by SJ McCoy
She shot him a withering look. “I’m depending on your brilliance to make sure it’s only a short while. Otherwise I’m with Chance and say we should just eliminate the threat.”
Shane and Summer laughed with her at that, but no one else did. It seemed that the rest of them were as afraid as Mason that Chance really might do that.
“I don’t like it,” Chance said. “I mean, yeah everyone needs to be careful. Ruby doesn’t go anywhere unless one of us is with her. We all check in with each other every day, but what are we actually going to do?”
“I’m working on it,” said Beau.
“You keep saying that, but working on what?”
Beau was as frustrated as Chance. He blew out a sigh. “Something. I don’t know what, but there has to be something. There has to be some way to get to him and make him stop.”
“I wish he’d just leave,” croaked Summer. It seemed stress made her voice worse. Mason had pretty much forgotten that she’d originally come to Montana to help her recover from vocal injury, but right now she looked worried and sounded terrible.
Cassidy smiled. “Yeah, we could do like the old westerns and run him out of town.”
Shane shook his head at her; there was no breaking that one’s spirit.
Mason smirked. At least she provided some light relief.
Chance was smiling too. “That’s a great idea, Cassidy.”
What the fuck? He couldn’t be serious?
Chance met Mason’s gaze. “Not like you’re thinking, no. Though I’d love to. What I mean is that April still has some sway over him. Her man owns the loan on the ranch.”
Beau shook his head. “But the only leverage they have with him is that if he causes trouble they could foreclose the loan and take the ranch away. If they do that, there’d be no stopping him.”
“But he’d have to leave wouldn’t he? He’d have nowhere to stay.” Summer looked hopeful.
“I don’t like it,” said Carter. “Even if they were to do that, there’s no saying he’d leave town. And he really would be out for vengeance then. He’d have nothing left to lose and nothing to stop him from getting really vicious. I don’t think we’ve seen him at his worst yet, but losing the ranch would tip him over the edge—to my mind at least.”
Mason nodded. He had to agree.
Beau grasped Carter’s shoulder. “There you go outsmarting me again.”
Corinne checked her watch. “I’m sorry, but I need to go and get Ruby. It’s way past her bedtime, and it doesn’t seem we’re going to get anything resolved tonight.”
The others muttered their agreement.
“So basically, everyone just keep your guard up,” said Mason.
As everyone left, he watched Gina who was talking to Beau about something. He couldn’t imagine how Beau and Corinne must feel, even imagining Guy hanging around the school, thinking that he might…what? Scare Ruby somehow? Try to grab her? His blood boiled, but he couldn’t see Guy doing that. Could he? Watching Gina and thinking about their own little one, his blood ran cold. Thinking about Guy trying to harm him or her? No. Just no.
Corinne headed for the door. She was understandably impatient to go get Ruby. “I’ll see you at home, Beau.”
“No, I’m coming. Sorry.”
“We’ll follow you up there. I need to talk to the folks.” Mason decided in that moment it was time to tell his mom and dad about the baby. He knew Gina wouldn’t mind; she’d been waiting and wanting to. They’d told Al already, and Chance.
When they got up to the big house, he and Gina hung back while Beau scooped up a sleeping Ruby from the sofa and Corinne thanked his parents. It made his heart happy to see the way they’d taken to her as their own grandchild. They weren’t just making an effort for Beau’s sake, they really loved the kid.
Once Beau and Corinne had gone, his dad raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s up, son? What is it that couldn’t wait till morning?”
His mom looked worried. “Did you learn anything about the fire?”
He shrugged. “Luke says it was started deliberately, and it was the same MO as the other fires.”
His dad nodded. “And we all know what that means. I heard he’s got money troubles.”
Mason sighed. “He does, but that’s not what we came to talk to you about.” Guy and the threat of what he might do seemed to be casting a shadow over everything lately. Mason wasn’t going to allow him to spoil this moment. He held an arm out to Gina and she came to stand beside him with a big grin on her face.
His mom eyes widened and a big smile spread across her face. She raised one eyebrow at him in the way she had ever since he was a little kid. It meant she knew what he needed to tell her and she was waiting. This was bigger news than mom, I got into a fight again, though. He smiled at her and then down at Gina. Would she want to tell them? She shook her head.
“Out with it then.” His dad was oblivious.
Mason felt his chest swell with pride as he said the words. “We’re going to have a baby.”
“That’s wonderful! C’est magnifique!” cried his mom. She rarely ever spoke French anymore, only when she was overflowing with happiness.
“Congratulations!” His dad beamed as he pulled them both in for a hug.
His mom pried Gina away and kissed both her cheeks, then did the same to Mason. “I’ve waited fifteen years for this day!”
Mason gave her a puzzled look. It had only been fourteen years since he and Gina had first started dating—and they’d been apart for ten years in between.
His dad laughed. “We dreaded hearing this news when the two of you were kids. And then there were all those years when we dreaded we’d never hear it.” He hugged Gina again. “I’m so happy you came back, love.” He met Mason’s gaze. “And I’m so glad you finally made it right.”
Mason nodded. So was he.
“Do you know your date?” his mom asked Gina.
She smiled. “Right around Valentine’s Day.”
“How perfect!”
His dad’s jaw worked as he did the math. “So you’ll be three months gone when you get married?”
Gina laughed. “Yes, and we need to get to work on the wedding. It’s only a few weeks away now.”
Monique clapped her hands together. “We do! I know you only want it small and informal, but please can I get carried away?”
Mason laughed. “I think you’re going to get the chance to get really carried away. The others are all hoping to share the day.”
He laughed harder at the way her eyes grew even wider still. “All my boys? One big wedding?”
“They’d like to.” Gina gave him an odd look and Mason realized that maybe he should have let his brothers break their own wedding news. He’d done it now though.
His dad smiled at him, seeming to understand. He wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Don’t get too carried away yet, Nicky. Let them each tell you in their own time what their plans are—and how much of your help they want.”
She nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll behave. I’m just excited. It’s so exciting. But most exciting is that you’re going to have a baby!” She pinched Mason’s cheek, making Gina and his dad laugh.
“Yep. You’re finally going to be grandparents. It’s taken us a long time, but at least we still get to give you your first grandchild.”
His parents exchanged an odd look.
“What?”
His dad smiled. “We couldn’t be happier, son. We’ve waited forever for you to make us grandparents, but yours won’t be our first grandchild.”
Mason stared at him. What was he talking about?
His mom smiled. “We already have Ruby.”
Mason smiled back and nodded. He might have wanted to be the first of the brothers to give them a grandchild, but the fact that they’d taken Ruby into the family the way they had made him happier than any small matter of his own silly pride might have.
~ ~ ~
When they got home to the cottage
, Gina went to the fridge and got a beer for Mason and an apple juice for herself. Mason reached for the beer, but she held it out of his reach and led him outside as he kept swiping at it. She finally let him catch hold of it once they were out on the porch.
He came to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “How you doing, babe?”
She planted a kiss on his lips and then rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m fine now. I just wanted to be here, with you, alone, under the stars.”
He ran his fingers through her hair sending shivers down her spine. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
She knew he meant it. They’d lost out on ten years they could’ve shared, and Guy Preston had been a large part of the reason why. She couldn’t say it was all his fault, though. If she’d talked to Mason, perhaps… She sighed. It didn’t matter. You couldn’t change the past. What mattered was the present, and the future.
She looked up into Mason’s eyes, loving the laughter etched into the creases around them as he smiled down at her. “How long do I have to wait?” he asked.
“For what?”
He chuckled. “You know damned well what, G. For you to tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Can’t a girl bring her guy outside to watch the stars and drink a beer and just enjoy the night? Does it have to be about something that’s on my mind?”
“It doesn’t have to be, but it is, isn’t it? I know that look on your face. You’ll tell me when you’re good and ready and not a minute before. I’m doing better at this patience thing, but I’m still not much good at it.” He took a swig of his beer. “I’m trying though.”
She had to laugh. He looked like a kid who didn’t want to have to wait to go outside and play. “I’m not trying to test your patience, I just want to be sure I’ve got it straight in my own mind before I say anything.”
He scowled at her. “You know that gets me even more impatient—when you talk all around the houses and still won’t tell me what you’re talking about.”
She smiled and sat down on the swing, patting the cushion beside her for him to do the same.
He shook his head. “I’ll stick with pacing up and down for now, till you tell me what’s up.”
She laughed. “There’s nothing up. I want to talk about names.”
He cocked his head to one side.
“Baby names.”
“Oh.”
“You don’t want to?” Gina wasn’t sure whether he would. He’d been so adamant about waiting until she was through the first trimester before they told anyone, because he was worried. He didn’t want to tempt fate. She didn’t know if he’d think picking names this early was tempting fate, too.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it. I don’t see any reason why not.”
“You don’t?” She didn’t want to come out and ask him if he thought it was a bad idea.
He understood what she meant and shook his head. “We need a name, and my guess is that you’ve come up with one, right?”
She nodded.
“Well, as long as it’s not some weedy city-boy name.” He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I still get jealous when I think about your time in New York. I don’t want my kid reminding me of it every day.”
Gina slapped his arm. “Oh, shush!” She wondered whether he’d think it was a sissy city-boy name. She hoped not, because she’d already grown attached to it.
“Are you going to tell me what it is?”
She nodded, and couldn’t help starting to laugh as he lowered his face to hers and stared into her eyes. “Tell me.”
“Phoenix!”
Mason sat back as though she’d slapped his face.
“You look like you just smelled skunk for the first time,” she said with a laugh. His brows had knit together and he was wrinkling his nose the tiniest bit. “I take it that’s a no, then?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. I like it; I just never heard it before. Is it for a boy or a girl?”
“Either. I looked it up after we told my dad. The book listed it as a boy’s name or a girl’s. I just thought it would be special. You know?”
“I do. I like it.”
She grinned and pulled his head down to kiss him.
He pecked her lips. “It’s not a yes yet though. I need to roll it around under my hat for a few days, get used to it, okay?”
She smiled and kissed him again. It was a yes, and they both knew it.
~ ~ ~
Back up at the big house, Dave Remington looked up from his book and smiled to himself as he watched his wife get ready for bed. She unpinned her long hair and sat in front of the mirror to brush it out. Even after all these years, she was still the most beautiful woman on earth.
She caught his eye in the mirror and turned around. “What do you see when you look at me like that, Dave? Do you see an old lady?”
He put his book down and took his glasses off. “I see a beautiful woman, Nicky. I see the woman I love.”
She swatted in the air. “You always were a sweet talker.” She looked back at the mirror and examined her face. “A beautiful woman doesn’t have all these wrinkles. A beautiful woman doesn’t have skin like this leather.” She pulled the skin away from her cheek.
Dave got out of bed and went to stand behind her. “Now, see that’s where you’re wrong, my love.” He put his hands on her shoulders and held her gaze in the mirror. “A pretty girl doesn’t have wrinkles, and a pretty girl doesn’t have skin like leather.” Uh-oh! He needed to hurry on and get to his point before he really put his foot in it. He rubbed her shoulders. “But, Nicky, you’re so much more than a pretty girl. You’re a beautiful woman. Your wrinkles aren’t something to be ashamed of; they’re something to be proud of. You earned them on the way through life. They show that you lived and learned.” He touched her cheek. “They show that you’ve laughed and cried and that you’ve loved.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded. He knew she was remembering so many times in this life that they’d shared, times when they’d laughed and times when they’d cried. He knew because he was remembering, too. He had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could continue.
“Some people say that beauty is only skin deep, but I think real beauty shines from the inside out. And you shine the brightest, my love. Your wrinkles, and your skin are the way they are because you’ve lived this hard life, here in this harsh place, with me. Maybe your skin succumbed to the weather and the hard work, but this whole place and everyone in it succumbed to the beauty that shines out of you. You filled the place with love, you raised our boys to be men with big hearts and kind souls. You’re beautiful in all the important ways, my love. That’s what I see when I look at you.”
A single tear ran down her cheek as she held his gaze in the mirror. “Merci.”
He nodded. He tended to use words sparingly most of the time, but sometimes his wife needed to hear them. He’d spent the last forty years trying to give her everything she needed and he wasn’t about to start letting her down now.
Chapter Eight
Cassidy smiled when she saw Summer come into the gallery. “Hey, chica.”
“Hey.”
“You look frazzled. What’s up?”
Summer shrugged. “Thanks. And I thought I’d covered up well with makeup and boots!” She held her foot out to show a pair of gorgeous cowboy boots.
Cassidy laughed. “Don’t worry, they’ll be enough to distract the casual observer, but you can’t fool me. You never could.”
Summer sighed. “That’s true.”
“So, come on. Tell me all about it. I can’t believe Carter’s done anything to upset you, and you look more stressed than sad. What is it?”
“Just all this stuff with Guy. I don’t know; it’s gotten to me. I think it’s burst my little bubble.”
Cassidy had to try not to laugh at the expression on her face. She looked like someone had told her Christmas had been canceled
this year. “What do you mean?”
“That I like to believe that we live in this wonderful place where bad things never happen. I like to think that it’s all happy and everyone is good and kind to each other. And up until now I’ve totally bought into that. Everyone here is wonderful. And then there’s Guy. He’s like this black shadow lying over everything. I hate it. And it scares me.”
Cassidy shook her head. “Summer, sweetie, we do live in a wonderful magical place. And in the grand scheme of things, nothing bad ever really does happen here. I mean, come on, when you lived in Nashville there were muggings and murders all the time, right?”
“Yeah, but you expect it there. It’s just part of big city life, it happens, but you kind of make yourself blind to it. That must sound awful, but you know what I mean. Here I’d convinced myself that nothing bad could happen.”
“I can see that, but you shouldn’t let that asshole change how you see the place, how you feel about living here. You just keep believing it’s all rainbows and unicorn farts, keep your blinkers on and that’s all you’ll see.”
Summer laughed. “Unicorn farts?”
Cassidy smirked. “Okay, we can make that fairy dust, if you prefer?”
“Much better, thank you. And it’s not making me want to leave or anything, don’t think that. I just hate that one horrible man can steal the magic.”
“Only if you let him. It’s all about how you choose to see things, so keep seeing only the good stuff, forget about the bad stuff and you’ll be fine.”
“I wish it were that easy. I can’t forget about it when I’m worried about everyone, can I?”
“I guess not. So, did you just come to whine?”
Summer laughed. “You are such a terrible friend, Cassidy Lane. I didn’t come to you for sympathy, because I already know better than to try that. And you should know me better, too. When I get upset and there’s nothing I can do about it, I find something constructive to focus on instead.”
Cassidy was relieved. For all her joking, she was feeling the same way as Summer. Having a crazy, vindictive asshole running around town setting people’s barns on fire was enough to pee on anyone’s parade—especially when he had it in for their family in particular. “Good,” she said with a smile. “So what worthy project are you going to drag me into this time?”
