Beyond Hope's Ridge

by Silver McKenzie

  Matt laughed. “Yeah, I think Ryan was pretty put out. He probably spent the whole trip back to the Ridge trying to impress Steph.”

  A ripple of jealousy coursed through Buster. He took a swig of his beer, shocked by the intensity of the feeling. “Ryan’s interested in Steph?”

  Matt nodded. “Apparently on the day he arrived back in the Ridge she was one of the first people he saw. She threw herself on him, she was so happy to see him.”

  Buster frowned. “Really? I can’t see Steph doing that.”

  “Matt’s teasing,” Travis said. “She hugged him to welcome him home, which I’m not sure is the same as throwing yourself on someone.”

  “But he’s still interested in her?”

  Matt nodded. “He’s had a pretty rough time in New York, which is why he jumped at my offer to come home. My offer was to Margie, not him, but they’ll make a good team.”

  “It’ll be great to get the cafe up and running again,” Travis said. “Jodi and I often come into the Ridge on the weekend for a change of scenery. Asha’s coffee and muffins are nice, but I’ve got to say, when it’s cold like it is now, sitting inside with an open fire is much more appealing than sitting by the food truck.”

  “It’ll have a heated pavilion soon,” Buster said. “Then you’ll have your pick of the two.” He laughed as Matt’s face clouded over. “I think you’re going to have to accept defeat on this one, Matt. Charlie owns the land, and it’s zoned for development. You’re probably lucky he’s only looking at doing a seating area. He could have built a cafe or developed the entire lakefront if he chose to.”

  Matt shook his head good-naturedly. “If I could turn back the clock a few months, this would not be happening. Asha would be happily running the Sandstone Cafe, and Charlie would be enjoying his old age, with me hoping to buy all of his land from his nephew once he inherited it.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be,” Buster said. “You would have had a lot of objection from the town with what you wanted to do. Developing Lake Drive and the shoreline, if you’d been able to get the land, would have changed the feel of the town.”

  “Which was my intention. Still, it’s a big enough town to consider other projects. I’ll keep plugging away. We’ll get the cafe running this week and continue with the apartment development. I’ll speak to Bodhi too. That could be an unexpected opportunity.”

  “Steph was pretty clear about being fair with a price if you were to make an offer.”

  Matt laughed. “She was very clear. It’s a shame she can’t afford to purchase the business. I know from talking to Bodhi in the past that he credits a lot of the success of Heat Wave to Steph. There’s something about her, isn’t there?” He looked to Travis and Buster for confirmation. “Something engaging.”

  Travis laughed. “Don’t tell me Ryan’s got competition in the form of Matt Law!”

  Buster tried to ignore his gut clenching. He was not interested in Steph, so why was he reacting like this? He was probably just feeling protective of her after their discussion today. Realizing after everything she’d been through since the accident, he didn’t want to see her hurt further.

  “God, imagine that. No, I admire Steph, but I’m not attracted to her. Even if I was, there’s no way I’d get anywhere near her. Asha would make sure of that.”

  Travis laughed. “It would keep us all entertained watching her go at you again. Joking,” he added when he saw Matt’s face. “On a serious note, you’re certainly bringing us a lot of work, which we appreciate.”

  “I’m hoping to inundate you so you don’t have time to do anything for anyone else,” Matt said. “Like certain lakefront developments. I’d appreciate it if you could find reasons to hold them up.”

  They all laughed, and Buster was relieved to see Matt was enjoying the joke. This was the side of Matt he liked. The side Zane Larsen had enjoyed working with. But Zane had been burned by Matt. He just hoped that J.R. Construction wouldn’t be put in an awkward position or lose a lot of business because of their association with him. Although the sooner his projects were ready for handover, the sooner Buster could leave the area.

  After two beers, the boys called it a day. For all of his bragging, even Travis said he needed to go home and slip into bed. The day had taken it out of all of them.

  Buster wondered whether Steph was as tired as he was, or whether Ryan had convinced her to go out for dinner or… He wouldn’t let his thoughts go there. They’d shared a connection today, nothing more, and anyway, he was a terrible judge of character. Eve had proven that.

  ❖

  Steph closed her eyes as the car maneuvered its way around the tight bends as the road dropped down into Hope’s Ridge.

  She felt a squeeze on her knee and opened her eyes to see the concern on Ryan’s face. “You okay?”

  Steph nodded. “I hate this road. It’s where, well, where the accident happened.”

  Ryan left his hand on Steph’s knee, squeezing it in sympathy. “I’m so sorry you went through that. You and Buster, of course. It can’t be easy.”

  “It’s not. I’d rather not talk about it if you don’t mind.”

  Ryan removed his hand and nodded. “Of course, I won’t bring it up again.” He smiled. “I’ve had a great day, Steph. I hope you did too.”

  Steph’s smiled mirrored his. “Honestly, I had one of the best days in a long time. I can’t remember the last time I hung out with a bunch of guys. It was nice to see Matt in that environment. He’s been the enemy the last few months, and it’s great to see that another side of him exists. Asha’s boyfriend, Zane, was working for him and attested to the fact that there’s a good side to Matt. Unfortunately, the rotten side took over in his dealings with Asha. It was a shame Margie couldn’t join us. Has she arrived in Hope’s Ridge yet?”

  Ryan nodded. “She has, and to be honest, I’m worried about her and this cafe. It’s a great opportunity, but she hasn’t been a hundred percent honest with Matt.”

  “In what respect?”

  Ryan sighed. “The day I arrived and bumped into you, I mentioned that Margie’s marriage recently ended.”

  Steph nodded. “I remember.”

  “Well, it did, but not how I probably led you to believe. Aaron, her husband, died a few months ago. She hasn’t come to terms with his death or recovered.”

  “The poor thing,” Steph said, her heart instantly contracting. “She’s so young to lose her husband. Was he ill, or involved in an accident?”

  “Pancreatic cancer. From diagnosis to death, they only had two weeks. It all happened far too quickly. The cancer was advanced, and there were no treatment options. I don’t know if Margie will ever recover.”

  Steph sucked in a breath. “How devastating.”

  “It is.”

  “You said she hadn’t been honest with Matt. Surely it’s none of his business what happened.”

  “She needed a change, and Matt’s offer was a lifeline. She feels she should have told him what she’s been through, but instead, she spoke as if she was currently working and would need to give notice. He wanted her so didn’t ask for any references. The guilt’s kicked in since, and she feels she should have been up-front with him. She has her good days and bad days and would hate to let him down. It’s why I came to help out. If she’s having a bad day, I’ll take over and make sure Matt doesn’t know anything about it.”

  “If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

  Ryan reached across and squeezed Steph’s hand. “I’d love to spend more time with you. That’s something that would help.”

  Steph laughed and pulled her hand away from Ryan’s. “I meant help Margie. I’m not sure you and me spending time together is going to do that.”

  He grinned. “If I’m happy, I’m sure it will help perk her up. I do mean it. It’s been so great to get back in touch. Just like old times.”

  Steph smiled. It was like old times. She’d always felt comfortable around Ryan, and today was like turn
ing back the clock to their teenage years. He’d been a great friend then, and she hoped he would remain a great friend now.

  After waving goodbye to Ryan, Steph enjoyed a long hot shower before gratefully accepting the cup of tea Zane had made for her. He and Asha had spent the afternoon at Steph’s, and it was lovely to see her sister. Steph filled them in on her day at the Bluff and Buster’s unexpected arrival.

  “I’m so happy for you,” Asha said.

  “Does this mean no more three a.m. chats?” Zane joked. “You might be able to sleep now.”

  Steph shrugged. “I don’t know about that. It doesn’t change the fact that a little girl drowned and I wasn’t able to do anything. It’s a relief to know Buster doesn’t blame me or hate me. He’s grateful that I tried to help his daughter. But it doesn’t change the outcome from that day. Nothing ever will.”

  A melancholy settled over the kitchen as they all thought about the little girl who’d lost her life far too early.

  “It’ll make the food truck project a lot easier,” Asha said. “Buster’s going to be pretty busy with that and in town a lot. You’d be hiding out from him all the time if you hadn’t worked things out.”

  “He’d be here for Matt’s projects too,” Steph said. “So there’d be no escaping him.”

  “The Sandstone Cafe reopens tomorrow. Did you know Ryan and Margie will be running it?”

  Steph nodded. “Ryan was telling me a bit about it on the drive to the Bluff. He’s going to start up some art classes too.”

  Asha raised an eyebrow. “You went to and from the Bluff with Ryan?”

  “He’s just a friend.”

  “A very good-looking and quite famous friend,” Asha said. “Sounds like today was a good day. You fixed things with Buster and spent time with a guy like Ryan. I think you’ll sleep very well tonight.”

  Steph rolled her eyes, doing her best to ignore Asha’s teasing. She had had a good day, and since arriving home, thoughts of one person had filled her mind. But it wasn’t Ryan. It was Buster. They’d shared an emotional connection today, a connection they’d always have. But it was more than that. As she’d watched him haul himself up the rock face after her, she’d been shocked at her body’s reaction to his muscled arms and chiseled chin. Now that she’d stopped running from him, she wasn’t sure whether to be excited or dismayed at the attraction she felt.

  She pushed away the thought. They had a connection over the death of his daughter, nothing more, and she couldn’t imagine after what Buster had been through with his ex, or his daughter, that a relationship was something he’d be looking for.

  4

  Buster stretched his arms as he walked into the kitchen. He wondered if Steph and the guys were as sore as he was this morning. Having not climbed for several years, he’d woken muscles that had forgotten they existed. He tried to remember the last time he had climbed and couldn’t. There was a weekend before Holly was born that he’d been invited to join a group of friends for free soloing, but Eve had stopped him. She’d been horrified that he’d put himself in danger when their baby was arriving any day.

  He sighed as he thought of his ex. He’d promised his mom he’d call Cora this weekend.

  He picked up his phone and scrolled through his contacts, stopping as her details came up. He stared at her name. He hadn’t seen Eve’s mother since the funeral. She’d contacted him once following Eve’s trial, but he hadn’t returned her call. He’d seen the pain in her face and eyes at Holly’s funeral and knew it extended beyond losing her granddaughter. She’d lost her daughter too. Many years earlier, truth be told.

  Eve had changed after Holly’s birth. It was Jodi at work who more recently had made him wonder if she’d suffered undiagnosed postpartum depression. She hadn’t coped well with a baby and turned to alcohol and other men. It had been devastating for Buster the first time he became aware she’d had an affair. He’d tried to forgive her and move past it, and maybe he would have if she hadn’t done it again—with Oscar, one of his friends.

  Holly had just turned four when he asked her to leave. He’d planned the conversation carefully, expecting to have a fight on his hands. He hadn’t expected her to pack a bag and walk out calmly. It was two months after she and Oscar broke up that he heard from her again. Suddenly she wanted forgiveness, wanted to get back together, and wanted Holly back. That was when he’d retained a lawyer.

  He took a deep breath and pressed the call button on his phone. Cora picked up after a few rings. Her voice was hesitant.

  “Henry?”

  “Yes, it’s me, Cora. Mom passed your message on.”

  “How are you, son?”

  Buster closed his eyes. Cora had always made him feel special, but she was also very good at controlling situations. He used to laugh with Eve that whenever Cora called, they should just drop their plans and do what she said. She was lovely and kind but also very good at manipulating situations to work in her favor. He imagined, regardless of Eve, Cora would still be in his life if Holly were still alive.

  “I’m doing okay, Cora. How about you?”

  Silence met him. He knew her well enough to know she would be struggling not to cry.

  “Mom said Eve wants to see me.”

  Cora cleared her throat. “Yes, she does. I realize she’s the last person you probably ever want to see again, but I would appreciate it if you could make the trip. It’s important for her recovery. It’s important to me.”

  Buster bit the inside of his lip, emotions tearing through him. He thought back to his conversation with Steph and her words that Eve would be living in her own prison for the rest of her life. He knew she was right. But it was Cora’s it’s important to me that was enough to have him agree. He’d always found it hard to say no to her, and hearing her close to tears pushed him to a quick decision. “I can go this week. How do I arrange a visit?”

  This time he knew for sure Cora was crying. “You’re a good boy, Henry, a really good boy. I’m so sorry for what my daughter’s put you through.”

  Buster blinked back tears hearing the despair in Cora’s voice. Right at this moment, he honestly felt more sorry for what Eve had put her mother through.

  ❖

  Steph was grateful for the warmth of the yoga room to be able to stretch and remove the stiffness the previous day’s climbing had injected into her muscles. She’d arrived half an hour before her eleven a.m. class to run through poses in an attempt to relieve the discomfort she’d experienced since she woke that morning.

  “Hey, Steph.”

  Steph looked up from her seated position as the door to the yoga room opened, and Matt stuck his head in. She beckoned him in so that the door could shut and trap the heat in the room. “Don’t tell me you’ve come to try out a Bikram class?”

  Matt laughed. “It wasn’t my plan. Although if you’ve got an instant cure for my sore muscles, I’ll take it.”

  Steph raised an eyebrow. “You’re sore? You look like you do all sorts of exercise.”

  “Climbing up cliff faces isn’t a regular one. I’d say all of the boys are hurting today.”

  “Me too,” Steph admitted. “It’s why I’m here early. The heat of the room helps. I can’t guarantee it will be an instant cure, but if you stay and do my class, I guarantee it will help.”

  Matt hesitated before nodding. “Okay, I will. Do I need anything?”

  “Go and ask Bodhi for a mat, towel, and a large water bottle,” Steph said. She could hardly believe he’d agree to do yoga. “There’s another ten minutes before the class starts, so come back in and lie down in savasana while you wait. It’ll help you acclimatize to the room.”

  Matt grinned. “Okay.” He turned to leave and then stopped and faced Steph. “Would you have time to talk after the class? There’s something I’d like to run by you.”

  “Of course. Is it about the sale of the property?”

  “Kind of. Just an idea that I’d be interested in getting your take on.”

  “Su
re. Let’s sit down after class and talk. I do warn you, you might be a bit sweaty though.”

  Matt laughed. “I’m sure I can handle some sweat.”

  Following the ninety-minute class, and Matt’s introduction to Bikram yoga, he sat across from her shaking his head. “A bit sweaty?”

  His clothes were soaked through, and he’d already drunk two large bottles of water.

  Steph laughed. “The question is, how do you feel?”

  He grinned. “I’m surprised to admit that while the heat nearly killed me, I enjoyed that. Right now, my muscles aren’t sore either. I hate to imagine what they’ll be like tomorrow.”

  “They’ll be better than they were today. The heat is healing,” Steph said. “Now, what did you want to chat about.”

  “I’ve made Bodhi an offer on Heat Wave. Both the property and the business.”

  Steph’s gut twisted. It was happening; Bodhi was selling. While she was pleased for her boss and friend if he sold it, she hadn’t expected it to happen this quickly.

  “You don’t look too happy.” Matt’s forehead creased in confusion. “It was your idea I talk to Bodhi, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes, of course. It just happened faster than I anticipated. Has he accepted your offer?”

  “In principle, yes. There are a few things to iron out, which we’ll need to get a lawyer to do.”

  “And Bodhi’s happy with your offer?”

  Matt smiled. “If you’re asking whether I made him a fair offer, yes, I did. The conversation was more along the lines of Bodhi telling me what he wanted to sell for and me agreeing to his price.”

  “Really?”

  Matt laughed. “You sound surprised.”

  “I assumed you’d try to knock his price down.”

  “His price was fair, Steph. And even though I’ve done a few things I regret, I’m generally up-front and honest in my business dealings.” His face reddened as Steph opened her mouth. He put up his hand to stop her from speaking. “If you’re about to remind me of Asha and Charlie, don’t. Neither situation was my finest hour, and I imagine it will take a very long time for either of them or the town to trust me again. I’m hoping that once the Sandstone Cafe’s up and running and people are enjoying it, they’ll forget about the Charlie situation. Although I doubt Charlie will let them forget.”