One and Only

by Leeanna Morgan

  A lot of that had to do with the woman who was living with him. He’d missed Elizabeth more than he thought he would. The granola she’d packed had made it worse. It was crazy to feel so attached to her, especially when he made her feel lost.

  He rubbed his eyes. He was so exhausted he could have slept for twelve hours. By the time he arrived home it would be nearly midnight. Elizabeth would still be at Daniel’s, babysitting his kittens and hopefully, keeping out of trouble.

  Twenty minutes later he turned onto Cottonwood Road. Some of his neighbors had strung lights around their homes. Orange and red pumpkins glowed in the dark. Every now and then he spotted giant turkeys decorating front yards or festive wreaths hanging from fences and doors.

  He turned into his driveway and opened the gates. His home was shrouded in darkness, a looming mass of shadows against a pale wintery moon. He drove into the garage and sighed. Home sweet home.

  With his suitcase in his hand, he walked into the entranceway. He flicked open the cover on the alarm and frowned. The alarm wasn’t turned on.

  He sniffed the air. Cinnamon mixed with some other kind of spice wafted through the house. Either Elizabeth had come back to make a new batch of soap or an army of gingerbread men were living with them.

  Cautiously, he turned on the lights and stepped into the living room. As soon as he saw the decorations, he smiled. Pumpkins, wheat wreaths, unlit candles, and weird looking lanterns decorated every available surface. Even his mirrors hadn’t been spared. Leaves in every shade of the rainbow had been strung around a wire frame and draped over the glass.

  Someone sneezed.

  He grabbed the nearest weapon he could find and spun around.

  “It’s me.” Elizabeth yawned from the doorway.

  By the time she’d unlocked her jaw, Blake’s blood pressure was almost back to normal.

  “Why do you have a corn cob in your hand?”

  Blake looked at the dried cob and frowned. “I thought you were a burglar. Why aren’t you at Daniel’s house?”

  “I had dinner with Sarah and her mom. By the time I left, it was too late to drive to Emerald Lake.” She held back another yawn. “I thought you weren’t coming home until tomorrow night.”

  “I wanted to be here for Thanksgiving.”

  “Oh.” She rubbed her eyes and looked around the living room. “Do you like the decorations?”

  He smiled when he saw some jack-o’-lanterns on the windowsill. “It looks like Thanksgiving has arrived.”

  “But do you like them? I was worried you might think it was too much.”

  “I like everything. Where did you find the decorations?”

  “Sarah and I made some of them. The rest I bought when I was living in Cedar Rapids.” She held open her arms. “I found my pajamas on the Internet. What do you think?”

  Blake grinned. Her bright orange PJs had pumpkins, acorns, and leaves printed on the fabric. “They’re cute. All you need are some flashing lights and you could wear them to a fancy-dress party.”

  “I bought Daniel a pair, too.”

  “Do you think he’ll wear them?”

  Elizabeth smiled. “He already has. I made him try them on when they arrived. He looked adorable.” She looked around the dining area and sighed. “Mom and dad always went overboard at Thanksgiving. I’m going to miss them this year.”

  “Haven’t you invited them to Emerald Lake?”

  “I did, but dad surprised mom with a cruise around the Caribbean. It’s their first vacation together for a few years. Do you want anything to eat or drink?”

  “I ate on the plane, but I could do with a glass of water.”

  As they walked into the kitchen, Elizabeth’s bare feet hardly made a sound on the wooden floor.

  Blake opened the pantry and took out two glasses. “Did anything interesting happen while I was away?”

  “Not really. Paul and his team are doing a great job at the clinic. Daniel and Holly almost had a wedding date organized. Then a gallery changed Holly’s exhibition by two weeks and the wedding date wouldn’t work. Sam is back at Fletcher Security and your kittens have made friends with Daniel’s cats.”

  “What have you been doing?” He handed Elizabeth a glass of water.

  “I finished the marketing plan for the clinic, made one hundred soaps for Emily’s boutique, and moved some of my things back to Daniel’s house.”

  Blake’s glass banged against the faucet. “You’re moving out?”

  “You don’t need me hanging around here. If it’s okay with you, I thought I’d stay until Friday morning, then head to Daniel’s after work.”

  “You don’t need to leave.” Blake’s heart pounded against his chest. “I’ve got plenty of room.”

  Elizabeth placed her glass on the counter. “I appreciate what you’ve done, but I need to stand on my own two feet.”

  “You’ve been buying all our groceries and cooking most of the meals. You come and go as you want and have your own keys. You couldn’t be more independent if you tried.”

  “That’s not the point.”

  “What is the point?”

  Elizabeth crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You’re thirty-seven years old, single, and own a successful business. What if someone gets the wrong idea?”

  Blake didn’t see a problem with that. Then he remembered Elizabeth’s blind date. “What people think is their problem, not ours.”

  “It doesn’t work like that.”

  “It does where I come from.”

  “We’re not in New York. People have different standards in Montana.”

  Blake’s eyes narrowed. “Are you saying I don’t have standards?”

  “Why are you annoyed? I thought you’d be happy that I’m leaving.”

  “I’m not annoyed. I’m confused.” He took a deep breath. “I thought you enjoyed living here.” He wanted to say ‘living with me’, but that would definitely scare her away.

  “Your house is amazing, but it’s time to leave. Anton isn’t a threat anymore and nothing happened while you were away.”

  “That doesn’t mean you need to leave.” He looked at Elizabeth and sighed. “You must know that I like you. I want to be more than your friend, but every time I try to get close, you push me away. What do you want from me?”

  “I don’t want anything,” she said softly. “I never have.”

  “Tell me why you can’t see us as anything more than friends.”

  Elizabeth looked at her glass of water. When her eyes eventually connected with his, there was a deep sadness in them that hadn’t been there before.

  “I like you, Blake. But I’m worried that as soon as you get bored, you’ll leave Montana. This is my home now. My family is important to me. I want to get married and see if I can have a family. I want to finish my clinic and make a difference in people’s lives.”

  “We could do that together.”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “It wouldn’t work. You always want to fix something. I’m not one of your projects.”

  “You think I’ve helped you because I’ve got nothing else to do?”

  “You help me because it’s part of who you are. But sometimes you do too much.”

  He ran his hand around the back of his neck. “I want to make sure you’re okay.”

  “You don’t need to do that. I can look after myself.”

  Blake needed to leave before he said something he would regret. “It’s been a long day and I’m tired. I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks for decorating the house.”

  “Blake I—”

  He left the kitchen before Elizabeth finished speaking. He had a suitcase to unpack and a heart that felt as though it had been pulverized. So much for enjoying Thanksgiving with Elizabeth. They’d be lucky if they made it to her brother’s house for lunch.

  Elizabeth took the chestnut stuffing out of the oven and smiled at Holly. “This smells wonderful.”

  “It does. Daniel has turned into a Martha Stewart fan. He
used her cookbooks to plan our meal.” Holly poured the gravy through a sieve. “This should taste delicious with the turkey.”

  “Thank you for inviting Sarah and her mom for lunch. It’s wonderful that they could share Thanksgiving with us.”

  “The more the merrier. It’s a pity our parents couldn’t make it. They would have enjoyed everyone’s company.”

  Daniel walked into the kitchen. “You beat me to it. I came to take the stuffing out of the oven.”

  “How come you’ve turned into a professional chef?” Elizabeth pointed to the vegetables roasting in the oven. “I didn’t know you could cook more than toast.”

  “That’s what love does to you,” he sighed.

  Holly swatted him with the dishtowel. “It was either learn to cook or starve.”

  “True,” Daniel agreed. “One of us has to remember when to eat. When Holly goes home to paint, I don’t see her for the rest of the week.”

  “I come out for food,” she protested.

  “Only if I cook it and bring it to your house.”

  Blake stood on the far side of the counter. “Sarah is wondering if you have any straws. It will make drinking easier for her mom.”

  Elizabeth opened a drawer. “Sure. Here’s four.”

  Blake’s eyes connected with hers. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  After Blake had gone, Holly looked at Elizabeth. “Is everything all right between you and Blake?” she whispered.

  “We’re fine.” Elizabeth opened the oven door and checked the vegetables. It was better than seeing the concern on Holly’s face. “He was surprised that I wanted to move back here, that’s all.”

  Holly looked at Daniel. “Could you take the stuffed squash and the bread to the dining table?”

  “Okay, but I expect a full debrief when I get back.”

  “I’m not telling you about my conversation with your sister.”

  “You have to. Somewhere in our marriage vows it says you have to obey your husband.”

  Holly’s eyebrows rose. “We aren’t married yet. Besides, the obey part is optional.”

  “And I love you anyway.” Daniel kissed Holly’s cheek. “You’ve got three minutes of conversation time. I need to make the shallot vinaigrette for the harvest salad.”

  “I can make it,” Elizabeth said. “All I need is the recipe.”

  Daniel frowned. “Do you promise to follow the instructions?”

  “I promise.”

  Her brother still looked worried. “Okay. But let me know if you’ve got any questions. And remember to toss the beets in the vinaigrette separately. It stops everything from turning purple.” He opened a cookbook and pointed to the recipe. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “Not too soon. And keep Blake busy.” Holly pulled Elizabeth across to the pantry. “Why isn’t Blake happy about you moving back here?”

  “He wants to be more than friends.”

  “And you don’t?”

  “No.”

  Holly frowned. “Are you sure? You get along better than half the married couples I know. He thinks the world of you.”

  “He keeps wanting to rescue me.”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to make sure Blake was still in the living room. “I don’t need rescuing.”

  “He knows that.”

  “Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.”

  “You’re strong, independent, and fiercely protective of the people you love. From what Daniel said, when you were diagnosed with cancer, it scared everyone. Blake called Daniel nearly every day to make sure you were okay.”

  Elizabeth thought about the times she’d hit rock bottom. When the only thing that kept her positive was knowing how much she would miss everyone. How much she would miss Blake.

  “In between my chemotherapy treatments, Blake sent me gallons of my favorite ice cream. It was a really nice thing to do. But I’m not the same person I used to be. I’ve changed.”

  “Maybe Blake has, too.”

  Elizabeth frowned. “He doesn’t seem different to me.”

  “What about the Crazy Love app? Have you ever wondered why it took his company so long to match you with potential dates?”

  “They lost my application.”

  Holly raised her eyebrows. “Jefferson Technologies is a successful computer software company. Forms don’t go missing.”

  “But Blake didn’t have anything to do with the selection process. All he did was look at the profiles of the men who were matched with me.”

  “And you believed him?”

  “I had no reason not to.” Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. “You think he interfered with the selection process because he didn’t want me to date anyone?”

  Holly shrugged. “You know him better than I do. Have you asked Blake what being more than friends means to him?”

  “No.”

  “Maybe you should. You might be surprised by his answer.”

  Elizabeth had known Blake for a long time. It hadn’t occurred to her that what he wanted from life might have changed.

  Holly took a bowl out of the pantry. “We’d better get the vinaigrette made before Daniel comes back.”

  “He’s already here,” Daniel said from behind them. His eyes narrowed when he saw Elizabeth’s face. “Are you okay?”

  She made herself smile. “As soon as I wash my hands I will be.”

  Holly handed Daniel a bottle of olive oil. “Don’t worry about the dressing. We’ll have it made in next to no time.”

  “I knew I should have started it myself. The vegetables will be ready in two minutes.”

  “Apart from the olive oil,” Elizabeth said. “What else do you need?”

  “Salt and pepper, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a shallot.”

  She found the salt and pepper. “At least I know what to buy you for Christmas.”

  Daniel pulled out a chopping board. “A bunch of shallots?”

  “No. A Martha Stewart cookbook.”

  “Make it her latest. There’s a recipe for coconut-pecan shortbread that I want to try.”

  “Where has this domestic goddess come from?”

  Daniel took a shallot out of the vegetable bin. “I’ve always liked cooking, but I didn’t make the time to try different things. After I met Holly, that changed. I feel healthier, I’ve lost a couple of pounds, and I know the difference between broiling and blanching.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “It sounds like the perfect life.”

  “Nothing is ever perfect. If it were, we’d be bored senseless.”

  She looked across the room. Blake was sitting on the sofa, listening to something Sarah’s mom was saying.

  Over the last few months, their lives had been anything but perfect. And they definitely hadn’t been boring. Maybe Holly and Daniel were right. Blake wasn’t the same man she’d fallen in love with when she was eighteen. She needed to take off her rose-tinted glasses and see him for the person he had become.

  Chapter 14

  Later that evening, Blake stood in Daniel’s hallway, zipping up his jacket. After what Elizabeth said to him last night, he hadn’t been looking forward to Thanksgiving. But like everything else that had happened, today had been a surprise.

  Daniel had impressed everyone with his culinary expertise. Elizabeth was happy and relaxed, not the prickly cactus he’d been expecting. He’d enjoyed everything, including the banter around the lunch table.

  Elizabeth pulled her cell phone out of her bag and looked at the screen. “Sarah just sent me a text. She’s arrived home with her mom.”

  “That’s good,” Holly said. “Driving in this kind of weather is horrible.” She handed Blake a plate of roast turkey. “This is for you. There should be enough for a couple of meals.”

  Blake smiled. “Thanks. I’ll take your leftovers any day of the week.”

  Daniel looked at Elizabeth. “We’ll have to invite Blake here for dinner. He’ll miss you w
hen you leave his house.”

  Blake could have strangled him.

  Holly poked her fiancé in the ribs.

  “Oww,” Daniel moaned. “What did you do that for?”

  “You know why.” Holly hugged Elizabeth, then turned to Blake. “Ignore Daniel. He’s being annoying.”

  Blake frowned. “As long as he makes chocolate chip cookies for Saturday, he can be as annoying as he wants.”

  Holly smiled. “You’ll be on a sugar high before you arrive at Big Sky.”

  Daniel wrapped his arm around Holly’s waist. “We’ll need all the cookies we can get. Spending the day skiing takes a lot of energy.”

  Elizabeth picked up the crate holding Blake’s three kittens. “We’d better leave before Daniel shows us his new ski helmet.”

  “Did I tell you it was individually shaped for my head?”

  Holly rolled her eyes. “Only about a thousand times.”

  Elizabeth pulled the sleeve of Blake’s jacket. “Quick. Daniel’s stuck in helmet heaven. If we go now, he won’t notice us driving away.”

  Daniel held his hand over his heart. “I’m shocked by your lack of enthusiasm.”

  Elizabeth opened the front door. “Bye, Daniel. Sweet dreams.”

  Blake grinned. The bond between Elizabeth and her brother was so strong that he didn’t know how they’d ever grown apart. “I’d better go with Elizabeth or she’ll leave without me.”

  “She’ll wait for you,” Daniel said.

  Blake wasn’t so sure.

  Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed as she looked through the windshield. “I’m glad you’re driving. The glare from the lights of the other trucks is terrible.”

  “I’m getting used to it. Sarah and her mom seemed happy to spend Thanksgiving with us.”

  “It hasn’t been easy on either of them since Marion had a stroke. It was nice to be able to share today with them.”

  “Daniel’s mile-high apple pie was a hit.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “He could open his own restaurant. I knew he was enjoying trying different recipes but, until I moved here, I didn’t realize he was such a great cook.”