Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
The way he still said her name…
Tenderness caressed every letter. But there was a new hitch at the end. Her heart overflowed with all the emotion between them. She reminded herself that this was their first meeting, so naturally, things would be intense.
As she studied him, clutching his black Stetson, he was the same yet so different. Rougher. Harder. As wary as a wounded horse.
But yes, wounded, as much in need of healing as she apparently was.
Sure, he was broader across the chest, probably from swinging an axe and lifting hay or maybe from all the new responsibilities on his shoulders.
Bull-strong and iron-hard, as the saying went.
The cleft in his chin looked more like a pothole now, and he had a new scar beside his sexy mouth.
She wondered if he’d gotten it the same night he’d broken his nose during those times when he’d run wild.
Because she’d noticed the slight crook to the right the moment he’d entered the shed.
He still had a slow Western drawl and the same work-roughened fingers that had touched her and delighted her and given her more pleasure still than any other man she’d known.
Oh, Ben, how had it come to this?
She swallowed thickly, knowing he was starting to get anxious from the way his fingers were clenching the rim of his cowboy hat. But this was a significant decision. Could she commit to coming back and working with Will, knowing how everything stood between her and Ben?
Except here he was, asking her to heal it with him.
Didn’t she know how hard it was for him to talk about his feelings?
She’d been there when his mother had left.
Only this time, she would be healing the hurt she’d caused him by leaving as much as the hurt he’d caused her.
Hearing the depths of despair he’d suffered hadn’t been easy, and God knew they had more to talk out.
Will’s plan would give her a purpose, doing what she loved, what she was called to do—if she and Ben could coexist.
“Well, what’s your answer?” Ben asked almost impatiently.
She took a moment to check in with herself. The offer was the ticket to the full emotional freedom she’d been hoping for and a new path for herself in Sanctuary Springs. “All right, I’ll consent to the trial run,” she finally said softly. “For a month.”
Ben’s breath whooshed out in the ensuing silence. “Fine, that’s fine, Hannah.”
She held up a hand. “Before you agree, there’s something you should know. Neil and I have talked about continuing to work together, and we have a lot to discuss after today.”
His right eye started twitching, making him rub it. She almost laughed at that reaction.
“Besides being my best friend, he’s been my partner since I started working at the wellness practice.
We have a joint following online for our herbal education programs, ones we both make money from.
More urgently, Neil and I need to finish up an important project together.
We can’t do it separately, so he’ll need to stay here with me to complete it. Can you handle that?”
His cheek joined in the tic harassing his eye. She almost suggested she could offer him some eyebright solution to calm it.
“Like I told you, I’ll do anything that’s needed.” His voice might as well be grinding rocks. “He helped Will, and for that alone, he has my eternal thanks.”
So he wasn’t going to ask if she and Neil were together. He must be biting his tongue to keep from asking. Right now, she didn’t feel like telling him about their relationship.
“All right, then. I know I’ll be in touch with Will, but I have to be out of Scotland technically in two weeks, so I’ll see you then.”
He shoved his Stetson on. “Fine. If you want to and think you can…I’d like you to meet Cooper, but I’d understand if you needed to wait to gather yourself. I don’t want him hurt by anything between us.”
God, that tore at her heart. His boy—the one the sun rose and set on.
Hearing how much he loved that child had filled her with so many conflicting emotions.
Certainly, hearing him talk like a father was a new side to Ben McAllister, and if she were being honest, that facet was as protective, caring, and compelling as she had dreamed it would be when she imagined them having a family.
“I wouldn’t want anyone to be hurt, Ben, least of all a little boy,” she finally said.
“Come and meet Cooper, then.” He turned to the door before pausing and extending a hand, like the gentleman he’d always been. Her mouth felt frozen as she left the shed, feeling his powerful presence behind her.
Neil’s head immediately turned from talking with Will and the man who’d driven them. When her friend gave the barest nod, she knew he sensed her answer. He was good that way, part of what made him a wonderful healer and partner.
Will strode forward, arms akimbo. “Well, no bloodshed, I see. That’s a good sign. What’s the verdict?”
“You’ve got your trial run for a month,” she told him, wanting to scratch the itch in her throat. “Neil will be joining me for a while, as we have an important project to finish.”
Will rubbed his jaw, gazing at his brother. “Yeah, he mentioned that. All good, Ben?”
“Fine,” he answered. “Excuse me. Cooper! Come here, son.”
She glanced over and watched the brown-haired little boy run over with a white Great Pyrenees puppy herding him their way.
Reba followed slowly in their wake with a brisk wave.
She’d bet the puppy was from the other guardian dogs she’d loved on the ranch.
The dog ran right to her and laid its head against her thigh, making her heart swell.
Cooper grinned as he pulled up short of running into his dad, showing a gap-toothed smile.
He had gray-blue eyes and a cowlick on top of his head.
“Hey!” Cooper called as Ben tucked him to his side, a protective hand holding him in place. “You’re my papa’s best friend growing up.”
Ben looked down sharply at his son. “How do you know that?”
“Uncle Will told me. I asked him who the lady was in the photo I found in your desk. After that, he showed me the photo albums Grandma Ada has of you guys growing up. She’s in lots of them.”
Yeah, she had been, and her heart throbbed knowing those happy times were all gone now.
A heated flush started to crawl up Ben’s neck.
Couldn’t be easy that Cooper knew all about her.
Funny, since she’d seen photos of him online because of Will’s posts.
Ben had no presence. Despite her berating herself for it, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from wanting to see what Ben’s son looked like.
Ben gave a tight smile. “I see. Well, Cooper, let’s be formal. This is Hannah—Miss Montgomery. Dr. Montgomery’s daughter.”
“Please call me Hannah.” She smiled.
“And this man is her…ah…colleague, Mr. Drummond.”
“Papa, I already met Neil. He said I could call him that. He wears the kilt online. Uncle Will showed me. They talk about herbs and plants. Oh, and they show exercises to help people get better. Like Uncle Will. She sent him this magic salve. It’s made his leg better.
He used it on me when I got a big sliver from climbing the old post fence.
Took it right out. Reba didn’t have to use her tweezers. ”
“Which saves me from hearing you cry and holler,” Reba said gruffly when she finally arrived. “Good to see you, Hannah. You’ve been missed.”
“Oh, Reba, I’ve missed you too.” The older woman might have more lines around her mouth, and her short brown hair was peppered with silver, but her no-nonsense embrace was the same.
There was a ripple effect with every broken relationship, and losing Reba, along with the rest of Ben’s family, had been one of the toughest.
Reba patted her briskly on the back before letting her go and turning to Neil.
“This handsome fella must be the Scot all the ladies in town practically giggle over when they watch your online videos.” She stuck out her liver-spotted hand.
“I’m Reba. Too bad you didn’t wear your kilt today.
I would have taken a photo with you and teased my Charlie about running off with you. ”
Neil clasped her hand to his chest, laying on the charm. “Sounds like you’ll have your chance at that photo. I’ll be joining Hannah on Wild Mountain for a while.”
She swore she heard Ben’s jaw pop.
“I see Will’s up to his same old tricks.” Reba pinched his cheek, making him grab her playfully around the waist. “I’ll hold you to that photo, Neil. I like to keep my Charlie on his toes.”
“Some things never change,” Hannah said dryly.
“Some do.” Reba’s eyes narrowed and met hers head-on, a caution in them. “Some don’t. You’ll see, coming back home.”
She took a deep breath. She certainly would.