Chapter Four
Iris slid into the chair at the breakfast table at Dillon and Pam’s home. She hadn’t had a chance to take a breather from the moment she arrived in Westmoreland Country four days ago. She had told Pam she had no problem flying in a few days early to help, and Pam had needed her help.
Iris should not have been surprised when her best friend handed her a detailed to-do list. And of course, Iris had hit the ground running.
Upon waking this morning, she had ticked off her list of chores left to be done and was glad it was down to one.
Yay! That meant she could sit and unwind until around three o’clock, when she needed to drive into town to pick up the banners.
“Thanks, Pam,” Iris said when a plate was slid in front of her with all the things she liked—fresh fruit, a grilled cheese sandwich and tea. She’d never acquired a taste for coffee.
The big day was tomorrow, and already there seemed to be Westmorelands everywhere.
At least there were enough guest rooms for everyone.
Those living in Westmoreland Country owned huge homes with several guest rooms, not to mention furnished basements with as much, or more, square footage than Iris’s entire house in LA.
Some guests would also be staying at Bella’s Retreat.
Bella was married to Dillon’s brother, Jason.
Years ago, Bella inherited land connected to the Westmoreland property from her paternal grandfather.
The land bordered Jason’s, and that’s how the two met.
When the ranch house burned down, she rebuilt it into a beautiful Savannah-style Southern mansion, like the ones in her hometown, which was now a bed-and-breakfast inn with fifteen guest rooms for family, friends and associates of the Westmorelands.
Over the years, as the Westmoreland family grew, Jason and Bella added numerous guest cottages to the property.
Bella was the perfect hostess. She had brought Southern charm and hospitality to Westmoreland Country.
That was why the Westmoreland men often referred to her as Jason’s Southern Bella.
And if Bella’s Retreat didn’t have enough rooms for guests, the home of Dillon’s youngest brother, Bane, and his wife, Crystal, did.
Crystal inherited her family’s home, which also bordered Westmoreland property.
They tore down the original ranch house on the Newsome Homestead and rebuilt it into a beautiful, sprawling place that had twelve bedrooms. Everybody joked that Bane, a Navy SEAL, needed the extra housing for all the additional kids he and Crystal wanted to have.
Presently, they had two sets of triplets, but since the couple had always wanted a big family, they hadn’t ruled out the possibility of more kids.
Whenever Iris visited Pam and Dillon, she had a permanent guest room in their home, and when her son was born, he had one as well.
When Dillon had proposed to Pam, he had told her he came with others—namely, the fourteen brothers and cousins he was guardian to.
She told him that was fine because she had come with her three sisters and Iris, whom she considered her sister as well.
From that day on, Dillon had accepted Iris, and whenever she visited Westmoreland Country, he made her feel like part of the family.
She checked her watch. It was a little past eight.
Garlan was to have arrived at six thirty this morning.
She had offered to pick him up from the airport, but he wanted to use his rideshare app.
He’d been invoking his independence a lot lately, and she had mixed feelings about that, although she knew it was probably time.
He would be nineteen next year and couldn’t remain her little boy forever.
Besides, he knew his way around Denver. Dillon and Pam were his godparents, and while growing up, Garlan always enjoyed the summers he spent with them here.
Iris hadn’t seen him since he left for college after Labor Day.
Although it had been barely two months, she had missed him and couldn’t wait to see him.
“Where are my godchildren this morning?” she asked, referring to Pam’s two sons and daughter.
“Over at their Uncle Ramsey and Aunt Chloe’s house.
Their Aunt Gemma and Uncle Callum arrived last night with their kids from Australia.
I figured all the younger teens would be hanging out at both Gemma’s and Ramsey’s places this weekend.
More so at Ramsey’s since they love helping him with his sheep. ”
Iris was aware that Ramsey was a sheep farmer.
She also knew all fourteen of the Westmorelands that had been under Dillon’s guardianship had inherited a one-hundred-acre tract of land in Westmoreland Country when they turned twenty-five.
Since Dillon was the oldest, he had inherited three hundred acres along with the family home and the land it sat on.
Although Gemma Westmoreland Austell lived in Australia, she had built a beautiful home on her property, which was where she stayed whenever she came home with her family to visit.
“By the way, Matt and Deena arrived last night, Iris.”
Pam’s words broke into her thoughts, and Iris glanced over at her best friend as Pam came to sit across from her with her own plate.
One that was fully loaded with items Iris dared not eat—pancakes, eggs and sausage.
Somehow Pam could eat all of it and not gain a pound.
Whenever there were special occasions in Westmoreland Country, where a lot of family attended, Pam hired caterers to take care of breakfast, lunch and dinner to be served at the huge three-floor structure known as the Westmoreland House.
However, this morning, Pam had prepared breakfast for her and Iris here, so none of tomorrow’s plans would be overheard if they chose to discuss them.
With her working so closely with Pam on everything, Iris was let in on the secret of how things would unfold tomorrow.
More than ever, she shared Pam’s excitement.
“Did they?” Iris asked.
“Yes. They’re staying at the cottages at Bella’s Retreat.”
Iris nodded. “Is there a reason you’re telling me that?”
“Figured you might be interested.”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are,” Pam countered.
Iris burst out laughing, and so did Pam.
She knew why her best friend assumed that.
Despite their busy chores every day she’d been there, Matt’s name had come up, and it would be Iris and not Pam who would include him in their conversation.
Like yesterday, when Pam reminded her of the Denver hoedown tonight to kick off the weekend activities.
On the invitation, everyone was asked to wear Western attire.
Iris had absently commented that she couldn’t wait to see Matt dressed as a cowboy.
Then the day before, when Pam had mentioned Casey announced last week she was pregnant again, Iris had brought up Matt’s name when she asked how well he was getting acclimated to his newfound family.
“You think you know me so well, don’t you?” Iris asked now, when their laughter had subsided. She knew it was a silly question since Pam knew her better than anyone.
“Just as well as you think you know me.”
Pam’s response had been just as silly. They glanced at each other and began laughing again.
“Boy, I needed that,” Iris said, wiping her eyes.
“Me, too. Laughter is good for the soul. Especially tearful laughter,” Pam said.
“True. I honestly don’t know why I’m intentionally blocking anything from developing between me and Matt.”
“Do you want to know what I think?” Pam asked.
“Yes.”
“You see him as a threat.”
Iris frowned. “A threat? Why would you think that?”
Pam reached across the table and took her best friend’s hand in hers.
“I think you’re afraid a relationship with Matt would go beyond your wildest dreams and make you rethink those limitations you’ve established for yourself.
I know how much you loved Garlan, and I know how much you grieved for him, Iris.
I also know about that promise you made that you would never fall in love again.
Because in doing so, you see that as somehow tarnishing Garlan’s love and memory. ”
There was no way Iris could deny what Pam said because she was so right. That night at Cheyenne’s birthday party, even she had been surprised by how attracted she’d been to Matt. It hadn’t mattered at the time that she’d been involved with Warren. But now with Warren out of the picture…
“Okay, I admit you’re right, Pam. A part of me wants to get to know Matt better, but then another part of me is convinced I don’t want any part of an exclusive relationship again. Just date here and there.”
“And what happens when those sexual urges hit? The ones your battery-operated boyfriend can’t satisfy? I know you, Iris. I know how your mind works. Just dating here and there isn’t enough for you to feel comfortable sharing a bed with someone. It has to be more.”
Iris frowned. “You make it sound as if I only shared exclusive relationships with Warren and Karlton for the sex.”
“Didn’t you? You and I both know it wasn’t because you were ready to share a deeper or more meaningful commitment with them. For you, they were safe. You even told them upfront you didn’t want anything permanent.”
Yes, she had. Both had agreed because they hadn’t wanted anything permanent either. Like her, they had desired the benefits of a serious relationship without the pressure and expectations of anything beyond that. At least at the time, they hadn’t. Karlton had later changed his mind and wanted more.
“Okay, you’re right. I can’t share a bed with a guy if they are sleeping with others as well. That’s why I needed exclusivity. But then Warren proved that exclusivity means nothing to some men. And that’s what I find so unacceptable and why I’m hesitant about doing it again.”
Pam’s hand tightened on hers before releasing it. “I want to give you the same advice I recently gave Shauna.”