скачать книгу бесплатно
“It was one day at a time, one crisis at a time.” He shook his head at the memories. “Seems like yesterday he was a toddler.”
“I look forward to seeing him. Preferably not at the clinic.”
“From your mouth to God’s ear,” the man said fervently.
Ben knew Cabot had been married and his wife took off right after the baby’s birth. Apparently, in addition to a husband and newborn son, small-town life wasn’t her thing. And speaking of that…In his peripheral vision he noticed a flash of red. Camille Halliday was a few feet away from the refreshment table, by herself and holding a cup of coffee. She stood out like a fly in milk.
The people in this room were dressed in denim and flannel. Mayor Goodson had on a navy blue blazer with her jeans to negotiate the line between casual and professional. There was an occasional pair of khakis, and Ben was in scrubs, but that was as formal as anyone got.
Cam was wearing a stylishly short, snug skirt and fitted red jacket with a ruffle at the waist. Her four-inch red come-and-get-me heels made her legs look longer than he thought they were and shapely enough to make his fingers tingle to know for sure.
Jill must have noticed where he was looking. “Camille Halliday is prettier in person that she is in photographs.”
“I’ll have to take your word.” Ben forced himself to look away. He took a chocolate chip cookie from his plate and bit into it. After chewing and swallowing he said, “I’ve never seen pictures of her.”
“Really?” The redhead looked surprised. “She’s been all over magazines and tabloid news.”
“I’ve been busy.” He shrugged. “Barely put it together when I met her at the lodge. I’m staying there until I build my house.”
“I’d steer clear of her.” Cabot’s eyes were dark with suspicion.
“Have you met her?”
“No. And that’s fine with me.”
“I can’t help wondering what she’s doing in Blackwater Lake.” Jill sipped her coffee. “It’s painfully obvious that she doesn’t fit in here.”
Ben noticed that people were looking curiously at her, but no one ventured over. She looked a little lost and the stubborn lift of her chin said she was trying not to be.
“I’m going to talk to her,” he said.
“Bad idea.” Cabot shook his head in warning.
“Why?”
“She’s way out of your league.”
“That would be a problem if I were looking for something serious.” He already knew that was a waste of time, because the lady had her sights set on bigger and more high-profile than here. “But there’s no harm in being friendly.”
“Yes, there is.” His friend looked like he’d rather take a sharp stick in the eye.
“I’d go with you and introduce myself,” Jill said, “but I have to get home. Although I’m sure Adam has everything under control.”
“And I have to pick up Ty and get him home. It’s a school night. And I’m your ride,” Cabot reminded her.
“That, too.”
“Okay, then. I’ll see you guys later.”
Cabot’s expression was filled with fraternal sympathy. “You’re a braver man than I am.”
Ben laughed and said his goodbyes, then picked up his coffee and dropped his empty dessert plate in the trash before heading in Cam’s direction.
There was relief in her eyes when he stopped in front of her. “Hi, Ben.”
“Cam.” He sipped cold coffee. “How are you?”
“Fine.”
He hadn’t seen her since yesterday morning when she’d broken up the housekeeping hostilities. “Is there a ceasefire at the lodge?”
“For Crystal and Patty there is.” That implied not so much with the rest of the staff. “I paired them with other people. They weren’t happy, but I pulled rank.”
“I think it was General Colin Powell who said that to be an effective leader, sometimes you have to tick people off.”
“I’d just settle for a little respect,” she said ruefully.
Ben wondered at the twinge of protectiveness he felt. This big-city girl was more than capable of looking after herself. Rich, beautiful and experienced, according to the press. But there was a look in her eyes, an expression that said she was a little out of her depth.
“So, what are you doing here?” he asked.
“I already told you—making the lodge profitable.”
“No, I meant why did you come to the Chamber of Commerce meeting?”
“Oh.” She shrugged and what that small movement did to her breasts in that tight-fitting jacket should be illegal. “I thought it couldn’t hurt to be here to see other business owners in action. Maybe it would spark marketing ideas in the mountain milieu. Promotion strategies for increasing spring and summer bookings. And get a jump on fall and holiday reservations.”
“Throw everything at the wall and see what sticks,” he agreed.
“Pretty much.” She tossed her half-empty cup in the trash beside the table. “I like Mayor Goodson. She’s smart to open up some of the town’s property for sale and development.”
“Maybe. It’s going to be a juggling act, though. Growing, but not so fast that we lose the qualities that make life here special.”
“Bigger means more people can enjoy special.”
“Not always,” he disagreed.
“For the sake of argument…Didn’t the mayor say that as far as health care escalation goes, right now a grant for the money to add on to Mercy Medical Clinic is the best she can do? An actual hospital needs enough of a population to support it. Bigger would be better for everyone.”
“That’s true. As much as I’d like to see it built, going too big too fast makes for a weak foundation that won’t support the existing residents. Everything collapses.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but before any words came out the lights went off and on. He looked around and noticed there were only a few people left in the room.
“I think they’re throwing us out,” he said.
“Looks that way.” She took a cell phone from the small purse hanging by a handle from her wrist. “I need to call a cab.”
“You don’t have a car?”
“Not one with four working tires. I had a flat. The good news is I noticed before leaving the lodge parking lot.”
That meant she took a cab here. “I’m surprised you went to the trouble of showing up.”
“I didn’t want to miss the meeting.”
Anything and everything possible to get the job done and move on, he thought. He’d moved on, made his mark, and when he did it felt as if something was missing. They said you could find anything in Las Vegas, but that wasn’t true for him. Contentment couldn’t be bought at a highend store on the Strip. But clearly Cam had things to do, places to go. Except right now she didn’t have the wheels to get there.
She started to press numbers on her phone. To call a cab.
“I’ll drive you back to the lodge,” he said.
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“There was no asking involved. I offered. Seems silly to pay for a ride when we’re both going to the same place.”
She smiled for the first time and it was like sunshine. “I’d appreciate that very much. Thanks.”
“Okay.” He pointed to the rear exit. “I’m in the back lot.”
They walked side by side through the room and outside. His Mercedes SUV was one of the last cars there. He pressed the button on his keys to unlock the doors and the lights flashed.
“Nice car,” she said.
“Thanks. I like it.” He opened the passenger door for her.
She hesitated, obviously wondering how to get in without flashing the goods. He was going to hell but couldn’t stop the anticipation coiling inside while he waited for her to maneuver up and in with that short skirt.
“Thank goodness for running boards,” she said.
Lifting one foot, she stepped on it and took the hand hold just inside, then settled her butt on the seat. She swung her legs in and reached for the seat belt.
Ben hadn’t seen much more than everyone at the Chamber of Commerce meeting. Maybe a couple extra inches of bare thigh, but that was it. Disappointment snaked through him along with a growing desire to see what she looked like out of that chic suit clinging to every curve. That wasn’t likely and it was the kind of regret a guy would carry for a long time.
“Nicely done, Miss Halliday.”
“Thank you, Dr. McKnight.”
He shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side, then got in and started the car. A few minutes later he parked at the lodge and they walked into the lobby with its big stone fireplace, cushy leather couch and chairs and the reception desk off to one side. When he started for the elevator, he assumed she’d be coming, too. Their rooms were side by side.
“This is where I say good-night.”
“You’re not going up?” he asked.
“Later. Work to do.”
When she shrugged, he felt a stab of desire shoot straight through him. “It’s late.”
“I know.” She smiled and it was a little tattered around the edges. “But thanks to you, I’m back earlier than expected. I appreciate the lift. Good night, Ben.”
“Sweet dreams.” He watched the unconsciously sensuous sway of her hips and heard the click of her heels as she walked away and knew his dreams would be anything but sweet. Then he thought of something. “Cam?”
She turned. “Yes?”
“My father owns an automotive repair shop in town and my sister works there. I’ll have her check out your tire.”
“That would be great. My Mercedes is in the employee lot, and probably the only car there with a flat tire. Just have her let me know the cost.”
“Will do. Don’t work too late,” he cautioned.
“Okay.” She walked into her office behind the registration desk and shut the door.
The two of them couldn’t be more different, but that didn’t stop Ben from wanting her. It seemed to get more intense every time he saw her and she worked where he lived. She’d spend the night right next door. It was just a damn shame that she wouldn’t be in his bed.
“Hello?”
Cam looked up from the spreadsheet on her computer monitor when the voice from the registration desk outside the office door drifted to her. In a perfect world there would be a front-desk clerk on duty, but her world wasn’t perfect. She was getting used to that particular customer tone, a combination of surprise and annoyance that they’d been waiting longer than necessary for someone to check them into the hotel.
“Damn it, Mary Jane—” Cam had been through this too many times not to know the woman had abandoned her post yet again.
She hurried out and plastered a big friendly smile on her face. A man was standing there and did a slight double take.
“Hi, there,” she said. “I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”
“A few minutes.” He was alone, in his early forties, balding and twenty pounds overweight. He didn’t look irritated, which was a good thing.
Cam’s motto was never give the customer a reason not to come back. “How can I help you?”
“I’d like to check in.”
“Of course. What’s the name?”
“Stan Overton.”
She pulled up the reservations screen on the computer. “Here you are. Three nights?”
“That’s right.” He wasn’t much taller than she. “Would there be a problem extending my stay?”
If only, she thought. “Not at all. We’d be happy to take care of that for you.”
“Great.” He glanced around the lobby. “I’ve never been to Montana before and I might want to hang around longer.”
“I’m sure you’re going to love it here.” She pressed some keys and pulled up his information. “What brings you to Blackwater Lake?”
“A combination of business and pleasure,” he said vaguely.
“Did you want to use the same credit card?”
“Yes.” He pulled out his wallet and handed it over. “Have you been in town long?”
