Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
C ollins stared at her phone.
“I had a thing come up. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Now, Benton wasn’t exactly a wordsmith, and she knew that it was easy to misconstrue a text message, but still. It was abrupt even for him.
“Everything okay?” Bunny asked, joining her on the back porch.
“I think so.”
“Well, Willie sent out a glass of sweet tea for you. It’s very good, I don’t mind saying.”
She accepted the cold glass and took a sip, then set it down on the table. She stared at her phone, finger tracing the message. Should she text him back? Ask some questions? Would that make her seem needy?
“Your cowboy?”
“Excuse me?” She glanced up.
“I just wondered if that was a message from Benton.”
She nodded and sat back, eyes on the honeysuckle that climbed the trellis beside the deck. “We were supposed to get together tonight. Talked about going to the music festival in Bozeman, but he said something came up and that he’d call me tomorrow. I just…” She shrugged, feeling stupid. “I don’t know. It feels like he blew me off.”
“I hate those things.” Bunny pointed to her cell, and Collins realized something.
“You don’t have a cell phone.”
“Nope. Not anymore. I tossed it in the garbage one night about two years ago. I was out to dinner with friends. Six women that I get together with twice a year. We’ve all known each other since our college days, and generally speaking, our dinners are loud and boisterous and full of gossip and naughty talk and advice and all the good things. But the last few times we got together, I noticed we weren’t 100% present. We didn’t talk as much. Didn’t laugh as much. We were on our phones more. And that last dinner, at one point, I looked around the table and every one of my friends was on their phone. Including me. Then I glanced around the restaurant and noticed the same thing happening at every single table. Families. Couples. Young or old, it didn’t matter. I looked at my phone, at the half-written text I was sending my editor, and thought, what the hell am I doing? What is happening as a society? I decided to call her in the morning during business hours. I haven’t had a cell phone since.”
“I don’t know if I could survive a world with no phone.”
“You don’t need to be as drastic as I. They’re a convenience for sure. But my point is that they’re not human, and they steal away the very thing that makes us people. So when you read a text that you don’t fully understand, a text that makes you upset or confused, that feeling stays with you until you resolve it. I would do it personally, is all.” She looked over her glasses. “Talk to your cowboy, that is.”
She stared down at the phone. Chewed on her bottom lip for a couple of moments and then sent one more text.
“Everything okay?”
Those three little dots appeared. They stayed in limbo for nearly a full minute before disappearing with no answer.
“Would you think I’m a crazy lady if I drove out to the ranch because he’s not telling me what came up? Like, what’s more important than seeing me?” She made a face. “And I know how whiny and insecure that sounds.”
“I think if you want to see the man you’re in love with, you should go see him. From what you’ve told me, he’s used to dealing with stuff on his own. He might like having someone to lean on.”
“You think so? I don’t even know if he’s at the ranch.”
“Only one way to find out, my dear.” Bunny winked and tucked into her sweet tea.
Decision made, Collins ran upstairs and changed. She pulled on a pair of jean shorts and a T-shirt, shoved her feet into sneakers, then grabbed her purse and headed for her rental.
She was about ten minutes out from the ranch when a call came through—her agent. She’d been ignoring her for days now, and feeling guilty, she finally answered.
“Hey, don’t be mad. I’m not ignoring you.”
“That’s exactly what you’re doing.” Leanne Baker’s response was dry. “It’s too late for Bali, but you’ve been offered the campaign with Gerard DuPree. A campaign I worked months on in case you forgot. I need an answer, and it needs to be yes, and I need you in New York next week. I was able to get them to bump up the shoot so that it would coincide with your family’s charity gala.”
“Oh, Leanne, I don’t know.”
“Actually, you do. You owe me, Collins. I worked my tail off to get you this campaign. He never works with nepo babies, and on top of that, he’s not a fan of your father’s politics. I had to stroke his ego like I was petting my goddamn cat.”
Collins winced, then turned onto the road that led to the ranch. She passed under the large Triple B sign. She felt like a shit and wanted to say no, but her agent was right. She’d been in Montana for well over a month now. Maybe it was time to get a taste of her old life. Check in with her parents. See her brother.
Maybe it was time to see if she could function without Benton, because here she was driving up to his house like a pathetic woman because she didn’t like the tone of a text message. Seriously? Was she really doing this?
“Okay,” she said. “Thank you. Email me the details and I’ll see you in New York next week.”
“Good. And Collins?”
“Yes?”
“This cowboy better be worth it.”
She couldn’t muster a smile. “He’s something else,” she murmured.
She ended the call and pulled up alongside Benton’s truck. There was an older pickup off to the side, one she didn’t recognize, and she spied Rosie’s car as well. She slid from her truck and headed up the steps. Took exactly two steps inside the house when the biggest dog she’d ever seen gave a low growl that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
“Hey there,” she managed to say without losing her shit, because the longer she stared at the animal she realized it wasn’t a dog. The creature moved toward her, all long legs and thick silvery fur. Big teeth and strange yellow eyes. She froze when it sniffed at her, then after a few moments, she offered her hand. Felt the wet nose, and then slowly sank her fingers into the fur behind the animal’s ears. The thing was huge.
“Her name is Penny.”
Dammit. She nearly jumped out of her skin, then glanced up. An older man stood halfway down the stairs. He was tall, wide, shoulders and well built, with a thick head of silver hair and a handsome face that told her exactly who he was. It was like looking at Benton’s future. She didn’t remember meeting him the previous Christmas.
“You must be Manley,” she said. “And this is not a dog.”
Manley joined her at the bottom of the stairs. “Nope. She’s a gray wolf abandoned by her pack when she was nothing but a small pup. She was underweight and needed some looking after, which is why they left her, but now she’s part of the family.” He winked. “She doesn’t bite the folks she likes, and she seems to like you. You’re Collins.”
Pleased that Benton had mentioned her to his father, she nodded. “I am…where is he?”
“He knew you were coming?”
Embarrassed to be caught out like that, she picked at the edge of her T-shirt and shook her head. “No. We were supposed to hang out tonight, and I got a weird text message, and I…I mean, it wasn’t weird, it just wasn’t like Benton and I…” Jesus, she was blabbering. “I wanted to see him, is all. Maybe I should go.”
“No,” Manley said. “Stay. I’m certain he’ll want to see you.” He’s just busy with…” The man looked as if he wasn’t quite sure what to say, and she was starting to get more than a little concerned.
“It’s Daisy Mae. She’s not doing great, and he brought her back here.”
“Oh.” That wasn’t what she’d been expecting to hear. “What’s wrong with her?”
“I’ll let Benton know you’re here. He can fill you in.”
Manley disappeared back up the stairs, leaving her standing with a wolf and feeling awkward as hell. She could hear voices. Rosie. A low male rumble that was either Manley or Benton. And crying.
Long moments stretched so thin she wanted to scream, and when Benton finally appeared on the top landing, she nearly did. He looked…different. Older somehow. Tired or resigned, maybe.
He walked down the stairs and instantly scooped her into his arms and held her tight for a long time. It felt good and right, and then he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and gently released her.
“I see you met, Penny.”
She nodded. Spoke quietly. “And your dad.” She searched his features, but he seemed closed off. “What’s going on, Benton? Your father mentioned Daisy Mae is here.”
He slowly nodded. “She’s relapsed, and Nick is gone. Not sure what happened there. He might have left, and that’s why she’s using, or he left because of it. She was at Nora’s dance lesson, and I could see she was struggling. I had no choice. She needs help.”
“Of course,” she replied. “It’s good that you can be there for her. She needs you.”
I do too. The thought was sneaky and childish, and she was instantly filled with shame.
“I’m sorry. I know we had plans, but I can’t leave her. I’ve been here before, and it’s a long process.”
“No, of course not. I wanted to make sure you were fine. I just,” she gestured with her hands, “my mind started working overtime. Silly of me.”
“Not silly.” He attempted a smile, but it didn’t work. “I don’t know how long it will take for Daisy Mae to work through the withdrawal. I’m not sure how long she’s been using. She says four days, but she lies when she’s on the stuff. I don’t know what she’s put into her body either. I need to see her through this, and I guess, we’ll be looking at rehab again.”
“I’m so sorry.” She frowned. “Where’s Nora?”
“Taz took her back to his place.”
“I can get her and bring her home if you want.”
“No. I don’t want her anywhere near this. It’s going to get ugly, and Nora doesn’t need to see that. Besides, she’ll be fine. She’s with family.”
Right. And Collins wasn’t family.
Manley appeared again, his eyes kind when they swept over Collins. “She’s asking for you, Benton.” With a nod, the man headed back down the hall toward Benton’s room.
“I should go.” He stepped back. “We’re good, though?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“This will probably tangle me up for a while. I don’t know when I will have time to…”
“It’s okay, Benton. I’m headed to New York anyway.” She pasted a smile to her face, noting his surprise. “I have a shoot I forgot about and my parents have a charity gala that I wasn’t planning on attending, but since I’ll be in the city, I suppose I’d better make an appearance.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“I’m not sure.”
A wail cut through the quiet, and he flinched. “I need to go up. She only settles if I’m there.” He took the stairs but paused at the top and glanced over her shoulder. “Are you coming back to Montana?”
Shock was the first thing she felt. Then anger. And hurt. Was this thing between them so casual that he thought she would just up and leave and not come back?
“I was planning on it,” she admitted roughly. “Unless you don’t want me to.”
“Shit, Collins, I’m not saying things right.” He angled his head away, and she heard Rosie’s voice. “I’ve got to…”
“Go. Help Daisy Mae. We’ll talk next week.”
The wolf watched in silence, gave a small whine, before settling in a corner by the front door. Her legs were wooden, but they worked well enough and carried her out to the truck. She hopped inside, started the engine, and stared ahead, seeing nothing. When she woke up this morning, this was not how she’d envisioned her evening. She looked through the windshield up at the bedroom window, which she knew was Benton’s. She’d stood not far from that very window a few nights ago, naked, with him inside her.
The thought of flying to New York didn’t fill her with joy. But the idea of staying in Montana made her feel worse. And that told her that maybe she needed to put some distance between herself and this cowboy who’d corralled her heart. She loved him. She knew this before she’d stepped foot in Montana. Time had made the connection stronger, and while she knew exactly where she stood, his feelings for her weren’t clear.
Benton desired her. Wanted her in his bed. They made each other laugh and loved the same movies and music. Could pass hours in each other’s arms. At first glance, anyone would think they were perfect for each other. And yet she had doubts. Was she setting herself up for an epic fail? One, her heart wouldn’t survive?
She put the truck in reverse and headed out into the night. Maybe it was time for a little clarity.