Chapter Fifteen
When they got to the school, Travis looked around the almost empty parking lot. “Are you sure you want to go inside? I can just drop the letter off for you if you want.”
They’d spent the morning gathering the belongings that Retta wanted to bring back to Montana with her. She’d surprised him when she asked if he’d mind driving her over to the school so that she could give them her resignation letter.
She gave him a tight smile. “No, I want to go in. It’s probably silly but I want to feel like I did it properly. I don’t want to just disappear. The last I saw of anyone was at the meet in San Diego. I feel like they’ve forgotten all about me – and that’s fine. I just …” She shrugged. “I want to feel like I ended it the right way.”
“Okay.” Travis didn’t understand, but he didn’t need to. He’d support her in doing whatever she felt she needed to.
He got the wheelchair set up and lifted her out of the SUV they’d rented at the airport. She’d suggested that they could take a cab from there and then use her car to get around. But he hadn’t thought that she’d be comfortable in her little car.
As he turned to put her in the chair, her arms tightened around his neck, and he felt her tense.
“What’s wrong?”
“Here she comes – this is Jamie.”
He scowled, and instead of setting Retta in the chair, he held her closer to his chest.
“Loretta, is that you?”
Travis watched the woman approach. She was all smiles and feigned concern as she tucked her sleek, black hair behind her ear, but he’d seen her type before. Her fake friendliness didn’t quite mask the underlying malice.
“Well, just look at you! You haven’t healed yet? I thought you’d be training your way back to full fitness by now, not using a wheelchair still. Then again, I suppose it takes longer to heal old bones now, doesn’t it?” She smiled at Travis. “And who might you be? I’m Jamie.”
Travis just stared at her; he didn’t trust himself to speak. He was too tempted to tell her what he thought of her.
She let her gaze travel over him, making a big point of lingering on his tattoos.
“Are you a neighbor?” she asked.
He frowned, wondering what had led her to that conclusion.
She didn’t wait for a reply, instead she smiled her fake smile at Retta. “I know you don’t have family in town. It’s a good thing you have a friend to help you out. What brings you here today?”
He could feel the tension buzzing though Retta as she said, “I’m here to hand in my notice.”
Jamie didn’t try to hide her smile even as she said, “Well, isn’t that a shame? But I suppose you were almost ready to retire anyway, weren’t you?”
Travis didn’t know if Retta would prefer him to set her in the wheelchair, but at this point he didn’t want to risk putting her down. If his hands weren’t occupied holding her, he didn’t know that he’d be able to stop himself from throttling Jamie.
Retta didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, she smiled up at him as she said, “As it turns out, it’s worked out really well for me.”
He smiled back at her and said, “And for me.”
Jamie’s eyes narrowed. “I see. Well, I won’t hold you up. The sooner you give your notice, the sooner you can move on to whatever comes next for you. I’m sure some of the girls will miss you.”
Travis clenched his jaw. Some of the girls? He knew Jamie was trying to make a point, but he didn’t know what it was.
Retta gave a fake smile of her own, and her accent was more pronounced than usual when she said, “Well, bless your heart. I’ll miss them all, and I know some of the parents will miss me, too.”
He had no idea why Jamie turned bright red and turned and tottered away.
“What the hell was that all about?” he asked as they watched her climb into a red Mercedes and screech the tires as she pulled away.
Retta gave him a shame-faced smile. “I couldn’t help giving back a little of what she was dishing out.”
“I’m not tracking, darlin’. You’re going to have to help me out.”
“When she said she’s sure that some of the girls will miss me, what she really meant was that not all of them will.”
He frowned. “You think so?”
She laughed. “I know so. We speak our own language, and we know what every word means – and it’s not usually the way it sounds.”
“So, what did you mean when you said some of the parents will miss you? That you know she won’t?”
“Yes, that and …” She dropped her gaze. “I shouldn’t have said it. I wouldn’t have if I was going to stick around here for more than a day or two. I was playing on the fact that she thinks her husband – soon-to-be-ex-husband – talked to me too much.”
Travis scowled, and she patted his cheek.
“Don’t look like that. It’s all in her head. Marty’s a nice enough guy, but he’s not interested in me. He’s interested in his daughter’s activities. He didn’t get involved while he and Jamie were still together because she likes to take charge and … well, she’s not much fun for any of us to be around. I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like to be married to her.”
Travis was still scowling. “But you deliberately gave her the impression that you think her husband will miss you?”
She blew out a sigh. “Kind of. I didn’t mean it. I just couldn’t resist having a little dig.” She held his gaze. “Are you mad at me?”
He chuckled. “Nah. I’m a bit surprised that you have a sting in your tail like that.”
“I don’t normally, but there comes a point when you just have to take the gloves off, you know?”
“I do. I just don’t think I’ve ever seen gloves come off so politely before. I mean, if you just listened to the words, it’d sound like the two of you were being nice to each other.”
She laughed. “I take it you haven’t spent much time in the South?”
“Nope.”
“That’s just how we are.”
He shook his head with a smile. “So, if ever you say bless your heart to me, I should be worried?”
“Not necessarily. If you need to worry, you’ll know by the tone.”
“Okay. I’m glad I asked.” He set her down in the wheelchair. “Are you sure we need to take your letter inside? We could just mail it.”
“It’s fine, sugar. You don’t need to worry. I don’t expect to have a run in with anyone except Jamie.”
He laughed. “Did you just call me sugar?”
She laughed with him. “I sure did, cupcake.”
“Hm, I think I might like this. Your accent got stronger as soon as you started talking to Jamie and now I get my own nickname?”
She shrugged happily. “You can have one if you want one. What would you like me to call you?”
“I think I like Trav best.”
“I do, too.”
He straightened up. “You ready to go in there?”
“I am. Let’s get it over with and go back to the house and finish packing up my things. I feel as though I don’t belong here anymore. I’m looking forward to going home.”
He ran his hand over her hair. “Me too, darlin’.” What he was looking forward to the most was the two of them making his place their home.
~ ~ ~
On Sunday morning, Retta sat in the living room, looking at the small pile of things that she wanted to take back with her. It was small enough that it made her wonder about the life she’d lived here. She hadn’t accumulated much that she cared about – in terms of things or relationships.
“Penny for them?” Travis asked when he came in from the kitchen.
She shook her head sadly. “Just thinking that I don’t have much to show for myself. I didn’t have much of a life here.”
He squatted down in front of her, but she put a finger to his lips.
“It’s true. I might be feeling a little sorry for myself, but you don’t need to say anything to try to make me feel better.”
He took her hand and kissed her finger before he moved it away from his lips.
“I wasn’t going to. I was just going to say that I’m glad you’re not upset about leaving here. I’d feel bad if you did, but it wouldn’t stop me from wanting to take you back with me. You’ve already made a life for yourself in Montana, and you’ve made my life better by being in it.”
“Aww, you really are the sweetest thing.”
He chuckled. “You’re not saying that like bless your heart , are you?”
“I’m not. I mean it.”
“Good. I can’t wait to get you home.”
She looked around again. “I don’t think there’s anything left to do. The realtor has a key. The moving company’s just waiting for me to give them a call.”
She’d been busy on the phone yesterday afternoon when they got back from school. She’d spoken to a realtor she’d known for years – since her daughter was on the cheer team – and she’d said that the house would show better if they left it as it was. The moving company had said that they could do a full-service pack and store or pack and move whenever she knew what she wanted. Mrs. Simmons, her neighbor, had a key and she was happy to keep an eye on the place. And that was everything – it turned out to be that easy to just walk out of her life.
She looked around again. “Would you mind if we stop to say goodbye to Mrs. Simmons before we leave?”
Travis grinned. “Sure.”
She laughed. “She took a shine to you.”
“I noticed!”
“She’s a sweetheart. I can wheel myself over there if you don’t …”
“No need, darlin’. I can handle it. I’ll be my charming self, and just hope she doesn’t maul me while you’re not looking.”
“She’d never!”
Travis laughed. “She slapped my ass as we were leaving yesterday.”
Retta had to laugh with him. “Well, damn! And I thought she was so straitlaced.”
As soon as Travis opened the front gate and wheeled Retta through it, Mrs. Simmons opened her front door and greeted them with a smile.
“I didn’t know if I’d see you again before you left. Come on in.”
“We can’t stop,” said Retta. “We need to get going. I just wanted to come by and thank you again and get another hug.”
The older woman leaned down and hugged her. “You’re more than welcome, my dear.” She straightened up and held her arms out to Travis. “And so are you.”
Travis made big eyes at her over Mrs. Simmons’ shoulder as she hugged him, and Retta did her best not to laugh.
“Oh, and I meant to ask you, did that Jamie catch up with you?”
Retta frowned. “I saw her at school yesterday, but … what do you mean? What makes you ask?”
“She came around a couple of times while you were gone. I told her that you were recovering from your broken leg. I didn’t like to say too much. Never did like that woman – she’s a bossy britches, just like her mother.”
“Did she say what she wanted?”
“She didn’t. She acted like talking to me was beneath her. I thought it was strange that she didn’t know you were gone – her being so involved with the school and everything.”
Retta exchanged a look with Travis. It was strange.
“Anyway, I’m glad I remembered. It slipped my mind yesterday.”
“Yeah, thanks for letting me know.”
Travis stepped closer to Mrs. Simmons, and she smiled up at him.
“Would you do me a favor, darlin’?”
Her hand came up to cover her heart and she beamed. “You keep calling me darlin’, darlin’, and I reckon I’ll do just about anything you want.”
Retta couldn’t help chuckling – he hadn’t lied when he told her that he’d be his charming self.
“Would you give Retta a call and let her know if Jamie – or anyone else – shows up around here looking for her again?”
“You give me your number, and I’ll call you direct.”
Mrs. Simmons turned and winked at Retta. “I’m not moving in on your man, girl. But my lord! If I were twenty years younger, and he wasn’t already yours!”
Travis took his wallet out and handed Mrs. Simmons a card. “You ever get the notion to call me, I’ll be happy to hear from you.”
She read the card and then looked up at him. “You’re in the security business?” Her smile faded and she turned back to Retta. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No,” she reassured her quickly.
“I’m not in that line of work anymore,” said Travis. “Retta and I are building a new business of our own. The cards are old, but my number hasn’t changed.”
“Okay, then. Well, if anyone comes around looking for Retta, I’ll give you a call. I’ll call you, too, missy, but I’m not going to pass up the chance to hear this fella’s deep voice on the phone. You remind me of my Bill, he had a good, deep voice – sent shivers down my spine, it did. He’s been gone for eight years, but we had a good run, we made it to half a century together.”
Retta’s heart melted a little bit when Travis hugged Mrs. Simmons again and said, “He was a lucky man.”
She laughed and pushed at his arm. “And you’re a charmer! Go on. The pair of you don’t need to be standing around here, humoring an old woman. Get going. Go make a start on your new life.”
Retta caught her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Thanks again – for everything. I’ll keep in touch.”
“You do that, girl. And I want to see wedding photos when the day comes.”
Retta’s heart leaped into her mouth. She slowly lifted her gaze to meet Travis’s. She needn’t have worried about how he’d react to wedding talk, though.
He winked at her and said, “If you’re up to the trip, you’ll get more than photos; you’ll get an invite.”
Mrs. Simmons laughed. “If I’m invited to Montana, I’ll bring me a rope, see if I can’t lasso a cowboy of my own!”
~ ~ ~
It was late afternoon by the time they landed back at the airfield in Livingston. Travis shook Bear’s hand and thanked him before he carried Retta down the steps to where he’d already set up her wheelchair.
Once she was seated, she thanked Bear, too.
“Are you going straight home, or will you stay the night before you fly back?” she asked him.
“I’m going to stay here tonight.”
Travis gave him a puzzled look; he’d assumed that he’d go straight back to home base.
Bear shrugged. “There were no flights on the schedule for tomorrow, so Cash told me to take my time.”
Travis glanced at Retta; he should probably check with her before he offered but he thought she’d be okay with it. When she gave him an inquiring look, he figured she was thinking the same way he was.
“Do you want to come with us?”
“No. I wouldn’t want to impose. I have a room booked in town I can …”
“You wouldn’t be imposing. It’d be good to catch up with you.”
“And to get to know you,” Retta added.
“I mean, don’t let us impose on you if you have plans. If you want a peaceful evening or if you want to hit the bar.”
Bear chuckled. “You know I don’t drink when I’m flying.” He smiled at Retta and added, “Which pretty much means I don’t drink.”
“Then why don’t you come back with us?” she asked. “I’m sure I can fix us …”
“Nope.” Travis interrupted her. “You’re not cooking. I was thinking that we could stop at The Riverside and eat there – or get something to go. If we do that we can eat at home and show Bear around the place. We can bring you back up here later – you’re welcome to stay the night if you want to but if I know you, you’d rather be at the hotel by the airport so you can take off early.”
Bear looked from him to Retta and back again. “You’re sure?”
Retta nodded enthusiastically, and Travis grasped his shoulder. “I’d enjoy it. It’s been a while since we had the chance to catch up.”
“Okay, then.”
Bear climbed into the back of the truck, and Retta chatted with him as they headed home. As he approached the turnoff to Trip’s place, Travis caught his friend’s gaze in the rearview mirror.
“What do you say, want to swing by and see if Trip’s home?”
Bear grinned. “I’d love to – if it works for you guys.”
Retta smiled at him. “You know I don’t mind.”
“Let’s do it, then.” As he turned into the driveway, he considered calling, but Trip wouldn’t have a problem with them descending on him unannounced. They might even be able to talk him into coming to have dinner with them.
He frowned when he pulled around the back of the house and saw a car he didn’t recognize. The possibility that Trip might have company hadn’t occurred to him.
“Does he have a woman in his life now, too?” asked Bear.
“No, I … I don’t think so.” It struck Travis again that he wasn’t keeping up with Trip as closely as he thought he would now that he was home. What if that car did belong to some woman, what if …”
“Oh! It’s Shelly!”
He looked over at Retta. “Who’s …?” He didn’t need to finish the question. Trip had come out the kitchen door onto the patio, and he was accompanied by the woman who’d been working at the reception desk in the clinic.
He didn’t think that Trip would date someone who worked for him, but then again, it was Sunday afternoon – why else would she be here?
Whether she was here on personal or professional business, Trip didn’t look upset to be interrupted. He grinned and waved at them as he said something to the woman – Shelly, apparently.
Bear got out of the truck and went to greet him while Travis went around to get Retta.
“Are they dating?” she asked in a low voice. “Do you think we’re interrupting?”
He chuckled. “I was just asking myself the same question. You know as much as I do – more in fact; I didn’t know her name.”
As he lifted her out of the truck, he realized that he hadn’t set the wheelchair up ready. He turned to smile at the others.
“Where’s the wheelchair?” Of course Trip noticed.
“I didn’t know if we’d be staying long enough to need it,” he said with a smile.
Trip grinned at Retta. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”
She looked up at Travis.
“We …” Travis glanced over at Shelly.
“I was just leaving,” she said.
“But since you guys are here, I thought we could all have dinner together, and Shelly can start getting to know people,” said Trip.
Travis chuckled. “I’m up for that if everyone else is.” If he was reading the situation right, Shelly was about to leave because they’d arrived, and Trip was trying to make sure that she didn’t go.
“I’d love to stay – if you will,” Retta told Shelly. “I love these guys, but it’d be nice to have another lady around.”
Shelly looked around at them all, her gaze finally landing on Trip.
From the way he smiled, Travis guessed that his friend might not hold too hard to his rule about not dating people who worked for him; he was interested in Shelly. And it looked to Travis like the interest was mutual.
“Okay,” she said eventually, and it seemed like a collective sigh of relief rippled through the group.
Travis soon had Retta set up in her wheelchair and he brought her and Shelly a drink out on the back deck while Bear talked to Trip in the kitchen.
“Should I call The Riverside and order for all of us?” Retta asked. “It’s not too far from here, is it?”
He chuckled. “There’s no need, darlin’. I suggested the same thing, but apparently Maisy’s been over here cooking again, and Trip’s glad we’re here to help him eat it. If I know Maisy, there’ll be more than plenty for all of us.”
His impression that Shelly was interested in Trip was confirmed when she asked, “Who’s Maisy?” She tried to look casual, but she didn’t quite pull it off.
“She used to be the housekeeper for his family. She’s been retired for years, but sometimes she still comes over and makes the most of his kitchen. I’ll go and see what’s on offer. I’ll be back.”
He cocked an eyebrow at Retta, hoping that she wouldn’t mind being left out here with Shelly.
She gave him a slight nod – she was fine.
~ ~ ~
Retta waited until Travis had disappeared back into the kitchen before she spoke. She knew it was none of her business, but the curiosity was killing her.
Just before she opened her mouth, Shelly gave her a rueful smile. “You’re not interrupting anything if that’s what you’re about to ask.”
“Sorry, I …”
“It’s okay. I don’t blame you. I’d be curious to know what was going on if I were you, too. If I hadn’t met you last week – if you hadn’t told me that you and Travis only got together recently, I’d probably keep my mouth shut, but … Well, I guess I feel like you’re a fellow newcomer so …” She shrugged.
“So, you and Trip aren’t together?”
Shelly glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen door. “No.”
“But there’s something there?”
She shrugged. “He’s an attractive man. I … but I work for him. And … I don’t know.”
“You don’t know if he’s interested?”
Shelly laughed. “Oh, he’s interested. It’s so strange, though. I don’t know if he’s being the ultimate gentleman on my behalf, or if he’s holding back because I work for him or … what. He’s blowing hot and cold; it’s enough to spin my head around. I don’t know what’s going on, but for the moment, I’m kind of enjoying the roller coaster ride.”
“Ooh, I hope you guys get together.”
Shelly’s smile faded. “Don’t go thinking that I’m going to become one of your group of girlfriends – he’s told me about them. Nothing against you or anything, but I don’t plan to stick around for long. If Trip and I have anything, it’ll only be a fling.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Don’t look so disappointed. I’d love to hang out with you while I’m here.”
“I’d like that too; you’ll have to give me your number and we can set something up.”
They both looked up when Travis came back out with a bottle of wine. “Anyone need a top up?”
She laughed. “I haven’t even had a sip yet.”
“And I can only have one – I’m driving,” said Shelly.
Travis made a face. “I’m not drinking – we’ll be taking Bear back up to town later. We can drop you off, if you like.”
Retta watched Shelly look down at her drink and then back up with a smile. “Thanks. I might just take you guys up on that offer.”
When Travis winked at her, she guessed that he liked the idea of helping Trip and Shelly along as much as she did.