Mountain Country Courtship
Page 20
“It’s been a while. I should have called first,” Brock repeated through gritted teeth.
“Look, I don’t know what happened between y’all. All I know is your mom has pined for you—the entire fifteen years since she came back here.”
Fifteen years. His mom had been at the dude ranch for that long. Miss City Girl—who’d nagged Dad to move—had come back willingly and stayed? Probably the only place she could find a job, considering her habit. But if his mom was still using, would Chase keep her on? Surely not. Unless she somehow hid her addiction.
Footfalls behind him; he braced himself.
“Wait!” The wedding planner.
He’d enjoyed talking to her, despite their being from different worlds. Until Chase mentioned his mom.
“Landry called Becca. She’s on her way. You can’t just leave.”
“I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.” He spun to face her. “And I’m good and ready.”
She gasped at his outburst and something flashed in her eyes. Hurt.
“I’m sorry.” He hung his head. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just—there’s history to wade through. And I didn’t bring my muck boots.” He turned and strode for the door, intent on going through Chase if he had to.
“Brock!” The voice he dreamt about too often for peace of mind echoed down the staircase behind him and took him back in time. Ten years old, sobbing on the social worker’s shoulder, wondering when his mom would come back for him.
Never.
For the last fifteen years, she’d been here. And never lifted a finger to try to find him.
The sound of hurried footsteps descended on his ears.
Pressure built in his chest. He didn’t turn around.
“Please wait!” A small hand grabbed his arm. “Please.” Pleading, tearful. “At least look at me.”
She stepped in front of him. Much the way he remembered her. Rail thin, long brown hair. Eighteen years older. But somehow she looked better. Healthier. No telltale sunken shadows beneath her pale blue eyes. The hand on his arm was steady.
“Sure hope you’ll stick around, Brock.” Chase gave him a beseeching smile. “The job’s yours.”
“You didn’t even look at my résumé.” He focused on his friend, mainly to escape his mom’s imploring gaze. Why did he still think of her as his mom after she’d abandoned him?
“I’m familiar with your work and you’re overqualified. Your mom found an article about you building luxury cabins in a magazine a few years back.”
“I still have it.” She squeezed his arm.
Why did she think she had the right to touch him? He pulled away from her grasp, took a step back.
Her hand fell to her side. “Please stay.”
“We’ll give you some privacy.” Chase stepped away from the exit, motioned Devree to follow.
“I need to stash my wedding paraphernalia in the chapel loft.” A pinched frown drew her brows together. Her gaze clashed with his, and then she whirled away and disappeared outside. Was she embarrassed to witness their turmoil? Did she feel sorry for him? Or for his mom?
“Please, Brock, can’t we talk? You came here for a reason. Don’t back out now.”
His mom’s plea clanged in his head. He’d come for the job. But also because the eight years he’d spent at the dude ranch were the best of his life. When his dad had been alive. When his mom hadn’t been catatonic and actually cared if he ate or not. Before their move to Dallas. Before they lost their apartment and ended up moving in with his alcoholic grandfather. Before she got hooked on drugs.
He’d returned to come to terms with his past and his mom’s abandonment. To remember his dad. He’d expected to come face to face with the memories that haunted him. But not with her.
“Please come to the office with me.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
But not as many as he’d cried over her. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“Or you wouldn’t have come.” She hiccupped a sob. “I get that. Can’t we just talk for a few minutes?”
“Do the Donovans know everything? I mean, about you.”
She sucked in a big breath, shook her head. “Granny did, but she’s been gone several years. I told everyone else your father’s family turned you against me and we haven’t spoken in years.”
“So you expect me to stay and live your lie with you?” He glanced at the door, seeking escape. “I don’t think so. Tell Chase bye for me.”
“But you can’t leave.” She blocked him off, set her hand on his arm again.
“I’m leaving now. Please get out of my way. I think I’ve had enough of memory lane.”
“I wish you’d stay. Jesus forgave me. For everything. Can’t you give me a chance?”
How dare she pull the Jesus card.
“If you stay, I’ll give you space. And if you give me some time, I’ll summon up the courage to tell the truth.”
“I’ll think about it.” If it would get her out of his way, he’d think about all she’d said. All the way to his truck. All the way back to Waco.
She stepped aside.
He practically bolted out the door, down the porch steps and across the pristine yard to the parking lot.
But Devree, with the sun setting her cinnamon hair aflame, waited by his truck. Blocking his escape.
“Could you tell Chase I’ll call him?” He willed her to step aside.
Her brilliant blue gaze locked on his. “Please don’t go.”
A heartfelt plea from a beautiful woman. Normally he couldn’t resist that. Even though it was obvious the redhead was just the type he needed to steer clear of: a city girl.
Just like his mom. And he certainly didn’t want anything to do with her. He needed to get out of Dodge. Fast.
Copyright © 2018 by Shannon Taylor Vannatter
Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Sign up to our newsletter
Share your reading experience on:
Mills & Boon Australia site
Facebook
Twitter
Watch our reviews, author interviews and more on Mills & Boon TV
IMPRINT: M&B Love Inspired, Digital Exclusives
ISBN: 9781489260765
TITLE: MOUNTAIN COUNTRY COURTSHIP
First Australian Publication 2018
Copyright © 2018 Glynna Kaye Sirpless
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Mills & Boon®, Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia 2000.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its corporate affiliates and used by others under licence. Trademarks marked with an ® are registered in Australia and in other countries. Contact admin_legal@Harlequin.ca for details.
www.millsandboon.com.au
= " -webkit-filter: grayscale(100%); -moz-filter: grayscale(100%); -o-filter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share