His Dirty Hands (The Montgomery Boys Book 2)

by Jessica Mills

  “You aren’t going to tell him the happy news?” I asked.

  Sawyer rolled his eyes at the teasing in my voice. “No. I’ll let her fill him in on those details.”

  I started to say something else, but the patch of high grass in front of me took all thoughts about Garrett and the girl who was chasing after him out of my thoughts.

  “Look,” I said, pointing ahead of me.

  “What is that?” Sawyer asked.

  We pulled up our horses and jumped down to walk over to the grass. I was a few feet away when I saw the strange shape in the grass was the wolf. With his body contorted on the ground, the animal was clearly dead. Blood matted the fur around his head and down his neck, seeping from a deep wound beside his temple.

  “It looks like the cow got a good kick in before he got to her,” I said.

  In some strange way, it made me feel better to know the poor animal who died under the ferocious teeth of this beast had gotten her revenge in the end. We picked up the body of the wolf to bring it out farther onto the ranch and dispose of it. As we rode, Sawyer noticed my silence.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “You seem distracted. Where’s your head?”

  I let out a breath. “You’ve probably noticed I haven’t been around as much the last few weeks.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “You seem to be running off more than usual. I’ve been wondering what’s gotten your attention. Now, I heard there’s a pretty new woman in town that you’ve been seen walking around with. But I didn’t know if I should be putting too much stock into that.”

  He had a smile on his face that said he thought just the idea was funny.

  “Well, you should have.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “The new girl’s name is Gia. She came here a few weeks back with her best friend Darcy and her little girl Gabby. She wasn’t planning on staying, but she changed her mind. Now she’s taking up every crevice of space in my thoughts.”

  “Now that’s impressive. A girl catching the attention of Clayton Montgomery. What makes her so special?”

  “Everything. She’s beautiful and brave. She’s kind and warm. Honestly, she’s like no one I’ve ever met before. But she’s scared.”

  “What do you mean?” Sawyer asked.

  “They are running from something. Gia admitted it to me. Someone hurt her in a really bad way. Shannon found her a place to live in the building next door to hers.”

  “Shannon knows about this girl?” Sawyer asked. “Which means Jesse knows. How many of the others know? Did I just get left out of it all?”

  Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. “Shannon knows, and she might have told Jesse, but he hasn’t mentioned anything to me about it. You haven’t been left out of anything. I haven’t brought her around yet. Like I was trying to say, someone hurt her. Something happened to her and I don’t know what or how bad it is. I was over at her new apartment and she fell asleep on the couch. She had a really bad nightmare and was crying. I asked her if she’s running from something or someone and she said she is.”

  “You better be careful,” Sawyer warned. “Something like that can bring a lot of bad into your life. You don’t want to get wrapped up with some woman with a lot of baggage. If she’s running, you don’t want to find out why.”

  I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t the one who needed to be careful. Gia had a lot more to lose. All I could hope was I wasn’t clouding her judgment.

  Chapter 20

  Gia

  From the time she was born, I didn’t want Gabby out of my sight. It was hard even to let the doctor and nurses take her out of my room to go to the nursery for her first shots and bath.

  I wanted her right with me all the time. When I got the occasional part-time or temporary job, the only time I felt comfortable at all was when she was home with Darcy. Before we went to live with her, the only work I would do was jobs that let me bring her along or that I could do from home.

  Darcy was the only person I trusted to take care of my little girl. That made the search for a daycare for her one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life.

  Now that we were settled in Green Valley and I intended on staying there, I needed a steady job. My savings was quickly dwindling and the vacation income from Darcy’s old job ended a few days before. That meant we both needed to find places to work so we could start bringing in money to support ourselves and our new life here.

  It was an exciting prospect. Being able to find a job that would be steady and I could actually dedicate myself to felt oddly thrilling, and I looked forward to the feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment that came from getting a steady paycheck.

  But I knew it meant being away from Gabby far more often than I even wanted to consider. I couldn’t expect places to let me bring my three-year-old daughter along with me to work.

  And Darcy was looking for her own job, so she wouldn’t be able to take care of my little girl during the day. That meant I needed to find somewhere reliable for her to spend the time when I would be working. It was scary to think about leaving her with complete strangers and to just have to trust that they would do what was best for her.

  But I felt good about Green Valley and the people I met. For the most part, they were friendly and open. I believed they would take good care of her.

  That didn’t do much to take the edge off her first day. Gabby was excited to run into the room full of toys and join the other children. One thing I always regretted about our nomadic lifestyle was she had never been able to form friendships.

  We were never in one place long enough to meet other families and let her spend much time playing with other children. Even when we moved in with Darcy, there weren’t other children her age in the apartment building or the area. The only times she got to play with other toddlers was the occasional activity or class we would do at local spots. Even then, there was so much structure she didn’t really get to just have fun.

  As soon as she saw the other children, she was eager to hop in. She tended to be shy around adults and withdrew slightly when I tried to introduce her to her teacher, but she was all about the little ones. One kiss and a hug were enough for her to join in and disappear into the fun of daycare.

  I, on the other hand, was a mess. I fought tears and lingered at the door far longer than I should have. The teacher eventually had to shoo me away.

  Back outside, I brushed the tears away from my cheeks and accepted the hug Darcy offered me.

  “She’s going to do great,” she said. “She’ll have so much fun.”

  “She already is,” I said. “There was no fear. She just ran right in and started playing with the other children. The only time she was nervous at all was when she was meeting her teacher.”

  “That’s great!”

  “Is it?” I asked. “What if she just melts down and can’t stand the teacher being near her? What if she rebels and won’t do anything the teacher says? What if the kids suddenly start being mean to her and she doesn’t have any adults around who she knows and trusts?”

  “Gia, you are losing your grip. You sent Gabby to daycare in Green Valley, Montana. You didn’t join her up on a chain gang under an overlord. She’s going to spend all day playing with toys, eating snacks, and listening to stories. Don’t you want that for her?”

  “Yes,” I said. “I want her to be able to have fun and to have friends. And it’s not like I have any other options. We need to find work and she’s too big for me to strap her to my chest and bring her along. I’ll just have to be sad and miserable.”

  Darcy threw her arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. “That’s the spirit. Now, I’m going to go to the little pottery shop down the way and see if they are hiring. There is a ‘help wanted’ sign in the window, but it looks like it’s been there a long time. It might have just become part of the decor. Do you have any places lined up?”

  “Not yet,” I said. “I figured I would just kind of do a tour and see if I find anything.”<
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  “Well, good luck. I’ll call you after I talk to them and we’ll compare notes.”

  “Sounds good.”

  We hugged and headed off in opposite directions.

  I had no luck for the next half hour before she called me.

  “Hey,” she said as soon as I answered. “How’s it going for you?”

  “Not great. I’ve stopped at a couple of places, but nobody has been looking for anybody.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry you’re having a hard time. I’m sure you’re going to find something. You only just started looking.”

  “How about you?” I asked as I turned the corner. “How was your chat with the pottery place?”

  “It went really well. It turns out the sign was still there because they haven’t found anybody who worked out. They were really excited that I wanted the job and think we’re going to be a great fit.”

  “That’s fantastic,” I said, genuinely happy for her. “When do you start?”

  “Twenty minutes ago,” Darcy said.

  “Oh. Well, damn. Good job.”

  “You’re going to find something,” she said again. “I’m only working a short shift today just to learn everything. So I’ll be back in time for dinner tonight.”

  “Okay. I’ll make something. I’m going to keep looking for a little bit. The daycare didn’t want me to leave Gabby for more than a couple of hours on her first day, so I’ll have to head back there pretty soon. She’ll be able to stay a little more each time, but they wanted to give her a chance to get used to it.”

  “That makes sense. Let me know if you have any luck.”

  We got off the phone and I ducked into a florist to ask if they needed someone to trim leaves or make bouquets or deliver things or anything. I was hoping for a no on the deliveries since I didn’t have a car of my own and couldn’t really expect to just take Darcy’s. But I wasn’t thrilled when it was a no to everything else. I was starting to feel discouraged after the next three rejections and headed for Main Street. The heat had me dragging and I was craving an iced coffee to get me through the rest of the search.

  I was just walking into the coffee shop when a familiar face walked out of the boutique next door. Shannon Dailey grinned at me and I couldn’t help but smile. We hadn’t had much time to really interact and get to know each other, but I liked her. And not just because she saved our asses by helping us find an apartment as quickly as she did. She seemed friendly and outgoing, and I couldn’t ignore the link we both had to the Montgomery boys.

  “Hey, there,” she said.

  “Hi, Shannon,” I said. “How are you today? What are you up to?”

  “Can’t complain. My dad is knee deep in fixing a car that should have been put out to pasture before I was born. He just won’t let it go. This one is his Everest. The same woman has been bringing it to him desperate for him to get it back up to snuff every few weeks for as long as I can remember.”

  “Maybe she’s hoping for more than to have her engine fixed up,” I said.

  Shannon laughed and nodded. “Don’t you think I haven’t told him that. He won’t hear anything of it. He’s determined she’s just a frugal old widow woman who can’t afford to let go of her car and he needs to be the white knight who makes sure it stays on the road. Apparently, he doesn’t know about the massive inheritance her deceased husband left her. How about you? How are you doing, Gia?”

  “Could be better,” I answered without really thinking about it and felt bad when her face dropped slightly.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. What’s going on?”

  “Just job hunting. Since we’re going to be sticking around, Darcy and I need work. She managed to snag a position at the first place she visited. They actually have her working already. But I haven’t had much luck.”

  Even as I said it, I felt like running into her was my luck for the day. At least she was a familiar face and I didn’t feel quite as new when I was around her. Everybody was kind and welcoming, but with her, I didn’t feel like I was the new kid. Which was a very welcome feeling.

  “Don’t you worry,” she said. “Let me make a few phone calls.”

  I immediately shook my head. “No, Shannon. Really. You have already done so much for us with the apartment and everything. I don’t want to put you out.”

  “You aren’t putting me out at all. Don’t be silly. I’m happy to help. Besides, if I find someone who is hiring, then I’m helping them out too, aren’t I? You wouldn’t want someone sitting around without the employee they need just because I didn’t call them, would you?”

  I laughed. “No, I guess I wouldn’t.”

  Shannon grinned again. “Good. Then let me call around a bit and I’ll see if I know anyone who’s looking for somebody. I’ll let you know.”

  “Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I have never been in a place where people are so friendly.”

  She chuckled. “Not the first time I’ve heard that from someone just coming to town. But it’s true. Green Valley is full of good people. If you ever need anything, someone will be there to lend a hand. Minus the law, unfortunately. They’re a bit—never mind. I’m just biased.”

  I wanted to ask her more about that, but I didn’t. Instead, I just made a mental note about the comment. I wouldn’t forget the warning about the police, especially the deputy who had already given me an off feeling when I first encountered him a few weeks back.

  Chapter 21

  Clayton

  The thing about working the ranch and fighting all the parts of it that kept trying to fall apart all the time was that at some point or another, the ranch was going to fight back.

  Somewhere along the lines, I’d met my quota of days going by without incident, and that day, the slats of a fence I was repairing got the best of me. I beat them into submission with my hammer but went home with a couple of handfuls of splinters to show for it. This was not the first time it had happened to me and it for sure wouldn’t be the last. That was just part of the experience.

  But that didn’t mean it didn’t piss me off when it happened.

  “Son of a bitch,” I said loudly as one particularly aggressive splinter stayed in place after my fourth attempt at prying it out.

  “That’s pretty misogynistic of you,” a voice said from behind me.

  I turned around to see Shannon coming into the kitchen. “What?”

  She went to the refrigerator and opened it. “At the very least, you could have used the right term for me. Daughter of a bitch. But my mama is the sweetest woman in the world, and it would still be misogynistic to keep the end part. You’d have to switch that, too. So daughter of a... bastard?”

  Her head came up over the refrigerator door. The expression on her face was completely unfazed. I stared at her, waiting for something else, but she just took a sip from the can of soda she’d taken out.

  “I don’t think I’m comfortable having this conversation with you,” I said flatly.

  Shannon shrugged. “Fair enough. So, what are you in here muttering into nothingness about?”

  “Splinters,” I said, turning my attention back to my palm.

  “Fixing fences today?” she asked. I glanced over at her and she lowered the can from her lips. “Jesse came to my place a total mess the other night. I think he was doing the fences in the far corner and they hadn’t been touched in a while. A few of the boards were totally broken.”

  “Yeah, there were some in bad shape. We need to tend to them more often. What are you doing here? Where’s Jesse?”

  “He’s still out on the ranch. He should be back pretty soon, though. We’re going to have dinner and go out to The Junction tonight.” She put down her can and came over to the sink to snatch my hand into hers. “Here, let me see.”

  “It’s fine. I can do it.”

  “Hush,” she said. “In all this time you’re here fussing, I could have these things out and you could be done with it.”

  I relented. “Go ahead.”


  “Good.”

  She dried my hand with a towel and examined it, then pulled me over to the other side of the kitchen to open a drawer. Out of it, she took a small plastic container. Inside was a pair of tweezers and several alcohol pads.

  “Where did those come from?” I asked.

  “I put them in there after Jesse’s incident. There’s one like it at my place, too. I figured that way splinters could be vanquished no matter where they are.” She went to work with the tweezers, and I hissed as the pointy metal tips sank into a piece of flesh I’d already ripped at with my fingernails. “Did Gia tell you we talked the other day?”

  “Yeah,” I said, grateful she started talking to distract me. “She said you’re looking into finding her some work.”

  “Yep. She seemed to be struggling with her search the other day, so I said I’d call around.”

  “Any luck?” I asked.

  “Actually, yes,” she said, pulling out a particularly ornery splinter and wiping it onto a paper towel on the counter. “I called up a few people who I thought I’d heard were looking and landed on something for her. It’s not the most glamorous position in the world, but it’s something. She didn’t seem like she was too worried about what she got.”

  “I don’t think she is,” I said. “Right now, all she is thinking about is having a way to support herself and Gabby. I have the feeling she isn’t exactly used to having normalcy like this.”

  Shannon nodded as she took out the last splinter. “I got that from her, too. But I didn’t know what to think about it. What do you know about her past?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “All I’ve heard is she is running from someone or something, but she didn’t tell me what. When she very first got here, she said she was only passing through because she and Darcy were looking for a fresh start.”

  “I wonder what happened to her,” Shannon said. “There. You’re all done. Wash your hands and put some antibiotic on it.”