Montana Mornings (The Wildes of Birch Bay Book 3) Read online

  And there was no way he’d let his daughter be a pawn in whatever game this was.

  He closed his eyes and silently cursed that the damned papers hadn’t been signed already. That he’d never forced the issue and gotten her visitation revoked. He hadn’t attempted to prove a single thing; he’d simply told her she was out of the picture. And it had worked. Until now.

  “As I said,” he began again, trying his best to remain calm, “you squandered your rights.”

  “Not according to my lawyer.”

  He opened his eyes. “Michelle—”

  “I want to see her, Gabe. And I want her to come here.”

  Fear cut off his air. The last thing Jenna needed was to go back to California. She was just starting to have a normal day now and then. Nor did she need to see her mother.

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  “I’ve changed,” she repeated. “I regret the way things ended, and I want to see our daughter.”

  She wouldn’t push for this, would she? Because legally, she could.

  He closed his eyes again. “As I stated before, you lost your visitation rights. You lost your daughter. Now, if you have anything else to say on the matter, you can say it through our lawyers.”

  He hung up before she could reply, his hands shaking at the confrontation, and cupped his fingers over his mouth. He should have called the cops that night. Well, before they’d been called on him.

  “Was that Mom?”

  He looked up, his stomach turning over at the sight of his daughter standing just inside his door. Pain contorted her features. “Jenna,” he began. He stood. But he had no idea what else to say.

  “Did she want to talk to me?”

  He shook his head. “No, baby. She was—”

  He cut off his words when tears appeared in his daughter’s eyes, and circled his desk to go to her. Damn Michelle for doing this.

  “Honey.” He stooped and took her hands. “Your mother left us. You know that. She—”

  “But she just called.” Wide eyes stared back at him, and he could see her wanting to trust the words coming out of his mouth. But at the same time, he saw the distrust. “Why didn’t you let me talk to her?” she whispered.

  Because the last time the two of them had talked, Jenna hadn’t come out of her room for two days.

  Crossing his fingers on what he was about to do, he opened his mouth and directly lied to his only child. “She didn’t actually ask about you, sweetheart. She didn’t want to talk to you.”

  “This pizza.” Erica moaned in pleasure before leaning back in her seat in the teacher’s lounge. “I’ve never had any so good.”

  “Tell me about it,” Maggie added. “I need to date the owner, if for no other reason than for free pizza.”

  “Except he’s about eighty years old,” another teacher at the table tossed in.

  “There is that,” Maggie muttered. “Not that I’m too proud.” She grabbed another piece of the shared lunch that had been delivered by their favorite pizzeria, checking her watch as she took a bite. “Ten minutes before we’ve got to get back to the kids.”

  “Enough time for one more slice.”

  While Maggie and the other teacher ate their pizza and began talking about that morning’s headline news—a local man who’d been arrested the night before for literally being caught with his pants down—Erica pulled out her phone and scrolled through her social media account. She’d admired pictures on the site from the Silver Creek Sunset Garden Tour the week before, and since then she’d been keeping up with the happenings around her hometown a bit more. When she’d moved away, she’d purposefully ignored all communication from home, not wanting to see anything going on in Silver Creek. But at the brief reminder of everything she’d been missing, she couldn’t help but want to see more.

  Using her finger, she moved past random updates from friends about how their mornings started, skipped over pictures of what people had eaten for dinner the night before, then stopped the page and tapped on an article about the town’s football team. Silver Creek hadn’t lost a game that season.

  “Your class last night earned me extra pizza today,” Maggie informed her, and Erica smiled without looking up.

  “Wait until Thursday. I added a new sequence into the routine this morning.”

  Erica still exercised each morning before coming to work, but she also still sat with Gabe on his porch every day, too. They’d not been “together” since the weekend, and they really hadn’t talked that much about what they’d done. But Erica was hopeful it would happen again. Preferably soon.

  She saw a post from her older sister, who was in school at Chapel Hill, then clicked over to Bree’s page to see that her youngest sibling was currently somewhere in Mexico. That tiny flame of irritation that liked to rear its head concerning Bree never having to “follow the rules” lit up, but Erica squelched it. Some people were simply different. She needed to accept that.

  Erica had talked to Bree Sunday afternoon, confirming that, yes, condoms had indeed been used with her neighbor, but she hadn’t spoken with Annalise in over a month. Maybe she’d give her other sister a call later that week.

  Probably she should call her brother at some point, too. It hadn’t occurred to her until now that since she no longer lived in the same town as him, that meant they rarely talked.

  A few clicks later, and she was scrolling through the latest pictures of Seth’s two boys.

  “Are you hearing anything we’re saying over there?” Maggie leaned onto the table and stuck her face in front of Erica’s.

  “Huh?” She looked up.

  “We were asking if you’d given any thought to staying on here.”

  “I can’t stay on here, you know that. Mrs. Watts will be back in less than three weeks.”

  “We meant as a substitute.”

  Her new colleagues wore pleading expressions, and Erica shook her head, feeling her own sadness at the fact that she’d soon have to give up this lunchtime camaraderie. She’d miss seeing these women every day. “I want something more,” she said. “And you would, too. And I need something more. The bills don’t pay themselves.”

  “But we need you here.”

  Maggie’s whine was only partially fake, Erica knew, but that didn’t mean the feelings behind it were.

  “How about a compromise?” she offered. “If nothing else gets offered, I’ll stay. I do have the apartment rented until the end of the year, after all.” But she couldn’t give up hope that an opportunity would come up, either. Her dad would be calling that night. He’d been reaching out to his contacts in the field, trying to find something for her.

  The idea of her dad’s contacts not coming through suddenly had her wondering if it would be so bad to just stay. That way, not only would she get to continue her budding friendships, but she could have more time with Gabe, as well.

  And wasn’t it interesting that the thought of that didn’t strike her as being as scary as it probably should have? She wanted to spend more time with Gabe. As well as with his daughter. For the most part, Jenna continued to do better in school, but Erica still saw so much pain in the little girl’s eyes. They’d talked at her house a few times now—Hannah and Jenna came over for cookies occasionally before Gabe got home—yet Erica didn’t feel she’d made any real headway with the hurt piled high inside the girl.

  “Time’s up,” Maggie announced while Erica was still mired in thoughts of Gabe. “Back to work.”

  The three of them rose as one, and as Erica picked up her trash to dispose of it, a new post on her phone caught her attention. She lifted her hand back up slowly, and though telling herself not to do it, she clicked on the picture of her once best friend.

  Silver Creek’s JC Bird to marry longtime girlfriend next month.

  Her stomach twisted in knots. He was getting married. Finally.

  While at the same time, the asshole had tried to call her yet again the night before. He’d used his office phone since he
could no longer get through with his cell.

  What a jerk. Hot tears suddenly stung her eyes, and before her friends could see them, Erica made a quick excuse and dashed from the room. She disappeared into the storage area of her own classroom, and once there, leaned back against a set of shelves. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

  Why the tears?

  She shook her head. She wasn’t sad. Not over this. She honestly didn’t want JC back. She could finally say that with certainty.

  But what had all the calling and the texting been about if he was just going to turn around and announce his engagement? Without realizing it had happened, Erica had let those calls make her wonder if maybe she hadn’t been quite as boring as she’d always thought herself to be.

  If maybe he had truly wanted her back.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Uncle Cord.” Jenna and Cord sat in the leather recliner positioned with the best view of Gabe’s sixty-five-inch TV. She’d curled into her uncle’s lap the minute they’d gotten in from the football game, and Cord had been entertaining her ever since.

  “Yes, Jenna?”

  “Would you read me the sheep story again?”

  Gabe looked up from his notes from that night’s game to watch the interaction on the other side of the room.

  “Sure I would, kiddo.”

  His brother dug through the small stack of books on the end table, finding the one Jenna had loved since she’d learned that kids could ride sheep in rodeos, while Jenna settled her head over her uncle’s heart. Cord looked at her before opening the book, a rare hint of tenderness touching his features, and Gabe would swear there was something quite similar to longing mixed in with the tenderness, as well.

  Within ten minutes of beginning to read, Jenna had fallen asleep. The three of them had gotten in from the game way past Jenna’s bedtime, but given that Cord rarely showed up for visits in his hometown, Gabe had allowed his daughter to stay up.

  With the steady sound of breathing now coming from Jenna, Cord lay the small paperback on the end table and shot Gabe a smug look. “Your kid likes me more every time I see her.”

  Gabe made a face. “What female doesn’t?”

  Erica hadn’t been mistaken when she’d pointed out that Cord was the best looking one of them. At six two, his brother was the tallest, the most successful, and also the all-around hardest. It was that hardness that drew women like flies.

  His brother returned his gaze to the sleeping Jenna, and Gabe teased, “You about ready to have kids of your own?”

  “Not bloody likely.”

  “Then what’s that I see going on over there?” Gabe motioned, not to Jenna, but to his brother’s face. “You look like you could sit in my recliner cuddling my kid all night.”

  Cord’s shoulders shrugged under his shirt. “Your kid is cuddly.”

  Gabe snorted. “Come around when she’s in one of her moods. You’ll change your tune then.”

  “She still struggling with everything?”

  Gabe eyed his daughter. “She’s better some days. Her teacher has helped a lot, but she certainly still has her moments.” He thought about the call that had come in the weekend before, and about how the mention of her mother had Jenna clamming up until he’d talked her into a trip to the ice cream parlor Saturday evening. Then he overruled his default need to keep everything to himself, and shared the latest with his brother. “Michelle called.”

  His words had Cord’s expression icing over. “What did she want?”

  He didn’t want to say it. He glanced out the window instead, where he could make out the darkened first floor of Erica’s apartment. He should have talked to Erica about it. Asked if it had affected Jenna’s behavior at school that week.

  Instead, since no more calls had come in, he’d pushed it aside. Pretended it didn’t matter.

  “Claimed she wanted to see Jenna,” he finally admitted. The sick feeling that had shown up with Michelle’s words returned.

  “What for?”

  “I have no idea.”

  Jenna’s eyelids suddenly fluttered, and Gabe held his breath, thinking they’d woken her, but she never did more than fidget. Once she’d settled back down, Gabe blew out a breath and looked back at his brother.

  “I said no.”

  “That’s good. Don’t mess things up now.”

  “That was my theory.”

  “You did the right thing getting her away from that,” Cord added. “She’s going to get past this.” He looked at Jenna once again, and his tone softened. “I’ve been worrying about her, but she’s doing fine. She’s getting what she needs here.”

  Though his brother had recently admitted to worrying over the situation, the admission still amazed Gabe. Cord rarely showed concern over anyone but one of his patients. Nor did he make a habit of doling out compliments.

  Both things made Gabe uncomfortable enough that he pushed his notes aside, deciding they were finished talking about his past for the night. But he did have another topic they could discuss. He leaned forward in his seat. “Want to worry about someone else for a change?”

  “Who?”

  “Dad.” He’d stopped by their dad’s again that week, and though there’d been no more signs of Doc Hamm coming around, Gabe couldn’t squelch the feeling that something was off. “I’m concerned that he’s sick. Or maybe it’s just the farm; it might be too much for him.” Their dad had been forced to come out of retirement when Gabe moved to California. “But then again, he retired early to begin with. So it’s not like he’s that old.”

  They sat with only one floor lamp burning in the room, but Gabe could make out the concern crowding his brother’s eyes.

  “What makes you think there’s a problem?” Cord asked. “He said anything?”

  “No. And that’s part of it. I’ve asked him a couple of times, but he claims all is fine.”

  “Then I don’t understand.”

  Gabe stood to pace. “They left Nick’s house early at the cookout this year—”

  “So did Harper’s parents,” Cord pointed out.

  “Yes, but”—he played with the blinds on the window, making sure to leave them open so he could see across the street. Then he turned back to Cord. “Did you notice that Gloria got the car for him when they went to leave? They’d parked at the community lot, and though it was only a block away, she made him wait at the house until she came back with the car. Then I caught Doc Hamm at the farm.”

  Cord moved as if to get up himself, before remembering he had a sleeping child in his arms. “What did Hamm say?”

  “Like he’d tell me anything about Dad’s health. He said he was there for a checkup. Dad repeated it, claiming everything was fine, and Gloria echoed the sentiment. But I’m telling you, there’s something going on.”

  Cord nodded, and Gabe could see the wheels turning.

  “But then,” Gabe continued. “Maybe I’m imagining things, or maybe it’s Gloria who’s the problem.”

  His brother’s brows shot up. “How is Gloria a problem?”

  “She hovers,” Gabe tossed out.

  “And this is somehow making Dad sick?’

  “No, but she’s there all the time. Telling him what he needs to be doing, or asking him a million questions. It makes me wonder if she’s turned into—” Gabe snapped his mouth closed. He didn’t want to say it.

  He didn’t even want to think it.

  “There is no way that Gloria is like her.” Cord followed Gabe’s train of thought, and Gabe looked back at him. None of them liked calling their mother “Mom,” because she’d never once been motherly.

  “Something’s going on,” Gabe said again. “It’s a gut feeling.”

  “Then I’ll check on him before I leave.”

  Gabe nodded, comforted with the knowledge, then he once again faced the window. He looked for signs of life from the other house. Erica’s bedroom light had been on when they’d first gotten home from the game, but other than that he’d seen nothing.
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br />   “You seeing her yet?” Cord spoke from behind him.

  His entire family had each asked him that question within the last six weeks. He’d denied any involvement each time.

  “I am,” he said now. “As often as she’ll let me.”

  “That’s a change.”

  Gabe had once declared that if he ever got rid of his wife, he’d never have another. And granted, what he was doing with Erica didn’t necessarily have to be heading toward a wifelike thing.

  But at the same time, it didn’t mean it couldn’t.

  “I’d forgotten how much I liked her,” Gabe admitted. Erica had come home with him a few times during college, and she’d immediately fit in. Even Cord had latched onto her, for once treating her more as a sister than a conquest.

  “And how does she feel about you?”

  Gabe studied the dark night in thought. She hadn’t actually said how she felt about him. They’d continued meeting every morning over the last week, but that’s as far as it had gone. Jenna had been at the house every day, so it wasn’t like he could sneak over to her place again, and neither one of them had suggested doing anything public such as going out to dinner.

  It was nice, this little encapsulated world they’d built, but Gabe was ready for more. Her timeline of only two remaining weeks at the school meant her job search had picked up, and looming thoughts had begun to echo in Gabe’s head. He wouldn’t be ready for her to leave in two weeks.

  “Beats the hell out of me,” he finally answered. But he wanted to broach the topic.

  He pulled his phone out and considered texting her. She could at least turn on her light and give him a smile.

  But did he want to wake her up? He’d get to see her first thing in the morning.

  “Go on over,” Cord said. And when Gabe looked at him, he pointed a look at Jenna. “I’ll keep an eye on this one. Stay all night if you want to.”

  Fire flared at the suggestion. All night wrapped around Erica? “I’d hate to . . .”

  The words were bogus. He wouldn’t hate to.

  He studied his brother. Cord had never been one to want kids, but he’d always been loved by his nieces. “You don’t mind?” he asked.