* * * *
A few days later, she couldn’t put off repairing her sink any longer. Evan picked her up and brought her to town for some shopping. They were standing in front of the hardware store deciding on where to meet up. The wind whipped her hair around her face and she had to secure it with a hair tie.
Evan faced her. “You sure you don’t want me to come in with you? Since Sparks isn’t back, I can help with the plumbing selection.” Evan held her arm and looked down at her with such caring, her heart ached. The house inspector had told her about the bad pipes in the kitchen and bath. He’d been nice enough to give her a list of what she needed.
“I’m good.” Despite Evan’s shoulders being almost as wide as the truck he’d driven them in, and his eyes bluer than the sky at dusk, she didn’t need him to fight her battles. “If your brother is manning the store, then so be it.”
If Evan came in with her, Brody would recognize her for sure.
With her luck, the only hardware store in Pleasure, Montana, just had to be owned by the one man she didn’t want to confront.
Evan shifted his weight, acting as if she were making a big mistake. “Okay, but just so you know, he’s still pissed you never wrote him after you left.”
“Really? I was so hoping I could put that whole issue of our fight with Brody to rest.”
“He brings it up every once in a while.”
“That’s a little ridiculous. Lots of couples break up, but they’re civil to one another.”
“Brody’s different.”
Had he learned the real reason for her hasty departure right after graduation? She prayed not.
The winter wind snaked up her too-thin jacket, causing her to shiver. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I’d forgotten how cold it gets here. I miss Los Angeles’s balmy weather.”
“You’ll need to buy some warmer gear. The ski store might have something you like.” Evan looked so hopeful, she gave him a hug.
“Thanks for thinking of me, but I’ve got a ton of stuff at Mom’s.” She looked over at the hardware store again. “Well, if I stall much longer, I’ll get frostbite.” She needed paint, plumbing supplies, a new freezer, and a heater for the pipes. She wasn’t going to let someone as surly as Brody stop her.
“Call when you need me to drive you home. I’ll leave the truck unlocked in case you want to drop off some packages.”
“Thanks again for the lift. I really appreciate it.” She hated to depend on anyone, but her two-wheel drive was useless in the thick snow. “I promise I’ll get a car soon.”
Had her father not worked during the day, and if her mom wasn’t so sick, one of them might have hauled her around.
Move. She’d lasted a whole week without a Brody sighting. She mentally rolled the luck dice. She hoped she could get what she needed before running into him.
Steeling her mind for a possible confrontation, she pushed open the door to Thomas’s Hardware store. The warm air was scented with cut wood and a hint of fertilizer. She was surprised at the size of the large, clean building. Neat signs hung above every aisle detailing the contents. While not as big as a Home Depot, Thomas’s Hardware would surely provide everything anyone needed.
When no sirens blared to announce Brittany Davenport had arrived, she forced her shoulders to relax. Maybe Evan had exaggerated his brother’s response or else the owner was taking care of business elsewhere. She could only hope.
She pulled out her shopping list and grabbed a cart. The store had quite a few customers. If Brody were around, he might be helping others. Her plan was to get in then get out. Easy peasy.
Her ability to fix anything was unfortunately poor to nonexistent. If she could have found a newer affordable cabin that didn’t need so many repairs, she would have bought it. As it was, she was lucky to get the two-bedroom cabin at a reasonable price.
She planned to stock up on food for a month in order to save some trips to the store. Hence the need for the new freezer. Her first stop was the paint section. Not only was the living room a bilious green, the bedroom was bright blue. What had the owner been thinking? She looked for the perfect shade of beige. After fifteen minutes, she’d gathered the paint and all the supplies.
Feeling more relaxed, she headed to the plumbing section. While the inspector had gone out of his way to list what she needed, when faced with the vast selection, she became overwhelmed. Maybe she should have asked Evan to come with her to decide what would be best. Or she could wait until Sparks came back into town. He’d know what to do.
She was examining the dimensions of a piece of PVC when someone stepped up behind her. His aftershave sent her nerve endings on high alert.
“May I help you?” he asked.
Damn. It was him. His voice was still rich like sweet caramel and just as sexy. Her heart raced and her breath caught in her throat. She prayed he wouldn’t remember her. Squaring her shoulders, she turned to face Brody. Oh, my God. Brody Thomas had been buff in high school, but now he was packed with muscles on top of muscles, and he’d grown about four inches. His hair looked darker and needed cutting, but she’d give up the rest of her inheritance to run her hands through his hair just once. Her damn panties got wet looking at him.
Reason intruded and she forced her mouth to work. “My plumbing broke and I need to find a replacement.” She attempted to smile, but her lips wouldn’t cooperate.
He stared at her. Please don’t recognize me.
His brow furrowed. “Brittany? That you?”
Lying wasn’t her style. “Yes.” She stood as tall as her five-foot-two frame could make her.
“What are you doing here?” His low, sensual voice suddenly turned gruff and deadly. She didn’t appreciate his furrowed brows or his clenched hands.
She’d memorized the lies she’d told her friends all those years ago, but at the moment, nothing surfaced. “I came for some replacement pipes.” Not the answer he’d asked, but it was the only one she intended to give him.
He grabbed her arm hard, and the pain shook her out of her daze at seeing the man she’d give her heart to. “Let go of me.”
It was as if he hadn’t realized the strength of his grip. “I’m sorry.” He released her. “You’re not welcome at my store.”
She hadn’t realized he’d still be so upset she left him. She planted a hand on her hip. “Last I looked, the store was open to the public.”
“Don’t push me, Brittany Davenport.”
His harsh words cut her. She’d hurt him. That much was clear. “Listen. Seven years is a long time to hold a grudge.” She didn’t need him as much as she needed his hardware store.
Liar. Liar.
Shut up.
Her cabin required a lot of work to make it a cozy refuge. “Can’t we just forget and start again?”
He leaned over her. “You telling me you can forget what we had?”
Her insides turned to mush. “No, but remember you wanted me to go to school in the east and I had the opportunity to go overseas. It was best for both of us that we broke up.”
“So you always said.” He ran his gaze down the length of her. “If you know what’s good for you, pay for what you’ve got and get out.” He strode off, his heels smacking against the cement floor.
He didn’t have to add that she should never come back. She got the point. Her heart banged against her rib cage and her stomach lurched. My God, but the man had the same effect on her as he had seven years ago. She’d forgotten what those smoldering, dark eyes did to her body. Wearing his stubble like a badge of honor, he had bad boy written all over him. There was an aura of power oozing out of every pore, making him more dangerous than when he was eighteen.
Somehow she managed to wheel her cart to the checkout line. Some young kid she didn’t know was tending the cash register. Thank goodness she didn’t have to chitchat with him. Her mind couldn’t form any coherent thoughts.
“That’ll be eighty-seven fifty.”
Her hands shook so h
ard she had a difficult time getting the credit card out of her wallet. Maybe she should walk away and send Evan in to get the needed supplies.
No. She wouldn’t show Brody that he still had power over her heart. She paid, pissed she had to go without getting the heater, plumbing stuff, or the freezer.
Somehow she made it outside. Damn. It had started to snow, but the freezing temperature didn’t bother her this time. Her body had numbed from the inside out.
“Brittany?”
She looked up. Evan had clasped his fingers around her arms, and she hadn’t even seen him approach or noticed that he touched her. Hell, she wasn’t aware she’d walked to his truck. “I’m okay.”
“It went that bad?”
Evan understood his twin better than anyone, but they couldn’t have been more different if they’d come from different parents. Why couldn’t she have fallen in love with Evan first?
He let go and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you home.” He pulled open the passenger-side door for her and took her purchases. “This all you got?”
“It’s a long story.”
After stashing everything in the back, he climbed in. “After you put your stuff away, you want to shop for a car?”
How sweet was that? “Can I take a rain check? I’m not in the mood.”
“Absolutely. Brody was a real dick, I take it.”
“Yeah. He told me not to come into his store again.”
He started the engine. “I didn’t know he still had it that bad.”
Is that what that was? From the way he acted, he was definitely not in love with her. “He was angry. Nothing more. I know I hurt him, but come on, we were in high school. Surely he’s dated a lot of women since then, enough to erase the memory of me.”
“We both have had our share, but we never found the right one.” His wistful tone cut straight to her belly.
He’d said he wasn’t dating anyone now, but she found it hard to believe every available woman wasn’t after him. “Why not?”
Evan shrugged. “For me, forestry school wasn’t exactly conducive to finding the kind of woman I want.” He glanced over at her, and part of her wished she had stayed behind.
Evan was the stable one of the two, the kind any woman would want. The kind she wanted.
What could she say? “It is hard to find that right match.”
“Amen.”
With the snow picking up, the drive up the mountain road was dangerous. She gripped the door handle the whole way. Living in Los Angeles, California, she’d become a beach person. Her definition of hills was driving on the windy but not-too-steep Pacific Coast Highway.
When Evan rounded the bend, she spotted her cabin nestled in the hills. There were no neighbors, but the view from her place was outstanding.
“Have you gotten a chance to ski?” he asked as he pulled up her drive.
“Not yet. I’ve been too busy. Plus, I’m really rusty. I played some beach volleyball and did a little surfing but didn’t get around to hitting the slopes.” The sierra mountains were a few hours away.
“How about I come over tomorrow and we can play in the snow?”
She smiled for real for the first time today. “I’d like that.”
He piled out of the truck and together they grabbed her purchases. “When’s the fridge going to be delivered?”
“I never made it to that part of the store. I guess I’m going to have to shop someplace else.”
“Let me talk with my brother.”
She didn’t need anyone to be the go-between. “No. If he doesn’t need my business, I’ll find someone else who does.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
He followed her inside, carrying most of the groceries. As soon as she placed her food in the fridge, Evan’s cell rang. He nodded and gave one-word answers. Then he disconnected. “I’m sorry. I gotta go. Work. Call me, okay?”
His smile sent a little thrill down her spine. “Sure.”
He gave her a quick kiss, like the type a husband would give a wife after being married for thirty years. It was short, but sweet.
She stood at the window and watched him drive away. Loneliness grabbed her. Spending the day with Evan had helped her melancholy.
Once he was out of view, she shivered. The cabin was downright cold, so she shoved some logs into the woodstove. In no time, warmth filled the space. Since there were a few more hours of daylight, she decided she’d break out the paint and get to work.
She hadn’t been painting for more than an hour when the roar of a snowmobile came up the drive. She raced to the front window. The rider was wearing a helmet. Given his height, it wasn’t Evan.
He strode up to the house as if he lived there and knocked.
When she opened the door, she must have looked confused. The man’s helmet was in his hand, but she didn’t recognize him.
“Hey, Brit.”
She knew that voice. “Oh, my God, Sparks! I can’t believe you’re here.” She pulled him into the room and checked him out. He was taller than either Evan or Brody and a bit thinner, but from how his muscles flexed under his jeans, he was solid meat. He still kept his light brown hair short, but the biggest difference was in his face. He’d filled out nicely. His cheekbones were more refined and his jaw was strong. Add in a broad chest, and the word yummy came to mind.
To even think this was the same person would be like comparing a first-grade science book to a detailed medical journal. Sparks Langston was now all man, full of confidence, and had enough raw sex appeal to attract a ton of women. Who would have thought he’d turn out so fine?
His long, muscular arms wrapped around her and gave her the comfort she’d longed for.
Then he spun her around before setting her on her feet again. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, darlin’? Evan sure wasn’t exaggerating. You’re about ten times prettier, if that’s possible. And you got more curves, too.” His gaze landed on her breasts. Oh, my. Sparks had never acted like he’d had any interest in her sexually, but then again she hadn’t given him a chance.
Her face heated hotter than her woodstove. She cast her gaze downward. “Come and sit. We have so much to catch up on.”
He looked around. “I see I caught you at a bad time.”
“No.” Brittany looked down at her paint-stained shirt. “I look a mess. Sorry.” She unbuttoned the work shirt and tossed it on the floor. Then she took the old sheet off the back of the sofa. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Just looking at you will quench my thirst a bit, darlin’.”
Aw. That was probably the sweetest comment she’d heard in seven years. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“That makes two of us, Brit. God, but you look great.”
From the way his eyes filled with desire, she didn’t know how to react. She’d kind of set her sights on Evan. It wouldn’t be right to date both.
Of course, she did live in Pleasure, where one woman often ended up with two men.
She tugged on her ponytail. “I hope I don’t have paint in my hair.”
“Just a bit, but the beige complements the brown.” He leaned over her and ran a thumb over her cheek. “Got it.”
“Please sit and tell me everything you’ve been doing.” This was so like old times. Being with Evan had stirred something in her, but Sparks would always hold a special place in her heart.
“Sure you don’t want some help with the painting? I’m free for the night and can work and chat at the same time.”
“That would be nice, but I need to rest first.”
“No problem.” He took her hand and led her over to the sofa. “So, tell me what you’ve been up to.”
He’d said Evan had filled him in. She wasn’t sure what else she could add, but he always was a good listener. She gave him the standard spiel about going to college in France. It was a lie, but her mother had insisted. “Then I came back to the states and got my master’s degree in nursing.” That much wa
s true.
“And the baby?”
Her heart stopped.
Chapter Three
Brittany’s stomach nearly revolted. Sparks couldn’t know her secret. No one did. Other than her parents and Grannie, she’d kept the baby’s birth hidden.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She prayed her tone sounded innocent.
Sparks took her hands in his and rubbed her palms with his thumb. The tender warmth spread through her, helping to calm her.
“Remember how I came next door every night and sat on your porch, and we’d talk for hours about everyone and everything?”
They’d lived next to each other, and he was her best friend. “It’s one of my fondest memories.”
He inhaled. “I’m not proud of myself, but the night your mom basically kicked you out, I was outside and heard everything.”
Her throat turned dry. She couldn’t find any spit to wet her mouth. Not only did her head spin from the ramifications, her hands shook.
Sparks got up, headed to the kitchen, and returned with a glass of water. “Drink this.”
He always did know what she needed. “Thanks.”
He nestled next to her. “So you see, I know Brody got you pregnant, and that to save the family name, your mom shipped you off to California to live with your grandmother.” He shrugged. “I never did understand why. Having a child out of wedlock, even back then, wouldn’t have caused the good folks of Pleasure to shun you. It’s not like we lived back in the days of the Salem witch trials, darlin’.”
She huffed at his analogy. “Except for my parents. They were puritans. We’d just moved to Pleasure from an upper-crust neighborhood in Connecticut. Back then they didn’t embrace the Pleasure lifestyle.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that one.” He leaned back and studied her.
A tear trickled down her cheek. “Does everyone in town know?”
His jaw clenched. “Fuck no. You think I’d tell anyone your secret?”
Her chest heaved. “Not even to Evan or Brody?” They were his two best friends. While he didn’t always see eye to eye with them all the time, the threesome had been inseparable.
Monroe, Melody Snow - Brittany's Destiny [Pleasure, Montana 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3
