Sam Men of Clifton, Montana Book 7

by Susan Fisher-Davis

  “Yeah, right.”

  Sam shook his head, like that was going to be easy. He couldn’t stop thinking about her when she wasn’t here, how was he going to see her nearly every day and ignore her—resist her. It was wrong. He’d never been the kind of man to fool around with another man’s woman and to think how she’d compromised him with a lie cut him to the quick. Clenching his jaw, he swore.

  Sitting up, he swung his legs over the bed, ran his hands down his face, then stood, and walked to the kitchen. The light from the microwave clock was the only light to see by and when he entered the kitchen, Bo and Whiskey whimpered at him. He opened the door to the fridge, reaching in for a bottle of water. Glancing at both dogs, he closed the door and leaned back against the counter. After twisting the cap off, he took a long swig. Both dogs moved to sit in front of him and looked up at him with questioning eyes.

  “I’m fine,” he said to them. They continued to stare up at him. He pointed at Whiskey with the water bottle. “You shouldn’t even be here but she wanted me to take you in, so I did and now you’re just a reminder of her.”

  Whiskey lay down on the floor, put her head on her paws, and stared up at him with sad eyes as if she understood his pain. Bo lay down beside her and did the same thing.

  “You two are no help at all. If I can’t pour my heart out to you two, who can I? Damn it. I’m so in love with her that I can hardly think straight, but what am I supposed to do. I can’t allow her back into my life. I can’t.” He shook his head. “I just can’t. How can I ever trust her to be honest with me after this? She lied to me and I despise liars. But, I don’t despise her…no, I’ll love her as long as I live. She’s the one and no other will come close, even if I tried to find someone else.”

  The dogs looked up at him. Blowing out a breath, Sam stared down at them. “Like I said, you’re no help at all. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I miss her…” His voice caught in his throat.

  “Shit,” he muttered. “I may as well just stay up now. I know it’s damn cold out, but I’m going for a horseback ride. You two behave.” The dogs whined but didn’t get up.

  Sam strode with determination back to his bedroom, dressed, and returned to the kitchen to pull his coat, hat, and gloves on. Stepping onto the porch, he shivered at the cold. Taking in a deep breath, the cold air poured into his lungs then he blew it out, and watched it form into a puff of air.

  You have to be crazy to be out in this.

  “I am, but I need to get her out of my head. What better way than a ride in freezing weather with the cold air whipping through my head?” Sam murmured as he walked down the steps and headed for the barn. After saddling his horse, he gave his horse free rein, raced out of the barn, and headed for the north pasture. He was going to get her out of his head—somehow, even if it destroyed him first.

  ****

  That Friday night found Sam sitting in Dewey’s Bar, nursing a beer he’d ordered an hour earlier. When someone tapped him on his shoulder, he was ready to tell whomever it was to fuck off, but he was surprised to see Sandy standing beside him.

  “Hi, Sandy,” he said looking back to his now flat beer.

  “Do you mind if I sit with you?” she asked, smiling.

  Sam shrugged. “Suit yourself but I’m not very good company right now.”

  Sandy slid onto the stool next to him and signaled for the bartender to bring her a beer. He set it in front of her, along with a glass, and walked off.

  “What happened, Sam?”

  “Nothing,” he mumbled but looked at her when she laughed.

  “I know you better than that. You wouldn’t be here sulking if it was nothing.”

  “I am not sulking,” Sam growled.

  “I just thought you’d want to talk. I heard about you and Doc McGuire. I’m sorry things didn’t work out.”

  “If you knew already then why did you ask?”

  “Because I’m here if you want to talk. I’d like to think we’re still friends, Sam, and I think I know you fairly well. We were together six months after all.” She shrugged.

  “She lied to me about being married. What else is there to say?”

  Sandy sat beside him and didn’t say anything more. Sam sat at the bar wishing he could go home but all he’d do there was sit and think. He huffed. Much like he was doing here. Twirling the bottle around on the bar, he paid no attention to anything or anyone around him.

  Why couldn’t she have just told me the truth? Trusted me. Damn it! He was sure he’d never hurt this bad ever before in his life. Glancing to Sandy, he wondered if he’d hurt her this badly?

  “Did I hurt you, Sandy?”

  She seemed startled by the question. “Truth?” He nodded. “Yes, you did.”

  Sam winced. “I’m sorry. Maybe this is payback for hurting you and Lydia.”

  “Oh, Sam…it doesn’t work that way. At least, I don’t think it does. We know we didn’t belong together. You just figured it out sooner than I did, but it did hurt me all the same because I was hoping we had something. Apparently, we didn’t or we’d still be together.” She placed her hand over his. “You will always have a place in my heart because you are one of the best men I’ve ever met. You hate hurting people and you love this town. Clifton is your town and people know you care about them. When we first started dating, it amazed me how people would just stop you on the street and tell you how much they appreciated you. I’m sure the town is hurting because you’re in pain. I really hate seeing you like this, Sam. I wish I knew what to do to take your pain away.”

  Sam stared at his beer bottle. “I wish you did too.”

  “You love her very much,” Sandy said in a quiet voice that told him she knew the answer but didn’t really want to hear it. He really had hurt her.

  “Yeah, I do, Sandy and I wish to hell I didn’t. I just can’t get past the fact she didn’t trust me enough to tell me about her past. Now her…husband is here and threatening to take her back to Pennsylvania with him whether she wants to go or not. He’s a real prick and he’s going to push and push until it comes to a head.”

  “You’ll protect her though. I know you will.”

  “Shit. I am already. I have my deputies staying with her until he leaves or…” Sam shrugged as he looked at Sandy. “I’m sorry for hurting you. It was never my intention.”

  “Maybe it wasn’t hers either.”

  Sam blew out a laugh. “Might not have been but she succeeded. All she had to do was tell me the truth in the beginning.”

  “Then you never would have had her in your life. To her way of thinking, she’d left her husband years ago and didn’t think of herself as married anymore…and you, Sam Garrett, are a very hard man to resist. I know she should have been up front with you, but think back to when you first started to pursue her. Was she all for it or did she seem hesitant? If she was all for it, then yes, she hurt you deliberately…but if she was hesitant, she was probably trying to convince herself not to get involved with you. I think you two are meant to be together and that’s why she eventually gave in, and started seeing you. Take it from a woman who knows. You’re easy to fall for, Sam.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Think about it. Everyone deserves a second chance, don’t you think?”

  Sam watched her walk away and swore. As much as he wanted her to be right, she was wrong. Tessa had lied to him. As he sat there, however, he thought back to her telling him it wasn’t a good idea to get involved with him, and that she hadn’t been looking for a relationship.

  You’d be far too easy to fall for, Sam. Her words echoed in his mind and made him wonder.

  To hell with it, he was going home and heading to bed. This night couldn’t end soon enough.

  “Sam?”

  Sam swore. “What the hell are you doing here, Riley?”

  “I was driving by and saw your SUV. You’re not drunk, are you?”

  “You sure as hell seem awfully interested in my drinking lately,” Sam growled as he glared at his brother in-la
w.

  “Kaitlyn and I are worried about you. You know she loves her big brother, though I can’t figure out why.”

  Sam tightened his lips as he looked at Riley. “Yeah, well I don’t get what the hell she sees in you either.” Sam chuckled when Riley grinned.

  “Seriously, how many have you had? Do I need to drive you home?”

  Sam held up the bottle. “This is the only one I’ve had and as you can see, it’s almost full. Now, go home to your wife and daughter.”

  “Did you know that Kaitlyn stopped in to see Tess?” Riley said giving him a smirk that told him that he’d been itching to tell him.

  “What for?”

  “To give her hell, for hurting her big brother.”

  Sam laughed. “We Garretts are a loyal bunch.”

  “No shit. Come on, Sam. I’ll walk out with you. You need to go home. One day, this will all blow over and things will be right as rain again.”

  “You think so? Because I sure as hell don’t,” Sam muttered as he stood and pulled his coat on then his hat. He walked out with Riley following him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Saturday night in Clifton brought everyone to the town hall for Betty Lou’s birthday party. Sam stood against the back wall with his friends—Jake, Gabe, Wyatt, Ryder, Riley, Brody, and Trick. They all looked as if they were holding the wall up since they all leaned against it with their arms folded across their chests scanning the crowd.

  “How the hell did so many people fit in here?” Trick muttered.

  “You know damn well, if there’s a party of any kind, the people of Clifton find a way,” Ryder said with a chuckle.

  “What I want to know is why is there a band, when there’s no real room to dance?” These words came from Gabe.

  Jake laughed. “Close dancing for sure. Though, I wouldn’t mind that with Red.” Sam watched as Jake’s eyes scanned the crowd until he found his wife, Becca.

  “What do you suppose they’re up to?” Wyatt asked them as they all watched their wives talking and laughing.

  “No fucking good, that’s for sure,” Brody muttered as he pushed himself away from the wall and walked off toward his wife.

  Sam wanted to be anywhere but here. He was keeping an eye on Tessa and it was killing him as he watched her smile at people and dance with her friends.

  “Are you doing all right, Sam?” Riley asked him, leaning closer.

  “I’m fine. We’ve been over this, Riley.”

  Riley snorted. “You’re not fine. You love that woman.”

  “Doesn’t matter…now back the hell off,” Sam muttered and straightened up when he saw Tessa walking toward him.

  ****

  “I need to walk over to the hospital and check on the cat I operated on this afternoon,” Tessa said when she reached Sam.

  Sam stared at her. “You know you can’t go anywhere alone right now.”

  “I know,” Tessa gazed up at him, hoping against hope that he’d go with her.

  “I’ll get Brody. Stay here.”

  Tessa sighed as she watched him move through the crowd. He’d made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her. He wouldn’t even volunteer to walk her over to the hospital. She wished she hadn’t come to the party. She wanted to be anywhere but here only Sam had insisted. She and Sam had even argued about her being here which was actually kind of encouraging that he’d put that much emotion and energy into a conversation with her. Most talking events between them lately were just a few words here or there.

  “You damn well will go,” he’d shouted when she said she wasn’t going.

  “Everyone in this town hates me. Why should I go?”

  “Because my deputies are going to be there and taking turns patrolling. This is a big deal for Betty Lou, and they all love her and want to be there for her. Besides, I seriously doubt that the town hates you.”

  “You do, Sam,” she’d said staring up into that gorgeous face, and eyes which took that moment to look at the floor. Then he said something that gave her heart a little bit of hope.

  “I wish to hell I did,” he’d said before slamming out of her apartment.

  “Are you doing all right, Tess?” Trick asked her, bringing her back to the present.

  “Yes.” She nodded, even though it was yet another lie.

  “I don’t think so,” Trick said as he put his arm around her shoulders.

  “Oh, Trick. It’s just that I lied to Sam and he can’t forgive that.”

  “Give him time…”

  Tessa shook her head. “It doesn’t matter how much time I give him, I know he’ll never forgive me or give me a second chance.”

  “I don’t believe that for a minute,” Trick said giving her a squeeze.

  She was about to respond when she saw Sam strolling toward her with Brody following behind him.

  “Brody will go with you. If you both aren’t back in fifteen minutes, I’ll be coming after you.” He looked at Brody. “Got it?”

  “Yes sir. We’ll be back in fifteen,” Brody said to him then indicated to Tessa to accompany him to the door.

  Tessa nodded. She walked to the door with him where she put her coat on then together, the two of them ventured outside, and strolled up the street to the animal hospital. Snow flurries swirled around them and the temperature was close to freezing. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Brody scanning the street, which made her nervous so she hurried her steps. He kept up with her and finally, they reached the hospital.

  “I’ll just be a minute, Brody. Come in from the cold.” She unlocked the doors to enter the hospital then flipped on the bright overhead lights.

  Brody nodded at her as they entered, and he secured the doors behind them. “No problem, Doc Mac. I’ll be right here,” he said, leaning against the counter to wait.

  Tessa entered the room the cat was in and slowly walked toward the cage. Kneeling down, she smiled when the cat meowed at her.

  “Hi, sweet girl, how are you feeling?”

  “You always did love animals more than people, Tess.”

  Tessa let out a small squeal as she stood and spun around to find Ryan standing behind her grinning with a gun in his hand. She glanced at the door and he shook his head.

  “Don’t even think about it. I know you’re not alone and it’s a real bitch that I have to kill him.”

  “No,” she hissed. “What do you want?”

  “Oh, Tess, you know I want you. You’re going to leave with me and be my wife again.”

  “Doc Mac?” Brody yelled from the lobby.

  “Tell him you’re fine,” Ryan said in a lowered voice and moving closer so the gun was that much nearer.

  Tessa cleared her throat looking at the gun too close to her midsection now. “I’m fine, Brody. I’ll be right there.”

  “Very good.” Ryan smiled at her.

  “How did you get in here?”

  “I’ve always been good at picking locks but that one on your apartment upstairs is a bitch, so I picked the one on the back door here instead. I knew you’d come in sooner, or later. I’m just glad you came in on a day off. I’d hate to have to kill everyone who worked here just to get to you. Now, I only have to kill that man out front.”

  “Please don’t. I’ll go with you, no problem,” Tessa pleaded.

  “I don’t have a choice, Tess. He’ll figure it out soon enough even if we slip out the back. Who is he anyway? I was really hoping you’d show up with the sheriff. I’d love to take him out.”

  Tessa shivered at the thought of anyone being hurt, but Sam most of all. “The man out front is the sheriff’s deputy. You’ll get in a lot of trouble killing him.” God, she hated the thought of anything happening to Brody. His wife, Madilyn, would be devastated.

  “It would be the same no matter who I had to take out. Don’t try that bullshit on me. I’m smarter than that. Let’s go. We’re going to walk out front so I can take care of him, and then we’re leaving out the back.” He waved the gun at her. “Come on, go
. Now!”

  “Please, Ryan. We can slip out the back door and be gone before he realizes it. I’ll just tell him the cat needs her bandages changed and that it will take a while.”

  “No. I don’t like loose ends and he is one. Once he figures out we’re gone, he’ll be looking for us and as much as I hate to admit it that damn sheriff of yours is one smart son of a bitch. I really wish he’d been the one with you. I’d love to put a fucking bullet in his head.”

  Tessa trembled and tried to think. She had to stall. If she and Brody weren’t back in the fifteen minutes Sam allotted, he’d come after them, but then Ryan would surely kill him too. Shit!

  “We could be long gone, Ryan, if we just leave by the back door now. I’ll go back to Pennsylvania with you and be…be your wife again.” Good Lord, she wanted to throw up at just the thought of doing that.

  “You really deserve to be punished for leaving me, Tess. Janet always does what I ask. You, on the other hand, argue constantly and resist me. I don’t like that in a woman. Your place is to do your husband’s bidding.”

  “I will if we go back. Please. I’ll be a good wife. Let’s just go,” she begged, knowing no matter what she said, he was going to make her pay for leaving him.

  “I’m done with this conversation. We’re going out there so I can take care of this deputy and once you and I are home, I’ll figure out what to do with you—decide your punishment.”

  “If we go out into the lobby, someone will see in from outside.”

  “Everyone’s at that damn party, Tess. Let’s go,” he ordered her, shoving the gun against her ribs and grabbing her arm.

  Taking a deep breath, she tried to pull away from him but he pushed her through the door and made her walk in front of him, the cold metal of the gun muzzle pressed against her back just about kidney height. One shot could kill her. When they got to the lobby, Brody was still leaning against the counter. When he saw Ryan behind her, he straightened up and his hand went for his weapon, drawing it from his holster. As if everything were happening in slow motion, she rapidly blinked tears away and mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ to him. Brody halted his movements when he realized Ryan had a gun pointed at her. He gave a brief nod of his head as he shifted his eyes to Ryan who brought the muzzle up to alongside her head.