Snowbound with a Billionaire
Jules Bennett
“We need to talk and I didn’t want to wake Abby.”
Raine rolled her eyes. “You couldn’t have waited until I was dressed?”
Like a predator to its prey, Max stepped forward, narrowing the distance between them. Apparently he didn’t know the term personal space.
“There’s nothing you have that I haven’t seen,” he told her, eyes locked onto hers. “Throw your pants on if that makes you feel better.”
“Turn around.”
That cocky grin spread across his face. “Are you really going to stand there and act like you’re not turned on? That the fact we’re stuck here together hasn’t had you thinking, wondering?”
It was all the thinking and wondering that was driving her out of her mind. Hormones were evil. They reared their ugly heads when nothing could be done. Well, something could be done, but at what price?
* * *
Snowbound with a Billionaire is part of the No.1 bestselling series from Mills & Boon
Desire
—Billionaires & Babies: Powerful men…wrapped around their babies’ little fingers.
Snowbound
with a
Billionaire
Jules Bennett
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
National bestselling author JULES BENNETT’s love of storytelling started when she would get in trouble as a child and would tell her parents her imaginary friends were to blame. Since then, her vivid imagination has taken her down a path she’d only dreamed of. And after twelve years of owning and working in salons, she hung up her shears to write full-time.
Jules doesn’t just write Happily Ever After, she lives it. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jules and her hubby have two little girls who keep them smiling. She loves to hear from readers! Contact her at authorjules@gmail.com, visit her website, www.julesbennett.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or send her a letter at PO Box 396, Minford, OH 45653, USA. You can also follow her on Twitter and join her Facebook fan page.
This book is for Allison, who is so much more than my niece—you’re my friend, my sounding board and my kids’ role model. Every day you continue to inspire me. Even through all of life’s obstacles, you rise above and I’m blessed to have you in my life.
Contents
Chapter One (#u465be8c0-5172-5d1f-b726-de9720f23d4d)
Chapter Two (#u0280584a-de23-5430-8580-0cb49cb714a6)
Chapter Three (#u760b51f0-c68a-55d5-8210-b339c7cd00be)
Chapter Four (#u603fdea3-bbe1-50fe-9fa0-cf738698df86)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)
One
Max Ford maneuvered his rental car carefully through the slushy streets. Granted this old, dirty snow lining the thoroughfares was nothing new to Lenox, Massachusetts, for the month of February, but it was quite a jump from the palm-draped avenues he was used to back in L.A.
He hadn’t been back to Lenox in years and hadn’t driven in snow in even longer, but, as he eased off the gas, he realized he’d missed doing this. Shooting a scene for a movie in the snow wasn’t the same as spending time off enjoying the pristine white surroundings. Besides, usually when he would shoot a winter locale, it was with man-made snow and not the God-given kind.
Since Max had grown up here, Lenox would always hold a special place in his heart. The population may be small, but the bank accounts of the residents were anything but. The sprawling estates had stood for decades; some were main residences, others second homes.
The two narrow lanes wound through town, and, just as Max rounded the last turn, he spotted a car off the side of the road, its back end sticking up out of a ditch. The flashers were on, and the back door opened. The afternoon sun shone through the car windows, revealing a woman—bundled up with a stocking cap over her head and a scarf wrapped around her neck and mouth—stepping out.
Instinct told him to slam on his brakes, but he was born and raised on the East Coast and knew better.
Carefully easing his car off the road just ahead of the wreck, Max left the engine running as he stepped out into the frigid temperatures. Damn, that biting cold was something he hadn’t missed.
Since he’d come straight from L.A., he didn’t exactly have the proper shoes to be trudging in the snow, but there was no way he would leave a woman stranded on the side of the road. Granted he was only a mile from his destination and could’ve called someone, but that wasn’t the type of man he was raised to be.
“Ma’am,” he called as he drew closer. “Are you all right?”
He wondered if she’d hear him over the howling wind, but when she froze at his voice, he assumed she’d realized she wasn’t alone.
The woman in a long, puffy gray coat turned. All Max could see was her eyes, but he’d know them anywhere. Those bright emerald-green eyes could pierce a man’s heart...and once upon a time, they had penetrated his.
“Raine?”
Her eyes widened as she reached up with a gloved hand to shove her scarf down below her chin. “Max, what are you doing here?”
It was too damn cold to be having a discussion about anything other than her current predicament, so he asked again, “Are you all right?”
She glanced over her shoulder, then back at him. “I’m fine, but the car is stuck.”
“I can give you a lift,” he offered. “Where are you going?”
“Um...I can call a friend.”
Max nearly laughed. Were they really going to argue about this? It was freezing, he hadn’t seen her in...too many years to count, and he really wanted to get to his mother, who was recovering from surgery.
“Seriously, just get in the car and I can take you anywhere,” he said. “Grab your stuff and let’s go.”
Raine hesitated, holding his gaze as if she were contemplating waiting in the snow for another ride instead of coming with him. Granted they hadn’t left things on the best of terms.... No, they had actually left their relationship on very good, very intimate terms. It was after he’d left that something had happened. And he had no clue what that something was because the last time he’d seen her, they’d been in love with plans for a future together.
Still to this day, thinking back on that time in his life left his heart aching.
But now was not the time to consider such things. Raine needed to get in, because who knows how long she’d been out here in the freezing cold, and she needed to call a wrecker.
“All right,” she conceded. “I have to get a few things first.”
She turned into the backseat and seconds later she faced him again, this time with a...baby carrier?
Whoa! He totally wasn’t expecting her to have a baby in tow. Not that he’d planned on running into her like this at all, but still...
“Can you hold this?” she asked. “I need to get the base out and strap it into your car.”
Base? He had no clue what a base was considering the only thing he knew about babies is that he used to be one. Max reached for the handle of the carrier and was surprised how heavy this contraption was. He didn’t see the baby for the large blanket-looking thing with a zipper going up the middle. He supposed that was smart, seeing as how the wind was wicked cold right now, and keeping the baby as warm as possible was the best idea.
In all honesty, the idea of Raine with a baby was what really threw him. She was probably married, because a woman like Raine wouldn’t settle for a child without having the husband first. And that thought right there kicked him in the gut. Even after all this time, the mental image of her with another man seemed incomprehensible. He had to chalk it up to the fact he’d had no closure on their relationship, because he refused to admit, after years of living apart, that he still had feelings for this emerald-eyed beauty.
She lifted some gray plastic bucket thing from the backseat and started toward his car. He assumed that was his cue to follow.
Max held the handle with both hands since there was no way in hell he’d take a chance dropping what he assumed to be a sleeping baby. Not a peep was made from beneath the zipper. Surely the child was okay after that accident. Her car was barely off the road but enough that the front end was kissing the snow-covered ditch.
Once Raine had the base in, Max carefully handed over the carrier. With a quick click, she had the baby in the warm car and had closed the door.
“I have to get the diaper bag and this gift I was delivering,” she stated. “Go ahead and get in...I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll get your bag.” He stepped in front of her as she tried to pass him. “It’s too cold and you’ve been out here longer than me. Is everything in the front seat?”
She nodded and looked so damn cute with snowflakes dangling on her lashes, her face void of makeup...just like he’d remembered.
Not waiting for her to protest, Max turned back to her car, cursing the entire way. Cute? He was now thinking she was cute? What was he...five? So they shared a past. A very intimate, very intense past, but in his defense, he hadn’t seen her in nearly fifteen years. Of course old feelings were going to crop up, but that didn’t mean they had to control his state of mind—or his common sense.
He jerked on her car door’s handle and reached in, grabbing the pink diaper bag and a small floral gift bag. Who the hell delivered a gift when the roads were quickly becoming a sheet of ice? With a baby to boot?
Max slid back behind the wheel of his rental, cranked the heat as high as it would go and eased back out onto the road.
“Where am I taking you?” he asked.
“Um...I was on my way to see your mother.”
Max jerked in his seat. “My mother?”
Raine barely looked his way before she focused her eyes back on the road, a place he should keep his.
“I swear I had no idea you were coming in today,” she quickly told him. “I mean, I knew you were coming, but I didn’t know exactly when that would be. If you’d rather I not go...I can come another time.”
She was going to see his mother? Things certainly had changed since the last time he’d been in Lenox with Raine and his parents. The way he and Raine had fought to be together, defying both sets of their parents...and it all was for naught.
He cast a quick glance her way, noticed how she kept toying with the threads fraying off the hem of her coat, her eyes either staying in her lap or staring out the window. Why was she so nervous? Was it him? Was she mentally replaying every moment they’d spent together, just like he was? Was she remembering that last night they’d made love, and the promises they’d made to each other? Promises that he had fully intended to keep, not knowing she’d never hold up her end of the deal. Is that what had her so on edge?
“Why are you visiting my mother?”
Raine’s soft laugh filled the car. “A lot has changed since you were in Lenox, Max.”
Apparently...and since she had pointedly dodged his question, he assumed that was code for “none of your business.” And she was right. Whatever she was doing was none of his concern. Once upon a time they knew every single detail about one another, but that chapter had closed. They were all but strangers at this point. Could this last mile be any longer? Thank God the drive was in sight.
“I didn’t know you had a baby,” he said, trying to ease the thick tension, but once the words were out, he realized he sounded like an idiot. “I mean, I assumed you had a life. I just never... So, how many kids do you have?”
“Just Abby. She’s three months old.”
“Do you need to call your husband?”
Way to go. Smooth, real smooth. Could I be any less subtle?
“No,” Raine replied. “I’ll call my friend when we get to your mother’s house. He can come pick me up.”
He? She was calling a male friend and not her husband.
Max mentally shook his head and scolded himself. Still this was none of his business.
He turned into the long, narrow drive. Straight ahead sat his childhood home, now his parents’ second home, where his mother was waiting inside recovering from surgery. She would soon begin radiation treatments in town. Thankfully the doctors discovered the lump very early, and chemo wasn’t needed.
Max had no clue how she’d look, but he knew he needed to be strong, and being thrown off by seeing Raine couldn’t hinder his plans. His mother had to take top priority right now.... God knows his dad wouldn’t man up in this situation.
The sprawling two-story colonial-style home always dominated the flat acreage surrounded by tall evergreens. Max loved growing up here and had been fortunate to have been adopted by Thomas and Elise Ford. He never knew his biological parents, and, even though he’d rarely seen eye to eye with his father, he knew there were much worse scenarios he could’ve entered into as an orphaned baby.
Max pulled in front of the house and killed the engine. “Why don’t I take your diaper bag and gift?” he offered. “I’m not comfortable with that carrier...unless you can’t maneuver it in the snow.”
Raine glanced over at him and laughed. “I’ve been doing just fine for a few months now, Max. Longer than that before Abby came along.”
She got out and closed the door. Her quick jab wasn’t lost on him, but he had no idea why she was bitter. She was the one who’d dissed him when he’d gone to L.A. Destroyed any hope of sharing his life with her. And in his rage, after realizing she didn’t want him, he had nearly got himself killed.
When he stepped from the vehicle, he noticed she was getting the carrier out, and also had the gift tote and her diaper bag dangling from her arm. Apparently this Raine was a bit more independent and stubborn than the old Raine. Who was he to argue?
He followed her up the steps, careful to stay close in case she slipped. By the time they reached the wide porch, they were stomping the snow off their feet. Max moved forward and opened the door for her, gesturing her in ahead of him.
If she was going to insist on carrying everything even though he’d offered, the least he could do is get the door and be somewhat gentlemanly.
The grand foyer looked exactly the same as when he had left home at eighteen. There was never a need for him to return to this home, because, as soon as he’d left for L.A., his parents had hightailed it to Boston.
His father had always loved the Boston area and thought it would make good business sense to branch out his pubs by starting a second in a larger city. Now his father had a chain of restaurants, and Max still wanted no part of the family business.
The wide, curvaceous staircase dominated the expansive entryway, allowing visitors to see all the way up to the second-floor balcony that ran the width of the entryway. A vast chandelier suspended down from the ceiling of the second floor, the lights casting a kaleidoscope of colors onto the pale marble flooring.
Raine was just unzipping the blanket mechanism covering the carrier when his mother came into the foyer. Max didn’t know what to expect when they finally came face-to-face after her major, life-altering surgery, but relief quickly settled in when Elise Ford rushed forward and launched her petite little frame into his arms.
“Max,” she said, looking up at him with beautiful blue eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here. I hate to pull you away from your work, though.”
He was careful how he returned her embrace, knowing the left side of her body was tender from surgery.
“I would drop anything for you, Mom. Besides, I don’t start another movie for a couple of months, so I’m all yours.” He smiled down at her, soaking in the fact that his mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but, had not only fought it, she’d beaten the odds and won. “I can’t believe how great you look.”
She laughed, swatting his chest. “What were you expecting? I’m sore, and I definitely have my moments where I’m feeling run-down and tired, but today is a good day. Not only is my son home, he brought a beautiful girl and a baby with him.”
Max turned to see Raine directly behind him, cradling a swaddled, sleeping baby. While his eyes were drawn to Raine, his curiosity made him look down at the child, wondering what life his ex was leading now. Apparently she’d gotten all she’d wanted out of life: husband, baby, probably that farm of her grandmother’s she’d always loved.
“Oh...” Elise moved past Max and sighed. “Look how precious she is. Nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby.”
How were babies always instant magnets for women? What exactly was the draw? Baby powder? Slobber? What?
As Max watched the maternal love that settled into Raine’s eyes, the softness of her features, the tender smile, he couldn’t help but be jealous of this baby.
Perhaps that thread of jealousy stemmed from his lack of being that loved at such a young age...but he didn’t think so. Max knew his jealousy had sparked because he once had that same unconditional love from Raine...until she’d broken his heart. So why was he upset? Had he seriously not learned his lesson the first time he got entangled with this woman?
“May I hold her?” his mother asked.
“Are you sure you’re up to it?” Raine replied. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Elegant as always, his mother waved a hand through the air and smiled. “I’m perfectly fine to hold a little baby. My surgery was two weeks ago. Take your coat off and stay a while, anyway. It’s too cold to be out on a day like this.”
Raine handed over the baby and made work of removing her coat. Max should’ve done the same, but he was too busy watching Raine shed her scarf and gloves. When she pulled the crocheted purple hat off her head, she ran a hand over her auburn curls, as if she could tame them. He missed seeing that hair. He remembered running his fingers through it and feeling its silky softness. Truth was, he didn’t know he’d longed for such minute things about her at all until just now.
“I need to call my friend to come get me,” Raine told his mother. “My car is in a ditch about a mile away.”
Elise gasped. “Oh, honey. Are you all right?”
Raine nodded. “I’m fine. Abby’s fine. Just scared me, but I was getting ready to call someone when Max pulled up.”
His mother turned to him. “Good timing.”
Wasn’t it just? Fate hated him. He was positive of that. Otherwise he wouldn’t be here in his childhood home, with his high school sweetheart and his mother, who had not exactly fought to keep them apart but had expressed her opinion that their teenage relationship wasn’t the best move.
Max didn’t know what had happened between these two women over the years, but apparently his mother and Raine had made some sort of truce. Hell, he really had no clue what was going on. Even in the times he’d visited his parents in Boston, his mother hadn’t mentioned Raine after his first few visits.
Max pulled off his coat, hung it by the door then crossed to Raine. The last thing he wanted to do was get close enough to smell her sweet floral scent or, God forbid, touch her. But, being the gentleman his mother had raised him to be, Max reached for her bag and helped her out of her ratty coat.
“Oh, thanks,” she said, not quite meeting his eyes. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll make that call.”
Raine slipped to the other room, pulling her cell from her pocket. Max turned to his mother who was making some silly faces and equally goofy noises for the baby.
“What on earth is going on?” he asked in a strained whisper.
Elise glanced over and smiled. “I’m holding a baby and visiting with my son.”
“You know what I mean, Mom. Why is Raine so welcomed here now, and why are you holding her baby like she’s your very own grandchild or something?”
Okay, poor, poor choice of words there, but he was damn confused.
“Raine called me and asked if she could drop something off,” his mother explained. “Of course, I knew she had had a baby, and I’ve visited with Raine several times over the years when your father and I would come back to Lenox. Trust me when I say, Raine isn’t the girl she used to be.”
But he liked the girl she used to be. Liked her so much he’d intended on marrying her, making a life with her.
“So you and she are what? Chummy now?”
Raine stepped back into the room and reached for the baby. “Thanks for holding her.”
“Oh, it’s not hardship holding something so precious,” his mother said. “Did you get in touch with your friend, dear?”
“He wasn’t home.”
Max rested his hands on his hips. Fate absolutely hated him. He’d been home ten minutes, and already he felt as if he was being pushed back into his past, forced to face feelings he simply wasn’t ready for.
And before he could think better of it, he opened his mouth. “I can run you home if you want to call a tow truck to pull your car out.”
Raine’s eyes locked onto his. “Oh, that’s okay. I’ll call someone else. First I want to give Elise a gift.”
“A gift?” his mother asked, clasping her hands together. “Oh, if it’s some of that honey lavender lotion, I’m going to just kiss you.”
What the hell was happening here? At one time his mother and Raine were at opposite ends of the spectrum, and he was being pulled in both directions. Now he had just entered a whole new world where the two women were clearly the best of friends.
“I knew that scent was your favorite,” Raine said, holding up the floral gift bag in one hand and securing the baby against her shoulder with the other. “And I thought you deserved to be pampered.”
His mother took the bag, shifted the bright pink tissue paper and peeked inside. “Oh, the big bottles. Thank you so much, Raine. Let me just go get my purse.”
“Oh, no,” Raine said, shaking her head. “These are on me. I had planned on bringing you some food as well, but Abby was up all night fussing, and I didn’t get to make anything today, because we napped.”
Max couldn’t take all this in. The baby, the odd bond his mother and his ex seemed to have, and the fact they were totally comfortable ignoring him. He’d been in Hollywood for years, the industry and media swarming him everywhere he went. Yet, here in his childhood home, he was suddenly an outsider.
“Oh, darling,” Elise said with a smile. “Don’t push yourself. I know you’re busy. And now that Max is here, he’s more than capable in the kitchen. Besides, I believe my home-care nurse prepared some meals for me before she left.”
Max was thankful his mother had hired a nurse and that she’d been able to stay until he could arrive. Apparently his father was once again a no-show in the family when he was needed most.
“Raine,” he chimed in. “I’ll take you home when you’re ready.”
Her eyes drifted back to him, and she sighed. “Fine. I need to get Abby home anyway and feed her. I hadn’t planned on staying gone long, and I walked out the door with the diaper bag but left the bottle on the counter. And the roads are getting worse.”
“Darling,” his mother said, placing her hand on Raine’s arm. “Please don’t feel like you have to do anything for me. Max and I will get along just fine. Visit all you like and bring this precious baby but don’t bother with anything else.”
Raine’s smile was soft, almost innocent as her green eyes twinkled. “Elise, you’re one of my best customers. I’m happy to help.”
“You take care of this baby and your other customers first,” his mother chided. “I’m seriously feeling good. My radiation treatments start in two weeks, and Max can do whatever I need.”
The old Raine would’ve done anything for anyone. She’d always put others first. Max was glad to see she was just as selfless, just as caring. And it warmed him even more to know that, after everything Max’s parents had done to keep him and Raine apart, she could put all that aside and forge a special relationship with his mother.
Raine hugged Elise and strapped the baby back in the carrier. Once they were all bundled up again, he carefully escorted her to the car. He kept a hand hovering near her arm, careful not to touch, but it was there in case she slipped.
The baby started to fuss a little as Raine locked the seat into place, but she unzipped the cover and replaced the pacifier. Instant silence. How did she know exactly what to do? The whole concept of consoling a baby was totally lost on him. Thankfully his social scene the past decade hadn’t revolved around children. Some people were natural nurturers, like his mother and Raine. Others, like his father, were not. And even though they weren’t biologically related, Max had somehow inherited the not-so-caring trait.
As he pulled out of the drive, he glanced over at Raine. All that gorgeous red hair tumbled from her hat and down her back.
“Where do you live?” he asked, assuming she’d moved out of her parents’ home.
“My grandmother’s farm.”
Max smiled. Raine’s grandmother was a woman like no other, and it didn’t surprise him that Raine had moved into the historic farmhouse. More than likely she had it overrun with goats, chickens, horses and a giant garden. That had always been her dream.
They used to laugh about it, because Raine had always tried to figure out how she could get all of that in L.A. But she’d assured him that she was willing to try, because she loved him more than this old farmhouse.
Perhaps that was what held her back, kept her distanced from him when he left, and compelled her to ignore his phone calls and letters.
Max passed the spot where her car was still stuck in the ditch. “You going to call a tow truck before it gets dark?”
“I’ll call when I get home,” she told him.
“Do you want to talk about this?”
She glanced his way. “This meaning what? Because if you’re referring to the past, then no. If you’re referring to the freezing temps, sure.”
A muscle worked in his cheek. “Always running from uncomfortable topics,” he muttered.
“Running?” she asked, her voice rising. “I’ve never run from anything in my life. I’d choose better words next time. Or is it too hard when someone hasn’t written them for you?”
Max sighed, turning onto her street. The car slid a bit on the icy patch, but he eased the wheel in the opposite direction and righted the vehicle.
Raine was in a mood. Welcome to the club because, now that the initial shock of seeing her again had passed, he could feel all those old memories stirring up inside of him.
“I don’t want this to be uncomfortable for either of us,” Max said. “It’s apparent that you and my mother are...closer than you used to be. But I’ll be here for a few months, and so you and I are going to see each other.”
Raine turned and faced the front again, her hands twisting in her lap. “The past is dead to me, Max. I have different priorities now, and I don’t have the time—or the inclination—to dredge up old memories of that teenage lust we shared.”
Ouch. Lust? He’d been head over heels for her, but, with her declaration, there was no way in hell he’d admit that now. She had made her feelings about that time very clear, and he wouldn’t beat that dead horse.
Max turned onto her drive and barely suppressed a gasp. The old white sprawling two-story home had definitely seen better days. The stained roof needed to be replaced, paint had chipped off several of the window trims, the porch that stretched the length of the home was a bit saggy on one end, and, from the looks of things, no one had shoveled the snow off the walk.
“Just pull around to the back,” she said.
Keeping his mouth shut about the obvious needs of her home, Max eased the car around to the side where a very small path had been cleared from the garage to the back door. The red handle from the shovel stuck up out of the snow, where she’d obviously left it for future use.
“Thanks for the ride.”
As Raine jumped out, Max did, too. He opened the back door as she came around, and in seconds she’d unfastened the carrier. Max reached for it before she could grab the baby.
“Let me have her, and you can remove that base,” Max told her.
Because it was cold and she knew way more about that contraption than he did, Max started toward the cleared path, watching his steps carefully because he wouldn’t dare drop this baby.
Raine came up behind him with her keys and the base. He let her pass to unlock the door, but she blocked the entryway. After easing in, and setting down the base and her purse, she turned back to take the carrier.
“Thanks for the lift home.”
Her eyes darted away from his, to the baby, to the snow swirling around them, anywhere but on him.
“Do I make you nervous?” he asked gruffly.
Now she did meet his gaze. “No. You make me remember, and that’s worse.”
He stepped closer, near enough to see those gold flecks in her bright eyes. “Is remembering so bad?”
“For me it is, maybe not for you.” She shifted, holding the carrier between them as if to use the baby as a shield. “I’m not the same person I used to be.”
“You’re still just as beautiful.”
Raine rolled her eyes. “Surely you don’t think during the brief time you’re home that you can just pick up where you left off?”
“Not at all.” But damn if some of those old feelings weren’t right there at the surface. “We’re both different people, Raine, but you’re still stunning. Is it wrong of me to say so?”
“It’s wrong of you to be watching my mouth when I talk,” she said.
Max grinned. “Just doing a little remembering of my own.”
Raine gasped, and Max couldn’t suppress his laughter.
“I’ll let you get inside,” he said. “It’s too cold to be out here with that baby.”
Just as she started to turn, he called her name.
“What?” she asked on a sigh.
“See you tomorrow.”
He walked back to his car without waiting on her to sputter a response or narrow her eyes at him. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind she wanted to be left alone, but he just couldn’t. Raine had an underlying vulnerability, and like a fool, he couldn’t ignore the fact they shared a past and he wanted to know what happened after he left.
Even after all these years apart, all the blockbuster films, all the starlets on his arm and all the lavish parties, Max never felt so at ease, so...comfortable as he did with Raine. He honestly had no clue their past could come back at warp speed and take control over his emotions.
These next few months may be spent caring for his mother, but he sure as hell was going to have an interesting time with the beautifully sexy Raine Monroe.
Two
Raine all but sank against the door. Her heart was so far up in her throat she thought she was going to be sick.
The irony was not lost on her that, when Max had left years ago, she’d been so ready to be his wife and the mother to his children; yet, when he returned, she actually had a child.
But too many years had passed between. A lifetime, really. She’d lived through hell and was still clawing her way out. Her bank account was laughable, and her father was trying to play matchmaker with one of his minions.
Added to that, there was some sort of holdup with Abby’s adoption. Raine never could get a straight answer from her lawyer, who was equally frustrated at the untimely manner of the judge. Everything should’ve been finalized by now.
Other than all of that, her life was great.
Or it was until Max Ford had found her at a humiliating time when she’d wrecked her car thanks to a patch of black ice.
Raine shivered against the memories and the chill that had followed her inside. The Weather Channel update was calling for more snow, and this was just the start of several days. They hadn’t officially called it a blizzard, but they were talking in feet and not inches.
She’d have to go check on her chickens and her goats before it got too bad. Worry gnawed away at her, despite the fact that they were each in their own barn, and they had all the necessities an animal could need to endure rough elements. They even had a small built-in hatch to come outside, if they so chose. She loved owning such disciplined, albeit sometimes overly friendly, animals.
At least if she was snowbound, she could finish working on the new lotions for the Farmer’s Market next month. Raine was so excited that spring was right around the corner. Each day brought her closer to her favorite time of year, when she could sell all her goods at the market, meet new customers and chat with old ones.
Her finances always dipped in the winter, and she had to really watch her budget. Spring and summer were much more prosperous. Hopefully by next winter her online store would be even more popular, and she would feel more comfortable with her bank account.
Raine had gotten such great starts of cherry tomatoes, lettuce, kale, a variety of peppers and a few types of beans. Indoor winter gardening was quite different, but she had no choice except to take the extra effort to make these plants thrive inside. This was her livelihood and all that was between her and begging her parents for that money they’d taken away when she had refused to live by their haughty standards.
The vegetables were almost ready for the market next month, so all she needed to concentrate on now was making her soaps and lotions to prepare nice, cheerful gift baskets.
But first she had to get Abby sleeping through the night.
Mercy sakes, she had a whole new level of respect for single parents. This all-important job was most definitely not for wimps. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. She loved this baby, and her heart had ached nearly a year ago when her cousin, Jill, had come to her and said she was considering an abortion.
Raine couldn’t let Jill feel trapped into a decision she wasn’t ready to make, especially since Raine had once been in Jill’s shoes. Living as a teen with parents who had higher expectations had certainly taken its toll. Of course, their circumstances weren’t exactly the same. Jill was in college and just not ready for a baby, whereas Raine had been fresh out of high school and had just had her whole world torn apart. When Raine had discovered her pregnancy, Max had just recently left, and she’d felt so alone. Her parents had been less than supportive, so there was no way Raine would let Jill go through this without a friend and family member to lean on.
When Raine had mentioned adoption, Jill warmed to the idea. And when Raine had offered to be the one to take guardianship, Jill had wept with relief and delight that her baby could live in a loving home.
The scenario seemed so simple looking back now, but for months there were tears and prayers, moments of panic and indecision, hours of contemplation and ultimately pure happiness. After the birth, Jill had returned to school and settled back into her life. She kept in touch with Raine, but said she’d keep her distance for a while so Raine and Abby could bond.
Raine knew absolutely nothing would replace the baby she’d lost years ago. But she loved Abby with every fiber of her being. There was nothing Raine wouldn’t do for Abby, no sacrifice she wouldn’t make.
Which meant she would do whatever it took to ensure that the little girl’s future was secure. But that was easier said than done, since Abby’s adoption was still in limbo. All the legal paperwork had been put into place long before Jill ever delivered, so what could possibly be amiss here?
Frustration threatened to consume Raine, but she focused on the here and now. The adoption would go through...eventually. She wouldn’t allow any other outcome.
Raine bent down, unzipped the cover over the carrier and unfastened Abby from her seat. Her sweet little bundle was still napping. Raine had always heard the advice “Nap when your baby is napping,” but she’d never get anything done if that’s how she lived her life.
And who could nap now? Max Ford, Hollywood icon and most eligible bachelor, was back in town. He couldn’t get out of Lenox fast enough when he’d turned eighteen, and the tire tracks were still smokin’ after he’d landed his first role. Everything had fallen into place with his lifelong goals.
She recalled hearing that he’d been in a severe motorcycle accident not long after he’d gone to L.A., and at that moment, Raine had ached to be by his side. But she quickly realized that, if he’d truly wanted her with him, he’d have sent for her as promised.
And if she’d thought hell was when he had left and didn’t contact her, it was the entire year after that which had scarred her for life.
Bitterness threatened to bubble up. He’d gotten all he’d ever wanted—without so much as a wave goodbye. But when she looked to the sleeping baby in her arms, how could she be upset that her life had turned out to be less than what she’d expected?
If she’d gone to L.A. when he did, she wouldn’t be here now...and being there for Jill and raising Abby as her own was the most important task of her life.
Kissing Abby on the forehead, Raine walked through the old house and headed upstairs. Once she laid the baby down, she could call the tow truck. Hopefully her car was drivable when it was on all four tires again, because if there was any damage, there was no way she could pay for it.
But even if there was damage under the hood, she’d think of something. She’d been doing a lot of praying since Abby had come into her life. Every decision made wasn’t just for Raine anymore. Life may have been easier before, but it sure had been empty. Now she was filled with such a sense of joy and purpose, and it was due in large part to this precious little girl. As she lay Abby down in her crib, she made sure to place a very thin blanket over her legs to keep her warm. Raine tiptoed out of the room and went into her bedroom to call a tow truck.
But all she got was the receptionist who indicated all the drivers were out on calls from all over the county, and they’d put her on the list. Which was fine with her. She wasn’t going anywhere tonight anyway, and her car was off the road, so unless another driver went off the road and slammed into it, all was well.
Raine put on a kettle of water to boil. She may be the only person left living under the age of sixty who still used a tea kettle and boiled water the old-fashioned way. She knew she was old-fashioned in pretty much everything, which was probably why she had no man in her life. But in all honesty, Raine didn’t mind being labeled as “weird” or “hippie” or her absolute favorite, “tree hugger.”
So she liked to use her own herbs, grow her own veggies, and make organic lotions, soaps and other feminine products. Did that really make her stand out so much? All this processed stuff was killing people, and she wanted better for her life, her baby.
Which was just one more area where her parents thought Raine was being difficult. They simply didn’t understand Raine’s need to grow organic and make a little more effort in being healthy.
Her parents were more concerned about driving the flashiest cars, keeping up country-club appearances and being on the right board of commissioners at said country clubs.
Maybe men were just thrown off by Abby. Some men weren’t all that comfortable around children.
Like Max Ford. She hadn’t missed those wide, terrified eyes when he’d first caught a glimpse of the carrier. Oh, he’d been the perfect gentleman and had helped her, but she knew men like him, who, at the first sight of spit up or a smelly diaper, would turn tail and run.
Not that Max needed any reason to run. He’d had a life planned with her; yet he still had found something more appealing, and instead of facing her, he had avoided her.
The man was used to winning awards, filming epic movies and smiling that knee-weakening grin for the cameras.
The tea kettle’s shrill whistle cut through her thoughts. Why did he have to come back here? Why did she have to run into him right after she had driven her car into a ditch? And why on earth was she allowing past emotions—and unsettled feelings—to ruin her evening? Lord knows she had other things that she needed to focus on.
Just as she grabbed her favorite flavor of tea from the crock on the counter, her cell rang. Raine pulled the phone from her pocket and resisted the urge to groan...as she did each time she saw the number pop up on her screen.
“Good evening, Mother.”
“Loraine, I’m calling to let you know the luncheon I had planned for tomorrow has been postponed.”
Raine didn’t sigh, didn’t roll her eyes—okay, in her head she did—but she refrained from physically doing so, because she knew the gesture would come through in her tone.
She found her favorite mug for drinking tea. A tacky one with a hot, hunky man draped around it. When filled with hot liquid, his clothes disappeared. Who needed a traditional tea cup and saucer?
And if her mother forced her hand at this ridiculous luncheon, the mug might make an appearance.
“Mother, I hadn’t planned on coming, remember?”
“Oh, darling, of course you’ll be here. I mean, really. When are you going to stop being so stubborn?”
Raine opened the small cabinet above her stove and pulled out the bottle of whiskey she kept on hand for emergencies. And talking with her mother was most definitely an emergency.
“Let’s not go through this again, Mother,” she pleaded as she poured a dab of liquor into her hot tea. “We’ve agreed to disagree. You don’t like my social life. I don’t like yours.”
“You don’t have a social life, Raine!” her mother exclaimed. “I don’t understand why you won’t get out a little more, get a job, go back to college for heaven’s sake. Let someone else adopt that baby. It’s not too late to back out.”
Not even an option. No way was anyone else going to adopt Abby. Raine never dreamed the adoption process would take this long, but even if it took ten years, she wasn’t letting go of this beloved child.
She’d already lost one baby and was blessed enough to have been given a second chance at motherhood. Abby was a precious bundle that tucked so perfectly into Raine’s life.
“Mom, I have to go check on Abby.”
“If you’re so insistent on keeping her, the least you could do is let me see her,” her mother said with a huff.
That was a worry Raine had wrestled with, and one that had kept her up many nights. Raine had always heard the saying “It took a village to raise a child,” but she just wasn’t sure she could allow her mother’s influences to trickle down to Abby.
“You’ve seen her, Mom,” Raine said defensively, then took a sip of her tea, welcoming the burn as it slid down her throat.
“Not enough. She needs to know her place in this family, Raine.”
Setting the china cup down, Raine took a deep breath so she didn’t explode. “Mother, she’s three months old. Her place right now is as my child. Nothing more.”
“I didn’t call to argue. The luncheon has been rescheduled for next Saturday, and I expect you and Abigail to attend.”
“Her name is Abby, Mother.”
“Abigail is more dignified.”
“But that’s not her legal name, so if you refer to her again, call her by the name I chose for her.”
Her mother sniffed into the phone. “I don’t know where I went wrong with you,” she cried. “I just want what’s best.”
“For whom, Mother? Best for me, or best for you and your social status?”
Silence settled in on the other end of the line and Raine knew she’d gone too far...again. This is how nearly all of their calls went, and in the end Raine always felt guilty and mentally drained.
“I’ll talk to you later, Mother.”
Raine hung up and rested her palms on the edge of the chipped countertop. Why did she let her mother get to her? For twenty-eight years the woman had tried to make her feel like an outcast, and the majority of that time she’d succeeded. The only person who’d ever really understood her had been her grandmother; but when she had passed eight years ago, Raine had been truly alone.
The wind picked up outside, rattling the old windows. She took her cup and headed to her favorite room of the house. The room where she felt at home, where she could be creative, and no one was there to stifle the process.
Her grandmother’s old bedroom, where Raine mixed all her lotions and made her specialty soaps. This was the perfect place to work, since it was right next to the nursery, and she felt so much closer to her grandmother here. But as Raine pulled a few ingredients off the shelf, she thought of Max. At one time he’d consumed all of her thoughts, all of her heart and soul. And, damn him, he looked even better now than he had when she’d been totally in love with him.
Hollywood had put him on this pedestal, elevating him to superstar status in no time, and she’d been back home soaking it all in via media outlets talking up the hottest newbie on the scene.
And amid all that talk, flashing cameras and Max throwing that signature dimpled grin to the reporters, Raine had been back in Lenox, nursing a broken heart...and coming to grips with an unexpected pregnancy.
Max had never known he’d been a father. Had never known the grief, the anguish, she’d gone through in losing the baby. He’d been living the dream and loving life while she’d been burying the last bond of love they had.
But now Raine had a second chance, and she wasn’t going to blow it just because Max was back in town. No matter how much her heart fluttered when she’d seen him, no matter how sexy and handsome he looked, no matter how heated his gaze was when he looked at her.
Raine had more important priorities now, like making sure this legal guardianship of her cousin’s baby went through and keeping her grandmother’s home from going into foreclosure. Since she wasn’t exactly flush with cash, Raine had used the rest of her meager savings and had taken out a loan against the property in order to pay for the adoption.
However, none of that had felt like a sacrifice to her, because Jill had entrusted Raine with Abby...and Raine wasn’t about to disappoint her. So there was no way in hell she’d go down without a fight...not after getting nearly everything she’d ever wanted. Where there was a will, there was a way, and Raine had more will than anything else.
* * *
Max helped his mother to her bedroom, which was now a guest room on the first floor. With her being a little lethargic at times, he’d made sure all of her things were on the first floor so she didn’t have to climb steps.
Although she would say she was fine, he could see that she was tired and just being stubborn. He knew she’d be even more so when her radiation treatments started. So he’d let her keep her pride and just keep his mouth shut, but he would make her as comfortable as possible, which was why he’d made sure the nurse who had been here the past two days would stay on and come by for a few hours a day.
As he settled her into bed, he eased down to sit beside her.
“Care to tell me what Raine was doing here?” he asked.
His mother rested against her plush pillows. “She brought me a lovely gift bag.”
Narrowing his eyes, Max gave her a skeptical look. “So she just stopped by, because she knew you’d had surgery, and now you two are all chummy?”
Elise laced her fingers together across her lap and smiled. “Actually, no. During the past several summers when I’ve been staying here, she’s taken care of the landscaping, brought me fresh vegetables, fruits and eggs.”
“Wait, back up.” Max held up a hand, even more confused than he’d been seconds ago. “Raine does the landscaping?”
“During the summer months, she does a great deal of it. Just the flower beds, Max. You don’t have to look so angry. We have another man do the grass cutting.”
Raine worked for his mother? What the hell had happened to her dreams? To her trust fund? She shouldn’t have to work odd landscaping jobs for his mother. The thought of those small, dainty hands marred with calluses bothered him.
Most of the shallow women he knew back in L.A. wouldn’t dream of doing their own landscaping, let alone someone else’s.
“Who else does she work for in the summer?”
Elise shrugged a delicate shoulder. “Several families around here. Not her own, of course. Her mother is mortified that Raine does so much manual labor.”
“And what kind of manual labor does she do?” he asked.
“She’s quite the gardener and farmer. She prides herself on growing her own organic plants to keep them as natural and healthy as possible. Her grandmother would be so pleased.”
Max knew Raine had never felt a familial bond with anyone other than her cousin, Jill, and her grandmother. He’d seen firsthand how that elderly woman had catered to Raine, showed her all she would need to know about running a farm, raising animals and growing gardens. Raine’s maternal grandmother was accepted in Lenox because she was sweet and elderly but when a twenty-something woman tries to follow in those footsteps...well, he assumed that bohemian lifestyle didn’t go over so well in the posh, hoity-toity land of tea sippers and pearl wearers.
“I just saw her house,” Max stated. “It needs quite a bit of work. I can’t believe she’d let it get like that.”
His mother shrugged. “None of my business. But if she doesn’t take care of it, the Historical Society will come in and make her. That house is a landmark in Lenox, even with the barns. In fact those barns are kept up better than her house. That girl cares more about the animals and the people around her than she does her own comfort.”
As much as Max wanted to know more about Raine, his mother looked tired as her eyelids were growing heavy. He would be here for a few months, so there was no doubt he’d find out all he wanted about Raine and her new life.
His life was always splashed all over the internet and in the tabloids...or the life the media tended to fabricate. There was no doubt Raine knew more about his life over the years than he knew about hers. It wasn’t like he’d find anything if he did a Google search on her name...at least nothing of use.
“Is there anything I can get you before I go?” he asked, turning his attention back to his mom.
His mother grabbed his hand and squeezed. “No, I’m just glad you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else, Mom.”
“Please, Max, don’t make this about your father.” Her eyes held his, a sad smile forming on her lips. “He’s busy this time of year.”
Max nodded, really not wanting to get into this argument again. “He’s been busy his whole life, Mom. I’m not here to fight, but I also won’t pretend that it’s okay to put work before family, because it’s not. I work across the country, and I’m here.”
Her eyes misted. “All I’ve ever wanted is for the two of you to make peace. That’s all.”
Guilt weighed heavily on Max because he knew of his mother’s wishes, but he and Thomas Ford would never get along, because they viewed life from opposite ends of the spectrum.
Max leaned forward, kissing his mother on the cheek. “Good night, Mom. See you in the morning.”
He turned off the light on his way out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him. It was odd spending the night in his old home. The memories that filled these halls, these rooms, played through his mind like a movie. The glimpses he caught seemed like another lifetime, another person.
As he went back downstairs, he recalled the time he’d snuck Raine in after they’d first started dating. His parents had been out at some charity dinner and wouldn’t be home for hours. He knew they wouldn’t approve, and to be honest, that just made the clandestine encounter all the more appealing.
He’d never forget how it had felt kissing her in that dark foyer as soon as they’d stepped through the door. As he stood at the base of the steps now, he could still see that young couple, arms intertwined, lips locked. Max had waited weeks to get her alone to kiss her, and she’d been so worth the wait.
Max sighed, raking a hand over his face. Teenage love was so complicated at the time, but looking back, he realized that was the best experience of his life. He and Raine had had something special, something he’d convinced himself could stand the test of distance and time.
But no matter how many letters he had written, emails he had sent or calls he had made, she’d never acknowledged him after he left. And he refused to tell anyone how deeply her rejection had hurt. Then and now. Although years had passed since they’d last seen each other, they’d once been very much in love. So how could Raine be so cold and act like they’d shared nothing?
Max was still recovering from that heartache—and seeing her up close, knowing she had a baby, a life, only twisted that knife a little deeper into his already wounded heart.
Three
The snow wasn’t letting up at all and neither was Abby. Raine had no clue how mothers had more than one child. And twins? Mercy, those women deserved a special place in heaven. She was having a hard enough time just focusing on this one kid, not to mention holding down a job, fixing dinners, showering, taking a bathroom break...
But Raine had always wanted to be a mother, and she would not trade a moment of the sleepless nights for anything. Especially since Jill had needed Raine, and there was no way Raine could turn her back on her cousin when she needed someone the most.
Being shut out of your family because of decisions you made was the common connection she and Jill shared. They’d always been close, but this baby truly secured that tight band around their love.
And regardless of genetics or DNA, Abby was 100 percent Raine’s. From the moment the precious baby girl had tightened her chubby little hand around Raine’s finger, she knew no greater bond could exist. Even those accidental gassy smiles were like another stamp on her heart, solidifying the fact that Raine couldn’t love Abby any more even if Raine herself had given birth to Abby.
Hearing the growing cries, Raine shook the bottle on her way back to the nursery. Early morning sunlight spilled through the window, and she picked up the fussy baby and prayed to God that, after this bottle, Abby would sleep for a couple hours. Because Raine truly didn’t know how much longer she could go on little to no sleep.
Sweet dimpled hands came up to grip the sides of the bottle, and Raine sank into the cushy rocker in the corner of the room. Resting her head against the back of the cushion, she closed her eyes as Abby greedily sucked down the milk.
Thankfully they had nowhere to go today, seeing as how the snow kept coming down in big, thick flakes. And when she’d glanced out at the driveway, her car had been there. The tow service must’ve brought it after she’d gone to bed, and she had no doubt there would be a hefty bill on her credit card statement since she had to give them the account number when she had called.
From what she’d seen, only the headlight and the grille were damaged, but she hadn’t waded through the snow to find out any more.
Raine opened her eyes and glanced down at Abby whose own eyes had drifted shut.
“Now you want to sleep,” Raine said with a smile. “When I’m holding and feeding you, but when you’re alone in your bed, you want to scream.”
Raine knew the feeling of being alone, left out and neglected. But there was no way this baby would ever feel anything less than secure. Perhaps that’s why Abby kept crying. She instinctively knew that Raine couldn’t handle it and would hold her to calm her down. The truth was, Raine just hated the thought of the baby feeling scared or abandoned.
There was no worse feeling in the world.
“We have each other,” she whispered to Abby. “And you’ll always know what love is.”
Finally when the bottle was depleted and Abby was breathing peacefully, Raine swiped the milk from beneath Abby’s soft, full lips and laid the baby back in the crib.
Raine slid the curtain from the hook and blocked out the bright sun. Tiptoeing as quietly as possible, Raine eased the door closed behind her.
Should she go finish making the rest of her lavender soaps, take a brief nap and then start in on filling the online orders, or throw a load of laundry in, and fold and put away the two baskets waiting on her?
Did the to-do list never end?
She’d just gone into her workroom when she glanced out the window and saw a full-sized black truck pull up her drive. In a mad dash, she ran down the stairs, because, if someone rang her doorbell, she’d not be greeting them with the most pleasant of smiles. She’d personally murder anyone who woke Abby from her long overdue nap.
Raine jerked open the door just as Marshall Wallace lifted his hand to the bell. She resisted the urge to ignore this unwanted visitor, not that she didn’t like Marshall, but she knew why he was here, and she wasn’t in the mood.
“Hey, Raine,” the young, polished man said with a wide smile. “Your father wanted me to drive out here and check on you.”
“Hi, Marshall.” She curled her hands around the door. “As you can see, I’m fine. So go back and tell the mayor he did his civic duty.”
God forbid her father trek out here in the elements to see how she and Abby were doing. The salt and snow would probably ruin his designer shoes.
And that was just another common thread she and Max had shared. Their fathers always put work ahead of family. Even though Max was one of the most recognized men in Hollywood, he’d dropped everything to be with his mother. Not that she needed a lot of care, but he was here for the love and support.
“Have you thought any more about my offer?” Marshall asked, shoving his hands into the pocket of his thick brown coat.
Raine sighed. Another reason why she always cringed when Marshall came to her house. The man was relentless in his quest to date her. He’d started pursuing her years ago after Max had left. He’d been so persistent and in her face, she’d let it slip that she was pregnant so he’d back off. Then she’d regretted her decision and had sworn him to secrecy.
She’d given into his advances once, though, and they’d gone out. The entire evening Raine felt like she was dating her brother...if she had had a brother, she figured that’s what it would be like.
“Marshall, I’m just so busy right now with Abby, focusing on the adoption and working on my online orders. You wouldn’t want to go out with me. You should look for someone with more time and freedom.”
“I’d be more than happy to come here with dinner. We don’t have to go out.”
Oh, Lord. If he thought he’d come over, eat dinner and play house, he was sorely mistaken. Even she wasn’t that desperate.
Raine dodged his less-than-subtle approach and returned his smile. “Tell my father I’m fine, and so is the baby, not that he ever asks about her. I appreciate you coming out, Marshall.”
As she started to close the door, a big black boot stepped over the threshold and blocked her.
“I hope you’ll at least consider my offer, Raine,” he told her, easing his body just inside the door frame. “That time we went out, I felt a connection with you.”
A connection? This was worse than she thought. Surely whatever he felt was just like...indigestion. There was no way that lame date sparked something romantic on his end. Of course, he could just be horny, and that was a whole other matter she didn’t want to get into with him.
“Marshall, I don’t have time to date right now. I’m sure a busy man like you understands.”
There, she’d appealed to his male ego and even stroked it a little. If he didn’t back off, she’d just have to be blunt and tell him to get the hell off her property. But her mother had raised a lady, despite her mother’s views to the contrary, so Raine would make every effort to be polite.
Marshall nodded. “I won’t give up on us, Raine.”
Before she could sputter a “There is no us,” he’d turned and was heading back to his truck. Was this dude for real? She’d never once led him to believe there was hope. Even after their date when he’d gone to kiss her good-night, she’d done the swift head turn, and he’d caught her cheek.
Closing the door, Raine sagged against it and squeezed her eyes shut. Why did life hate her? Why, within the span of twenty-four hours, did she have to encounter the only man she’d ever loved and now was fighting off the one man who wouldn’t take no for an answer? Apparently Cupid had struck Marshall, and now he was determined to make her his Valentine. No thank you.
Damn, Valentine’s Day was two days away, and Marshall was probably looking for a date. That was a big hell no.
The only Valentine she wanted was asleep upstairs. Besides, Valentine’s Day didn’t mean much to her. She’d spent nearly all of them single, except when she had dated Max. He’d given her this little gold locket and had told her that she’d always have his heart.
She should’ve known an eighteen-year-old boy was only out for sex, but those pretty words had made her fall in love with him even more. And she’d die before she ever admitted she still had that locket. So what? She had kept quite a few things from high school. Just because that particular piece was in her jewelry box didn’t mean anything.
God, she couldn’t even lie to herself. She’d kept that locket because she’d wanted to hold on to that hope that one person truly loved her for her, for the quirky way she was.
But that love was not only naive, it was a fabrication.
The banging on the door jarred Raine’s body, making her jump. Pressing a hand to her chest to try to control her rapid heartbeat, she turned back to the door. Marshall really didn’t give up, did he?
She threw open the door, ready to be brutally honest with the man, but it wasn’t Marshall standing before her. It was Max.
With the collar of his black coat up around his neck and his dark knit cap pulled low on his forehead, he looked mysterious...sultry even. And that sexy stubble along his jawline only made him look more ruggedly handsome. With those dark eyes staring back at her, Raine felt that gaze all through her body, infiltrating places she wished would stay dormant where this man was concerned.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, blocking him from seeing inside.
“Wanted to make sure you had your car back and to see if you needed anything. The roads are pretty bad, and they’re calling for several inches per hour for the next day.”
Raine didn’t want her heart to melt at his worry. And she didn’t know why the notion of Max checking up on her made her belly dance with nerves, when the visit from Marshall had simply annoyed her.
She didn’t want the belly-dancing nerves. She wanted to stay angry with Max for the rest of her life, but seriously, she had to get over the teenage attitude. They now led different lives. It was over and way past time to move on.
“I’m good right now,” she replied.
“How bad was the car?” he asked.
Raine peered out around him to assess the damage. “I haven’t gone out to see up close, but it looks minimal. I’m sure I can still drive it.”
“Not in this weather, you can’t.” He pointed to the four-wheel-drive truck he had. “I used the truck dad keeps in the garage, because there was no way my rental would’ve gotten me here.”
Abby’s screeching cry sounded through the house, and Raine resisted the urge to cry herself.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I need to get her.”
She turned from the door and ran up the steps. Abby was clearly not happy, but the second her eyes landed on Raine, she calmed down.
“You really just want me here, don’t you, sweet pea?” she cooed as she picked Abby up and laid her against her shoulder. “You need to learn to sleep without me coming in here all the time.”
But how could Raine be upset? Even though she was in a zombielike state nearly every day, there was just no way she could be angry or even feel put out by this precious bundle.
“You’re just tired yourself, aren’t you?”
Reaching into the crib, Raine grabbed the yellow blanket and wrapped it around Abby. Maybe she would be entertained in her swing while Raine worked on the soaps. Perhaps Abby would fall asleep there and get some much needed rest.
As she turned from the crib, she froze when she saw Max standing in the doorway.
“I thought you left,” she said, trying not to cringe over him being in her home. Her run-down home.
This man was used to Beverly Hills mansions, probably threw lavish patio parties where guests mingled over champagne and caviar. And here he was in her home, with its carpet tearing, linoleum peeling, ceilings chipping...the list went on and on.
“I wasn’t done talking.”
Raine snickered. “I wasn’t under the impression we had anything more to discuss.”
“Is she okay?” he asked, nodded toward Abby.
“She’s fine. She doesn’t like to be alone.”
His eyes returned to hers. “Sounds like she takes after her mother.”
Raine started to correct him, but technically Raine was Abby’s mother. Just because she was adopted—or would hopefully be soon—didn’t make the relationship any less real. And Max wasn’t going to be sticking around anyway, so really anything she did or did not do was none of his business.
Shifting Abby to the other shoulder, Raine patted her bottom and swayed side to side. “What did you need to talk about that you braved this weather to come see me?”
He opened his mouth, but Abby started screaming right in Raine’s ear, and Max straightened in the doorway. “What’s wrong?”
Raine pulled Abby back and looked at her. Abby was rubbing her eyes, fussing and puckering that little lip. It was the pucker that always got her.
“She’s just tired,” Raine explained. “She fights sleep.”
“Fights sleep?”
“Trust me. It sounds insane, but there’s no other term for it.”
Raine moved over to the rocker and started singing “You Are My Sunshine.” Usually that song calmed Abby down. Raine had gone through the song twice before Abby relaxed against her. Max eased out into the hall, and Raine appreciated the privacy. It wasn’t that she was uncomfortable with him here, but... Oh, who was she kidding? She was extremely uncomfortable. Here she was all frumpy in her fleece socks, paint-stained sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt that read Meat Sucks in big, block letters.
Added to that, the house was a mess. She hadn’t been able to really clean since Abby came, and the past week had been hell because there was no sleep happening in this house...for either of them.
And she wasn’t even going to get into the repairs that needed to be done. Basically the house and everything and everyone in it needed an overhaul. Too bad none of that would be happening anytime soon.
“I need to rock her again,” Raine hollered over the baby’s cries, hoping Max would take the hint and let himself out.
He nodded. “I can wait in the living room. We need to talk.”
Talk. One word. Four simple letters that sparked myriad emotions...fear being the number one contender.
What did he want to talk about? Okay, that was probably a stupid question, but did he really want to rehash the past, or did he have an ulterior motive?
Before she could question him, Max had turned and walked from the room. Raine attempted to shift her attention as she moved toward the rocker, swiping the pacifier off the changing table first. Maybe this would work. Raine wasn’t a fan of the thing because she dreaded weaning Abby from it in the months to come, but something had to help this poor baby sleep, and if the pacifier worked, then, hey, Raine was all for it.
Abby instantly started sucking, her moist lids lowered over her eyes, and she sniffled a little, but for the most part calmed right down.
In no time she was asleep...again. Hopefully for a few hours this go-round. Raine couldn’t keep coming into the nursery every time the baby cried, but she couldn’t just stand outside the door and listen to it, either. Surely there was a happy medium.
Raine placed Abby back in the crib and eased out of the room. Now, if she could just get Max to leave, she’d be able to dodge this inevitably awkward chat. And not only would their talk be awkward, but her emotions were bound to make her more than uncomfortable. The man kept sparking things within her...she just couldn’t let that flame rekindle.
When she passed the hall mirror, she caught a glimpse of herself and resisted the urge to straighten up the lopsided ponytail and all the tendrils that had spilled from it. Max had already seen her, and she wasn’t out to impress him, anyway. It wasn’t like she could even compare to the supermodels and A-list actresses that had clung to his arm through the years.
Besides that, she wasn’t sorry for who she was. She was happy with her meager life, and she wouldn’t feel ashamed simply because her high school sweetheart was in her living room.
At the top of the steps she straightened her shoulders and silently applauded herself for the mental pep talk. Now she had to face Max, figure out what he thought they needed to discuss and get him out of her house. Because she couldn’t afford for those old feelings to come creeping back up again.
Four
Max glanced at the various photos spread across the mantel. Most were of Raine with her grandmother from years ago, but now newer ones had been placed in frames. Pictures of Raine with Abby, Abby sleeping, a black-and-white picture of Abby’s hand holding onto what he presumed to be Raine’s finger.
But he never saw a picture of the baby with a man...or Raine with a man for that matter. The fact she was alone with this baby shouldn’t make him feel relieved, because in reality, that just made him a jerk, but he’d be lying if he didn’t admit that he’d gotten a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach when he had thought of her creating a family with someone else.
When he’d decided to come home, he knew the chances of running into her were pretty good, and he’d dreaded the thought of seeing some lucky man standing at her side.
Max was supposed to be that man. Max had spent day after agonizing day trying to reach Raine once he’d hit L.A. He just couldn’t figure out why she’d lied and said she’d be right behind him. Why not just cut ties before he left and spare him that misery?
But she’d strung him along, and her rejection had sent him into a downward spiral which eventually culminated in his near-fatal motorcycle accident. He’d cared for nothing, living recklessly and damning the world around him. But the wreck had really opened his eyes.
Max released a deep, slow breath. He had no idea what possessed him to drive out here today when the weather was so bad, but he’d seen her stranded in the snow, then socializing with his mother, as if there was no history between them, and couldn’t get over the fact that so much had been left hanging between him and Raine. He knew they’d both moved on, but that didn’t stop him from wanting closure.
He needed answers, and he wasn’t leaving until he got them. Raine may have shut that chapter in her life, but he was about to reopen it.
* * *
As Raine descended the staircase, she held all the poise and glamour her mother had raised her to have, but he couldn’t suppress a grin because of her bedhead, the verbiage on her T-shirt and the way she tried to be so regal when she looked like a hot mess.
But that’s one of the things he’d always admired about her. She never cared what people thought of her image; her only worry was caring for others.
“You should go,” she stated. “The weather isn’t getting any better.”
Max glanced over at one of the photos on the mantel. “I snapped this picture.”
Her eyes drifted to the photo he was pointing to. A young Raine had her arms thrown around the neck of her grandmother, both women were laughing for the camera. Max could practically hear the laughter, and he was instantly transported back to that day.
“She always loved you,” Raine murmured. “She thought for sure you were the one.”
Max stared at the elderly woman in the photo and swallowed the lump in his throat. “Life happens. Plans change.”
“What do you want from me, Max?” she asked softly.
Max turned his attention back to her and noted her defensive stance with her arms crossed over her chest, but he could also see how visibly tired she was. “I want closure.”
“So bringing up the past will...what? Suddenly make things better?”
He shrugged. “Maybe I figured after all this time I deserved some answers.”
Raine held his gaze a moment before she burst out laughing. “Did you come here to humiliate me?”
“What?”
She shook her head and moved farther into the room. “Max, we’re living in two different worlds. Why on earth would you find it necessary to come all the way here just to discuss a period of our lives that really isn’t relevant anymore?”
His cell vibrated in his pocket before he could utter a comeback. Not relevant? The absence of Raine in his life had nearly destroyed him. There wasn’t a day that went by that he hadn’t thought about her, wondered what she was doing. No way in hell was she not relevant in his life.
The number on his screen belonged to his mother, and a moment of panic set in when he answered. Sasha, the nurse, was there with her, so surely nothing was wrong.
“Honey,” his mother began. “Have you left Raine’s house yet?”
“No, why?”
From across the room, Raine studied him.
“Sasha just went out to get something from her car when a trooper pulled up, thinking she was leaving. We’re under a level three advisory, and unless it’s an emergency, no one’s allowed on the roads.”
Max shot his gaze to the wide window in the front of Raine’s living room. “You’re kidding?” he said, as he watched big fat flakes cling to the window.
“Afraid not.”
“I can’t leave you alone,” he told her. “I’ll head out right now and be there shortly.”
“Don’t risk getting fined or even hurt, Max. Sasha is here, we’re safe and warm. There’s nothing she can’t provide for me. Besides, I’m fine. I’m tired, but nothing a nap can’t fix.”
Max knew all of this, but it was the fact he was going to be stuck here with Raine that was giving him fits. Trapped with Raine and a baby. What the hell, Fate?
“I know, but I came back home to help you, and I can’t do that if I’m not there.”
“I’m sure it will be fine later tonight or maybe tomorrow. We need it to stop snowing so the state workers can keep the roads clear.”
He continued to watch the snow come down, showing no sign of letting up. The dark gray skies weren’t looking too kind even though it was still early in the morning. Shouldn’t the sun be out?
“I’ll get back to you as soon as I can,” he promised. “I’ll call and check in, too.”
Max hung up with his mother and eased the phone back into his pocket before turning back to Raine.
“Looks like I’m stuck here,” he said.
Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry...what?”
“Seems the county is on a level three advisory, and no one is allowed out unless it’s an emergency.”
Raine jerked her attention to the window. Her shoulders slumped, and she released a heavy sigh. “Life sucks,” she muttered.
Max shook his head. “I’m no happier about this than you are.”
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