Chapter Ten
M ick wasn’t sure about Bear’s wheelchair the first few days, but by the end of the week, he padded at Bear’s side, or lay outside Bear’s bedroom, waiting for him to go somewhere. He liked going on errands, and was always the first one outside, ready to hop in Bear’s truck.
Savannah… well, she was an entirely different matter. She, too, wanted to follow Bear around the house but he wasn’t comfortable with her in the house or around him. He didn’t dislike her—that much—but he hadn’t forgiven her for betraying him. Breaking up with him was one thing. But ending her pregnancy? Getting rid of their baby without talking to him? Without him even being part of the conversation?
And the fact that she was pregnant again with Noah’s child and behaving the exact same way blew his mind.
What was wrong with her? How selfish could she be?
So no, he wasn’t happy Savannah was in his house, but he was gone tomorrow, which meant she’d be gone tomorrow.
He’d been reminding her daily that she needed a plan, and a place to go, but she was stalling, and he suspected she was still holding out for a chance to move with him to Marietta. That was most definitely not happening, but she didn’t seem to believe him, which was her way of getting what she wanted.
Savannah nearly always got what she wanted.
On the plus side, the Cahill family from LA were leasing the house furnished which made it easy for him to leave tomorrow. Bear just needed to finish packing his clothes, toiletries and essentials. Most of his things were already shoved in duffel bags and a couple boxes, ready to be loaded into the back of his truck.
“The cleaning crew are coming in the morning at ten thirty,” he told Savannah Thursday afternoon when she wandered into the kitchen in a barely there robe, which meant barely covered her assets, and her hair in a high messy ponytail. “You’ll need to be completely out by the time they arrive. Is that going to be an issue?”
“Can’t I get a later check out?” she asked, reaching into the refrigerator for a bottle of bubbly water.
“I’ve promised the cleaning service that the house will be theirs when their staff get here. That’s the agreement.”
“But why can’t we be here while they’re here? Couldn’t they skip my room until the end? No hotel check in is until at least three o’clock.”
Bear just stared at her.
She didn’t flinch. “What am I supposed to do for five hours, Bear? Where do I go until then?”
“I didn’t invite you to Montana.”
“You’re so cold.”
“I have a lot going on. Maybe that’s rude, but it’s the truth. I can’t take care of you. I can’t babysit you. You’re not my responsibility.” He looked her in the eye and held her gaze. “You should call Noah’s parents and tell them what’s going on, and I know they’ll help you. They’ll be far more sympathetic to your situation than I am.”
“And if I don’t?”
He shrugged. “Then you’re on your own.”
He started to leave the kitchen, but Savannah stepped in front of him blocking his exit. “Will you let me talk to your roommate? The girl who isn’t your girlfriend?” Savannah asked. “Can I introduce myself to her and see what she thinks? She might like me. She might not object… not if you’re both friends.”
“I object. Isn’t that enough?”
“I just need a bed. I need somewhere safe to sleep. That’s all I want, all I need. Give me a week to figure out my next steps. I’ve been too down, too sad to think clearly.” She hesitated, tears filling her eyes. “I miss Noah. I miss his calls. I miss his voice. I miss knowing someone loved me.”
“Did you love him, Savannah?”
“I was growing to love him. He and I were different from you and me—”
“We don’t need to go there.”
“Just saying it was a different relationship.”
Bear’s jaw worked. “He adored you, and I didn’t, right?”
Her slender shoulders twisted. “He put me first.”
Whereas Bear hadn’t. He exhaled slowly. “I’ll ask Josie if she’s open to meeting you, but if she isn’t, you are on your own. And even if she does, that doesn’t mean she’ll want you in the house.”
Savannah straightened, instantly on guard. “Why not? What did you tell her about me?”
“Nothing. But if she knew, she wouldn’t think it’s appropriate to have you in the house with us. I don’t think it’s appropriate, but Noah was a good friend of mine, and whatever I do for you is because of my loyalty to him.” He reached out and used his arm to gently but firmly push her back so he could escape.
Twenty minutes later, Bear was still feeling trapped and restless, and he decided to head to Marietta and go to his house. It was his house after all, and he was moving in tomorrow so why not see it today?
Mick jumped into the truck, sitting in the passenger seat while Bear popped the tires off his wheelchair, loaded those behind him, and then leaned his seat back to put the frame over his shoulder in the backseat. Once the chair was in, and he was buckled up, he set off, glad to be getting away from the ranch—and Savannah.
The bottom line was that she couldn’t move in to the Marietta house. But Savannah was not going to just go quietly into the night. She would hound him—and Josie—until she had a definitive, negative answer from Josie.
Bear called Josie while driving.
“Tomorrow is the big day,” she sang cheerfully as she answered his call.
“Can today be the big day?”
“You want to move in today?”
“No, but I’d love to see the house today if I could. It’d make me feel better about tomorrow.”
“Oh, Bear, are you having regrets?”
“No regrets about buying the new house, or moving, but regrets about allowing Savannah to stay in Clyde Park for a few days.”
“I wondered how that was going.”
“Badly.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want to put you in the middle.”
“I’m not. Am I?”
He sighed, and ruffled his hair, dragging his hand through the short strands. “She wants to meet you. She thinks that once you meet her, you won’t object to her staying with us for a week—or more.”
Josie didn’t answer, and Bear’s stomach hurt. He was stressed and frustrated and torn between being a decent human being and saving his sanity.
“What do you want, Bear?” Josie asked carefully, quietly.
“I want her to go away.” He felt like a child, and he hated it.
He hated feeling cornered. He resented that Savannah could make him feel guilty and responsible when he hadn’t been part of her life for years.
“But I also don’t want to drive her to desperation and then she just terminates this pregnancy like she’s done before.”
Again, Josie took her time answering. “Why do I feel like there’s more to this story than you’re telling me?”
“Because there is.”
“Will you tell me?”
“Maybe. Someday.” He sighed even as his chest tightened, squeezing, trapping the air in his lungs. “It’s hard to talk about.”
“She hurt you,” Josie said.
“We hurt each other,” he answered. “But she got the last word, and it did hurt. A lot.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago.”
“Not that long ago, Bear. I thought it was three years ago this summer you were hurt, and at the time you two were engaged.”
“Yes.” He swallowed hard. “It’ll be three years in September.”
“So almost three years, and I can’t imagine she broke up with you right away?”
He sighed again, increasingly unsettled. “This isn’t my favorite subject.”
“I think my point is that she’s not part of a distant past. Savannah has only been out of your life for a year or two.” Josie paused before pressing on. “And it sounds as if she wants back into your life.”
“That’s not going to happen,” he growled.
“It’s already happened,” Josie answered before adding, “I’m happy to meet her. Just let me know when and where.”
Silence stretched across the line, and Bear felt ridiculous. He felt awkward and immature and emotional. He hated involving Josie in his problems. She shouldn’t have to deal with Savannah. He should be able to deal with Savannah. If he were a real man—
“Josie,” he said roughly, “you don’t have to show me the house today. I can wait until tomorrow. I imagine you’re doing a lot of last-minute things.”
“I am, but it’s okay.”
“No. It’s not. We have a plan, and we’re going to stick to the plan. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Hanging up, Bear pulled off to the side of the road, texted Savannah that she wouldn’t be meeting with Josie, and she wouldn’t be staying at the Marietta house, and there would be no more discussion on it, or delaying her departure from Clyde Park either.
Bear sat in his truck for what seemed like hours, just looking at the mountains he loved, and the place that had been his second home. His dad’s job meant that they moved every couple of years, but this place, this land was always here and, despite all the changes Bear had known, especially in the last few years, it felt immensely reassuring to see that not everything had changed. The undulating land, rolling up into the Crazies, the sweeping sky overhead, the fat white clouds slowly sailing past.
He couldn’t sell this place—this was his legacy—but he couldn’t be here now. Bear’s gaze swept the miles of pasture, the fields that did well when planted, fields that hadn’t been consistently planted since his grandfather died.
He could live here one day, be here one day, but not yet. He wasn’t ready. He needed to get his business started, needed to work on developing his business model, making it successful so it’d be possible for others to follow.
If he’d had kids, this would be something he’d pass to them, but perhaps one of Susie’s children might want to be here, perhaps one of the boys or girls might want to make Montana home. If that was the case, he’d make sure the land was worth having, that he’d taken care of it the same way he would for his own.
Bear would reach out to his neighbor who’d leased the land for the past four years and see if he wanted to extend the agreement. And if he didn’t want to, Bear would speak to others. He wasn’t worried. If there was anything he’d learned from his accident, it was that life was far more fluid than he’d understood. Life wasn’t just one thing, one moment, one dream. His world may have changed, but the world was still there, still ripe with energy and opportunity. He just had to take it.
*
Josie was standing on the sidewalk of the Marietta house overseeing the delivery of Bear’s new furniture when a black Mercedes SUV pulled up in front of the house, squeezing in front of the furniture truck.
Josie tried to remember if she was expecting anyone else today. She was to meet a woman from the blind company, but that wasn’t supposed to be this afternoon. The curtains were already up—Josie had made those herself—but she’d ordered blinds that could be controlled by a remote at the last moment, realizing Bear would want them for easy control of light and privacy in his bedroom, bathroom, and living room.
But as a tall, slender blonde stepped from the Mercedes, flipping thick sun-streaked hair over her shoulder, Josie dismissed the idea that this was a woman who worked with a discount manufacturer.
This was Savannah. Had to be Bear’s Savannah.
Josie crossed the sidewalk and walked to the curb to meet her. “Savannah?”
The stunning blond looked her up and down. “Josie?”
“Yes.”
Savannah’s brown gaze narrowed. “You’re smaller than I expected.”
Josie shrugged. “Don’t worry, I have plenty of attitude.” She was tempted to cross her arms over her chest but didn’t want to look defensive. “Bear’s not here, in case you’re looking for him.”
“No, I’m not. I came to see you.”
Josie could feel Savannah’s continued scrutiny. It was strange to have another woman study her so intently. “I’d invite you in but it’s pretty chaotic. That’s why I’m staying out here. I don’t want to get in everyone’s way.”
Savannah finally looked away, her gaze now on the square plain house. “This is Bear’s house?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yes.”
“Wow. He’s certainly come down in the world.”
Chin up, Josie held her tongue. She was not going to get into it with Savannah of all people.
Savannah focused back on Josie. “Do you know about his new business?”
“I do.”
“And you support it?”
“I think it’s exciting. Don’t you?”
For a minute, Savannah didn’t answer and then her expression shifted, awareness dawning. “This isn’t about helping paralyzed people walk again, is it?”
“I’m sorry?” Josie said coldly. She was struggling to keep her temper in check.
“A couple years ago, after his friend was hurt, Bear had this idea that people could walk again if they were covered in braces from head to foot—”
“Those are real, and they’re called exoskeletons,” Josie said, feeling a funny twitch behind her eyes.
“Yes, they’re oh so wonderful, but it didn’t save his friend. Sean still died.”
“His bull rider friend?”
“Sean O’Leary, yes. He couldn’t cope with his accident and took his life. So no, I’m not a fan of Bear’s business venture. The freakish robotic suit didn’t help Sean. Have you seen one? Looks like something from outer space. No one will benefit, not enough for Bear to sink all his money into this business.”
“You’re wrong. It will make a difference,” Josie said fiercely. “I’ve done the research, and I’ve read what the doctors and therapists say. Getting spinal cord injured people on their feet and moving is so important—beneficial for the body and the mind.”
“Have you ever seen Bear use one?”
“No.”
“I have.” Savannah stalked towards her, mockery gone, voice cracking. “What Bear did wasn’t walking . The walker did the walking. Bear was just hanging on for the ride.”
“Good for Bear—”
“Not good. Bad. You don’t get it. You’re not paying attention.”
Josie pressed her lips tightly together as she met Savannah’s gaze.
Savannah might be tough, but Josie was tough, too. “No, you’re not paying attention, Savannah. Bear isn’t sitting around gazing at his navel. He’s not dwelling on what happened to him. He’s using his accident to help others, and you should be proud of him. I am.”
“Instead of encouraging Bear in his pursuit of altruism, something that could easily bankrupt him, why don’t you encourage him to settle down, and accept who he is now, and what he can do now, and it isn’t walking . Or riding. Or any of the other stuff he used to do.”
“I’m so glad he’s not living to please you but investing in others. He’s going to make the world a better place.”
“You mean he’s just blowing his money.”
Josie laughed. It was that or throw a punch at Savannah, and she hadn’t thrown a punch at a girl since she and Hannah got into it in their teenage years. “I need to get back to work. Hope you have a nice life.” Josie turned away and headed for the front steps.
“Are you guys together?” Savannah called out.
Josie froze.
“Are you seeing each other? Dating? Whatever you want to call it?” Savannah’s voice was loud and brittle. “It’s okay to tell me the truth. I just want to know.”
Josie turned around. “What did Bear tell you?”
“He said you’re just friends.”
“The same thing I said.” Josie’s chin jerked up. “Satisfied now?”
“You do know that Bear can’t… get it up. So, there is that.”
Josie blinked, shocked by Savannah’s callousness. She’d suspected Bear’s spinal cord injury might have impacted his ability to have sex, but it horrified her that Savannah felt comfortable tossing Bear’s private information around as if playing a game of poppycock. “I wish I knew what Bear saw in you. Because all I see is a selfish, hard, cynical woman who doesn’t like anyone else, probably because she doesn’t like herself.”
“I’m allowed to have opinions. Bear and I were together five years, two of those we were engaged. You’ve only just met him this summer.”
“That may be the case, but you’re not in relationship with him anymore, which means you should respect his privacy. With your long history together, I’d think you’d want to protect him, not expose him to scorn.”
“I wasn’t mocking him. Just stating facts.”
“About his sexuality.” Josie’s voice hardened. She was going to lose her cool any moment. “That’s not something that should be discussed, and I hate that you just spilled something so private and personal. Makes me think it’s not the first time you spoke so carelessly—”
“You’re serious? You’re really upset.”
“Yes.”
“But if you’re just friends?’
“Friends protect friends, Savannah.” Josie’s upper lip curled in disgust. “I’m glad we had the chance to meet because it made me realize this little house will never, ever be big enough for the three of us.” And with that Josie swiftly walked away.
*
Friday morning, Bear had a surprise meeting with two executives from RobExStar. He’d reached out to them weeks ago and hadn’t heard anything back, but suddenly two of the upper management were here in Marietta, working in a meeting with him on their way to a private, posh Yellowstone resort for the very wealthy and elite.
But the men were interested in Bear’s business model and wanted to see his facility—which he was more than happy to show them. Rye had met Bear at the Farrell Building a half hour before the RobExStar’s management team arrived and offered to take Mick so that Bear could focus on the executives.
Rye’s suggestion was a good one, and Bear was grateful that Mick ran to Rye’s truck and jumped in, giving Bear a few minutes to gather his thoughts. The two executives arrived right at nine, and Bear walked them through the empty, clean Farrell Building, explaining how his facility would work, and equipment needed to get the business off the ground. By the end of the hour, the executives were on board, promising to provide a number of needed exoskeletons to get the Marietta facility functioning, with a promise that if Marietta performed, they’d back the next city.
Bear was elated. It was huge getting RobExStar’s support. Not having to purchase the first dozen exoskeletons meant he could keep the cost down for members, and he’d certainly gain some media coverage, too. He personally wasn’t looking to franchise his idea, but Bear did hope others would get involved and do something similar in their communities. Until spinal cord injuries were a thing of the past, there had to be better treatments and options to extend and improve the quality of life for those with SCI.
It was a short drive from the Farrell Building to his house, and when Bear pulled up in his driveway there was no sign of a moving truck, or boxes, or anything indicating that the house was ready for him.
Bear rolled up the ramp on the side of the house and was just about to open the front door when Josie flung it open. “How did the meeting go?” she asked standing in front of him blocking his view.
“Great. Couldn’t have gone better.”
Josie gave him an impulsive hug. “That’s fantastic. I’m so happy for you.” She straightened, her cheeks slightly pink. “Want to see inside?”
“I do.”
“Well, come in, or as they say on those TV shows, welcome home, Anderson Family. Welcome home.” Smiling, she stepped back so that he could enter.
Bear’s jaw dropped as he rolled into the house.
The house wasn’t just furnished with the new furniture Josie had suggested, but it looked polished and masculine. Luxurious and beautiful.
His new furniture—the oversized leather sectional in a soft butterscotch leather—was flanked by end tables and a deep leather recliner studded with western nail heads. Stylish lamps were on the end tables, and they turned on and off with just a touch of his hand, or by a switch on the wall.
Josie had painted the walls a dark, rich chocolate, and the wide planks of the hardwood floor had been refinished. Because of his wheelchair there were no rugs, but she’d added woven textured pillows to the oversized couch, and plush chocolate drapes framed the tall windows.
“When did you do all this?” he asked.
“The last week or so,” she said. “With a little help from Rye’s crew. Ricco came over one evening to do the floors, and Rye and Ansley helped me paint.”
“This doesn’t look like the same house. It’s… nice.”
“Paint is a miracle worker. And next spring, I’d suggest new windows but that’s for another time.”
Bear did a slow circle, taking it all in. “I would never have thought to paint a small room a dark color, but it works.”
“You have tall windows, and they let in so much light it washed out the room. I thought you’d enjoy a more masculine space, and you’ll see that at night it glows. You’ll never want to go out.”
“Good. Because I don’t like going out.” He laughed, before moving on to the dining room, painted with the same dark chocolate paint, which worked as the two rooms opened into each other.
He touched the round pedestal dining table, thinking it was the perfect height for him to roll under. A thick slab of stone topped a sideboard that was slightly lower than expected. He recognized his teak dining table, but he hadn’t bought the sideboard. “Where did this come from?” he asked.
“I found that in a thrift store here in town. I cut the legs down—”
“You did?”
She nodded, clearly proud. “I have my own saw and tools now. But I didn’t cut the granite. The tile guys did that for me, and I think it looks really good. It’s practical, too, as you can turn this into a buffet, and put hot and cold dishes on it without worrying about burning the wood.”
“And since this is granite not marble, it can handle the heat, too,” he said.
“Exactly.”
“I’m really pleased.”
“There is so much more. The kitchen, your bedroom and bathroom, the office. It’s all done with you and your needs in mind—”
“I hope I’m not that demanding.”
“No. And I went up and beyond in some cases since this is also for my project. I’m glad most of the interior is done, because Monday the Farrell Building is yours and I know we’re going to be busy with that for a couple months. Are you still hoping for an October open date?”
“Rye thinks it’s a little ambitious,” Bear admitted. “He thinks November is a better bet, maybe even the new year since the weather will be a challenge.”
“The weather is always a challenge. Tell my brother he has sixty to ninety days, and that’s it. The work is mostly constructing your office, a break room, and the bathrooms.”
“Which means just carpentry, plumbing, electrical, drywall, tile, painters, equipment.”
She laughed. “See? Minor.”
“When I first met Rye, I envied him for having such a positive working relationship with you. Now I feel for him. You’re a task master.”
“I am. But that’s how we get stuff done around here.”
“Speaking of around here, I hope you put some TLC into your own space.”
“Come see,” she invited, leading the way down the hall to her room.
Bear rolled just inside her door and glanced around. He was surprised at the simplicity. One wall had weathered boards from the ceiling to the floor, and the other three walls were a creamy white. Her bedframe was a dark gray metal. A vintage yellow and white sunburst quilt covered the bed. She had a small dresser with an oval mirror hanging above it while black and white framed photos of her family hung on another wall.
She sat down on the foot of her bed. “What do you think?”
“I think you should be a designer.”
Josie grinned. “I had fun with this. It’s a small room so I added a lot of textures—the reclaimed lumber for an accent wall, the metal bed frame, the quilt, the Queen Anne wall mirror.”
“Did Rye do that wall for you?”
“I did it myself. He’s shown me in the past how to use a power saw, so it was just a matter of measuring, cutting and attaching. Easy with a nail gun.”
“You have skills.”
“I have to. I can’t afford to pay everyone to come in and execute my ideas. I have to be able to do a lot of it myself.”
“So how would you describe your style? It’s not that shabby chic look because this is very uncluttered.”
“I’d say I’m a little farmhouse, a little eclectic. I can’t handle clutter—maybe it’s because my house growing up was full of things, and not very well organized—so I like to keep things simple. Clean lines.”
Bear rolled further into her room, his attention on the framed photos. “That has to be you and your sister,” he said, gesturing to a picture of two little girls outside, in matching dresses, smiling bravely even as they squinted against the sun. “How old were you here?”
“I had to be eight maybe? Hannah would have been maybe ten. We’re fourteen months apart. If you ever see more photos of us, you’ll discover that Mom almost always dressed us alike.”
“Maybe it was the easiest.”
“Maybe. But neither Hannah nor I liked it. We were very different as kids. Fought like cats and dogs.”
“And that’s your mom,” he said, intently studying a photo of Jennifer Calhoun holding a baby with toddlers at her side.
“Yes, that’s Mom holding Jasper after he finally got to come home from the hospital. And then of course that’s Hannah and me. I don’t know where Rye was.”
“Maybe he was the one taking the picture. He would have been old enough.”
“I bet you’re right.”
“You do look like your mom,” Bear said. “It’s rather amazing. You both have the same long dark hair, purple-blue eyes… and those cheekbones.”
“Hannah has the same cheekbones, just different color eyes.”
“Different face shape, too. She has a more angular jaw.”
“She has Rye’s jaw. She’s lucky. I always envied her a little bit. I wanted to look more like her.”
“You’re beautiful.”
Josie shook her head. “Don’t say that.”
“It’s true.”
Her cheeks grew rosier. “I wasn’t fishing for compliments.” She jumped to her feet. “Let’s go check out your office and bedroom, and then I’ll help you bring your things in from the truck.” She suddenly paused, glanced outside and then back to Bear. “Where is the dog? I thought Mick was coming with you.”
“Rye has him. He offered to take him while I had my meeting and got settled in here. Mick was wildly enthusiastic, too. He couldn’t wait to leap into Rye’s truck.”
“Rye loves dogs.”
“I do, too, but Mick isn’t bonding with me the way I’d hoped.”
“Maybe the wheelchair makes him skittish?”
“Or maybe he just likes Rye better.”
Josie didn’t know if Bear was hurt by the defection or not. “He’s been through a lot of change. Maybe Rye reminds him of Noah.”
“Maybe.”
“Does it bother you?” she asked.
Bear hesitated and then shook his head. “No, it’s actually a relief. Mick needs a lot of room to run, and I don’t have it here, not in town.” Bear looked sheepish. “I’m trying not to take it personally, but Mick seems to prefer Rye over me.”
Josie was trying not to smile. “It might just be that, um, dogs love Rye.”
“Your brother is saving the day. I just want Mick happy, and if Mick is happiest with Rye, then I’m good. It’s what Noah would want anyway.”