Charlie said nothing as he looked at her, his annoyance clearing to give way to bald uncertainty.
"Do you still want to get married?" Roanne asked, her voice shaky.
That only stirred Charlie's annoyance again. "Yes." He didn't sound convincing.
Roanne stood from the stool. "I don't believe you." Her chest expanded and deflated with agitated breaths. Utah could see the hurt emotion and had to stop the instinct to chime in. Roanne pivoted and called over her shoulder, "I'm leaving. If you want Gwen, you can have her." She stopped and faced Charlie, her face ravaged with pain. "The man I marry is going to have eyes only for me."
To Utah's amazement, Roanne removed her ring and marched back to the bar. She slammed her ring there.
Now Charlie looked shocked. "Hey. What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing? Look, Gwen is waiting for you. You obviously don't want me anymore if you'd rather be with her."
Sure enough, Gwen was watching the scene unfold and not with much concern for Roanne. Utah wanted to set her straight with a few pointed words, but that would be too childish. Better if she didn't get involved.
"Roanne. You're overreacting."
"Am I? You've been acting weird for a week now. When you're sure you want to marry me, give me a call. Otherwise, don't bother."
"Roanne, stop this. I already know I want to marry you."
"I don't believe you. Something's got you uptight. I can tell, all right?"
Charlie sighed, looked at Utah, then Mason before returning his gaze to Roanne. "Do we have to talk about this now?"
With tears now brimming her eyes, Roanne held her purse to her mid-section. "Have a nice night." She turned her back and started toward the door.
"Roanne, wait," Charlie called, but Roanne kept going.
Utah started to hop off the stool. Mason curled his fingers around her arm, stopping her. "Leave her be."
"What do you know about Roanne?"
"Just let her have some time alone."
Utah pulled her arm free of his grasp. "How could you possibly know what's best for anyone in this town, Mason? You gave up on all of us a long time ago."
He cocked his head. "And you didn't?"
"The farthest I went was Denver. That's a little closer than Afghanistan."
He scrutinized her face. "What's got you so upset?"
She almost spat that it was Roanne, but the realization that it wasn't took her aback. Mason had left her and she still felt abandoned. Everyone she'd ever cared about had abandoned her. By dying. By leaving. Or betraying her trust. Mason was one of those people. Even after all these years, it still hurt.
"You aren't going to stick around long enough for it to matter." Sliding off her stool, she avoided looking at him and was glad when he let her walk away.
She found Andy with a group of friends. She'd wish him well and go home.
"Everything okay with Roanne?" he asked when she stopped in front of him. The two other men he was with started a conversation between themselves.
"They both must be having pre-wedding jitters."
He nodded. "He'll be good for her."
"Yeah, if he can stop ogling other women."
Andy chuckled. "Definitely pre-wedding jitters."
"Is that how men react to nervousness? They try to pick up women?"
"Might be how Charlie does it. Maybe he's just checking to see if he still has what it takes to attract a woman. Getting married is a sign of age to some men."
"Oh, please," she said, but smiled at the twinkle in his eyes. Andy always had a way of relaxing her.
"They'll work it out, and be closer in the end."
"I hope so. I want Ro to be happy. She seems happy with Charlie." She turned to see that Charlie was once again talking to Gwen. The idiot.
As if an invisible line tugged her eyes, she looked down the bar where Mason still stood. He watched her and Andy, his face unreadable.
"Why did he come home for the whole summer, anyway?" she heard herself ask.
"Said he just needed some time off."
She felt her brow tighten and she met Andy's eyes. "That doesn't sound like Mason."
"No, it sure doesn't." He sighed and looked at his son across the bar, sad and worried. "I found out last night that his commander forced him to take a three-month leave."
Alarm rushed through her. Forced him? "Why?" Had something terrible happened to Mason?
"I don't know. I tried to get him to talk about it, but he won't tell me any more than that. Kept saying he's fine, he just has to take some time off."
Utah looked at Mason. His expression had darkened, as if guessing what Andy was telling her. The last thing she needed was to feel sorry for him.
"Do you think it's serious?"
"I'm worried it might be. I can see it's tearing him apart inside."
Her face felt cold with the shock of concern that ran through her. Her Mason. Her hero. What kind of thing could bring a man like that to his knees?
"At least he has you."
She stiffened when Andy said it.
"At first I didn't think it was wise," he went on, "the two of you together. But now I wonder."
What was all this? "What do you wonder?"
Andy met her gaze with determination that put her on edge. "Whether you're just the thing Mason needs. The thing that will keep him where he belongs. Right here in Timberline."
Utah put her hands up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute, there, cowboy. I have no intention of starting anything with Mason. Nobody knows better than me there's nothing that will keep him here permanently. This is my home now. I'm not leaving and I know he can't stay."
Andy smiled in a way that made her nervous. "You were always a spirited girl. I'm glad to see that hasn't changed."
Eyeing him warily, she let him hug her. What made him so sure she'd be the one to make Mason stay? He was just a lonely father wishing too hard for something that would never be.
She backed away with a deliberate smile, one she didn't feel. Andy's smile was still wily as she waved goodbye and headed for the door.
Without looking toward the bar, she left the building. Her mother's house was just over two blocks from here. It was a chilly night, as always here in the mountains, but she loved how bright the stars were. How peaceful the town was this time of night. It got her mind off Andy and the things he'd suggested.
Streetlights, the dim glow from shops, and smells from Angler's Restaurant made her feel right at home. In the morning, she liked to walk this street and smell bread baking from Annie's Bakery. She'd never get tired of the sound of hawks calling in the crisp mountain air or the clear blue sky most days of the year. There was no haze of pollution here. No honking horns. No crowds. No crazy stepsons. Just miles of wilderness.
She passed the Over Easy Café, dark except for a light behind the counter. White frilly curtains framed the windows and wood tables with fake red carnations, salt and pepper shakers, and small baskets of sugar and jams in their center were arranged in no particular pattern.
Utah was glad there was another café in town. She'd go there for breakfast tomorrow. Velma's Cabin Café got most of its business from tourists. Located on the west end of town, it was near the West End Inn and Antler's Hotel, two of the nicest accommodations. Where Over Easy was the town gathering place, Velma's was more rustic and well-maintained and boasted a larger menu. Of course, Velma knew how to cook. Megan only knew how to shoot off her mouth.
She heard someone behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Mason following her. Stopping, she turned and had to will herself not to let Andy's speculation get to her.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
He stopped before her. "Making sure you get home."
"This is Timberline. Rattlesnakes are safe here."
"You've developed a smart mouth as an adult." He cupped her elbow and started walking with her. "Just indulge me."
"If I didn't know better I'd think you were maki
ng a move on me."
He dropped his hand from her elbow when she walked beside him. "There's nothing wrong with being friends."
"The last time we were friends, it led to not being friends."
"We were just kids then. Give it a rest, Utah."
She didn't say anything and they walked in silence for a while. Passing Timberline Market, the lights were dimmed inside but the parking lot was well-lit. Only two cars were parked there.
"Dad said you were planning to build a golf course in town," Mason said.
"I bought the land over by Burl's BBQ."
"It'll do the town good. I guess business has slowed over the past few years. I bet most will be happy about it."
She nodded. "That's what my mother told me." A pang of grief pricked her with the reminder her mother was dead.
"Of all the things I pictured you doing, golf wasn't one of them."
"Why not? I watched golf on TV all the time."
"I always thought that was because there was nothing else on. This is Timberline, after all."
She smiled. "I had an aunt who golfed. Before we moved here, she taught me the game. It stuck after that."
"You never told me." He sounded surprised.
"It never came up. Aunt Matilda had a big influence on me. She was so flamboyant and full of life. I wanted to be just like her." She walked a few more steps. "I remember thinking how drab my mother was in comparison. Now I know that wasn't true. Mom had moments of inspiration. She was just sad over Dad. He wasn't good for her."
"She had you."
Utah let a derisive breath go. "A lot of good I did her. She died thinking I screwed up my life just like my dad." Except for the cheating part.
Mason didn't say anything for a while. "I doubt she thought that."
"You sound so sure," she quipped, then sensed his discomfort.
"You did what you thought you had to do," he said.
His unspoken meaning stung. She stopped and waited for him to do the same.
"You think I slept with a seventy-year-old man?"
Stuffing his hands in his front pockets, his gaze shifted from hers.
"I didn't."
He looked back at her with a defensive furrow to his brow. "You lived with him."
"So?"
The furrow smoothed. "Utah...."
"I had no money and I lost my house. He offered me a room in his house."
"Yeah, you were down on your luck."
"I suppose you also think I convinced him to change his will."
He didn't say anything, doubt lingering. She was broke so she jumped at the chance to move in with a rich old man and then slept with him to get him to put her in his will. It rankled her that he thought the rumors were true. Boy, fifteen years sure had changed him.
She marched past him. "Don't bother walking with me any farther."
He came into step beside her anyway. "What do you expect me to think? Why would a guy like that leave a young woman millions if she didn't mean something to him?"
"Exactly." He didn't deserve more of an explanation.
But it was enough to silence him. She felt him study her profile, taking his time with it. Contemplating. That was so Mason. Nothing ever hurried him.
She turned her head and narrowed her eyes, daring him to say another word about her and Arthur.
His handsome face broke into a chuckle.
It flared her anger hotter. She walked faster.
His long strides easily kept up. "Don't be mad, angel. It's been too long since I've seen you."
"You think I slept with an old man for his money."
"No, I don't."
She rounded on him on the sidewalk, forcing him to stop. "What?"
"You didn't sleep with him. I get that now. What was the guy's name, anyway?"
She folded her arms and remained defiantly silent. Did he really believe her?
He took in her stance with real amusement twitching his mouth. "You haven't changed at all. I should have known. Sorry, Utah." He chuckled some more, softly, affectionately, stroking long dead emotions. And that was no good. If he kept doing that she wouldn't stand a chance..
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The old man just needed a companion. And then he understood you."
"What?" Wait a minute. "You do believe me." That astonished her.
"How could I have forgotten how misunderstood you always were?"
She just stared at him.
"You were always saying or doing something people took the wrong way. Why should this be any different?" He laughed again and shook his head. "I'm an idiot for not seeing it sooner."
He believed her. Oh, how she didn't want that to feel so good. Feeling like this was dangerous around him. This was Mason. Mason Briggs, her first love. An unforgettable one.
"What's the old man's name?" he repeated his question.
"Arthur," she answered, beginning to come out of her stupor.
"Arthur. No wonder everyone is talking."
"Stop it, Mason. This isn't a laughing matter."
"It's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time." He shook his head. "Only you, Utah."
She started up the sidewalk again, stretching her legs as long as they'd reach. "Just leave me alone, why don't you."
"Utah...."
"No. Go away."
"I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing at the idea that-"
"I don't care. I don't care what you think. I don't care what you say. I don't want anything to do with you." Because if she did, she'd end up naked with him somewhere.
"I know you didn't sleep with him, Utah."
She kept walking fast.
"You're always misunderstood. I forgot, that's all. That's what's funny, okay? I forgot how much I missed that about you."
Oh, God, the swell of warmth that gave her made her panic. "I'm not interested in you anymore, Mason." She glanced over at him so he knew she meant it. At least, she hoped that's the message she'd give him. "We were kids when we last saw each other. A lot's changed since then. We had our time together. I just want you to leave me alone now."
He walked beside her in silence for a few steps. The mountain air was silent except for their feet against the sidewalk.
"You're right. It isn't fair of me to keep going after you like this."
Going after her?
"It's just...being with you makes me feel like none of the last few months happened. It's like it was back then, you know?"
She stopped and he did the same, facing her. The intensity of his face gave her pause. Gone was any trace of the amusement that had lit his eyes earlier.
"Mason...what's wrong?"
As though realizing what he'd almost revealed, he shook his head and stepped back. "You're right. We can't be friends after the way we left things. I was wrong for thinking we could."
A long, intense moment passed while she met the hard wall in his eyes. Without another word, he turned and started walking back up the sidewalk.
Utah stood watching him, wrenched with anguish and uncertainty. The fearless hero of her youth had a hole in his armor. He'd reached out to her and she'd turned her back. It didn't feel right. Was he thinking only of himself, or did he truly need someone? Someone he trusted. Someone close. Did he think of her that way? Could she risk opening her heart to a man who'd already shown her how easy it was to leave once he'd gotten what he sought?
CHAPTER FOUR
Try as she might to get Mason off her mind, it kept wandering back to him. For the last two hours she'd hiked her property with Forrest Edwards, the golf course architect she'd hired. But her thoughts kept distracting her. It didn't help to see Mason standing next to his motorcycle at Burl's. He tipped a tall cup of lemonade. His biceps bulged. She let her gaze travel down his muscled body as he drank.
"If that's all right with you..."
"Uh...." She scrambled to catch up to what Forrest had said. "I'm sorry, what?"
With cropped gray hair and a lean body, h
e was tall and handsome for his age, which she guessed to be around fifty. His eyes crinkled with a slight smile and he looked where she'd seen Mason.
"I can wait if you want to go over there and talk to that man," he said.
"No. That won't be necessary." Lord have mercy, was it that obvious?
"You sure? You seem like you know him. It's okay, I planned the whole day for this meeting. I don't mind waiting."
She fought a blush. She didn't even know this man that well and already he'd tuned in to her personal affairs. Dang it. "No, no. Really. What were you saying?"
"I can put the ninth hole where you want, but the slope may be too steep there. I'll do what I can, though."
"That's fine."
"I'll get some topo maps and satellite imagery of the area and have some water and soil assessments done. Next time we meet I can go over the results with you. Routing plan may change as we go along but you'll be involved every step of the way."
"Minor changes won't bother me. How soon before we break ground?"
"Hard to say." He paused as he thought. "My guess is we'll be able to finalize the design and construction plans by some time this fall or early winter. Since all the paperwork's been done already with the County, I think we're looking at spring or early next year."
Utah nodded. From there it would be another year for growing.
"Thank you, Mr. Edwards."
"Please, it's Forrest."
"Forrest." She smiled. "Why don't you call me when you have a routing plan ready."
"Will do." He looked back across the rugged land that would some day be her golf course. A snow-capped mountain towered in the distance, thick forest of trees carpeting ridges, exposed rocks at the timberline.
"This will make a fine resort," Forrest said. "Secluded but close to cities on both sides of the divide. And this town," he swung his gaze the other way where Timberline was tucked in the valley, "it's full of old west charm. I've always heard of this place, I've just never gotten around to coming here." He looked at her again. "It'll be nice to work on this project."
"I'm glad you think so." She was investing a lot of Arthur's money. She at least wanted to break even.
"I'll call you as soon as I have something for you to see."
She nodded and he headed toward his truck parked along the highway.
This Time in Timberline Page 5
