders. “He’s a nice guy.”

  Nathan handed what was left of his muffin to Catherine. Double blueberry didn’t sit too well on a stomach that had lost its appetite. “Does he know about our therapy sessions?”

  Amy choked on her hot chocolate, dropping the mug onto the table. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she glared at him like she wanted to eat him alive. Not that he’d ever been known to turn his back on a new experience, especially if it involved biting. And licking. And a whole lot of others things that no one in their right minds would call therapy.

  Amy said something and he stared at the scowl on her face, trying to figure out where they’d gotten up to in the conversation. His brain had stopped at biting, his body losing focus as soon as licking started on the menu.

  “It’s bad enough that my neighbors saw you leave last night.” Her voice had dropped to a raspy whisper, causing parts of his body to appreciate the red and white checkered tablecloth covering his lap.

  “You could always make an honest man out of me.” Damn. Where had that come from?

  He waited for Amy to burst out laughing and tell him he needed to keep away from caffeine. But she simply stopped chewing and glared at him as if he’d walked fresh cow dung on his mom’s Persian rug.

  “That’s not funny.”

  A spark of something he didn’t want to think about fizzled and died inside his chest.

  He would have preferred her laughter. He knew that she didn’t have a problem with his scars, so it must be the man inside his body that she didn’t like. If she’d shot him in the middle of his chest she couldn’t have made it any plainer. She wasn’t interested in him as husband material. Not that he wanted to be anyone’s husband. Not yet, anyway. Maybe never. But what the hell, it was the principle that mattered.

  Amy needed his body. He needed her. It didn’t take much to figure out they could help each other. But all of a sudden sharing body heat wasn’t a good enough reason to be together. She’d tried to tell him she wasn’t interested and like the idiot he was, he hadn’t listened. Well he was listening now and he didn’t need to be told again. Whatever issues they had would have to be sorted out with someone else. He’d be damned if she saw another naked inch of any part of him after today.

  He glanced down at the mess on the table and put the soggy napkins on his plate. Between a wet table and what was left of Catherine’s squishy cheese scone, it looked like a herd of wild animals had been grazing at their table. At least tidying up gave his hands something to do while Amy kept scowling at him.

  When he’d put some order to the chaos in front of them he picked up his hat and jammed it on his head. With any luck it would keep the few brain cells left inside his skull, warm. “I’ve got work to do on the ranch. Are you ready to leave?”

  Amy looked across at Catherine, then lifted her gaze. A lifetime of regret stared back at him.

  He hardened his heart to the foolish pride licking at his conscience.

  “I’m sorry, Nathan. I thought you were joking.”

  “I was,” he muttered. He didn’t know what was worse; her pity, or the fact that she cared that she’d trampled all over his heart.

  “I...” she stared around the cafe, paying particular attention to a table by the window. “I want you to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me...for Catherine.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I would have done the same for anyone.” He hated the disappointment on Amy’s face. He’d developed a soft spot for Catherine, and God knew what he felt for Amy. She’d always stirred up feelings that were best left alone. After today he sure as hell wasn’t going to get any closer to see where those feel
ings might end up.

  Tess came across to their table. “I’ll clear all this away. Are you ready for tomorrows training session, Amy?”

  Amy nodded, lifting Catherine’s baby bag onto the table before turning her attention to Tess. “I’ll see you at the gym at four o’clock.”

  Tess looked between Amy and Nathan. She didn’t need to be too perceptive to realize Amy wasn’t happy about something. “Let me know if you need a ride. Annie’s going to close the café so I can get away early.”

  “Thanks, Tess. I’ll be fine.”

  Nathan wiped Catherine’s fingers on a clean napkin then sat her on his knees. At least she didn’t stare at him like he had something to do with most of the world’s problems. He picked up her jacket and spent the next few minutes wrestling her arms into the tight sleeves. She blew bubbles at him as he pulled her zip up to her chin, gazing at him with big brown eyes full of mischief.

  “Right back at you, bub,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head before standing up. Tess and Amy were watching him and a prickle of unease skittered along his spine.

  “Not bad for a greenhorn,” Tess said. “I think she’s in love.”

  Nathan held his breath, hauling Catherine closer as she lunged for the plates in Tess’s hands. His gaze shot to Amy. She stared at Tess with a face that had gone beet red.

  Tess looked between the two of them. “What? I was talking about Catherine.”

  “Of course you were,” Amy muttered.

  Tess smiled serenely back and reached for the plate of dirty napkins. “You’d better head home before the rest of the café thinks there’s more going on between you two than there is.”

  Amy glanced at the table by the window. Doris and Jesse waved back.

  There wasn’t much the two grey haired women didn’t know about Bozeman and Nathan didn’t want to be on their hot gossip list.

  Amy hooked the strap of the baby bag over her shoulder and straightened her spine. “Come on, Nathan. It’s time to leave.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He earned himself a low growl from the woman who’d just stomped on his heart. As they passed Doris’s table, Amy mumbled a friendly hello from behind him, poking him in the back when he slowed down to be more hospitable.