Forever Cowboy (Montana Brides Book 5) (22 page)

“Not yet.”

“Do you need to borrow some money?”
 

Jacob grinned. “Hell, no. I’ve got more money than I know what to do with.”

“What’s wrong, then?”

Jacob hesitated. “Do you ever wonder if this is it? If this is all there is to our lives?”

“What? Making bucket loads of money and watching everyone else have babies?”

Jacob snorted. “When you put it like that, it’s not so bad.”

“There’s always a silver lining. I thought you enjoyed living the high life?”

“So did I, but it’s getting old real fast.”

Alex pushed his brother shoulders. “So are you.”

Jacob rolled onto the ground and laughed. “It’s just as well you’re an invalid, otherwise you’d be eating dirt about now.” He sat up and flicked grass off his jacket. “Are we going to get the office furniture or not?”

Alex glanced at his watch. “Shit. We’ve got fifteen minutes to get across town before the store closes.”
 

Jacob hauled him to his feet and they moved fast through the parking lot. “Don’t tell dad I’m having a mid life crisis. One of us at a time is enough to keep him busy.”

“I’ll pretend you’re talking about Gracie,” Alex muttered, and gave his brother another shove because he could.

Emily nibbled the edge of her fingernail. She stared at the phone for a few more minutes, then sat on the couch, annoyed with herself. She’d promised Cody that she wouldn’t contact their father. That she wouldn’t talk to him, or see him, or do anything that might drag him back into their lives.

But every time she thought of her father, she remembered the look on his face when he’d left the boutique. The weight she’d placed on Alex’s shoulders when he’d told her dad to leave.
 

She picked up a library book, flipped the pages open to her bookmark. She read the words, but they didn’t make sense. She skipped to the previous chapter, tried to figure out what she’d missed, then realized that what she missed most wasn’t in the book. What she missed most was her dad.

With a heavy heart she pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, smoothed out the wrinkles, stared at the number that could change her life.

She’d rung her Aunt Eileen, broken rule number one in the family chain of command. If you didn’t want everyone knowing your business, you didn’t call Aunt Eileen. Her father’s sister would put her own unique spin on any story Emily could have told her, so she’d stuck with the truth. Keeping her request short and to the point had paid off. For once in her life, Aunt Eileen hadn’t asked too many questions.

For more years than she could remember her dad had been her hero. She’d made him into more than he was, maybe more than he could ever be. He’d been gone so often that she’d created the perfect father. The dad that every kid wished they could have. When reality had collided with her dreams, she’d blamed her dad. She’d forgotten that he was human. He had problems and issues that went beyond what she could understand.
 

And she still loved him. She wanted to keep in contact with him, make something out of what was left of their relationship.

She left her book on the sofa and went across to the phone. Before she could change her mind she dialed his number.
 

The phone kept ringing. She let go of the breath she’d been holding. He wasn’t home.

“Steven Roberts, speaking. How can I help you?”

Emily nearly dropped the phone. “Umm…hi…it’s me, dad. Emily.”

He didn’t say anything. She kept waiting, nibbling on her fingernail.
 

“I waited for you…in the café.” His voice was soft, quiet against the noise of the television she could hear in the background.

“I wasn’t ready to talk to you.”
 

She heard a sigh whisper down the phone. “I’m sorry, Emmy.”

Emily swallowed the lump in her throat. “I know.”

“I spoke with Doug’s wife.” Her dad waited a heartbeat before continuing. “I’m getting help. I’m living with a family in Boise.”

“That’s good, dad. Do you need anything?”

“I’m okay. I’ve got a part-time job at the local Church.”

Emily didn’t know what to say next, didn’t know if there was anything left to say. She’d been imagining this conversation with her father for days, but it didn’t make it any easier.

“Have you opened your boutique yet?”

“Tomorrow. We’re opening it tomorrow.” Emily gripped the phone tighter. “I’ll send you some photos if you like?”

“That’d be good. I don’t have access to the Internet, but you could mail them to me.”

“I’ll do that. Aunt Eileen gave me your address. I’ve got to go now, dad. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Oh, Emmy. I’m so sorry about the mistakes I’ve made. Will you call again?”

“Sure, dad. I’ll phone you next week some time.” She could do this. She could build a new relationship with her father. Rebuild her trust in him before it was too late.

“I love you, Emmy.”

She sighed. “I love you too, dad.”
 

Then she ended the call, sat on the couch, and cried.

The doorbell rang and Emily glanced at her watch, then frowned at the front door. It was eight o’clock at night. Most of her friends would be recovering from a day with their kids or settling down for a night in front of the television.
 

The doorbell rung again. She pushed a tub of vanilla ice cream away and stared at the half empty container. She’d regret eating so much in the morning, but right now it left a happy sugar buzz floating around her body.
 

Between the phone call to her dad and a day spent cleaning and polishing the boutique, she was exhausted. She lifted the lace curtain at the side of her door and stared onto the porch. Alex stood outside, looking worried and nervous and so darn sexy that she wondered what had been in the ice cream.

She opened the door and stared at the other reason she’d been crying. “Is everything all right?”

“Sort of.”
 

“It’s not the boutique is it?”

Alex took his hat off. His eyes were as gray as a stormy winter’s night. “I want to show you something before we open tomorrow.”

Emily tried to remember if there was anything they’d forgotten to finish. Nicky, Sam and Cody had worked with them for most of the day, doing whatever needed to be done. Jacob had arrived at lunch time with enough food to sink a battle ship and her mom hadn’t been far behind.
 

In between dustpans and brooms, paint touch ups and shelving issues, they’d taken photos of the boutique. Photos of each other, the work they were doing, the dream Emily and Alex had created.

“Do we need to go back to the boutique now? I could meet you there at seven o’clock tomorrow morning. We don’t open until nine.”

“It can’t wait.” Alex reached around the side of the door and lifted her jacket off the coat stand. “I’ll have you back here in less than an hour. Put this on. It’s getting cold.”

“It’s the beginning of summer, not Thanksgiving.” Emily laughed at the scowl on Alex’s face. She grabbed the jacket he was holding and shoved her arms in the sleeves. “I’m only doing what you want because I need to get home fast.”

“Hot date?”

“You could say that.”

Alex looked like he almost believed her.

“With a bath. I came home and ate my way through half a tub of ice cream. I’m on a sugar high so I take no responsibility for the quality of my decision making.”

Alex stared long and hard at her. “Is everything okay?”

She plastered a fake smile on her face. “Of course. Couldn’t be better.” She picked up her house keys and locked the front door. “I wasn’t kidding about not getting home too late. It’s been a long few weeks.”

“You can say that again,” Alex muttered.

Emily bit down on her bottom lip. All she needed to do was burst into tears and he’d really think his business partner had gone loopy. And then she almost did cry, because she knew that’s all she’d ever be to Alex. His business partner. An ex-girlfriend turned fashion designer who liked bright colors and too much ice cream.

“You’ve gone green,” Alex said. “If you’re going to be sick I’d appreciate you throwing up outside my truck.”

“Whoever said romance is dead hasn’t met you.” Emily opened the passenger door and pulled herself inside his truck.
 

“Put your seat belt on.”

“You’re grumpy tonight. Are you sure this can’t wait until tomorrow?”

Alex reached across and pulled her seat belt from the wall. He smelt wonderful, like a forest full of pine trees waiting to be explored. But she wouldn’t be doing any exploring. She needed to concentrate on building her boutique into a successful business. She’d already fallen in love with Alex twice. A third time would be downright embarrassing.

He clicked her seatbelt into place. “This definitely can’t wait until tomorrow.” And he kissed her. A short, sharp kiss that made her wonder if it was possible to fall in love with the same man three times in a row.

Alex put the truck into gear and started driving.

“Can you at least give me a clue? I’m not good with surprises.”

Alex shook his head. “You’ll have to wait.”

Emily tapped her fingers on the armrest. “Did Becky deliver the hanging baskets?” They’d ordered six pretty baskets for under the boutique’s front porch. Becky was going to hang them in the morning, but she might have changed her mind.

Alex stared straight ahead, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

His grin disappeared. He flicked a quick glance across the cab and Emily started to get worried. When she’d left the boutique everything had looked amazing. The building had smelt of polish and perfume. The mannequins had been dressed in silks and satin, the designer clothes hung in color coordinated rows. They’d been ready for opening day. Or so she thought.

As long as there hadn’t been another fire, everything would be okay. She glanced across at Alex. Bad mistake. He looked as though he was about to show her something she wasn’t going to like. Something that might mean the boutique wouldn’t be opening.

Emily thought about the tub of ice cream she’d forgotten to put in the freezer. She should have brought it with her. She had a feeling she’d need it.

Alex parked his truck outside the boutique. Emily had given up trying to figure out what had gone wrong halfway across town. Only nothing had gone wrong. Not yet, anyway.
 

His hands slipped off the steering. He hadn’t been this nervous since his first bull ride. And just like that time he didn’t know what to do. When he’d looked at his dad all those years ago, he’d told Alex to hold on tight and don’t let go. Maybe the same was true for tonight. And the rest of his life.

Emily grabbed the door handle and started to leave the truck.

“Wait.” He held onto the sleeve of her shirt. “You need to put this on.” He reached over his seat and picked up a silk scarf. It weighed next to nothing and felt like cool air slipping along his skin.

“Why have you got one of my scarves in the truck? And why on earth would I want to wear it tonight? What’s going on?”

Alex didn’t blame her for looking confused. He would have been exactly the same if she was the one doing the driving. “It’s a surprise, remember?”

Emily wasn’t impressed. She glanced at the porch, looking for the hanging baskets that Becky would deliver tomorrow morning. “I hope you’re not planning on doing anything too kinky with the scarf?”

He almost smiled, but the nerves crashing through his body didn’t have a sense of humor. He hoped that would come later, after the talking. After what needed to be said. He opened his door and jogged around the truck. It would be just like Emily to sprint ahead and see what all the fuss was about.

He waved the scarf in front of her nose. “I’m going to tie this around your eyes. You’re not allowed to look.”

“Did I tell you I’m tired?”

“Only about a thousand times,” Alex said softly. “This won’t take long.” He spun her around and placed the scarf over her face. “Hold still.”

“I’m not very good at following orders after eight o’clock at night.”

“You’re never good at following orders.” He tied a knot in the back of the scarf and took hold of her arm. They started moving forward.
 

Emily held back, sliding her feet slowly forward one step at a time. “Don’t forget to tell me where the step into the boutique is.”

“It’s about three feet ahead of us.”

Emily sighed. “I can’t see one foot ahead of me, let alone three. Just tell me to stop when we get there.”

“Stop.”

“Has anyone ever told you you’ve got a weird sense of humor?”

“Only the people that don’t listen to me and fall flat on their face.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. This was it. After more sleepless nights than he cared to remember, he was finally here, with Emily. He took a deep breath and pushed the front door open.

Her foot wiggled forward, then lifted when she felt the step. “We should have built a ramp. It’s going to be hard for anyone in a wheelchair or with a pram to get through the door.”

“All ready done,” Alex said. “It’s a heritage building, so I wanted something that could be removed. I’ve got a wooden ramp arriving first thing in the morning that I’ll attach to the building.”

“You’ve thought of everything.”

He hoped so.

Emily stopped inside the front door and sniffed. “The boutique smells wonderful. What did you put in here?”

If Alex wasn’t so nervous, he would have been pleased that the first thing she mentioned was the roses. But for the life of him, he couldn’t relax enough to enjoy what he was about to do. “Wait here. Don’t peek. Don’t move one finger until I get back.”

He rushed across to the light switches behind the sales counter. He flicked one of the knobs and ran back to Emily. “You didn’t look did you?”

“Nope. I’m turning over a new leaf. I’m going to start listening to you.”

“You waited until the end of the remodel?”

“I’ve got ulterior motives.” Emily turned toward him and ran her hands up the front of his shirt. “I’ve decided I like being blindfolded. I know a few other things we could do with a silk scarf if you’re interested?”