Taming the Montana Millionaire (12 page)

Her gaze jumped to his and she was chewing on her bottom lip. Finally she said, “There was an awful scene last night.”

He straightened away from the door frame. It didn't sound like this was something she'd want to discuss in the hallway. “Come in. Tell me what happened.”

She passed him and walked into the room. They were alone, but this wasn't the way he'd pictured having her all to himself.

“When I got home last night,” she started, “Roy and Austin were arguing.”

The two had seemed like best buds when they'd left the teen center. “What happened?”

“I guess Austin walked in on Roy and Angie goofing around and assumed the worst.”

“That Roy was hitting on his sister?” he guessed.

She nodded. “They insisted they're just friends and Austin was overreacting. I tried to get everyone to shake hands and apologize, but the next thing I knew they were all telling me to get off their case and butt out.”

“Roy, too?”

She shook her head. “He was back to his default response.”

“Whatever?” he guessed.

“That's the one,” she said grimly. “This morning my brother and sister were barely speaking to me or each other. And Roy was just gone.”

“Have you checked with C.J.? Or Jerilyn? Or some of the other kids from the center?”

“Not yet.” Worry clouded her eyes. “I was hoping I wouldn't have to because I'd find him hanging out here with you. But I'll start making phone calls. Thanks, Marlon. Sorry to bother you.”

“Stop saying that. You're not bothering me. I want to help.” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “What if no one has heard from him?”

“I'll keep looking.”

“Why?”

“Because he ran away from home and now he's run away from me. I feel responsible.”

“Haley, you did nothing but try to help that kid. It's not your fault.”

“Maybe not, but he could be out there alone. Just because he's a guy doesn't mean he's not at the mercy of predators—” Her voice caught and she pressed her full lips together.

“Do you have a plan?” he asked, wanting to fix this for her. He wanted to be her knight in shining armor and chase the apprehension from her face. He knew it was stupid, but that didn't make the feeling go away.

“Yeah. If he's nowhere to be found in Thunder Canyon, I'm going to Billings.”

That surprised him. “Why?”

“When he was hanging out at the center with the other teens, I overheard him say he has a friend there.”

“Did he happen to mention the name of this friend?”

“No, but—”

“Haley, that's like spitting into the wind.”

“I don't care.” She threw up her arms in frustration. “Sitting around isn't an option.”

Determination was a good quality, but Marlon wished she had a little less. He hated the idea of her going all alone. As she'd so graphically stated, there were predators out there. Unlike Roy, she wasn't a guy.

“Is there any way to talk you out of this?”

“Unless you've been lying to me and Roy is hiding under the bed… No. You can't change my mind.”

“That's what I thought you'd say.” He grabbed his wallet and room key from the desk. “In that case, I'm going with you.”

“That's not necessary. You should open the center—”

“The kids will survive if it doesn't open for a day. I'll help you make phone calls. It will be faster. If no one's heard from him, we'll cruise Thunder Canyon and look for him.” He held up his hand to stop her when she opened her mouth. “Two pairs of eyes are better than one and you're driving.”

“Really, I can handle this.”

Without acknowledging her protest, he continued, “If our search doesn't produce any results, we'll go to Billings together. I'm not letting you look for him by yourself.”

“I won't be,” she protested. “My best friend, Elise Clifton, lives there. She knows the town and can give me a hand.”

He shook his head, determined to out-stubborn her. “That doesn't solve the problem of you driving there alone. What if you have a flat tire? A problem with your truck? It's not getting any younger.”

“I'm used to handling stuff.”

“So you've said.”

He couldn't refute that she'd had to handle stuff. Life had smacked her down, but she didn't stay there. She thumbed her nose at fate, picked herself up and thrived in spite of everything. She was a beautiful, talented woman who was also determined, obstinate, persistent and caring. The problem of her going alone wasn't hers. It was his.

He wasn't used to worrying about anyone, but that didn't seem to stop the protective feeling rolling through him. He didn't like worrying about her and was going along whether she liked it or not.

Staying here in Thunder Canyon while she went to look for an impulsive teenager all by herself wasn't an option.

“Here's the deal, Haley. We can stand here and argue, wasting precious time. Or you can give in gracefully and let me help you cut the work in half. Because I'm not taking no
for an answer.” He rested his hands on his hips and stared her down. “So what's it going to be?”

She took his measure for several moments, then said, “Okay. You can help.”

“Good choice. Let's go find the bonehead.”

She grinned for the first time since he'd opened the door and made him feel like he'd given her the moon and stars.

Later he would worry about why that reaction was a bad thing.

H
aley could admit to herself that she was happy Marlon had accompanied her to Billings, but never out loud for him to hear. For one thing, nothing good would come of it. And she had to focus on finding Roy. The man she'd believed Marlon to be just a few short weeks ago would never have inconvenienced himself for anyone. She'd learned he wasn't that man. But
this
man could break her heart if she wasn't careful.

They climbed back into her truck after talking to a representative for the Billings police and Marlon said, “Now what?”

“I'm thinking.”

Not entirely about finding the teen, but that would stay her secret. “The cops weren't much help.”

“They'll do what they can. Keeping an eye out for anyone meeting Roy's description is something. And the sketch
you did of our boy was a pretty good likeness. Distributing the copies they made to patrol officers may produce results.”

“It doesn't feel like enough,” she grumbled, glancing at him in the passenger seat.

His expression was wry. “Unfortunately they can't mobilize a task force for every runaway kid. It happens too often and is usually nothing more than a grounded teenager hiding out to punish a parent who dared not be their friend.”

“And who really gets punished?” She knew how awful it felt to worry about someone you love. But he was right, although that didn't make her feel better.

“I know you're concerned, but there's no reason to believe he won't be fine. Roy will probably have kids someday. The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. DNA and all that. He'll almost certainly have one a lot like him. What goes around comes around and he'll live to regret this. Live is the operative word.” He reached over and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

She wasn't reassured, but his touch made her concentrate on catching her breath instead of the lost boy. Was it only hours ago that she'd made up her mind to go to Marlon's room and finish what he'd started with that kiss in the ROOTS parking lot? It felt like a lifetime ago. Even worse, another missed opportunity.

She sighed. “We can phone shelters. They might be able to give us leads about where homeless teens tend to hang out.”

He nodded. “We need a local phone book.”

“I know just where to find one.”

She started the truck and pulled out into traffic. A short time later, they stopped in front of a book store. It was located on a quaint street with retail shops sporting western
facades and wooden walkways, not unlike the ones in Thunder Canyon.

Marlon looked at the storefront. “Books and More?”

“Elise works here. I called her. She's expecting us.”

“And she'll have a phone book,” he guessed.

Haley nodded. “And she knows the town. She might have some ideas of her own about where to look for a teenager who doesn't want to be found.”

They got out of the truck and walked to the door. The bell above it rang when the door was opened. Haley had been here before, managing to take a couple of days off to visit her friend. But it never seemed long enough. And suddenly excitement shot through her along with acute impatience.

She glanced anxiously around at book shelves lining the store's perimeter and displays of the current bestsellers straight ahead. Beyond that were rows of genres—mystery, thrillers—and her personal favorite—romance.

Before she could decide which way to go, a blue-eyed blonde in navy slacks and a white blouse moved from behind one of the racks. Instantly a pleased smile lit up her pretty face.

“Haley!”

There was hugging, talking at the same time, and laughing.

“It's so good to see you, Haley. How long has it been?”

“Too long.” She looked up at the man beside her. “You remember Marlon Cates.”

Elise nodded. “You're not easy to forget.”

“Should I be scared or flattered?” His expression was half-teasing, half-wary.

“Both.” She grinned. “I was a year behind you in school. You always seemed to travel with an entourage. And having
a twin brother for a wingman didn't hurt. Everyone wanted to be your friend.”

“I'm not quite sure how to respond to that.”

Elise laughed. “You don't have to say anything.”

She and Elise were the same height, same age, although the other woman looked younger and always had. The small brown birthmark on the bridge of her nose, right side, hadn't gone away. She watched her friend's easy exchange with Marlon and waited for a flash of jealousy, like she'd felt when he'd talked to Erin Castro. But it never came. Maybe because he was treating Elise like a little sister.

Haley felt guilty about Roy taking off in the first place, but the silver lining of that particular cloud was the chance to see her friend.

“Elise, you look so good. Your hair's different. Longer.” The golden blond strands brushed her shoulders and barely curved under.

“That's my cue,” Marlon said.

Haley glanced up. “For what?”

“To leave. So you can engage in girl talk.”

“Have you had lunch yet?” Elise asked.

It was after one o'clock and Haley had forgotten about eating, but her stomach chose that moment to growl. She put a hand on her abdomen and laughed ruefully. “That would be no.”

“There's a cute little café two doors down. They make a great club sandwich.”

“Any place is fine.” Haley glanced at Marlon again. “You have to eat.”

“I saw a fast food place up the street. I'll just grab a burger there.” He looked at Elise. “If I can borrow your phone book, I'll make some calls and see if I can get some leads on our boy.” He snapped his fingers. “And if you have
a copy machine, I'll duplicate a sketch Haley made and circulate it.”

“That's a good idea,” Haley said. “But I should help you.”

He shook his head. “Give yourself a break. Take an hour. I insist.”

She knew once he'd made up his mind, trying to change it would be as impossible as moving the mountains that surrounded Thunder Canyon. So she gave in gracefully. “Okay, then.”

Elise nodded toward the back of the store. “Let me just tell my boss I'm going to lunch.”

Fifteen minutes later she and Elise were sitting at a round table covered with a red checkered cloth. Club sandwiches and fries nestled in white plastic baskets and diet sodas were sitting in front of them and they dug in eagerly.

“So how are you?” Haley wiped her mouth with the paper napkin.

“Good. I love working at the bookstore. When it's not busy I can bury myself in a book.”

Escape, Haley thought. And her friend had good reasons for wanting to. “What's new?”

Elise chewed thoughtfully, then her blue eyes lit up. “I'm going to be an aunt. Grant and his wife, Stephanie, are expecting a baby.”

“That's great,” Haley said. “I hadn't heard.”

“I'm sure you will.” Her friend grinned. “Nothing stays a secret in Thunder Canyon.”

“That's so true. This is yummy,” Haley said, picking up her second triangle of sandwich.

“So is Marlon.” Elise's blue eyes danced with the teasing. “What's up with that?”

“With what?”

“Don't play dumb, Haley. This is me and I will not be distracted. You and Marlon? A relationship?”

“There's no relationship—”

Haley's automatic denial died on her lips. She was so used to pushing aside her feelings, putting on a perky face, pretending everything was perfect. But this was Elise, the one person she could always open her heart to. The friend she'd always been able to talk to and unburden herself. Maybe because they both shared deep personal losses. Elise's father had been murdered on his ranch years earlier. When life in Thunder Canyon became too painful, her mom had moved them to Billings. And when Haley's mom died in the car accident, she'd finally understood her friend's soul-deep sadness and their bond deepened. For whatever reason, this was a rare and precious opportunity to talk to her friend, face-to-face. No phone. And no e-mail, which was even less satisfying.

“Okay.” Haley picked up a fry and took a bite. “I wouldn't call it a relationship. Not what you're implying. We're friends, I guess.”

“So the spark I saw between you was just static electricity?” Elise hardly looked older than eighteen, but she missed nothing.

“Okay. He kissed me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Twice.”

“Does that tally include the one at the football fundraiser six years ago?”

Haley had told her all about that, including a blow-by-blow of the heartbreak and disappointment that followed when he didn't call. “Okay,” she confessed. “Three times.”

“And?”

“And nothing.” She explained about him losing his
driver's license and the community service that kept them practically joined at the hip. Temporarily. “He's going back to L.A. Soon.”

“And your heart is going to break again.” It wasn't a question.

“Not this time. He hasn't promised anything and I know he's leaving. Older and wiser.” She shrugged and took a sip from her diet soda.

“Just because you know the score it doesn't mean you can keep your emotions in check. It's not like ordering your dog to sit, stay, play dead.”

How she wished her feelings were dead, but just the opposite was true. Emotions were alive, well, thriving out of control.

“I know.”

“Have you slept with him?” Elise asked.

If anyone else had asked, Haley would have been shocked and embarrassed. Elise knew that she'd never had sex. “No.”

“Do you want to?”

“Yes,” she said simply. No point in lying. Her friend always saw through her.

“So you really do care.” There was gentle understanding in Elise's soft voice.

“How did you know?”

“If you didn't, you wouldn't even consider going to bed with him.” Sympathy and understanding were soft in her friend's blue eyes. “Maybe Marlon is the reason you've waited this long.”

She was right. Warm feelings for this wonderful friend welled up and tears filled her eyes. She felt a little less alone because there was someone in this world who knew her so well.

“I miss you so much.” She reached over and squeezed Elise's hand. “I wish we could talk like this more often.”

“Well, I'll be back in Thunder Canyon for the holidays. We'll get together then.”

“Christmas seems so far away.”

“The time will fly,” Elise promised.

“I could be more patient if it wasn't going to be a temporary visit. When Grant and Stephanie's baby is born, you're going to want to be close to your niece or nephew. A good reason to make it a permanent move. Don't blame me for keeping my fingers crossed.”

“They're your fingers, but—” Deep sadness dimmed the sparkle in Elise's eyes. “I really can't live there. Too many bad memories.”

Haley nodded, knowing all about the awful things that had happened. But she couldn't help hoping that the next visit would change her friend's mind about making it a move back for good. She was going to need the comfort of talks like this when Marlon went back to his regularly scheduled life and took her heart with him.

 

“It won't kill you to have some dinner, Haley.”

Marlon lounged in the open doorway to her room. The search had taken all afternoon. They'd made phone calls, tacked up copies of his sketch all over town and driven around looking for Roy without success. It was getting late and he could see how tired she was. Her exhaustion would make the trip back to Thunder Canyon an ordeal. Without a license, he couldn't take over the driving for her.

Finally he'd made an executive decision and reserved two rooms for the night at a hotel. He'd known it was the right decision when she didn't fight him on it.

After a trip to the local Walmart for necessities, he'd come next door to convince Haley that a hunger strike
wouldn't help find the teenager and would only hurt her in the long run.

“It feels wrong,” she finally answered.

“Are you afraid you'll have fun?” he challenged.

“Of course not—” She stopped, a puzzled look on her face as she tried to figure out what, if anything, she'd admitted.

“Then you don't want to spend time with me.”

“I do, it's just—” Again she stopped, frowning.

Marlon definitely wanted to spend time with her. He just wished there wasn't a dark cloud hovering over this trip, that she could be carefree and forget about responsibility for a while. He wanted to give her that before it was time to go.

He moved farther into the room—a duplicate of his. There was a king-size bed covered with a blue-green patterned comforter. The walls were cream-colored and dark wood nightstands bracketed the bed. A bathroom was to the right by the door. It was your basic, generic hotel room.

He should know. He'd stayed in what felt like a million of them, traveling around by himself. But just having Haley next door made it different, special and he wanted to do something for her. Buying her a nice dinner seemed right.

“What is it, Haley?” he asked again. “There's nothing more you can do tonight. We've left cell phone numbers with everyone possible. If anyone has information about Roy, they'll call. Let's stand down. Just for a little while.”

Her brown eyes darkened with the conflict raging inside her. Finally her gaze lifted to his. “Is this one of those times when you're not taking no for an answer?”

“You noticed that about me?”

“Didn't have to notice. You're not shy about announcing it.” She shook her head and muttered, “Darn sales personality.”

“I know.” He grinned as he took her elbow and guided her from the room. “Gotta love it.”

“It's very irritating.”