This Time in Timberline

by Jennifer Morey

  Despair closed around her heart. Calvin had found her and come to Timberline. And now he'd do whatever he could to make her miserable. Just when she thought she was making progress with the gossip mongers, he came to stir it all up again.

  "Calvin Roderick. He's Arthur's stepson. The one who contested the will and lost."

  "He was going to hit you." He sounded incredulous.

  "Yeah." That was a first. He'd never gotten violent with her before, only threatened her a lot and generally couldn't stand her.

  "You want to get a restraining order?"

  "No."

  He angled his head, scrutinizing her.

  This was exactly what she didn't want to happen. "It's okay, Andy. He's just upset about the will."

  "Still?"

  It had been a long time. Months. She looked away, trying to come up with a suitable reply. How could she explain it without making her situation worse?

  "I don't like it, Utah."

  She faced Andy again. "It'll be okay. He'll give up eventually."

  Andy's mouth thinned in his disagreement.

  "I don't want to do anything to make him angrier than he is."

  "So just let him smack you around? I won't allow it."

  "Don't tell Mason," she said before she thought better of it.

  Andy put his hands on his hips. "Don't tell him what?"

  She looked down at the faded and cracked pavement of the market's parking lot. Don't tell him Calvin was yet one more screw up her mother knew about before she died. Don't tell him what would be all over town by morning. Calvin's lies. She was so sick of trying to defend herself.

  "What is it you don't want me telling Mason?"

  She turned and opened her car door. "Just that Calvin almost hit me. I don't want him flexing his Army muscles and making matters worse."

  "I don't think-"

  She slammed her door shut and started the engine, giving Andy a plastic smile through the tempered glass, hoping he'd do as she asked.

  ###

  Fourth of July came with a bang in Timberline. Later in the afternoon, Utah went to town to help Annie bake American flag cookies in preparation for the celebration at Lost Miner Lake. Pop bottle rockets went off. Country music drifted from the open doors at Moosehead Tavern. Annie's bread could be smelled up and down Main Street. People were everywhere.

  Timberline had a reputation for having one of the best celebrations in Colorado. It was a good day. She hadn't seen Calvin since that day at the market. Even better, Andy hadn't brought it up and Mason hadn't come to her rescue like he had in her youth.

  She stepped into the narrow front space of Annie's Bakery. A counter ran the length of the right side and four small, round tables filled the narrow space to the left. She walked past the clutter on the counter to where it created an L and emerged in the back.

  Annie looked up from the middle of her shiny commercial kitchen and smiled big. In her fifties, she was rail thin despite her prowess with sugar.

  "Thank goodness you're here."

  Flour dusted the long table surrounded by stainless steel appliances and counter space. Annie did everything from scratch. Egg cartons, flour, margarine, and other ingredients lay strewn on the countertops.

  Utah washed her hands and then started to help Annie divide the dough into three parts.

  "It was so nice of you to offer to help," Annie said as Utah joined her.

  "I wouldn't miss out on the fun. What's the Fourth of July without flag cookies?"

  Annie stopped working. "Everything I've heard about you isn't true."

  Utah smiled. "Finally, someone noticed."

  "But, there is one thing that may be true."

  Mason. She braced herself.

  "Did you and Mason have sex in Ro's bathroom?"

  "No. Almost, but no."

  Satisfied, Annie handed her some blue food coloring. "Ellie said he looked ready to drag you out the front door and take you home."

  "Ellie needs to learn how to shut her mouth." She put the food coloring in one of the separated portions of dough with jerky movements. Was Ellie doing that on purpose? So word would get around and embarrass Utah all over again? She began mixing the dough with more jerky movements.

  Annie did the same with the red food coloring, though much more gracefully. "Mason's a good man, if you can get him to change his mind about Timberline."

  "Can we talk about something else?"

  Annie laughed softly. "You have nothing to be afraid of, Utah. He'd be a fool to give you up. Someone's going to have to set that Megan straight."

  "Is that even possible?"

  "Hey there, gorgeous women!"

  Utah looked up to see Roanne dressed in dark blue shorts with a red and white belt and a white top. She also wore a red, white, and blue visor and matching sandals.

  "You look like a firecracker," Utah said.

  Roanne gave Utah a hug. "You okay?"

  Utah felt a flash of panic. Had Andy said something about Calvin being in town? "Yes, why?"

  Annie plopped the portion of white dough in front of Roanne.

  "Everyone thinks you had sex with Mason in my bathroom." She giggled. "Ellie sure does want to keep that man in check."

  Relief washed over her. No one knew about Calvin yet. As for Ellie, she had a word or two for her. "When is that nosy old bird going to be here?"

  "I don't know why she started telling everyone about that. She can't stop the inevitable." Roanne formed a long, flat bar with the white dough while Utah and Annie did the same with the red and blue.

  Annie put the red slab of dough on a cookie sheet.

  "Inevitable?" Utah eyed her friend offensively.

  "It's only July." Roanne put the white dough on top of the red.

  Utah had the rest of the summer to fend Mason off. Would she be able to do it? Her mood sank. "Maybe I should thank Ellie."

  Annie took the blue dough from in front of Utah and put it on top of the growing stack. "You can't stop love."

  Mason didn't love her.

  Just then, Ellie appeared, dressed even gaudier than Roanne, wearing a baggie red, white, and blue striped shorts overalls with a white T-shirt underneath and a big red, white, and blue straw hat and plastic jewelry hanging from her. She put down a store-bought package of brownie bites.

  "You look like you wrapped a flag around you," Utah told her.

  "You look like you need some excitement in your life," Ellie answered, looking down at her jean shorts and neutral beige, blue, and green halter.

  "What's wrong with this?"

  "She's right," Roanne commented. "How come you didn't wear anything red, white, and blue?"

  "Because I'm not twelve?"

  "That's precisely the kind of thinking that will make you die young," Ellie said.

  "At least I don't drink scotch."

  Ellie swatted her hand in dismissal.

  ###

  Two hours later, Utah helped carry dozens of fattening cookies and moist, warm bread from Annie's minivan to the canopy set up on the shore of Lost Miner's Lake. Five grills were already smoking and two long tables were filled with food and paper plates and utensils. A band warmed up on a raised platform, the twang of guitar giving away the country flavor of music they'd hear today. She wouldn't have expected anything else.

  The sound of motorboats reverberated off the mountainsides and sails from a few sailboats looked picturesque beneath a clear blue sky. Kids played volleyball at a net set up on the swim beach, or tried. Already people had arranged blankets and lawn chairs close to the shore, the best view to see fireworks the Timberline Fire Department would ignite.

  "I'm going to see if Saul needs any help," Annie said, and headed to where the owner and chef of Angler's worked at the grills with two other men.

  "Andy's got his horses here." Ellie pointed.

  Utah put down her saran-wrapped tray of cookies down on the buffet table and looked behind her. Beyond the expanse of picnic tables covered by the canopy, An
dy saddled three horses in a round wooden corral. That and the small barn and bleachers were built special for Timberline's fairs and festivals. Situated between the lake and the park, it put the final touch to the town's gathering place.

  She watched Andy finish with a big chestnut and start for the canopy. It was going to be awkward with him today, knowing what he'd seen at the market and wondering what he thought or if he'd say anything to anyone. The reminder made her look around for Calvin.

  Not seeing him, she faced the table again.

  Ellie caught her. "What's the matter?"

  "Nothing."

  That didn't remove the concern from her. "Who were you just looking for?"

  "Nobody."

  Ellie cocked her head. "Don't even try to avoid answering me."

  "It's nothing, Ellie."

  "What's nothing?" Roanne asked, putting another tray of American flag bars down.

  Utah rolled her eyes. "Nothing."

  The band started to play an off-note rendition of Devil Went Down to Georgia by the Charlie Daniels Band.

  "I'm starving." Utah picked up a plate, not in the mood to be questioned.

  "Me, too." Ellie picked up a plate and followed her down the line that had begun to gather. Roanne trailed behind them.

  When Utah reached the grills, she caught sight of a blue Mustang pulling into the gravel parking area and Mason driving. He wore sunglasses and his hair was messed from the drive here. One tan forearm rested on the open window frame while the other led up to the wheel. He saw her standing under the canopy. There was another man with him.

  Roanne sucked in a breath. "Keegan."

  Mason parked and the two men started toward the canopy.

  "Where's Charlie?" Ellie glanced around as she found a table, putting down her plate.

  "God, he's so hot." Absorbed in the sight of Keegan, Roanne put her plate down and fanned her face.

  "Looks don't last, Roanne," Ellie said. "One day you might discover hotness isn't so hot anymore and you married the wrong man."

  "Why are you always such a ray of hope, Ellie?"

  "You and Charlie were very close before you threw his ring at him."

  "I'm not going back to that again. He walked first."

  Utah put her plate down and waited with the other two as the men reached the canopy. Mason wore jeans and a white button-up short-sleeved shirt and brown leather sandals. He removed his sunglasses to reveal his striking green eyes, eyes that looked right at her as he weaved through the building crowd. It gave her insides a warm flutter. He nodded to someone he passed on the way, his strides purposeful. Sexual energy hummed in the way he moved. It triggered an untamable longing that came with a price her heart would pay.

  He stopped. "Utah."

  "Hi, Mason." Seeing his mouth so close made her relive the kiss against Roanne's bathroom door.

  "Hey, baby." Keegan hooked an arm around Roanne and kissed her.

  "Hey yourself," she said, smiling up at him, two new lovers blinded by sex.

  Utah felt that way with Mason.

  "Come sit with me, Utah." Ellie looped her arm with hers and narrowed her old eyes at Mason as she steered her to the table.

  "Thanks, Ellie." Utah sat.

  "Someone's got to keep an eye on you."

  Andy and Reed appeared with plates, sitting across from them. Ellie smiled at Reed. He was an adorable man, wearing a straw hat uncannily similar to Ellie's. Thick gray hair peeked from beneath its rim, shading dark blue eyes. He was a fairly tall man with a lean body. No hanging stomach, at least, not that she could see.

  "I'll save you a seat," Roanne said to Keegan.

  "Save me one, too," Mason said. The two got in line for food.

  Roanne leaned over. "Can you believe he came back here?"

  "Why?"

  "To see me. We talked for four hours last night. He's been all over the world and his parents have a cabin in Aspen. He fascinates me."

  Utah could see why. Roanne had wanted that life, to travel all over the world. Instead, she was stuck here. "He can't take you with him on his missions."

  "What are you saying?"

  "What are you going to do about Charlie?"

  Her friend turned back to her plate for a somber moment. "What's to be done? It's over."

  An involved relationship that almost reached the point of marriage was over? That fast? "Rebound never works, Ro. Do you really think Keegan will quit his profession and move here?"

  "He came back for me."

  "How long will that last? Sex isn't everything."

  "Well, it's working for me. For now, okay?" She stabbed a piece of chicken.

  "Sorry. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

  "You've been listening to Ellie too much."

  "Maybe Ellie is right."

  Roanne didn't like hearing that. The men returned and she slid over to make room for Mason, sending a subtle glare Utah's way. Keegan sat on the other side of her and her expression softened instantly.

  Mason's long leg stepped over the bench and he sat next to Utah. She felt her back go rigid and lowered her fork without taking a bite of potato salad. His thigh pressed against hers. His arm did, too. He shifted his feet under the table and he may as well have been moving on top of her. She tucked some hair behind her ear, hoping she didn't look as flushed as she felt.

  "Oh, I almost forgot." Roanne leaned forward to see around Mason. "Utah, I ran into Lulu on my way to the bakery and she said some guy has been asking questions about you."

  Utah's bite of fruit slid down her throat like a lump of plastic. She looked past Mason to Roanne, trying to appear casual. "Really? Who?"

  "She didn't say. She was hoping I could tell her something. I'm sure so she could take it to Megan. I meant to tell you at Annie's but I forgot."

  Utah caught Andy's sobering expression. Then she glanced at Mason and saw him studying her.

  "Why was he asking about me?"

  "He asked about your golf course. When is it supposed to be finished, when did you buy the land, that kind of thing."

  She stole a glimpse of Mason and saw his watchfulness had intensified.

  "Seems odd that a stranger would come asking about you here," Mason said.

  "I'll have a talk with him," Andy said. "Find out why he's here." His direct gaze told her he'd do just that and she better not argue.

  "Thank you." She lowered her head and pushed food with her fork, ignoring how Mason continued to watch her. He didn't know how much Arthur's stepson coming to town asking questions bothered her, and she'd rather he never found out.

  ###

  Utah spread a blanket on the grass, searching for Ellie. Where had she and Reed gone? Knowing her, she'd take him back to her place to drink scotch. Mason had gone to play volleyball and Roanne was with Keegan, sitting on the grass kissing and holding hands. Searching the crowd, she didn't see Charlie.

  "They aren't coming to shore until after the fireworks."

  Utah just about jumped out of her skin when she heard that raspy voice. With a wildly pumping heart, she turned to see Mason standing at the edge of the gaudy red, white, and blue blanket.

  "Who?"

  "Ellie and Reed. I saw them just now. Way out on the water. Reed has a boat. Ellie was reclined with a glass in her hand."

  Smiling with a little laugh, she shook her head.

  He sat with his legs stretched in front of him, those eyes looking up at her with the gleam of a hungry cat. Patting the blanket, he murmured, "Come on. I can't do what I've been imagining all afternoon in public."

  Utah struggled to dam her warm rush of a response. He was being so sweet. She sat beside him on the blanket, careful to keep a foot of space between them. Around them people talked and laughed and music played.

  Mason leaned back on his hands and tipped his head back to gaze up at the emerging stars. "Remember that Fourth the year before I joined the Army?"

  She did remember. She'd forgotten until now, but she did remember. Looking
up at the darkening sky with him, she smiled.

  "We were just friends then. I had so much fun with you that day."

  She could always be herself with Mason. She loved every second with him. No insecurities. No second-guessing. She was just always sure he understood her.

  "Yeah, me too." He lowered his head and she met his soft gaze, her heart doing a tumble. "That was the first time I noticed you. It must have been the bikini. We went swimming all afternoon and I couldn't stop staring at you."

  She laughed a little. She had noticed the way he'd looked at her. That was the first time they'd started to think of each other as more than friends.

  "I wore bikinis around you before that," she said.

  "Yeah, but I didn't notice you until that day."

  "It was a new suit."

  "The only thing that stopped me from showing you what it did to me was the thought that we were friends and you were only sixteen."

  "I thought it was weird, too. When I imagined us as anything other than friends, I mean."

  "I wanted to hold you while we watched the fireworks."

  "But you didn't."

  "You were so beautiful. You still are. More so."

  Utah couldn't hold his gaze. She loved hearing him say that but she shouldn't allow herself to enjoy it too much. Out on the water the white sails were barely visible in the darkness.

  "I want to hold you like I wanted to then," Mason said.

  Startled, she snapped her head back to see him. He wanted her to sit the way Roanne and Keegan were. Close. Like lovers.

  He reached for her, taking her wrist and tugging. He made room for her between his legs.

  "Mason..."

  "Come here, Utah. We're in public."

  So she was safe. After a lengthy hesitation, she moved between his legs. His arms came around her and he pulled her back against him. His hard chest and her thighs against his were all she was aware of for a few seconds. His face beside hers next.

  The first explosion of fireworks went off. The night sky brightened as the firecracker burst above them. Mason's face illuminated then faded as darkness returned. Just being near him like this. A few stolen moments.

  Another colorful display lit the sky. She felt like that firecracker. Bursting inside with marvelous light.

  Mason's head moved and she felt him looking down at her. She angled her head and met his glowing eyes. Her mouth was just under his. He lowered his mouth closer, drawn by this uncontrollable passion neither of them could deny.