Chapter 53
53
Michelle couldn’t believe she was flying in a private jet. Who would’ve ever thought this would be her life two years ago? Hell, even three months ago, this would have seemed outrageous.
Keith looked at her sitting beside him. “You seem a million miles away.”
“Just thinking how my life has changed in the last couple of years. And this”—she spread her arms out—“this feels so foreign to me. I never imagined flying in a private jet or dating a movie star. Pinch me. Am I dreaming?”
Keith burst out laughing. “This isn’t who I am either. It’s here to help get me in and out of places with minimal chaos. The person I am when I’m with you, that’s me. The person I am on the ranch without prying eyes, that’s me. This is convenience, that’s all.”
Michelle laid her head on Keith’s shoulder and closed her eyes. A nap would help her feel refreshed when they landed.
Keith’s thumb lightly stroked Michelle’s cheek. “Wake up, honey. We’re about to land.”
Michelle’s eyes fluttered open to find Keith staring at her. “Are you all right?”
“Better than all right.” He shifted in his seat. “Are you ready to see Montana?”
“Yes,” she said with a wide smile.
The plane touched down and came to a stop. When they walked down the stairs of the plane, a vehicle was waiting for them. Chip stretched his back and greeted them with a smile while Max grabbed the bags. “Enjoy the flight?”
“I learned something new about Michelle,” Keith said.
She cocked her eyebrow, and Chip asked, “What’s that?”
“She snores.”
“What? I do not snore, Keith Mason!” Michelle put her hands on her hips before they loaded into the SUV.
“It’s soft, but you snored. And you know what?”
“What?”
“I loved it. You relaxed enough to actually sleep on my shoulder.”
Chip laughed as he drove toward the ranch.
“You’re crazy. You know that, right?”
Keith nuzzled her. “I’m crazy about you.”
“Are you sure y’all are middle-aged? You sound like teenagers,” Chip said.
“I feel young. Michelle brings that out in me.” He kissed her neck.
Michelle laughed. “You have me giggling like a schoolgirl. And I get butterflies every time I know I’m going to see you.”
“See, new love is good for the soul.”
The drive to the house took about an hour. When Chip stopped the vehicle, he narrowed his eyes and looked at a car parked in the driveway. “Whose car is that?”
Keith looked out the side window. “I don’t know. Did you schedule an appointment for me?”
Chip looked in the rearview once more before he opened his door. “I wouldn’t do that. I know how much this time with Michelle means to you. Do you think the studio sent someone out here for something?”
“There’s only one way to find out. Is anyone here today?”
“Carlotta came to make sure the house was cleaned before y’all arrived. But that’s not her car.”
Keith laced his fingers with Michelle’s. “Chip, call the sheriff just in case some crazy was able to get on the property, and Max, would you please see who’s here.”
They cautiously stepped out of the car when the back door flung open. Max stopped at the rear of the strange car. Keith scowled. “What the hell are you doing here? How did you get through the gate and in the house?”
“You should change the codes, Keith.” Samantha planted her hand on her cocked hip. “I’m here to meet this woman Kevin and Sam told me about. If she’s going to be in our children’s lives, then I want to know what type of person she is.” She flashed a sly grin at Michelle. “Don’t worry. I’m not tacky. I unpacked in a guest room.”
“Unpacked? You’re not staying here. This is my house.”
“Yes, you got both houses in the divorce.”
“They were mine before I met you, and you cheated.” Keith pointed toward the car. “Leave!”
Michelle dislodged her hand from Keith’s and turned toward Chip. “Take me to a hotel, please.”
“Where are you going?” Keith’s brows tried to become one.
“If you know anything about me, then you know I don’t do drama. And this is drama.”
Keith cut his hands through the air. “Stop it! Everyone, stop right now.” No one took another step or said a word. “You,” Keith pointed to Samantha. “You have five minutes to get your shit packed and get off my property.” He turned his attention to Chip. “You, make sure she leaves and change the damn codes.” He finally faced Michelle. “You are coming with me. She is not your problem, but since I have children with her, I need to handle this. She will not be causing issues for you here or elsewhere.” Keith called over his shoulder. “Max, do not let her near our bedroom.”
Chip moved up behind Samatha, who refused to budge. “We didn’t cover the children being around someone we’re dating, so maybe they don’t need to come out here,” she said before anyone else moved.
“For the love of God, Samantha, they’re grown men.”
“Sam isn’t. He’s barely eighteen.”
“In the eyes of the law, he’s an adult. You don’t dictate when they can see me. I pay for their education, their meals, and spending money at school. You don’t pay for anything where they’re concerned. You don’t have a say in any of this.”
“Because apparently, you love her more than you ever loved me, and I bore your children. Don’t look so shocked, Keith. Kevin told me what you said.”
Keith shrugged. “At least you know how I feel about Michelle.”
“Is that her name? I was just told that you met a woman.”
“Time’s ticking, Samantha.” Keith looked at Chip. “Go ahead and call the sheriff if you didn’t do it when we drove up. I want her gone.”
“They’re on their way.”
“Good.” Keith took Michelle’s hand in one of his and their bags in the other. He led her through the great room and down the hall to the master suite. He shut and locked the door, dropping their bags on the floor. “I am so sorry.” He cupped her face so she couldn’t turn away. “Today was supposed to be perfect.”
Michelle rested her hands on his hips. “It still can be.”
“Do you want to take a shower? I’ve arranged for us to have cheese and wine on the deck at sunset. It’ll be beautiful then.”
“What little I’ve seen of the house and area, it’s beautiful now.”
“I know you don’t do drama. I don’t want you to, but I need to get her out of here quickly. I feel like she’s contaminating what we have, and you don’t deserve that.”
“You don’t deserve having to deal with her either. Why didn’t you change the gate and alarm codes?”
“It never occurred to me that she’d come here. She hadn’t been here in years. An oversight, I promise you.” He laced his fingers at the small of her back. “I’d like to take you out to celebrate tonight. Would you like that?”
“You know you don’t need to do something like that. What if we’re seen?”
“People here are used to seeing me around town. It’s not a big deal.”
She smiled. “All right, then. Let’s celebrate.”
Keith showed her around the room. He opened the door on the far side. “Closet. There’s room in here if you need to hang anything up.” He walked across the room and opened another door. “Bathroom. There’s a shower and a tub, whichever you prefer. The view is nice while you get ready.”
“Are you requesting that I stay in here?”
“I thought you’d prefer that until she’s gone.”
Michelle sighed. “As much as I hate drama, I want her to see us as a united front. If I’m going to be a part of your life, then I need to learn to deal with her.”
“It’s up to you, honey. I’ll keep you apart forever if that’s what you want.”
“I want to be by your side through the good times and bad.”
Keith sighed and looked as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. “I love you.”
She smiled. “I love you too.”
A tap sounded on the door, and Keith opened it.
“She’s leaving but threatening not to let the boys get on the plane tomorrow.”
“Fuck!” Keith looked at Michelle. “I’ve got to handle this.”
“Let me,” Michelle softly said.
“Not on your life.”
“Then I’m coming with you.”
Keith stomped down the hallway but stopped at the great room where Samantha was entering from the guest wing of the house. Keith crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s the problem, Samantha?”
“I...” She glared at Michelle. “I miss you and was hoping this fling would be over by now. I came out here hoping that, well, I... I thought we could possibly work things out.”
Michelle gasped and Samantha gave her a pitying look that said Samatha usually got what she wanted.
“I see.” Keith unfolded his arms and put his hands in his hip pockets. “I’m sorry, Samantha. I meant what I told Kevin. I love Michelle and see spending the rest of my life with her.”
A hardness crossed Samantha’s face. “You won’t be able to handle this lifestyle, sweetie. You don’t like drama, right? That’s all this life is. One big drama-filled situation after another. You need to tuck tail and head back east before you get your feelings hurt. People out here will chew you up and spit you out.”
Michelle tilted her head. “I don’t get involved with men easily, so when I tell you that I love Keith, know that it’s forever. We differ because I don’t care about the lifestyle, I care about the man. The amount of drama that this life holds is up to how much we let into our lives. You’re one slice of drama that has no place in mine.” She touched Keith’s arm. “I’m going to leave this with you. I’ll be waiting for you in the tub.”
Samantha laughed. “He doesn’t take baths. He only showers.”
Michelle looked over her shoulder and smirked. “Funny, he takes baths with me.”
Keith fought back the smile that tried to escape. “Leave, Samantha. Don’t come back.”
The front doorbell rang, and Chip answered the door. “Good afternoon, Sheriff.”
“Has one of those crazy fans got on the property again?”
“No, sir. A crazy ex-wife,” Chip deadpanned.
“Do I need to help her leave?”
“That’d be great.” The sheriff followed Chip back to where Keith and Samantha stood glaring at each other. “Keith, Sheriff Grady is here. He’s offered to assist Samantha in finding the door.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Samantha said.
“Don’t make me file a restraining order, Samantha. You need to go.”
Samantha huffed and stormed out the door, her bag trailing behind her. They heard the gravel fly up as she left.
“Thank you, Sheriff. Chip is changing the code on the gate. We’ll make sure your office has it for emergencies.”
“Thank you, Keith. We’ll help anyway we can,” Sheriff Grady said and walked out the open door.
“She left outta here in a hurry,” Max said as he passed the sheriff in the doorway.
“C’mon, Max, we need to change the gate code and update the alarm system too,” Chip said as he and Max left.