“She’s thrilled. Now that she feels better it’s difficult to rest all day.”
“She looks good.” David glanced at Melody. “She’ll make a hundred percent recovery, right?”
“According to the doctor,” Melody answered.
David nodded. “I have to tell you how sorry—”
“Grant spoke to you,” Melody interrupted.
“He did.”
“Then no apologies. There’s only one person responsible for Elaina’s injury, and it isn’t you.”
“Or Erin,” David added automatically.
“Of course not,” Melody agreed with a sigh. “Although I can’t get her to believe that.”
“You have to convince her to reopen the Kidzone program.”
“What are you talking about?” Melody turned fully to face him, shock and concern warring in her tone.
“She isn’t running the program. You didn’t know?”
Melody shook her head. “I’ve been kind of preoccupied.”
“I thought it was temporary, but the way she sounded today...”
“We can’t let her do that.”
Lane shouted for his mommy to watch him kick, and Melody called out a few words of encouragement. When the boys were occupied again, her gaze swung back to David. “Crimson needs that program. Erin needs that program.”
David rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. “I said some things Friday night,” he admitted.
“I’m guessing they were stupid things?” Melody crossed her arms over her chest.
“Really stupid,” he agreed.
“Fix it,” she told him.
“I can’t. Erin ended—”
“Do you love her?”
“I don’t... I mean...she deserves more than—”
“Simple question. Do you love her?”
David felt himself shift uncomfortably under Melody’s steely gaze. The woman barely reached his chest, but she was a force to be reckoned with nonetheless.
“I love her,” he whispered.
“Then fix it,” she repeated.
He opened his mouth to argue, then shut it again. He was used to working hard but had never had to put himself on the line emotionally. Hard work and commitment, he was quickly discovering, were two different things.
Yes, he loved Erin. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, like winning the relationship lottery—unexpected and wholly life-changing. But what if he tried to make things right and she still said no?
What if he wasn’t enough?
He started to shake his head, but Rhett looked over at that moment, flashing a wide grin as he dribbled the ball toward Elaina. Joy radiated from the boy with such intensity it stole David’s breath. A month ago he would have never guessed Rhett could look that happy. David might not have known what he was doing when he stepped in to care for his nephew, but that hadn’t stopped him from trying.
And he sure as hell had no idea how to be a man worthy of Erin’s love, but he knew for certain he couldn’t win her back if he didn’t try.
He glanced down at Melody, already feeling a strange sense of accomplishment, and grinned when she gave him an approving nod.
“I have an idea,” he told her. “But I’m going to need a lot of help to pull it off.”
“You’ve got it,” she answered immediately. “Anything for Erin.”
David took a deep breath, resolve filling him. Anything to win back Erin.
* * *
“Any place but Elevation.” Erin refused to budge from where she stood on the sidewalk as Melody and Suzie tried to tug her forward.
“I’m craving artichoke dip,” Melody insisted. “You can’t deny me after what I’ve been through.”
“Seriously?” Erin glared at her best friend. “You’re using Elaina’s injury as a ploy to force me to see David? That’s shameless.”
It was Friday night, exactly two weeks after the confrontation with Joel Martin, and her girlfriends had wrangled Erin into agreeing to a happy hour downtown. The truth was she needed a night out and away from her lonely apartment.
Even the promise of a BBC movie marathon had done little to lift her spirits. All she could think of was the nights she’d spent with David and how much comfier her bed was with his arms wrapped around her.
She hadn’t seen him since the afternoon at Melody’s house, although Rhett and a few of the other kids continued to ask when Kidzone was going to open again. Even Erin’s principal had gently suggested she continue the program, but Erin couldn’t bring herself to take that chance again.
How could she expect parents to trust their kids with her when she didn’t trust herself?
“I’m not forcing you to talk to him,” Melody argued.
“Even though,” Suzie added, “you’re clearly miserable without him.”
“I’m not miserable.” Erin bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from saying more. She was beyond miserable, brokenhearted in a way she hadn’t known existed. How had she ever believed falling in love was worth this kind of pain?
“Artichoke dip will make you feel better,” Melody said, wrapping an arm around Erin’s waist.
Erin gave a small laugh. There was no sense arguing, and she couldn’t avoid David forever. Crimson was too small a town for that kind of blessing. “Fine. He might not even be here. His sister is home now. They’re probably out as a family.”
“Probably,” Melody said, her voice uncharacteristically high-pitched.
“What’s the matter?” Erin asked. “You sound strange.”
“I’m hungry,” Melody said. “For—”
“Artichoke dip,” Erin said, then stopped outside the brewery’s front door. “Are you pregnant again? I’ve never seen you with such a strong craving.”
“Just go in already,” Suzie muttered.
“Fine,” Erin agreed, throwing open the heavy walnut door and striding through. “Are you both happy now?”
“Yes,” Melody whispered over her shoulder. “And I hope you will be, too.”
Erin didn’t have a chance to ask what her friend meant because a loud chorus of cheers rang out from the crowd filling the bar.
She glanced around and saw people she knew from every facet of her life. Teachers, parents and kids from the elementary school; Karen Henderson, the school’s principal; as well as Sara and Josh Travers and their group of friends. There were people she’d gone to high school with and even her mother waved to her from a seat at one of the high-top tables in front of the bar.
“What is this?” She automatically took a step back, but Melody pushed her forward.
“You finally taking center stage,” her friend whispered as David came out from behind the bar.
“It’s a fund-raiser,” he said, moving closer. “For you and Crimson Kidzone.”
“But the program isn’t—”
“Going to start up again until next week,” he said loudly. “That’s what I told Ms. Clayton from the foundation.”
He gestured over his shoulder to where Mari Clayton from the Aspen Foundation stood at the edge of the crowd. The woman gave Erin the thumbs-up and Erin waved in return before her gaze slammed into David’s once more.
“This town needs Kidzone,” David continued, taking another step toward her, “and the program needs you, darlin’. Everyone in Crimson agrees.” He lifted his hands. “Don’t we, everyone?”
There was another round of applause and shouts of su
pport. Erin’s heart thudded and she pressed her fingers to her wet cheeks as a hush fell over the room. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.
“Say you won’t give up.” David reached out and covered her hands with his, wiping away her tears with the pads of his thumbs. “On yourself or on me.”
A woman’s voice cut through the quiet. “Even though he sometimes acts like an idiot.”
“Thanks, Mom,” David muttered, lacing his fingers with Erin’s.
Erin tried not to laugh as she met Angela’s brilliant blue gaze across the bar. The older woman stood next to her daughter, who was holding tight to Rhett’s hand and looking somewhat uncomfortable as people turned to stare at their small group.
“Mommy’s back,” Rhett shouted to Erin.
Erin saw color flood Jenna’s cheeks, but the woman stepped forward. “I’m very grateful to you and your program,” she said, clearing her throat when her voice cracked. “I’m grateful for the support you gave Rhett while I was getting help. This community needs more people like you.”
There was another round of applause, and Erin felt her face grow hot. “Everyone is staring at me,” she said quietly.
“Because you’re amazing,” David said. “This town needs you.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “But not as much as I need you.”
She sucked in a breath at his words. “David.”
“Don’t say no yet.” He squeezed her fingers. “I know I’ve said stupid things and done stupid things, but please give me another chance. I love you, Erin. I love who you are—your heart and your beauty. I love that you make me want to try harder than I ever have. You make me believe that I can be the type of man you deserve. Let me prove it to you.”
She swallowed against the sob that rose in her throat. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, David. I love you just the way you are.”
“I’m not perfect,” he told her.
“You’re perfect for me,” she countered.
“I know you want a hero.”
She lifted up on tiptoe and kissed the corner of his lips. “I want you,” she whispered, then laughed as he enveloped her in a hug so tight she knew he’d never let her go.
There were more cheers but Erin barely heard them over the wild beating of her own heart. David kissed her deeply.
“Forever,” he said when he finally pulled back to look at her. His blue eyes shone with so much love. The intensity of it made her breath catch.
“Forever,” she agreed, knowing this moment was just the start to the grandest adventure she could ever imagine.
* * * * *
Love this book? Look for Caden’s story, available December 2017 from Harlequin Special Edition!
And catch up with all the residents of Crimson in previous books in the CRIMSON, COLORADO miniseries:
CHRISTMAS ON CRIMSON MOUNTAIN
ALWAYS THE BEST MAN
A BABY AND A BETROTHAL
A VERY CRIMSON CHRISTMAS
Keep reading for an excerpt from A BRIDE FOR THE MOUNTAIN MAN by Tracy Madison.
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A Bride for the Mountain Man
by Tracy Madison
Chapter One
There were many ways a person could die. Before this moment, Meredith Jensen had never given much thought to how her life might come to an end.
Why would she? She had youth, good health and a rather safe existence on her side.
Other than her penchant for over-easy eggs paired with buttered toast every Sunday morning, she didn’t participate in dangerous activities. Her weekends weren’t spent skydiving or bungee jumping, she drove a Volvo S60 and not a sports car and most nights, she was tucked securely into bed with a book no later than ten. As far as her career went, until two weeks ago, she’d worked as a stager for a high-end, prestigious construction and realty company in the San Francisco Bay area. Dressing up the interiors of spectacular houses, apartments and condos to make them more desirable for prospective buyers held very little risk.
And oh, how she’d loved her job.
The creativity involved, the process of designing each room around the architecture and the lighting and the scavenger hunt in locating the perfect accompaniments to bring her vision to reality. She supposed something unfortunate could have occurred if she’d been on a jobsite at the wrong moment, but truly, the vast majority of her time was either spent in her office or canvassing the city in search of the right furniture, artwork, rugs and anything else she had deemed necessary.
If Meredith had spent any amount of time considering her demise, a whopper of an earthquake would’ve topped the list, due to where she lived. Everyday tragedies, such as car accidents, house fires and random acts of violence would have been noted, as well. To be complete, she would’ve included illness as an additional possibility.
But getting lost in the mountains of Colorado while the heavens unleashed a torrential, icy downpour outside her rental car? In the middle of October, no less? Nope. The predicament she currently found herself in wouldn’t have landed a spot on her personal scenarios-of-death list. This trip was meant to be an opportunity to catch up with an old friend, relax, indulge in some skiing and most important...make peace with her past and reassess her future.
If everything had gone according to plan, she would have arrived at her friend Rachel Foster’s house over an hour ago and would certainly be enjoying a glass of wine this very second. Naturally, Rachel had offered to pick her up from the airport, but Meredith wanted to have a car at her disposal. She had GPS, Rachel’s address and her phone number. That and the Honda Accord she rented was all she needed.
Except the weather had turned on a dime shortly after she’d left the airport, going from cold to freezing temperatures and drizzling rain to an icy mess, as if Mother Nature had flipped the “storm switch” out of boredom or anger.
She shouldn’t be surprised, really. While the vast majority of Meredith’s life had gone precisely according to plan, recently fate seemed determined to push her off course onto one bumpy, twisty road after another.
A small, semihysterical laugh, born from desperation and fear, escaped
her. No, maybe she hadn’t sensed disaster looming when she’d boarded her plane in San Francisco earlier that afternoon, but all things being considered, she should have.
Squinting her eyes in an attempt to focus on the narrow mountain road, Meredith looked for a clearing to turn the car around. Obviously, she’d gone left when she should’ve gone right or vice versa. Not that she had any idea of exactly where she’d erred. Because of her location, the weather or a combination of both, her phone had lost its signal thirty-plus minutes ago.
No GPS. No way to search for directions from her current location. No way to call or text Rachel or to reach out for help. She was on her own.
And didn’t that feel like some type of a sick joke?
To make matters worse, as late afternoon crawled its way toward dusk, snowflakes had joined the wintry mix and now whipped through the air, their numbers seemingly multiplying by the minute. They fell hard and fast, covering the ground in a growing sheath of white. She was, as her much loved and dearly departed grandmother used to say, in quite the pretty pickle.
Meredith drew her bottom lip into her mouth and tried to hold back the panic rippling through her blood. Barely able to see through the windshield, driving as slow as she could manage in deference to the slick, icy road, she said a silent prayer for her safety. Then, right on the heels of that, she gave herself a swift, mental kick in the butt.
“Be smart,” she said. “Stop feeling and start thinking. There will be plenty of time to fall apart later.”
Right. Assuming she lived, she could give in to hysterics as much as she wanted once she got out of this mess. And the first step had to be reversing her direction, so she could attempt to find one of the houses she’d driven past and hope for a kind Samaritan who would be willing to take her in until the weather cleared. Locating Rachel’s house at this point was akin to finding a solitary needle in a hundred—no, make that a thousand—haystacks.
Leaning forward in her seat and completely removing her foot from the gas pedal, Meredith peered through the windshield. The sky was darkening quickly, the sun’s already dimming glow further diminished by clouds and snow, rain and ice.
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