Montana Homecoming

by Jillian Hart

  Another round of thrilled barking and doggy dancing.

  “My sentiments exactly.” He set down his coffee and locked the back door. Side by side, he and Oscar cut a path through the house comfortable together, best friends for keeps.

  He opened the door before she could knock. With her satin dark hair swept up in a messy ponytail, wearing a faded gray T-shirt and black athletic shorts, she took his breath away. A natural beauty.

  With Brooke, what you saw was what you got. Wholesome. Honest.

  Wow.

  With an excited bark, the big Lab sprang, all four paws bouncing off the porch boards. Brooke stepped back, ever kind, gently firm. “Sit, Oscar.”

  Doggy brows furrowed as he slunk to all four paws. Valiantly wrestling for self-control, his haunches sank and rose, sank and rose. It was a great struggle, but finally his tail thumped on the porch floor, victorious. Ears pricked, head up, eyebrows quirked with surprise, he sat like the perfect dog he was.

  “Good dog, Oscar! Yay!” She pulled a treat out of her pocket and handed it over. “Woo-hoo.”

  Oscar politely took the treat between his teeth, looking wildly impressed with himself. His ability to sit on command was no longer a onetime thing.

  “Brilliant, Oscar.” He scrubbed the dog’s head and snapped on a leash. “Are you ready to run?”

  Happily crunching, the Lab seemed to nod.

  Every instinct Liam had shouted at him that this was his last chance. He was reaching the point of no return with Brooke, but he wasn’t as panicked as he used to be. He locked the door, drank in the lovely picture Brooke made on his porch and let his feelings go. Love whispered through him like the sweet morning’s breeze. “Ready to do it?”

  “Let’s go.” With a flash of her smile and a whip of her ponytail, she dashed ahead of him down the walk. Lissome stride, athletic sureness, she held his attention as they spilled onto the sidewalk. Oscar raced ahead, darting after a squirrel scurrying up a tree.

  “Heel, Oscar.” He moved before Brooke did, shortening the leash, tugging the dog to his side as she’d taught him, praising Oscar for staying there. The Lab glowed, loping along, his happiness contagious.

  “He’s doing pretty well.” Brooke sounded a little breathless, so he adjusted his pace to match her shorter one. She laughed when Oscar spotted a cat on a porch and yanked away. The same gray cat that had been teasing him on the fence. “Oops. I spoke too soon. Oscar.” She snapped to get his attention.

  “Heel, boy.” He praised the dog when Oscar complied. “Hey, this is working.”

  “I think Oscar’s starting to settle down, aren’t you, boy?” Caring deepened the violet-blue tint of her irises, making them impossibly deep, incredibly kind. “And you. You’ve trained up pretty nicely, Liam.”

  “I’m proud of myself. I’ve made good progress.”

  “Yes, you have.” She loped with a runner’s easy stride, like someone born to do it. “Oscar just needed to get used to his new life. I can’t imagine how worried he had to be at the animal shelter, wondering if anyone would want him. He had to be so excited when you chose him. Once he figures out that this is his life now and you won’t let him down, that’s all he needs.”

  This close to her, he felt her next step, her next breath, her next heartbeat. She was a whisper moving through his spirit. But did he move through hers? Or were his affections a one-sided deal?

  “This is our last training session.” She looked in the zone, arms relaxed, stride easy, shoes striking the pavement in a steady rhythm. Pink dotted her cheeks. Happiness polished her, made her incandescent. “You don’t need me anymore.”

  “Need you? Sure, we need you.” He had to stay vulnerable, he had to stay open and take a risky step not knowing if she was feeling the same. “Oscar still has some problems. Plus, he’d be bummed to lose you.”

  He wasn’t only talking about Oscar.

  “I’d be bummed to lose him, too.” Maybe she wasn’t only talking about Oscar, either. She blushed, looking down, and that flash of vulnerability gave him hope. Powerful affection cinched him up tight.

  Please see what I can’t say, he pleaded. What I can’t put into words. This was where he’d failed with Sidney. Always keeping to the surface, shying away from deeper feelings and the emotional openness that hurt like a wound. He’d never been open and vulnerable with Sidney. He wasn’t making that mistake again.

  “Look, he’s limping.” She twisted to get a better look at Oscar’s gait. With the wind in her hair, she was beauty in motion. Her forehead crinkled. “It’s not much, but he’s definitely favoring his front leg.”

  “I see it.” He slowed to a stop, concerned. “Maybe he pulled a muscle or something?”

  “Maybe. Let me see.” She huffed to a stop, out of breath, trying to ignore the stitch in her side. Oscar gazed up at her innocently, eyes wide, ears up, wondering why they’d stopped.

  “What’s sore, boy?” She knelt on rubbery legs. “Is it your paw?”

  Oscar gladly lifted his paw, ready to shake. She cradled his hand in hers, gently checking for a thorn or perhaps a small pebble that might have gotten wedged between his pads. Nothing.

  “His paw doesn’t seem to be hurting him.” She ignored the twist in her soul as Liam hunkered down beside her, breathing easily, hardly winded. She resisted the need to look at him because she had to keep this simple. She didn’t want to get her hopes dashed. She was leaving next week. And even if she wasn’t, a man like Liam would hardly want a felon for a wife.

  “No, this feels okay, too. No heat, nothing swollen or tender. At least he’s not whimpering.” She gently palpated Oscar’s ankle and inched her fingertips along the lean bones of his lower leg. He whimpered and jerked away, eager to put his paw back on the ground where it belonged.

  “What—what’s wrong?” Liam hand curled over the Lab’s neck to soothe him.

  “He’s sore there, that’s for sure.” She rubbed the dog’s head. “Maybe it is a pulled muscle, but you really should take him to a vet just to be safe.”

  “A vet. Do you know of a good one?”

  “No, but I’m sure Oscar’s day care can give a good recommendation.”

  “Great. You’re handy to have around, Brooke McKaslin.” He leaned in closer, intent, garnering her attention, impossible to look away from.

  “I have my moments,” she sputtered, trying to be casual, hoping to sound natural but air caught in her throat and she gasped, only once, embarrassingly overwhelmed by his nearness. By the warm gleam of blue and black in his eyes, by the manly texture of his unshaven jaw, by the deep unspoken hope she felt. A hope she didn’t dare give voice to.

  “Thanks for noticing his limp.” His hand curled gently around hers; it was like he was holding on. Like his touch said something more. “You should work in a vet’s office. You’d be good at it.”

  “That’s what I’d always wanted to do.” Regret returned; it was always the cloud overhead, casting a shadow. That was her past. She wanted to erase it, to obliterate it forever. Because then she would be free to let the affection within her become something great and rare. Something she’d been dreaming of all her life. True love with a good man.

  The morning light burnished him, catching the highlights in his hair, emphasizing the perfect cut of his shoulders. Exposing his heart.

  He cared for her. He really cared. Never had a man gazed at her the way Liam did. Respect and devotion etched into the planes of his face, deepened the blue of his eyes and pulled her inescapably closer to him. She’d been alone for so long, longing to be loved, never daring to wish.

  Lord, do I dare ask for this hope to come true?

  Liam’s gaze shifted downward to trace the curve of her lips. Her pulse galloped shakily as he leaned closer, his mouth hovering over hers, his eyes looking into her until they drifted shut and their lips met.

  Definitely a wish come true. She gave herself up to the sweetness of his kiss, curled her fingers into his shirt and let his brightness f
all over her. His kiss filled her with pure brilliance, perfect peace and a love so radiant she was blind to everything else.

  When he lifted his lips from hers, the sun became dazzling. She let him gather her in his strong arms and fold her against his wide chest. She closed her eyes, breathed in the scent of fabric softener on his shirt, resting against him, leaning on him. Soul overflowing, the bond of their hearts remained.

  “That went well,” he quipped shakily, as if he was deeply affected, too.

  “It did.” They smiled together, snuggled beneath the fall of morning sun. Not one to be left out, Oscar leaned over to snuggle close and add a tongue swipe across her face.

  “Oscar!” she protested, laughing. Happy? That wasn’t the word. Joy filled her, pure enough to chase away every shadow of the past. Feeling like a whole new woman, as if her life could be full of possibilities, she wanted to hold on to this perfect moment forever.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The moment couldn’t last forever. Eventually she had to move away from his sheltering arms. A car trundled down the residential street, probably someone leaving for work, breaking the moment. The laughter faded and so did the bliss of that wonderful hope. Gazing into Liam’s flawless eyes, full of affection and character, she saw her wishes fall away. What would he think of her if he knew about her mistakes? About her drug charges?

  Reality hit like a punch. She grimaced, took the pain and moved away from him, creating a physical distance. Oscar panted happily, searching both her and Liam for clues on what fun things they were going to do next. The morning had lost its luster as she flicked the end of her ponytail over her shoulder. That kiss shouldn’t have happened. She never should have allowed it.

  She’d never wanted anything more.

  “Guess we should circle back. Probably walk.” Liam reached for her hand. She let him, even when she knew she should pull away. He tightened his grip on Oscar’s leash and set the pace, irresistibly amazing. The wish for him remained in her heart, stubbornly refusing to let go.

  When had they made the step from friend to something more? Why hadn’t she stopped it? She took a wobbly step, surprised to find her muscles shaky. Maybe because she knew she shouldn’t be holding on to him. She didn’t have the right. She wasn’t what he thought. He didn’t know her darkest moments.

  “He seems to be okay walking, even loping a little.” Liam tilted his head to study Oscar’s prance. “No, I guess he’s favoring that right leg barely.”

  “It’s hardly noticeable, but it’s there.” She angled a bit to get a better look. “I wonder how long that’s been going on?”

  “No idea. I’ll keep an eye on it. I’m sure the vet will need to know.” He studied her out of the corner of his eye. “You should check into getting into a vet assistant program.”

  “I keep hearing this. Are you and Colbie in cahoots?”

  “I admit it. She paid me to say that.” He winked, obviously kidding. “No, honest. You might want to see what it would take.”

  “It’s a nice thought. I feel like it’s too late to change the path I’m on.” She sounded light and breezy, but he knew her heart.

  “It’s never too late for dreams.” He hardly noticed the reason why Oscar gave a bark and raced over to sniff at a chain-link fence. Vaguely he heard another dog’s answering bark and caught sight of a friendly canine smile on the other side of the fence. Brooke dominated his attention. Her unassuming elegance captured him. He couldn’t help noticing she seemed shuttered again since their kiss.

  What a kiss. He’d felt her affection in that kiss, the truth of her heart. Had she felt his?

  “Dreams? I’d almost forgotten about those.” She bit her bottom lip, a little wistful. The copper highlights in her hair gleamed in the sunlight.

  “Maybe it’s time to remember them.” Fathomless tenderness reared up inside him as he tugged on Oscar’s leash, bringing the dog to heel. When she smiled up at him, he felt ten feet tall. “Maybe I should, too.”

  “What does that mean? You help manage your grandfather’s newspaper. You’ve traveled the world. Don’t tell me you’ve run out of dreams.”

  “I did for a while. Then Oscar came along.” And you, he wanted to say. A wave of tenderness rolled through him, filling him to the brim. What did she think about that kiss? Had she liked it? Wished it hadn’t happened? Was that why she seemed farther away emotionally? She waltzed along, possessing his heart and she didn’t even know it.

  “You always dreamed of having a dog?” Even asking the question, she kept staring ahead watching the sidewalk, the dog, the car across the street back out of its driveway. Everything but him.

  “It was all I wanted when I was a kid,” he confessed. “A friendly dog who would be my best friend, who wouldn’t leave me when my parents were fighting. They were at it a lot.”

  “Mine, too. I know how that feels.” Soft and tender feelings left him helpless. He’d never been this vulnerable, laid wide open, defenseless. When she left for Oregon, she was going to shatter him.

  He could try to cinch up his heart, anchor it good and protect himself as hard as possible. But the sunlight found her, drawing his gaze. The wind fluttered the flyaway tendrils framing her delicate face. Dreams he’d buried came back, brand-new and better than before. Images of Brooke in a white dress walking down the aisle, of her in his home, in his life, in his arms cradling their newborn.

  All that he had seen in the world, the places he’d been, the people he’d met, he’d been smart enough to learn that the real things in life weren’t fame or money, success or status. Love and family were the only things that mattered. Gentle, honest Brooke understood that, too. He didn’t need to hear her say it to know it. He could feel it in the connection, in her smaller hand tucked into his. Knowing her had changed his life.

  She had changed him. Given him back the illusions Sidney had taken from him. The belief that a woman’s heart could be true enough to make love last.

  The problem was she would be leaving. His Grandfather Knightly and Grandmother Jones were getting older. They needed him here. He had to stay. Where did that leave them?

  “Honestly?” She broke the companionable silence, drawing him out of his thoughts. “I’m glad we’re not jogging back. I’m seriously out of shape. It’s embarrassing.”

  “Do you know what you need to do?”

  “I couldn’t guess.”

  “You should run more.” It sounded like a good idea to him. “Since I’m not sure Oscar should be putting miles on that leg of his, I’m down a running buddy.”

  “You never had a running buddy since technically this is Oscar’s first run.” She arched a brow at him, not buying it.

  “Right. But I was looking forward to having a running partner and now I’m disappointed.”

  “So sorry.” She wasn’t going to be charmed by him. Letting him kiss her had been crazy enough. “Life is full of disappointments.”

  “And you’re saying this because…?” He quirked an eyebrow, dashing enough to take her breath away.

  A smart girl would keep right on breathing. She had no business bantering with him. Or wanting what she could not have. Her chin went up, her spine steeled and she tried to find some of that willpower she used to have before she met him.

  “Because I don’t want to get into the habit of saying yes to you,” she admitted. “You are a dangerous man.”

  “Me? No way.” He shook his head, scattering thick shanks of hair, dimples flashing. “I’m as safe as they come.”

  “I beg to differ.” Did he not remember the kiss? How could she ever forget it? The tenderness of his kiss lingered on her lips and in her heart. She wasn’t entirely sure it would ever leave.

  “I don’t know what happened to you in your last relationship, but it was bad enough you haven’t dated in a long, long time.” His house came into sight and he let go of Oscar’s leash. The dog pranced through the yard, turned around halfway up the walk and stared at them curiously. Liam didn’t se
em to notice. He zeroed in on her, intense blue eyes, manly appeal and tenderness. Irresistible.

  “It’s not easy for me to talk about.” Now would be the time to tell him. To tell him about how far her trust and her life had been shattered, but the words caught in her throat and would not budge. And why? Because he would never look at her this way again. She didn’t want this to end.

  “That’s all right, Brooke.” His tone warmed over her name, ringing deep with affection.

  Affection she could not turn away from as he angled in, cradled her chin in his hands and looked at her as if she were precious. She shouldn’t allow this. She ought to step away, put distance between them and let him know she was not what he thought. But her feet didn’t move, the words refused to come and she was left gazing up at him, captivated by his regard for her.

  “You have nothing to worry about from me.” He drew himself up taller, looking heroic like a storybook character come to life. “I would never hurt you. I would stand in front of a bullet to save you from it, from any pain.”

  She believed him. Impossible not to. She, who vowed never to trust a man, trusted him. He was too good to be true, honorable to the core and far too good for her.

  Just tell him the truth, Brooke. He deserved to know. Gazing into his eyes, feeling like she’d met her perfect match, that in another time long ago, God had made them for each other. They were kindred souls meant to be together forever. The words stayed bunched in her throat.

  She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t break the moment. Once he knew, he wouldn’t look at her like he cared.

  He wouldn’t want her. Maybe it was better to leave it like this. She would go on with her life and could always look back on this beautiful memory with him. But was that enough?

  A cold pelt of water whirred across her, slapping against her back. Her mind was caught up in her dilemma so she wasn’t thinking clearly when she spun around and got a face full of spray. The underground sprinkler had come to life, shooting sparkling jets through the sunny lawn and onto her. Oscar barked in glee, leaping to chase the offenders, and Liam chuckled. He eased in front of her to protect her from the worst of the stream.