Six Months in Montana (Montana Sweet Western Romance Series, Book 1) (8 page)

"I'm happy to do it, it's fun for me. Hopefully they both like seafood. We're having shrimp scampi."

"They'll love it." Christian slowly got to his feet and went upstairs to shower, while Molly started puttering around the kitchen. A half hour later, the doorbell rang just as Christian was coming down the stairs, looking decidedly more awake after a shower and shave. He opened the door and Traci and Travis came in. Traci handed Molly a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio and Travis passed over a six-pack of beer—an IPA from a local brewery—to Christian, who took two out and put the rest in the refrigerator. Molly poured glasses of wine for Traci and herself.

One of the things Molly loved about Christian's house was his kitchen. Although he rarely cooked, it was set up beautifully for anyone who enjoyed entertaining. It wasn't an overly large kitchen, but rather the perfect size, with just the right amount of room between the refrigerator, stove, sink and island, so that Molly was just a step or two away from whatever she needed.   Her favorite feature was the beautiful Carerra marble island that was crisp white with soft streaks of gray throughout. She loved the smooth feel of the honed marble, and that it was V-shaped with a gas stove in the middle and raised countertops with three stools on each side, so that while she was cooking, she could face her guests and chat easily.

She'd set out a platter of assorted cheeses and crackers a few minutes before they arrived, and as soon as everyone was settled around the island, they dug in.

"What's this one? Looks interesting." Molly liked to have a mix of cheeses, and tonight she'd chosen a few familiar favorites: a creamy aged cheddar; a mild and nutty manchego that was great for nibbling; St. Andre, which was a soft, buttery triple cream; and the one that Traci was asking about, which was a white pie-like wedge with a gray ashy line in the middle.

"That's Humboldt Fog. It's an aged goat cheese, soft and like brie around the edge, a little sharper in the middle. The gray ash-like stuff is all edible." Molly had discovered this cheese a few years ago, when a local cheese shop in Manhattan had come into the hotel and done a tasting for the chef and staff. She'd been a fan of it ever since.

Traci took a small amount of the cheese, spread it on a cracker and took a bite. "It's amazing." Molly smiled at the look of pure bliss on her face.

The four of them chatted easily, while Molly finished up cooking. She'd done most of the prep work earlier: the salad was all assembled except for the walnuts, which were in the oven toasting while the pasta was cooking.

The shrimp scampi came together quickly, as she added a generous amount of butter to a sauté pan, followed by a splash of good olive oil, some garlic and chopped tomatoes. She gave that about a minute, then added a generous helping of the wine that Traci had brought, let it reduce down a little, then added the shrimp. They only needed a few minutes, and during that time she took the walnuts out of the oven and added them to the salad which also had dried cranberries and goat cheese. She tossed it all together with some balsamic dressing and the heat of the nuts worked a bit of magic with the goat cheese, melting it just enough to add a delicious creaminess to the salad.

The last step was to drain the pasta, swirl in a bit more butter and a squeeze of lemon on the scampi, and then plate it up for everyone with a sprinkle of chopped parsley on top. They relocated from the island bar to the round wooden table by a gas fireplace that divided the kitchen and family room.

Everyone raved about the scampi and the salad. Molly was pleased. She loved to cook, and had actually learned how to make the scampi by watching the cooks at the hotel and asking questions every now and then. They’d got a kick out of it and whenever it had been slow, they’d taken turns in showing her how they did different things, such as adding wine to a pan that had been used to brown chicken or steak and letting it reduce down to make a delicious sauce by scraping up the bits on the bottom.

"You know, I have an idea," Traci began. "I know you aren't planning to have a full restaurant, but what about doing an occasional wine dinner? That might be a way to draw new people in, something extra you could offer."

"You'd need to get a liquor license if you're going to serve alcohol," said Travis, always the lawyer.  "I'm pretty tight with the guys on the licensing board. It might not be that difficult if we just go for beer and wine and a catering license versus bar."

Molly loved the idea. "We can see if the catering company that did Isabella's party might be interested."

"Or you could cook." Traci said, and looked as though she meant it.

"You could actually. This is a restaurant quality meal." Travis said, as he reached for another helping of salad.

"Would you want to cook though?" Christian asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. I'm flattered that you think I could." Molly had fantasized every now and then about what it would be like to be a caterer. But having seen the craziness at the hotel whenever there was a big function going on had always made her reconsider. Catering was stressful and a lot of hard work. But, on a smaller scale, like an intimate wine dinner at Rose Cottage, she had to admit the idea was intriguing.

Christian helped her clear the plates when they finished eating. Twice while going from the table to the sink, her bare arm accidentally brushed against his and each time the contact generated a spark that surprised her. They'd settled comfortably into the friend space, so this reaction was unexpected. She glanced at Christian's face to see if he was feeling it too, but she couldn't tell. Maybe it was the wine; she'd just poured herself a second glass and was feeling very relaxed and full from dinner.

O
nce everything was cleared
, Christian and Travis went into the office to enjoy an after dinner drink, while Molly poured cups of coffee for herself and Traci and then took them into the family room to watch a little TV. Christian poured two small glasses of one of his better scotches, and he and Travis settled into the leather chairs by the fireplace. Christian had lit the fire earlier and though it was dying down now, it still threw a little heat and cast a warm glow on the room. Toby approved and flopped down between the two of them, close enough that he could feel the warmth of the fire on his back.

"We should be keeping you busy over the next month or so as the Harrison Boulevard houses sell," Christian said. Travis handled all of their real estate closings.

"No kidding, that's good to hear." They chatted a bit about the real estate market and upcoming projects, and then Travis changed the subject. "So, how is it going with Molly? You guys look good together. If I didn't know differently, I'd think it was the real deal."

"It's going well enough, better than expected really, considering the circumstances. We've always been good friends. Molly is easy to be around."

"You were friends when you were kids. Maybe you could be more? Just saying. You seem good together." Travis was quiet for a moment, then added, "Unless you're not attracted to her?"

"Molly's a beautiful girl," Christian said. He took another sip of scotch and stared at the fire. "It's not that I'm not attracted to her, of course I am. This just isn't a normal situation. Molly's not just any girl. I like her."

"You like her, she's beautiful, so what's the problem?" Travis said reasonably.

"The problem is, I like her too much. We get along great. But you know my history." Christian could only envision things ending badly, and he liked Molly and her family too much to risk that. But still, he had to admit he was surprised by how much he liked having her around, and by how attracted he really was to her. It scared him a little. He hadn't felt this level of interest since Heather Olander, the fiancée who'd dumped him out of the blue. He frowned and took a sip of his scotch. Definitely best not to even go there; easier for everyone in the long run.

"So you got burned once, and now have it in your mind that you'll never be serious with anyone, never commit or get married. How's that working out for you?" Travis challenged him.

"It's fine; everything was fine until Gramps lost his mind and changed his will."

"Really? You honestly think everything was fine? You think Isabella was happy with how things were? That she didn't want more? Most people want more."

"She seemed happy."

"Maybe she was, but maybe she also thought you'd come around eventually."

"I was always honest with her."

"Yes, but are you being honest with yourself? How do you really feel about Molly?" Travis paused to take a sip of scotch, was quiet for a moment then said, "Maybe your grandfather was smarter than you realize. Why not use this time to see if she might be the one?"

"It's not that simple. She has a life across the country to return to: a career she loves, and the promotion she's been working towards is almost there. It could never work." They sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping their scotch and enjoying the warmth of the fire.

"It might not work." Travis finally agreed, "But how will you know, if you never try? Things change, people change."

Christian said nothing to that, just took another sip of scotch, and then reached over to scratch Toby behind his ears.

"Speaking of Isabella," Travis went on, changing the subject again. "I picked up a message from her on the way over here. She is going to stop by the office tomorrow morning. She has something she needs help with.

"Probably another closing," Christian said. Isabella also often used Travis for her many real estate transactions.

"I was thinking about asking her out to dinner. You sure you're still cool with that?" There was a hint of nervousness in Travis’s voice, and Christian realized his friend had it bad. Normally neither of them would ever consider dating an ex-girlfriend, but this was different. Christian thought the world of both of them and now understood why Travis was being so insistent about Molly.

"Totally cool with it." Christian assured him.

A
fter Travis
and Traci had left, Molly decided to call it a night too. She took her coffee cup into the kitchen, rinsed and put it in the dishwasher, and then poured herself a glass of water to take up to bed. She rarely drank the water, but always had a glass by her bedside in case she woke up thirsty. She was about to head to bed when, suddenly, Christian appeared, and had a worried look as though he needed to talk to her about something.

"Everything all right?" she asked.

"What?" He seemed surprised by the question, as he leaned against the kitchen counter and glanced around the room, looking everywhere except at Molly.

"You seem concerned about something, or distracted, not sure which." Maybe he was just exhausted, a little off after the long week.

"Are you staying up for a while?"

Molly hesitated, then said, "I was thinking of heading to bed, but I could stay up for a bit." She wasn't tired anymore, as there was an interesting shift of energy in the room. The slight spark she'd felt when she and Christian had accidentally brushed against each other was back, and they hadn't even touched this time.

"Good, I thought I'd show you the plans for the new project we're breaking ground on next week." He sounded excited and a bit nervous, and Molly wasn't sure what to think as he led her into the office and pulled out a huge poster board and laid it on top of his desk.

"This is going to be a high-end market, in the middle of the Brookstone development. It will have the best meats, cheeses, local produce and a smaller version of the Community Co-op, with an attached liquor and wine shop."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Molly knew it would be a hit. The closest Community Co-op, with its huge selection of organic and prepared foods, was in Bozeman. Molly had a little trouble concentrating as Christian walked her through the plans. He was standing so close to her that his arm brushed against her each time he leaned forward to point something out. Molly leaned a little closer, liking the feeling of being so near him.

"Thanks! Your support means a lot to me." He gave her a quick hug, and Molly held on tight, loving the smell of him. It wasn't any particular cologne, just the mix of shampoo and his natural scent. When they pulled apart, his eyes locked on hers and she held his glance, and her breath, as she could sense what was coming next. Christian moved towards her, hesitated a moment and then his lips were on hers.

Molly held on tighter as Christian deepened the kiss. Then he pulled back and slowly kissed his way along her neck, before claiming her lips again. Molly reveled in the taste of him and wasn't surprised at the chemistry; the surges of electricity she'd been feeling whenever they touched made sense now. She didn't want the kiss to end, but eventually it did, as Christian pulled back and then gently kissed her forehead.

"I shouldn't have done that," he said.

"I didn't mind actually." Molly smiled up at him, but the warm and happy glow she'd been feeling was starting to fade at the look of obvious regret on Christian's face.

"It's not fair to you. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again." Christian turned away and started heading upstairs to bed, while Molly stayed in the kitchen, wide awake and wondering where they would go from here, and how she could get Christian to kiss her again.

T
he next morning at breakfast
, Christian acted as though the kiss had never happened. He wasn't distant, just overly polite and friendly, almost as if he was trying too hard. Molly just went with it and, within a few days, it was almost as if they were back to normal. Though Molly did find herself glancing his way more often, and a few times out of the corner of her eye she caught him doing the same. She had of course filled Meghan in about the kiss, and they’d had a good hour-long phone chat about the matter.

Meghan had ridden the roller coaster of emotions, from initially thrilled for her to wondering how it could possibly work because Molly was absolutely without a doubt coming back to New York, right? Molly had assured her that she was planning on it and counting on her promotion.

And Christian certainly wasn't leaving Montana. So where did that leave them? As attracted as she was to Christian, she had to admit there wasn't likely to be a future there. And at least he was decent enough to recognize it too and stop, before things got out of hand. But still, if Molly was being honest with herself, she couldn't help wondering what it would be like if they just gave in and enjoyed themselves. After all they were married; what would be the harm in it if they both went into it with their eyes open? Enjoyed the rest of their time together? The idea was a bit scandalous, as she'd never been one for casual affairs. But it certainly was tempting. But who was she kidding: if she'd never been one for a casual 'friends with benefits' arrangement, she certainly wasn't going to start now. No, somewhat regretfully, she recognized that she was an all or nothing kind of girl. The complete opposite of what Christian wanted.

She didn't have much time to dwell on it, though, as the rest of the week flew by. Molly, her mother and aunt were non-stop busy as they finished up getting the Rose Cottage ready for its grand opening. Traci and Molly had chosen soft lilac and pale green colors for the walls and drapes, and classic snow white linens. Soothing gray throw pillows added the final touch. Aunt Betty found some amazing inexpensive watercolors, and they hung different ones in each room and in the hallways to add a burst of welcoming color.

They also made sure that all the bathrooms were stocked with high end soaps and shampoos. Molly's mother had a knack for decorating as well, and added finishing touches to all the rooms, such as whimsical bubble bath, pretty dried flower arrangements and interesting magazines and books. She also came up with an idea that Molly fell in love with: to leave a pair of signature socks in the room for every guest. Some high end hotels offered slippers, so they would differentiate themselves by offering soft cozy socks in stripes of the inn's colors: lilac, mint, and gray.

To celebrate the opening, they had decided to have people over for a 'breakfast at dinner' reception that Thursday evening, with the inn officially opening for business the following day. Molly worked closely with her mother and aunt on the guest list of about one hundred people. A few were close friends, but the majority were business people who would be in a position of influence, such as Isabella, her caterer, as well as other local realtors, attorneys and the owners of Delancey's and the Morning Muffin.

Molly even invited the owners of the small motel they'd passed on the way into town. Although they could technically be considered competition, strategically she thought it made sense to get to know them, as there were bound to be times when they'd have no vacancies and would need to refer people to each other.

They kept the menu for the opening simple, and decided to feature food they planned to serve at the inn, such as her mother's legendary caramelized onion and mushroom quiche; a puff pastry tart with fig jam;
prosciutto
; goat cheese and arugula; chicken apple sausage; lemon ginger scones; Aunt Betty's cinnamon walnut coffee cake; and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. They also put out a platter of assorted cheeses and crackers for guests to nibble on as they arrived and a tray of mimosas made with freshly squeezed orange juice, as well as carafes of the red and white wines they intended to offer.

So it was a somewhat casual and informal affair that immediately put people at ease. Molly also had two local girls helping out. They kept the carafes of wine full and served the
hors d'oeuvres
, which were bite-sized portions of everything.

Their first guests arrived a few minutes past six. Although Molly had been a bundle of nerves all day as they got ready for the party, an hour later, once most of the guests were there and everything seemed to be going well, she felt herself finally start to relax.

"Here, you deserve some wine now," Aunt Betty said, as she passed Molly a freshly poured glass of Malbec. Molly had been so busy running around making sure all her guests were taken care of, that she hadn't had anything to eat or drink herself.

She'd just taken her first sip when she saw another guest arrive. Isabella certainly knew how to make an entrance. She was wearing a fire engine red denim dress that hugged her curves and looked amazing against her dark hair. Molly was surprised to see that Travis was by her side. She wondered if that was a coincidence, or if they'd come together.

Travis immediately made his way over to Christian, who was helping himself to the cheese and crackers.

"You made it finally," he said, as he saw Travis. "Red wine?" Travis nodded and Christian handed him a glass. It wasn't like Travis to be so late to a party; he was usually the first one there.

"Sorry, got stuck working late. Isabella had to reschedule her meeting with me until the end of day. We just finished up and came right over."

"Everything go okay?" Travis seemed a bit tense, not his usual easy-going self.

"It wasn't quite what I expected. Can't say more than that due to confidentiality, but you'll probably know what I'm talking about soon enough."

"Oh, okay…" Then to lighten the mood, Christian added, "So, did you ask Isabella out then? You said you were going to, when she came by the office."

Travis hesitated then said, "I did say that, didn't I? I decided to put that idea on hold; there’s no reason to rush." Christian found that odd and very un-like Travis, but it was clear that his friend wasn't going to share anything further, so he changed the subject.

"We got a verbal agreement on another offer. I should be calling you tomorrow to confirm date for the P-and-S."

"That's great." Travis looked more relaxed now as they started to discuss the terms of the offer. While they talked, Christian automatically scanned the room, looking for Molly. She was handing out mimosas to two friends of her mother, and hadn't stopped moving since the party began. Isabella was standing nearby, chatting with a few other realtors. Christian couldn't help but compare the two. Isabella stood out in the crowd with her bright dress and dramatic coloring, but it was Molly that his eyes lingered over.

She was wearing a shimmery soft lilac dress that was pure elegance. Her hair was twisted into a smooth French twist, with a few wisps left loose to frame either side of her face. She smiled often, as she walked around the room chatting with everyone and making them feel welcome, and Christian had to fight the urge to pull her into a side room and have her all to himself.

It had been a difficult week, trying to act as though that kiss hadn't happened, and that they were just good friends. As much as he enjoyed her company, he couldn't be around her now without wanting to kiss her again, so the easiest thing was to just spend less time together.

"Christian, could I have a word with you?" Isabella had walked up to them and he hadn't even seen her coming. Travis immediately looked uncomfortable.

"I see a few people I need to say hello to." Travis quickly walked away, leaving the two of them alone.

"How've you been?" Isabella asked sweetly.

"Good, thanks. You?"

"Never better." She took a sip of her wine, glanced around the room for a moment, then continued, "So, I thought I should let you know that I won't be able to send referrals your way."

“No? I'm sorry to hear that."

"I thought it best to tell you the news myself, rather than have you hear it from someone else."

"Okay." Christian was starting to feel irritated; as usual Isabella tended to be overly dramatic. "It's not that big a deal; if you're not comfortable referring people, I guess I understand."

"No, it's not that. The thing is I can't refer people to Rose Cottage, because I'm going to be opening a bed and breakfast myself! My great uncle and I, that is. He wants to move to a smaller, single floor house closer to town. It was his idea actually. He thinks there's plenty of business to go around, and has that big old house with two floors that aren't even being used."

Isabella running a bed and breakfast…Christian couldn't see it.

"What do you know about the hospitality business? It seems like a lot of work running an inn." Christian wondered how Molly would feel about this news, and realized he had to be the one to tell her, tonight.

"You just put people in pretty rooms and serve them muffins and coffee in the morning, how hard can it be?" Isabella said with a dismissive laugh. "I think it's going to be fun!"

C
hristian seemed preoccupied
on the drive home, and was quieter than usual. Molly didn't mind; the party had gone well, but now that it was over she was exhausted. Her energy had crashed after being 'on' all night, making sure everything went well and that everyone was having a good time. It had been nearly ten o'clock by the time they'd cleaned up after everyone had left, and she was looking forward to falling into bed and getting a good night's sleep before their big grand opening day.

As soon as they got home, Molly went straight into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water and then head to bed, but Christian followed her and said, "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?" He looked so serious and a bit annoyed, as he dragged his hand through his hair, a habit she'd noticed he had when he was trying to work out a solution to a problem.

"It's Isabella." He then told her about her plans and that it was her great-uncle's idea, the lively Mr. Thompson they'd met at the barbeque.

Molly's initial reaction was shock, followed by amusement, and then finished with annoyance. She found it hard to imagine the always immaculate Isabella cleaning a toilet or changing sheets or even cooking, for that matter.

"Has she ever done anything like this before? Worked in a hotel or bed and breakfast, ever?"

Christian confirmed that she hadn't. "She thinks there's nothing to it."

That's where Molly's feeling of amusement came in. Isabella had no idea what she was in for. But, then annoyance took over again, as she realized this could put a serious wrinkle in their promotion plans. Although she agreed with Mr. Thompson's enthusiasm and belief that the town could support two bed and breakfasts, it still meant that people would have a choice, and Isabella had a lot of influence in town and the ability to make things more difficult than they needed to be.

"Well, looks like we'll have to ramp up our marketing and promotion efforts." They did have a little time before Isabella would be able to open, Christian said she was still a good two months away from being ready. A lot could happen in that time period, and Molly intended to make sure they got off to a great start.