Maid in Montana Read online

  “Monty wasn’t clear,” Slim said, appearing blissfully ignorant. “He wasn’t sure if they weren’t coming at all or if they’d just postponed.”

  “Postponed.” Jeb turned from the coffeemaker, pot in hand. “Want some?”

  “Sure. You got any pie?”

  “Yes.” Sophie heard the squeak in her own voice and winced. She cleared her throat. “How’s your mom?”

  “Good. Once she’s out of the hospital, she’s moving in with my older sister, but only for a month or so. She’s adamant about going back home.”

  “So your sister could take her in?”

  “She set up a bedroom in her den, near a downstairs bathroom.” Slim took a swig of coffee. “So they’re all set.”

  “That’s good,” Jeb and Sophie said in unison and though Jeb didn’t seem to think anything of it, Sophie realized they were growing so close they were beginning to talk alike. Jeb might be able to compartmentalize his feelings for her and keep them purely sexual, but what she felt for him was personal, intimate, a real connection.

  She suddenly understood what he’d been telling her all along. Too much time in each other’s company and they would be in love. And then the choices would be snatched from her. Starry-eyed from intimacy and a life-changing connection, she’d downplay the fact that loving him meant giving up everything else. She wouldn’t consider how she’d feel twenty years from now when she had only one child to walk down the aisle. Only one child to give her grandchildren. Only one child.

  Jeb spent the rest of the day following Slim, telling himself he was getting his foreman reoriented, but he was really avoiding private time with Sophie and her son. He knew what he wanted. The woman and her little boy. The ready-made family. He also knew the kind of man he was. Strong. Determined. Not one to take no for an answer. If he pulled out all the stops, he’d win. He always did. And then what would happen? Ten years, five years…maybe even two years from now, she’d wake up one morning realizing she’d forfeited her dreams and she’d hate him.

  In the end he really wouldn’t win. And he’d hurt her. Maybe even Brady. If she left after Brady and Jeb had bonded, the little boy would see him as the dad he longed to be and they’d both scream in pain at the loss.

  So he stayed away. Out of sight. Out of mind. Hoping to take things back to normal.

  But as the day wore on, he suddenly remembered that Sophie now made his dinner. Knowing any private time with her would take them back to the place neither one of them wanted to be, he called Slim to the barn office.

  “While you were gone, Sophie and I had some conversations.”

  Slim fell to the seat in front of the desk. “Oh, yeah?”

  Jeb picked up a pencil and tapped it on his desk blotter. “Yeah. I was so busy she started making my dinner and before we knew it, I sort of got accustomed to Brady.”

  “Hey, that’s great!”

  “Yeah. Once we realized Brady wasn’t a problem for me anymore, I couldn’t see any reason she couldn’t stay…So she’s permanent now.”

  Slim’s eyes widened. “What else happened while I was away?”

  Not about to touch that with a ten-foot pole, Jeb pretended great interest in his phone messages, leafing through them, avoiding Slim’s gaze. “Nothing, except now that I’ve got dinner on her agenda again, it might be a good idea for you to eat with me so we can debrief at the end of the day.”

  Slim laughed. “Are you asking me to supper?”

  Jeb scowled. “It’s not a date.”

  “If her dinners are as good as her cookies and pie I’m still in.”

  They walked to the house discussing the ranch. When they entered the kitchen, Sophie turned from the stove.

  Her gaze moved from Jeb to Slim and she smiled with relief. “Hey, are you eating here tonight?”

  “Yep.” Slim rubbed his hands together in anticipation. He sniffed the air. “Pot roast.” He sniffed again. “And mashed potatoes.”

  Sophie laughed. “You’re good.”

  “Nope, just hungry.” He ambled to the table. “Hey, Brady.”

  The baby cooed.

  Jeb also took his regular seat. “Hey, Brady.”

  Sophie scrambled to the table with another plate and silverware. “I’ll be ready in a second.”

  Seeing she’d only brought enough utensils for him, Slim frowned. “You’re not eating with us—”

  “I—”

  “She—”

  Sophie scurried back to the stove. Slim peered at Jeb. “What’s this all about? She’ll have to clean up twice if she waits to eat until after we’re done.” He glanced at Sophie, then back to Jeb. “You don’t have a problem with her eating with us, do you, boss?”

  Knowing he’d sound like an idiot if he admitted that he did, Jeb said, “No. Especially if it means less work for her.” He twisted in his chair to address Sophie. “Come eat with us.”

  She nodded, but she wouldn’t look at him.

  Jeb turned back to Slim. Sophie set her place then brought the food to the table. Slim grabbed a healthy helping of pot roast and between bites began asking questions about what had happened with the hands while he was gone.

  Within seconds the awkwardness had passed, Jeb caught Sophie’s gaze. She smiled hopefully. He took a breath then looked away. They could do this.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  TWO FRIDAYS LATER, Jeb awakened out of sorts. Grumpy. Groggy. Even after a steamy shower, he ambled to the kitchen feeling something like a bear with a thorn in its paw.

  As always, Brady sat in his high chair. Sophie stood at the counter, fixing the baby’s breakfast. Something stirred in Jeb’s psyche, but before it rose enough that he could label it longing for what he couldn’t have, he squelched it.

  The little boy screeched at him.

  “Hey, kid.”

  Sophie brought the cereal to the table. “He’s in a rare mood today. Watch yourself.”

  Jeb laughed. “You think he’s in a rare mood?” He grabbed one of the regular mugs from the cupboard, filled it with coffee and walked to the table. “He’s got nothing on me today.”

  “Oh, yeah?” she asked, sliding a spoon of cereal into Brady’s open mouth. “What’s up?”

  He could have told her that he wanted to sleep with her so much that some nights he actually plotted strategies to sneak into her room. He could have told her that he resented the easy way she fit into his life as a maid when he really wanted her for a lover. He could have said he resented the way she made him feel comfortable and edgy at the same time. Or that it made him mad that he could see she needed a job more than he needed to sleep with her.

  Instead he said, “I have no idea,” but something tripped in his brain. A memory that wouldn’t quite form.

  Something was nagging at him. And for once it was something more than wanting to sleep with her. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

  “I have this weird feeling that I’ve forgotten something.”

  Silence descended as Sophie aimed a spoon of cereal at Brady’s mouth and Jeb took a sip of coffee.

  Slim entered the kitchen through the back door. Sophie said, “There are cookies. Oatmeal. Just out of the oven.”

  Jeb fought the urge to squeeze his eyes shut. Did she have to be so sweet? If she were a tad more selfish, or inconsiderate, or even a bit grouchy he could probably sleep with her simply for sex. Instead with someone nice like her, emotion had gotten involved and it shook an angry finger at him every time he even casually considered seducing her.

  Slim headed for the cookie jar. “Great. I skipped breakfast.”

  Jeb turned in his chair and faced Slim. “So what’s on the agenda today?”

  “Nothing for you. I’ve got a handle on it. You can go about your business as usual.”

  “With the Baker postponement I’m sort of at loose ends.”

  Slim shoved a cookie into his mouth and headed for the door. “Not my problem.”

  As the door closed behind Slim, Jeb turned to Sophie
. “What are you doing today?”

  Sophie paused in feeding her son and he pounded on the tray, screeching angrily. She sighed. “Whatever I’m doing, I’ll be doing it with Brady on my arm.”

  He glanced at the baby, then back at Sophie and knew the real reason he wouldn’t seduce her into something she didn’t want. She had a baby, responsibilities. His natural inclination would be to ask how he could help, but he knew that wouldn’t be wise. He couldn’t fall into the role of her baby’s daddy, no matter how much he wanted it. And some days he resented that.

  He pulled in a breath. He was in a mood.

  “But it doesn’t matter. With the extra time we’ve had,” Sophie said, still feeding Brady. “Even I’m down to putzing around. To tell you the truth I’m kind of getting bored.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” He rose from the table and grabbed his coffee. “I’m going to check my emails.”

  He left the kitchen and strolled back to the office, wishing he could get rid of this feeling. But he couldn’t. He tried to remind himself that he and Sophie were wrong for each other. They were different, had different needs, wanted different things, so he shouldn’t like her. But he did. And he paid for it. Every damned day she and her baby sat at the tips of his fingers, as if fate were taunting him with everything he wanted but couldn’t have.

  His life sucked.

  At his desk, he grabbed the calendar, flopped into the tall-back chair, lowered his gaze to that day’s entries and forgot all about being angry and moody.

  Today was the day of the groundbreaking for Samuel’s House. Not only did he have to be a hundred miles away in less than three hours, but he also had to write a speech.

  Damn.

  That’s why he’d forgotten. He hated speeches, so he’d pushed the whole event to the back of his mind, hoping it would go away. But it wouldn’t. It was here. And he had to say a few words on behalf of his parents as well as himself. There was no way out.

  He bounced out of his chair as if his butt were on fire and ran into the kitchen. “Call Slim, have him call the pilot and tell him I’ve got to be in the air in an hour.”

  She turned from the sink. “In the air? I guess this must be the thing you forgot? Where are you going?”

  Good grief. Had he ever met a woman so curious, or one who had such a clever way of getting him to talk about himself—

  He stopped his ranting because he’d hit a relevant truth. She could get him to talk. She pulled things out of him no one else had ever been able to.

  “You haven’t done any writing by any chance, have you?”

  “Writing?”

  “I need a speech.”

  “A speech? Whatever for? Does this have something to do with Samuel’s House?” She winced. “Working at your desk I found the files.”

  “Then you’ll know I’m a sponsor. Today is the groundbreaking for a new facility and I’m supposed to say something.”

  “Just speak from the heart.”

  “Yeah, right. I’ll get up in front of a hundred people and say ‘uh’ about fifty times.” He gave her his best pleading look. After the sleepless nights he’d endured because of her, she owed him. “Come on. Fly along. Help me think of something to say.”

  He’d sounded so desperate and the invitation had sounded so innocent that Sophie had forgotten how powerful their attraction was and she’d agreed.

  She felt the first wave of reminder when he walked down the stairs to the foyer. Wearing boots, black jeans and a white shirt with a bolero tie, he looked sexily Western. Everything female in her responded.

  And she was going to spend an entire day with him?

  Without stuttering or falling into his arms?

  Fastening his watch on his wrist, he said, “You ready?”

  She peered down at her simple sundress and sandals, then took another look at him. He was the epitome of a rich rancher. She looked like a surfer girl.

  Maybe she didn’t have anything to worry about?

  “Yeah, I’m ready.”

  Finally done with his watch, he glanced at her. “Wow.”

  Then he saw Brady sitting in the travel seat beside her. His expression changed from normal man gazing hungrily at a woman he found attractive, to normal man looking at a baby.

  And everything fell into place again.

  He’d never act on his attraction to her, not even in a teasing kind of way because of Brady. He didn’t mind having her baby around, but he also didn’t want to grow too fond of him, too attached to him, too close to him, because he didn’t want to end up hurt. Or Brady to end up hurt. Or her to end up hurt.

  He’d thought it all through and acted out his conclusion by not ever mentioning his feelings for her. If he even still had them. It had been so long since they’d been alone or talked, he might have grown immune to her.

  She had nothing to fear.

  “The kid’s coming?”

  “Is that okay?”

  He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me. Let’s go.”

  They got into an SUV and drove to a landing strip on the ranch. Stepping into a plane that looked more like a living room, she just barely held back her gasp of awe. At the back was a bar. Silky drapes decorated the windows. Her feet sunk into thick carpeting. Two rows of buttery-brown leather seats sat across from each other.

  She walked to one side. Jeb walked to the other. After settling Brady in the baby seat, she buckled herself in.

  Jeb pushed a button that activated an intercom system. With a word to the cockpit, the plane began to move. It didn’t take them long to get into the air. Once they were cruising, Jeb removed his seat belt. “Anything you want? A sandwich? A drink?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “Then let’s get started.” He pushed a button that caused a little table to slide out from the wall beside him then pulled a few note cards from his jacket pocket. “I guess I’ll start off with good afternoon.”

  She laughed. “Makes sense. Then thank everybody for their hard work. Somebody somewhere did something to get this thing going…Even if you don’t know who or what, so thanking everybody will cover it.”

  He nodded. “Okay. That’s good. Then what?”

  “Well, if it were me, I’d just say what I feel about the building. What does this project mean to you?”

  He took a breath. “A lot.”

  She leaned her elbow on the arm of her seat, and put her chin on her closed fist. “Really? How’d you get involved with an orphanage anyway?”

  “It’s not an orphanage. It’s a transitional care facility.”

  She frowned. “What’s a transitional care facility?”

  “It’s a place where kids who can’t make it in foster care go.”

  “Oh, hard cases. So how’d you get involved with something like that?”

  “I caught a kid—Billy Clark—stealing a few years back, and by the time I drove him into town to the sheriff, I’d bonded with him. Parents were drug addicts. He was stealing to feed his sister.”

  “That’s awful!”

  “Yeah, well, I thought so, too, and I didn’t press charges. But we sent social services out to their house. Billy and his sister were to go into foster care and though his sister easily adapted, Billy couldn’t. He ran away and ran away and ran away until—”

  He stopped. Sophie reached across the aisle and touched his forearm. “Until what?”

  “Until he fell in with the wrong crowd and was involved in an armed robbery where a man was killed. He’s now in a state facility, probably for life.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Not half as sorry as I was. I thought I’d failed him. He wasn’t my responsibility but he had no one else and somehow I just kept missing the mark—probably because at the time I didn’t have much real world training. My up-bringing hadn’t prepared me for anybody like him and I didn’t know what to say to him. I didn’t know the signs that he was in trouble. I was such an airhead.” He shook his head in dismay. “Anyway, my parents visited me about
a week after his sentencing, and their cavalier attitude about life infuriated me. I exploded and we got into a fight and before I knew it I was telling them they needed to do something about Billy…or at the very least kids like Billy.” He smiled. “Imagine my surprise when they did.”

  “So your parents aren’t as bad as you thought?”

  “They’re still beach bums.” He paused to laugh and Sophie could see that he and his parents might have different goals and ideals, but they loved each other. “They could see I was serious about starting this facility and they put up some cash, too.”

  “And you keep up with it?”

  “Hey, it’s a good cause and something worthwhile for my parents to spend their money on. I’m happy to throw in a few bucks and make a few trips.”

  “You just don’t like speeches.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Who does?”

  “Good point. Okay, so once you thank everybody, just talk about the service you believe the facility provides for the community. Say you and your parents are proud to be involved with it.” She smiled. “Then sit down.”

  He laughed. “That part I can handle.”

  “I don’t know why you’re so nervous.”

  “I don’t like speaking to groups. I’m much better one-on-one. And when there’s no emotion involved.” He caught her gaze. “I hate this emotion junk.”

  “No kidding.” But she smiled. He really had a heart of gold. Which was really why he hated speeches. No man wanted to look soft and vulnerable. Especially not with the media watching.

  But that was also why he didn’t want to get too close to Brady. He knew the little boy would pull him in and make him feel like a father, and when Sophie left he’d be lonelier than if he’d never experienced what it would be like to be a daddy.

  They finished the speech and then Sophie closed her eyes, not forcing him into any more discussions. She respected his feelings and he respected hers. There was no point belaboring the issue.

  Slim had called ahead and made arrangements for a car to be waiting for them at the airport. They drove a short distance to the building site and, within minutes, Sophie was being introduced to a long line of people.