Green Mountain Collection 1 Read online

  “Sounds good.”

  “Great job today, partner. You were on fire.”

  “Thanks for being here. It helped.”

  “Anytime. Call me in the a.m.?” Lucy had a return ticket for a Monday morning flight back to the city. Cameron had left her return open-ended.

  “Will do, but probably on the landline in your room. The cell service sucks.”

  “So I’ve discovered.” She rested a hand on Cameron’s arm. “Tell him everything, Cam. Don’t leave anything unsaid.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Good luck, not that I think you’ll need it. That man was devouring you with his eyes every minute of your presentation.”

  Lucy walked out, said good-bye to Mary and went down the stairs.

  Cameron’s stomach twisted with nerves as she picked up her lightweight jacket and purse and headed for Will’s office.

  When she appeared in the doorway, he looked up from what he was doing. “All done?”

  “Yes. For now.”

  “Want to get out of here?”

  The lump in her throat made it impossible to speak so she nodded.

  He got up, grabbed his coat and keys and gestured for her to lead the way. “I’ll be gone the rest of the day, Mary.”

  His gruffly spoken words had every cell in Cameron’s body standing at full alert, intensely aware of him and the hand he placed on her lower back as he ushered her out the door.

  “Thanks again for the gift, Cameron,” Mary called after them. “So good to see you.”

  “You, too!”

  “Where’s your stuff?” Will asked when they reached the foyer at the bottom of the stairs.

  “In the rental car across the street.”

  “Why don’t you grab it, and I’ll pick you up out front.”

  “Okay.”

  “Unless …”

  “Unless what?”

  He was adorably uncertain as he propped his hands on his hips. “Unless I’m being presumptuous as all hell thinking you want to come home with me as badly as I want you there.”

  Her heart beat fast with excitement and relief that nothing at all had changed between them during the long month apart. “You’re not being presumptuous.”

  “Good. I’ll be right there.”

  Not wanting to waste a second with him, she ventured across the street to the car. The keys were right where Lucy had said they would be. Cameron retrieved her small bag from the trunk and returned the keys to the hiding spot under the mat, which is something else she’d never dare do in the city. But here in Butler the car would be perfectly safe until Lucy locked it up later.

  Will came along in his truck and pulled into a parking space near where she was standing. Like always, he got out to hold the door for her and stashed her bag behind the seat. When she was settled, he closed the door and jogged around the front of the truck to get in the driver’s seat.

  She expected him to immediately back out of the parking space and head for the cabin, but he didn’t. Rather, he looked over at her, seeming to drink her in with his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “Absolutely nothing. For the first time in a very long month, absolutely nothing is wrong.”

  “I missed you, too.”

  “I can’t believe you’re actually sitting in my truck again like you never left. I’m not going to wake up to discover this very nice day was all a dream, am I?”

  Smiling, she shook her head.

  “I need to kiss you right now. I can’t wait until we get home, not after having to sit through your awesome presentation and pretend like I wasn’t dying to drag you out of there—”

  That’s as far as he got before Cameron was over the center console, giving him exactly what she wanted as much as he did. She melted into the kiss, loving the way his hand burrowed into her hair and tightened to keep her from getting away. When they had no choice but to come up for air, he nuzzled her neck while continuing to hold her as tightly as he could in the awkward space.

  “Let’s go home,” he said, sighing as he released her. He backed the truck out of the parking space, and as soon as they were heading out of town, he reached for her hand.

  Cameron cradled his hand between both of hers, relishing the connection and the familiarity of the ride to his cabin.

  When they passed the spot where she’d run into Fred, Will tooted the horn. “Thanks, Fred.”

  “I wonder if he’s heard I’m back in town.”

  “I’m sure the word has reached him by now. He’s astonishingly well connected.”

  “It’s so great to be back here and to see the trees budding and the grass starting to turn green. You guys are about a month behind us in the city. Spring is in full bloom there.”

  “It’s a long, long winter here. People who didn’t grow up here often have a hard time adapting to it.”

  Was he trying to warn her? Perhaps, but nothing—not even the threat of year-round winter—could make her not want to be with him in this special place.

  He pulled onto the road that led to his house, and Cameron was surprised to find it had been smoothed out.

  “What happened to all the ruts?”

  “I fixed them. I do it every spring, and then winter returns, and it gets all messed up again. Circle of life around here.”

  Stepping inside his circle of life sounded like heaven to her as he pulled up to the house and cut the engine. She’d learned to wait for him to come around the truck to open her door.

  He leaned into the truck for another lingering kiss before he helped her out and reached behind the seat for her bag. “The boys are going to be really happy to see you, so be ready. I don’t want them to knock you over.”

  “They won’t.”

  “You’re underestimating how much they missed you, too.”

  Sure enough, when he opened the door, the dogs went crazy jumping all over Cameron, competing for her attention.

  “Told ya,” Will said as he helped to shoo the dogs into the yard and Cameron into the house. Inside the door, he dropped her bag with a thunk and had her pressed against the door in a move so smooth she never saw it coming until his body and lips were molded to hers.

  She hooked her fingers through the belt loops on his jeans, holding on for dear life as his tongue delved into her mouth and his erection throbbed against her belly.

  “I told myself I wasn’t going to do this the second we walked in the door, but I can’t help it.” His lips were soft and seductive against her neck. “We have so much to talk about.”

  “Yes.”

  He ran his hands down her arms and took her hands, towing her behind him to the sofa. “Are you cold?”

  “Not hardly,” she said with a laugh that made him laugh, too, as she curled up next to him.

  He turned to her, stroking her hair, her face, her arm. “Did you get all your thinking done?”

  “Most of it.”

  “I did a lot of thinking, too, and I’d like to tell you what I thought about.”

  “I’d like to tell you some things, too.”

  “Would it be okay if I went first?”

  Since it seemed to matter so much to him, she bit her lip and nodded.

  “Do you remember the night Max came here to tell me that Chloe’s pregnant, and he asked you how he’d know if he was truly in love?”

  “Yes.” She remembered every single second she’d spent with him because she’d relived every one of them over and over again while they were apart.

  “You told him he’d know when she was all he thought about, when he couldn’t wait to spend more time with her and when he couldn’t keep his hands to himself when she’s around.”

  “That sounds about right.”

  “You’re all I think about. I can’t wait to spend more time with you. Hell, I’d spend all my time with you if I could. And I can’t keep my hands to myself when you’re around. Check, check, check. I love you. I’m in love with you. I want to be with you here, in New York, anywhere you want. I don�
��t care where we are. I only care that you’re there with me.”

  “Will,” she whispered, astounded by his words as well as the sincerity he put behind them. “I love you, too. I’m crazy in love with you, and I want all the same things you do, only I want them here.”

  He closed his eyes for a brief moment, seeming to absorb what she’d said before he opened his eyes again. “Remember what I promised I’d do if you fell in love with me?”

  “I’ve been holding on to that promise with everything I’ve got.”

  “Now you can hold on to me with everything you’ve got.”

  She launched herself into his arms, and he caught her, because he’d promised he would. With her arms wrapped tight around his neck, she felt like she was finally back where she belonged.

  “Have we talked about everything we need to talk about?”

  “Almost everything. You didn’t say whether you liked the website.”

  He pulled back from her so he could look into her eyes. “I loved the website. It was magnificent. And you know what? I knew you had to be as in love with me as I am with you when I saw that website and the love you’d put into capturing my family and what’s important to us.”

  “I love you, and I love them, too. That’s why I want to be here. I want to live here and work here and be with your family, and I talked to Hunter—”

  He scowled playfully. “What exactly did you talk to Hunter about?”

  “A job.”

  “A job,” he said with a laugh. “You asked my brother for a job.”

  “Technically, I asked him to create a webmaster position and give the job to me so I can keep working on the website that’s become as important to me as I hope it will one day be to all of you.”

  “So you’re moving here for the website. I get it now.”

  “That’s the primary reason. There were a couple of secondary reasons, but I can’t remember now what they were. I’m sure it’ll come to me—” All the air whooshed from her lungs when he hauled her up and flung her over his shoulder, making her scream with laughter as he swung her around.

  He went to let in the dogs and then to the bedroom, closing the door to keep the dogs from joining them.

  Cameron landed on the bed with an ungraceful ooph and took a moment to experience the sheer joy of knowing she was exactly where she belonged, with the man she’d been born to love. She held out her arms to him.

  He came down on top of her, his body heavy and hard and perfect against hers.

  She ran her fingers through his hair while feasting her eyes on the face that had become the center of her world. “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to come to New York with me?”

  “How do you know I was going to?”

  “Like Fred, I’m amazingly well connected.”

  His amusement made his eyes glow with warmth. “Because you said you needed some time, and I wanted to give it to you.”

  “I would’ve taken more time with you in a heartbeat.”

  “Now you’ve got all the time you want.” His lips slid into the sexy smile that had killed her from the very beginning. “You’re really going to move here?”

  “If you’ll have me.”

  “I’ll definitely have you.” He pushed his hardness into the V of her legs. “Now and always.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” she said, smiling up at him.

  “It’s a promise, baby.”

  Keeping her fingers in his hair, she urged him into a kiss that was full of the love and longing she’d carried with her during the month without him. They pulled and tugged at clothes until all the important parts were revealed.

  Without breaking the kiss, he surged into her and then froze. “Crap. Totally forgot the condom.”

  “Wait.” With her hands on his backside, she held him where she’d wanted him every day since she was last with him. “I saw my doctor right after I got back to the city. I’m safe, and I’m protected.”

  The look he gave her when her words registered was nothing less than priceless. “So what you’re saying …”

  “What I’m saying is if you’re safe, too, no condom required.”

  “I’m safe.” He leaned his forehead against hers, seeming to gather himself. “As this will officially be the first time I’ve ever had sex without a condom, it’s going to be over really, really, really fast.”

  “That’s okay. I’m not going anywhere. You can make it up to me.”

  EPILOGUE

  I ain’t one to go ’round spreadin’ rumors, so you better listen close the first time.

  —The gospel according to Elmer Stillman

  On Monday after work, Lincoln brought a six-pack of beer to his father-in-law’s house. He found Elmer on the front porch, enjoying one of the first truly warm days of the year and whistling as he whittled an owl from a tree branch. Landon’s woodworking skills had come directly from Elmer, who’d taught him everything he knew when Landon was still a boy.

  “Was wondering if I’d see you tonight,” Elmer said as he cracked open a beer and gestured for Lincoln to take a seat in the other rocker.

  “I still feel funny sitting here, all these years later.” Lincoln opened his own beer as he settled into the rocker. “In my mind, this’ll always be Sarah’s chair.”

  “In my mind, too, but she wasn’t one for turning chairs into shrines.”

  “True.” His in-laws were the most practical, down-to-earth people Lincoln had ever known. He owed a big part of his success as a husband and father to the man sitting next to him, who’d set an example well worth emulating.

  “How’s the hoof?”

  “Better. I still feel like such an idiot for ruining the last day for everyone. I never even saw that damned tree root.”

  “Shit happens, and you didn’t ruin anything. I love that week with the boys.”

  “I do, too, and I love that they love it as much as we do. I kept thinking they might outgrow it, but they haven’t yet.”

  “I don’t think they’re going to.”

  “Probably not. Good day at the store?”

  “Great day. We were busy all day.”

  “Any sign of Will and Cameron yet?”

  “Nope.”

  Elmer grunted out a laugh. “Missed work today and dinner yesterday, too.”

  “He has to know he’s given his siblings weeks of ball-busting material in the last couple of days.”

  “Something tells me that’s the last thing on his mind at the moment,” Elmer said. “Good for him—and for her. Two of them are downright crazy about each other. He never took his eyes off her the whole time she was talking about the website. You notice that?”

  “I noticed.”

  “I gotta give you credit. You knew what you were doing when you brought her here.”

  “After seeing Patrick at the reunion and hearing him talk about her and her business, I had a feeling she might be just what our Will needed to jumpstart his life. And I didn’t even have to push them together. They did it all on their own.”

  “With a little help from Fred.”

  “No kidding,” Lincoln said with a chuckle. “Remind me to thank the old guy the next time he meanders into town.”

  “Will do.” Elmer examined the owl carving from every angle, apparently satisfied with his handiwork because he put down his knife and picked up his beer.

  “Some interesting sparks flying between Cameron’s friend Lucy and Colton at dinner the other night.”

  “You don’t say. Hard to imagine a city girl up there on Colton’s mountain, and can’t imagine him anywhere else.” Elmer appeared to give the potential pairing some significant consideration. “But I liked her. She’s feisty, that one.”

  “Agreed. Don’t know if I see her with Colton, though. We’ll have to wait and see if anything comes of the sparks.”

  “Absolutely. Now, what are we to do about our darling Hannah?”

  “That’s a tough one,” Lincoln said with a sigh. “Sometimes I worry she’s n
ever going to be ready to move on after losing Caleb.”

  Elmer pointed his beer bottle in Lincoln’s direction. “What do you say we give her a little push in the right direction?”

  Lincoln touched his bottle to Elmer’s. “I say you’re on.”

  To all the men and women in uniform serving our country around the world—and all the people at home who love and miss them.

  And for John Gomes, the “Nolan” of my hometown, who was much loved and is dearly missed.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  In preparing to write a book about a war widow, I connected with Cait Needham, who lost her husband, Master Sergeant Robb G. Needham, U.S. Army Reserves (Activated), on September 20, 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq. Cait introduced me to Dee Bailey, who lost her husband, Army Spec. William L. Bailey, on May 26, 2007 in Iraq, and Army Lt. Col. Rebecca Eggers, who lost her husband, Army Captain Daniel W. Eggers, on May 29, 2004 in Afghanistan. Each of these brave women generously shared intimate details of their loss and the journey of rebuilding their lives. I’m so grateful to them and thankful for their service and the tremendous sacrifices they, their husbands and families made on behalf of our country. Rebecca was also a huge help with the details of Caleb’s army career and read the book to make sure I got it right. Thank you, Rebecca!

  I read and was incredibly moved by The Letter: My Journey Through Love, Loss and Life by Marie Tillman, wife of Army Specialist Pat Tillman, who famously left a lucrative professional football career to become an Army Ranger after 9/11. He was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004 and was posthumously promoted to corporal.

  I also recommend Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love by Matthew Logelin; Where You Left Me by Jennifer Gardner Trulson; I’ll See You Again by Jackie Hance and Janice Kaplan; and Boots on the Ground by Dusk: My Tribute to Pat Tillman by Mary Tillman.