by Taylor Hart
That unnerved her. “We’re not sixteen anymore, Montana.”
He stopped and grabbed her forearm, holding it and pausing for a second. She tried to jerk away, but he wouldn’t let her. “No, Lil, we’re not sixteen. When I was sixteen, I couldn’t offer you anything.”
Her heart beat fast inside her chest. It was insane that she’d been with him for less than a day, and he was already getting under her skin. She turned away from him. “You’re not making any sense.”
“I wanted to give you everything.” His voice was soft. “The whole world.”
She met his eyes, and emotion surged into her throat—all the hurt from years ago. “I would have let you, then.” She looked at the ocean. “Now it’s too late. We grew up. Things changed.”
“Why, Lil?”
Panic filled her. She couldn’t ever be with Montana. It would mean facing what she’d done. “We’re here for Jason,” she insisted.
Sadness and vulnerability flitted across his face. “Lil—”
“Excuse me, are you guys the ones that ordered the surf lessons?” The stranger held his hand out to Montana. “My name’s Michael.”
Lily sucked in a breath and focused on the Polynesian surfer. A shell necklace hung around his neck, and he wore a flowered Hawaiian swimsuit. She let all the heaviness of the last moment go. She grinned at him. “We’re ready.”
Montana moved with her toward Michael. He glanced at her and then Michael. “Right, let’s focus on why we’re here.”
They had to do the list. Then she would get as far away from Montana Crew as possible. They’d both built a life. Separately.
She knew she couldn’t possibly survive another relationship with Montana. And what would he think about what she’d done?
17
Montana focused on the surf instructor. It wouldn’t be good for him to think about Lily next to him. It wouldn’t work for him to get so distracted every time he watched her on the board.
The surf instructor had been giving them a fifteen-minute lesson on the sand.
“Now put one knee on the board,” Michael instructed. He was probably Montana’s age, but was clearly an island boy. And a complete surfer. He’d told them he’d won the Oahu championship last year.
“Like this?” Montana went onto his knee where Michael had put marks on the board.
“Yes, good.” Michael moved to Lily, who was doing the same thing as Montana. He went behind her and adjusted her hip and knee alignment. “Good, Lily. You’re a natural.”
Seeing her flash a grin at the instructor, Montana felt the heated sparks of jealousy ignite. Of course, he stayed calm. It was halfway amusing to him that it was so easy to get jealous where Lily was concerned. It hadn’t taken long for all those overprotective high school feelings to kick in. He wanted to tattoo his name across her back. Yes, he knew this was ridiculous, and he let a smile play on his lips.
Lily’s eyes turned to him, and she grinned back, tilting her head to the side.
His heart nearly stopped. He loved it when she smiled so freely.
“Don’t laugh at me, Montana Henry.”
His middle name. He laughed. Hardly anyone ever called him by his middle name. In fact, he couldn’t remember being called by his middle name by anyone except her. “Watch yourself, Lily Ray.”
She laughed too, and Michael continued to tutor them.
“Okay, come up all the way, shift your weight to your back leg, and put your arms out.”
Montana liked how this Michael had taught them using some kinesiology. He’d brought a bosu ball and was putting the surfboard on it and shaking it around to simulate the waves.
Montana tried to keep his balance.
“The back leg. Weight on the back leg,” Michael commanded.
When Montana shifted his weight, it worked. His balance kicked in, and he was amazed. He laughed. “Maybe you’ll make surfers out of us yet.”
Michael put his board down and went to Lily. “Okay, shift your weight.”
Montana turned to evaluate her position and couldn’t stop the way her body affected him. In high school, she’d been thin, but now, she was sleek. She was strong and lithe. It didn’t feel like that long ago he was pulling her into him, crushing her body to his and kissing her anytime he wanted. That was exactly what he wanted to do at this moment.
He reminded himself he was here for Jason, like she’d said. That’s all.
But this secret. Her secret. It kept plaguing him, coming into his thoughts randomly. What was it?
What could it be?
As far as he could tell, she’d lived in Denver for a year, waitressing at some dive. Then she’d gone to college in Billings and had been there ever since. Maybe she’d had to get away after everything? He knew how it felt to want to run. Looking back at the younger version of himself, he knew he’d acted rashly by leaving. He also knew there was more to the kiss between her and Jason than Lily admitted. It hadn’t helped that Montana had doubted his ability to provide any kind of life for her.
Lily’s laugh rang through the air, bringing him out of his thoughts.
“Nice, Lily,” Michael said in his deep voice.
Lily giggled and looked at Michael. “Thanks, you’ve helped so much.”
Michael winked at her, and once again, Montana had to cool the jealous jets inside of him.
Michael slid the board off of the bosu ball and grinned. “Let’s get you guys out on the water.”
After they all paddled out, Michael pulled himself to a sitting position on his board. “Remember what I taught you. When you feel me give you a push and hear me yell, you pull up to one knee and then go all the way up. Get your balance on your knee first. I’ll take you out one by one and help you paddle to catch the wave. Then I’ll give you a big push.”
Montana nodded, trying to stay focused on the task at hand and not think about how this big Hawaiian with his sleek surfing body looked at Lily. “Go ahead, Lil.”
She nodded and began following Michael out into the surf. Michael pointed to an oncoming wave. They paddled, and then he saw it executed just as Michael had promised. Lil was up on the board whooping and hollering. Then she turned her head to him.
Their eyes met, and that thing that had always happened seared through them. Electric, wild, happy.
It was the rope swing all over again. Lil pointed at him and let out a howl. “Jason!”
Ecstatic, he pointed back at her and yelled, “Jason!”
Then Michael was calling to him. “Your turn!”
Montana paddled out, ignoring the fact he had all these egomaniac feelings about this surfer guy that probably had no idea he was even jealous. It was crazy and stupid and very testosterone-filled. Lily had just pointed at him, and it felt amazing.
Michael pointed, and they were both paddling hard to get the oncoming wave. “Are you ready for this country boy?”
Montana grinned. “Ready or not.”
Michael gave him the signal. “Now. Up!”
Then Montana was soaring. The salt water in his mouth, the wind on his face, the board bucking under him. First on one knee and then all the way up. He found Lil and pointed at her. He let out another redneck yell.
She laughed and redneck-yelled back.
After falling into the water, he circled back. Lily was already halfway out to Michael.
Michael beamed at them. “Best students ever. Let’s do it again.”
For the rest of the afternoon, they took turns catching wave after wave. Hollering and laughing and grinning. Montana was impressed with Michael. He thought it would take a lot longer for them to get the hang of it, but there they were, both surfing and having the time of their life.
When Montana was exhausted, he didn’t go back for another wave. After paddling back to the beach, he fell onto his back. Surfing was a workout. He sucked in big breaths of air.
Before he knew it, she was next to him, falling and laughing.
He turned to her, and their eyes met. S
he had sand all over her. She was beautiful. She took his hand. “Jason would have loved this.”
Man, he loved having her hand in his. He thought of Jason, but he thought of him when they were all sixteen, before all the anger and betrayal. “Yeah, he would have.” Montana memory-clicked this moment. He never wanted to forget it.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Montana,” she said in that mom voice he used to tease her about using on him.
“I miss him.”
He squeezed her hand. “Me too.”
They stayed like that for a while, just staring at the ocean. Feeling the warm breeze. Smelling the salt water. It was perfect.
She let go of his hand and leaned back onto the palms of her hands. “I should probably go get some work done.”
“Uh, no.”
“No?”
“I’m hungry.”
She smiled, looking far more relaxed than he’d seen her thus far. “Me too.”
“Have dinner with me? Please?”
18
They walked into the fancy restaurant that overlooked the ocean, and Lily felt intimidated. She hadn’t brought anything super fancy to wear, and suddenly she was self-conscious in her black slacks.
“What?” Montana inspected her. He wore black slacks, boots, a black hat, and a teal button-down silk shirt.
She stopped. “Nothing.” All she saw were beautiful women and men in nice clothes. “I can’t be in here.”
“Lil?” he pushed.
“I don’t have the right clothes, Montana.”
Frustration crossed his features. He sighed and reached for her hand, pulling her back through the entrance to the restaurant and through the hotel lobby.
This wasn’t the nice little French restaurant in Billings, Montana. She was clearly out of her element. She didn’t fit into his kind of lifestyle. Why was she even thinking about it?
Stopping in front of a boutique, a very expensive-looking boutique, he pulled her close to him. His cologne was light, almost spicy. She liked it.
He gave her a pointed look. “I want you to go in there and buy yourself a dress.” He lifted his eyebrows in a gesture that told her she’d better not argue with him. “In fact, I want you to buy yourself a couple of outfits. The staff will charge anything you want to my rooms. Our rooms. Got it? If we need to go shopping somewhere else tomorrow, then we can.”
She didn’t respond.
“Would you like me to come in with you, or wait out here?”
She crossed her arms, not budging.
He sighed. “Look, you look beautiful. But I get it. You want to fit the atmosphere. Buy a fancy dress. I consider it a work expense.”
“You said I’m not working for you.”
“True, but I am still paying your firm.”
This was ridiculous. “So you should buy me a dress?”
All humor faded from his face. “Go buy a stinkin’ dress. I’m starving.” He turned on his boot heel, moved back toward the restaurant, flung back, and said, “Consider it payment for all the times you helped me clean the high school.”
She watched him leave, all nervous butterflies and sweaty palms. How could he do that to her …? Ugh.
In high school, Montana had always paid on dates, even when he didn’t have much money. During their senior year, he’d taken a job as a night janitor at the high school just so he’d have money to take her out. Those had been some fun times because she’d always met him at the high school and helped him. Jason had helped too. They’d blast their music and do the work in record time. By the end, he and Jason usually just split the paycheck.
She blinked and sniffed. He’d always treated her like a queen, at least as much as he could. Her stomach growled, and she was propelled into the shop. She squared her shoulders. Fine, she would get a dress.
19
Montana sat by the tall window that overlooked the ocean. He could hear it rolling in and closed his eyes for a second, relishing being here.
He grinned as he thought of the look on Lily’s face when he’d ordered her to go spend his money. Dang, she was stubborn. He liked it.
When they were young, neither one had a lot of money, but it had never been a thing. By the end, when they had plans to elope, they wanted to come back and work and then do their list. Then they would go to college. Then … they weren’t sure. They’d talked about a singing career, but Montana hadn’t known if he was good enough. He’d wanted it, but more than anything, he’d wanted her.
Those feelings rushed through him even more powerfully now. Which was strange. It’d been eight years. Eight years of life. Real life. Still, it felt like they knew each other to their core. That’s what first love did to people. He’d written his fair share of songs about it.
A string of words played together in his mind.
Eight years, and love still shines, always circling through time.
He tried a different melody. He liked it.
He picked up one of the shrimp appetizers and dipped it in the sauce. He’d been sipping lemon water and had eaten a couple, taking care to leave her some.
Leaving then had felt so right, but she wouldn’t stay with him now without a fight.
This was what he spent most of his life doing. He dug his phone out of his pocket and went to the app he used to capture lines of music for later.
He punched in the lines, humming a different tune, wishing for his guitar.
When he caught the flash of yellow from the corner of his eye, he turned, and he was sure his heart had stopped.
Lil.
She’d taken her long, blond hair and wrapped it up in some kind of updo, leaving trailing wisps of hair. The dress was a halter top and hugged her body in all the right places. Her sandals had laces crisscrossing up her legs.
His attraction went from being at a ten to an off-the-scale twenty.
Her lips, covered with his favorite fire-red lipstick, widened as she got closer. Then she scrunched up her face at him.
His heart nearly stopped. It was the same crazy look she used to give him across class when she thought the teacher wasn’t looking. A look that said, “This is between me and you.” Personal. Telling.
At the beginning of this journey, he’d thought he could be with her and walk away and be okay, but now there was already going to be serious collateral damage to his heart if she wasn’t in his life.
He stood as she got to the table and plunked into the chair across from him. “Oh my goodness, is that shrimp?” Reaching over, she took one and shoved the whole thing into her mouth.
The magic moment was broken, and they were teenagers again. Falling into his chair, he broke into laughter.
“What?” she asked with a full mouth, reaching for another shrimp.
He took a shrimp and grinned, shoving it in, copying her, and then going for another. “Nothing,” he said through a full mouth.
She busted into giggles and reached for another.
They were both reaching for more and stuffing them into their mouths and laughing.
Silly. Happy. Free. That’s how he felt at this moment. So completely himself. Not Montana Crew, the billionaire. Montana Crew, the boy in love.
Finally, they got hold of themselves as the waiter came to the table, giving them a slight scowl.
Montana recovered and ordered a steak, rice, and salad.
The server turned to Lily, and she frantically searched the menu. “Hmm. Hmmm. I guess I’ll have what he’s having. Steak medium rare, rice, and salad.” She closed her menu and pushed it to the server.
Montana couldn’t help smiling at Lily Ray. She looked completely unsure of herself.
“What?” she flung at him, but returned his smile.
“Nothing.”
They both searched the other’s eyes.
Montana cleared his throat, then turned to the ocean. “It’s beautiful here.”
She followed his gaze. “It’s breathtaking.”
“That too.
” He stared at her.
She looked back and immediately blushed.
He leaned forward. “You are breathtaking, Lily Ray.”
More blushing, and she turned back to the ocean. “Don’t … please, don’t.”
He thought of her boyfriend and rolled his eyes.
For a few minutes neither of them said anything.
“Is your life always this way?”
He paused. “What do you mean?”
“Getting everything you want?”
Unsure of how to answer, he thought for a moment. “Some of it is. I have the freedom to go anywhere and do most things. I have people that arrange things. I can eat whatever and wear whatever.”
“Heck.” He looked at her, and she grinned. “Oh, sorry, I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.”
It was their joke. The joke she and Jason and Montana used to do when the other was too full of himself.
He grinned and put his hands up in surrender, thinking how different she was from any of the dates he’d had of late. Different from anyone. She was Lil. She was the woman who knew what he was thinking, laughed at the same stupid jokes. She was, if someone were to ask him, what he’d been looking for since he’d lost her. Someone that “got” him. Yes, it might sound cliché, but it didn’t feel cliché.
“Montana.” She interrupted his thoughts.
“Oh.” He’d truly been in his own mind. “Sorry.” He shook his head. “Right. Yeah. So it’s kinda crazy.” He held up a finger. “But everything’s not perfect. The press. Very annoying sometimes.”
“Like when they reported your ex-wife left you?”
Her admission actually warmed him. “You have paid attention to my life …”
Exhaling, she picked up her water and took a sip. “No, I don’t pay attention. But there was one day. I was standing in the grocery store line. It was … I’m just going to say it was a bad day. I’d had Daddy’s funeral, and then I’d taken Mama back to the care center. When I got to Billings, I had to stop at the store and get a couple of things. I’m not gonna lie.” She paused. “I was feeling pretty low. I remember getting a glimpse of your face on the magazine, and I did something I never do. I picked it up and read the article.”
