Choices (19 page)

“Well Ben, I might add your looking quite handsome this evening, if I do say so myself.” Abby offered, sizing him up in his dress shirt and jeans, his boots polished to a glossy sheen.

Kassey threw her hands up in mock despair. “Ok, enough flirting amongst friends, let’s get out of here.”

They went outside to where the truck was idling, Ben having thoughtfully left it on to stay warm. Abby climbed up into the back seat and tried to relax. She was irrationally worried that Logan would find her wanting in the dress, which was just plain silly. Now she wished she ha
d bought the pants suit that looked tailored to her body, but wasn’t too business-like. Lord knows, she would’ve felt more comfortable. She had never been into dresses or skirts, feeling that pants suited her petite stature better.

As they drove past the ranch house, she saw a light on upstairs, wondering if it was Logan getting ready. Ben had said that Logan had gotten in just as they were leaving to get Abby, and had rushed upstairs to shower and change. She wondered if he was taking as much time getting ready as she did, then chuckled to
herself. Logan could go out in a kilt and still look gorgeous. Probably more so, as it would showcase his strong legs and muscled chest.

She settled back into the seat and watched the scenery unfold, everything looking pink in the glow
of the setting sun. The Bar S Ranch was the next ranch over, consisting of 150,000 acres and was the most profitable ranch in the area. They threw a lot of dances through the year; Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Fourth of July and so on, and Abby had heard of their dances when she was growing up in White Fish. They were nothing spectacular, just ordinary barn dances, with hay bales for seating and a local DJ playing old and new country music, but everyone came from miles around, all the way from Billings in some cases. There would be a huge crush of people, so Abby could blend in and not stick out like a sore thumb. Until she was back for good, she had no intention of meeting any more people than she had to.

She was stupid to think that she could hide in a crowd. Especially a crowd of ranchers, when her father owned one of the larger ranches in the state. She had been gone for 13 years, but memories were long it seemed, and as soon as Ben started introducing her to people, word spread through the crowd.

As she was deluged with people coming up to introduce themselves to her, she shot Ben a disgruntled look. “Why did you have to mention my father?”

“I figured they would be more open to you as a stranger if they knew you were one of us.” He shrugged.

His words made her feel warm, though, so she wasn’t disgruntled for long. So she had gone from the “likes of you” to “one of us”. She was happy that she knew no one from back home in White Fish, because then there would’ve been uncomfortable questions about where her husband was if they hadn’t heard about the divorce, and why wasn’t she home in Whitefish if they had heard about it, and she wasn’t up for that. She just hoped that people would leave her alone now that they had satisfied their curiosity.

She was wrong about that too.

As soon as Logan came in, she heard shouted hellos to him over the din of the music and crush of people, and her stomach took a lazy nervous roll. He was here, and it seemed he was very popular. She could see him making his way towards where they stood, as he was almost the tallest person in the room, and clearly the handsomest. He had on a black Stetson, and was wearing the same black jacket that he wore the first night they had made love, but now he had on a black button down shirt, with crisp blue jeans and black boots, and her heart melted anew at the sight of him.

There were plenty of women casting him inviting looks, and Abby realized he was probably the most eligible bachelor in the area. She felt a satisfying thrill knowing that he was hers, and tamped down the little
spark of jealousy that flared up at the grin he flashed when one of them moved to his side, slipping their arms through his.

She watched as he gently dissuaded them, leaning down to whisper something to them. That’s when the looks shifted to her. Men and women alike sent her appraising looks, and she panicked, wondering what he was telling them.

He was almost to them when he caught her eyes, and it seemed she was imprisoned by his smoldering gaze. Her pulse quickened and warmth flooded her veins under their smoky perusal, and she felt that she could almost swoon.

As Logan set his gaze on her, it seemed that everyone in the crowded barn vanished, and it was just the two of them. She looked stunning, standing there in her dress, her hair swept up in a clip, little tendrils floating around her jaw, and he was speechless. He wanted to sweep her up, then bear her down into one of the soft, fragrant piles of hay and make love to her until they were both senseless.

He would have to settle for a dance.

He walked up to her just as a slow tune came on and held out his hand. She took it wordlessly, and he pulled her into the dance, a slow two-step.

They moved together effortlessly, as if they had been dancing together forever. Abby felt weightless in his arms as he led her around the dance floor. She didn’t see anyone else but him, and they both gazed at each other, ignoring the whispering that went up from the crowd.

“Who is that again, Ben?” a lithesome brunette asked as she came over to where Ben and Kassey were standing. She was watching the couple on the dance floor, wondering why she never got Logan MacKinnon to look at her like that.

“She’s a guest at the ranch, Cheryl. She’s from up White Fish way. Her father owns the Double J.” Ben replied, his gaze also resting on Logan and Abby.

“The chemistry radiating from them could light Bozeman for a year. How long have they known each other?” Cheryl replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ben and Kassey looked at each other, wondering if they should tell her the truth. Cheryl Lassiter had been panting after Logan for as long as he had been in the area, and to tell her that someone had come along and captured Logan in two weeks might be a bitter pill to swallow.

“She’s only been at the ranch for two weeks.” Kassey replied, hoping that Cheryl wouldn’t cause a scene. She could be a drama queen when she wanted to be. But Cheryl surprised them by sighing softly.

“I always knew that when Logan fell, it would be fast and hard.” She sighed again and walked off.

“That was painless.” Ben chuckled, then pulled Kassey out onto the dance floor.

“So Logan, are you going to introduce us to your lady friend?”

Logan looked up. Tuck Granger stood in front of where Logan and Abby sat, talking softly in
a corner. Tuck owned Rocking T Ranch, a ranch north of Missoula, and he and his wife were some of Logan’s closest friends, despite being older than him by about 25 years. Abby glanced up at the man standing at her shoulder, then gave a cry of delight.

“Tuck Granger! You don’t remember me, do you?” she asked, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. Tuck got a good look at her, his mouth dropping open in shock.

“Well good Lord, little Abby Jennings! What are you doing back home? Didn’t you go east to save the world?” He asked, picking her up in a bear hug. She nodded as he put her down and held her at arm’s length.

“Logan, I knew this little girl from when she had pig-tails and would race her pony against my son. Her daddy and
I always thought we’d get the two of them married, but she met some high-falutin blue-blood back east and ruined all of our plans.” He sighed, reminiscing. “Whatever happened to him?”

Abby glanced at Logan, looking for support. She had grown up with Kyle Granger, and Tuck and Celia had been regular fixtures in her life growing up, but she felt panicked, not sure how to tell him. Logan nodded, slipping an arm around her shoulders in support.

“I’m divorced, actually. I’m surprised Dad didn’t mention it. Didn’t work out, I guess.” She said lamely.

Tuck looked at her, then at Logan, who held his gaze, daring him to be judgmental. Tuck sighed, and took one of Abby’s hands in his big, calloused ones. “Well, such things happen, and your daddy wouldn’t talk about such matters anyhow. Kyle’ll be heartbroken to know that Logan’s already snatched you up. You’re in good hands this time, Abby. I’m going to go grab Celia, she’ll want to see you.”

“Is Kyle here? I’d love to see him too.” Abby asked, gratified that he didn’t judge her harshly.

“He is. I see Cheryl Lassiter hanging on him. I’ll be right back.” He replied, then moved into the crowd, a big bulldozer of a man parting the crush of bodies. Logan turned toward her, and scrutinized her face.

“I’d love to see you in pig-tails.” He said, and Abby laughed, whatever tension that was left in her draining out.

“And I don’t know that I particularly want to see Kyle Granger panting over you, regretting what he was denied.” Logan growled, pressing a hungry kiss to her mouth.

“I haven’t seen him since I was eighteen. I doubt he’ll pant over me.” She replied, leaning in for another kiss.

“Ok, you two separate, I want to see how my baby girl grew up.” Celia Granger stated firmly as she walked up, Tuck behind her. Abby stood and was enfolded in a warm embrace, Celia’s perfume wafting about her, bringing back happy memories of summer days when her family and the Granger’s had enjoyed dinners on the back patio of her parents’ house. Celia held her at arm’s length like Tuck had, inspecting her with a critical eye. Abby stood under her inspection, feeling like a little girl
again.

“You’re
too thin. You need to eat more. Logan, feed your woman. I know you men like to see bones on a woman, but it just ain’t right.” She dictated. Abby basked in their acceptance of her and Logan as a couple, glad that she had run into them.

“She’s not all skin and bones, Celia.” he replied wryly, standing to press a kiss to her cheek.

“Oh, you.” She said, accepting his kiss with a giggle.

“So, Abby, tell me what happened, darlin’.” Celia asked, concern in her voice.

“In a nut shell, he cheated on me, but we grew apart.” Abby replied, tucking her hand into Logan’s, seeking comfort. Celia tsked, and said “I don’t care how far apart you grow, there’s no cause for cheating. I hope you took the bastard for all he’s worth.”

“Now Celia, what good would that do?” Tuck chuckled, sitting down on a hay bale next to Logan.

“Teach him a lesson. No body messes with my little girl and gets away with it.” She replied saucily, lifting an eyebrow at Logan.

“Yes ma’am, duly warned.” He answered, trying to look contrite.

“Well, I filed for divorce, but I didn’t want anything from him. I just wanted to put it behind me, and start over.” Abby said.

“Well, you’ve got a good start with Logan here. He’ll take care of you real good.” Celia offered, looking at the couple in front of her.

She had always wanted Abby to marry Kyle, but she could see the love between Logan and Abby. It flowed from them in every gesture, every look and touch. Abby had been like a daughter to her, and her heart grieved for what she had been through and rejoiced for what she seemed to have found with Logan.

She wondered if Lydia, Abby’s mother, knew what was going on with Logan and Abby. If she did, she didn’t say anything to Celia about it when they talked yesterday. All she had said was that Abby was staying at LM and she and Tuck had decided to come down for the dance to see if Abby would be there. She had been thrilled when Tuck had found her and told her she had found Abby, and with Logan to boot. She and Tuck had known Logan from when he first bought LM and had taken him under their wing, proud of what he had become in such a short time.

They sat together in a cozy circle, reminiscing about old times, regaling Logan with Abby’s antics as a tomboy growing up, when a deep voice spoke behind them. “I remember the day she broke my arm.”

Abby looked up, and Kyle Granger stood behind his mother, looking impossibly handsome, though not as handsome as Logan. He was a long, cool drink of water, with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. He was wearing jeans that sat low on lean hips, and a black t-shirt that outlined his muscular chest.

Abby got over the shock of seeing the skinny boy she had grown up with turned into a handsome man, and said smartly, “I did not break your arm. You fell out of the barn loft all on your own, Kyle Granger, and if I remember correctly, it was because you were trying to spy on me when I was changing…” she laughed when he reached out a hand and placed it on her mouth, stopping her in mid-sentence.