The Moore Sisters of Montana: The Complete Series Box Set: Books 1-4

by Ann B. Harrison

  Ethan smiled as they came closer. “Hi, Noah. I’m pleased to meet you.” He held his hand out and waited.

  Noah glanced at Mari before reaching out and shaking Ethan’s hand. The moment brought tears to Mari’s eyes. Ethan’s child shouldn’t be a stranger. His son shouldn’t hesitate to shake his hand.

  “I have cake upstairs. Bella dropped it off yesterday. How about we all go and have afternoon tea and get to know one another? What do you say, Ethan, can you take a break?”

  Emotion swelled in his eyes. “If that’s okay with Noah, I’d love to.”

  “Aunt Bella makes the best cake.”

  Mari shared a glance with Ethan. That was as good an invitation as he was going to dish out and she was more than happy with it.

  “I’d love to join you then. Lead the way.”

  Ben called out as they passed the ballroom to go upstairs. “Boss, your phone was ringing again. Sounds like its coming from the nail gun toolkit but couldn’t be sure.”

  Mari raised an eyebrow and looked at Ethan. “Thanks, Ben. It can wait until I finish upstairs.”

  *

  Ethan avoided Mari’s gaze when he followed them into the apartment, feeling like the odd man out. He watched his son hungrily, hoping for a hint of how to react and found himself lost and out of place. His habit of ignoring his phone had come back to haunt him. How did he get back ten years? Should he feel this hollow and stunned?

  “Hey, Ethan, look at this.” Noah’s voice brought him to the present and he stepped over to the table. “You like cake, don’t you?”

  “Ah, sure. What guy doesn’t?” His glaze flicked to Mari who stood with the coffeepot in her hand watching them. Ethan. He could deal with being called that until Noah got to know him better. Being called Dad would no doubt take time but he was up for it. A hint of a smile hovered on her lips.

  “Mom won’t let us have too much. You know how moms are about spoiling your dinner.” Noah pulled out a chair and climbed up, leaning on the table. He lowered his voice. “If you ask her, we might get seconds.”

  Ethan’s throat closed over and it took him a while to manage an answer. “Maybe. But how about we take it one slice at a time? Then, if she doesn’t mind, maybe we can go back for more.”

  Mari placed a coffee mug in front of Ethan. “I think that’s a very good idea. Let’s not get too overexcited.” She put the pot back on the counter and brought over a knife and plates. Once everyone had a slice, she sat down. “So, how was your day, Noah?”

  Noah picked up the cake and inspected it before taking a huge bite. He chewed, rolled his eyes and smiled, a gesture that almost had Ethan tearing up. His mother did the same thing when she tasted something sweet and he thought back to the Sundays when his mom and Mari would spend the morning baking treats for the week. He shared a glance with Mari and he couldn’t keep the smile from his face. Surely she was thinking the same thing too?

  “You remembered?” Mari gazed at him, her own eyes misty.

  “Yeah. You were pretty close.” He cleared his throat and took a sip of his coffee to cover his emotions. He could only wish for such a relationship with his son.

  “You like soccer?” Noah swiped his tongue around the edges of his lips to collect the pink icing.

  “Yes.” Ethan leaned on the table and smiled. Was he trying too hard?

  “You know Cory?”

  Ethan nodded, his heart pinching. Noah was trying to make a connection, like he was trying to help Ethan connect.

  “He’s awesome. I’m gonna be like him one day. I just gotta practice every chance I get. That’s if Mom will let me.”

  Was it too soon to jump in and offer his help? “I think you can do anything you put your mind to, Noah. And if you ever want someone to kick a ball with, I’m up for it.”

  Noah looked between the two of them. “Really?”

  “Yeah really. Nothing I’d like more.”

  Mari stood up and reached for a tissue from the top of the refrigerator.

  Apprehension trickled down his spine. Did he suck at this fatherhood thing so bad that he made her cry?

  This time when he dropped by to visit with his mother after work it was with more apprehension than when he’d told her Mari was back in town. This time, he had to admit to being the cause of the pain he was going to dish her in spades and, having been given the chance to meet his son, he wasn’t going to let anything get in his way of having a relationship with him.

  It took a moment for it to sink in. He hated the hurt in her eyes when she realized what he was saying. “I have a grandson?”

  Ethan nodded.

  “And they didn’t tell us?” She reached for the fence and leaned on it trying to understand.

  He took her arm and walked her over to the garden seat and sat down beside her, worried about the way her body shook. Maybe it’d all been too much information in one hit. “Noah is nine, almost ten. Wiry little guy. Sandy hair, freckles over his nose and he’s very polite. If it wasn’t for the color of his hair, I’d say it was like looking at a picture of Rake as a kid.”

  His mom’s hands shook. “A child. I don’t believe it.”

  “I was pretty stunned too. That’s why I stopped by again. I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else.”

  “I don’t believe this. They stay away from us for years, don’t make contact, don’t respond when I try to mend the bridges between us, even when Rake passes on, and now this!” She shook her head in horror. “What did I ever do to that girl to deserve this, Ethan? Tell me that.”

  “Mom…”

  “After all I did for her. I can understand guarding their privacy from the press but we’re family. For them to not tell us they were getting married was bad enough but not saying anything about a child?” She was crying openly now, the tears streaming down her lined cheeks. Yesterday, she’d been willing to forgive but today it didn’t sound like it. “How could she? I never would’ve thought she could be that mean to me of all people.” She dropped her head in her hands and sobbed.

  It was like hearing about Rake’s suicide all over again. Her world had been upturned again just when things were starting to calm down. And he wasn’t finished with her emotions yet.

  Ethan pulled her into his arms and let her ride it out before giving her the next bite of information. “Mom, I have more to tell you and I’m sorry I didn’t know about this sooner.”

  She stared at him, the worry in her eyes cutting him to the core.

  “Noah is my son.”

  She lifted a hand to her mouth, her wail piercing the air. He held her in his arms and replayed the story, baring his soul, and taking the blame for the way he’d treated Mari. “I have so much to make up for. To you as well as Mari and Noah. I can’t believe I’ve caused so much pain to everyone because I was such a jerk.”

  “You were both to blame, I’m sure.”

  “Come on, Mom. You know exactly how much like Dad I was. So full of myself and arrogant, such an asshole. It’s not a wonder she left. I can’t believe it took me so long to realize how bad I was.”

  “You didn’t exactly have the best role model.”

  “How come you stay with him? Why don’t you leave and make a life for yourself away from his bitterness? Don’t you understand how much his behavior has impacted this family?”

  She looked away, thought for a moment. “Ethan, there are things that’re better left unsaid. I know your father is a hard man, but he wasn’t always that way. He has some good qualities and he works hard. He didn’t have the easiest life growing up and I know that has had an impact on him and the way he acts.”

  “Mom.”

  She held up her hand. “No. I see things in him that you don’t. Besides, I can’t imagine starting over again. It’s all too difficult. I just hope that age will soften him.”

  “I can’t see that happening. It’ll take a miracle and I think this family has run out of them.”

  “Don’t say that. Not when you don’t understand wh
y he’s the way he is.”

  “So tell me then. Tell me why he’s such a harsh person and why you’re still here, because for the life of me, I don’t understand it and, just so you know, I’m the reason all this happened. It’s not even about Dad, not really. It’s about the way I acted back then and it’s taken the last couple of days for me to realize that.”

  “Rake didn’t leave just because your father was tough on him. I didn’t want him to go either, so we’re both to blame.”

  “Mom, we’re all responsible for our own decisions. Even Rake. I could’ve gone too but I didn’t. I could’ve been a better boyfriend and I wasn’t. Mari left because I treated her like crap when I should’ve been looking out for her. It’s my fault and now I have to fix it. I can’t blame Dad for it any longer.” He took a deep breath, calmer now that he’d put his thoughts out in the open. “But Noah? He’s mine and I have some time to make up for. I’ve got to try and fix this.”

  Her breath hitched on a sob as he brought them back to the issue at hand. “A child. My goodness, I don’t believe she kept him from me. I was her second mother. Did I really deserve to miss out on so much?”

  “No, you didn’t. But I have a confession, Mom. She tried to get in touch with me. I never saw the messages.”

  “Why didn’t she call me then? Tell me that.”

  Ethan couldn’t. Maybe Mari was too proud to involve his parents. Maybe she was just over the way he’d treated her and didn’t really want to come back. He could hardly blame her. He was an ass and she was young and vulnerable. And she had Rake to pick up the slack, not that that was a very good excuse.

  “I can’t believe it. You have a child.”

  “Yeah, and he’s awesome, Mom. Such a nice kid, so polite. You’ll like him.”

  This brought her head up. The look of hope in her eyes was the only thing good about this conversation so far. “Mari wants to see me?”

  “You know how much she loved you. You were always so close to her. Of course she wants to see you.”

  The inner torment raged inside her head. The frown lines on her forehead gave her away. “But I still don’t understand why.”

  “Mom, we can go over and over this or we can move forward. We both made mistakes, but she’s home now, wants Noah to get to know us all. That has to count for something.”

  His mom sighed. “Did you forgive her already, Ethan? I’m not sure I can do it that quick. She left a lot of pain behind.”

  “No, I don’t think I can but I’m prepared to admit I had more than a little to do with her not coming back or making contact. You know how hopeless I am with my phone. How many have I lost never to be found again or dropped and smashed the screen then dumped it in the console of my truck? She proved to me she tried to make contact. I have to give her some credit for that at least.”

  “I guess you’re right but, still, she could’ve called me.”

  “Yes, she could have but she didn’t. And I know part of the reason is because she was worried about Dad and his influence over Noah because she mentioned it when she told me about him. She wasn’t sure we’d stand up for him because we let her down. At least I did.”

  “And that’s something you have to fix with her, Ethan.” Pearl frowned, followed with a sigh that made Ethan regret once again his attitude as a teenager. “She must know I wouldn’t let your father do anything to hurt him.”

  “I’ve assured her that we won’t let anyone upset Noah. I want to get to know my son.”

  “Do you think she’d mind if I called in and said hello?” His mother’s heart was in her eyes. It was a toss-up which one of them had been more hurt when Mari ran away.

  “I think she’d love to see you, Mom. I got the impression that’s the reason she came back to Cherry Lake. To reconnect with us and because she said it’s the only place that felt like home.”

  Chapter Five

  Mari unlocked the back door early the next morning so Ethan would have access to the ballrooms and then busied herself getting Noah ready for school. “Your lunch money is in the front pocket and there’s some of Bella’s cookies in there too if you get hungry. Don’t forget to hand in your science project this time. It won’t do you any good having it sit in your backpack, will it?” She zipped up his bag. “You don’t want to get low marks for not turning it in when you’ve done such a good job on it.”

  “Yes, Mom.” He shoveled cereal into his mouth. A bang came from downstairs and he looked up. “They’re here.”

  “Certainly sounds like it. You need to remember what I said. Stay clear of the workers, Noah. I don’t want you distracting them or getting in the way. It can be dangerous on a building site and the last thing I want is you getting hurt.” She propped his backpack up on the couch. “They have a lot to do and we all want to get it over and done with as soon as possible. I have a wedding almost ready to book in and we can’t afford to have any holdups with injury or site closures. The last thing I want is you getting hurt.”

  “I can look though, right? If I stay out of the way, I mean.” He stared at her with serious eyes so like his father’s.

  “Only if I’m with you. We can make a point of checking progress together each night when the builders go home for the day, okay?”

  He nodded and finished breakfast.

  “Don’t forget to do your teeth, Noah. Two full minutes of brushing, buddy.”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  Once he was ready for school, she herded him downstairs to the back door and followed his progress to the bus stop outside the back of the hotel.

  “Excuse me.”

  Mari ducked out of the way letting a guy carrying a ladder through.

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” So many new faces.

  Christian told her the builders would all be the team that Ethan worked with so it was doubtful she would recognize any of them. Yesterday, she was far too preoccupied to take any notice of who he had with him. Not that she had to explain herself to them, only to Ethan.

  Mari gave herself a mental shake. She’d prepared herself as best she could for that moment, meeting Ethan again and telling him about Noah, but still she had nerves pinging around in her stomach. It’d made sense to her even if she didn’t like it. Now they’d passed that hurdle, she had to get used to him being around while he refurbished the hotel for her. She stood there imagining for the millionth time what it would look like once it was finished, anything to get her mind off the coming conflict, the moment that cut to her heart the most. Meeting Pearl again.

  “Good morning.” Ethan walked through the door carrying a large tool case in each hand.

  “Hi.”

  He gave her a wide grin that had memories rushing back of his easygoing nature. The joy she found when he was around. Can we ever get that back? Would he even want to after what I did to him?

  “If we get on your nerves, say so. Obviously, we’ll do the best we can to minimize noise and dust but, as with all renovation, we won’t be able to do the job without some disruption.”

  “I know, Ethan. It’s okay, really. The restaurant doesn’t open until after five anyway and I’m limiting it to a few days a week until the renovations are done. I’m sure we’ll manage without getting on each other’s nerves too much. We survived yesterday, we can survive anything.”

  “I know we will. Listen, I talked to Mom last night. Expect a visit from her today. She was beyond excited to hear you were back in town. Well, after she had a meltdown about Noah that is.” When he smiled, it reminded her of sitting together on the bleachers watching the game, his jacket around her shoulders and his whispered words grazing her ear. “Just so you know, I told her about my part in all of this so don’t think she’s going to blame you for everything.”

  “Really? I thought she’d be so angry with me.” She bit her lip. “I know it’s cowardly but when I came back, I desperately wanted to go and see her. I wanted to show her Noah and tell her all about him. I chickened out so many times and then found
out they were away on vacation, which was a blessed relief, and then I got a case of the dreaded denials when I heard they were back. I was still trying to work out the best way of doing it when you arrived day before yesterday.”

  He put down the toolbox. Ethan touched her on the arm. “Take one day at a time and don’t let it worry you too much. Mom is fine. You’ll see, even though she did wonder why you didn’t get in touch with her when you couldn’t get me. Expect to cop some pain for that. She can’t wait to meet Noah. I know it’s going to be hard in the beginning but if we all give and take a little bit, I’m sure we can work it out.”

  “She’s going to be so disappointed in me and I don’t blame her. I did a terrible thing.”

  “Look, we’re both a bit shell-shocked but after yesterday, when we talked about what happened, I know it’s on me too. We both have to find our feet around each other again. Even though she’s hurt and will probably give you a bit of a hard time, Mom feels the same way.”

  “I don’t blame her. What we did was terrible and I’ll do everything I can to make it up to her, I promise.”

  He grinned. “Now, I’d better get on with this job or the client will fire me. Last thing I want to do is get off on the wrong foot.”

  *

  It was hard not to lean in and give her a reassuring hug. She was rattled but he couldn’t avoid telling her his mom was on the way over to see her. It wouldn’t have been fair. She’d sweep in and take over, something she did with all the best intentions but still. After being away for so long, Mari might find it a bit confrontational, especially when his mother gave Mari a piece of her mind and she would, he could guarantee it. If he wasn’t scared he’d chase her away, he’d be lining up to grill Mari again too. So many questions only she could answer.

  The thing bugging him was just how long he could hold out before she told them the story behind Rake’s death and why the secrecy around the scattering of his ashes. Last night, he’d lain awake wondering what they did to deserve being shut out of Rake and Mari’s lives for so long. A simple phone call or a letter would have been better than nothing. Not ideal, but still, they deserved something and he had every intention of finding out. But first he wanted to get to know his son.