Weekend With Her Bachelor (Bachelor Auction Returns Book 4) (11 page)

She’d missed him something awful. Granted, it was a good thing he wasn’t around her first day at the ranch. He was way too tempting. But when he was there, something inside her just lit up. He was still the sweet guy she remembered from high school. But he definitely projected a harder edge now, even though his heart was all about helping others.

The man had always had nerves of steel. Ally remembered how terrifying it was to watch him deal with an out-of-control stallion, or climb into the rafters of the barn to rescue a cat. But at the heart of all that mettle was a heart of gold. That hadn’t changed either.

He might affect the tough, unflappable persona, but on the inside, Gavin was a mush. Which was why she always loved him, and why she’d never stopped. His admission yesterday, that he was as much at fault as she was for their relationship going off the rails, gave her hope. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was hoping for, but she felt happier than she had in years. Like maybe fate had called her home just at the right time.

The golf cart came to a halt in front of what appeared to be a pretty country cabin. It had a small porch with Adirondack chairs, pots filled with spring blooms and a view of the lake that was to die for.

“This is spectacular.”

Following her escort inside, the place didn’t disappoint. The inside of the cabin was outfitted for every comfort. A large comfortable sofa faced a stone fireplace, and rustic chic touches were everywhere. However, it was the bedroom that took Ally’s breath away.

The threshold between the living room and the bedroom was where the transition from cabin to tent took place. The room was beautiful. The rough-hewn wood floor was covered by a red oriental rug, the furnishings were carefully selected, and the bed was the true crowning glory to the space. A large four-poster, it was high off the floor with a plush mattress, and what looked like a dozen pillows. It was covered in a gorgeous, soft flannel comforter in neutral hues, and crisp linens. There was a stove in the corner for warmth, a small table with a pair of chairs, and a bench that she was told contained extra blankets and towels.

Once she was left alone, Ally stood for a second and surveyed her space. The couple had made an excellent choice with this location. If Ally’s accommodations were on the simpler side, she couldn’t imagine what some of the luxury suites were like. She’d find out soon enough, as the majority of the wedding party and a good number of the guests were arriving later that afternoon.

Taking out her phone, Ally took a picture of the living room and sent it to Gavin.

Home Sweet Home
, she captioned the picture.

Wow! That looks incredible!

It’s gorgeous. I can’t wait for you to see it.

Same. Be there tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow morning? She wasn’t expecting him until later. She wondered if anything specific made him change his plans. Hopeful thoughts rushed through her head, and as quickly as they appeared, Ally tamped them down.

Yesterday was emotional; she couldn’t afford to let her emotions get in the way of her judgment. If this was going to work out, there was no room for mistakes.

It would be so easy to be swept away by Gavin. At home, in a run-down gazebo, she almost lost control. On their ride in the country, she’d have done anything he asked. Here? In a perfect, dreamy location, with Montana’s beauty as far as the eye could see? She was toast.

Walking into the bathroom, Ally gasped. It was opulent, with beautiful tile work, high-end fixtures, and a slant toward the romantic. This room had been built for two.

Staring at the oversized whirlpool tub and the huge shower with multiple spray heads, she uttered a prayer. “Lord, I am so screwed. Please give me strength.”

Snapping her back to reality, Ally heard her phone ring. All she hoped was that it wasn’t Gavin, or her mother. Picking it up off the bed, she saw it was Vivi. “Hey.”

“Hey! Are you there? How is the place?”

“It’s amazing,” Ally said on a sigh. “It’s really perfect.”

“Will you have any free time? What kind of activities are there? When is Gavin arriving?” That was Vivi. All questions.

“Tomorrow morning. I think he’s going to be pleasantly surprised.”

Gavin had been expressing his doubts about the location, claiming it to be too good to be true. In some ways, Ally shared his doubts. The bride had booked the ranch before Ally’s firm had been brought on board to plan the wedding. The place was closed over the winter for renovations, so she had never laid eyes on any of the spaces. Which made her very nervous.

But the staff she’d worked with remotely, from the reservations manager to the banquet director, had assured her she wouldn’t be disappointed, and she wasn’t.

“Are you going to be okay with this? With him so close all the time? I know it can’t be easy.”

“I’ll be okay. I mean, we’ve come to an understanding. It’s nice having my friend back.”

Silence dropped between them, because Ally couldn’t face the truth until Vivi forced her to.

“You’ve always wanted to be more than Gavin’s friend. When are you going to stop kidding yourself, Al?”

Vivi’s words went right to her heart. Yesterday sent her reeling. He could own her, heart and soul, which meant he could also break her. Did she give in and let the walls come down?

“I’m going to go. I promise I’ll send lots of pictures.”

“Ally,” Vivi pleaded. “You can’t ignore this.”

“I’m not. We’re not. We’ve been talking and coming to grips with what happened. We know there’s a powerful attraction, and we’re dealing. But it is between us. Okay? Look, I’ll see you when I get back. I’ll be at my parents for a day or two until I head back to Seattle.”

“Fine. I think you’re making a mistake.” Vivi sounded hurt or worried. Maybe both.

“You don’t know that. It’s complicated.”

“Hmm. Not really,” Vivi replied before saying goodbye.

*

When he stopped
his truck in front of the massive lodge, Gavin understood why Ally had told him the place was amazing. The building, which was a long, timber frame structure, had large windows, a porch that stretched the length of it, and welcomed guests in perfect mountain style. Turning, he checked out the property, which seemed to go on forever. He saw cabins and a colony of smaller buildings a little ways down the road, and he guessed that was where they were staying.

Yeah,
amazing
was a good word for this place. Greeted by a staff member who took his bag, and another who parked his truck for him, Gavin picked up on the luxury vibe. It was definitely more resort than ranch. As he walked into the soaring lobby, he heard Ally’s familiar laughter. She was happy, and it was possible there was no better sound in the world. Following it, he found her in what looked like a ballroom. The ceilings were high, with beams creating the feel of a large barn, but a lot more refined. And clean.

She was talking to staff members about arrangements for the reception.

“Ma’am, if you want flowers over the rafters, we’re going to have to bring in the cherry picker for that.”

“Well,” Ally said with a smile, “It’s a good thing you have one of those lovely contraptions. I’d hate to think you’d have to climb a rope to get up there.”

The two men looked at each other, then tipped their hats in deference to the gorgeous redhead who had just told them sweetly, but in no uncertain terms, to get the job done.

That was pretty damn sexy.

Her authority was unchallenged. She was kind, respectful, but clear in what she wanted. As she walked with two other people to a large table where there were sketches and plans laid out, he couldn’t help but love her confidence. It had become her most attractive feature.

Ally had always been beautiful; whatever she thought about her looks, she was a pretty teen who had grown into a knockout. But the game changer wasn’t her weight or her clothes—it was how she felt about herself.

Gavin had nursed his broken heart for a good long time after Ally left him and Marietta behind, but now he could see she needed to leave. The town, as great as it was, would have kept Ally from being all she could be. She’d found her path, and had kicked ass. The woman was a fucking work of art.

Gavin had no intention of losing her again.

Pushing past him, a tall blond man strode into the room and straight for the table. “Ally! My God, it’s good to see you! You look fantastic, darling.”

Darling?

Ally turned, her face frozen, her smile obviously fake. “Hello, Lars.”

Lars. The ex.

That was Gavin’s cue. Pushing off the doorframe, he made his way to Ally, thinking about exactly how far he should take it. Subtle would be better, but kissing her senseless definitely had its appeal.

“Hey there, beautiful.”

When Ally looked his way and smiled, for real, it felt like he’d been kicked in the chest. He’d do anything for her.

“Hi!” Walking away from Lars, Ally met him, stretching up on her tiptoes to kiss him. It was a simple kiss. Warm, familiar. The kiss of a lover. “I missed you.”

The words could have been for show, but there was something very sincere and true about the look in her eyes.

“Missed you, too.”

“Did you have a good drive up?”

“Uneventful. So, that’s good in my book.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said so quietly only he could hear.

“Is everything okay?”

Nodding, she pressed her head against his chest. “It is now.”

There were words hanging between them. Words that would change everything.

“Ally, you have a new guy,” Lars said. “Wow. Unexpected.”

“Uh, yes.” She stepped back, smoothing her shirt. “Lars Sundstrom, this is Gavin Clark.”

“Gavin, a pleasure.” Lars extended his hand and they shook. “So how did you and Ally meet?”

Yeah, he didn’t like this asswipe already. “We’ve known each other for years. Grew up together.”

“Is that so? You’re from that little town, Marichetta?”

Marichetta
? Was this guy for real? “Marietta. Yes.”

“Wow.” Lars folded his arms and tucked his hands into his armpits. “Are you a cowboy? I’ve never met one.”

Ally was about to say something, but this was too good. He squeezed her hand and stopped her. Gavin figured the idiot would hang himself eventually, and Gavin had no problem handing him some rope. “I grew up on a ranch, yes sir.”

“Amazing. Such a different life. I’ve always lived in cities. Grew up in LA. You know, in California.”

“I’ve heard of it,” Gavin said flatly. Lars thought he was stupid, which should have pissed Gavin off, but he was mildly amused instead. Ally, on the other hand, was mortified.

“I’m going to go settle into the room,” he said to Ally, ignoring the asshole. “Why don’t you meet me there when you’re free.”

“I just have a few more things to finalize, then I’ll be there. We can take a ride later on.”

Lars clapped his hands together. “That would be great! I’ll get Jasmina and we’ll all go.”

That would spoil the plan in about a dozen different ways, not the least of which was that he and Ally wouldn’t be alone. Their time together two days ago was seared in his brain. This time, if he got her out in a secluded pasture, he was going to take advantage of it.

“Lars, Gavin and I want to go out on our own. You and Jasmina wouldn’t be able to keep up.”

“Keep up? How hard can it be? You just sit in the saddle.”

Ally shook her head in disbelief. “Harder than it looks. I’ll see you later at the rehearsal.”

Damn, she got a gold star for that one. Gavin kissed her once more for good measure and let go of her hand. “See you at the cabin. Take care, Olaf.”

Gavin turned on his booted heel and left the room with Lars sputtering something about his name. The guy was such a dick. Ally was lucky he moved on, and Gavin had every intention of showing her she had better options.

*

Ally almost ran
back to the cabin; she couldn’t wait to kiss Gavin for real. He evoked a sparkly, giddy feeling way deep down in her belly, and no matter how much Ally tried to deny it, it was there.

When she walked in the front room, she saw Gavin standing in front of the long sofa, examining it.