Second Chance at the Sugar Shack (26 page)

C
HAPTER
S
EVENTEEN

W
eeks of preparation had come down to this night. Matt had done everything he could to be successful, which included consulting with an expert on public speaking. He’d even taken a day off work—something he never did—to meet with the woman who’d come here to coach him on his presentation.

Win or lose he was as ready as he would ever be.

With the wind biting at his back, he walked into the Grange. Folding chairs had been set up like a church service was about to commence. He made his way through an audience of a couple hundred residents to take his place at the table set up front near the podium. With the election set for January, he scanned the crowd to see who’d shown up to hear the first sheriff’s candidate debate about to take place between him and Dave Johnson.

Johnson, already seated, wore a tailored suit and a confident smile. Matt had chosen a fresh-from-the-laundry uniform. The same type of uniform he wore every day to protect those sitting in this building. No one would be elected on whether their clothes had a designer label or not. They would be elected on what they were willing and able to do for the community.

Matt noticed those in attendance were a true reflection on Deer Lick—farmers, ranchers, small business owners, parents, and other hard-working citizens interested in the future of their town. Kate’s father, in the middle of the crowd, gave him a smile and a thumb’s-up. From the front row, Buddy Hutchins glared and Matt hoped he wouldn’t have to toss Buddy and his uncle in a cell tonight. James and the rest of Matt’s coworkers who weren’t on duty sat in a group to the side. He felt their support in the collective nodding of heads as he glanced their way. Any qualms he might have had disintegrated.

He glanced over the crowd one more time but knew he was searching in vain. Chances were she’d already skipped town and was dining on champagne in merry old England.

Matt knew he was completely prepared for tonight’s debate. But he’d been completely unprepared for the ravaging ache left in his heart after he’d forced himself to walk away from the woman he loved.

Sheriff Washburn caught him halfway up the aisle and clamped his beefy hand over Matt’s shoulder. The sheriff’s belly strained against the buttons on his shirt and draped over the top of his belt. His brows were gray and bushy. And there was no question why he’d been chosen year after year to play Santa at the Christmas Eve festivities.

“You know where my loyalties lay, Matt. I know you’ve worked hard to learn the ropes.” He chuckled. “And somehow you haven’t managed to hang yourself.”

“Came close a couple of times.”

“Well, we won’t tell anyone about that.” The sheriff smiled. “Just wanted to make sure you were prepared for this. Lots of folks are going to think you’re too young. Too inexperienced.”

Not to mention too unmarried
and
the son of a drunk. “Don’t worry, sir.” Matt patted the sheriff’s shoulder. “This is only the first of three debates. I’ll reel them in like you did that derby winner last year. Real slow and easy.”

“Atta boy.” The sheriff took a step, then turned back. “And Ryan?”

“Yes, sir?”

“You make sure you’ve got good hooks, because I don’t want Johnson running my town.”

“Yes, sir.”

Matt continued to the podium and extended his hand to Johnson who looked up at him as if this was where the debate started—to be cordial or not. The hesitation gave Matt a burst of confidence. When Johnson finally accepted the handshake, Matt noted that it was weak.

Mayor Remington had been chosen to moderate and once he quieted the crowd, he introduced Matt’s accomplishments and endorsers. Then with a welcoming response from the crowd, the mayor called Matt to the podium.

Matt approached the microphone and knocked the butterflies swarming his stomach aside. The message he needed to deliver was more important than the fact that he had never won a single argument while on the high school debate team. As the public speaking coach had instructed him, he just needed to speak from his heart.

He pulled air into his lungs and looked up.

That’s when she walked in.

And everything turned upside down.

Her shiny hair hung straight down the back of her marshmallow parka. Her boots were silent as she took an empty seat near the back next to Edna Price. When the two women hugged, he couldn’t have been more surprised. Then again, he didn’t figure it would take long for a smart woman like Kate to figure out that Mrs. Price had one of the kindest hearts in the state of Montana. She just had a big bark to go along with it.

When Kate turned her smoky eyes on him, he could feel their intensity all the way across the room. She gave him a smile and a nod of silent encouragement.

She hadn’t run.

She was here.

Matt realized at that moment everything he wanted was in one room. And it was all up for grabs.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight,” he said, clamping his hands on the podium. “Before we get started, I want to thank the women’s auxiliary for putting this debate together and the mayor for offering to moderate. I promise to try not to bore you, but just in case, any of you who want to grab a cup of coffee first, feel free.”

The audience chuckled. Kate’s eyes remained glued on him.

For ten long minutes Matt spoke of working his way from the ground up, his tactics on the budget, and his priorities, which included education on drug and alcohol abuse and adding more patrol to the streets. “I’m very proud of the support and endorsements I’ve received from my fellow deputies as well as the volunteer firefighters. I’m hopeful that the person they choose to lead them will mean something to you. I believe Deer Lick needs a leader who will set the tone. A leader who shares your vision of what Deer Lick can be.” Matt looked over the crowd. His gaze lingered on Kate. “I, for one, know exactly what I want.” Several heartbeats later he glanced over the crowd again. “To keep Deer Lick safe. And I’ll do whatever it takes to meet that goal.”

He received a standing ovation for his efforts, but Matt knew anything could happen in the next couple of months. People were fickle. They wanted to be on the winner’s side. If the polls turned against him, the good people of Deer Lick would jump ship faster than mice with their tails on fire.

“And now,” Matt said, “I’d be happy to answer your questions.”

Audrey Lambert, the Baptist church’s organist asked about his intentions for the devil’s playground. Meaning, would he try to close down the bars? Hank Wilburn wanted to know if Matt intended to ask the mayor for tax increases. And then Buddy Hutchins stood. He gave Matt that same bully sneer he’d used all during high school. Matt hadn’t been intimidated then, nor was he now. Though Buddy despised him, Matt knew he had nothing to hide.

“I got a question for you, Deputy Ryan.”

Though the man basically spat out his name, Matt gave him a polite nod.

“That was a mighty pretty speech you gave there. Full of promises and all.” Then Buddy turned to the audience. “But how is it you plan to accomplish all that when you spend most of your time jumping from bed to bed with the women in this town?”

“I’m not sure what you mean, Buddy.”

“Sure you do. I’ve been watching you real close, see. And I lost count of all the women you’ve been hooking up with.”

Anger flashed through his system and Matt took a step toward his lifelong antagonist. Before he could move any further, James was there holding him back.

Buddy turned toward the audience and used that time to throw more dirt on Matt’s career aspirations. “If any of you wondered what was going on behind the papered windows during the renovations of the local bakery, I can tell you that Deputy Ryan took it upon himself to instruct a certain local pastry chef on the finer points of . . .
stuffing the donut hole
.”

Oh shit
. James’s hands dug tighter into Matt’s shirt while Matt’s gaze shot out over the murmurs and gasps and pinpointed Kate by the flush creeping up her creamy complexion. Her eyes darted around the room as she slowly rose from her chair.

When Matt was sure she’d run, she pointed her finger at their accuser.

“Shame on you, Buddy Hutchins. Shame on you for letting your overinflated ego get in the way of common sense. Don’t you think it’s time you moved past a silly high school grudge to what’s really important? Deputy Ryan is willing to put everything on the line to protect the people in this town. What are you doing, Buddy? Drinking the bars dry?”

Buddy’s face turned three angry shades of pink and it took Matt a moment to realize Kate was defending him.

“I know some of you might not think very highly of me,” she said to the crowd, “and that’s okay. But please don’t hold my bad behavior against Deputy Ryan. What can I say? He’s an incredible, healthy,
single
man who has the right to date or sleep with whom he desires.”

She turned that smoky gaze on Matt and he felt it all the way to the soles of his feet. Then she addressed the housewives and farmers and humble citizens surrounding her. “There shouldn’t be a question in your mind on what’s most important to Matt Ryan—to protect this town and the people in it. The same way he protected my parents when I didn’t have the courage to stay. And I never even thanked him.”

A cold chill ran up Matt’s back. Why hadn’t she just said this to him in private? She could have, probably would have, but he hadn’t wanted to hear her excuses and he’d pushed her away. He’d been too busy bouncing between the fear that she’d leave again and the fantasy that she’d stay. He’d been so damned wrapped up in his own imagination that he’d been afraid of reality. Afraid she wouldn’t say
exactly
what he wanted to hear.

He shouldn’t have been so demanding.

And he shouldn’t have been such a pansy ass.

If he’d listened, if he’d given her a chance, they could have been tearing each other’s clothes off the past few days instead of dodging each other.

“I’m sure Mr. Johnson is a nice enough man,” Kate continued, “but he doesn’t love this town. He doesn’t have it in his blood. If you all can’t see that Matt Ryan is the right person to replace Sheriff Washburn, then you deserve what you get. I’m betting you’ll do what’s right. Personally, I look forward to the optimism Matt Ryan has for this town. I grew up here and I had a wonderful childhood. I know Matt wants to keep this community just as amazing for future generations.”

Surrounded by silence, Edna Price reached up and squeezed Kate’s hand in a show of support. “He has my vote.” Kate took in a big breath and with a wobbly smile, pushed it from her lungs. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have cookies in the oven.” Avoiding Matt’s gaze, she and her marshmallow parka slipped through the crowd and pushed open the big steel doors.

“Kate.” He lunged to follow her. When he didn’t budge, he looked down and discovered that James still had his iron fists curled into the front of his shirt.

“Let her go,” James said. “Whatever you do right now, whatever you say, remember your entire future is on the line.”

“Bullshit. My future is walking out the door.”

Somewhere in the back of his whirling mind, Matt heard amplified laughter.

“There you go, folks,” Buddy said into the microphone, “Deputy Ryan’s focus is clearly dirtied by trashy celebusluts and not—”

Matt didn’t wait for him to finish. He drew back his arm and felt a shock of pure pleasure when his fist caught Buddy square on the chin.

“S
hit!” The rocky parking lot poked the bottoms of Kate’s boots as she charged toward her mother’s car. “Shit. Shit. Shit!” She yanked open the door and twisted the key in the ignition. Gravel shot out from beneath the tires as she sped off before anyone could follow.

“Shit!” She pounded her fist on the steering wheel as tears spilled over her bottom lashes.

“Katherine?”

“Oh God, Mom, not now.”

“Honey, please slow down. I don’t need any company up here.”

“Did you see what just happened?” Kate couldn’t control the hysteria leaking through her voice. “I should never have come back here. Everything is so . . . fucked up! And please don’t chastise me on my potty mouth!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I just don’t understand why you’re so upset.”

“Because that jerk Buddy Hutchins just told everybody I had sex with Matt on the bakery floor!”

“TMI, Katherine.”

“Sorry.”

“So, Buddy told everyone about your extracurricular activities. Why do you care what the town thinks of you?”

Kate pulled the car to the curb. The seat squeaked as she turned around. “Mom, don’t you get it? I’m not worried about me. I could care less about me. I care about Matt. I care that I just ruined his chances to fulfill his dream. Buddy is trying to turn the community against him.” Kate slumped in the seat. “I should have kept my mouth shut and denied everything instead of bull-horning the truth to the entire Grange.”

“Sounds like you’ve got some strong feelings for Matt.”

Kate stared through the windshield at the stars twinkling back at her. Her chest lifted on a long intake of breath. “Of course I do. I’m crazy about him.”

“Do you love him?”

“Yes!”

“Then what are you going to do about it?”

“Mom. Seriously? I tossed him away once and now I’ve gut shot his entire future. Do you honestly think he’d ever give me another chance?” She shook her head. “It’s too late. He said so himself.”

“It’s never too late,” her mother, corrected her softly. “Just look at me. Who’d have ever thought you and I could have a second chance? Now, what can I do to help?”

Kate smiled and reached out her hand to cover her mother’s transparent one. “I love you, Mom, but this is something I need to handle on my own. I screwed up. I’ve got to make it right.”

C
HAPTER
E
IGHTEEN

S
he’d vanished.

In a town the size of a peanut, it seemed Matt had kept two steps behind her. He’d stopped at the bar and Maggie had told him he’d just missed her. He’d gone to her house and her dad had said he hadn’t seen her since she tore out of the Grange. He’d driven down Main Street hoping to spot her mother’s old bomber parked at the burger joint or at the Gas and Grub. He’d driven through the back alley at the bakery but no Kate. He’d searched the entire town at least twice. But he’d had no more success than the last time he’d spun a Las Vegas roulette wheel.

At midnight Matt found himself steering the patrol car up the hill, past the rock formations and sweeping cottonwoods. Now bare of leaves, patches of snow garlanded between the long branches. He rolled to a stop at the plateau and stepped out of the car. The sweet scent of earth and pine rose up to greet him in Kate’s thinking spot.

He walked to the edge and looked down over the town.

Whoville, she’d called it. A place where life was wonderful and everybody held hands and sang. A place he wanted to protect. A place he wanted to raise his children and grow old with the woman he loved by his side. He watched smoke curl up from the chimneys of homes filled with families. Homes filled with love. Homes filled with everyday life that went on without him because he hadn’t stepped up and told Kate that he loved her.

He’d blamed her when it had been him who’d been unwilling to risk it all.

He’d convinced himself that she’d never be willing to give up her career, her goals, her ambitions—for him. When what he really should have done was to figure out how they could make both their careers, goals, and ambitions work together.

He’d taken what she’d given because he couldn’t not take. With her in his arms he’d been living his fantasy. But when he’d asked her to stay, she’d hesitated. He’d panicked and pushed her away. He’d pushed her away and yet she still stood up to Buddy and the entire town on his behalf.

Somewhere in his muddled brain he’d thought if he could push her all the way back to Hollywood, she’d be out of his life and out of his head. But even if he pushed her all the way to Egypt, he’d never be able to erase her from his heart.

He knew her now to be a woman who worked hard, who made her dreams a reality, who came back home and in the face of adversity made a town fall in love with her. She was a woman who loved her family, who was still rescuing strays, and who had the guts to stand up for him so he could follow his own dreams.

Making love with her had been incredible, indescribable, but he didn’t just crave her, he needed her . . . in his heart, in his arms, in his life. And he’d do whatever it took to have her there.

Once upon a time he’d vowed to let her go.

Well, forget that.

If she went, he was going with her.

P
erched on an icy picnic bench on a snow-covered deck overlooking the frozen waters of the lake she’d once fished, Kate buried her cold nose in the sleeve of her parka. At the same time she buried the life she’d once lived.

The woman she was now was no comparison to the one a few months ago who’d boarded a plane to go bury her mother.

Everything had changed. Once she’d thought she’d been satisfied with work, work, and more work. Now she wanted it all—a man who loved her, babies, and a career working alongside her father in the bakery he’d built beside the woman he’d loved.

She knew where she belonged.

And it wasn’t Hollywood.

Her mother had been right. And while it had taken Kate a decade, she finally figured it out too. Small-town life pumped through her blood. And while the big city and bright lights had been intriguing for a while, she really was a small-town girl at heart.

If she left now, she’d miss her dad, her dog, her friends. She’d miss the faces that greeted her every day with a smile and a wave. Faces that knew her name instead of calling her
darling
because they couldn’t remember. Faces that were genuine and filled with character when they smiled, not so frozen with Botox they barely moved.

Most of all she’d miss the man she loved—the promise in his kiss, the warmth of his soul, and the way he made her feel so complete.

If he didn’t love her back . . . well, she’d have to find a way to change his mind.

She closed her eyes and waited. Surely he’d come home before she turned into a Popsicle.

“Why did you leave?”

Kate’s head jerked up to find Matt walking toward her. Moonlight dusted his dark hair while her tail-wagging pup wiggled in his arms. He looked like all her dreams come true and he simply stole her breath. “I figured I’d done enough damage for one night.”

“You didn’t do any damage.”

“What about what Buddy said? He was trying to turn everyone against you.”

“Yeah, well, he didn’t have much to say when I cold-cocked him right after you walked out the door.”

She stifled a laugh. “You did?”

He stopped an arm’s length away and nodded slowly while his big hand stroked the pup’s golden ears. “I didn’t like what he said about you.”

“I didn’t like what he said about
you
.”

His pale eyes searched hers. “Why are you here, Kate?”

“We need to talk.”

“Good. Because I’ve got things to say. Things I should have said a long time ago,” he said. “Things you need to hear whether you want to or not.”

“Okay.” The word rushed out on a whisper and she felt herself shake all the way down to her boots. She wasn’t sure what he was about to tell her. And the dark expression on his face was definitely sending out a mixed message. “You first.”

Matt set the pup down and ran his free hand through the side of his hair, mussing it just a bit from its unusually perfect style. “Ten years ago I let you run away. I didn’t ask why and I assumed wrong. I loved you when you almost threw up on my shoes in biology class. I loved you the day you walked out of my life. I loved you when you were a thousand miles away living a life I couldn’t even fathom.”

He wrapped her in his arms and held her against his chest. “I know I’ve been an ass lately, but I’ve spent my whole life loving you, Kate. And I don’t want to be without you ever again.”

Incredible warmth stole through her body and pushed her lips up into a smile. “You don’t?”

“No.”

“Can I say something now?”

He lifted his hand. “Not finished.”

“Oh.”

“I know you have your career,” he said, “and I know how important it is for you to be in L.A. so—”

She shook her head. “Matt, I—”

“I thought I could apply for a position with the L.A. County Sheriff.”

“You what?”

“If you don’t want to stay here, then I’ll move to be with you. I’ll go wherever you are, Kate. Hollywood. London. Egypt. It doesn’t matter because I love you.”

Her heart did all kinds of crazy leaps in her chest and her hand trembled as she lifted it to her mouth. “Oh, Matt—”

He lifted a dark brow. “Not done yet.”

“Sorry.”

“I was a fool to think I could just choose someone off a list of names to spend the rest of my life with. I want someone special, someone who loves me, someone who wants to wake up in my arms every day, someone who wants to have my babies and grow old with me. And I want that someone to be you.”

“I can do that.”

He tilted his head. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “No more running. I swear.”

“Your turn,” he said, his chest expelling a hard breath.

“Finally.” Fifty pounds of guilt and anxiety lifted from her shoulders. “I never thought you weren’t good enough for me. I know I’m stubborn, and sometimes I don’t make any sense, and sometimes it takes me a while to figure things out. But there’s one thing I’m absolutely sure of.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m sure that I love you, Matt. And I’m sure that we are one hundred percent perfect for each other.”

“Well that’s a relief.”

He looked at her for a few seconds but instead of taking her into his arms, he walked away. The pup lifted his head and whined as the soles of Matt’s boots crunched against the snow-covered deck.

Panic slithered up Kate’s spine. “What are you doing?” she shouted as he opened his front door and disappeared into his house. “Why are you walking away?”

“Hold that thought,” he shouted back.

A thousand glass half-empty ramblings scrambled through Kate’s mind while she stood there digging the toe of her boot into the snow. When the bedroom light beyond the French doors came on, she thought maybe he’d changed his mind and didn’t want her after all.

“Well, too bad for him,” she told the pup who sneezed in response. “I’m not running this time and neither is he.” She took two steps toward the door when he came back outside and walked right up to her.

“What was that all about?” she asked. “I was in the middle of ooey-gooey how-I-plan-to-spend-the-rest-of-my-life land and you just walk away?”

He smiled, reached in his pocket and withdrew a white box. Kate gasped even before she saw what was inside. Then he lowered himself to one knee in the snow, took her hand in his, and flipped open the lid. Against a bed of black velvet sat a beautiful solitaire diamond.

“This is the ring I bought for you ten years ago.”

“And you’ve kept it ever since?”

He nodded. “It’s kind of small. If you don’t like it, I can buy you a bigger one.”

“Don’t you dare. It’s beautiful.”

He smiled. “You’re beautiful.”

She smiled back. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“I’d planned to ask you to marry me ten years ago. Obviously I never got around to it. I love you, Kate. I’ve always loved you. I waited ten years hoping you’d come back.”

She didn’t wait for him to pull the ring out of the box and place it on her finger. She dropped to her knees in the snow, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her face against his cheek. As she inhaled the scent of his aftershave, as his warmth surrounded her on the cool November night, she knew exactly what her mother had been talking about. Soul mates. That’s exactly what Matt was. He was her once-in-a-lifetime love.

“I love you, Matt. So much.” He lowered his head and kissed her. As they came up for air, she said, “But I don’t want you to give up your dream. It’s too important.”

He shook his head, “I can’t ask you to give up everything you’ve worked for. I know Hollywood is important to you.”

“You don’t have to ask me to give up anything. I have no ties there. Not anymore.”

“What about the lawsuits?”

“I made a few calls to my clients and personally explained the situation to them. Once they heard the truth, they were all very understanding. Even Inara’s dragon lady agent. Apparently Josh had been playing the drama queen to the hilt and hadn’t been quite forthcoming as to the reasons I’d left or the reasons I’d stayed. I can’t blame him. I did dump an awful lot of responsibility on him.” She ran her hand down the sleeve of his jacket. “While I was making calls, I found a buyer for my couture collection and put my condo up on the market.”

“You’ve been a busy girl.”

“I don’t belong there anymore, Matt. I belong with you, in Deer Lick or planet Mars or wherever you plan to be.”

“I’ll be right here.” He wrapped his arms around her. “With you.”

“You know, I wasn’t going to leave. At least not without fighting Sarah or Diane or whatever her name is for you.”

“Are you kidding?”

“No.” She leaned her forehead against his. “And whatever her name was would have been sorry, too. I’ve taken kickboxing.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Now that would have been a sight to see.”

“Could have led to a frisk. And handcuffs.”

“I think I can accommodate you there.” He hugged her tighter. “You do know there was never any competition, don’t you?”

She smiled. “I do now.”

“Do you remember the wish I made that night?”

“You wished that I would love you forever,” she said.

He nodded.

“I’ll love you forever and then some,” she promised. Knowing that loving someone beyond their time on earth was entirely possible.

“Will you marry me, Kate? Will you be my wife?”

“I was your first love, Matt, and I want to be your last. So yes. Absolutely. Without a doubt. I want to be your wife.”

He smiled, took her hand in his, and slid the ring on her finger. The diamond flashed in the moonlight. “A perfect fit,” she said, not even trying to hold back the grin that broke across her face.

“Yeah,” he kissed her again. “We are. By the way, what did you wish for that night? You know, the one a long time—”

“I remember.”

“So?”

“I wished that my Prince Charming would be patient enough to wait for me.”

“Thank God for second chances.”

She laughed. “You have no idea.”

“Maybe it’s time to make another wish,” he said.

“I’ve already got everything I want.”

“Everything?”

“Mmmm. What else have you got in mind?”

He lowered his forehead to hers. “That’s a loaded question.”

Having had enough of being ignored, the pup barked. Kate laughed, cupped her hands around his silky ears, and rubbed her nose against his.

“Are you finally willing to admit that he belongs to you just as much as I do?” Matt asked with a grin.

The pup wagged his tail and slurped his tongue up her chin.

“Yes. I guess I really didn’t try very hard to find him a home for a reason.”

“Then don’t you think it’s about time you gave him a name?”

“Probably.” She looked into the pup’s big brown eyes. “What do you think?”

He looked up at her and sneezed.

“Are you sure?” she asked him.

He sneezed again.

Matt laughed. “Are you seriously asking the dog what he wants you to call him?”

Kate wrapped her arms around Matt’s neck. “Uh-huh. You got a problem with that?”

He lifted his hands. “Not me. Unless you plan to open an animal psychic business.”

“I think I’ll have enough to do with the Sugar Shack, Cindi’s Attic, and getting you elected sheriff.”