Closer to You (A Haven, Montana Novel)

by Jill Sanders

  She flipped on the television and listened to the local news talk about the weather, the local sports team, and the protesters.

  She watched the pretty brunette named Addy talk to the older news anchor about the horrors of oil drilling, pipelines, and fracking.

  Some of the information she knew, some of it she didn’t. From the business files, she knew the McGowans’ reputation and stats. Tyler was correct, when his father first started the business, there had been an accident, but after that first loss of life, in the many years of being in business, there had only been small incidents. Which, according to the news reports, were very rare.

  So, what made McGowan Enterprises so different? Was it the process Tyler’s father had perfected? Or was it the work ethics that Tyler had hinted at the first day she’d met him?

  Whatever the reason, she was determined to get to the bottom of what made McGowan Enterprises so special that one of the best companies would devote so much time and energy to obtaining it.

  The following morning, she woke with a headache and decided to walk to the grocery store to clear her mind and restock her paltry hotel pantry. She wanted to avoid the diner, so she scanned the frozen section and tossed several meals into her cart.

  She was turning the corner near the back when her cart bumped solidly into another cart. She was about to apologize when she looked up and met Darla’s glare.

  “You’re in my way, city girl,” Darla sneered.

  When Kristen tried to move aside, Darla pushed her cart to block the way, causing another bone-rattling crash. The woman’s smile doubled as she rammed her cart once more.

  “What’s your problem?” Kristen sighed, knowing some bullies were more persistent than others.

  “You are,” Darla said in a firm voice. “You waltz into town like you own it in your fancy clothes.” The woman’s eyes ran up and down the cream-colored stretch pants, cream laced flats, and silver silk blouse Kristen was currently wearing. Darla eyed the black studded Valentino purse sitting in her cart. “And with your fancy things, you think you can just wink your eyes and have our men running to you.” Darla walked around the carts and got close enough that Kristen could smell alcohol on her breath. “You need to leave them alone.”

  “Your men?” Kristen asked, tilting her head.

  “Tyler McGowan,” Darla hissed. “He’s mine.”

  “Does he know this?” Kristen held in a chuckle. Just then, a young family turned the corner and started down the aisle toward them. A little girl came skipping halfway down and started begging her mom to get her a box of cereal.

  Darla leaned so far into her space that Kristen held her breath to keep from inhaling the smell of cigarettes and tequila. “Like I said, stay out of my way or you’ll regret it.”

  With this last threat, Darla turned and pushed her cart toward the front of the store.

  Kristen shook the entire ordeal off and tried to finish her shopping. She was grabbing a container of orange juice when she noticed Trent walking toward her.

  “Doing some shopping?” he asked.

  “Yes, and it looks like you should have grabbed a cart.” She nodded to the small basket he held, overflowing with items.

  “Yeah, that’s usually what happens. I come in for a few things, then I realize I need more than a few.” He chuckled. “What are you up to this morning?”

  “I’ve been doing some of my work at the hotel.” She shrugged and put the carton of juice in her cart. Before he could ask any questions she wasn’t in the mood to answer, a man’s raised voice caught their attention.

  They glanced up in time to see Brian grab a woman’s arm. Instantly, Kristen recognized Addy, one of the organizers of the protest.

  Before she could move, Trent marched toward the couple.

  “Is there a problem?” Trent asked loudly.

  Kristen watched as Brian took a slight step back and glanced around. His eyes zoned in on her, and then back to Trent.

  “No problem, just trying to do some shopping,” Brian said, still holding Addy’s arm.

  Addy jerked her arm free. “I’ll discuss this with Beau. Good-bye, Brian.”

  Brian’s eyes narrowed, but then he spun around and marched out of the store without buying anything.

  When Addy started to turn away, Trent stepped closer.

  “Addy?” Trent asked.

  “Yes, hi, Trent.” Addy sighed and smiled at him. “I ran into Tyler the other day.”

  “He told me,” Trent said, then suddenly looked uncomfortable. The silence stretched between them. Kristen stood back and watched, mesmerized by the display of attraction between them. She wondered if they knew about it.

  “I hope Brian wasn’t bugging you,” Trent finally said.

  “No, I’ve known how to handle him since grade school,” she joked.

  Kristen watched as Trent struggled with what to say next. Walking forward, she cleared her throat. Trent jerked, then turned toward her.

  “Oh, have you two met? Kristen, this is Adrianna Collins.”

  “Addy,” the woman smiled at her and held out her hand. “We met when you came out to the park with Tyler.”

  “Yes, I remember. How is everyone holding up out there?”

  Addy’s smile doubled. “Just fine. Some of us will be moving on in a few weeks. We have a base camp set up in North Dakota, but a bunch of us came down here to . . .” Her eyes moved to Trent. “See what was what and make our voices heard.”

  “Is this what you do full-time?” Kristen didn’t understand how someone could travel and live like the group did.

  “Yes, some of us have full-time jobs or part-time jobs. Others . . .” She glanced down at her hands and Kristen wondered if she was hiding something. “This is our job.”

  “You’re not worried about the weather? It must get awful cold living like that.”

  Addy shook her head. “No, most of us are prepared for all kinds of weather. I’ve got my own travel trailer I’ve been carting around.” The woman’s eyes quickly moved over to Trent, and then back to hers. “It’s quite comfortable.”

  “That’s good. I was worried about everyone during the last snow.”

  “When it gets too bad, those who don’t have access to heat bunk up with those who do,” Addy said.

  “That’s good to know.” Kristen glanced at Trent, who still looked like he wasn’t sure what to say.

  Kristen wanted to ask more questions but knew standing in the dairy aisle wasn’t the best place or time.

  “Well, I’d better get back to my shopping,” Addy added. “It was nice running into you again.”

  “You too,” Kristen replied.

  “Trent.” Addy nodded in Trent’s direction, then pushed her cart away slowly.

  “She’s changed,” Trent said under his breath.

  “Some of us do.” Kristen sighed. “I’d better get going. Before my ice cream melts.” She nodded down to her cart.

  “What are you doing for dinner?” he asked suddenly.

  She knew that whatever he had planned would, no doubt, include his brother and she still wanted to avoid Tyler McGowan for at least another day.

  “I’m set. Thank you, though.” She smiled. “Have a good night.”

  “You too,” he said. She noticed as she walked away that his eyes had traveled back to where Addy was picking out a loaf of bread.

  Kristen carried the bag of groceries back to her hotel room and spent the rest of the day on her computer. As the sun dropped to the horizon, she heated up her frozen mac and cheese dinner. Then enjoyed some of the mint chocolate chip ice cream she’d purchased as she scanned through some old news articles about McGowan Enterprise.

  There were pictures of Tyler’s father and his brother when they were younger. She wondered what had caused Tyler’s uncle to go from the young, eager-faced man in the picture to the drunk bully she’d seen in the trailer. Yes, people did change.

  She came across an article about Tyler’s father, Thurston McGowan II,
and his family donating Christmas presents to the local shelter. Tyler looked around twelve, and just seeing the big smile on his face as he handed a new doll to a little girl melted her heart.

  Looking at the picture of the three brothers, she wondered if everyone had known they’d grow up to be heartbreakers.

  No matter how many days she had left in Montana, she planned on steering clear of Tyler McGowan. It had nothing to do with Darla’s warning. She just didn’t think she could stop the wanting, and he’d made it clear he didn’t want to give in to any distractions. Knowing anything that they might try to build between them would be complicated and temporary. Besides, she’d seen firsthand what long-distance relationships could do. Her mother was proof of it.

  Her father had been a standard military man. He’d been raised in the military and had followed suit. He’d been stationed all over the world, dragging Kristen’s mother and her along. Until the day he’d gotten a temporary position and decided not to pull Kristen out of school or to uproot his family for it. Two months later, the divorce papers came and less than a month later, he’d remarried.

  No, her intentions were to steer clear of Tyler McGowan until the last moment. After all, she didn’t think she’d recover from being with him.

  So she’d focus on work and stay in her hotel room working on a few projects and more research she needed to tend to. But her main focus was still trying to figure out more about why JB was so interested in McGowan Enterprises.

  Looking at the McGowan books, she could see the initial drop shortly after the family patriarch passed away. But within the first few months of the brothers taking over, things had skyrocketed to the point that Tyler had purchased one smaller local oil field service business, and another had closed.

  She’d done a little digging on the closer and found out that the company had been in bad standing for a while before Tyler’s father had passed away. Still, it was likely the McGowan success that finally tipped the scales and sent the lesser company into bankruptcy.

  She had successfully hidden away until she was due to leave the following afternoon and was running through what she’d say to Tyler tomorrow when her cell phone buzzed.

  Seeing Mr. Burnett’s office number, she sighed and answered.

  “Kristen, give me an update.” He had always been short and to the point when he had bad news. Instantly, her guard went up.

  “Nothing has changed since the last time we spoke.” She waited.

  “What else have you found out about the family that we could use as leverage?”

  “Nothing else yet.” She sighed and leaned back. “I’m looking at a few other angles.”

  It was quiet for almost a minute. “I’m extending your stay in Montana.”

  “Extending?” She rolled her eyes. “Why?”

  “Because we need you out there as our eyes and ears,” he replied.

  “I don’t understand, sir. If you could just . . .”

  “We’ve already arranged for you to keep the same hotel room. I’ll be in contact when I know more. Just keep digging.” He hung up before she could respond.

  She sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at her cell phone for almost an entire minute.

  She’d been on plenty of assignments before. Some of them, she’d spent months onsite arranging the details. But none of them felt so . . . different. Wrong.

  Her perfectly planned career path now seemed less clear. She’d wanted a higher position. She’d wanted to make partner someday. But she didn’t like compromising her own ethics to get there.

  Especially now, after getting to know Tyler and his family. They seemed so determined not to sell.

  Then it dawned on her. She was staying in Haven. Now the prospect of avoiding Tyler had become impossible.

  There was no doubt in her mind that she was in deep trouble.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Tyler kept himself busy the following days. The police weren’t any closer to finding out who’d broken into the trailer. They had talked to the protesters, with little luck. Apparently, the entire group had attended a viewing of a movie at the local VFW that night. One of those new documentaries on climate change.

  Still, everything had been quiet since, so he was hoping that whoever had broken in had gotten it out of their system. His mind was too consumed with other things.

  The fact that Kristen hadn’t come into the trailer since the day after their near-tryst didn’t escape him. He thought about driving by the hotel and checking on her, several times. She was leaving tomorrow and he wondered if she would stop by and say good-bye. Did he want her to?

  The fact that his brothers kept telling him he was growing more agitated by the hour did little to settle his temper. He wasn’t sure who he was mad at—Kristen or himself.

  After all, she was innocent. Wasn’t she? He highly doubted that it was her intention to seduce him that night. It wasn’t as if she’d shown up at his place dressed in silk.

  How the hell was she to know that her simple yoga pants would be more exciting to him than all those damn sexy clothes and shoes she’d brought along with her? Just thinking about her with her hair dripping wet, falling around her face, fresh from the shower and clear of any makeup, had his body reacting.

  Standing up, he walked over to the bar area and poured himself a shot of brandy. When that didn’t soothe him, he poured another. When his brother Trey walked in, shortly after five, he was well past his fourth drink.

  “So, this is where the party is?” Trey moved over and sat down in a chair and propped his feet on their father’s desk.

  “Go away,” Tyler said, not giving his brother another thought.

  “Are you drinking to celebrate or to forget?” Trey asked.

  “Go away.” He growled it this time.

  “Forget it is.” Trey smiled and leaned back, relaxing. His brother looked like he belonged in the office. Belonged in their father’s chair on the other side of the desk.

  “Why the hell didn’t Dad put you in charge?” Tyler asked, rubbing his forehead.

  “Because he thought you could do a better job at it,” Trey said. His brother glanced back at him. “And he was right.”

  “What do you know?” Tyler moved over and sat behind the desk, swallowing up the last of the drink.

  “A deal more than you, I’d wager.” Trey chuckled.

  “Yeah?” He got up and started walking toward the liquor cabinet, but stopped halfway when he realized he wasn’t too steady on his feet. Instead, he chose to lean against the wall. “Like what?”

  “Well, for starters, I know that our lovely Kristen Howell isn’t leaving tomorrow.”

  That caused Tyler to do a double take, which, in his condition, ended up almost causing him to fall on his ass.

  “How do you know?” he asked, trying to clear his head.

  “Well, I happened to be at the airport when she called in and canceled her flight.”

  “Why . . .” he dropped off.

  “I told you, I’m learning how to fly,” Trey said, sounding annoyed. “I must have told you a dozen times. You said it was a good idea for scouting out the land.”

  “Right,” he agreed, without giving it much thought. Most likely he’d forget again by the next morning. He didn’t care why his brother was at the airport, only why Kristen had canceled her flight.

  “So, my question to you, brother, is why is she staying?”

  “You’re the McGowan who seems to know everything. You tell me,” Tyler shot back.

  “It could be that she found the fresh air in Montana better than the stench of the city.” His brother got up and helped himself to a beer from the minifridge. His father had kept the place stocked for meetings with the workers. Tyler kept it stocked for the same reason. When Trey had downed a sip, he turned to him. “Or it could be she found a reason to stay?”

  Tyler thought about it and sighed. “Can you give me a lift into town?”

  As an answer, his brother just laughed and walk
ed to the door, holding it open wide.

  They rode in silence into town. His brother kept the heater low, no doubt so the cold air would clear his head. It worked. Doubts started surfacing.

  By the time Trey parked in front of the hotel, Tyler’s mind was clear. Too clear.

  “Having second thoughts?” Trey chuckled.

  “Shut up,” he growled as his eyes zoned in on the light coming from inside Kristen’s room. Still, he sat there for a few more seconds.

  “Well?” Trey finally said.

  “I’m thinking.” He sighed. Every scenario flashed through his mind, but none of them had a positive outcome.

  No matter what happened, a time would come when Kristen would leave Haven. She’d go back to the city, working for JB or someone else. Later, she’d find some man in a suit to give her everything she’d dreamed of. A brownstone home bordering the park, or maybe a nice large property in upper New York. Closets full of expensive clothes, a fancy car in the garage. Not to mention children. She’d probably settle for two, a safe number.

  The thought of her being with another man, forever, caused his stomach to roll.

  “If we’re going to sit out here too much longer, people will think we’re parking,” Trey added dryly.

  “Shut up,” Tyler said again as he climbed out of the truck. When the cold night air hit him, he wondered if he’d freeze to death walking home.

  He stood outside Kristen’s door, watching the truck’s taillights disappear.

  Tucking his hands in his coat, he turned to start heading back to his hellhole of a place, only to come up short when he noticed a pair of green eyes staring at him through the windows.

  He was mesmerized by her beauty. Once again, her face was clear of product. Her hair was tied up, away from her face. She was wearing that damn thin tank top again. Her nipples poked out toward him, begging for attention. His attention.

  With his eyes on hers, he moved toward the door slowly.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked when she finally opened the door.

  “I heard you canceled your flight.” He made no move to step inside.