by Liz Isaacson
“Then you go to the store and get one, Mom.” Wes chuckled. “You’ve traveled before.”
“Not for a few years now.”
“I’ll talk to Dad,” Wes said. “You two should go for your anniversary. You’d both love it.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Wes knew it wasn’t a bad idea. He also knew they wouldn’t go. “I want to bring Bree to meet you. When’s a good time?”
“Oh, about anytime, I suppose,” Mom said. “No, Grams, let me.” With her attention divided between Wes and his grandmother, Wes didn’t want to stay on the line.
“Bree’s asking her boss today,” he said. “And I’ll let you know.”
“Sounds good, dear.”
“All right, I’ll let you go. I love you, Mom. Tell Dad hi and that I love him too.”
“You don’t want to talk to him?”
No, Wes didn’t particularly want to speak with his father, so he said, “I have to deal with something. I’ll call him later.” He ended the call, and he decided he better not make a liar out of himself. So he tackled the dishes, “dealing” with them and getting the pan washed and the plates loaded into the dishwasher.
Two weeks later, on a Tuesday morning, he once again woke to the scent of Bree’s shampoo as she showered. Wes got out of bed much faster this time, and he got ready in record time, tossing his deodorant into his bag after he’d used it.
He and Bree were going to Ivory Peaks today, and a certain level of giddiness accompanied Wes while he made coffee and gathered chargers for his phone and laptop. Bree brought only coffee this time, and she asked, “Can we buy breakfast on the way?”
“Sure,” he said. They got on the road, and Wes felt like he needed to prep her a little bit. His mother was a special woman, and while he loved her, he also knew how to handle her.
“So my mother….” he started, glancing at her.
“You’ve told me she’ll ask about having kids.”
“That she will,” Wes said, nodding. “And she always has something to say.”
“Reminds me of someone else I know,” she said, shooting him a look.
“Hey,” Wes said, though he wasn’t really offended. “I say what needs to be said.”
“Maybe she does too.”
“She wants to know everything,” he said. “It can get really tiring.”
“So she’s like Colton.”
Wes blinked and then burst out laughing. “I suppose so.”
“I know how to handle Colton,” Bree said. “I’m going to be fine.”
“I know you are,” Wes said. “Are you excited to meet them?”
“Yes,” she said, reaching for his hand. “And what about you? Excited to spend more time with my parents?”
“Definitely,” he said. “When are we making that trip?”
“I don’t think we will,” she said. “Unless you’re dying to. And Wes, I think we should have the wedding celebration in Coral Canyon.” She looked at him, and Wes was glad the Wyoming highways were so sparsely driven. Then he could look at Bree without fear of hitting another vehicle.
“Oh?”
“It’s too hard for me to take off a lot of work,” she said. “And I want all my friends from the lodge to be there, and they can’t all take the days off. The Whittakers won’t have anyone to work the lodge at all.”
“Good point.”
“I’m toying with the idea of having it at the lodge. You can rent space for special occasions.”
Wes’s eyebrows went up. “I thought the lodge was booked all summer.”
“It’s February.”
“Is there a time we could do it?”
“We just need a day where the basement rooms aren’t booked,” Bree said. “Then we can use the basement and the kitchen.”
“You want to have our wedding celebration in the basement at the lodge? I don’t know, Bree. Our house is nicer.”
“Yeah,” she said. “You’re right.”
“Or we could rent somewhere in town if you don’t want to clean up afterward.”
“Now that life has settled down a little, I can look into this when we get back.”
The time passed quickly, and they talked about their trip, about her parents, his brothers, and many other things. Before he knew it, he was turning onto the dirt lane and driving past the trees, the farmhouse coming into view.
“Here we are.”
“And you grew up here?”
“Yes,” he said, easing the truck to a stop.
“It’s beautiful. Reminds me of Coral Canyon.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Wes unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door handle. “She’s standing in the window. Let’s go.”
Bree giggled a she got out of the truck, and Wes left their bags in the back and instead, latched onto Bree and led her toward the house and up the steps. Mom had the front door open early, and she framed herself in it.
“Mom,” Wes said, smiling. He released his wife’s hand to hug his mother. She seemed as healthy and robust as ever, and he stepped back. “This is my wife, Bree Richards. Well, she’s a Hammond now.” He beamed at her, and Bree smiled politely at his mother.
“Yes, she is,” Mom said, grinning from ear to ear. “Who would’ve known Wesley would ever get married?”
“Mom.”
His mother ignored him and embraced Bree on the front porch. Watching them made Wes’s heart happy, and he turned as his father emerged onto the porch.
“Hey, Dad.” He hugged him too and introduced Bree to the formidable Christopher Hammond. They all went inside, where Bree met Grams and Mom started working in the kitchen, getting dinner out of the oven while she talked and talked about how she’d waited for her sons to get married.
Wes met Bree’s eyes and rolled his, but Bree seemed utterly charmed by his mother. Or his mom was utterly charmed by her. No matter what, they got along great, and that was all that mattered to Wes.
“Now if we can just get Gray married again,” his mother said. “That man. He’s as stubborn as the day is long.”
“He sure is,” Wes said, not daring to look at Bree for fear he might start laughing. “I’m sure Gray will do what’s right for Gray, Mom.”
“He’s been out here a lot the past couple of weeks to help with the farm, and he seems so happy.” She frowned, as if Gray’s happiness was upsetting to her. “I’m afraid that if he’s happy, he won’t be looking for someone.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him you’re upset he’s happy,” Wes said dryly.
“Oh, you.” His mom swatted at him with the oven mitts.
“Me?” Wes put his hand over the spot where she’d whacked him. “Mom, I think you’re the one with the issue, not Gray.” He finally looked at Bree, who wore a small smile as she put silverware at the four places on the table.
“Sometimes true love takes a long time to find, Mom,” Wes said, glad when Bree looked up and met his gaze. “That’s all I’m saying.”
Chapter Fifteen
Gray pulled up to the farmhouse on the east side of Coral Canyon and peered at the blue truck in the driveway, then the white shutters outlining the front windows. This was it, the address he’d been given by a man named Mathias.
He got out of the truck, glancing at the flowers and chocolates he’d already picked up in town. Now, he just needed to get the last part of his Valentine’s Day gift for Elise.
He wasted no time going up the sidewalk to the front door. Though another month had passed since his last trip to Coral Canyon, Mother Nature was still dumping snow on the mountain town, blowing wind down her streets, and sending temperatures that didn’t get above freezing.
He knocked, which set off a round of barking behind the door. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for someone to open the door, and a man there said, “You must be Gray.”
“Mathias?”
“In the flesh.” He stood back and gestured for Gray to come in. He did, nodding to the man as he went past. “I’ve
got your pup ready to go. My daughter bathed him this morning, and we’ve got a bag of food for you, a blanket from the kennel, and his papers.”
“Great,” Gray said. He paused and took in the living room, which was filled with dogs. Two big ones gazed at him from the couch, one of them finally getting down to stretch before he came over to sniff Gray. He moved slowly, and Gray found himself smiling at the black lab.
“Hello,” he said to the dog, bending down to pat him. “You must be Pyne.”
“Yep, and that’s Daisy on the couch.”
Gray looked at the gorgeous silver poodle, but she seemed to know she was a princess, because she stayed put.
“Yours is right here.”
Gray turned and took the silver labradoodle, who had the cutest face he’d ever seen. “Oh, wow,” he said. “Aren’t you even cuter in real life?” He’d done all the work of getting this dog through an online listing, texts, and phone calls.
“What are you going to name him?”
“He’s for my girlfriend,” Gray said, glancing up from the puppy’s face. “I’ll let her name him.”
“Good idea.” Mathias signed a paper. “This says you’re taking the puppy. It’s got the price on it, and states that he’s been to the vet twice now, has been dewormed and had his dew claws removed.”
“All right.”
“We stand behind our pups,” Mathias said. “Take him to the vet in the next seven days. If there’s something wrong, don’t hesitate to call me. We’ll make it right.”
Gray looked back at the puppy, wondering what could possibly be wrong with him. He said, “All right,” anyway. He took the paperwork, the bag with food, and the blanket, and followed Mathias to the door. With the puppy in a crate on the floor in the backseat, and everything else ready to go, Gray pulled out his phone and sent Mathias the rest of his money.
“Thank you,” Mathias called from the front porch. He lifted his hand in a wave, and Gray set his sights on the canyon on the other side of town. The pup whined, and Gray’s heart went out to him.
“It’s okay,” he kept telling him, and the dog would calm for a few minutes. He finally arrived in front of Elise’s cabin, spotting her car in the carport. So she’d be here or at the lodge. He hoped here, because he knew she hadn’t forgotten to lock up since the day Wes and Bree had come home from Hawaii.
He gathered the dog into his arms, as well as the flowers and chocolates, and headed for the front door. The puppy whined as he reached for the doorbell, and he shushed him.
“Coming,” Elise called from inside the cabin, and Gray’s pulse increased.
“It’s Gray,” he said, leaning toward the door.
Elise opened it a moment later, her eyes wide as she took him in, her eyes sweeping the dog in his arms and the assorted things he carried.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Elise.” He handed her the dog, and she cooed and giggled as he licked her face. Gray couldn’t help the happiness filling him, and he smiled at his girlfriend and her new puppy. “I couldn’t help myself.” He held up the chocolates and the flowers.
“Of course you couldn’t.” She nodded as she turned. “Come in.”
He followed her inside, closing the door behind him.
“He’s so cute,” Elise said, still holding the dog. “What breed is he?”
“He’s a labradoodle,” Gray said. “A sort of rare one—silver.”
“I love him.” She glanced up. “Thank you so much, Gray.”
“I’ve got a bunch of stuff for him in the truck. Let me grab it.”
“In a minute,” Elise said, finally putting the dog down. She came toward him, reached up and cradled his face in her hands. She searched his face, and Gray couldn’t look away from her either. She made him feel cherished, and he hadn’t felt like that in many, many years.
“You’re here,” she finally said.
“I’m here.” He smiled at her and took a deep breath of her, hoping to commit the soft, floral scent of her to memory. “It’s been a while.”
“Too long,” she said.
“I’ll come more often,” he said, finally leaning down and touching his mouth to hers. This kiss was so much more than the one they’d shared on the sidewalk, though that one had been amazing and life-changing for Gray.
He knew Elise better now from all their conversations. She knew more about him, and still liked him, something that was marvelous to Gray. He took his time kissing her, and she didn’t urge him to go faster, nor did she pull away until he’d finished.
He leaned his forehead against hers and swayed with her, pulling in deep breaths through his nose. This moment was sweet and special, and Gray never wanted it to end.
“I’ve got dinner in the oven,” Elise finally said.
“Sounds good,” Gray said. “Let me go get the rest of the stuff for the pup. What are you going to name him?”
“I don’t know,” Elise said, grabbing onto Gray’s coat collar and hauling him back toward her. “Seriously, thank you, Gray.” She kissed him again, and Gray felt himself slipping toward being in love with her.
When he realized how hot he was, he pulled away and ducked his head. “I’ll be right back.” He headed out the front door while Elise cooed at the puppy, and once the door was closed, Gray took a great, big breath and muttered, “Keep your cool, Gray.”
He hadn’t had to give himself a pep talk since law school and then his first couple of hearings and meetings with other billionaires. Somehow, Elise was on the same level as them, and he knew it had everything to do with that kiss she’d just given him.
And the gashes still on his heart.
Oh, and his son, whom he’d once again left in Ames’s care for this quick, three-day trip to Coral Canyon.
Valentine’s Day was actually on Friday, but Gray would be back in Denver a full twenty-four hours before that.
He collected the dog kennel, as well as the extra bag of food and the bowls he’d bought in Colorado, and turned back to the cabin. It felt like something out of a fairy tale, with icicles dripping from the eaves and the windows lit up with yellow, cheery light.
Elise appeared in one of those windows, that special silver puppy in her arms, and Gray definitely felt like he’d entered another universe. Maybe in this one, dreams could come true and he’d get the happily-ever-after the couples did in those fairy tales.
His heart beat strongly in his chest, and he gave it another minute to stitch together one of his open wounds before he headed back to the cabin. He didn’t knock this time, but went straight in. “Dog accessories,” he said. “In the kitchen?”
“Yes, please,” Elise said, moving parallel with him as he went down one side of the living room and she traversed the other. Gray put the kennel on the floor by the table, and the food and water bowls next to that.
He set about filling the bowls with food and water while he said, “So that kennel is adjustable. It should be barely big enough for him to turn around in. Then he’ll learn to go outside to use the bathroom.”
“Got it,” Elise said.
Gray set the bowl full of water on the floor and opened the bag of food the breeder had given him. With that bowl full, he didn’t have anything to occupy his hands—except Elise. He looked at her again, and she smiled from the puppy to him.
“You look different without your cowboy hat,” she said.
Gray reached up automatically to touch his head, though he knew he wasn’t wearing his hat. “I packed it,” he said.
“I’m surprised you don’t sleep in it.” She giggled and put the puppy down on the floor. “I think I’m going to name him Hutch.”
“Hutch?” He watched the puppy toddle around as if it couldn’t walk. But he knew it could. It was probably just in shock after being removed from his mother and all his brothers and sisters. He finally made his way over to the bowls and started to sniff. “Does that have some significance?”
“Not really,” she said. “I just like that name for a dog.”
/> “It’s a good, strong name,” he said, sticking his hands in his pockets so he wouldn’t run them through Elise’s silky hair. “He’s gonna be big, Elise. Sixty pounds, I think. At least.”
“That’s okay,” she said. “I signed up for some online dog training, and I’ve been watching the videos already.”
He pulled his attention from the puppy and looked at her. “You must’ve had a lot of confidence in my ability to find you a dog.”
“I have confidence in your ability to do anything,” she said, stepping closer to him. She ran her hands up his chest. “You gonna take your coat off and stay a while?”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat and shrugged out of his coat, draping it over the back of one of the chairs in the kitchen.
“Good.” Elise moved over to the sink and washed her hands. “You should know how terribly hard it is to find a good Valentine’s Day gift for someone who doesn’t eat sweets and has a marathon to run in only two months.”
“I told you I didn’t need anything.” He’d told her a bunch of times, in fact.
“Right,” she said. “And I told you I wanted a puppy, and not only did you show up with that, but all the accessories said puppy needs. And flowers. And chocolate.” She turned to face him, and Gray couldn’t help smiling.
“You made dinner.”
“Yes, let’s hope it’s not burnt.” She picked up the oven mitts on the counter and turned to the oven. She bent over it as the scent of garlic, ham, and cheese came out, and then she produced the most beautiful pizza Gray had ever seen.
“Wow,” he said, going to stand next to her at the stove. “It looks delicious.”
“Ham, garlic, and pepper Alfredo,” she said. “I made that from scratch, I’ll have you know.” She looked at him, her eyes full of hope and joy. “It’s Celia’s recipe, and she’s an excellent cook.” She looked back at the pizza. “Not too burnt.”
“It’s not burnt at all,” he said, his stomach rumbling. “I’m starving.”
“My gift first,” she said, holding up the oven mitts in a universal sign of stay here, Gray. “Give me a second.” She hurried out of the kitchen, and Gray took a seat at the table and watched Hutch.
