Chapter Nine
Could they have discussed all of this over the phone? Yes, but this way she could watch his reaction to the proposals she’d been sent to offer. If he wasn’t receptive to them, well, then she and Steven would have to go back to the drawing board.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.
Up ahead, a modest-sized ranch slowly came into view, its wooden style similar to that of the lodge and yet different.
The chimney was stone but more refined, and the darker accents on Sam’s home were more modern and geometric.
The custom railing around its broad porch echoed that modern, geometric feel, but the wooden rocking chair that sat upon it spoke of earlier days.
And was that a porch swing off to the side?
The front door opened as she pulled to a stop, and out stepped Sam. He was more casually dressed than she’d seen him before, wearing khaki cargo shorts, a blue T-shirt, and camo HeyDudes. Dressed like that, he could have been from anywhere. Even her hometown in Indiana.
“Hey there, stranger,” he said, coming down the front steps. “Find the place okay?”
She stepped from her car on a nod. “Yep. Sun about blinded me, though. Out here, there’s nothing to block it.”
“That’s how we like it.” He winked and closed the door behind her before turning for the front porch. “Thirsty? I’ve got water, iced tea, beer.”
“No, thank you, I’m good. And I won’t stay long. It’s getting late, and something tells me that cowboys tend to get up a little earlier than the rest of us.”
“Can’t deny that.”
Sam motioned for her to take a seat on the porch swing, which Natalie gladly did.
They’d had a porch swing at one of the houses she’d lived in growing up, and she’d spent countless hours on it, reading, drawing, watching thunderstorms roll in.
If the porch had been screened in, she would have camped out there overnight, too.
Without the screening, though, the mosquitoes would have eaten her alive.
As he settled into the nearby rocking chair, she scanned the view around them. Dusk was on the brink of twilight, the oranges nearly gone from the sky. Above them, brilliant stars were already beginning to appear.
“It’s gorgeous out here.”
“Sure is. Morning, noon, and night. Eventually, we’ll get you out here with a little more daylight left. If you’d like to be, that is.”
It was the perfect opening for their conversation. Like to be. Need to be…
“Something tells me that’s going to happen sooner as opposed to later.”
“Oh?” Sam’s gaze grew curious. “So, what’s got you driving all the way out here on a Thursday night?”
“I think you know.”
The slow, half smile that dawned on his lips told her he did. “The ferrets?”
“Let’s just say you all surprised me yet again at dinner last night.”
He tipped his head to one side. “Seems like we’ve been doing that a lot since you got to town.”
Buddy, you have no idea.
“Well, animal habitats are a little trickier to predict.” Were they?
She really didn’t know, but it sounded like as good an excuse as any.
“But once Madison showed me that video, I had a decision to make. Believe your claim and take it to my boss or sweep it under the rug and hope nothing came of it.”
Sam arched a brow. “You wouldn’t be telling me this if you hadn’t taken it to your boss.”
“Correct, that’s what I did.” She looked out across the dark yard, trying to picture her own as the homesickness bug gave her a fresh nip. Did she have any perennials blooming this month? There’d been no time yet for planting annuals.
“And he swept it under the rug.”
She looked to Sam. “No, Steven wouldn’t do that. He’s a great boss and strong morals.”
“So, you’re here to tell us goodbye?”
“No.” She laughed. “Though I’m sure you’ll be glad to be rid of me when my time with this project is up. Sorry, buddy, but you’re stuck with me a little longer.”
He smirked. “I can think of worse things. So, what did your boss say?”
“Well, we talked through a few scenarios and came up with a game plan we’d like to run by you.” She leaned forward in her seat. “First, we need to prove that ferrets truly have established habitats in and around the Nelson property.”
Sam’s brows rose. “You don’t believe us?”
“We do. That’s why we’ve hired a professional photographer to capture video evidence.
Without it, the project can still go before the planning board and be voted in.
If we produce evidence of the presence of an endangered species, though, Terakion will have to hit pause on the project.
If the ferrets’ habitat covers a good portion of the land, our assumption is that we would ultimately pull out and find an alternate location to build. ”
Sam nodded. “That’s our hope, too. So, who’s this photographer you hired?”
This was going much smoother than Natalie had dared to imagine. Maybe she could have had this conversation over the phone.
“Neil Frey. He’s an acclaimed photographer I’ve worked with several times throughout my career.”
“But shouldn’t you hire someone who actually has experience photographing animals? Things are a little different out here in the wild.”
Natalie grinned. Even now, he was pushing back on her ideas. This one, however, was solid.
“You mean like the people who do shoots for National Geographic ?” He nodded. “Yeah, Neil’s work has been on the cover two or three times now. I think he’ll do all right,” she added.
Sam threw her a flat look. “You could have just said so from the start.”
“But where would the fun in that have been?” She laughed.
“Anyway, I called Neil this morning, and he’s super excited about the opportunity to come out and capture your endangered neighbors on film.
He’s flying out next weekend and staying until Wednesday.
I’ll pick him up from Bozeman Saturday morning.
And since I’d like to help support local, I recommended he stay here, at one of your cabins, if you have any available. ”
Sam’s jaw dropped. “I… yeah, let me check with Norah, and I can let you know in the morning.”
“Excellent. Neil can bring along his camping gear, but if there’s something specific you recommend he bring or not bring, just let me know.”
“Sure, yeah, no problem.”
Sam looked dazed now. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting Terakion to proactively get onboard with his family’s claim. Hopefully, this wasn’t a sign they’d made any of it up. She rose from her seat with a smile.
“Great. Well, if you have any other questions, just let me know. I’ll be at the Bramble House for the duration of my stay, and I have my rental car to drive myself and Neil back and forth as needed.”
Sam watched her step past, then rose as well. Natalie continued down the porch steps, buzzing with the first sense of victory since arriving in Marietta.
“And I would still like to come and see Madison’s petting zoo sometime. Maybe this weekend.”
“Why are you doing all of this?”
She paused to look back. Sam was coming down the steps, confusion on his brow.
“I told you, I’d been wanting to do some sightseeing while I’m in town. Now that the public hearing will be pushed out at least another week if not indefinitely, I figure I’ll have a little extra time to spare.”
“But… you’re not mad? Last night, after Madison showed you that video, you looked upset.”
Natalie looked to the ground, trying to think of the right words without getting too personal.
“It’s true, the whole ferret sighting caught me off guard.
And it’s adding complications to some other things I have going on at work.
Could I have kept quiet about it to corporate?
Yes, but that wouldn’t have been the right thing to do.
Plus, I couldn’t stand the thought of this resurfacing after I move on to my next project, and no one would be here to help stick up for you and your family. ”
“You care about my family?”
“Of course I care.” She ran a hand through her hair and turned away. “Probably a little more than I should, but I blame that on—”
A hand clamped on her arm and then she was spinning around, stumbling to stay upright as she crashed into Sam’s chest. Before she could process what was happening, his lips claimed hers.
Not teased, not feathered over. Claimed.
Surprise lit her veins, replaced quickly with desire.
She’d been fighting this attraction since first laying eyes on him, and now she was in his arms.
Natalie let herself get lost in the kiss, wishing the moment would never end. But all too soon he was drawing back, his forehead resting against hers.
“Thank you.” His voice was rough yet gentle. “For caring.”
She offered him a small shrug. “It’s who I am. I just can’t say it will be enough.”
“Together, we’ll make sure that it is.” Sam released her and stepped to open her car door, hope shinning in his eyes. “Go get some sleep. We’ve got a busy weekend ahead of us.”
“But Neil’s not coming until next weekend.”
He offered her that classic, cocky grin. “Yes, ma’am, which means we have this weekend to get you acclimated to Montana and Big Sky country. I’ll text you tomorrow with details.”
Oh Lord. What had she just gotten herself into? Nothing yet , she acknowledged. Whatever ideas were swirling in his head, she was under no obligation to follow. Only, every fiber in her sure wanted to.
Natalie climbed into her car and watched Sam watch her as she backed out and steered for town.
The minute he was gone from view, there, in the safe, dark depths of that base model Chevy, reality began to set in.
She’d come here tonight playing messenger for her company, and then gone and let things get a little out of hand.
And unprofessional. Yes, the kiss had been entirely his doing, but she probably shouldn’t have been here to begin with.
And she definitely hadn’t pushed him away.
Good God, how could she have? That kiss! Her lips still tingled, swollen from the way his had claimed hers. What had she gotten herself into? Unable to process it all, she did what any woman would do.
She used her hands-free dialing to call the one person she trusted with this information. Surely, her bestie could help her think things through.
“Hey, girlie, what’s up?” Cyn asked.
Natalie scanned the horizon, deep navy with a million twinkling stars. So beautiful, yet filled with so much of the unknown. Just like her current stage of life.
“We have a situation.”