“He’s not an infant. He’s ten! I don’t even know how he’s going to react to all this.”
“He’s a ten-year-old boy who’s never had a father. I think he’ll be pretty excited once the shock wears off.”
“Of course he’ll be excited, but…I just…” She faced him. She had to be honest. Neither of them would tolerate anything less. “I’m afraid when the dust settles, you’re going to regret this.”
“Gretchen—”
“No, listen to me. I’m not the same person I was ten years ago, and neither are you. A shotgun wedding without a child is taking a big risk. With a child you don’t know, it feels like we’re destined to fail. I can’t bring you into his life—into my life—and lose you again. I don’t think I’d survive, and it wouldn’t be fair to Alex.”
“Honey, I’m not going anywhere.” He pulled her into his arms. “What I feel for you I’ve never felt for anyone. You’re right; we’re both different people. We get to fall in love all over again.” He dropped his forehead to hers. “Yes, there’s going to be an adjustment for all of us. I’m prepared to be patient and understanding and totally flexible after we do whatever it takes to get Ryan out of the picture for good. Marriage and a couple of legal filings are the first steps.
“You don’t have to answer me right this second,” he said. “Take some time, have dinner, get to know Olivia, and then we’ll talk.” He kissed her lips and tried to lead her to the door, but she didn’t budge. “Gretch?”
“Yes,” she said after taking a couple of deep breaths.
“Yes, what?”
Summoning every ounce of courage in her heart, she said, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“You don’t want to think about it?”
“With the understanding that you can back out at any time before we say ‘I do,’ then yes. I can’t imagine wanting anything more than spending the rest of my life with you. We’ve lost too much time already.”
“It was stolen,” he said. “We’re taking it back.”
She nodded. “I love you, Tommy, but I mean it. If you change your mind at any time—”
“I’m not going to change my mind. Our life together starts now.”
Chapter 49
Patrick Garrity stood outside the brewery wearing a thick denim coat, a dirty baseball cap, and a smug smile. Tommy watched him leer at Gretchen as she got out of the rental car and approached the door. She and Patrick exchanged a few words, he held the door open for her, and he stared at her ass as she went inside.
For that alone, Tommy would make him pay. He and Gretchen had agreed to take separate cars even though Tommy planned to step down as leader of STS. The development at Bear Stream would either fail or pass. He didn’t give two damns one way or the other anymore. Gretchen would earn her stripes with Holcomb and earn the respect of the citizens of the valley if she could sell them on the compromise.
Tommy got out of his truck and moseyed up to Garrity. “Patrick.” Tommy yanked the zipper on his jacket up a notch.
“You got a minute to talk before the meeting starts?” Patrick asked.
“Sure.” If Tommy hadn’t expected the move, he would have been curious why Patrick was ushering him along the sidewalk and away from the brewery.
“I figured out why you wanted me to stop digging in Lowry’s past. Your upstanding guy routine didn’t hold water once we started looking.”
He regretted Patrick’s discovery only because it would make Gretchen’s work even harder. “We know each other. It’s none of your business. Besides, I’m—”
“Know each other?” Patrick flung his head back and let out a hacking laugh. “That’s a good one.”
“I’m stepping down from STS. Obviously there’s a conflict of interest and my objectivity’s in question.”
“Why didn’t you tell us your stepsister works for Holcomb?”
Stepsister? Garrity was not only stupid but lazy. If he’d dug a little deeper, he would have discovered the truth. Oh, well, Tommy thought. He’d figure it out soon enough. “We lost touch. I was as surprised as anyone when she showed up in town.”
“How do we know you haven’t been working both sides all along? You’ll benefit more than most if the development goes through.”
Or he could lose one or more of his businesses when the competition came to town. “You don’t, which is why I’m stepping down. Do yourself a favor and hear her out. She’s got Holcomb’s ear and the power to negotiate on his behalf.”
Patrick poked Tommy’s chest. “This feels like a setup.”
Tommy fisted his hands at his sides. He would let it go; he had bigger things to worry about than Garrity’s temper. “It’s not. I’ve lived in this valley a long time, and so has my family. I’ve made my home here, my life. I’ve worked side by side with you and everyone else to fight the overdevelopment of Bear Stream, along with hundreds of other projects, to protect our way of life. If you’re willing to throw all of that out of the window because of some coincidence, go right ahead, but put your pride aside and listen to what she says. The valley and everyone who’s given you their trust deserve for you to listen.”
Tommy turned to go back to his truck, and Garrity grabbed his arm. “That’s it? You’re not even going to stay for the meeting?”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
“Why? You already know what she’s going to propose?”
“Yes, I do. I think it’s something we can live with, but it’s not up to me. It never was. It’s up to the people. Listen, think about what she says, and take it to the community. Whatever you all decide, I’m fine with.”
“Since when don’t you care what happens at Bear Stream?”
Tommy took a deep breath and looked at the sky. “I do care what happens.” The valley had been good to him, and his father had left his mark on every inch of the land. “But whatever happens, life goes on. For the first time in a long time, I understand that some things matter more than business. I’m switching my focus.”
“What things?” Garrity demanded.
Tommy slapped his arm. “Family, Patrick. Nothing matters more than family.”
Garrity stared at him and shuffled his feet. “I didn’t expect you to step down.”
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“You’re not lobbying one way or the other? If we decide to fight whatever she’s proposing, you’ll support us?”
“I’m stepping all the way back. That means I don’t take sides.”
Garrity stared at him, his lips twisting into a grimace. “You’re here. You may as well come in while your sister does her song and dance.”
“She’s not my sister. We’re not related by anything other than marriage.”
“Whatever,” Garrity said. “You think you can get me Ryan Lowry’s autograph?”
Tommy narrowed his eyes at Garrity. “No.”
She was nervous. Tommy could tell by the way she held her shoulders as she stood at the head of the table. Tommy sat at the bar away from Garrity, Dodge, and the only other two members of STS who could meet on such short notice. She’d worked all morning, printing off charts and tables, drawings and projections. She pulled them out and passed them around while the men snuck glances at Tommy.
“What are you doing over there?” Howard Pep whispered when Tommy refused to take a copy of the papers.
Tommy glanced at his phone where a last minute food order needed placing, but when Gretchen started speaking, the phone may as well have been a blank sheet of paper. She spoke to the men in a way that engaged them, made them feel she understood their concerns and anticipated their questions. She spoke slowly and explained the details, as well as the projected impact. She told the good with the bad in a patient voice, as if she had all the time in the world and every confidence they could work together. Oh, yes, he thought, she’d changed in the last ten years. She’d finished her degree, worked her way up in a national corporation, and single-handedly raised a son. If he hadn’t already loved her, he wo
uld have fallen flat on his face on the spot.
“Are there any more questions?” she asked the men when they finally fell silent.
Patrick cleared his throat and sat up straight. “We need to talk about this, Ms. Lowry, and then get a feel from the community about what they think. We can’t give you an answer right away.”
“I understand,” she said. “All of this is contingent on the environmental impact statement, but we feel confident the revised development will fit within their guidelines. I can tell you Mr. Holcomb isn’t willing to go any smaller. As it stands, Bear Stream will be his most intimate project to date.”
“Intimate?” Howard asked.
“Small,” she offered. “Personal. Quaint, if you will. I’ll be heading back to Chicago tomorrow, but I’ve attached my work and personal information at the bottom of each sheet in case you have further questions. Don’t hesitate to reach out for whatever reason.”
“I’ve got a question,” Dodge said. “Why didn’t Holcomb come to us with this kind of offer in the first place?”
“He’s a businessman, Mr. Dodge. It’s his process. I’m sure you gentlemen have yours. I’m simply here to find a way for both sides to meet in the middle.”
“We’ll be in touch,” Garrity said.
Garrity, Howard, and Lester Freeman gathered Gretchen’s handouts and made their way outside.
Dodge stood with his hands on his hips and waited for the other men to leave. “I see you two made it out of the storm in one piece.”
Gretchen’s hands stalled. Her shoulders tensed where they’d slowly begun to relax.
“We did,” Tommy said. “I’d like to talk to you, if you can spare another minute.”
“Just,” Dodge said. “I’ve got to get back.”
“It’ll only take a minute.” Tommy walked Gretchen to the door and rubbed her shoulders when she faced him. “You did good.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
“They’ll come around. It’s a fair deal.” He helped her into her coat. “Will I see you at home?”
Gretchen’s wary eyes cut to Dodge. “I’m going to check out of the hotel now.”
“Good. I’ll be home in a couple of hours. Make yourself comfortable.” He kissed her before holding the door open. He turned to face Dodge.
“I had a feeling,” Dodge said and shook his head.
“You were right.”
“You don’t have to sell me on this smaller scale deal. I think it’s the best we could have hoped for.”
“I don’t want to talk about Bear Stream,” Tommy said and pulled out a chair. “I want to ask you about your stepsons.”
Chapter 50
Kevin walked out of the barn carrying wire cutters and headed for his truck. He was surprised to find his mother walking toward the barn. She waved and smiled as her breath puffed out in the cold air.
“What are you doing out walking on a cold day like today?” Kevin asked.
“Can’t stay cooped up inside just because the weather’s cold. I’d be inside for months if that was the case.”
“Are you having problems with your story?” he asked. He knew her routine well enough to know she needed fresh air and motion when her plot got too thick or too thin.
“A little. Plus I wanted to talk to you.”
“Am I in trouble?”
“That depends.” She wrapped her hand around his arm and led him back inside the barn. Without the wind, the temperature felt at least ten degrees warmer. “What’s going on with you and Shiloh? I’ve been trying not to push, but I can only be a non-nosy mother for so long.”
“I appreciate that. You did good. I was starting to think you didn’t care.”
“Kevin,” she warned with a snarl, “you know better than that. You’re a grown man, and you’ve been married long enough that you don’t need me rushing in to try to fix things. Besides, you hate it when I poke my nose into your business.”
“Sometimes I do. Shi and I are fine.”
“Fine? That’s all you’re going to say?”
“We’re back sleeping together, which is good except that air mattress is not in any way meant for two people.”
“You’re sleeping together on the air mattress? Kevin! Why didn’t you say something? We’ve got a perfectly good spare bedroom.”
“I’m a grown man, remember? Your husband made it clear we weren’t to make ourselves at home.”
“That’s just Dodge being Dodge. Do you really think he’d kick you out? Lyle lived with us for over a year.”
“Which is why we’re not at your place. Yet,” he added when his back muscle tweaked.
“So? What’s the deal with you and Shiloh?”
“We’re staying here. We’re settling in Hailey.”
She cupped a hand over her heart and took an involuntary step back. Her reaction couldn’t have pleased him more. “If you’re lying to me, I’m going to kick you.”
“I’m not lying. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is home.”
“Kevin Woodward, I never thought I’d hear those words come out of your mouth.”
“Me neither. It’s freaking cold in the winter, dusty and dry in the summer, but everyone I love is here. I can’t think of a better place to raise a family.”
Sarah gasped. “Is Shiloh pregnant?”
“No, not yet. Not for a while, I hope. We’ve got to get ourselves settled and in better financial shape.”
“If you need money, sweetie, all you have to do is ask.”
“I already told Dodge we’re fine, or at least at break even.”
“He offered you money?” Sarah asked.
“Yes, and the bedroom if we were about to be homeless, so go easy on him, okay? He’s enjoying your second honeymoon.”
Sarah laughed. “Is that what he called it? That old coot.”
“He’s so in love with you it’s embarrassing. I swear you put something in that man’s food.”
“There’s something about finding love at our age. Second time around for both of us. We’re grateful to have each other because we know it can be gone in a flash. That’s why I worry about you and Shiloh. You take each other for granted because you’ve always had one another.”
“I know. We’re working on that. Her leaving me in Denver was a big wake up call. For both of us,” Kevin said.
“It was probably for the best. It seems to be working out.” When she picked at the leather straps from a nearby saddle, he knew she had more to say. “When your daddy died, it took me a long time to accept that he wasn’t coming back. I’d never been on my own. I think Shiloh felt a little like that at first.”
“We stopped talking to each other,” he explained. “She was lonely and, believe it or not, saving money for us that I didn’t know about. She was looking out for me, and I never knew. I was working myself half to death for her and making us both miserable.”
“Problems can happen so quickly when you stop talking.”
“Lesson learned,” he said. “Speaking of lessons, I’m taking over for Manny come spring. I’ve enrolled in an ag aviation school in Louisiana in January. Shi’s staying with her mom and dad while I’m gone. She got a job at the bank. When I get back, we’ll find a nice cheap place to live and start over.”
“I think that’s a good plan. I’m proud of you, honey. Weathering the bad times are just as important as appreciating the good.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “You’ve been there through the good and the bad. Solid as a rock. You and Dodge. I don’t tell you enough, but I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too.”
“I also love your apple pie. Any chance you’re making one in the near future? I may as well benefit from living in town.”
“I suppose I can arrange to have a pie delivered to your brother’s place.”
“Just make sure you tell him it’s for me.”
***
“My boys?” Dodge sat down and gave Tommy a lethal stare. “They do some
thing I haven’t heard about yet?”
“Not that I’m aware.” Tommy sat across from Dodge and linked his fingers. “How old were Sarah’s boys when you two got married?”
Dodge’s brows flew to his hairline. “Kevin was thirteen, Lyle eleven. Why?”
“Gretchen has a son. He’s ten.”
“I see. You’re moving awfully fast.”
“We don’t have much of a choice, unfortunately.” When Dodge simply stared, Tommy said, “Her ex is bad news. If we get married and I file for adoption, we might be able to keep him from ever seeing the boy again.”
“Married?”
“I love her. It seems fast, but someone very wise told me the heart can’t tell time.”
“What idiot said that?” Dodge leaned back in his chair. “And don’t you dare blame that idiot if this thing blows up in your face.”
“The only idiot in this scenario is me. I let ten years go by because of my pride. I’m not wasting another second.”
Dodge blew out a breath. “You think it’s a good idea to keep a boy from his father?”
“You don’t know this guy or what he’s done to Gretchen. I would do anything to keep him from either one of them.”
“Then I wish you luck.”
“I was hoping for something a little more concrete.”
“Such as?”
“Advice. How was it with the boys when you and Sarah got married?”
Dodge chuckled. “I’m not going to lie to you, son. The boys were grieving their dad and not too thrilled to have another man in the house. I gave them space, and we learned over time to respect one another. It helped that they understood I loved their mother and I had her and their best interests at heart. I never had an ex to deal with, so that was a plus. Although,”—Dodge rubbed his chin—“sometimes it felt like I was competing with a ghost. You can’t win against a dead man.”
“Her ex hasn’t seen the boy in nine years. For all intents and purposes, he’s fatherless.”
“That’ll work in your favor. What’s he like?”
“The boy?” Tommy shrugged. “I’ve never met him. Gretchen said he’s a good kid. He’s athletic, good in school, and from what I gather, he considers himself the man in her life.”
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