She sat back in the chair. “Please don’t worry about it. Lindsay works at the bookstore in the mall and we eat lunch together a lot. She was just anxious to take her husband, Kenneth, a treat. He’s a doctor doing his internship in emergency medicine at the hospital and has been working a lot of nights lately.”
“Lucky man to have such a devoted wife.”
Brianna nodded. “They’re a great couple.”
“A baby will change their lives,” Eli said. A wealth of emotion lay behind his words. “Libby sure has changed mine.”
“I can only imagine.”
“As you’ve learned, my mother has been watching her since the divorce. But a few days ago I hired a nanny so I can get on with my ranching duties. She seems to be working out well.” He drank part of his coffee. “Speaking of the ranch, did your aunt like the ring you purchased from the gem shop?”
“She loves it. My uncle is definitely in her good books after that gift.”
A smile broke the corner of his mouth. “Maybe I should give you a sapphire so I can get in yours.”
Heat filled her cheeks. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.”
“You had every right to turn me down, but I still have a problem because I would like to get to know you better. Are you dating someone?”
She could lie about it, but she didn’t want to because he was a good man who deserved the truth. “Not right now.”
“So it was my bad manners that ruined my chances.”
If he only knew the truth...
“Since my nanny is willing to do some babysitting at night if I want to go out, I’m going to try this once more. Will you have dinner with me next Tuesday? If the answer is no, then I’ll never bother you again.”
The finality of that remark drove her to a quick response. She had to take that chance, even though it scared the living daylights out of her. “Sure,” she said. “I’ll have dinner with you next Tuesday.”
A look of satisfaction entered his eyes. “Good. I’ll pick you up at your uncle’s house. I thought we’d go to Chez Maurice, the new French restaurant. Shall we say seven o’clock?”
“That will give me time to leave work and get ready.” Brianna hadn’t been to that restaurant yet, but she’d heard it was pretty fancy. On that note, she reached for her purse and got up from the table. When he made a motion to stand, she said, “Please, Eli, stay where you are so it won’t upset your daughter. I’m just going to slip away. Enjoy your dinner and I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
Before Libby realized what was happening, Brianna hurried over to the counter to pay her bill and left the restaurant for home. She felt shaky—and more excited than the situation warranted. Libby had provided a buffer tonight, but the next time she saw him, he’d be without her. The thought made her nervous.
Don’t forget, Brianna. Just because he’s removed his wedding ring doesn’t mean his heart has stopped longing for the woman he married.
* * *
A HUGE WINTER storm front moved in Monday night. On Tuesday Eli and Wymon spent the day with the stockmen, rounding up strays and making certain the cattle had enough food. They talked about the lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management that their father had taken out while he was still alive because they’d been charged taxes for the acid mine drainage coming out of their mine.
They had little time left to clean up before a larger tax would be levied against them. A good chunk of their ranch money was tied up because of it, something that worried the whole family. Eli didn’t get back to the house until ten after six and had to rush to get ready for his evening with Brianna.
Libby didn’t like being denied the usual time he spent with her. He didn’t like it either and could hear her fussing as he walked out the door. But Sarah would cheer her up. She had a great way of handling his daughter. He left the house, knowing Libby was in good hands, and headed for the Frost home.
It was hard to believe he was going on his first date with a woman in years. He’d thought he’d put all that behind him when he’d married Tessa. Some of the divorced guys he knew said that dating again was just like riding a bike. Once you got on, it all came back to you. The hell it did. He was nervous, an emotion he’d never experienced around women in his life.
When he pulled into the shoveled driveway, Clark Frost was just putting his snowblower away in the garage. The two men greeted each other before Eli went to the front door and rang the bell. A German shorthair squeezed into the opening first.
Brianna looked like a vision in a belted, camel-hair wool coat that ended above the knee. In the hall light her collar-length blond hair took on an ethereal quality. The creamy pink lipstick drew his attention to round, full lips.
“You made it here.” She sounded slightly breathless.
“I haven’t yet met a storm I couldn’t handle.”
She laughed. “Good night, Taffy,” she said, patting the dog’s head. “See you later.” The shorthair’s low moan sounded as she closed the door.
Eli cupped her elbow and walked her to his truck. The small, gold side buckles on her black high-heeled ankle boots completed her classy outfit. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. A flowery fragrance wafted past him as he helped her into the cab, nearly undoing him.
Most of the streets had been plowed. They drove across town to Chez Maurice and discussed what their day had been like. She cast him a sideward glance. “How did Libby handle you leaving her?”
“She made sounds like your dog.”
“It’s no fun being left behind.”
“You should have heard her after you walked out of the restaurant Saturday night. I’m convinced people thought I was a child beater. Any thought of a fun evening with my daughter went up in flames.”
“I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”
“Maybe a little, but clearly she didn’t want you to leave. Luckily, the nanny’s working out well, so my mother can lead her own life again.”
“Tell me about your nanny.”
“Sarah Giles is married,” he started by saying. He filled her in on the woman’s background. “She’s good with Libby. When her husband gets back from his deployment I’ll have to find another nanny, but for now I’m really happy.”
“If Libby likes her, that’s all that really matters.”
He pulled into the plowed parking lot and walked her inside. The maître d’ led them to a candlelit table for two by the fireplace. After the freezing cold outside, he felt Brianna breathe in its warmth with pleasure.
The simple act of removing her coat caught him off guard. He wanted to pull her against him and knew he was already in trouble. There was nothing like firelight. The glow outlined her feminine figure dressed in a simple knee-length black dress with cap sleeves.
They sat across from each other. “I took the liberty of ordering our dinner ahead of time.” He poured the white wine brought to their table and lifted his glass. “To you, Brianna. I haven’t been on a date with another woman in almost three years.”
She took a sip. “How did you meet your wife? I hope you don’t mind my asking.”
“Not at all. We met at college in Missoula.”
“Was it love at first sight?”
“No. We grew on each other after studying together. Pretty soon we were spending so much time together that we decided to get married. Her breakdown after the baby made me realize we don’t always know everything about each other, even if we think we do.”
“I’m sorry, Eli.”
“It’s life.” He took a swallow. “Now it’s your turn to reveal the unadorned truth about yourself.”
Her features sobered. “Unadorned, huh? Hmm. Well, I was proposed to twice, but I didn’t get married because I never met the right man for me.” She finished her wine and put the glass down.
“H
ow old are you?”
“I’ll be twenty-four on February 14.”
“A Valentine baby.” Amazing.
“It’s the best birthday on earth. Everyone remembers it and I’m given so much chocolate I have to go on a diet for a month.”
He loved it. “I’ve never known anyone born on that day before.”
“I know of three: Jimmy Hoffa, Jack Benny and Carl Bernstein.”
He chuckled. Her personality was growing on him like mad.
“How old are you, Eli?”
“I’ll be twenty-seven on the Fourth of July.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope! Same birthday as Calvin Coolidge.”
A smile lit up her lovely face. “That has to be the birthday of all birthdays.”
He grinned. “It probably comes close to yours.”
Brianna laughed gently before the waiter brought their chateaubriand to the table. Once he had left, they were alone once more and began to eat. “This is delicious, Eli. To get good French food back home, we used to drive to the Napa Valley, but it was a hundred miles away.”
“Who is ‘we’?”
“My parents and brother. Now that my parents are gone, he and his wife live in our family home and run the fruit farm.”
He studied her features. “I’m sure you miss them.”
She nodded. “But they’re newlyweds and deserve some time to themselves.”
The answer to his next question was of vital importance to him. “How long are you going to stay with your aunt and uncle?”
“I’m not sure. I graduated from college with a business degree right before my parents were killed. My aunt and uncle saved my life by asking me to come and live with them for a while. One of these days I’ll get my act together and do something with my degree. But to tell you the truth, I like my job at the saddlery. Uncle Clark is so much like my dad that it helps lessen the pain just being around him.”
“I can relate. My brothers are made up of parts of my father. Family means everything.” While they talked about their families, the waiter brought them their dessert.
As soon as she saw the chocolate mousse, she flashed him a wide, natural smile that lit up his universe. “How did you know I love chocolate?”
“The truth is I guessed. Who doesn’t love chocolate?”
Between the wine and the warmth of the fire, he felt pleasantly relaxed for the first time in ages. He could tell she’d been affected, too. Her eyelids fluttered and there was a pretty flush on her cheeks. If they were alone at his house, he wouldn’t let her leave. How unfortunate that all good things had to come to an end and he would have to take her home soon.
“Eli Clayton—it is you!” declared a male voice from the past, snapping him out of his endorphin-induced haze.
Chapter Four
Eli turned his head. “Don—” He got to his feet. “How are you?” They shook hands. “It’s been a long time.”
“You can say that again.”
“Haven’t you been working in Missoula all this time?”
“That’s over since I’ve just been promoted to bank manager here.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks. You’re still ranching, I presume?”
“Always,” Eli muttered. He was acutely aware of the way Don kept staring at Brianna. His old nemesis was still single and it showed.
“I heard Tessa divorced you and went back to Thompson Falls.” Don never did understand boundaries or show sensitivity. “I take it the baby is with her?”
“No. Libby lives with me.”
Don rocked on his heels. “I didn’t realize. Who’s this heavenly creature?” he asked, speaking directly to Brianna.
“A friend.”
“You’re not on the rodeo circuit anymore, yet you still manage to find the hotties, eh?”
Eli bristled.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“Sure.” He darted a glance at her. “Brianna Frost, meet Don Shapiro. He’s the new manager of the Bitterroot-Sapphire Bank Branch here in Stevensville.”
She nodded. “How do you do?”
“It’s my pleasure. Frost? That name is familiar, but you’re not from Stevensville or I would have remembered you. I was born here and went all through school with the Clayton boys.”
“I see. I’m from Marysville, California. I’m just living with my aunt and uncle for a while.”
“Now I remember. Clark Frost. He does business at the bank and owns the saddlery. Is he your uncle?”
“Yes. I work at the saddlery.”
“Well, what do you know. I’ll have to drop by.”
Eli had taken all he could and put some bills on the table. “If you’ll excuse us, Don, we were on the verge of leaving. Ready, Brianna?” He walked around and held her coat whether she wanted to leave or not. She stood up so he could help her put it on.
“I was going to ask you to join me and my friends at our table.”
“Another time maybe. Thanks anyway. I imagine I’ll see you again.” But not if I can help it.
They said good-bye and he ushered Brianna out of the restaurant into the frigid night air. After the contentment he’d felt being with her, the unwelcome intrusion had turned their dinner into something else, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. In the foulest of moods, he drove them back to her family’s home.
“I take it he wasn’t a close friend.”
His hand tightened on the steering wheel. “What an irony. Tonight I wanted to explain the reasons why I was so rude when we first met. Now I find myself needing to apologize again. I’m afraid I’m not fit company, Brianna. Your instincts were right the first time.” He pulled into the driveway but kept the engine running so they’d stay warm.
“If it will make you feel any better, he reminded me of Antonio Perez, the salesman who comes around the saddlery every once in a while and annoys the heck out of me. I was glad we left when we did. Somehow I can’t see him as the manager of a bank. The poor tellers. Was the transfer a demotion, do you think?”
Eli threw his head back and laughed. “He’d be crushed to hear you say that. The dude couldn’t take his eyes off you, but I suspect that happens to you on a regular basis.”
“Of course it doesn’t. If I may be so bold, what is the history between you two?”
“He comes from a prominent local ranching family, but he couldn’t cut it on the rodeo circuit.”
“Ah—” she exclaimed. “According to Uncle Clark, the Clayton boys are rodeo legends in Montana. He told me you were a champion bull rider like your dad.”
“I was average. Toly’s the best bull rider of all of us.”
“Well, if Mr. Shapiro wanted to compete and couldn’t make the grade, then that had to be tough on him. But mentioning your wife and daughter in front of me was rude. I thought you handled the situation well. If I’d been you, I would probably have knocked his block off.”
The woman sitting next to him had a way about her that calmed the beast in him. “Thanks for your understanding.”
“Thank you for a lovely evening and delicious dinner. What I’m waiting for is the explanation you promised me about your feelings the first time we met.”
Eli sucked in his breath. “You mean now? In the truck?”
“Why not. It’s cozy and warm in here and no one will bother us.”
He grinned. “I wouldn’t count on that. If your uncle thinks I’ve been here long enough, I wager he’ll make his presence known.”
Her chuckle made its way inside him. “I can take care of him,” she said, and he had no doubt of it. “Seriously, Eli, what happened? I didn’t know Libby belonged to you when you first walked in, and I couldn’t understand why you were upset simply because I was
holding her for your mother.”
“The night I entered the gem shop and saw Libby so happy in another woman’s arms, it killed me that it wasn’t Tessa holding her.”
“Oh. That would have been painful.”
“It was. At first I was in denial about the seriousness of Tessa’s postpartum depression. We’d been so excited about the baby coming and had outfitted the nursery, but a week after the delivery she turned into a completely different person. Those dark days ran into a month. She lost interest in the baby, in me. That never changed.”
“Oh, Eli. I’m so sorry.”
“I was sorry, too, but mostly for our daughter, who wasn’t able to bond with her mother. The psychiatrist said her depression was severe and she might never want to be with the baby. I was horrified. It was up to me, Mom and Solana to take care of Libby.
“Soon after, Tessa told me she wanted to go home to her parents. I had no choice but to drive her to Thompson Falls. Two weeks later I got a phone call from her asking for a divorce. I fought it in my heart.”
“Of course,” Brianna whispered. “I can’t even imagine.”
“I wanted us to be a family. Libby needed her, but all the wanting in the world didn’t change anything. Her parents urged me to agree to it. They hoped it might help her to calm down. The psychiatrist thought it was for the best, too.
“So I signed the papers. She gave up all parental rights to Libby.”
“Eli? Does it mean that if she got better and wanted to be a mother, she couldn’t?”
“Legally, yes, but it’s just a piece of paper. I’d give anything if she wanted to see Libby, and I would do anything to make it happen. Every child deserves his or her own mother.”
“Who could blame you for wanting that?” A troubled sigh escaped her lips.
“I was a mental wreck that night at the gem shop. I’d stopped at the ranch house earlier. Solana told me my brother had brought a woman with him from Missoula and they’d gone up to the gem shop. There you were with Roce. My mind jumped to the wrong conclusion that you were his girlfriend.”
A Valentine for the Cowboy Page 5
