Could've Said Yes

by Tracy March

  Chapter 17

  Time passed in a blur for Ellie. She spent her days at the gallery.

  Painting.

  And painting.

  And getting everything ready for the arts festival.

  And she spent her nights with Collin.

  Her place had become his escape after all the grueling hours he was putting in, fighting to make a difference with the response and recovery project, even as public animosity toward him grew. He showed up every night, still determined, but Ellie could see the defeat in his eyes—until he took her in his arms and lost himself in her. In her bed, he unleashed all his pent-up emotions and channeled them into desire.

  The ups and downs were exhilarating and exhausting, with Ellie preparing for one of the highest moments in her career, and Collin dealing with the lowest.

  On Monday afternoon, a week after the spill, Holly stopped by the gallery as Ellie painted the picture of Collin on his motorcycle, leaning on the handlebars and gazing into the distance.

  “Oooh, I like that one, too,” Holly said, sizing up the picture. “Different mood than the other one. Definitely a hotter vibe.” She grinned. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

  “It’s tough work,” Ellie teased.

  “Think you’ll have everything ready by Friday?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never exhibited before, but I’ve got lists and layout sketches for my booth and an idea for the design.” Ellie was so excited she couldn’t slow down her words. “I’m just going to go with that—and hope.”

  Holly bunched her lips, and nodded. “Hope works.”

  “I’ve got you helping me out part of the time, and Kristi hanging with me the rest.”

  “What about setup?” Holly asked. “I could jump in on that, too. And if you need some muscles, I’m sure Bryce would be happy to come flex his.”

  Collin probably would, too. But he’d be working, just like he had from sunup to sundown every day since the breach. “Aw, that’s sweet. But Bryce has got an entire lodge renovation to worry about. Since Matt’s dry-docked right now, he’s going to help me get the tent up and carry the heavy display stuff. Mom and Dad made us promise to send bunches of pictures—they’re so excited for me.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got everything worked out.” Holly raised her eyebrows, excitement sparking in her eyes. “So—maybe you should take a little break from painting tomorrow night, grab Collin, and come to the Zac Brown Band concert at the I Bar Ranch with Bryce and me.”

  “Ohh,” Ellie said, grinning. “I love the Zac Brown Band—and the I Bar.” Her grin flattened. “But I don’t think I could get Collin to go. Not with the anger people have toward him right now—and the nasty things they’re saying.”

  Holly picked a piece of lint off her caramel-colored leggings and shook her head. “Those are coming from a few ignorant loudmouths. Most people aren’t angry at Collin, they’re upset about the whole situation. There’s been controversy over the cleanup of all those inactive mines for years. Collin’s just in a bad spot in the middle of it right now.”

  Ellie liked Holly’s way of looking at things and could only hope that it was true. “It was just an awful accident.”

  “Exactly. And both of you need to get away from dealing with it. Come out with us and forget about it for a while.”

  A night out sounded awesome to Ellie, especially if she could convince Collin to go. “You’re right.” Ellie set her paintbrush in the tray of the easel, already looking forward to going and hoping Collin would say yes. “I’ll ask him tonight.”

  Kristi came in at six, and Ellie left the gallery to run some errands before Collin arrived at her place. She got so caught up in shopping and chatting that it was nearly dark before she headed up toward Narrowleaf Pass. About a mile before the turnoff, a low rumble caught her attention. She glanced in the rearview mirror.

  Collin.

  Ellie couldn’t wait to see him—like always. But it tugged at her heart to watch him keep all of his emotions inside, and fight to be upbeat with her. Maybe a night out with other people would do them both good.

  He pulled in behind her, parked the bike, took off his helmet, and swaggered over to open her door. “Painting late?”

  She shook her head. “There’s only so much staring at a hot man a girl can stand,” she teased. She popped the hatch, got out, and gave him a quick kiss, his eight-day scruff prickly at the edges of her lips. Pulling back, she caught the sexy scent of his leather jacket and a tinge of his cologne. “Kristi’s at the gallery. I’ve been running errands.”

  “So Kristi’s painting tonight?” He grinned.

  Ellie was glad to see his mood lightening a little every day. “Now, that’s an idea.” She walked around the back of her SUV and grabbed two bags from inside.

  “Want me to get those for you?” Collin closed the hatch.

  “Thanks, but I’m good.” She gave him an I’ve-got-a-secret grin and headed up the cobblestone walk, with him close behind.

  “What do you have there?”

  She lifted one bag. “Takeout in this one. Orange beef from Ryce—my favorite.” She held up the other bag, larger than the first one, but still lightweight. “And this is a surprise for you.”

  He opened the door for her, his brow furrowed. “A surprise?”

  They went inside, and Ellie set the bags on the counter that separated the kitchen from the living area. She turned to face him. “Do you want it now, or after we eat?”

  Collin took off his jacket and drew her into his arms. “Both.”

  She grinned. “I like the way you think, but it’s just one surprise—kind of. You can make it two if you want.”

  “Now you’ve really got me curious.”

  Ellie dropped a quick kiss on his lips, wriggled out of his arms, and pulled a medium-sized, rectangular box out of the larger bag on the counter. “Let’s sit.” Carrying the box, she walked over to the couch and sank onto the cushions.

  Collin sat beside her, looking more relaxed than he had in a week. There was still tightness around his eyes, and dark circles under them, but it looked like his determination might be overcoming the defeat.

  She passed him the box and he weighed it in his hands. “Open it.”

  Collin set the box on his lap, lifted the lid, and moved it aside. He pushed the tissue paper away, took a long look, and gave her a crooked smile. “You got me a cowboy hat?” he asked, with that southern drawl that slayed her, even though she knew to expect it.

  Ellie gazed into the box at the light brown hat—stylish, yet unpretentious, just like Collin. “I thought it might suit you.”

  He took it out of the box, looked it over inside and out, and put it on.

  Ellie’s heart did a somersault. She’d thought he looked hot in his helmet. In his hiking hat. In a baseball cap. But seeing him wearing the cowboy hat set off some serious fireworks inside her. “Whoa.” She flattened her hand over her chest. “That. Is. Smokin’.”

  “Think so?”

  “Go check it out.” Ellie stood with him and followed him to the bathroom, where he stepped in front of the mirror, narrowed his eyes, and nodded slowly. “Smokin’, right?” she asked.

  “I’m gonna take your word for it.” He smoothed his fingers along the neckline of her top, hooked them in the V, and pulled her close. “Thank you for the hat, ma’am,” he said, really turning on the drawl, and gave her a long, gentle kiss.

  Ellie liked the way this was going so far. “My pleasure.”

  “We’ll see to that after dinner.” He winked.

  “Hmm. I never like to hurry through a meal of orange beef, but tonight might be an exception. Speaking of…” She led him into the kitchen and took their food out of the bag. “You said you like Asian food, right?”

  “I like whatever you’re offering.”

  “What if I was offering for you to wear that hat to the Zac Brown Band concert at the I Bar Ranch tomorrow night?” she asked.

  Collin hesitate
d a beat too long, and her heart sank. “A concert at a ranch?”

  “It’s a really cool setup for a show—a converted open-sided hay barn, with picnic tables and a concert stage and plenty of room for dancing. Outside they have a big bonfire with hay bales stacked around it so you can hang out there, or even play corn hole, if you want. It’d be fun. We could eat dinner, drink some beer, listen to music. Holly stopped by the gallery today and asked if we wanted to go with her and Bryce.”

  He pressed his lips together, and a crease formed between his eyebrows.

  Ellie thought the hat might’ve nudged him to say yes, but she felt a no coming, for sure. “I could use a break.”

  He thrummed his fingers on the countertop and absently ran his tongue across his bottom lip, the hat making that move twice as sexy. After the silence stretched out for way too long, he said, “Then we should go.” He met her gaze with a glimmer in his eyes. “Because I can play a mean game of corn hole.”

  Chapter 18

  Collin blinked his eyes against the dawn light seeping through the curtains. A smile tugged at his lips as he realized he was in Ellie’s bed, with her in his arms—nothing but her little silky blue nightgown between them. She breathed evenly, seemingly asleep. He inhaled the fresh scent of her hair, thinking about nudging her awake and making good use of his hard-on. But the buzz of being with her got killed as reality rushed in, faster than the toxic water had spilled out of the Big Star Mine.

  The accident.

  The aftermath.

  The damn mess he’d made of his career.

  Even though the EPA still refused to confirm that Collin was the culprit, locals had immediately picked up on the rumors, ferreted out his identity, and zeroed in on him. No doubt his coworkers had spread the word. At the site, some of them were downright hostile; others just avoided him completely.

  “You have to take responsibility for the decisions you make and the actions you take.” His grandfather had drilled that into his head over the years—so many times that his parents hardly had to. Even so, he’d hated making that phone call to them that first night. As always, they’d been supportive, but he could hear the disappointment in their voices, making him question his decisions and actions even more. He’d waited until the second day to call his grandfather, who had just turned eighty-five last month, his mind still super-sharp.

  “That’s a damn shame, son,” he’d said, his voice gravely with age. “But you keep your head up. We all make mistakes. Don’t let this one define you.” He cleared his throat. “Let what you do to make up for it become your legacy.”

  Collin planned to stick around in Thistle Bend, trying to make a difference with the response effort, until the EPA sent him home to Durham—and back to God knows what.

  And I want more time with Ellie.

  Another night with her was worth enduring the name-calling and complete nastiness he’d gotten in person and seen on social media. He’d banned himself from checking it after day one.

  Since the breach, he hadn’t been much of anywhere except his rental house, the mine site, the Emergency Response Headquarters, and Ellie’s place. But he couldn’t hide until the EPA sent him home—especially if he wanted to please Ellie. She deserved to go out and have fun.

  And so much more.

  So he’d agreed to attend the concert with her and her friends tonight. How could he have said no after she bought him that hat?

  After everything she’s done for me.

  She was the brightest thing in his life right now. Even if there hadn’t been an accident at the site, that would be true. He clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes closed, unwilling to think about how bleak things would be when he had to leave.

  He kissed her head, her satiny hair tickling his lips.

  “Mmm,” she murmured. “Are you getting up?”

  “Soon.” Collin had gone to work early every day since the spill. He pulled her close, his hard-on grazing her thigh. “But I can stay for a little while if…”

  She reached down and stroked his cock.

  “Yes,” she said in a sleepy voice. “Stay.”

  —

  The Zac Brown Band played some of their best country rock as Collin stood under the starry sky at the I Bar Ranch, gripping a beanbag, and getting ready to pitch it at the corn hole board. He cut a challenging look at Ellie, and struggled to tear his gaze away. She looked amazing in a filmy floral blouse, skinny jeans, and boots the color of light brown sugar, low cut and fringed. The heels were only a couple of inches, but those boots were damn sexy.

  He tipped his new hat to her, and focused on firing his shot at the opposite corn hole board, where Holly and Bryce stood waiting. It was girls against guys—a bright idea conjured up by Ellie and Holly, who were currently getting their butts kicked. Collin’s beanbag knocked Ellie’s off the board, and slid into the hole for a score.

  “Ahh,” Ellie moaned, tipping her head back.

  Collin had seen that move before, under much more intimate circumstances, and he couldn’t get enough of it.

  Bryce lifted his beer and tipped it toward Collin. “You’re killing it, man.”

  Collin had instantly liked Bryce. About the same height and size as Collin, with long, blondish hair, he was a successful hotelier, crazy into adventure sports—and Holly.

  “Pure luck, that’s what that was,” Holly called as she shook her head. Despite her less than enthusiastic reaction to his mad corn hole skills, she seemed to be the most easygoing and down-to-earth lawyer he’d ever met.

  Collin had hesitated when Ellie asked him to go to the concert. Not just because he’d have to go out in public—he’d also worried how Ellie would act with Holly and Bryce. Sometimes Megan had been like two different people. One when they were alone, and another when they were around others. Thankfully, Ellie was exactly the same person, no matter who she was around—him, her brothers, or her friends.

  Genuine.

  Funny.

  Honest.

  Way more than he could say for Megan, who’d become a fading memory since he’d been in Thistle Bend.

  And met Ellie.

  Collin loved how animated she was as Holly and Bryce threw their beanbags at the board. Clearly she hoped the girls would pull out a win. He had to give her credit for her optimism, considering they were nine points behind.

  “This could be it,” Bryce called as he tossed the final beanbag of the round. It hit the bottom of the board with a thunk, slid up to the hole, hung on the edge, and dropped in.

  “Yes.” Collin pumped his fist.

  “No,” Ellie said, her lips in a pout.

  “Told you I played a mean game of corn hole.”

  Bryce and Holly joined them, hand in hand.

  “That’ll teach you girls to talk trash,” Bryce teased, and tipped his longneck against Collin’s.

  Holly shook her head. “If other people weren’t waiting to play, we’d beat you two out of three, for sure.”

  “Easy to say when you don’t have to prove it,” Bryce said to her. “But don’t sweat it, babe.” He kissed her lightly. “You have plenty of other talents.”

  Holly rolled her eyes, but still looked pleased by the compliment.

  They headed over to the blazing bonfire, Ellie, Holly, and Bryce greeting people they knew as they passed. Collin lagged a little behind, careful not to catch anyone’s gaze. He wanted to be here with Ellie, but he worried about her being associated with him. Things were going her way, and she didn’t need any trouble because of him.

  Just before they reached the ring of hay bales surrounding the fire, someone clamped a vice grip on Collin’s shoulder. Apprehension had heat seeping up under the collar of his plaid Western shirt as he turned.

  No telling who I’m going to face—or what they might say.

  “Hey, man.” Gary Holdren stood there with his arm around his very pregnant wife. “Hardly recognized you in that sharp hat.”

  Relieved, Collin dipped his chin. “Better than a h
ard hat,” he teased, thankful things hadn’t gotten too awkward between them after the breach.

  If only I could say the same about everyone else.

  “This is my wife, Maddy.” Gary pulled Maddy closer and gazed at her proudly.

  Maddy had shoulder-length brown hair and big hazel eyes, and looked like she might burst any second.

  “Glad to meet you.” Collin shook her hand, and smiled. “I’ve heard a lot about you and Kenzie.”

  Maddy beamed.

  “And your cravings,” Gary joked.

  “You’ve got a good man here,” Collin said. “Not just any guy would make a midnight run for strawberry Twizzlers.”

  Gary patted Maddy’s belly. “Whatever the little guy wants.”

  “He’s due in early October,” Maddy said. “But I think he’s going to come before that.”

  Gary nodded. “Second ones usually show up early.”

  Maddy rested her arm on top of her belly. “We figured we’d get a babysitter and hit the town before he decides to surprise us.”

  Onstage, the band segued into “Free,” and Maddy’s eyes lit up.

  “That’s our song.” She clutched Gary’s elbow, and cast an apologetic look at Collin. “We’ve got to go dance to this one.”

  “See you in the mornin’.” Gary grinned as Maddy tugged him toward the shelter of the hay barn. They squeezed in with the crowd on the dance floor in front of the stage, wrapped their arms around each other, and swayed to the music, Maddy’s belly between them.

  Collin stood watching, taking a deep breath of the thin, fire-scented air and blowing it out slowly.

  “I thought you were right behind me.” Ellie clutched his biceps. “But when I turned around, you weren’t there.”

  “I ran into Gary and Maddy.” Collin caught another glimpse of them through the crowd, and shifted his gaze to Ellie. “They ran off to dance to their song.”

  Ellie gave him a soft smile, blue eyes glimmering, golden waves framing her face.

  His heart tripped over itself. He’d worked to keep a little distance between them while they’d been in the crowd at the I Bar, but she was so damn hard to resist.